Political appointments by Joe Biden

Following his victory in 2020, Biden had 4,000 political appointments to make to the federal government. Of those 4,000 political appointments, more than 1250 require Senate confirmation. Upon taking office, Biden quickly placed more than 1,000 high-level officials who did not require confirmation into office.[1] As of February 3 , 2021, according to tracking by The Washington Post and Partnership for Public Service, 6 nominees have been confirmed by the United States Senate, 15 have been announced, 30 are being considered and 588 tracked positions have no nominee.[2]

Color key

  Denotes appointees serving in offices that did not require Senate confirmation.

  Denotes appointees confirmed by the Senate.

  Denotes appointees awaiting Senate confirmation.

  Denotes appointees serving in an acting capacity.

Executive Office of the President

Office	Appointee	Assumed office	Left office
— White House Chief of Staff	Ron Klain[3]	January 20, 2021	—
— White House Deputy Chiefs of Staff	Jen O'Malley Dillon	January 20, 2021	—
	Bruce Reed
— Director of the National Economic Council	Brian Deese	January 20, 2021	—
— Director of the Domestic Policy Council	Susan Rice	January 20, 2021	—
— National Security Advisor	Jake Sullivan[3]	January 20, 2021	—
— National Climate Advisor	Gina McCarthy	January 20, 2021	—
— Special Presidential Envoy for Climate	John Kerry	January 20, 2021	—
— Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy	Eric Lander	Announced January 16, 2021	—
— Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality	Brenda Mallory	Announced December 17, 2020	—
— United States Trade Representative	Katherine Tai	Announced December 10, 2020	—
— Director of the Office of Management and Budget	Neera Tanden[4]	Announced November 30, 2020	—
— Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers	Cecilia Rouse[3]	Announced November 30, 2020	—

Office of the Vice President of the United States

Office	Appointee	Assumed office	Left office
— Chief of Staff to the Vice President	Hartina Flournoy	January 20, 2021	—
— Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President	Michael Fuchs	January 20, 2021	—
— Chief of Staff to the Second Gentleman	Julie Mason	January 20, 2021	—
— Communications Director for the Vice President	Ashley Etienne	January 20, 2021	—
— Deputy Communications Director for the Vice President	Herbie Ziskend	January 20, 2021	—
— Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson for the Vice President	Symone Sanders	January 20, 2021	—
— Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President	Rohini Kosoglu	January 20, 2021	—
— National Security Advisor to the Vice President	Nancy McEldowney	January 20, 2021	—
— Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President	Philip Gordon	January 20, 2021	—
— Policy Advisor to the Vice President	Ike Irby	January 20, 2021	—
— Deputy Policy Advisor to the Vice President	Deanne Millison	January 20, 2021	—
— Assistant to Chief of Staff	Yael Belkind	January 20, 2021	—
— Director of Management and Administration	Cynthia Bernstein	January 20, 2021	—
— Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs	Vincent Evans	January 20, 2021	—
— Director of Speech Writing	Kate Childs Graham	January 20, 2021	—
— Counsel to the Vice President	Josh Hsu	January 20, 2021	—
— Photographer to the Vice President	Lawrence Jackson	January 20, 2021	—
— Chief Economic Advisor to Vice President	Mike Pyle	January 20, 2021	—
— Director of Press Operations	Peter Velz	January 20, 2021	—
— Assistant Press Secretary	Rachel Palermo	January 20, 2021	—

Office of the First Lady of the United States

Office	Appointee	Assumed office	Left office
— Chief of Staff to the First Lady	Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón	January 20, 2021	—
— Policy Director for the First Lady	Mala Adiga	January 20, 2021	—
— Senior Advisor for the First Lady	Anthony Bernal	January 20, 2021	—
— Communications Director for the First Lady	Elizabeth Alexander	January 20, 2021	—
— Press Secretary for the First Lady	Michael LaRosa	January 20, 2021	—
— Executive Director of Joining Forces	Rory Brosius	January 20, 2021	—
— Director of Scheduling and Advance	Gina Lee	January 20, 2021	—
— Deputy Policy Director	Vanessa Lion	January 20, 2021	—
— Director of Advance & Trip Director	Jordan Montoya	January 20, 2021	—
— Digital Director	Garima Verma	January 20, 2021	—

Federal executive departments

Department of State

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of State	Antony Blinken[3]	January 26, 2021 (Confirmed January 26, 2021, 78–22)[5]	—
— Deputy Secretary of State	Wendy Sherman	Announced January 16, 2021	—

Department of the Treasury

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of the Treasury	Janet Yellen[6]	January 26, 2021 (Confirmed January 25, 2021, 84–15)[7]	—
— Deputy Secretary of the Treasury	Wally Adeyemo[6]	Announced November 30, 2020	—

Department of Defense

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Defense	Lloyd Austin	January 22, 2021 (Confirmed January 22, 2021, 93–2)[8]	—
— Deputy Secretary of Defense	Kathleen Hicks	Announced December 30, 2020	—

Department of Justice

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Attorney General	Merrick Garland	Announced January 6, 2021	—
— Deputy Attorney General	Lisa Monaco	Announced January 6, 2021	—

Department of the Interior

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of the Interior	Deb Haaland[9]	Announced December 17, 2020	—
— Deputy Secretary of the Interior	Elizabeth Klein	Announced January 18, 2021	—

Department of Agriculture

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Agriculture	Tom Vilsack	Announced December 10, 2020	—
— Deputy Secretary of Agriculture	Jewel H. Bronaugh	Announced January 18, 2021	—

Department of Commerce

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Commerce	Gina Raimondo[10]	Announced January 7, 2021	—
— Deputy Secretary of Commerce	Don Graves	Announced January 7, 2021	—

Department of Labor

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Labor	Marty Walsh[11]	Announced January 7, 2021	—
— Deputy Secretary of Labor	Julie Su[12]	Announced February 3, 2021	—

Department of Health and Human Services

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Health and Human Services	Xavier Becerra[3]	Announced December 7, 2020	—
— Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services	Andrea Palm	Announced January 18, 2021	—

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Housing and Urban Development	Marcia Fudge[13]	Announced December 10, 2020	—
— Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development	TBA	—	—

Department of Transportation

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Transportation	Pete Buttigieg	February 3, 2021 (Confirmed February 2, 2021, 86–13)[14]	—
— Deputy Secretary of Transportation	Polly Trottenberg	Announced January 18, 2021	—

Department of Energy

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Energy	Jennifer Granholm	Announced December 17, 2020	—
— Deputy Secretary of Energy	TBA	—	—

Department of Education

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Education	Miguel Cardona	Announced December 22, 2020	—
— Deputy Secretary of Education	Cindy Marten	Announced January 18, 2021	—

Department of Veterans Affairs

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Veterans Affairs	Denis McDonough	Announced December 10, 2020	—
— Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs	TBA		—

Department of Homeland Security

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Secretary of Homeland Security	Alejandro Mayorkas[3]	February 2, 2021 (Confirmed February 2, 2021, 56–43)[15]	—
— Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security	TBA	—	—

Independent intelligence agencies

Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
— Director of National Intelligence	Avril Haines[3]	January 21, 2021 (Confirmed January 20, 2021, 84–10)[16]	—
— Chief Information Officer	TBA	—	—
National Counterterrorism Center
— Director of the National Counterterrorism Center	TBA	—	—

Central Intelligence Agency

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Director of the Central Intelligence Agency	William J. Burns[3]	Announced January 11, 2021	—
— Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency	David S. Cohen	Announced January 15, 2021	—
— General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency	TBA	—	—

Other independent agencies

Environmental Protection Agency

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency	Michael S. Regan	Announced December 17, 2020	—
— Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency	Janet McCabe	Announced January 15, 2021	—
— Chief Financial Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency	TBA	—	—
— General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency	TBA	—	—
— Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency	TBA	—	—
— Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Toxic Substances)	TBA	—	—
— Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Enforcement and Compliance Assurance)	TBA	—	—
— Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (International and Tribal Affairs)	TBA	—	—
— Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Land and Emergency Management)	TBA	—	—
— Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Water)	TBA	—	—

Small Business Administration

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Administrator of the Small Business Administration	Isabel Guzman[17]	Announced January 7, 2021	—
— Chief Counsel for Advocacy	TBA	—	—
— Inspector General of the Small Business Administration	TBA	—	—

Federal Reserve System

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors	TBA	—	—

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
— Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration	TBA	—	—
— Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration	TBA	—	—
— Executive Secretary of the National Space Council	TBA	—	—
— Chief Financial Officer of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration	TBA	—	—

Independent commissions

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
— Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission	Gary Gensler	Announced January 18, 2021	—
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
— Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission	TBA	—	—
— Commissioner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission	TBA	—	—
Federal Communications Commission
— Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission	TBA	—	—
— Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission	TBA	—	—
Federal Election Commission
— Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission	TBA	—	—
	TBA
Federal Trade Commission
— Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission	TBA	—	—
United States International Trade Commission
— Commissioner of the United States International Trade Commission	TBA	—	—
Postal Regulatory Commission
— Vice-Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission	TBA	—	—
United States Sentencing Commission
Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission	TBA	—	—

Independent miscellaneous

Office	Nominee	Assumed office	Left office
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
— Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau	Rohit Chopra	Announced January 18, 2021	—
United States Agency for International Development
— Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development	Samantha Power[18]	Announced January 13, 2021	—
General Services Administration
— Administrator of General Services	TBA	—	—
Social Security Administration
— Commissioner of the Social Security Administration	TBA	—	—
— Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration	TBA	—	—
— Inspector General of the Social Security Administration	TBA	—	—
— Member of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund	TBA	—	—
	TBA
Administrative Conference of the United States
— Chairman of the Administrative Conference of the United States	TBA	—	—
Federal Labor Relations Authority
— General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority	TBA	—	—
Corporation for National and Community Service
— Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service	TBA	—	—
	TBA
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
— Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting	TBA	—	—
Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service
Member of the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service	TBA	—	—
Peace Corps
— Director of the Peace Corps	TBA	—	—

See also

• Cabinet of Joe Biden, for the vetting process undergone by top-level roles including advice and consent by the Senate
• List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden
• United States Ambassadors appointed by Joe Biden

References

1. Sanger, David E. (January 27, 2021). "Biden Team Rushes to Take Over Government, and Oust Trump Loyalists". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
2. Service, Partnership for Public. "Political Appointee Tracker • Partnership for Public Service". Partnership for Public Service. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
3. "Nominees and Appointees". Biden-Harris Transition. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
4. Franck, Thomas (November 30, 2020). "Biden announces economic team, confirms Janet Yellen as Treasury nominee". CNBC. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
5. CNN, Jennifer Hansler. "Senate confirms Antony Blinken as Biden's secretary of state". CNN. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
6. Franck, Thomas (November 30, 2020). "Biden announces economic team, confirms Janet Yellen as Treasury nominee". CNBC. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
7. Egan, Matt. "Janet Yellen is confirmed as the first female Treasury secretary in US history". CNN. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
8. CNN, Clare Foran. "Senate confirms Lloyd Austin to be first Black defense secretary". CNN. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
9. Eilperin, Juliet; Grandoni, Dino. "Biden picks Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) to be first Native American interior secretary". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
10. Martin, Jonathan; Swanson, Ana (January 7, 2021). "Biden Picks Rhode Island Governor for Commerce Secretary". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
11. "Biden chooses Boston Mayor Walsh as Labor secretary". POLITICO. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
12. "Biden chooses California's Su as deputy Labor secretary". POLITICO. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
13. Nichols, Hans. "Biden to pick Vilsack for agriculture secretary, Fudge for HUD". Axios. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
14. Axios. "Senate confirms Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary". Axios. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
15. Perano, Ursula. "Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed as first Latino secretary of homeland security". Axios. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
16. Singman, Brooke (January 20, 2021). "Senate confirms Avril Haines as director of National Intelligence". Fox News. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
17. Gangitano, Alex (January 7, 2021). "Biden taps Isabel Guzman to lead the Small Business Administration". TheHill. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
18. "Biden to nominate Samantha Power to lead foreign aid agency". NBC News. Retrieved January 13, 2021.