United States Secretary 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,<ref>Template:UnitedStatesCode</ref> and fifth in the U.S. presidential line of succession.

Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance, will take the office if confirmed by the majority of the full United States Senate.

The secretary of state, the secretary of the treasury, the secretary of defense, and the attorney general are generally regarded as the four most important Cabinet officials, due to the size and importance of their respective departments.<ref>Cabinets and Counselors: The President and the Executive Branch (1997). Congressional Quarterly. p. 87.</ref> The current secretary of the treasury has been Scott Bessent since January 28, 2025.

Powers and functions

The secretary along with the treasurer of the United States must sign Federal Reserve notes before they can become legal tender.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The secretary also manages the United States Emergency Economic Stabilization fund.<ref>Template:USC2</ref>

Salary

The secretary of the treasury is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule,<ref name="UnitedStatesCode|5|5312"/> thus earning the salary prescribed for that level ($250,600 as of January 2024).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

List of secretaries 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.<ref>Template:UnitedStatesCode</ref>

Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance, is confirmed by the United States Senate.

Parties

Template:Legend2 (4) Template:Legend2 (4) Template:Legend2 (30) Template:Legend2 (5) Template:Legend2 (35) Template:Legend2 (1)

Status Template:Legend

No.	Portrait	Name	State of residence	Took office	Left office	President(s)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Alexander Hamilton, by Trumbull.jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1789–1797)
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Oliver Wolcott Jr by Gilbert Stuart circa 1820.jpeg	Template:Sortname	Connecticut	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1797–1801)
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Samuel Dexter.jpg	Template:Sortname	Massachusetts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1801–1809)
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Albert Gallatin 3.JPG	Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Sortname (1809–1817)
rowspan=5 style="background: Template:Party color;" |
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:George W Campbell cph.3a00320.jpg	Template:Sortname	Tennessee	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Alexander J. Dallas.jpg	Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
–	File:Secratary of the Navy, William Jones.jpg	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Portrait of William Harris Crawford.jpg	Template:Sortname	Georgia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1817–1825)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:RUSH, Richard-BEP069-Treasury (BEP engraved portrait).jpg	Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1825–1829)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:SIng.jpg	Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=5 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1829–1837)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Delaware	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:William J Duane.jpg	Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Maryland	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Secretary of the Navy, Levi Woodbury.jpg	Template:Sortname	New Hampshire	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1837–1841)
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |14	File:ThomasEwingSr.jpg	Template:Sortname	Ohio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1841)
rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1841–1845)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |15	File:WForward-SecofTreas.jpg	Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |16	File:SPENCER, John C-Treasury (BEP engraved portrait) (cropped).jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Kentucky	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Hon. Robert J. Walker, Miss - NARA - 528738.jpg	Template:Sortname	Mississippi	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1845–1849)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |19	File:WMMeredith.jpg	Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1849–1850)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |20	File:TCorwin.jpg	Template:Sortname	Ohio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1850–1853)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:James-Guthrie-(wreaths).jpg	Template:Sortname	Kentucky	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1853–1857)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color		Template:Sortname	Georgia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1857–1861)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Philip Francis Thomas, sitting.jpg	Template:Sortname	Maryland	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:John adams dix.jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Mathew Brady, Portrait of Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase, officer of the United States government (1860–1865, full version).jpg	Template:Sortname	Ohio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1861–1865)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Hon. William P. Fessenden, Maine - NARA - 529980.jpg	Template:Sortname	Maine	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Hugh McCulloch.png	Template:Sortname	Indiana	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1865–1869)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:George Boutwell, Brady-Handy photo portrait, ca1870-1880.jpg	Template:Sortname	Massachusetts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1869–1877)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:William Adams Richardson Brady-Handy.tif	Template:Sortname	Massachusetts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Benjamin Helm Bristow Brady - Handy U.S. Secretary of Treasury.jpg	Template:Sortname	Kentucky	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Lot M. Morrill Brady-Handy Portrait Photo.jpg	Template:Sortname	Maine	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:John-Sherman-2.jpg	Template:Sortname	Ohio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1877–1881)
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:William Windom, Brady-Handy photo portrait, ca1870-1880.jpg	Template:Sortname	Minnesota	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1881)
rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1881–1885)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color		Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Walter Q. Gresham - Brady-Handy.jpg	Template:Sortname	Indiana	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Hugh McCulloch.png	Template:Sortname	Indiana	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Secretary Daniel Manning.webp	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1885–1889)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Charles S Fairchild - SecofTreasury.jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:William Windom, Brady-Handy photo portrait, ca1870-1880.jpg	Template:Sortname	Minnesota	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1889–1893)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Ohio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:John Griffin Carlisle, Brady-Handy photo portrait, ca1870-1880.jpg	Template:Sortname	Kentucky	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1893–1897)
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Lyman Gage, Bain photo portrait.jpg	Template:Sortname	Illinois	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1897–1901)
rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1901–1909)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Iowa	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Cortelyou-george-bruce.jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color		Template:Sortname	Illinois	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1909–1913)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:William Gibbs McAdoo, formal photo portrait, 1914.jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1913–1921)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color		Template:Sortname	Virginia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Picture of David F. Houston.jpg	Template:Sortname	Missouri	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1921–1923)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1923–1929)
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1929–1933)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Ogden Livingston Mills.jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1933–1945)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Henry Morgenthau, Jr..jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Kentucky	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1945–1953)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Portrait of John W. Snyder.jpg	Template:Sortname	Missouri	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Ohio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1953–1961)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Robert B Anderson.jpeg	Template:Sortname	Connecticut	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	New Jersey	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1961–1963)
rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1963–1969)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	Virginia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Joseph W Barr.jpg	Template:Sortname	Indiana	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:David M Kennedy.jpg	Template:Sortname	Utah	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1969–1974)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Portrait of John Connally.jpg	Template:Sortname	Texas	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color		Template:Sortname	Illinois	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:William E Simon.jpg	Template:Sortname	New Jersey	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1974–1977)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Portrait of W. Michael Blumenthal.jpg	Template:Sortname	Michigan	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1977–1981)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:G. William Miller.jpg	Template:Sortname	Rhode Island	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	New Jersey	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1981–1989)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:James A. Baker III, U.S. Secretary of State (2380044355).jpg	Template:Sortname	Texas	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
–	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Michigan	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Nicholas F. Brady - Secretary of the Treasury portrait.jpeg	Template:Sortname	New Jersey	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |						Template:Sortname (1989–1993)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:LloydBentsen.jpg	Template:Sortname	Texas	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (1993–2001)
–	File:Seal of the United States Department of the Treasury.svg	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Massachusetts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Pr4262ls-treasury-rubin.jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Lawrence Summers Treasury portrait.jpg	Template:Sortname	Maryland	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color		Template:Sortname	Pennsylvania	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=5 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (2001–2009)
–	File:Kenneth Dam.jpg	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Illinois	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:John W. Snow.jpg	Template:Sortname	Virginia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
–	File:Robert Kimmitt, official Treasury photo.jpg	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Virginia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Henry Paulson official Treasury photo, 2006.jpg	Template:Sortname	Illinois	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
–	File:Stuart Levey.jpg	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Ohio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (2009–2017)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |75	File:Timothy Geithner official portrait.jpg	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
–	File:Neal S. Wolin official portrait.jpg	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Illinois	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	New York	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
–	File:Adam Szubin.jpg	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Washington, D.C.	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (2017–2021)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	California	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
–	File:Andy Baukol.jpg	Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Virginia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	Template:Sortname (2021–2025)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	Error creating thumbnail:	Template:Sortname	California	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
–		Template:Sortname Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Indiana	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color; |	Template:Sortname (2025–present)
style="background: Template:Party color;" |Template:Color	File:Official portrait of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (cropped).jpg	Template:Sortname	South Carolina	Template:Dts	Incumbent

Error creating thumbnail:

Former flag of the secretary of the treasury, originating from the 19th century.

Succession

Presidential succession

The secretary of the treasury is fifth in the presidential line of succession, following the secretary of state and preceding the secretary of defense.<ref name="UnitedStatesCode|3|19"/>

Succession within the department

On August 16, 2016, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13735, which changed the order of succession for filling the treasury secretary's role when necessary. At any time when the secretary and the deputy secretary of the treasury have both died, resigned, or cannot serve as secretary for other reasons, the order designates which treasury officers are next in line to serve as acting secretary.

The order of succession is:<ref>Template:Cite web Template:PD-notice</ref>

#	Office
1*	Under secretaries of the treasury
2	General Counsel of the Department of the Treasury
3*	Deputy under secretaries of the treasury and those assistant secretaries of the treasury appointed by the president by and with the consent of the Senate
4	Chief of Staff
5	Assistant Secretary for Management
6	Fiscal Assistant Secretary
7	Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Internal Revenue Service
8	Commissioner, Bureau of the Fiscal Service
9	Deputy Commissioner, Fiscal Accounting and Shared Services, Bureau of the Fiscal Service
10	Commissioner, Wage and Investment Division, Internal Revenue Service

*In the order in which they shall have taken the oath of office as such officers.

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:Cite web

Template:S-start Template:S-prec Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-prec Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end