The Complete List of U.S. Secretaries of State: From Jefferson to Rubio!
The Secretary of State is America's top diplomat—advising the president on foreign affairs, negotiating treaties, and representing the U.S. around the world. The office started in 1789 as "Secretary of Foreign Affairs" before becoming the Department of State. There have been 72 Secretaries of State so far (as of December 2025), with six later becoming president! Here's the full chronological list, with years served and a quick kid-friendly fun fact for each. (Current Secretary: Marco Rubio.)
- Thomas Jefferson (1790–1793) – Fun fact: He brought macaroni and ice cream recipes from France!
- Edmund Randolph (1794–1795) – First to add domestic duties like the Great Seal.
- Timothy Pickering (1795–1800) – Served under two presidents (Washington and Adams).
- John Marshall (1800–1801) – Later became the famous Supreme Court Chief Justice.
- James Madison (1801–1809) – Became the 4th president—wrote parts of the Constitution too!
- Robert Smith (1809–1811) – Short term; his brother was a Cabinet member too.
- James Monroe (1811–1817) – Later the 5th president; the "Monroe Doctrine" guy!
- John Quincy Adams (1817–1825) – Son of a president, became the 6th president himself.
- Henry Clay (1825–1829) – Famous speaker; ran for president multiple times.
- Martin Van Buren (1829–1831) – Became the 8th president—shortest prez ever!
- Edward Livingston (1831–1833) – Helped write Louisiana's laws.
- Louis McLane (1833–1834) – Short term; later Treasury Secretary.
- John Forsyth (1834–1841) – Longest early term (7 years).
- Daniel Webster (1841–1843) – Famous orator; served non-consecutive terms.
- Abel P. Upshur (1843–1844) – Died in a ship explosion—tragic!
- John C. Calhoun (1844–1845) – Famous for states' rights debates.
- James Buchanan (1845–1849) – Became the 15th president.
- John M. Clayton (1849–1850) – Helped with Clayton-Bulwer Treaty on canals.
- Daniel Webster (1850–1852) – Back for a second non-consecutive term!
- Edward Everett (1852–1853) – Shortest term (4 months).
- William L. Marcy (1853–1857) – His phrase "to the victor belong the spoils."
- Lewis Cass (1857–1860) – Ran for president in 1848.
- Jeremiah S. Black (1860–1861) – Very short; Civil War started soon after.
- William H. Seward (1861–1869) – Bought Alaska ("Seward's Folly"—turned out awesome!).
- Elihu B. Washburne (1869) – Shortest term ever (11 days!).
- Hamilton Fish (1869–1877) – Longest continuous term until modern times.
- William M. Evarts (1877–1881) – Defended President Johnson in impeachment.
- James G. Blaine (1881, 1889–1892) – Two non-consecutive terms; "Plumed Knight."
- Frederick T. Frelinghuysen (1881–1885) – Helped with Hawaiian relations.
- Thomas F. Bayard (1885–1889) – First from Delaware.
- John W. Foster (1892–1893) – Grandfather of John Foster Dulles (future Secretary!).
- Walter Q. Gresham (1893–1895) – Switched parties mid-career.
- Richard Olney (1895–1897) – Famous "Olney Corollary" on Monroe Doctrine.
- John Sherman (1897–1898) – Brother of General Sherman; Sherman Antitrust Act namesake.
- William R. Day (1898) – Short; later Supreme Court Justice.
- John Hay (1898–1905) – "Open Door" policy for China.
- Elihu Root (1905–1909) – Won Nobel Peace Prize for diplomacy.
- Robert Bacon (1909) – Very short (1 month).
- Philander C. Knox (1909–1913) – "Dollar Diplomacy" era.
- William Jennings Bryan (1913–1915) – Famous "Cross of Gold" speaker; resigned over WWI.
- Robert Lansing (1915–1920) – Helped with League of Nations.
- Bainbridge Colby (1920–1921) – Last of Wilson's Cabinet.
- Charles Evans Hughes (1921–1925) – Later Chief Justice; ran for president in 1916.
- Frank B. Kellogg (1925–1929) – Nobel Peace Prize for Kellogg-Briand Pact (outlawing war!).
- Henry L. Stimson (1929–1933) – "Stimson Doctrine" on China.
- Cordell Hull (1933–1944) – Longest-serving (11+ years); "Father of the United Nations."
- Edward R. Stettinius Jr. (1944–1945) – Helped create UN charter.
- James F. Byrnes (1945–1947) – "Assistant President" nickname.
- George C. Marshall (1947–1949) – Marshall Plan creator; Nobel Peace Prize.
- Dean Acheson (1949–1953) – Key in NATO founding.
- John Foster Dulles (1953–1959) – "Brinkmanship" Cold War strategy.
- Christian Herter (1959–1961) – Short due to health.
- Dean Rusk (1961–1969) – Longest post-WWII until recently; Vietnam era.
- William P. Rogers (1969–1973) – Nixon's friend.
- Henry Kissinger (1973–1977) – Shuttle diplomacy; Nobel Peace Prize.
- Cyrus Vance (1977–1980) – Resigned over Iran hostage rescue.
- Edmund Muskie (1980–1981) – Short term.
- Alexander Haig (1981–1982) – "I'm in control here" quote after Reagan shooting.
- George P. Shultz (1982–1989) – Cold War endgame player.
- James Baker (1989–1992) – Gulf War diplomacy.
- Lawrence Eagleburger (1992–1993) – Shortest modern term.
- Warren Christopher (1993–1997) – Balkans peace efforts.
- Madeleine Albright (1997–2001) – First woman Secretary!
- Colin Powell (2001–2005) – First African American Secretary; famous UN speech.
- Condoleezza Rice (2005–2009) – First African American woman Secretary.
- Hillary Clinton (2009–2013) – Most-traveled (nearly 1 million miles!).
- John Kerry (2013–2017) – Iran nuclear deal key player.
- Rex Tillerson (2017–2018) – Short term; ex-CEO.
- Mike Pompeo (2018–2021) – CIA Director before State.
- Antony Blinken (2021–2025) – Focused on alliances post-COVID.
- Marco Rubio (2025–present) – Current Secretary; first Latino in the role.
