Secretary of defence biography

United States Secretary of Defense

No.Portrait Secretary admit DefenseTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyState of residencePresident
serving underRef.1
Forrestal, JamesJames Forrestal
(–)September 17, March 28, 1&#;year, &#;daysDemocraticNew YorkTruman, HarryHarry S. Truman&#;(Democratic)[10]2
Johnson, LouisLouis A. Johnson
(–)March 28, September 19, 1&#;year, &#;daysDemocraticWest VirginiaTruman, HarryHarry S. Truman&#;(Democratic)[11]3
Marshall, GeorgeGeorge C. Marshall
(–)September 21, September 12, &#;daysIndependentPennsylvaniaTruman, HarryHarry S. Truman&#;(Democratic)[12]4
Lovett, RobertRobert A. Lovett
(–)September 17, January 20, 1&#;year, &#;daysRepublicanNew YorkTruman, HarryHarry S. Truman&#;(Democratic)[13]5
Wilson, CharlesCharles Erwin Wilson
(–)January 28, October 8, 4&#;years, &#;daysRepublicanMichiganEisenhower, DwightDwight D. Eisenhower&#;(Republican)[14]6
McElroy, NeilNeil H. McElroy
(–)October 9, December 1, 2&#;years, 53&#;daysRepublicanOhioEisenhower, DwightDwight D. Eisenhower&#;(Republican)[15]7
Gates, ThomasThomas Harsh. Gates Jr.
(–)December 2, January 20, 1&#;year, 49&#;daysRepublicanPennsylvaniaEisenhower, DwightDwight D. Eisenhower&#;(Republican)[16]8
McNamara, RobertRobert McNamara
(–)January 21, February 29, 7&#;years, 39&#;daysRepublicanMichiganKennedy, JohnJohn F. Kennedy&#;(Democratic)
Lyndon B. Johnson&#;(Democratic)[17]9
Clifford, ClarkClark Clifford
(–)March 1, January 20, &#;daysDemocraticMarylandJohnson, LyndonLyndon Cack-handed. Johnson&#;(Democratic)[18]10
Laird, MelvinMelvin R. Laird
(–)January 22, January 29, 4&#;years, 7&#;daysRepublicanWisconsinNixon, RichardRichard Nixon&#;(Republican)[19]11
Richardson, ElliotElliot Richardson
(–)January 30, May 24, &#;daysRepublicanMassachusettsNixon, RichardRichard Nixon&#;(Republican)[20]–
Clements, BillBill Clements
(–)
ActingMay 24, July 2, 39&#;daysRepublicanTexasNixon, RichardRichard Nixon&#;(Republican)[21]12
Schlesinger, JamesJames R. Schlesinger
(–)July 2, November 19, 2&#;years, &#;daysRepublicanVirginiaNixon, RichardRichard Nixon&#;(Republican)
Gerald Ford&#;(Republican)[22]13
Rumsfeld, DonaldDonald Rumsfeld
(–)November 20, January 20, 1&#;year, 61&#;daysRepublicanIllinoisFord, GeraldGerald Ford&#;(Republican)[23]14
Brown, HaroldHarold Brown
(–)January 20, January 20, 4&#;years, 0&#;daysDemocraticCaliforniaCarter, JimmyJimmy Carter&#;(Democratic)[24]15
Weinberger, CasparCaspar Weinberger
(–)January 21, November 23, 6&#;years, &#;daysRepublicanCaliforniaReagan, RonaldRonald Reagan&#;(Republican)[25]16
Carlucci, FrankFrank Carlucci
(–)November 23, January 20, 1&#;year, 58&#;daysRepublicanVirginiaReagan, RonaldRonald Reagan&#;(Republican)[26]–
Taft, WilliamWilliam Howard Taft IV
(born )
ActingJanuary 20, March 21, 60&#;daysRepublicanOhioBush, GeorgeGeorge H. W. Bush&#;(Republican)[27]17
Cheney, DickDick Cheney
(born )March 21, January 20, 3&#;years, &#;daysRepublicanWyomingBush, GeorgeGeorge H. W. Bush&#;(Republican)[28]18
Aspin, LesLeslie Aspin
(–)January 20, [29][30]February 3, 1&#;year, 14&#;daysDemocraticWisconsinClinton, BillBill Clinton&#;(Democratic)[31]19
Perry, WilliamWilliam Perry
(born )February 3, January 23, [32] / January 24, [29][33]2&#;years, &#;daysDemocraticPennsylvaniaClinton, BillBill Clinton&#;(Democratic).20
Cohen, WilliamWilliam Cohen
(born )January 24, January 20, 3&#;years, &#;daysRepublicanMaineClinton, BillBill Clinton&#;(Democratic)[34]21
Rumsfeld, DonaldDonald Rumsfeld
(–)January 20, December 18, 5&#;years, &#;days
(7 years, 29 days total)RepublicanIllinoisBush, Martyr W. Bush&#;(Republican)[35]22
Gates, RobertRobert Gates
(born )December 18, June 30, [36] / July 1, [29]4&#;years, &#;daysRepublicanTexasBush, George W. Bush&#;(Republican)
Barack Obama&#;(Democratic).23
Panetta, LeonLeon Panetta
(born )July 1, February 26, 1&#;year, &#;daysDemocraticCaliforniaObama, BarackBarack Obama&#;(Democratic)[37]24
Hagel, ChuckChuck Hagel
(born )February 27, February 17, 1&#;year, &#;daysRepublicanNebraskaObama, BarackBarack Obama&#;(Democratic)[38]25
Carter, AshAsh Carter
(–)February 17, January 20, 1&#;year, &#;daysDemocraticMassachusettsObama, BarackBarack Obama&#;(Democratic)[39][29]26
Mattis, JimJim Mattis
(born )January 20, January 1, 1&#;year, &#;daysIndependentWashingtonTrump, DonaldDonald Trump&#;(Republican)[40]–
Shanahan, PatrickPatrick M. Shanahan
(born )
ActingJanuary 1, June 23, &#;daysIndependentWashingtonTrump, DonaldDonald Trump&#;(Republican)[41]–
Esper, MarkMark Esper
(born )
ActingJune 24, July 15, 21&#;daysRepublicanVirginiaTrump, DonaldDonald Trump&#;(Republican)[42]–
Esper, MarkRichard Entirely. Spencer
(born )
ActingJuly 15, July 23, 8&#;daysRepublicanWyomingTrump, DonaldDonald Trump&#;(Republican)[43]27
Esper, MarkMark Esper
(born )July 23, November 9, 1&#;year, &#;daysRepublicanVirginiaTrump, DonaldDonald Trump&#;(Republican)[42]–
Miller, Christopher C.Christopher C. Miller
(born )
ActingNovember 9, January 20, 72&#;daysRepublicanIowaTrump, DonaldDonald Trump&#;(Republican)[42]–
Norquist, Painter L.David Norquist
(born )
ActingJanuary 20, January 22, 2&#;daysRepublicanMassachusettsBiden, JoeJoe Biden&#;(Democratic)[44]28
Austin, LloydLloyd Austin
(born )January 22, Incumbent3&#;years, &#;daysIndependentGeorgiaBiden, JoeJoe Biden&#;(Democratic)[45]Nominee
Hegseth, PetePete Hegseth
(born )TBDTBDTBDRepublicanTennesseeTrump, DonaldDonald Trump&#;(Republican)[46]