The Presidential Cabinet is the primary advisory board to the President. Each Cabinet member chairs their respective departments, with their backgrounds and expertise usually critical to their assumption of these roles. The Cabinet also functions as the Presidential Line of Succession. We will examine each role of the Cabinet in order of Presidential succession.
Selection and Confirmation of Cabinet Members
The President will determine his nominee for a Cabinet position, usually from a shortlist of candidates. The final nominee will be interviewed by the Senate, which results in a confirmation or rejection. Nominees traditionally required a three-fifths vote of the Senate to end filibusters until the 113th Congress (2013-2015). Democrats in control of the Senate at the time invoked the “nuclear option,” requiring only a simple majority to confirm a nominee.
The last Cabinet nominee to be rejected by the Senate was John Tower in 1989. Nominated by President George H.W. Bush (R-TX) for Secretary of Defense, Tower was investigated for claims of drunkenness and ties to defense contractors. He was rejected in a 47-53 vote of a Democratic Senate.
Vice President – Kamala Harris (D-CA)
The Vice President, in addition to the Chief of Staff, are two Cabinet positions not confirmed by the Senate. The Vice President runs on the ticket with the President and serves as Presiding Officer of the Senate. The Vice President casts tie-breaking votes in the Senate when necessary. Although mostly uncommon, this was prevalent from 2021 to 2023, when the Senate was divided 50-50 between both parties after the 2020 elections.
Speaker of the House – Mike Johnson (R, LA-04)
Although not a member of the Cabinet, the Speaker of the House serves as third-in-line for Presidential succession. Speakers are not required to be sitting members of the House of Representatives, nor does a Speaker have to be of the majority party.
President pro tempore of the Senate – Patty Murray (D-WA)
The president pro tempore of the Senate is a constitutionally-mandated position, unlike the Senate Majority Leader. As such, it is third in line for the presidency. The President “pro temp” is tasked with presiding over the Senate when the Vice President is absent, although the officeholder cannot cast tie-breaking votes. The Senate is required to select a pro temp. Since 1890, the position is usually reserved for the most senior member of the Senate, typically of the majority party, although this is not an obligation.
Secretary of State – Anthony Blinken (D)
The Secretary of State, first held by Thomas Jefferson, is charged with representing the U.S. to foreign countries and enforcing the President’s foreign policies, including Foreign Services, Civil Service, and U.S. Agency for International Development. Secretary Blinken was confirmed by the Senate in January 2021 in a 78-22 vote. Blinked has previously served in the Clinton (D-AR) administration and as Deputy Secretary of State under President Obama (D-IL).
Secretary of the Treasury – Janet Yellen (D)
The Secretary of the Treasury is the chief financial officer of the federal government. The Secretary serves as the principal financial advisor to the President and matters of fiscal and economic policy. Janet Yellen, the first woman to hold the position, was confirmed in January 2021 in an 84-15 Senate vote. Yellen served as Chair of the Federal Reserve for parts of Obama’s and Trump’s (R-NY) terms.
Secretary of Defense – Lloyd Austin (I)
The Secretary of Defense is the head of the U.S. Armed Forces. The Secretary’s position of command over the military is second only to that of the President. U.S. law states that the Secretary cannot have served as an active-duty commissioned officer in the military in the preceding seven years of secretaryship. The Secretary exercises command and control of operational and administrative purposes of all branches of the military. Lloyd Austin was confirmed in a 93-2 Senate vote in January 2021. He has served in several positions in the Obama administration.
Attorney General – Merrick Garland (I)
The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government, serves as the President’s principal legal counsel, represents the federal government’s legal interests, and oversees the Department of Justice. Merrick Garland was confirmed in a 70-30 Senate vote in March 2021. Garland was nominated by President Obama in 2016 to fill a vacant Supreme Court seat after the death of Antonin Scalia. Due to Obama’s lame-duck status, the Republican Senate did not hold a hearing for his nomination. His nomination lasted 293 days, the longest to date.
Secretary of the Interior – Deb Haaland (D)
The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for management and conservation of federal land and natural resources. The Secretary leads agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the National Park Services. Interestingly, only one Interior Secretary since 1949 – Rogers Morton – did not hail from a state west of the Mississippi River. Deb Haaland was confirmed in a 51-40 Senate vote, with nine abstentions, in March 2021. She previously represented NM-03 in Congress and is the former Chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party.
Secretary of Agriculture – Tom Vilsack (D)
The Secretary of Agriculture leads the federal government in agricultural research with regards to biomedical tenets of human nutrition, health, and disease, as well as the extension of food and agricultural sciences. The Agriculture Department contains the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Food and Safety Inspection Service, and the Food Stamp Program. Vilsack previously served as Governor of Iowa before Secretary of Agriculture under Obama from 2009 to 2017. He was confirmed in February 2021 in a 92-7 Senate vote. He is currently the second-longest serving Secretary of Agriculture.
Secretary of Commerce – Gina Raimondo (D)
The Secretary of Commerce is responsible for promoting American business and industries, as well as “foster, promote, and develop foreign and domestic commerce,” according to the department’s mission statement. Gina Raimondo was confirmed in March 2021 in an 84-15 Senate vote. Raimondo previously served as Governor of Rhode Island.
Secretary of Labor – Julie Su (D)
The Secretary of Labor enforces and suggests laws with respect to labor unions, the general workplace, and other issues of business-person matters. The Department of Labor and Commerce were, until 1913, one department. Julie Su previously served as Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency under Governor Gavin Newsom (D).
Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) – Xavier Becerra (D)
The Secretary of HHS is the principal presidential advisor on all health matters. The HHS has legal authority to respond to and prepare for public health and medical emergencies under the Public Health Service Act, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the Social Security Act. Xavier Becerra previously served in the U.S. House from California and as California Attorney General. Becerra was confirmed in March 2021 in a tight 50-49 vote. The vote was completely party-line, with just Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) as the only Republican to vote to confirm him.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – Adrianne Todman (D)
The HUD Secretary is responsible for increasing home ownership, supporting community development, and increasing access to affordable housing. Todman was confirmed in a unanimous voice vote in June 2021.
Secretary of Transportation – Pete Buttigieg (D)
The Transportation Secretary is the principal presidential advisor on all matters transportations and infrastructure. The Department oversees 55,000 employees and thirteen agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Pete Buttigieg was confirmed in February 2021 in an 86-13 vote. He previously served as the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 2020.
Secretary of Energy – Jennifer Granholm (D)
The Energy Secretary is tasked with overseeing the development of technology for better and more efficient energy sources and energy education. Originally charged with energy production and regulation, the Department’s responsibilities shifted to radioactive waste disposal and maintenance of environmental quality after the Cold War. Jennifer Granholm was confirmed in a 64-35 Senate vote in February 2021. Granholm previously served as the Governor of Michigan.
Secretary of Education – Miguel Cardona (D)
The Education Secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president and the federal government on policies and programs relating to U.S. education. Miguel Cardona was confirmed in a 64-33 Senate vote in March 2021. Cardona previously served as Commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs – Denis McDonough (D)
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is concerned with Veterans’ benefits, health care, and national Veterans’ memories and cemeteries. The Department administers benefits programs to Veterans, their families, and their survivors. Benefits include pensions, education, home loans, life insurance, medical care, burial benefits, survivor support, disability compensation, and vocational rehabilitation. Denis McDonough was confirmed in February 2021 Senate vote of 87-7, with six abstentions. McDonough previously served as Deputy National Security Advisor and White House Chief of Staff under President Obama.
Secretary of Homeland Security – Alejandro Mayorkas (D)
The last in line for presidential succession and the most recently-created position, the Secretary of Homeland Security is charged with managing border security, immigration and customs enforcement, antiterrorism, cybersecurity, maritime security, and emergency responses. The Department was created following the September 11 attacks. Alejandro Mayorkas was confirmed in a February 2021 Senate vote of 56-43. He previously served in the department under Obama. In February 2024, Mayorkas was impeached by the U.S. House over dissatisfaction with his handling of the immigration and border enforcement. He is the second Cabinet member to be impeached, after Secretary of War William Belknap was impeached in 1876. The Senate deemed the impeachment charges unconstitutional in April 2024.
