Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs

The position was first created in December 1944 as the Assistant Secretary of State for Public and Cultural Relations.{{cite web|title=Assistant Secretaries of State for Public Affairs|url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/principalofficers/assistant-secretary-for-public-affairs|publisher=U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian|date=2013|access-date=November 20, 2015}} It was later changed to its current name in 1946. Initially, incumbents supervised the forerunners of the United States Information Agency and the Voice of America. Under the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011, the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs does not require Senate confirmation.

Historically, the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs had a dual role as the Spokesperson for the State Department. From 2011 to 2015, the Assistant Secretary and the State Department Spokesperson were two separate roles held by different people.{{cite magazine |title=Victoria Nuland to be State Department spokesman|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2011/05/16/victoria-nuland-to-be-state-department-spokesman/|magazine=Foreign Policy |date=May 16, 2011|access-date=November 20, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Biographies for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy: Senior Officials|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/bios|date=August 10, 2015|access-date=November 20, 2015}} In late 2015, the two roles were once again merged with the appointment of Spokesperson John Kirby as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs.{{cite web|title=John Kirby|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/242436.htm|publisher=U.S. Department of State|date=December 11, 2015|access-date=March 10, 2016}}

On May 28, 2019, the bureau merged with the Bureau of International Information Programs into the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State merged into the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs.{{cite web |url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/timeline/2010-2019 |title=Administrative Timeline of the Department of State |publisher=United States Department of State |accessdate=2021-08-25}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-public-diplomacy-and-public-affairs/bureau-of-global-public-affairs/ Official Website]
• [https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/index.htm Archived version of the 2009-2017 Website]

{{United States Assistant Secretaries of State}}

Category:Bureau of Public Affairs

Category:1944 establishments in Washington, D.C.