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United States Secretary of the Interior

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United States Secretary of the Interior

The United States secretary of the interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. The secretary and the Department of the Interior are responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land along with natural resources, leading such agencies as the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Geological Survey, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Park Service. The secretary also serves on and appoints the private citizens on the National Park Foundation Board. The secretary is a member of the United States Cabinet and reports to the president of the United States. The function of the U.S. Department of the Interior is different from that of the interior minister designated in many other countries. As the policies and activities of the Department of the Interior and many of its agencies have a substantial impact in the Western United States, the secretary of the interior has typically come from a western state; only one secretary since 1949, Rogers Morton, was not a resident or native of a state lying west of the Mississippi River. Secretary of the Interior is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule, thus earning a salary of US$246,400, as of January 2024. The current interior secretary is Doug Burgum, who was sworn in on February 1, 2025.

Infobox

Seat
Washington, D.C.
Style
Mr. Secretary (informal)The Honorable (formal)
Deputy
United States Deputy Secretary of the Interior
Salary
Executive Schedule, Level I
Website
doi.gov
Appointer
The presidentwith Senate advice and consent
Formation
March 3, 1849; 176 years ago (1849-03-03)
Member of
Cabinet
Reports to
President of the United States
Succession
Eighth
Term length
No fixed term
First holder
Thomas Ewing
Constituting instrument
43 U.S.C. § 1451

Tables

Thomas Ewing
Thomas Ewing
Number
1
Name
Thomas Ewing
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
March 8, 1849
Left office
July 22, 1850
President(s)
Zachary Taylor(1849–1850)
Thomas McKennan
Thomas McKennan
Number
2
Name
Thomas McKennan
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
August 15, 1850
Left office
August 26, 1850
Alexander Stuart
Alexander Stuart
Number
3
Name
Alexander Stuart
State of residence
Virginia
Took office
September 14, 1850
Left office
March 7, 1853
Robert McClelland
Robert McClelland
Number
4
Name
Robert McClelland
State of residence
Michigan
Took office
March 8, 1853
Left office
March 9, 1857
President(s)
Franklin Pierce(1853–1857)
Jacob Thompson
Jacob Thompson
Number
5
Name
Jacob Thompson
State of residence
Mississippi
Took office
March 10, 1857
Left office
January 8, 1861
President(s)
James Buchanan(1857–1861)
Caleb Smith
Caleb Smith
Number
6
Name
Caleb Smith
State of residence
Indiana
Took office
March 5, 1861
Left office
December 31, 1862
President(s)
Abraham Lincoln(1861–1865)
John Usher
John Usher
Number
7
Name
John Usher
State of residence
Indiana
Took office
January 1, 1863
Left office
May 15, 1865
James Harlan
James Harlan
Number
8
Name
James Harlan
State of residence
Iowa
Took office
May 16, 1865
Left office
August 31, 1866
Orville Browning
Orville Browning
Number
9
Name
Orville Browning
State of residence
Illinois
Took office
September 1, 1866
Left office
March 4, 1869
Jacob Cox
Jacob Cox
Number
10
Name
Jacob Cox
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
March 5, 1869
Left office
October 31, 1870
President(s)
Ulysses S. Grant(1869–1877)
Columbus Delano
Columbus Delano
Number
11
Name
Columbus Delano
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
November 1, 1870
Left office
September 30, 1875
Zachariah Chandler
Zachariah Chandler
Number
12
Name
Zachariah Chandler
State of residence
Michigan
Took office
October 19, 1875
Left office
March 11, 1877
Carl Schurz
Carl Schurz
Number
13
Name
Carl Schurz
State of residence
Missouri
Took office
March 12, 1877
Left office
March 7, 1881
President(s)
Rutherford B. Hayes(1887–1881)
Samuel J. Kirkwood
Samuel J. Kirkwood
Number
14
Name
Samuel J. Kirkwood
State of residence
Iowa
Took office
March 8, 1881
Left office
April 17, 1882
President(s)
James A. Garfield(1881)
Henry M. Teller
Henry M. Teller
Number
15
Name
Henry M. Teller
State of residence
Colorado
Took office
April 18, 1882
Left office
March 3, 1885
Lucius Lamar
Lucius Lamar
Number
16
Name
Lucius Lamar
State of residence
Mississippi
Took office
March 6, 1885
Left office
January 10, 1888
President(s)
Grover Cleveland(1885–1889)
William Vilas
William Vilas
Number
17
Name
William Vilas
State of residence
Wisconsin
Took office
January 16, 1888
Left office
March 6, 1889
John Noble
John Noble
Number
18
Name
John Noble
State of residence
Missouri
Took office
March 7, 1889
Left office
March 6, 1893
President(s)
Benjamin Harrison(1889–1893)
Hoke Smith
Hoke Smith
Number
19
Name
Hoke Smith
State of residence
Georgia
Took office
March 6, 1893
Left office
September 1, 1896
President(s)
Grover Cleveland(1893–1897)
David R. Francis
David R. Francis
Number
20
Name
David R. Francis
State of residence
Missouri
Took office
September 3, 1896
Left office
March 5, 1897
Cornelius Bliss
Cornelius Bliss
Number
21
Name
Cornelius Bliss
State of residence
New York
Took office
March 6, 1897
Left office
February 19, 1899
President(s)
William McKinley(1897–1901)
Ethan Hitchcock
Ethan Hitchcock
Number
22
Name
Ethan Hitchcock
State of residence
Missouri
Took office
February 20, 1899
Left office
March 4, 1907
James Garfield
James Garfield
Number
23
Name
James Garfield
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
March 5, 1907
Left office
March 4, 1909
Richard A. Ballinger
Richard A. Ballinger
Number
24
Name
Richard A. Ballinger
State of residence
Washington
Took office
March 6, 1909
Left office
March 12, 1911
President(s)
William Howard Taft(1909–1913)
Walter L. Fisher
Walter L. Fisher
Number
25
Name
Walter L. Fisher
State of residence
Illinois
Took office
March 13, 1911
Left office
March 5, 1913
Franklin Lane
Franklin Lane
Number
26
Name
Franklin Lane
State of residence
California
Took office
March 6, 1913
Left office
February 29, 1920
President(s)
Woodrow Wilson(1913–1921)
Alexander T. VogelsangActing
Alexander T. VogelsangActing
Number
–
Name
Alexander T. VogelsangActing
State of residence
California
Took office
February 29, 1920
Left office
March 13, 1920
John Payne
John Payne
Number
27
Name
John Payne
State of residence
Illinois
Took office
March 15, 1920
Left office
March 4, 1921
Albert B. Fall
Albert B. Fall
Number
28
Name
Albert B. Fall
State of residence
New Mexico
Took office
March 5, 1921
Left office
March 4, 1923
President(s)
Warren G. Harding(1921–1923)
Hubert Work
Hubert Work
Number
29
Name
Hubert Work
State of residence
Colorado
Took office
March 5, 1923
Left office
July 24, 1928
Roy West
Roy West
Number
30
Name
Roy West
State of residence
Illinois
Took office
July 25, 1928
Left office
March 4, 1929
Ray Lyman Wilbur
Ray Lyman Wilbur
Number
31
Name
Ray Lyman Wilbur
State of residence
California
Took office
March 5, 1929
Left office
March 4, 1933
President(s)
Herbert Hoover(1929–1933)
Harold L. Ickes
Harold L. Ickes
Number
32
Name
Harold L. Ickes
State of residence
Illinois
Took office
March 4, 1933
Left office
February 15, 1946
President(s)
Franklin D. Roosevelt(1933–1945)
Oscar L. ChapmanActing
Oscar L. ChapmanActing
Number
–
Name
Oscar L. ChapmanActing
State of residence
Colorado
Took office
February 15, 1946
Left office
March 18, 1946
Julius Krug
Julius Krug
Number
33
Name
Julius Krug
State of residence
Wisconsin
Took office
March 18, 1946
Left office
December 1, 1949
Oscar L. Chapman
Oscar L. Chapman
Number
34
Name
Oscar L. Chapman
State of residence
Colorado
Took office
December 1, 1949
Left office
January 20, 1953
Douglas McKay
Douglas McKay
Number
35
Name
Douglas McKay
State of residence
Oregon
Took office
January 21, 1953
Left office
April 15, 1956
President(s)
Dwight D. Eisenhower(1953–1961)
Clarence DavisActing
Clarence DavisActing
Number
–
Name
Clarence DavisActing
State of residence
Nebraska
Took office
April 15, 1956
Left office
June 8, 1956
Fred Seaton
Fred Seaton
Number
36
Name
Fred Seaton
State of residence
Nebraska
Took office
June 8, 1956
Left office
January 20, 1961
Stewart Udall
Stewart Udall
Number
37
Name
Stewart Udall
State of residence
Arizona
Took office
January 21, 1961
Left office
January 20, 1969
President(s)
John F. Kennedy(1961–1963)
Wally Hickel
Wally Hickel
Number
38
Name
Wally Hickel
State of residence
Alaska
Took office
January 24, 1969
Left office
November 25, 1970
President(s)
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
Fred J. RussellActing
Fred J. RussellActing
Number
–
Name
Fred J. RussellActing
State of residence
California
Took office
November 25, 1970
Left office
January 29, 1971
Rogers Morton
Rogers Morton
Number
39
Name
Rogers Morton
State of residence
Maryland
Took office
January 29, 1971
Left office
April 30, 1975
Kent FrizzellActing
Kent FrizzellActing
Number
–
Name
Kent FrizzellActing
State of residence
Kansas
Took office
April 30, 1975
Left office
June 12, 1975
Stanley K. Hathaway
Stanley K. Hathaway
Number
40
Name
Stanley K. Hathaway
State of residence
Wyoming
Took office
June 12, 1975
Left office
October 9, 1975
Kent FrizzellActing
Kent FrizzellActing
Number
–
Name
Kent FrizzellActing
State of residence
Kansas
Took office
October 9, 1975
Left office
October 17, 1975
Thomas S. Kleppe
Thomas S. Kleppe
Number
41
Name
Thomas S. Kleppe
State of residence
North Dakota
Took office
October 17, 1975
Left office
January 20, 1977
Alfred AlbertActing
Alfred AlbertActing
Number
–
Name
Alfred AlbertActing
Took office
January 20, 1977
Left office
January 23, 1977
President(s)
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
Cecil D. Andrus
Cecil D. Andrus
Number
42
Name
Cecil D. Andrus
State of residence
Idaho
Took office
January 23, 1977
Left office
January 20, 1981
James G. Watt
James G. Watt
Number
43
Name
James G. Watt
State of residence
Colorado
Took office
January 23, 1981
Left office
November 8, 1983
President(s)
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
J. J. SimmonsActing
J. J. SimmonsActing
Number
–
Name
J. J. SimmonsActing
State of residence
New Jersey
Took office
November 8, 1983
Left office
November 18, 1983
William P. Clark
William P. Clark
Number
44
Name
William P. Clark
State of residence
California
Took office
November 18, 1983
Left office
February 7, 1985
Donald P. Hodel
Donald P. Hodel
Number
45
Name
Donald P. Hodel
State of residence
Oregon
Took office
February 8, 1985
Left office
January 20, 1989
Earl GjeldeActing
Earl GjeldeActing
Number
–
Name
Earl GjeldeActing
State of residence
Virginia
Took office
January 20, 1989
Left office
February 3, 1989
President(s)
George H. W. Bush(1989–1993)
Manuel Lujan Jr.
Manuel Lujan Jr.
Number
46
Name
Manuel Lujan Jr.
State of residence
New Mexico
Took office
February 3, 1989
Left office
January 20, 1993
Bruce Babbitt
Bruce Babbitt
Number
47
Name
Bruce Babbitt
State of residence
Arizona
Took office
January 22, 1993
Left office
January 19, 2001
President(s)
Bill Clinton(1993–2001)
Thomas SlonakerActing
Thomas SlonakerActing
Number
–
Name
Thomas SlonakerActing
State of residence
Arizona
Took office
January 20, 2001
Left office
January 31, 2001
Gale Norton
Gale Norton
Number
48
Name
Gale Norton
State of residence
Colorado
Took office
January 31, 2001
Left office
March 31, 2006
Lynn ScarlettActing
Lynn ScarlettActing
Number
–
Name
Lynn ScarlettActing
State of residence
California
Took office
April 1, 2006
Left office
May 26, 2006
Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Kempthorne
Number
49
Name
Dirk Kempthorne
State of residence
Idaho
Took office
May 26, 2006
Left office
January 19, 2009
Lynn ScarlettActing
Lynn ScarlettActing
Number
–
Name
Lynn ScarlettActing
State of residence
California
Took office
January 19, 2009
Left office
January 20, 2009
Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Number
50
Name
Ken Salazar
State of residence
Colorado
Took office
January 20, 2009
Left office
April 12, 2013
Sally Jewell
Sally Jewell
Number
51
Name
Sally Jewell
State of residence
Washington
Took office
April 12, 2013
Left office
January 20, 2017
Kevin HaugrudActing
Kevin HaugrudActing
Number
–
Name
Kevin HaugrudActing
Took office
January 20, 2017
Left office
March 1, 2017
President(s)
Donald Trump(2017–2021)
Ryan Zinke
Ryan Zinke
Number
52
Name
Ryan Zinke
State of residence
Montana
Took office
March 1, 2017
Left office
January 2, 2019
David Bernhardt
David Bernhardt
Number
53
Name
David Bernhardt
State of residence
Colorado
Took office
January 2, 2019
Left office
April 11, 2019
Scott de la VegaActing
Scott de la VegaActing
Number
–
Name
Scott de la VegaActing
State of residence
New York
Took office
January 20, 2021
Left office
March 16, 2021
President(s)
Joe Biden(2021–2025)
Deb Haaland
Deb Haaland
Number
54
Name
Deb Haaland
State of residence
New Mexico
Took office
March 16, 2021
Left office
January 20, 2025
Walter CruickshankActing
Walter CruickshankActing
Number
–
Name
Walter CruickshankActing
Took office
January 20, 2025
Left office
February 1, 2025
President(s)
Donald Trump(2025–present)
Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum
Number
55
Name
Doug Burgum
State of residence
North Dakota
Took office
February 1, 2025
Left office
present
Number
Portrait
Name
State of residence
Took office
Left office
President(s)
1
Thomas Ewing
Ohio
March 8, 1849
July 22, 1850
Zachary Taylor(1849–1850)
Millard Fillmore(1850–1853)
2
Thomas McKennan
Pennsylvania
August 15, 1850
August 26, 1850
3
Alexander Stuart
Virginia
September 14, 1850
March 7, 1853
4
Robert McClelland
Michigan
March 8, 1853
March 9, 1857
Franklin Pierce(1853–1857)
5
Jacob Thompson
Mississippi
March 10, 1857
January 8, 1861
James Buchanan(1857–1861)
6
Caleb Smith
Indiana
March 5, 1861
December 31, 1862
Abraham Lincoln(1861–1865)
7
John Usher
Indiana
January 1, 1863
May 15, 1865
Andrew Johnson(1865–1869)
8
James Harlan
Iowa
May 16, 1865
August 31, 1866
9
Orville Browning
Illinois
September 1, 1866
March 4, 1869
10
Jacob Cox
Ohio
March 5, 1869
October 31, 1870
Ulysses S. Grant(1869–1877)
11
Columbus Delano
Ohio
November 1, 1870
September 30, 1875
12
Zachariah Chandler
Michigan
October 19, 1875
March 11, 1877
13
Carl Schurz
Missouri
March 12, 1877
March 7, 1881
Rutherford B. Hayes(1887–1881)
14
Samuel J. Kirkwood
Iowa
March 8, 1881
April 17, 1882
James A. Garfield(1881)
Chester A. Arthur(1881–1885)
15
Henry M. Teller
Colorado
April 18, 1882
March 3, 1885
16
Lucius Lamar
Mississippi
March 6, 1885
January 10, 1888
Grover Cleveland(1885–1889)
17
William Vilas
Wisconsin
January 16, 1888
March 6, 1889
18
John Noble
Missouri
March 7, 1889
March 6, 1893
Benjamin Harrison(1889–1893)
19
Hoke Smith
Georgia
March 6, 1893
September 1, 1896
Grover Cleveland(1893–1897)
20
David R. Francis
Missouri
September 3, 1896
March 5, 1897
21
Cornelius Bliss
New York
March 6, 1897
February 19, 1899
William McKinley(1897–1901)
22
Ethan Hitchcock
Missouri
February 20, 1899
March 4, 1907
Theodore Roosevelt(1901–1909)
23
James Garfield
Ohio
March 5, 1907
March 4, 1909
24
Richard A. Ballinger
Washington
March 6, 1909
March 12, 1911
William Howard Taft(1909–1913)
25
Walter L. Fisher
Illinois
March 13, 1911
March 5, 1913
26
Franklin Lane
California
March 6, 1913
February 29, 1920
Woodrow Wilson(1913–1921)
–
Alexander T. VogelsangActing
California
February 29, 1920
March 13, 1920
27
John Payne
Illinois
March 15, 1920
March 4, 1921
28
Albert B. Fall
New Mexico
March 5, 1921
March 4, 1923
Warren G. Harding(1921–1923)
29
Hubert Work
Colorado
March 5, 1923
July 24, 1928
Calvin Coolidge(1923–1929)
30
Roy West
Illinois
July 25, 1928
March 4, 1929
31
Ray Lyman Wilbur
California
March 5, 1929
March 4, 1933
Herbert Hoover(1929–1933)
32
Harold L. Ickes
Illinois
March 4, 1933
February 15, 1946
Franklin D. Roosevelt(1933–1945)
Harry S. Truman(1945–1953)
–
Oscar L. ChapmanActing
Colorado
February 15, 1946
March 18, 1946
33
Julius Krug
Wisconsin
March 18, 1946
December 1, 1949
34
Oscar L. Chapman
Colorado
December 1, 1949
January 20, 1953
35
Douglas McKay
Oregon
January 21, 1953
April 15, 1956
Dwight D. Eisenhower(1953–1961)
–
Clarence DavisActing
Nebraska
April 15, 1956
June 8, 1956
36
Fred Seaton
Nebraska
June 8, 1956
January 20, 1961
37
Stewart Udall
Arizona
January 21, 1961
January 20, 1969
John F. Kennedy(1961–1963)
Lyndon B. Johnson(1963–1969)
38
Wally Hickel
Alaska
January 24, 1969
November 25, 1970
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
–
Fred J. RussellActing
California
November 25, 1970
January 29, 1971
· External links
Preceded byPam Bondias Attorney General
Preceded byPam Bondias Attorney General
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byPam Bondias Attorney General
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Order of precedence of the United Statesas Secretary of the Interior
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Succeeded byBrooke Rollinsas Secretary of Agriculture
U.S. presidential line of succession
U.S. presidential line of succession
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
U.S. presidential line of succession
Preceded byAttorney GeneralPam Bondi
Preceded byAttorney GeneralPam Bondi
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byAttorney GeneralPam Bondi
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
8th in line
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Succeeded bySecretary of AgricultureBrooke Rollins
order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byPam Bondias Attorney General
Order of precedence of the United Statesas Secretary of the Interior
Succeeded byBrooke Rollinsas Secretary of Agriculture
presidential line of succession
Preceded byAttorney GeneralPam Bondi
8th in line
Succeeded bySecretary of AgricultureBrooke Rollins

References

  1. Legal Information Institute
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/19
  2. New West
    https://web.archive.org/web/20081220221345/http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/the_wests_new_land_lords/C41/L41/
  3. 5 U.S.C. § 5312
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/5312
  4. "Rates of Basic Pay for the Executive Schedule"
    https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2024/EX.pdf
  5. Electronic Library of the Interior Policies
    https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/elips/documents/Chapter%20%203_%20SECRETARIAL%20SUCCESSION%20%282%29.doc
  6. U.S. Department of the Interior
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130608142317/http://www.doi.gov/whoweare/secretaryjewell.cfm
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