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Who’s In a Cabinet?

  • Sarah Stook

    • Cabinet Positions

    Vice President

    The Vice President has been an integral part of the United States government since the very beginning. Article Two of the Constitution spells out how the VP was initially elected:

    “In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse [sic] from them by Ballot the Vice President.“

    The Twelfth Amendment changed this, allowing parties and presidents to choose their candidates. 

    The constitutional role of the Vice President is to oversee the Senate, which includes presiding over the Electoral Vote count which follows the election. Several VPs have had to certify their own election, whether that’s winning or losing it. 

    The Twenty-Fifth Amendment designates the Vice President as the Acting President upon the incapacity of the President. This generally occurs if a president is undergoing surgery, as has been historically the case. The amendment can be invoked by the VP with the agreement of ⅔ of the Cabinet, though this would have to be under the most extraordinary circumstances. The Twenty-Fifth also ensures that a Vice President can be chosen if the previous one has died or left; previously they usually waited until the next election.

    When a president dies or resigns, the VP takes over. The first case of this was in 1841. When William Henry Harrison died, no one was really sure if John Tyler was acting President or actually President. Tyler took the latter view, and after much convincing, this was accepted. Nine vice presidents have taken over after the death or resignation of their predecessor.

    Throughout much of history, the vice president was seen as a meaningless job. Theodore Roosevelt had to be talked into taking the job, John Nance Garner said that the role was ‘not worth a bucket of warm piss,’ and Gerald Ford believed that the role was simply a nice way to end his career. Even Thomas Marshall, who really should have taken over after Woodrow Wilson’s horrific stroke, was pushed into the background. That being said, some VPs such as Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew and Walter Mondale were given more powers than others.

    The 21st century has seen several powerful vice presidents. Dick Cheney is widely seen as being the most powerful and notorious VP, perhaps even more so than his boss. Joe Biden acted as perhaps an advisor to the less experienced Obama. Mike Pence had a key role in the Trump administration as to appeal to evangelicals. Kamala Harris held prominence when Biden was not seen. J. D Vance is likely to hold a significant role.

    As part of their role, Vice Presidents often act as dignitaries. They greet foreign politicians, go to summits, attend funerals, weddings and other major events. 

    It’s also a significant stepping stone to the presidency. Including the nine who succeeded their bosses mid-term, fifteen have become president in their own right. Seven more failed to win the election. 

    Secretary of State 

    The Secretary of State is one of the oldest and most prestigious positions in US politics. The Secretary has a wide scope of responsibility in terms of both foreign and domestic policy, including:

    Additionally, the resignation of a president or vice president is not official until it has been received by them. They are the chief foreign advisor to the president. 

    A number of agencies report to the SoS, including the Office of Civil Rights and the Office of the Legal Advisor. 

    Six former SoS have been president- Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan. As it has been 168 years since the last one was elected President, it’s not necessarily seen as a stepping stone anymore. That hasn’t stopped many, including Hillary Clinton, from trying.

    Secretary of the Treasury

    The Secretary of the Treasury is another old and prominent cabinet position. He or she oversees the Treasury, which includes all economic and financial decisions and actions relating to the United States. They are the chief economic and financial advisor to the president.

    No Secretary of the Treasury has been president.

    Secretary of Defense

    The Secretary of Defense was created in 1947, combining the roles of Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy. They are second in command of all defense forces after the President, and are not permitted to have served as an active service member between seven and ten years prior unless they get a congressional waiver. Nevertheless, they are usually former members of the military. 

    The SoD oversees all military agencies, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, commands, defense agencies and field activities. He has authority over the military justice system and is a member of the NSC. 

    No SoD has become president, though Dick Cheney became VP.

    Attorney General

    The Attorney General is the chief legal advisor to the president. He or she oversees the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and DEA. They ensure that all proposed legislation is legally sound, that laws are being followed and if absolutely necessary, represents the government in the Supreme Court. They’re also a non-statutory member of the NSC. 

    No AG has become US President, though Robert Kennedy may have been had he not been gunned down.

    Secretary of the Interior

    The Secretary of the Interior has been a cabinet member since 1849. His or her role involves overseeing federal land and resources. Offices reporting to the Secretary include the Interior Museum, National Invasive Species Council and Strategic Sciences Group. They are usually from west of the Mississippi River due to the focus on the Western United States.

    No Secretary of the Interior has been President, though there was a James Garfield of Ohio.

    Secretary of Agriculture 

    The Secretary of Agriculture oversees agriculture in the United States, including twenty-nine departments as well as food and resource programmes. 

    No SoA has become president.

    Secretary of Commerce

    The Secretary of Commerce oversees the business and commerce of the United States, including its departments and programmes. It was originally the Secretary of Commerce and Labor until it was split into two. 

    The longest-serving SoC was Herbert Hoover, who was elected to the presidency from this job.

    Secretary of Labor

    The role of Secretary of Labor was originally the Secretary of Commerce and Labor until it was split into two. He or she oversees all things related to labor, such as workplace law and unions. Their remit includes programmes and agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Corps and Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

    No US president has been Secretary of Labor. The first female cabinet member, Frances Perkins, held this role.

    Secretary of Health and Human Services

    The Secretary of Health and Human Services was originally the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare until 1980. He or she is the chief health advisor to the president and oversees policy in the US. The agencies and programmes that fall under them include the Administration for Children and Families, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Medicaid/Medicare.

    No SoH has ever served as president.

    Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

    The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development oversees accessibility, affordability and anti-discrimination in home and housing ownership. He or she is in charge of a number of programmes and offices that include Ginnie Mae, Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control and Public and Indian Housing.  

    No Secretary of HUD has become president, though several have run for the role or been nominated as VP candidate.

    Secretary of Transportation

    The Secretary of Transportation oversees all things related to, well, transport. He or she oversees a number of offices and programmes, including Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration. 

    No Secretary of Transportation has been president.

    Secretary of Energy

    The Secretary of Energy is in charge of resources, production and regulation (or deregulation). They are in charge of a number of offices and programmes, including the Office of Defense Nuclear Security, Office of Clean Energy Demonstration and Indian Energy Policy and Programs. 

    Despite being low down in the presidential line of succession, the SoE has some extraordinary powers. They are a member of the National Security Council and is essentially third in line when it comes to nuclear weapons, as they control that department.

    No SoE has been president.

    Secretary of Education

    The Secretary of Education oversees all things related to the subject in the country. Offices and programmes include Federal Student Aid, Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education and Office of PostSecondary Education. 

    No SoE has been president. 

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

    Founded in 1989, the Secretary of Veteran Affairs oversees the 15.8 million veterans in the US. Programmes and offices include the National Cemetery Administration, Suicide Prevention and Veterans Health Administration. All but two SoVA have been veterans themselves.

    No SoVA has been president.

    Secretary of Homeland Security

    The Secretary of Homeland Security oversees the safety of the country in a generally domestic setting. Offices and programmes include Federal Law Enforcements Training Center, Secret Service and US Customs and Border Protections. The department was created following 9/11, and is the newest cabinet position.

    No HoSC has been president. 

    Cabinet-Level Positions

    White House Chief of Staff

    The role of White House Chief of Staff is a very powerful one, as they will have daily contact with the President in an intimate setting. The Chief of Staff is not confirmed by the Senate and is chosen by the President himself. They are the most senior political appointee at the White House.

    No president has served as CoS, though Dick Cheney would later become VP. 

    Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  

    The Administrator of EPA oversees the agency, as well as associated programmes and offices. 

    No EPA Administrator has ever been president.

    Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

    The Director of the Office of Management and Budget oversees the budget of the President’s operations, as well as that of other agencies and departments. 

    No Director of the OMB has been president. 

    United States Trade Representative 

    The United States Trade Representative heads up his or her own office, and is the chief presidential advisor on any matters relating to it. 

    No Trade Representative has ever been president.

     US Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) 

    The US Ambassador to the UN is the chief representative at the organisation, mainly based in New York. They have a vote or a veto on the Security Council.

    One Ambassador- George H. W. Bush has been US President. 

    Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) 

    The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors is the leader of the men and women who advise the president on his policies. The role was Cabinet-level under Biden, but it’s unclear at the time of writing if it still is. 

    No Chair of the CEA has ever been president. 

    Administrator of the Small Business Administration  

    The Small Business Administrator oversees all things pertaining to the organisation. 

    No SBA Administration has been president.  

    Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

    The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency was originally the Director of Central Intelligence until 2005, after which it was changed. The job involves overseeing the famous CIA. 

    One CIA Director has been president- George H. W. Bush

    Director of National Intelligence

    The Director of National Intelligence is what it says on the tin. The role was raised to Cabinet-level by Donald Trump in his first term, and was continued by Joe Biden. Offices and programmes include the National Counterintelligence and Security Agency, Foreign Malign Intelligence Centre and National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Centre.

    No Director of NI has served as president. 

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