The Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs is a position within the United States Department of State that leads the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs charged with implementing American foreign policy in Europe and Eurasia, and with advising the under secretary for political affairs on matters relating to diplomatic missions within that area.
Originally, the Department of State first established a Division of Western European Affairs in 1909, which handled European states primarily bordering on the Atlantic Ocean and their colonies. The Division of Near Eastern Affairs handled relations with most Central, Eastern, and Southern European countries until after World War I. During the interwar period, responsibility for much of Central and Eastern Europe shifted to the Division of European Affairs, although Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus were handled as part of the Near East until April 18, 1974. Following World War II, the department completed the transfer of responsibility for the former colonies of European nations, except Canada, to the Bureaus of Near Eastern, South Asian, African Affairs, and Far Eastern Affairs.
The Department of State later established the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs in 1949. This came after the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of Government, also known as the Hoover Commission, recommended that certain offices be upgraded to bureau level after Congress had increased the number of Assistant Secretaries of State from six to ten. On September 14, 1983, an administrative action changed the title of the incumbent to Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs. On January 12, 1999, the title was changed back to Assistant Secretary for European Affairs.
Officeholders
#NameAssumed officeLeft officePresident served underAssistant Secretaries of State for European Affairs1George Walbridge Perkins, Jr.August 1, 1949January 31, 1953Harry S. Truman2Livingston T. MerchantMarch 16, 1953May 6, 1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower -James Williams RiddlebergerAppointed on October 15, 1956; declined appointment.3Charles Burke ElbrickFebruary 14, 1957November 16, 19584Livingston T. MerchantNovember 18, 1958Initially commissioned during Senate recess; after confirmation by Senate, re-commissioned on January 29, 1959.August 20, 1959 -Walter C. DowlingAppointed August 26, 1959, but never took oath of office.5Foy D. KohlerDecember 11, 1959Initially commissioned during Senate recess; after confirmation by Senate, re-commissioned on January 27, 1960.August 19, 1962Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy6William R. TylerSeptember 2, 1962May 18, 1965John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson7John M. LeddyJune 16, 1965February 19, 1969Lyndon B. Johnson8Martin J. HillenbrandFebruary 20, 1969April 30, 1972 Richard Nixon9Walter John Stoessel Jr.August 9, 1972January 7, 197410Arthur A. HartmanJanuary 8, 1974June 8, 1977Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford11George S. VestJune 16, 1977April 14, 1981Jimmy Carter12Lawrence EagleburgerMay 14, 1981January 26, 1982Ronald ReaganAssistant Secretaries of State for European and Canadian Affairs13Richard R. BurtFebruary 18, 1983He was first nominated on May 10, 1982, but the Senate did not act on this first nomination.July 18, 1985 Ronald Reagan14Rozanne L. RidgwayJuly 19, 1985June 30, 1989The State Department's website gives the date as June 30, 1985, but given the context, this appears to be a typo for 1989.15Raymond G. H. SeitzAugust 8, 1989April 30, 1991 George H. W. Bush16Thomas NilesOctober 3, 1991April 1, 199317Stephen A. OxmanApril 2, 1993August 15, 1994 Bill Clinton18Richard HolbrookeSeptember 13, 1994February 21, 199619John C. KornblumJuly 3, 1996August 1, 199720Marc GrossmanAugust 5, 1997May 31, 2000Assistant Secretaries of State for European Affairs20Marc GrossmanAugust 5, 1997May 31, 2000Bill Clinton21James F. DobbinsJanuary 4, 2001He had previously been nominated on September 26, 2000, but the Senate did not act on that nomination.June 1, 2001Bill Clinton and George W. Bush22A. Elizabeth JonesJune 1, 2001February 28, 2005George W. BushAssistant Secretaries of State for European and Eurasian Affairs22A. Elizabeth JonesJune 1, 2001February 28, 2005 George W. Bush23Daniel FriedMay 5, 2005January 20, 200924Philip H. GordonMay 15, 2009March 11, 2013 Barack Obama25Victoria NulandSeptember 18, 2013 January 20, 2017 -John A. Heffern (acting)January 20, 2017August 23, 2017 Donald Trump26A. Wess MitchellOctober 12, 2017February 15, 2019 -Michael Murphy (Senior Bureau Official)February 18, 2019March 18, 2019 -Philip T. Reeker (acting)March 18, 2019July 31, 2021Donald Trump -Joe Biden -Maureen Cormack (acting)August 2, 2021September 28, 2021 Joe Biden27Karen DonfriedSeptember 30, 2021March 31, 2023 -Dereck J. Hogan (acting)April 1, 2023July 10, 2023 -Yuri Kim (acting)July 10, 2023October 5, 202328James C. O'Brien October 5, 2023January 20, 2025 -Louis L. Bono (acting)January 20, 2025April 25, 2025 Donald Trump -Brendan Hanrahan (acting)April 25, 2025April 20, 2026 -Arthur Milikh (acting)April 20, 2026August 24, 202629Brendan HanrahanAugust 24, 2026Present
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