United States Secretary of Commerce

{{Short description|Head of the U.S. Department of Commerce}}

{{Use American English|date = February 2019}}

{{Use mdy dates|date = February 2019}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = United States Secretary

| body = Commerce

| flag = Flag of the United States Secretary of Commerce.svg

| flagborder = yes

| flagsize = 130

| flagcaption = Flag of the secretary

| insignia = Seal of the United States Department of Commerce.svg

| insigniasize = 120

| insigniacaption = Seal of the U.S. Department of Commerce

| image = Howard Lutnick 2025 (cropped) 2.jpg

| incumbent = Howard Lutnick

| acting = no

| incumbentsince = February 21, 2025

| department = United States Department of Commerce

| style = Mr. Secretary (informal)
The Honorable (formal)

| member_of = Cabinet

| reports_to = President of the United States

| seat = Herbert C. Hoover Building, Washington, D.C.

| appointer = President of the United States

| appointer_qualified = with United States Senate advice and consent

| termlength = No fixed term

| constituting_instrument = {{UnitedStatesCode|15|1501}}

| formation = {{start date and age|1913|3|5}}

| precursor = Secretary of Commerce and Labor

| first = William C. Redfield

| succession = Tenth{{USC|3|19}}

| deputy = Deputy Secretary of Commerce

| salary = Executive Schedule, Level I

| website = {{url|https://www.commerce.gov/|Commerce.gov}}

}}

File:Commerce Building Secretary's Office.jpg

The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary reports directly to the president and is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States. The secretary is appointed by the president, with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. The secretary of commerce is responsible for promoting American businesses and industries. The department states its mission as 'to foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce of the United States'.{{cite web |title=US Department of Commerce, Directives Management Program |url=http://204.193.232.34/cgi-bin/doit.cgi?204:112:ca6ff65e72b6f38e4fe42ea2ba9cf9358ad6df26eae063a68a6e8f420a9ac897:245 |access-date=September 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929201638/http://204.193.232.34/cgi-bin/doit.cgi?204:112:ca6ff65e72b6f38e4fe42ea2ba9cf9358ad6df26eae063a68a6e8f420a9ac897:245 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

Until 1913, there was one secretary of commerce and labor, uniting this department with the United States Department of Labor, which is now headed by a separate United States secretary of labor.{{cite web|publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce|title=Milestones|url=http://2001-2009.commerce.gov/About_Us/Milestones/index.htm|access-date=October 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015094052/http://2001-2009.commerce.gov/About_Us/Milestones/index.htm|archive-date=October 15, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

The secretary of commerce is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule{{UnitedStatesCode|5|5312}} with an annual salary of US$221,400, as of January 2021.{{cite web|url= https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2021/EX.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123013351/https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2021/EX.pdf |archive-date=2021-01-23 |url-status=live|title=Salary Table No. 2021-EX Rates of Basic Pay for the Executive Schedule (EX)}}

The current secretary of commerce is Howard Lutnick.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/us/politics/howard-lutnick-confirmed-commerce.html|title=Senate Confirms Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary|newspaper=The New York Times|first=Alan|last=Rappeport|date=2025-02-18|access-date=2025-02-19}}

List of U.S. secretaries of commerce

; Parties

{{legend2|#EEEEEE|Independent|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (1)

{{legend2|{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|Democratic|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (21)

{{legend2|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|Republican|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (19)

; Status

{{legend|#E6E6AA|Denotes acting commerce secretary|border=black}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="clear:left; text-align:center"
No.

!class=unsortable |Portrait

!Name[https://www.commerce.gov/about-commerce/secretaries Department of Commerce: Secretaries]

!State of residence

!Took office

!Left office

!colspan=2 |President(s)

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|1}}

|75px

|{{sortname|William C.|Redfield}}

|New York

|{{dts|March 5, 1913}}

|{{dts|October 31, 1919}}

|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Woodrow|Wilson}}
(1913–1921)

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|2}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Joshua W.|Alexander}}

|Missouri

|{{dts|December 16, 1919}}

|{{dts|March 4, 1921}}

rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|3}}

|rowspan=2 |75px

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Herbert|Hoover}}

|rowspan=2 |California

|rowspan=2 |{{dts|March 5, 1921}}

|rowspan=2 |{{dts|August 21, 1928}}

|style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|{{sortname|Warren G.|Harding}}
(1921–1923)

rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Calvin|Coolidge}}
(1923-1929)

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|4}}

|75px

|{{sortname|William F.|Whiting}}

|Massachusetts

|{{dts|August 22, 1928}}

|{{dts|March 4, 1929}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|5}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Robert P.|Lamont}}

|Illinois

|{{dts|March 5, 1929}}

|{{dts|August 7, 1932}}

|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Herbert|Hoover}}
(1929–1933)

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|6}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Roy D.|Chapin}}

|Michigan

|{{dts|August 8, 1932}}

|{{dts|March 3, 1933}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|7}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Daniel C.|Roper}}

|South Carolina

|{{dts|March 4, 1933}}

|{{dts|December 23, 1938}}

|rowspan=4 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=4 |{{sortname|Franklin D.|Roosevelt}}
(1933–1945)

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|8}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Harry|Hopkins}}

|New York

|{{dts|December 24, 1938}}

|{{dts|September 18, 1940}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|9}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Jesse H.|Jones}}

|Texas

|{{dts|September 19, 1940}}

|{{dts|March 1, 1945}}

rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|10}}

|rowspan=2 |75px

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Henry A.|Wallace}}

|rowspan=2 |Iowa

|rowspan=2 |{{dts|March 2, 1945}}

|rowspan=2 |{{dts|September 20, 1946}}

rowspan=4 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=4 |{{sortname|Harry S.|Truman}}
(1945–1953)

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Alfred|Schindler|dab=industrialist}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |Missouri

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|September 20, 1946}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|October 7, 1946}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|11}}

|75px

|{{sortname|W. Averell|Harriman}}

|New York

|{{dts|October 7, 1946}}

|{{dts|April 22, 1948}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|12}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Charles W.|Sawyer}}

|Ohio

|{{dts|May 6, 1948}}

|{{dts|January 20, 1953}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|13}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Sinclair|Weeks}}

|Massachusetts

|{{dts|January 21, 1953}}

|{{dts|November 10, 1958}}

|rowspan=4 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=4|{{sortname|Dwight D.|Eisenhower}}
(1953–1961)

style="background:#e6e6aa;"
style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white
}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Lewis|Strauss}}

|New York

|{{dts|November 13, 1958}}

|{{dts|June 30, 1959}}

rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|14}}

|rowspan=2 |75px

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Frederick H.|Mueller}}

|rowspan=2 |Michigan

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|June 30, 1959}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|August 10, 1959}}

{{dts|August 10, 1959}}

|{{dts|January 19, 1961}}

rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|15}}

|rowspan=2 |75px

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Luther H.|Hodges}}

|rowspan=2 |North Carolina

|rowspan=2 |{{dts|January 21, 1961}}

|rowspan=2 |{{dts|January 15, 1965}}

|style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|{{sortname|John F.|Kennedy}}
(1961–1963)

rowspan=5 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=5 |{{sortname|Lyndon B.|Johnson}}
(1963–1969)

16

|75px

|{{sortname|John T.|Connor}}

|New Jersey

|{{dts|January 18, 1965}}

|{{dts|January 31, 1967}}

rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|17}}

|rowspan=2 |75px

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Alexander|Trowbridge}}

|rowspan=2 |New York

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|January 31, 1967}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|June 14, 1967}}

{{dts|June 14, 1967}}

|{{dts|March 1, 1968}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|18}}

|75px

|{{sortname|C. R.|Smith}}

|New York

|{{dts|March 6, 1968}}

|{{dts|January 19, 1969}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|19}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Maurice|Stans}}

|New York

|{{dts|January 21, 1969}}

|{{dts|February 15, 1972}}

|rowspan=3 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=3 |{{sortname|Richard|Nixon}}
(1969–1974)

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|20}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Peter G.|Peterson}}

|Illinois

|{{dts|February 29, 1972}}

|{{dts|February 1, 1973}}

rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|21}}

|rowspan=2 |75px

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Frederick B.|Dent}}

|rowspan=2 |South Carolina

|rowspan=2 |{{dts|February 2, 1973}}

|rowspan=2 |{{dts|March 26, 1975}}

rowspan=3 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=3 |{{sortname|Gerald|Ford}}
(1974–1977)

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|22}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Rogers|Morton}}

|Maryland

|{{dts|May 1, 1975}}

|{{dts|February 2, 1976}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|23}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Elliot|Richardson}}

|Massachusetts

|{{dts|February 2, 1976}}

|{{dts|January 20, 1977}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|24}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Juanita M.|Kreps}}

|North Carolina

|{{dts|January 23, 1977}}

|{{dts|October 31, 1979}}

|rowspan=3 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=3 |{{sortname|Jimmy|Carter}}
(1977–1981)

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Luther H.|Hodges Jr.}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |North Carolina

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|October 31, 1979}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|January 9, 1980}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|25}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Philip|Klutznick}}

|Illinois

|{{dts|January 9, 1980}}

|{{dts|January 20, 1981}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|26}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Malcolm|Baldrige Jr.}}

|Connecticut

|{{dts|January 20, 1981}}

|{{dts|July 25, 1987}}

|rowspan=3 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=3 |{{sortname|Ronald|Reagan}}
(1981–1989)

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Bud|Brown|dab=politician}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |Ohio

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|July 25, 1987}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|October 19, 1987}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|27}}

|75px

|{{sortname|William|Verity Jr.}}

|Ohio

|{{dts|October 19, 1987}}

|{{dts|January 30, 1989}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|28}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Robert|Mosbacher}}

|Texas

|{{dts|January 31, 1989}}

|{{dts|January 15, 1992}}

|rowspan=3 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=3 |{{sortname|George H. W.|Bush}}
(1989–1993)

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Rockwell A.|Schnabel}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6aa;" |California

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|January 15, 1992}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|February 27, 1992}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|29}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Barbara|Franklin}}

|Pennsylvania

|{{dts|February 27, 1992}}

|{{dts|January 20, 1993}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|30}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Ron|Brown}}

|New York

|{{dts|January 20, 1993}}

|{{dts|April 3, 1996}}

|rowspan=6 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=6 |{{sortname|Bill|Clinton}}
(1993–2001)

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Mary L.|Good}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |Texas

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|April 3, 1996}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|April 12, 1996}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|31}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Mickey|Kantor}}

|Tennessee

|{{dts|April 12, 1996}}

|{{dts|January 21, 1997}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|32}}

|75px

|{{sortname|William M.|Daley}}

|Illinois

|{{dts|January 30, 1997}}

|{{dts|July 19, 2000}}

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Robert L.|Mallett}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |Texas

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|July 19, 2000}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|July 21, 2000}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|33}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Norman|Mineta}}

|California

|{{dts|July 21, 2000}}

|{{dts|January 20, 2001}}

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|34}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Donald|Evans}}

|Texas

|{{dts|January 20, 2001}}

|{{dts|February 7, 2005}}

|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|George W.|Bush}}
(2001–2009)

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|35}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Carlos|Gutierrez}}

|Florida

|{{dts|February 7, 2005}}

|{{dts|January 20, 2009}}

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Otto J.|Wolff}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|January 20, 2009}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|March 26, 2009}}

|rowspan=7 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=7 |{{sortname|Barack|Obama}}
(2009–2017)

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|36}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Gary|Locke}}

|Washington

|{{dts|March 26, 2009}}

|{{dts|August 1, 2011}}

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Rebecca|Blank}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |Minnesota

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|August 1, 2011}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|October 21, 2011}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|37}}

|75px

|{{sortname|John|Bryson}}

|New York

|{{dts|October 21, 2011}}

|{{dts|June 11, 2012}}

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Rebecca|Blank}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |Minnesota

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|June 11, 2012}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|June 1, 2013}}

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |75px

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{sortname|Cameron|Kerry}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |Massachusetts

|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|June 1, 2013}}

|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|June 26, 2013}}

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|38}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Penny|Pritzker}}

|Illinois

|{{dts|June 26, 2013}}

|{{dts|January 20, 2017}}

{{color|black|–}}

|colspan=3 |Vacant

|{{dts|January 20, 2017}}

|{{dts|February 28, 2017}}

|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Donald|Trump}}
(2017–2021)

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|39}}

|75px

|{{sortname|Wilbur|Ross}}

|Florida

|{{dts|February 28, 2017}}

|{{dts|January 20, 2021}}

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |80px

|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{sortname|Wynn|Coggins}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |Virginia

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|January 20, 2021}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|March 3, 2021}}

|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Joe|Biden}}
(2021–2025)

style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|40}}

|File:Gina Raimondo (cropped 2).jpg

|{{sortname|Gina|Raimondo}}

|Rhode Island

|{{dts|March 3, 2021}}

|{{dts|January 20, 2025}}

style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{color|black|–}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |80px

|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{sortname|Jeremy|Pelter}}
{{small|Acting}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |

Maryland

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|January 20, 2025}}

|style="background:#E6E6AA;" |{{dts|February 21, 2025}}

|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |

|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Donald|Trump}}
(2025–present)

style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|41}}

|103x103px

|{{sortname|Howard|Lutnick}}

|New York

|{{dts|February 21, 2025}}

|Incumbent

Line of succession

The line of succession for the secretary of commerce is as follows:{{cite web|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/05/24/2012-12882/providing-an-order-of-succession-within-the-department-of-commerce|title=Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Commerce|website=federalregister.gov|access-date=2016-10-29}}

  1. Deputy Secretary of Commerce
  2. General Counsel of the Department of Commerce
  3. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade
  4. Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs
  5. Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology
  6. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  7. Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration
  8. Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Commerce and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Administration
  9. Boulder Laboratories Site Manager, National Institute of Standards and Technology

References

{{Reflist}}