Secretary of State

In the United States, the Secretary of State is the head of the Department of State, the federal executive department responsible for the country's foreign relations and diplomacy. The office was created in 1789 and is the first-ranking position in the U.S. Cabinet, placing the holder fourth in the presidential line of succession after the Vice President, Speaker of the House, and President pro tempore of the Senate.

Core responsibilities include advising the President on foreign policy, negotiating treaties and executive agreements, supervising the U.S. Foreign Service and diplomatic missions abroad, issuing passports, and representing the United States at high-level bilateral and multilateral meetings. The Secretary also has statutory custodial duties, such as receiving the official text of resignation letters from the President or Vice President.

Appointment requires presidential nomination and Senate confirmation by simple majority. Thomas Jefferson was the first Secretary of State, and the office has historically served as a stepping stone to the presidency for figures including Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and John Quincy Adams.

Outside the U.S., the title Secretary of State carries different meanings. In the United Kingdom, Secretary of State is a generic Cabinet rank held by multiple ministers (e.g., the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, who handles diplomacy). In France, a secrétaire d'État is a junior minister subordinate to a full minister. The Holy See's Cardinal Secretary of State is the senior official of the Roman Curia, comparable to a prime minister of the Vatican.

For IR researchers and Model UN delegates, context matters: a reference to "the Secretary of State" in a U.S. policy document denotes the chief diplomat, while in a UK or Vatican context the role and rank differ substantially.