List of foreign-born United States Cabinet members

Last updated

Henry A. Kissinger, U.S. Secretary of State, 1973-1977.jpg
Secalbright.jpg
Henry Kissinger (left) and Madeleine Albright (right) are the highest-ranking foreign-born citizens to lead the Federal Executive Department; each held the post of Secretary of State.

As of 2023, there have been 23 members appointed to the Cabinet of the United States who had been born outside the present-day United States.

Contents

Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers who signed the U.S. Constitution, was the first cabinet member to be born outside of the United States. [1] President George Washington appointed Hamilton, born in Nevis in 1755 or in 1757, as the United States' first Secretary of the Treasury in 1789. [2] [3] Irish-born James McHenry, whom Washington appointed as Secretary of War in 1796 and who served in the same post in John Adams's administration, was the other foreign-born individual in Washington's cabinet. [4]

Albert Gallatin, born in the Republic of Geneva (in present-day Switzerland) in 1761, became the third foreign-born member of the cabinet when named Secretary of the Treasury by President Thomas Jefferson in 1801. [5] [6] Gallatin, his successor George W. Campbell, William J. Duane, Carl Schurz, and James Wilson were the only foreign-born members to hold cabinet positions in the 19th century. In the 20th century, nine foreign-born individuals were appointed to the cabinet, including German-born Oscar Straus and Mexican-born George Romney (George Romney, born to American parents, became the father of former Governor of Massachusetts, 2012 Republican U.S. presidential candidate and current U.S. Senator from Utah Mitt Romney. [7] [8] ) During the 2001 to 2009 presidency of President George W. Bush, three foreign-born individuals became members of his cabinet—Elaine Chao and Mel Martínez in 2001; Carlos Gutierrez in 2005. [1]

The Department of the Treasury has had the most foreign-born secretaries, with five. The Department of Labor and the Department of the Interior follow with three, and the Departments of Housing and Urban Development and State have each had two. Former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright were the highest-ranking foreign-born cabinet members ever in accordance to the United States presidential line of succession. [1] The majority of foreign-born cabinet members were born in Europe. Most European-born cabinet members originated from the United Kingdom and Germany (with five and four respectively), and the others were born in Ireland, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, and Italy. Four cabinet members were born in the Americas, and one was born in Asia. The Departments of Defense, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Education have not had foreign-born secretaries.

Since most foreign-born cabinet members are not natural-born citizens—meaning that they were not born in the United States or born abroad to American parents—they are ineligible to exercise the powers of the President of the United States in the event that "neither a President nor Vice President" is able to "discharge the powers and duties" of the presidency as specified in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. [9] [10] A notable exception was HUD Secretary George W. Romney, who was a birthright U.S. citizen because his parents were U.S. citizens and, in fact, had been a candidate in the Republican presidential primaries the prior year.

Permanent cabinet members

Current departments

The Department of Defense was established in 1947; no foreign-born person has served yet. [11] The Department of Justice was established in 1870; no foreign-born person has served as Attorney General yet. The Department of Education was established in 1979; no foreign-born person has served yet.

 *  denotes the first foreign-born secretary of that particular department
No.PersonPosition Succession [12] Year appointedCountry of birthPartyAdministrationRef.
1 Alexander Hamilton portrait by John Trumbull 1806.jpg Alexander Hamilton* Secretary of the Treasury 51789 Saint Kitts and Nevis (then the British Leeward Islands) Federalist Washington [2] [3]
2 Albert Gallatin (by Gilbert Stuart).jpg Albert Gallatin Secretary of the Treasury51801 Switzerland (then the Republic of Geneva) Democratic-Republican Jefferson
3 CAMPBELL, George W-Treasury (BEP engraved portrait) (3x4).jpg George W. Campbell Secretary of the Treasury51814 United Kingdom Madison [13]
4 DUANE, William J-Treasury (BEP engraved portrait).jpg William J. Duane Secretary of the Treasury51833 Ireland (then part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) Democratic Jackson [14]
5 Carl-Schurz.jpg Carl Schurz* Secretary of the Interior 81877 Germany (then Prussia) Republican Hayes [1] [15]
6 James Wilson (Secretary of Agriculture 1897-1913) 2003 902 275 f1881m24x.tiff James Wilson* Secretary of Agriculture 91897United Kingdom McKinley [16]
Roosevelt
Taft
7 Franklin Knight Lane cph.3a02985 (cropped).jpg Franklin Knight Lane Secretary of the Interior81913 Canada (then Prince Edward Island)Democratic Wilson [17]
8 Wilson-William-Bauchop-130313.jpg William B. Wilson* Secretary of Labor 11United Kingdom [18]
9 DAVIS, JAMES. HONORABLE LCCN2016860969 (resized).jpg James J. Davis Secretary of Labor111921United KingdomRepublican Harding [19] [20]
Coolidge
Hoover
10 Celebrez (1).jpg Anthony J. Celebrezze* Secretary of Health and Human Services [lower-alpha 1] 121962 Italy Democratic Kennedy [22]
Johnson
11 George W. Romney official portrait.jpg George W. Romney* Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 131969 Mexico Republican Nixon [7]
12 Henry A. Kissinger, U.S. Secretary of State, 1973-1977.jpg Henry Kissinger* Secretary of State 41973Germany [23] [24]
Ford
13 Portrait of W. Michael Blumenthal.jpg W. Michael Blumenthal Secretary of the Treasury51977GermanyDemocratic Carter [25] [26]
14 Secalbright.jpg Madeleine Albright Secretary of State41997 Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) Clinton [27] [28]
15 Elaine Chao large (cropped).jpg Elaine Chao Secretary of Labor112001 Taiwan Republican Bush Jr. [1] [29]
16 Former HUD Secretaries- Mel Martinez - Former HUD Secretaries- Mel Martinez (copies) - DPLA - ea6e4fab6418e4325d33e11ff9aa5bed.jpg Mel Martínez Secretary of Housing and Urban Development13 Cuba [1]
17 Carlos Gutierrez official portrait.jpg Carlos Gutierrez* Secretary of Commerce 102005Cuba [30] [31]
18 Sally Jewell official portrait.jpg Sally Jewell Secretary of the Interior82013United KingdomDemocratic Obama [32]
(15) Elaine Chao official portrait 2 (a).jpg Elaine Chao* Secretary of Transportation 142017TaiwanRepublican Trump [33]
19 Robert Wilkie official portrait.jpg Robert Wilkie* Secretary of Veterans Affairs 172018Germany (then West Germany) [34]
20 Secretary Jennifer Granholm (June 2021).jpg Jennifer Granholm* Secretary of Energy 152021CanadaDemocratic Biden
21 Secretary Mayorkas Official Photo.jpg Alejandro Mayorkas* Secretary of Homeland Security 18Cuba

Defunct departments

 *  denotes the first foreign-born secretary of that particular department
No.PersonPositionYear appointedCountry of birthPartyAdministrationRef.
1 JMcHenry.jpg James McHenry* Secretary of War 1796 United Kingdom (then the Kingdom of Ireland) Independent Washington [4]
Federalist Adams
2 Oscar Solomon Straus cph.3b35056.jpg Oscar Straus* Secretary of Commerce and Labor 1906 Germany (then the Kingdom of Bavaria) Republican Roosevelt [38]

Cabinet-level officials

The president may designate additional officials as members of the cabinet. These positions have not always been in the cabinet, so some female officeholders may not be listed.

The following list includes those who were born outside of the United States and have held cabinet-level positions other than the 15 executive departments.

 *  denotes the first foreign-born head of that particular agency
No.PersonPositionYear appointedCountry of birthPartyAdministrationRef.
1 Zbigniew Brzezinski, 1977.jpg Zbigniew Brzezinski* National Security Advisor 1977 Poland Democratic Carter
2 Secalbright.jpg Madeleine Albright* Ambassador to the United Nations 1993 Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) Clinton [27] [28]
3 John Deutch, Undersecretary of Defense, 1993 official photo.JPEG John M. Deutch* Director of Central Intelligence 1995 Belgium [39] [40]
4 Samantha Power official portrait.jpg Samantha Power Ambassador to the United Nations2013 United Kingdom Obama [41]
5 Maria Contreras-Sweet official portrait.jpg Maria Contreras-Sweet* Administrator of the Small Business Administration 2014 Mexico [42]
6 Arati Prabhakar, OSTP Director.jpg Arati Prabhakar* Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 2022 India Biden [43]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ At the time of his appointment, the position was then called the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of the United States</span> Principal advisory body to the president of the United States

The Cabinet of the United States is the principal official advisory body to the president of the United States. The Cabinet generally meets with the president in a room adjacent to the Oval Office in the West Wing of the White House. The president chairs the meetings but is not formally a member of the Cabinet. The vice president of the United States serves in the Cabinet by statute. The heads of departments, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, are members of the Cabinet, and acting department heads also participate in Cabinet meetings whether or not they have been officially nominated for Senate confirmation. The president may designate heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as members of the Cabinet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Secretary of State</span> Head of the US Department of State

The United States secretary of state (SecState) is a member of the executive branch of the federal government and the head of the Department of State. The office holder is the second-highest-ranking member of the president's Cabinet, after the vice president, and ranks fourth in the presidential line of succession; first amongst cabinet secretaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Secretary of the Treasury</span> Head of the United States Department of the Treasury

The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters pertaining to economic and fiscal policy. The secretary is, by custom, a member of the president's cabinet and, by law, a member of the National Security Council, and high in the U.S. presidential line of succession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Secretary of Defense</span> Head of the US Department of Defense

The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high-ranking member of the federal cabinet. The secretary of defense's position of command and authority over the military is second only to that of the president of the United States, who is the commander-in-chief. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a defense minister in many other countries. The secretary of defense is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is by custom a member of the Cabinet and by law a member of the National Security Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Security Advisor (United States)</span> White House advisory position

The assistant to the president for national security affairs (APNSA), commonly referred to as the national security advisor (NSA), is a senior aide in the Executive Office of the President, based at the West Wing of the White House. The national security advisor serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all national security issues. The national security advisor participates in meetings of the National Security Council (NSC) and usually chairs meetings of the principals committee of the NSC with the secretary of state and secretary of defense. The NSA also sits on the Homeland Security Council (HSC). The national security advisor is supported by NSC staff who produce classified research and briefings for the national security advisor to review and present, either to the NSC or the president. The national security advisor is appointed by the president and does not require confirmation by the United States Senate. An appointment of a three- or four-star general to the role requires Senate confirmation to maintain that rank in the new position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Gallatin</span> American politician, diplomat, and scholar (1761–1849)

Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was a Genevan–American politician, diplomat, ethnologist and linguist. Often described as "America's Swiss Founding Father", he was a leading figure in the early years of the United States, helping shape the new republic's financial system and foreign policy. Gallatin was a prominent member of the Democratic-Republican Party, represented Pennsylvania in both chambers of Congress, and held several influential roles across four presidencies, most notably as the longest serving U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. He is also known for his contributions to academia, namely as the founder of New York University and cofounder of the American Ethnological Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Eagleburger</span> American statesman and diplomat (1930–2011)

Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger was an American statesman and career diplomat, who served briefly as the secretary of state under President George H. W. Bush from December 1992 to January 1993, one of the shortest terms in modern history. Previously, he had served in lesser capacities under Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan, and as deputy secretary of state to James Baker under George H. W. Bush. Eagleburger is the only career Foreign Service Officer to have served as secretary of state. He was also Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense from January to May 1973. As a career member of the United States Senior Foreign Service, he attained the rank of Career Ambassador on April 12, 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Lehman</span> American naval aviator, investor, writer and civil servant

John Francis Lehman Jr. is an American private equity investor and writer who was secretary of the Navy (1981–1987) during the Reagan administration in which he promoted the creation of a 600-ship navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Zoellick</span> 11th President of the World Bank Group

Robert Bruce Zoellick is an American public official and lawyer who was the 11th president of the World Bank Group, a position he held from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2012. He was previously a managing director of Goldman Sachs, United States Deputy Secretary of State and U.S. Trade Representative, from February 7, 2001, until February 22, 2005. Zoellick has been a senior fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs since ending his term with the World Bank. He is currently a Senior Counselor at Brunswick Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert M. Kimmitt</span> American politician

Robert Michael Kimmitt was United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury under President George W. Bush. He was nominated by President Bush on June 29, 2005. The United States Senate unanimously confirmed him on July 29, 2005, and he was sworn into office on August 16, 2005. Kimmitt served through the end of the Bush administration, leaving office on January 20, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt M. Campbell</span> American diplomat and businessman (born 1957)

Kurt Michael Campbell is an American diplomat and businessman serving as the United States deputy secretary of state since 2024. He previously served as National Security Council coordinator for the Indo-Pacific from 2021 to 2024. In this capacity, Campbell had been referred to as the Biden administration's "Asia coordinator" or "Asia czar"—chief architect of Joe Biden's Asia strategy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of Barack Obama</span>

Barack Obama assumed office as president of the United States on January 20, 2009, and his term ended on January 20, 2017. The president has the authority to nominate members of his Cabinet to the United States Senate for confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Shultz</span> American politician (1920–2021)

George Pratt Shultz was an American economist, businessman, diplomat and statesman. He served in various positions under two different Republican presidents and is one of the only two persons to have held four different Cabinet-level posts, the other being Elliot Richardson. Shultz played a major role in shaping the foreign policy of the Ronald Reagan administration, and conservative foreign policy thought thereafter.

The presidency of Richard Nixon began on January 20, 1969, when Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the 37th president of the United States, and ended on August 9, 1974, when, in the face of almost certain impeachment and removal from office, he resigned the presidency.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Haddock, Vicki (November 2, 2003). "President Schwarzenegger? Some think it's time to stop excluding foreign-born citizens from serving in the Oval Office". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Alexander Hamilton". United States Department of the Treasury. Archived from the original on November 8, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  3. 1 2 "Hamilton, Alexander, (1757–1804)". United States Congress. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "James McHenry". United States Army. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Albert Gallatin". United States Department of the Treasury. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Gallatin, Albert, (1761–1849)". United States Congress. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  7. 1 2 Dobner, Jennifer; Johnson, Glen (February 24, 2007). "Polygamy Prominent in GOP Presidential Hopeful Mitt Romney's Family Tree". Fox News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 30, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  8. ↑ Rutenberg, Jim; Zeleny, Jeff. "Mitt Romney". The New York Times . Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  9. ↑ "The Constitution of the United States: Article II. Executive Department (p.455-456)" (PDF). gpoaccess.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2008.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Code: Title 3, 19. Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act". Cornell Law School . Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  11. ↑ "Histories of the Secretaries of Defense". United States Department of Defense . Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  12. ↑ Feerick, John. "Essays on Amendment XXV: Presidential Succession". The Heritage Guide to the Constitution. The Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Campbell, George Washington, (1769–1848)". United States Congress . Retrieved November 25, 2008.
  14. ↑ "William J. Duane (1833 -1833): Secretary of the Treasury". University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2008.
  15. ↑ "Schurz, Carl, (1829–1906)". United States Congress . Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  16. ↑ "Former Secretaries". www.usda.gov. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  17. ↑ "Franklin Knight Lane". National Park Service . Retrieved November 25, 2008.
  18. ↑ "William B. Wilson". United States Department of Labor. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2008.
  19. ↑ "James J. Davis". United States Department of Labor. Archived from the original on 2008-11-05. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Davis, James John, (1873–1947)". United States Congress . Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  21. ↑ "Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, Title 20, Section 3508". house.gov. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  22. ↑ "Anthony J. Celebrezze 1910–1998". Ohio Northern University. Archived from the original on September 27, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2008.
  23. ↑ "Henry Kissinger". Nobel Foundation . Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  24. ↑ "Secretary of State Henry Alfred Kissinger". United States Department of State . Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  25. ↑ "Michael Blumenthal". United States Department of the Treasury. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  26. ↑ "W. Michael Blumenthal". Jewish Museum Berlin . Retrieved November 10, 2008.[ dead link ]
  27. 1 2 "Secretary of State Madeleine Korbel Albright". United States Department of State . Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  28. 1 2 Brockes, Emma (October 30, 2003). "'I loved what I did'". The Guardian . London . Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  29. ↑ "Profile: Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao". ABC News . Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  30. ↑ "Carlos Gutierrez". United States Department of Commerce. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  31. ↑ "Profile: Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez". ABC News. January 25, 2005. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
  32. ↑ "REI's Sally Jewell wins confirmation as Interior secretary". The Washington Post . Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  33. ↑ Jansen, Bart (January 31, 2017). "Elaine Chao Takes Oath to Become Transportation Secretary". USA Today. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  34. ↑ Rosenbleeth, Herb (July 3, 2018). "Robert Wilkie Nominated for VA Secretary". Jewish War Veterans.
  35. ↑ "The United States Postal Service — An American History 1775 – 2002" (PDF). United States Postal Service. September 2003. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  36. ↑ "Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  37. ↑ "Secretaries of the Navy". Department of the Navy. Archived from the original on August 1, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Oscar S. Straus in Roosevelt's Cabinet; Will Be the First Jew to Hold Such a Post in This Country. Meyer Postmaster General Metcalf Secretary of the Navy -Cortelyou to Head the Treasury Department". The New York Times . October 24, 1906. Retrieved November 12, 2008.
  39. ↑ Weiner, Tim (March 11, 1995). "Man in the News: John Mark Deutch; Reluctant Helmsman for a Troubled Agency". The New York Times . Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  40. ↑ Lewis, Neil A. (September 17, 2000). "Investigation Of Ex-Chief Of the C.I.A. Is Broadened". The New York Times . Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  41. ↑ Peters, Jeremy W. (August 1, 2013). "Senate Easily Approves Obama's U.N. Nominee". The New York Times . Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Maria Contreras-Sweet Confirmed As SBA Administrator". NBC News. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
  43. ↑ "Senate Votes to Confirm Dr. Arati Prabhakar as Director of White House Office of Science and Technology Policy". American Kahani. Retrieved 2022-09-22.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.