American government official (born 1969)
Denis Richard McDonough (born December 2, 1969) is an American government official who served as the 11thUnited States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2021 to 2025 under PresidentJoe Biden .[ 1]
McDonough served in theObama administration as chief of staff at theNational Security Council from 2009 to 2010 and asDeputy National Security Advisor from 2010 to 2013. He then served asWhite House Chief of Staff for the full second term of PresidentBarack Obama from 2013 to 2017.[ 2]
Early life and education [ edit ] McDonough was born on December 2, 1969, inStillwater, Minnesota .[ 3] Irish Catholic family, his grandparents havingemigrated fromConnemara in theGaeltacht .[ 4] [ 5]
McDonough graduated fromStillwater Area High School in 1988,[ 6] Saint John's University inCollegeville, Minnesota [ 7] safety on theJohnnies football team forHall of Fame coachJohn Gagliardi [ 8] [ 9] Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference . McDonough graduated from Saint John's University with a Bachelor of Arts,summa cum laude Latin America and taughthigh school inBelize .[ 8]
In 1996, McDonough earned anMSFS degree atGeorgetown University 'sEdmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service .[ 8]
From 1996 to 1999, McDonough worked as an aide for theUnited States House Committee on Foreign Affairs ,[ 10] [ 3] Tom Daschle .[ 8] reelection defeat in 2004 , McDonough becamelegislative director for newly elected SenatorKen Salazar .[ 8] Center for American Progress in 2004.[ 3]
In 2007, Senator Barack Obama's chief foreign policy advisorMark Lippert , aNavy reservist , was called into active duty.[ 11] deployment to Iraq .[ 8] [ 12] 2008 presidential campaign .[ 3] [ 13]
Obama administration [ edit ] McDonough, seated, third from right in blue shirt, in theSituation Room duringthe Bin Laden raid . McDonough conferring with Obama about theCairo Speech , withBen Rhodes , on June 4, 2009. AfterObama was elected president , McDonough joined the administration as theNational Security Council 's head ofstrategic communication .[ 10] National Security Council chief of staff.[ 14]
On October 20, 2010, Obama announced that McDonough would replaceThomas E. Donilon as Deputy National Security Advisor, who had been promoted to succeed GeneralJames L. Jones asNational Security Advisor .[ 15] photos of the White House Situation Room taken during the monitoring of the May 2011 SEAL operation in Pakistan that resulted in theOsama bin Laden's death .[ 16]
On January 20, 2013, at the beginning of his second term in office, Obama appointed McDonough his chief of staff.[ 7] Chuck Hagel andJohn O. Brennan to their posts in Obama's national security team, expressing "grave concern" about the delays. McDonough served as White House chief of staff through the end of Obama's second term, which ended on January 20, 2017.
Return to private life [ edit ] In 2017, McDonough joined theMarkle Foundation ,[ 17] [ 18] Colorado , public institutions such asArizona State University , and private companies such asLinkedIn .[ 19] [ 18]
McDonough is a professor of the practice atNotre Dame 's Keough School of Global Affairs and a visiting senior fellow inCarnegie 's Technology and International Affairs Program.[ 20] [ 17]
[ edit ] This section needs to beupdated . Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (December 2023 )
McDonough being sworn in on February 9, 2021 Secretary McDonough with First LadyJill Biden and SecretaryXavier Becerra , June 4, 2021 PresidentJoe Biden nominated McDonough to lead theUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs .[ 21] Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on January 27, 2021. On February 8, the Senate confirmed McDonough as VA Secretary by a 87–7 vote, with six senators absent.[ 22] [ 23] Kamala Harris swore him in on February 9.[ 24]
During McDonough's tenure as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the department implemented the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, which expanded VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, and other toxic substances. By early 2024, VA reported processing more than one million PACT Act-related claims and broadening health care eligibility to millions of such veterans. The department also reported housing nearly 48,000 veterans experiencing homelessness in permanent housing during fiscal year 2024.[ 25] [ 26] [ 27] [ 28]
McDonough is married to Karin Hillstrom.[ 5] [ 5] Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis .[ 29]
^ @Transition46 (December 10, 2020)."Working families, veterans, farmers and producers, and those fighting for their place in the middle class will have partners in government once again. This experienced group will help us make it through this pandemic and thrive once the crisis is over" (Tweet ). RetrievedDecember 10, 2020 – viaTwitter . ^ Nakamura, David (November 26, 2021)."Denis McDonough to be Obama's new chief of staff" .Washington Post .ISSN 0190-8286 . RetrievedJanuary 25, 2024 . ^a b c d "The New Team" .The New York Times . RetrievedDecember 18, 2020 .^ "Who is Denis McDonough?" . Our Daily Thread. January 25, 2013. Archived fromthe original on September 5, 2013. RetrievedSeptember 7, 2013 .^a b c O'Dowd, Niall (January 25, 2013)."Denis McDonough new Obama Chief of Staff deeply proud of his Irish heritage" .Irish Central . RetrievedFebruary 3, 2018 . ^ Boldt, Megan (January 25, 2013)."Denis McDonough: Obama picks Stillwater native as chief of staff" . St. Paul Pioneer Press. RetrievedMarch 16, 2014 . ^a b "Denis McDonough – Keough School – University of Notre Dame" . RetrievedJanuary 21, 2019 .^a b c d e f Arthur Eisele (Winter 2009)."At Home in the West Wing: An Interview with Denis McDonough '92" (PDF) .Saint John's Magazine . Archived fromthe original (PDF) on January 4, 2011. RetrievedOctober 23, 2010 . ^ Thayer Evans (September 18, 2009)."No Whistles, No Tackling and No End in Sight for St. John's Coach" .The New York Times . RetrievedOctober 23, 2010 . ^a b Garance Franke-Ruta (October 22, 2010)."Denis McDonough: Five things worth knowing" .WhoRunsGov .The Washington Post Company . Archived fromthe original on October 25, 2010. RetrievedOctober 23, 2010 . ^ Keating, Joshua E. (January 16, 2013)."6 Things You Need to Know About Denis McDonough" .Foreign Policy . RetrievedJanuary 22, 2019 . ^ Monica Langley (September 22, 2007)."From the Campaign to the Battlefront" .The Wall Street Journal . RetrievedOctober 23, 2010 . ^ "Obama's People" .The New York Times Magazine . RetrievedOctober 23, 2010 .^ Helene Cooper (July 9, 2010)."The Saturday Profile: The Adviser at the Heart of National Security" .The New York Times . RetrievedOctober 23, 2010 . ^ Peter Baker (October 22, 2010)."Obama Making National Security Appointment" .The New York Times . The Caucus Blog. RetrievedOctober 23, 2010 . ^ "Osama bin Laden Situation Room Photo: Where Are They Now?" .Time . RetrievedJanuary 22, 2019 .^a b "Denis McDonough – Keough School – University of Notre Dame" . RetrievedDecember 18, 2018 .^a b "Denis McDonough Joins the Markle Foundation" .Markle | Advancing America's Future . February 13, 2017. RetrievedJanuary 22, 2019 .^ Megan R. Wilson (February 15, 2017)."Obama's chief of staff joins foundation with focus on jobs" .The Hill . RetrievedJune 27, 2018 . ^ "Denis McDonough" .Carnegie Endowment for International Peace . Archived fromthe original on June 12, 2017. RetrievedDecember 10, 2020 .^ "WATCH: VA Secretary nominee Denis McDonough testifies in Senate confirmation hearing" .PBS NewsHour . January 27, 2021. RetrievedJanuary 31, 2021 .^ "Roll Call Vote 117th Congress – 1st Session" . US Senate. February 8, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 8, 2021 .^ Shane III, Leo (December 10, 2020)."Biden to name former WH Chief of Staff Denis McDonough as VA Secretary nominee" .Defense News . RetrievedDecember 10, 2020 . ^ Wentling, Nikki (February 9, 2021)."McDonough is sworn in as VA secretary; calls it the 'honor of my lifetime' .Stars and Stripes . RetrievedFebruary 9, 2021 . ^ "VA to grant 1 millionth benefit claim for Veterans and their survivors under the PACT Act - VA News" .news.va.gov . RetrievedJanuary 13, 2026 .^ "FACT SHEET: President Biden to Announce 1 Million PACT Act Claims Approved, Benefits Delivered to Veterans in all 50 States and U.S. Territories | The American Presidency Project" .www.presidency.ucsb.edu . RetrievedJanuary 13, 2026 .^ "New PACT Act expansion accelerates health care eligibility for all Veterans exposed to toxins beginning March 5 | SC Department Of Veterans' Affairs" .scdva.sc.gov . RetrievedJanuary 13, 2026 .^ "VA houses nearly 48,000 homeless Veterans - VA News" .news.va.gov . November 17, 2024. RetrievedJanuary 13, 2026 .^ Crann, Tom (January 25, 2013)."Kevin McDonough: Brother Denis, new Obama chief of staff, leads by 'building the team' .MPR News . RetrievedAugust 13, 2025 . English
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* took office in 2009, raised to cabinet-rank in 2012
Office Name Term Office Name Term White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009–10 National Security Advisor James L. Jones 2009–10 Pete Rouse 2010–11 Thomas E. Donilon 2010–13 William M. Daley 2011–12 Susan Rice 2013–17 Jack Lew 2012–13 Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009–10 Denis McDonough 2013–17 Denis McDonough 2010–13 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for PolicyMona Sutphen 2009–11 Antony Blinken 2013–14 Nancy-Ann DeParle 2011–13 Avril Haines 2015–17 Rob Nabors 2013–15 Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009–13 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009–11 Lisa Monaco 2013–17 Alyssa Mastromonaco 2011–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute † 2009–13 Anita Decker Breckenridge 2014–17 Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ben Rhodes 2009–17 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning Mark B. Childress 2012–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff Mark Lippert 2009 Kristie Canegallo 2014–17 Denis McDonough 2009–10 Counselor to the President Pete Rouse 2011–13 Brooke D. Anderson 2011–12 John Podesta 2014–15 White House Communications Director Ellen Moran 2009 Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod 2009–11 Anita Dunn 2009 David Plouffe 2011–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2009–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2013–15 Jennifer Palmieri 2013–15 Shailagh Murray 2015–17 Jen Psaki 2015–17 Senior Advisor to the President Pete Rouse 2009–10 Deputy White House Communications Director Jen Psaki 2009–11 Brian Deese 2015–17 Jennifer Palmieri 2011–14 Senior Advisor to the President and Valerie Jarrett 2009–17 Amy Brundage 2014–16 Assistant to the President for Liz Allen 2016–17 Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs 2009–11 Director,Public Engagement Tina Tchen 2009–11 Jay Carney 2011–13 Jon Carson 2011–13 Josh Earnest 2013–17 Paulette L. Aniskoff 2013–17 Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton 2009–11 Director,Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz 2009–12 Josh Earnest 2011–13 David Agnew 2012–14 Eric Schultz 2014–17 Jerry Abramson 2014–17 Director of Special Projects Stephanie Cutter 2010–11 Director,National Economic Council Lawrence Summers 2009–10 Director, Speechwriting Jon Favreau 2009–13 Gene Sperling 2011–14 Cody Keenan 2013–17 Jeff Zients 2014–17 Director, Digital Strategy Macon Phillips 2009–13 Chair,Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer 2009–10 Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman 2015–17 Austan Goolsbee 2010–13 Director, Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro 2009–11 Jason Furman 2013–17 Rob Nabors 2011–13 Chair,Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker 2009–11 Katie Beirne Fallon 2013–16 Chair,Council on Jobs and Competitiveness Jeff Immelt 2011–13 Miguel Rodriguez 2016 Director,Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009–12 Amy Rosenbaum 2016–17 Cecilia Muñoz 2012–17 Director, Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard 2009–11 Director,Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois 2009–13 David Simas 2011–16 Melissa Rogers 2013–17 Director, Presidential Personnel Nancy Hogan 2009–13 Director,Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle 2009–11 Johnathan D. McBride 2013–14 Director,Office of National AIDS Policy Jeffrey Crowley 2009–11 Valerie E. Green 2014–15 Grant N. Colfax 2011–13 Rodin A. Mehrbani 2016–17 Douglas M. Brooks 2013–17 White House Staff Secretary Lisa Brown 2009–11 Director,Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrión Jr. 2009–10 Rajesh De 2011–12 Racquel S. Russell 2010–14 Douglas Kramer 2012–13 Roy Austin Jr. 2014–17 Joani Walsh 2014–17 Director,Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009–11 Director, Management and Administration Bradley J. Kiley 2009–11 White House Counsel Greg Craig 2009–10 Katy A. Kale 2011–15 Bob Bauer 2010–11 Maju Varghese 2015–17 Kathryn Ruemmler 2011–14 Director, Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009–11 Neil Eggleston 2014–17 Danielle Crutchfield 2011–14 White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009–13 Chase Cushman 2014–17 Danielle C. Gray 2013–14 Director, White House Information Technology David Recordon 2015–17 Broderick D. Johnson 2014–17 Director,Office of Administration Cameron Moody 2009–11 Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009–11 Beth Jones 2011–15 Brian Mosteller 2011–12 Cathy Solomon 2015–17 Marvin D. Nicholson 2012–17 Director,Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009–17 Director,Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller 2012–17 Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra 2009–12 Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009–11 Todd Park 2012–14 Anita Decker Breckenridge 2011–14 Megan Smith 2014–17 Ferial Govashiri 2014–17 Director,Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009–10 Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jackie Norris 2009 Jack Lew 2010–12 Susan Sher 2009–11 Jeff Zients 2012–13 Tina Tchen 2011–17 Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2013–14 White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009–10 Brian Deese 2014 Julianna Smoot 2010–11 Shaun Donovan 2014–17 Jeremy Bernard 2011–15 Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009–11 Deesha Dyer 2015–17 Steven VanRoekel 2011–14 Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain 2009–11 Tony Scott 2015–17 Bruce Reed 2011–13 United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009–13 Steve Ricchetti 2013–17 Michael Froman 2013–17 White House Chief Usher Stephen W. Rochon † 2009–11 Director,Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009–14 Angella Reid 2011–17 Michael Botticelli 2014–17 Director,White House Military Office George Mulligan 2009–13 Chair,Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009–14 Emmett Beliveau 2013–15 Michael Boots 2014–15 Dabney Kern 2016–17 Christy Goldfuss 2015–17
Position Appointee Chief of Staff to the Vice President Steve Ricchetti Counsel to the Vice President Cynthia Hogan Counselor to the Vice President Mike Donilon Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison Evan Ryan Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications Shailagh Murray Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President Shailagh Murray Deputy National Security Adviser to the Vice President Brian P. McKeon Residence Manager and Social Secretary for the Vice President and Second Lady Carlos Elizondo National Security Adviser to the Vice President Colin Kahl
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