United States Deputy Secretary of State

second highest ranking official of the United States Department of State

The Deputy Secretary of State of the United States is the chief assistant to the Secretary of State. If the Secretary of State resigns or dies, the Deputy Secretary of State becomes Acting Secretary of State until the President nominates and the Senate confirms a replacement. The position was created in 1972.

Deputy Secretary of State of the United States of America
Seal of the Department of State
Flag of the Deputy Secretary of State
Incumbent
Kurt M. Campbell

since February 12, 2024
Department of State
Reports toThe United States Secretary of State
SeatWashington, D.C.
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
FormationJuly 13, 1972
First holderJohn N. Irwin II
SalaryExecutive Schedule, Level 2
WebsiteOfficial website

List of deputy secretaries of state

change
# Portrait Name Term began Term ended President(s) served under
1   John N. Irwin II July 13, 1972 February 1, 1973 Richard Nixon
2   Kenneth Rush February 2, 1973 May 29, 1974
3   Robert S. Ingersoll July 10, 1974 March 31, 1976
Gerald Ford
4   Charles W. Robinson April 9, 1976 January 20, 1977
5   Warren Christopher February 26, 1977 January 16, 1981 Jimmy Carter
6   William P. Clark Jr. February 25, 1981 February 9, 1982 Ronald Reagan
7   Walter J. Stoessel Jr. February 11, 1982 September 22, 1982
8   Kenneth W. Dam September 23, 1982 June 15, 1985
9   John C. Whitehead July 9, 1985 January 20, 1989
10   Lawrence Eagleburger January 20, 1989 December 8, 1992 George H. W. Bush
11   Clifton R. Wharton Jr. January 27, 1993 November 8, 1993 Bill Clinton
12   Strobe Talbott February 22, 1994 January 19, 2001
13   Richard Armitage March 26, 2001 February 22, 2005 George W. Bush
14   Robert Zoellick February 22, 2005 July 7, 2006
15   John Negroponte February 13, 2007 January 28, 2009
16   James Steinberg January 28, 2009 July 28, 2011 Barack Obama
17   William J. Burns July 28, 2011 November 3, 2014
  Wendy Sherman
Acting
November 3, 2014 January 9, 2015
18   Antony Blinken January 9, 2015 January 20, 2017
  Thomas A. Shannon Jr.
Acting
February 1, 2017 May 24, 2017 Donald Trump
19   John J. Sullivan May 24, 2017 December 20, 2019
20   Stephen Biegun December 21, 2019 January 20, 2021
21   Wendy Sherman April 14, 2021 July 28, 2023 Joe Biden
  Victoria Nuland
Acting
July 29, 2023 February 12, 2024
22   Kurt M. Campbell February 12, 2024 Incumbent