List of political appointments by Joe Biden
Following his election victory in 2020, U.S. president Joe 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 into roles that did not require confirmation., according to tracking by The Washington Post and Partnership for Public Service covering 810 positions, 673 nominees have been confirmed by the United States Senate, 2 are being considered by the Senate, and 69 tracked positions have no nominee.
Executive Office of the President
Office of the Vice President of the United States
| Office | Appointee | Assumed office | Left office |
— [Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States|Vice President of the United States|Chief of Staff to the Vice President] | Lorraine Voles | May 16, 2022 | — |
— Chief of Staff to the Vice President | Tina Flournoy | January 20, 2021 | May 16, 2022 |
— Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President | Erin Wilson | May 31, 2022 | — |
— Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President | Michael Fuchs | January 20, 2021 | May 2022 |
— Chief of Staff to the Second Gentleman | Katie Peters | April 2022 | — |
— Chief of Staff to the Second Gentleman | Julie Mason | January 20, 2021 | April 2022 |
— Communications Director for the Vice President | Vacant | — | — |
— Communications Director for the Vice President | Jamal Simmons | January 9, 2022 | January 5, 2023 |
— Communications Director for the Vice President | Ashley Etienne | January 20, 2021 | December 2021 |
— Deputy Communications Director for the Vice President | Chris Evans | October 2023 | — |
— Deputy Communications Director for the Vice President | Rachel Palermo | March 2022 | November 2033 |
— Deputy Communications Director for the Vice President | Herbie Ziskend | January 20, 2021 | March 2022 |
— Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson for the Vice President | Symone Sanders | January 20, 2021 | December 2021 |
— Senior Advisor for Communications for the Vice President | Herbie Ziskend | March 2022 | August 2022 |
— Senior Advisor for Messaging & Outreach for the Vice President | Stephanie Young | March 2023 | — |
— Press Secretary for the Vice President | Kirsten Allen | March 2022 | — |
— Deputy Press Secretary for the Vice President | Ernesto Apreza | March 2022 | — |
— Deputy Press Secretary for the Vice President | Sabrina Singh | January 20, 2021 | March 31, 2022 |
— Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President | Carmel Martin | September 2022 | — |
— Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President | Rohini Kosoglu | January 20, 2021 | August 2022 |
— National Security Advisor to the Vice President | Philip H. Gordon | March 21, 2022 | — |
— National Security Advisor to the Vice President | Nancy McEldowney | January 20, 2021 | March 21, 2022 |
— Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President | Rebecca Lissner | April 2022 | — |
— Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President | Philip H. Gordon | January 20, 2021 | March 21, 2022 |
— 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 | Brandon Thompson | January 2022 | — |
— Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs | Vincent Evans | January 20, 2021 | January 2022 |
— Director of Speech Writing | Dave Cavell | October 2022 | — |
— Director of Speech Writing | Meghan Groob | April 2022 | July 2022 |
— Director of Speech Writing | Kate Childs Graham | January 20, 2021 | February 2022 |
— Counsel to the Vice President | Erica Songer | January 2023 | — |
— Counsel to the Vice President | Josh Hsu | January 20, 2021 | January 5, 2023 |
— Photographer to the Vice President | Lawrence Jackson | January 20, 2021 | — |
— Chief Economic Advisor to Vice President | Deanne Millison | July 2022 | — |
— Chief Economic Advisor to Vice President | Mike Pyle | January 20, 2021 | May 2022 |
— Director of Press Operations | Tate Mitchell | January 5, 2022 | — |
— Director of Press Operations | Peter Velz | January 20, 2021 | January 5, 2022 |
Office of the First Lady of the United States
| Office | Appointee | Assumed office | Left office |
— [Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the United States|First Lady of the United States|Chief of Staff to the First Lady] | Vacant | — | — |
— Chief of Staff to the First Lady | Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón | January 20, 2021 | January 17, 2022 |
— Personal Aide to the First Lady | Jordan Montoya | October 2022 | — |
— 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 | Vanessa Valdivia | September 19, 2022 | — |
— Press Secretary for the First Lady | Michael LaRosa | January 20, 2021 | July 31, 2022 |
— Executive Director of Joining Forces | Rory Brosius | January 20, 2021 | — |
— Director of Scheduling and Advance | DJ Sigworth | August 2022 | — |
— Director of Scheduling and Advance | Gina Lee | January 20, 2021 | March 2022 |
— Deputy Policy Director | Vanessa Lion | January 20, 2021 | — |
— Director of Advance & Trip Director | Jordan Montoya | January 20, 2021 | October 2022 |
— Digital Director | Garima Verma | January 20, 2021 | May 2021 |
Federal executive departments
Department of State
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of State | Antony Blinken | January 26, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of State | Kurt M. Campbell | February 12, 2024 | – |
— Deputy Secretary of State | Wendy Sherman | April 14, 2021 | July 28, 2023 |
— United States Ambassador to the United Nations | Linda Thomas-Greenfield | February 25, 2021 | — |
Department of the Treasury
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of the Treasury | Janet Yellen | January 26, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of the Treasury | Wally Adeyemo | March 26, 2021 | — |
Department of Defense
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Defense | Lloyd Austin | January 22, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Defense | Kathleen Hicks | February 9, 2021 | — |
Department of Justice
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Attorney General | Merrick Garland | March 11, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Attorney General | Lisa Monaco | April 21, 2021 | — |
— Associate Attorney General | - | - | - |
— Associate Attorney General | Benjamin C. Mizer | February 2, 2024 | – |
— Associate Attorney General | Vanita Gupta | April 22, 2021 | February 2, 2024 |
Department of the Interior
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of the Interior | Deb Haaland | March 16, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of the Interior | - | - | - |
— Deputy Secretary of the Interior | Laura Daniel-Davis | October 31, 2023 | – |
— Deputy Secretary of the Interior | Tommy Beaudreau | June 23, 2021 | October 27, 2023 |
Department of Agriculture
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Agriculture | Tom Vilsack | February 24, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Agriculture | Xochitl Torres Small | July 17, 2023 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Agriculture | Jewel H. Bronaugh | May 17, 2021 | March 3, 2023 |
Department of Commerce
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Commerce | Gina Raimondo | March 3, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Commerce | Don Graves | May 14, 2021 | — |
Department of Labor
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Labor | - | - | - |
— Secretary of Labor | Julie Su | March 11, 2023 | — |
— Secretary of Labor | Marty Walsh | March 23, 2021 | March 11, 2023 |
— Deputy Secretary of Labor | Julie Su | July 17, 2021 | — |
Department of Health and Human Services
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Health and Human Services | Xavier Becerra | March 19, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services | Andrea Palm | May 12, 2021 | — |
Department of Housing and Urban Development
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | - | - | - |
— Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | Adrianne Todman | March 22, 2024 | – |
— Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | Marcia Fudge | March 10, 2021 | March 22, 2024 |
— Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | Adrianne Todman | June 14, 2021 | — |
Department of Transportation
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Transportation | Pete Buttigieg | February 3, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Transportation | Polly Trottenberg | April 14, 2021 | — |
Department of Energy
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Energy | Jennifer Granholm | February 25, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Energy | David Turk | March 25, 2021 | — |
Department of Education
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Education | Miguel Cardona | March 2, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Education | Cindy Marten | May 18, 2021 | — |
Department of Veterans Affairs
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Veterans Affairs | Denis McDonough | February 9, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs | Tanya J. Bradsher | September 20, 2023 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs | Donald Remy | July 19, 2021 | April 1, 2023 |
Department of Homeland Security
| Office | Nominee | Assumed office | Left office |
— Secretary of Homeland Security | Alejandro Mayorkas | February 2, 2021 | — |
— Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security | - | - | - |
— Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security | Kristie Canegallo | July 21, 2023 | – |
— Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security | John Tien | June 24, 2021 | July 20, 2023 |