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List of people who have held multiple United States Cabinet-level positions

The Cabinet of the United States, which is the principal advisory body to the President of the United States, has had numerous permanent members serve as heads of multiple different federal executive departments, along with the Vice President or other cabinet-level positions, which can differ under each president. As the years progressed, some departments lost their original status in the president's cabinet, while other offices were established or reorganized as such. Unlike in many parliamentary cabinets, it is generally less common in the United States for officeholders to obtain multiple positions over the years.

Edmund Randolph (left) and Patricia Roberts Harris (right) are, respectively, the first person and the first woman to serve in multiple cabinet positions.

Edmund Randolph became the first person to have served in two different presidential cabinet posts when he was appointed Secretary of State by President George Washington in 1794 after previously serving as Attorney General during Washington's first term in office. Patricia Roberts Harris was the first woman and the first person of color to serve multiple posts in a president's cabinet when President Jimmy Carter appointed her Secretary of Health and Human Services[a] in 1979, having earlier served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development through the first half of Carter's administration.

Elliot Richardson held the most different positions within the presidential cabinet with four, having served as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare;[a] Secretary of Defense; and Attorney General, all three under President Richard Nixon, as well as Secretary of Commerce for Nixon's successor, Gerald Ford.[1] That record was equaled by George Shultz, who served successively within the Nixon administration—first as Secretary of Labor, then in a cabinet-rank position as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and finally as Secretary of the Treasury—before being appointed Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan.[2]

List of multiple cabinet-level officeholders

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The following list includes people who have led two or more different executive departments or other cabinet-level offices, which can vary under each president. The table below is organized by date of second appointment or election to such a position. Officeholders whose terms begin the same day are ranked alphabetically by last name.

No. Image Name Office Took office Left office
1   Edmund Randolph Attorney General September 26, 1789 January 26, 1794
Secretary of State January 2, 1794 August 20, 1795
2   Timothy Pickering Secretary of War January 2, 1795 December 10, 1795
Secretary of State December 10, 1795 May 12, 1800
3   Samuel Dexter Secretary of War June 1, 1800 January 31, 1801
Secretary of the Treasury January 1, 1801 May 13, 1801
4   Robert Smith Secretary of the Navy July 27, 1801 March 4, 1809
Secretary of State March 6, 1809 April 1, 1811
5   James Monroe Secretary of State April 6, 1811 March 4, 1817
Secretary of War September 27, 1814 March 2, 1815
6   William H. Crawford Secretary of War August 1, 1815 October 22, 1816
Secretary of the Treasury October 22, 1816 March 6, 1825
7   Richard Rush Attorney General February 10, 1814 November 12, 1817
Secretary of the Treasury March 7, 1825 March 5, 1829
8   Louis McLane Secretary of the Treasury August 8, 1831 May 29, 1833
Secretary of State May 29, 1833 June 30, 1834
9   Roger B. Taney Attorney General July 20, 1831 November 14, 1833
Secretary of the Treasury September 23, 1833 June 25, 1834
10   Levi Woodbury Secretary of the Navy May 23, 1831 June 30, 1834
Secretary of the Treasury July 1, 1834 March 4, 1841
11   Abel P. Upshur Secretary of the Navy October 11, 1841 July 23, 1843
Secretary of State July 24, 1843 February 28, 1844
12   John C. Calhoun Secretary of War December 8, 1817 March 4, 1825
Secretary of State April 1, 1844 March 10, 1845
13   John Y. Mason Secretary of the Navy March 26, 1844 March 4, 1845
September 10, 1846 March 4, 1849
Attorney General March 5, 1845 October 16, 1846
14   Thomas Ewing Secretary of the Treasury March 4, 1841 September 11, 1841
Secretary of the Interior March 8, 1849 July 22, 1850
15   William L. Marcy Secretary of War March 6, 1845 March 4, 1849
Secretary of State March 7, 1853 March 6, 1857
16   Lewis Cass Secretary of War August 1, 1831 October 4, 1836
Secretary of State March 6, 1857 December 14, 1860
17   Isaac Toucey Attorney General June 21, 1848 March 3, 1849
Secretary of the Navy March 7, 1857 March 4, 1861
18   Jeremiah S. Black Attorney General March 6, 1857 December 16, 1860
Secretary of State December 17, 1860 March 5, 1861
19   Joseph Holt Postmaster General March 9, 1859 December 31, 1860
Secretary of War January 18, 1861 March 5, 1861
20   Edwin Stanton Attorney General December 20, 1860 March 4, 1861
Secretary of War January 20, 1862 May 28, 1868
21   Alphonso Taft Secretary of War March 8, 1876 May 22, 1876
Attorney General May 22, 1876 March 4, 1877
22   William M. Evarts Attorney General July 17, 1868 March 4, 1869
Secretary of State March 12, 1877 March 7, 1881
23   Walter Q. Gresham Postmaster General April 9, 1883 September 4, 1884
Secretary of the Treasury September 5, 1884 October 28, 1884
Secretary of State March 7, 1893 May 28, 1895
24   William Freeman Vilas Postmaster General March 6, 1885 January 6, 1888
Secretary of the Interior January 16, 1888 March 6, 1889
25   Richard Olney Attorney General March 6, 1893 June 10, 1895
Secretary of State June 10, 1895 March 5, 1897
26   John Sherman Secretary of the Treasury March 10, 1877 March 3, 1881
Secretary of State March 6, 1897 April 27, 1898
27   William Henry Moody Secretary of the Navy May 1, 1902 June 30, 1904
Attorney General July 1, 1904 December 12, 1906
28   Elihu Root Secretary of War August 1, 1899 January 31, 1904
Secretary of State July 19, 1905 January 27, 1909
29   Charles Joseph Bonaparte Secretary of the Navy July 1, 1905 December 16, 1906
Attorney General December 17, 1906 March 4, 1909
30   Victor H. Metcalf Secretary of Commerce and Labor[b] July 1, 1904 December 16, 1906
Secretary of the Navy December 17, 1906 November 30, 1908
31   George B. Cortelyou Secretary of Commerce and Labor[b] February 18, 1903 June 30, 1904
Postmaster General March 6, 1905 January 14, 1907
Secretary of the Treasury March 4, 1907 March 7, 1909
32   Philander C. Knox Attorney General April 5, 1901 June 30, 1904
Secretary of State March 6, 1909 March 5, 1913
32   George von Lengerke Meyer Postmaster General January 15, 1907 March 4, 1909
Secretary of the Navy March 6, 1909 March 4, 1913
34   David F. Houston Secretary of Agriculture March 6, 1913 February 2, 1920
Secretary of the Treasury February 2, 1920 March 3, 1921
35   Hubert Work Postmaster General March 4, 1922 March 4, 1923
Secretary of the Interior March 4, 1923 July 24, 1928
36   Henry L. Stimson Secretary of War May 22, 1911 May 4, 1913
July 10, 1940 September 21, 1945
Secretary of State March 28, 1929 March 4, 1933
37   Henry A. Wallace Secretary of Agriculture March 4, 1933 September 4, 1940
Vice President January 20, 1941 January 20, 1945
Secretary of Commerce March 2, 1945 September 20, 1946
38   James Forrestal Secretary of the Navy May 19, 1944 September 17, 1947
Secretary of Defense September 17, 1947 March 28, 1949
39   Kenneth Claiborne Royall Secretary of War July 19, 1947 September 18, 1947
Secretary of the Army September 18, 1947 April 27, 1949
40   George Marshall Secretary of State January 21, 1947 January 20, 1949
Secretary of Defense September 21, 1950 September 12, 1951
41   Arthur Goldberg Secretary of Labor January 21, 1961 September 20, 1962
United States Ambassador to the United Nations July 28, 1965 June 24, 1968
42   Maurice Stans Director of the Bureau of the Budget[c] March 18, 1958 January 21, 1961
Secretary of Commerce January 21, 1969 February 15, 1972
43   William P. Rogers Attorney General October 23, 1957 January 20, 1961
Secretary of State January 22, 1969 September 3, 1973
44   Robert Finch Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare[a] January 21, 1969 June 23, 1970
Counselor to the President June 23, 1970 December 15, 1972
45   George Shultz Secretary of Labor January 22, 1969 July 1, 1970
Director of the Management and Budget[c] July 1, 1970 June 11, 1972
Secretary of the Treasury June 12, 1972 May 8, 1974
Secretary of State July 16, 1982 January 20, 1989
46   Caspar Weinberger Director of the Management and Budget June 12, 1972 February 1, 1973
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare[a] February 12, 1973 August 8, 1975
Secretary of Defense January 21, 1981 November 23, 1987
47   Elliot Richardson Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare[a] June 24, 1970 January 29, 1973
Secretary of Defense January 30, 1973 May 24, 1973
Attorney General May 25, 1973 October 20, 1973
Secretary of Commerce February 2, 1976 January 20, 1977
48   Donald Rumsfeld Counselor to the President December 11, 1970 October 15, 1971
White House Chief of Staff September 21, 1974 November 20, 1975
Secretary of Defense November 20, 1975 January 20, 1977
January 20, 2001 December 18, 2006
49   James Thomas Lynn Secretary of Housing and Urban Development February 2, 1973 February 5, 1975
Director of the Management and Budget February 10, 1975 January 20, 1977
50   Frederick B. Dent Secretary of Commerce February 2, 1973 March 26, 1975
United States Trade Representative March 26, 1975 January 20, 1977
51   Rogers Morton Secretary of the Interior January 29, 1971 April 30, 1975
Secretary of Commerce May 1, 1975 February 2, 1976
Counselor to the President February 2, 1976 April 1, 1976
52   Daniel Patrick Moynihan Counselor to the President November 5, 1969 December 31, 1970
United States Ambassador to the United Nations June 30, 1975 February 2, 1976
53   James R. Schlesinger Secretary of Defense July 2, 1973 November 19, 1975
Secretary of Energy August 9, 1977 August 23, 1979
54   Patricia Roberts Harris Secretary of Housing and Urban Development January 23, 1977 September 10, 1979
Secretary of Health and Human Services[a] August 3, 1979 January 20, 1981
55   George H. W. Bush United States Ambassador to the United Nations March 1, 1971 January 18, 1973
Vice President January 20, 1981 January 20, 1989
56   Donald P. Hodel Secretary of Energy November 5, 1982 February 7, 1985
Secretary of the Interior February 8, 1985 January 20, 1989
57   Edwin Meese Counselor to the President January 20, 1981 February 25, 1985
Attorney General February 25, 1985 August 12, 1988
58   Bill Brock United States Trade Representative January 23, 1981 April 29, 1985
Secretary of Labor April 29, 1985 October 31, 1987
59   James Baker Secretary of the Treasury February 4, 1985 August 17, 1988
Secretary of State January 25, 1989 August 23, 1992
60   Elizabeth Dole Secretary of Transportation February 7, 1983 September 30, 1987
Secretary of Labor January 25, 1989 November 23, 1990
61   Carla Anderson Hills Secretary of Housing and Urban Development March 10, 1975 January 20, 1977
United States Trade Representative February 6, 1989 January 20, 1993
62   Clayton Yeutter United States Trade Representative July 1, 1985 January 20, 1989
Secretary of Agriculture February 16, 1989 March 1, 1991
Counselor to the President February 1, 1992 January 20, 1993
63   Dick Cheney White House Chief of Staff November 21, 1975 January 20, 1977
Secretary of Defense March 21, 1989 January 20, 1993
Vice President January 20, 2001 January 20, 2009
64   Leon Panetta Director of the Management and Budget January 21, 1993 July 17, 1994
White House Chief of Staff July 17, 1994 January 20, 1997
Secretary of Defense July 1, 2011 February 26, 2013
65   Mickey Kantor United States Trade Representative January 21, 1993 April 12, 1996
Secretary of Commerce April 12, 1996 January 21, 1997
66   Erskine Bowles Administrator of the Small Business Administration May 7, 1993 October 3, 1994
White House Chief of Staff January 20, 1997 October 20, 1998
67   Madeleine Albright United States Ambassador to the United Nations January 27, 1993 January 21, 1997
Secretary of State January 23, 1997 January 20, 2001
68   Federico Peña Secretary of Transportation January 21, 1993 February 14, 1997
Secretary of Energy March 12, 1997 June 30, 1998
69   Bill Richardson United States Ambassador to the United Nations February 18, 1997 August 18, 1998
Secretary of Energy August 18, 1998 January 20, 2001
70   Andrew Card Secretary of Transportation February 24, 1992 January 20, 1993
White House Chief of Staff January 20, 2001 April 14, 2006
71   Norman Mineta Secretary of Commerce July 20, 2000 January 20, 2001
Secretary of Transportation January 25, 2001 July 7, 2006
72   Mike Leavitt Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency November 6, 2003 January 26, 2005
Secretary of Health and Human Services January 26, 2005 January 20, 2009
73   Joshua Bolten Director of the Management and Budget June 6, 2003 April 14, 2006
White House Chief of Staff April 14, 2006 January 20, 2009
74   Rob Portman United States Trade Representative May 17, 2005 May 29, 2006
Director of the Management and Budget May 29, 2006 June 19, 2007
75   William M. Daley Secretary of Commerce January 30, 1997 July 19, 2000
White House Chief of Staff January 13, 2011 January 27, 2012
76   Jack Lew Director of the Management and Budget May 21, 1998 January 19, 2001
White House Chief of Staff January 27, 2012 January 20, 2013
Secretary of the Treasury February 28, 2013 January 20, 2017
77   Sylvia Mathews Burwell Director of the Management and Budget April 24, 2013 June 9, 2014
Secretary of Health and Human Services June 9, 2014 January 20, 2017
78   Shaun Donovan Secretary of Housing and Urban Development January 26, 2009 July 28, 2014
Director of the Management and Budget August 5, 2014 January 20, 2017
79   Elaine Chao Secretary of Labor January 29, 2001 January 20, 2009
Secretary of Transportation January 31, 2017 January 11, 2021
80   John F. Kelly Secretary of Homeland Security January 20, 2017 July 31, 2017
White House Chief of Staff July 31, 2017 January 2, 2019
81   Mike Pompeo Director of the Central Intelligence Agency January 23, 2017 April 26, 2018
Secretary of State April 26, 2018 January 20, 2021
82   Janet Yellen Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers February 18, 1997 August 3, 1999
Secretary of the Treasury January 26, 2021 Incumbent
83   Denis McDonough White House Chief of Staff January 20, 2013 January 20, 2017
Secretary of Veterans Affairs February 9, 2021 Incumbent

Former permanent cabinet members

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Cabinet-level positions

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The following positions have intermittently been raised to cabinet rank:

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f The position was established the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare on April 11, 1953; thereafter became the Secretary of Health and Human Services on May 4, 1980.[4]
  2. ^ a b The position was established the Secretary of Commerce and Labor on February 18, 1903; thereafter became the Secretary of Commerce on March 5, 1913.[3]
  3. ^ a b The position was established the Director of the Bureau of the Budget on June 23, 1921; thereafter became the Director of the Management and Budget on July 1, 1970.

References

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  1. ^ "Richardson Confirmed For 4th Cabinet Post". The New York Times. December 12, 1975. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Abramowitz, Michael; Hoffman, David E. (February 7, 2021). "George P. Shultz, counsel and Cabinet member for two Republican presidents, dies at 100". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  3. ^ "Origins: 1776-1913". United States Department of Commerce. December 20, 2022. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  4. ^ "HHS Historical Highlights". United States Department of Health and Human Services. June 19, 2016. Archived from the original on May 22, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
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