Under Secretary of State (U/S) is a title used by senior officials of the
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other n ...
who rank above the
Assistant Secretaries and below the
Deputy Secretary.
From 1919 to 1972, the Under Secretary was the second-ranking official at the Department of State (immediately beneath the
United States Secretary of State
The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...
), serving as the Secretary's principal deputy, chief assistant, and Acting Secretary in the event of the Secretary's absence. Prior second-ranking positions had been the
Chief Clerk, the Assistant Secretary of State, and the
Counselor
Counselor or counsellor may refer to:
A professional In diplomacy and government
* Counsellor of State, senior member of the British royal family to whom the Monarch can delegate some functions in case of unavailability
* Counselor (di ...
. Prior to 1944, a number of offices in the Department reported directly to the Under Secretary. In July 1972, the position of
Deputy Secretary superseded that of Under Secretary of State.
The following is a list of current offices bearing the title of "Under Secretary of State":
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Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
The Under Secretary for Political Affairs is currently the fourth-ranking position in the United States Department of State, after the secretary, the deputy secretary, and the deputy secretary of state for management and resources. The current un ...
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Under Secretary of State for Management
The Under Secretary of State for Management is a position within the United States Department of State that serves as principal adviser to the Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary of State on matters relating to the allocation and use of Depar ...
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In addition to the six Under Secretaries, the
Counselor of the Department, who advises the Secretary of State, holds a rank equivalent to Under Secretary.
Current Under Secretaries of State
Under Secretaries of State, 1919–1972
See also
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List of undersecretary positions
*
Undersecretary
Undersecretary (or under secretary) is a title for a person who works for and has a lower rank than a secretary (person in charge). It is used in the executive branch of government, with different meanings in different political systems, and is al ...
References
External links
The Department of State's list of Under Secretaries in the period that it was the second-ranking position
United States Department of State
United States diplomacy
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