Joe Biden assumed office as the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021, and his term ended on January 20, 2025. The president has the authority to nominate members of his Cabinet to the United States Senate for confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.
Before confirmation and during congressional hearings, a high-level career member of an executive department heads this pre-confirmed cabinet on an acting basis. The Cabinet's creation was part of the transition of power following the 2020 presidential election.
In addition to the 15 heads of executive departments, there are 10 Cabinet-level officials. Biden altered his cabinet structure, elevating the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and ambassador to the United Nations as Cabinet-level positions. Biden initially removed the director of the Central Intelligence Agency from his Cabinet, but reversed the move in July 2023.
Confirmations had occurred at the slowest pace of any presidential cabinet in modern history that resulted from delays in facilitating an orderly transition of power and passing the organizing resolution for governing an evenly split Senate following the 2020–2021 United States Senate runoff elections in Georgia; and the second impeachment of Donald Trump. By March 2021, a pick-up in the first half of the month brought confirmations close to pace. Biden is the first president since Ronald Reagan in 1981 to have all of his original Cabinet secretary nominees confirmed to their posts.
This article documents the nomination and confirmation process for any successful or unsuccessful Cabinet nominees of the Biden administration. They are listed in order of creation of the Cabinet position (also used as the basis for the United States presidential line of succession)
Cabinet Cabinet officials on January 20, 2025
All permanent members of the Cabinet of the United States as heads of executive departments require the advice and consent of the United States Senate following appointment by the president before taking office. The vice presidency is exceptional in that the position requires an election to office pursuant to the United States Constitution. The president may also designate heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as Cabinet-level members of the Cabinet. The Cabinet meets with the president in the Cabinet Room, a room adjacent to the Oval Office. During some cabinet meetings First Lady Jill Biden participated.
The following were the final members of President Joe Biden's Cabinet on January 20, 2025.
Cabinet of President Joe BidenSource:OfficeDesigneeOfficeDesigneeVice PresidentKamala HarrisSecretary of StateAntony BlinkenSecretary of the TreasuryJanet YellenSecretary of DefenseLloyd AustinAttorney GeneralMerrick GarlandSecretary of the InteriorDeb HaalandSecretary of AgricultureTom VilsackSecretary of CommerceGina RaimondoSecretary of LaborJulie SuSecretary of Health and Human ServicesXavier BecerraSecretary of Housing and Urban DevelopmentAdrianne TodmanSecretary of TransportationPete ButtigiegSecretary of EnergyJennifer GranholmSecretary of EducationMiguel CardonaSecretary of Veterans AffairsDenis McDonoughSecretary of Homeland SecurityAlejandro MayorkasCabinet-level officialsOfficeDesigneeOfficeDesigneeWhite House Chief of StaffJeff ZientsAdministrator of the Environmental Protection AgencyJane NishidaDirector of the Office of Management and BudgetShalanda YoungDirector of National IntelligenceAvril HainesDirector of the Central Intelligence AgencyWilliam J. BurnsUnited States Trade RepresentativeKatherine TaiAmbassador to the United NationsLinda Thomas-GreenfieldChair of the Council of Economic AdvisersJared BernsteinAdministrator of the Small Business AdministrationIsabel GuzmanScience Advisor to the PresidentDirector of the Office of Science and Technology PolicyArati Prabhakar
Confirmation process Below is a list of confirmations for Cabinet positions, Cabinet-level positions, and other significant positions that were approved through the Senate from January 2021 onwards, by a recorded roll-call vote, rather than by a voice vote.
Confirmation votes For Comparison:
Committee process OfficeNomineeStateAnnouncedCommitteeHearing date(s)Committee vote resultCommittee vote dateCloture vote resultCloture vote dateFloor vote resultFloor vote dateAssumed officeSecretary of StateNYForeign Relations15–3N/A78–22Secretary of the TreasuryCAFinanceUnanimous84–15Secretary of DefenseGAArmed Services (House)Waiver326–78Armed Services (Senate)Waiver69–27Armed ServicesConfirmation93–2Attorney GeneralMDJudiciaryFebruary 23, 202115–770–2970–30Secretary of the InteriorNMEnergy and Natural Resources11–954–4251–40Secretary of AgricultureIAAgriculture, Nutrition and ForestryUnanimousN/A92–7Secretary of CommerceRICommerce, Science and Transportation21–384–1584–15Secretary of LaborMAHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions18–468–3068–29CAHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions11–10N/AExpiredN/AN/AN/AN/AExpiredN/ASecretary of Health and Human ServicesHealth, Education, Labor and PensionsConsultativeN/A50–4950–49Finance14–14Secretary of Housing and Urban DevelopmentOHBanking, Housing and Urban Affairs17–769–3066–34Secretary of TransportationINCommerce, Science and Transportation21–3N/A86–13Secretary of EnergyMIEnergy and Natural Resources13–467–3264–35Secretary of EducationCTHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions17–566–3264–33Secretary of Veterans AffairsMDVeterans' AffairsUnanimousN/A87–7Secretary of Homeland SecurityDCHomeland Security and Governmental Affairs7–455–4256–43Administrator of the Environmental Protection AgencyNCEnvironment and Public Works14–665–3566–34Director of the Office of Management and BudgetMAHomeland Security and Governmental AffairsWithdrawal announced March 2, 2021, officially submitted on March 25, 2021BudgetLAHomeland Security and Governmental Affairs8–653–3161–36Budget15–6Director of National IntelligenceNYIntelligenceUnanimousN/A84–10Trade RepresentativeDCFinance98–098–0Ambassador to the United NationsLAForeign Relations18–475–2078–20Chair of the Council of Economic AdvisersNJBanking, Housing and Urban AffairsUnanimous94–595–4VABanking, Housing and Urban Affairs12–1150–4950–49Administrator of the Small Business AdministrationCASmall Business and Entrepreneurship15–580–1881–17Director of the Office of Science and Technology PolicyMACommerce, Science and Transportation22–6N/AUnanimousCA15–1358–3856–40Director of the Central Intelligence AgencyMDIntelligenceUnanimousN/AUnanimous
Notes
Elected officials President Joe Biden defeated the incumbent president and Republican nominee, Donald Trump, in the 2020 presidential election, receiving 306 electoral votes compared to Trump's 232 electoral votes in the election. The formal certification of the results took place on January 6–7, 2021. He assumed office on January 20, 2021.
President of the United StatesPortraitNameDate of birthStateBackgroundReferenceJoe Biden(age ) 47th Vice President of the United States (2009–2017) Chair of the International Narcotics Control Caucus (2007–2009) Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (2001–2003, 2007–2009) Democratic presidential candidate (1988, 2008, 2020) Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee (1987–1995) U.S. Senator from Delaware (1973–2009) New Castle County Councilman, 4th district (1971–1973)
Vice President
The vice president is the only cabinet member to be elected to the position who does not require Senate confirmation, and the vice president does not serve at the pleasure of the president. There were dozens of potential running mates for Biden who received media speculation. Biden's eventual pick of Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) was officially announced on August 11, 2020, and confirmed by acclamation via parliamentary procedure amongst delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention on August 19, 2020.
United States senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) was elected Vice President of the United States, receiving 306 electoral votes, compared to the incumbent vice president, Mike Pence, who received 232 electoral votes in the election. The formal certification of the results took place on January 6–7, 2021. She assumed office on January 20, 2021.
She is the first female vice president of the United States as well as the first African American and Asian American to hold the second-highest office. Vice President of the United StatesPortraitNameDate of birthStateBackgroundReferenceKamala Harris(age ) Democratic presidential candidate (2020) U.S. Senator from California (2017–2021) Attorney General of California (2011–2017) District Attorney of San Francisco (2004–2011)
Nominated candidates for Cabinet positions The following cabinet positions are listed in order of their creation (also used as the basis for the United States presidential line of succession).
Secretary of State A nomination for Secretary of State is reviewed during hearings held by the members of the Foreign Relations Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote. Foreign Relations Committee hearing held on January 19, 2021, and approved 15–3 on January 25, 2021. Confirmed 78–22 and sworn in on January 26, 2021.PN78-3 – Antony John Blinken – Department of State
Secretary of StatePortraitNameDate of birthStateBackgroundReferenceAntony Blinken(age ) Deputy Secretary of State (2015–2017) Deputy National Security Advisor (2013–2015) National Security Advisor to the Vice President (2009–2013)
Secretary of the Treasury A nomination for Secretary of the Treasury is reviewed during hearings held by the members of the Finance Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote. Finance Committee hearing held on January 19, 2021, and approved by unanimous consent on January 22, 2021. Confirmed 84–15 on January 25, 2021, and sworn in on January 26, 2021.PN78-24 – Janet Louise Yellen – Department of the Treasury
Secretary of the TreasuryPortraitNameDate of birthStateBackgroundReferenceJanet Yellen(age ) Chair of the Federal Reserve (2014–2018) Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve (2010–2014) President of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (2004–2010) Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers (1997–1999) Member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (1994–1997; 2010–2018)
Secretary of Defense A nomination for Secretary of Defense is reviewed during hearings held by the members of the Armed Services Committee, then presented to the full Senate for a vote. Biden's announced nominee, retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, required a congressional waiver to be granted under the National Security Act of 1947 before he was confirmed.
Waiver process: House Armed Services Committee closed-door briefing held and approved without objection on January 21, 2021. Floor vote passed 326–78 on January 21, 2021. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing held and approved by voice vote on January 21, 2021. Floor vote passed 69–27 on January 21, 2021. Signed into law on January 22, 2021.H.R.335 – To provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces. Confirmation process: Armed Services Committee hearing held on January 19, 2021, and approved by unanimous consent on January 21, 2021. Confirmed 93–2 and sworn in on January 22, 2021.PN78-1 – Lloyd James Austin – Department of Defense
Secretary of DefensePortraitNameDate of birthStateBackgroundReferenceLloyd Austin(age ) Georgia Commander of U.S. Central Command (2013–2016) Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army (2012–2013) Commanding General of U.S. Forces – Iraq (2010–2011)
Attorney General