Biden Cabinet | |
|---|---|
Cabinet of the United States | |
| 2021–2025 | |
Cabinet of President Joe Biden in July 2021 | |
| Date formed | January 20, 2021 (2021-01-20) |
| Date dissolved | January 20, 2025 (2025-01-20) |
| People and organizations | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| President's history | Vice President of the United States (2009–2017) U.S. Senator fromDelaware (1973–2009) New Castle County Councilman (1971–1973) |
| Vice President | Kamala Harris |
| Totalno. of members | 25 (incl. Cabinet-level members) |
| Member party | Democratic Party |
| Status in legislature | Majority government (2021–2023) Divided government (2023–2025) |
| Opposition party | Republican Party |
| History | |
| Election | 2020 presidential election |
| Legislature terms | 117th Congress 118th Congress 119th Congress (17 days) |
| Budgets | 2021 budget 2022 budget 2023 budget 2024 budget |
| Advice and consent | United States Senate |
| Predecessor | First Trump Cabinet |
| Successor | Second Trump Cabinet |
| ||
|---|---|---|
Personal U.S. Senator from Delaware 47th Vice President of the United States Vice presidential campaigns 46th President of the United States Tenure | ||
Joe Biden assumed office as the 46thpresident of the United States onJanuary 20, 2021, and his term ended onJanuary 20, 2025. The president has the authority to nominate members of hisCabinet to theUnited States Senate for confirmation under theAppointments Clause of theUnited States Constitution.
Before confirmation and duringcongressional hearings, a high-level career member of an executive department heads this pre-confirmed cabinet on an acting basis. The Cabinet's creation was part of thetransition of power following the2020 presidential election.
In addition to the 15 heads of executive departments, there are 10 Cabinet-level officials. Biden altered his cabinet structure, elevating the chair of theCouncil of Economic Advisers,[1] director of theOffice of Science and Technology Policy[2] andambassador to the United Nations as Cabinet-level positions.[3] Biden initially removed thedirector of the Central Intelligence Agency from his Cabinet, but reversed the move in July 2023.[4][5]
Confirmations had occurred at the slowest pace of any presidential cabinet in modern history that resulted from delays in facilitating anorderly transition of power and passing theorganizing resolution for governing anevenly split Senate following the2020–2021 United States Senate runoff elections in Georgia; and thesecond impeachment of Donald Trump.[6] By March 2021, a pick-up in the first half of the month brought confirmations close to pace.[7] Biden is the first president sinceRonald Reagan in 1981 to have all of his original Cabinet secretary nominees confirmed to their posts.[8]
This article documents the nomination and confirmation process for any successful or unsuccessfulCabinet nominees of theBiden administration. They are listed in order of creation of the Cabinet position (also used as the basis for theUnited States presidential line of succession)
All permanent members of theCabinet of the United States as heads of executive departments require theadvice and consent of theUnited States Senate following appointment by the president before taking office. The vice presidency is exceptional in that the position requires an election to office pursuant to theUnited States Constitution. The president may also designate heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of theExecutive Office of the President as Cabinet-level members of the Cabinet. The Cabinet meets with the president in theCabinet Room, a room adjacent to theOval Office. During some cabinet meetingsFirst LadyDr. Jill Biden participated.[9]
The following were the final members of President Joe Biden's Cabinet on January 20, 2025.
Below is a list of confirmations for Cabinet positions, Cabinet-level positions, and other significant positions that were approved through the Senate from January 2021 onwards, by arecorded roll-call vote, rather than by avoice vote.

For Comparison:
Affiliation: D denotesDemocratic, R denotesRepublican, and I-D denotes an independent who caucuses with Democrats. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Office | Nominee | State | Announced | Committee | Hearing date(s) | Committee vote result | Committee vote date | Cloture vote result | Cloture vote date | Floor vote result | Floor vote date | Assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State | Antony Blinken | NY | November 23, 2020 | Foreign Relations | January 19, 2021 | 15–3 | January 25, 2021 | N/A | 78–22 | January 26, 2021 | ||
| Secretary of the Treasury | Janet Yellen | CA | November 30, 2020 | Finance | Unanimous | January 22, 2021 | 84–15 | January 25, 2021 | January 26, 2021 | |||
| Secretary of Defense | Lloyd Austin | GA | December 8, 2020 | Armed Services (House) Waiver | January 21, 2021 | January 21, 2021 | 326–78 | January 21, 2021 | January 22, 2021 | |||
| Armed Services (Senate) Waiver | 69–27 | January 21, 2021[a] | ||||||||||
| Armed Services Confirmation | January 19, 2021 | 93–2 | January 22, 2021 | |||||||||
| Attorney General | Merrick Garland | MD | January 7, 2021 | Judiciary | February 22, 2021 – February 23, 2021 | 15–7 | March 1, 2021 | 70–29 | March 9, 2021 | 70–30 | March 10, 2021 | March 11, 2021 |
| Secretary of the Interior | Deb Haaland | NM | December 17, 2020 | Energy and Natural Resources | February 23, 2021 | 11–9 | March 4, 2021 | 54–42 | March 11, 2021 | 51–40 | March 15, 2021 | March 16, 2021 |
| Secretary of Agriculture | Tom Vilsack | IA | December 10, 2020 | Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry | February 2, 2021 | Unanimous | February 2, 2021 | N/A | 92–7 | February 23, 2021 | February 24, 2021 | |
| Secretary of Commerce | Gina Raimondo | RI | January 7, 2021 | Commerce, Science and Transportation | January 26, 2021 | 21–3 | February 3, 2021 | 84–15 | March 1, 2021 | 84–15 | March 2, 2021 | March 3, 2021 |
| Secretary of Labor | Marty Walsh | MA | Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | February 4, 2021 | 18–4 | February 11, 2021 | 68–30 | March 18, 2021 | 68–29 | March 22, 2021 | March 23, 2021 | |
| Julie Su | CA | February 28, 2023 | Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | April 20, 2023 | 11–10 | April 26, 2023 | N/A | Expired | N/A | N/A | ||
| N/A | February 27, 2024 | N/A | Expired | N/A | ||||||||
| Secretary of Health and Human Services | Xavier Becerra | December 7, 2020 | Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | February 23, 2021 | Consultative | N/A | 50–49 | March 17, 2021 | 50–49 | March 18, 2021 | March 19, 2021 | |
| Finance | February 24, 2021 | 14–14[b] | March 3, 2021 | |||||||||
| Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | Marcia Fudge | OH | December 10, 2020 | Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs | January 28, 2021 | 17–7 | February 4, 2021 | 69–30 | March 9, 2021 | 66–34 | March 10, 2021 | |
| Secretary of Transportation | Pete Buttigieg | IN | December 15, 2020 | Commerce, Science and Transportation | January 21, 2021 | 21–3 | January 27, 2021 | N/A | 86–13 | February 2, 2021 | February 3, 2021 | |
| Secretary of Energy | Jennifer Granholm | MI | December 17, 2020 | Energy and Natural Resources | January 27, 2021 | 13–4 | February 3, 2021 | 67–32 | February 24, 2021 | 64–35 | February 25, 2021 | |
| Secretary of Education | Miguel Cardona | CT | December 22, 2020 | Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | February 3, 2021 | 17–5 | February 11, 2021 | 66–32 | 64–33 | March 1, 2021 | March 2, 2021 | |
| Secretary of Veterans Affairs | Denis McDonough | MD | December 10, 2020 | Veterans' Affairs | January 27, 2021 | Unanimous | February 2, 2021 | N/A | 87–7 | February 8, 2021 | February 9, 2021 | |
| Secretary of Homeland Security | Alejandro Mayorkas | DC | November 23, 2020 | Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs | January 19, 2021 | 7–4 | January 26, 2021 | 55–42 | January 28, 2021 | 56–43 | February 2, 2021 | |
| Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency | Michael Regan | NC | December 17, 2020 | Environment and Public Works | February 3, 2021 | 14–6 | February 9, 2021 | 65–35 | March 10, 2021 | 66–34 | March 10, 2021 | March 11, 2021 |
| Director of theOffice of Management and Budget | Neera Tanden | MA | November 30, 2020 | Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs | February 9, 2021 | Withdrawal announced March 2, 2021, officially submitted on March 25, 2021[c] | ||||||
| Budget | February 10, 2021 | |||||||||||
| Shalanda Young | LA | November 24, 2021 | Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs | February 1, 2022 | 8–6 | February 9, 2022 | 53–31 | March 14, 2022 | 61–36 | March 15, 2022 | March 17, 2022 | |
| Budget | 15–6 | |||||||||||
| Director of National Intelligence | Avril Haines | NY | November 23, 2020 | Intelligence | January 19, 2021 | Unanimous | January 20, 2021 | N/A | 84–10 | January 20, 2021 | January 21, 2021 | |
| Trade Representative | Katherine Tai | DC | December 10, 2020 | Finance | February 25, 2021 | March 3, 2021 | 98–0 | March 16, 2021 | 98–0 | March 17, 2021 | March 18, 2021 | |
| Ambassador to the United Nations | Linda Thomas- Greenfield | LA | November 23, 2020 | Foreign Relations | January 27, 2021 | 18–4 | February 4, 2021 | 75–20 | February 22, 2021 | 78–20 | February 23, 2021 | February 25, 2021 |
| Chair of theCouncil of Economic Advisers | Cecilia Rouse | NJ | November 30, 2020 | Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs | January 28, 2021 | Unanimous | February 4, 2021 | 94–5 | March 2, 2021 | 95–4 | March 2, 2021 | |
| Jared Bernstein | VA | February 14, 2023 | Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs | April 18, 2023 | 12–11 | May 11, 2023 | 50–49 | June 13, 2023 | 50–49 | June 13, 2023 | July 10, 2023 | |
| Administrator of the Small Business Administration | Isabel Guzman | CA | January 7, 2021 | Small Business and Entrepreneurship | February 3, 2021 | 15–5 | February 24, 2021 | 80–18 | March 16, 2021 | 81–17 | March 16, 2021 | March 17, 2021 |
| Director of theOffice of Science and Technology Policy | Eric Lander | MA | January 15, 2021 | Commerce, Science and Transportation | April 29, 2021 | 22–6 | May 20, 2021 | N/A | Unanimous | May 28, 2021 | June 2, 2021 | |
| Arati Prabhakar | CA | June 21, 2022 | July 20, 2022 | 15–13 | July 27, 2022 | 58–38 | September 21, 2022 | 56–40 | September 22, 2022 | October 3, 2022 | ||
| Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | William Burns[d] | MD | January 11, 2021 | Intelligence | February 24, 2021 | Unanimous | March 2, 2021 | N/A | Unanimous | March 18, 2021 | March 19, 2021 | |
Joe Biden defeated the incumbent president andRepublican nominee,Donald Trump, in the2020 presidential election, receiving 306 electoral votes compared to Trump's 232 electoral votes in the election. Theformal certification of the results took place on January 6–7, 2021. Heassumed office on January 20, 2021.
| President of the United States | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Joe Biden | November 20, 1942 (age83) |
| [12] | ||
The vice president is the only cabinet member to be elected to the position who does not require Senate confirmation, and the vice president does not serve at the pleasure of the president. There weredozens of potential running mates for Biden who received media speculation. Biden's eventual pick of SenatorKamala Harris (D-CA) was officially announced on August 11, 2020, and confirmedby acclamation viaparliamentary procedure amongst delegates to the2020 Democratic National Convention on August 19, 2020.
United States senatorKamala Harris (D-CA) was electedVice President of the United States, receiving 306 electoral votes, compared to the incumbent vice president,Mike Pence, who received 232 electoral votes in the election. Theformal certification of the results took place on January 6–7, 2021. Sheassumed office on January 20, 2021.
She is the first female vice president of the United States as well as the first African American and Asian American to hold the second-highest office.
| Vice President of the United States | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Kamala Harris | October 20, 1964 (age61) |
| [13] | ||
The following cabinet positions are listed in order of their creation (also used as the basis for theUnited States presidential line of succession).
A nomination for Secretary of State is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theForeign Relations Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of State | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Antony Blinken | April 16, 1962 (age63) |
| [15] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of the Treasury is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theFinance Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of the Treasury | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Janet Yellen | August 13, 1946 (age79) |
| [17] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Defense is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theArmed Services Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote. Biden's announced nominee, retired Gen.Lloyd Austin, required a congressional waiver to be granted under theNational Security Act of 1947 before he was confirmed.[18]
Waiver process:
Confirmation process:
| Secretary of Defense | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Lloyd Austin | August 8, 1953 (age72) |
| [21] | ||
A nomination for Attorney General is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theJudiciary Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Attorney General | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Merrick Garland | November 13, 1952 (age73) |
| [23] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of the Interior is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theEnergy and Natural Resources Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote. Biden reportedly offered the position to GovernorMichelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, but she turned it down.[24]
| Secretary of the Interior | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Deb Haaland | December 2, 1960 (age65) |
| [26] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Agriculture is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theAgriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Agriculture | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Tom Vilsack | December 13, 1950 (age75) |
| [28] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Commerce is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theCommerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Commerce | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Gina Raimondo | May 17, 1971 (age54) |
| [30] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Labor is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theHealth, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Labor | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Marty Walsh | April 10, 1967 (age58) |
| [32] | ||
On February 7, 2023, it was reported that Walsh would be resigning in the coming days in order to become President of theNational Hockey League Players' Association. Walsh will be the second member of the presidential cabinet to resign, afterEric Lander, who resigned asDirector of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in early 2022. After pressure from theCongressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Biden nominatedDeputy SecretaryJulie Su to the position.[33]
| Secretary of Labor | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Julie Su | February 19, 1969 (age56) |
| [35] | ||
Although historically the nominee also holds meetings with theHealth, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, officially a nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theUnited States Senate Committee on Finance, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Health and Human Services | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Xavier Becerra | January 26, 1958 (age68) |
| [15] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theBanking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Marcia Fudge | October 29, 1952 (age73) |
| [39] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Transportation is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theCommerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Transportation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Pete Buttigieg | January 19, 1982 (age44) |
| [42] | ||
The nomination of a secretary-designate is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theEnergy and Natural Resources Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Energy | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Jennifer Granholm | February 5, 1959 (age67) |
| [44] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Education is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theHealth, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Education | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Miguel Cardona | July 11, 1975 (age50) |
| [46] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Veterans Affairs is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theVeterans' Affairs Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Veterans Affairs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Denis McDonough | December 2, 1969 (age56) |
| [48] | ||
A nomination for Secretary of Homeland Security is reviewed during hearings held by the members of theHomeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote.
| Secretary of Homeland Security | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Alejandro Mayorkas | November 24, 1959 (age66) |
| [15] | ||
Cabinet-level officials have positions that are considered to be of Cabinet level, but which are not heads of the executive departments. Which exact positions that are considered to be cabinet-level varies with each president. Biden has announced he will elevate three positions to Cabinet-level, while removing thedirector of the Central Intelligence Agency.[50]
| Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Michael S. Regan | August 6, 1976 (age49) |
| [52] | ||
| Director of the Office of Management and Budget | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Neera Tanden | September 10, 1970 (age55) |
| [15] | ||
| Director of the Office of Management and Budget | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Shalanda Young | August 29, 1977 (age48) |
| [15] | ||
| Director of National Intelligence | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Avril Haines | August 27, 1969 (age56) |
| [15] | ||
The U.S. trade representative has been a Cabinet-level member since 1974, the beginning ofGerald Ford's presidency.
| U.S. Trade Representative | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Katherine Tai | (1974-03-18)March 18, 1974 (age 51) |
| [15] | ||
The UN ambassador was previously in the Cabinet from 1953 to 1989, 1993 to 2001, and 2009 to 2018.
| U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Linda Thomas-Greenfield | November 22, 1952 (age73) |
| [15][59] | ||
This position was previously in the Cabinet from 2009 to 2017.
| Chair of theCouncil of Economic Advisers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Cecilia Rouse | December 18, 1963 (age62) |
| [15] | ||
| Chair of theCouncil of Economic Advisers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Jared Bernstein | 1955 (age 70–71) |
| [62][63] | ||
| Administrator of the Small Business Administration | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Isabel Guzman | 1971 (age 54–55) |
| [65][66] | ||
Biden elevated this position to the Cabinet for the first time, emphasizing the importance of science in the administration.[67]
His staff role asScience Advisor to the President does not require Senate confirmation, and he began the role on January 25, 2021.[68]
| Director of theOffice of Science and Technology Policy | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Eric Lander | February 3, 1957 (age69) |
| [67][71] | ||
| Director of theOffice of Science and Technology Policy | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| Arati Prabhakar | February 2, 1959 (age67) |
| |||
This position was previously in the Cabinet from 2017 to 2021.
| Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Background | Reference |
| William Burns | April 4, 1956 (age69) |
| [74][5] | ||
TheWhite House chief of staff has traditionally been the highest-ranking staff employee of theWhite House. The responsibilities of the chief of staff are both managerial and advisory over the president's official business. The chief of staff is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of thepresident; it does not requireSenate confirmation. The first Cabinet or Cabinet-level position appointee announced by Biden was White House chief of staff Ron Klain.[75] He stepped down in February 2023, and he was succeeded byJeff Zients.[76][77][78]
| White House Chief of Staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Date of birth | State | Years | Background | Reference |
| Ron Klain | August 8, 1961 (age64) | January 20, 2021 – February 7, 2023 |
| [15] | ||
| Jeff Zients | November 12, 1966 (age59) | February 8, 2023 – January 20, 2025 |
| |||