Counselor of the United States Department of State

The counselor of the United States Department of State is a position within the United States Department of State that serves the secretary of state as a special advisor and consultant on major problems of foreign policy and who provides guidance to the appropriate bureaus with respect to such matters. The counselor conducts special international negotiations and consultations, and also undertakes special assignments from time to time, as directed by the secretary of state. Currently, the counselor holds under law a rank equivalent to that of under secretary of state. Unlike the other under secretaries of state, the counselor currently does not require Senate confirmation. Historically, the role was appointed by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the United States Senate as authorized by 22 U.S. Code § 2651a as one of four "other senior officials."

The secretary of state created the position of counselor for the Department of State in 1909 as part of a general department reorganization. In 1912, the position became a presidential appointment. Between 1913 and 1919, the counselor served as the department's second-ranking officer, assuming the role previously exercised by the assistant secretary of state. In 1919, the newly created position of under secretary of state subsumed the duties of the counselor. An Act of Congress, May 18, 1937, re-established the position of counselor of the Department of State. Between 1961 and 1966, the counselor also served as the chairman of the Policy Planning Council. On April 30, 1994, the title was changed to under secretary of state for global affairs when Counselor Timothy E. Wirth was appointed to that position, but another counselor was appointed in 1997.

List of counselors of the United States Department of State #NameAssumed officeLeft officePresident served under1Chandler P. AndersonAugust 23, 1912April 22, 1913William Howard Taft2John Bassett MooreApril 23, 1913March 4, 1914 Woodrow Wilson3Robert LansingApril 1, 1914June 23, 19154Frank PolkSeptember 16, 1915Initially commissioned during a Senate recess; after confirmation, re-commissioned on December 17, 1915.June 30, 19195R. Walton MooreMay 21, 1937February 8, 1941Franklin D. Roosevelt6Benjamin Victor CohenSeptember 14, 1945July 31, 1947 Harry S. Truman7Charles E. BohlenAugust 1, 1947August 3, 19498George F. KennanAugust 4, 1949July 11, 19519Charles E. BohlenJuly 12, 1951March 29, 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower10Douglas MacArthur IIMarch 30, 1953December 16, 195611G. Frederick ReinhardtMarch 17, 1957February 3, 196012Theodore AchillesMarch 24, 1960February 15, 196113George C. McGheeFebruary 16, 1961December 3, 1961John F. Kennedy14Walt Whitman RostowDecember 4, 1961Initially commissioned during a Senate recess; after confirmation, re-commissioned on March 5, 1962.March 31, 1966John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson15Robert R. BowieSeptember 21, 1966April 1, 1968Lyndon B. Johnson16Richard F. PedersenJanuary 24, 1969July 26, 1973Richard Nixon17Helmut SonnenfeldtJanuary 7, 1974February 21, 1977Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford18Matthew NimetzApril 8, 1977March 19, 1980 Jimmy Carter19Rozanne L. RidgwayMarch 20, 1980February 24, 198120Robert McFarlaneFebruary 28, 1981April 4, 1982 Ronald Reagan21James L. BuckleySeptember 9, 1982September 26, 198222Ed DerwinskiMarch 23, 1983March 24, 198723Max KampelmanJuly 15, 1987January 20, 198924Robert ZoellickMarch 2, 1989August 23, 1992 George H. W. Bush -Kenneth Juster (acting)August 23, 1992January 20, 199325Tim WirthApril 23, 1993April 30, 1994 Bill Clinton26Wendy ShermanAugust 6, 1997January 20, 200127Philip D. ZelikowFebruary 1, 2005Designated, not commissioned.January 2, 2007 George W. Bush28Eliot A. CohenApril 30, 2007January 20, 200929Cheryl MillsJanuary 20, 2009February 1, 2013 Barack Obama30Heather HigginbottomFebruary 1, 2013December 13, 201331Tom ShannonDecember 24, 2013February 12, 201632Kristie KenneyFebruary 12, 2016February 17, 2017Confirmation of Ambassador Thomas Shannon as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Appointment of Ambassador Kristie Kenney as State Department Counselor Press Statement 2016, State.govBarack ObamaDonald Trump33Maliz E. BeamsAugust 17, 2017November 27, 2017 Donald Trump34Ulrich BrechbuhlMay 1, 2018January 20, 202135Derek CholletJanuary 20, 2021 July 7, 2024 Joe Biden36Tom SullivanJuly 22, 2024January 20, 202537Michael NeedhamJanuary 20, 2025May 26, 2026Donald Trump38Daniel HollerMay 26, 2026PresentDonald Trump

References