The
Cabinet of the United States, which is the principal advisory body to the
president of the United States, has had 65 female members altogether, with seven of them serving in multiple positions for a total of 72 cabinet appointments. Of that number, 38 different women held a total of 41 permanent cabinet posts, having served as the
vice president or heads of the
federal executive departments; 31 more women held cabinet-level positions, which can differ under each president; and four officeholders served in both cabinet and cabinet-rank roles. No woman held a presidential cabinet position before the ratification of the
19th Amendment in 1920, which prohibits the
federal government or any
state from denying citizens the
right to vote on the basis of sex.[1]
On January 26, 2005,
Condoleezza Rice assumed the post of secretary of state under President
George W. Bush, which made her the highest-ranked woman among cabinet secretaries to enter the
presidential line of succession, standing fourth.[7][5]Nancy Pelosi surpassed Rice on January 4, 2007, when her election as the first female
speaker of the House put her second in line to the presidency.[8][5]Kamala Harris replaced Pelosi to become the highest-ranking woman ever to be in the line of succession upon
being inaugurated as the first female vice president on January 20, 2021, alongside President
Joe Biden.[9][10]
The totals for this list include only women presidential appointees confirmed (if necessary) by the
United States Senate to cabinet or cabinet-level positions and taking their
oath of office; they do not include
acting officials or nominees awaiting confirmation.
Permanent Cabinet members
The following list includes women who have held permanent Cabinet positions, all of whom are in the line of succession to the Presidency. The table below is organized based on the beginning of their terms in office. Officeholders whose terms begin the same day are listed according to the presidential order of succession.
* denotes the first female holder of that particular office
The Secretary of Commerce and Labor became renamed when the
Department of Commerce and Labor was split between the
Department of Commerce and the
Department of Labor. The Department of Commerce is considered a continuation of the Department of Commerce and Labor under a new name.[52] No woman had ever served under the original title of the position.
The
Secretary of the Army ceased to be a member of the Cabinet when the
Department of the Army became a component of the
Department of Defense in 1949. No woman had ever served while it was a Cabinet post.
Christine Wormuth became the first woman to serve as Secretary of the Army in 2021.[53] She was appointed after it became a position beneath the Secretary of Defense.
The
Secretary of the Navy ceased to be a member of the Cabinet when the
Department of the Navy became a component of the
Department of Defense in 1949. No woman had ever served while it was a Cabinet post.
Susan Livingstone became the first woman to serve as acting Secretary of the Navy in 2003.[54] She was appointed after it became a position beneath the Secretary of Defense.
The
Secretary of the Air Force ceased to be a member of the Cabinet when the
Department of the Air Force became a component of the
Department of Defense in 1949. No woman had ever served while it was a Cabinet post.
Sheila Widnall became the first woman to serve as Secretary of the Air Force in 1993.[55] She was appointed after it became a position beneath the Secretary of Defense.
Cabinet-level positions
The president may designate or remove additional officials as members of the Cabinet. These positions have not always been in the Cabinet, so some female officeholders may not be listed.
The following list includes women who have held Cabinet-level positions, which can vary under each president. They are not in the line of succession and are not necessarily
officers of the United States. The table below is organized based on the beginning of their terms in office while it was raised to cabinet-level status. Officeholders whose terms begin the same day are listed alphabetically by last name.
* denotes the first female holder of that particular office
^
abcThe position was established as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare on April 11, 1953; renamed Secretary of Health and Human Services on May 4, 1980.[15]
^"Origins: 1776-1913".
United States Department of Commerce. December 20, 2022.
Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022. President
William Taft signed legislation on March 4, 1913, his last day in office, splitting the combined department. Labor was given Cabinet status and the designation of the Department of Commerce and Labor was changed to the Department of Commerce.
The
Cabinet of the United States, which is the principal advisory body to the
president of the United States, has had 65 female members altogether, with seven of them serving in multiple positions for a total of 72 cabinet appointments. Of that number, 38 different women held a total of 41 permanent cabinet posts, having served as the
vice president or heads of the
federal executive departments; 31 more women held cabinet-level positions, which can differ under each president; and four officeholders served in both cabinet and cabinet-rank roles. No woman held a presidential cabinet position before the ratification of the
19th Amendment in 1920, which prohibits the
federal government or any
state from denying citizens the
right to vote on the basis of sex.[1]
On January 26, 2005,
Condoleezza Rice assumed the post of secretary of state under President
George W. Bush, which made her the highest-ranked woman among cabinet secretaries to enter the
presidential line of succession, standing fourth.[7][5]Nancy Pelosi surpassed Rice on January 4, 2007, when her election as the first female
speaker of the House put her second in line to the presidency.[8][5]Kamala Harris replaced Pelosi to become the highest-ranking woman ever to be in the line of succession upon
being inaugurated as the first female vice president on January 20, 2021, alongside President
Joe Biden.[9][10]
The totals for this list include only women presidential appointees confirmed (if necessary) by the
United States Senate to cabinet or cabinet-level positions and taking their
oath of office; they do not include
acting officials or nominees awaiting confirmation.
Permanent Cabinet members
The following list includes women who have held permanent Cabinet positions, all of whom are in the line of succession to the Presidency. The table below is organized based on the beginning of their terms in office. Officeholders whose terms begin the same day are listed according to the presidential order of succession.
* denotes the first female holder of that particular office
The Secretary of Commerce and Labor became renamed when the
Department of Commerce and Labor was split between the
Department of Commerce and the
Department of Labor. The Department of Commerce is considered a continuation of the Department of Commerce and Labor under a new name.[52] No woman had ever served under the original title of the position.
The
Secretary of the Army ceased to be a member of the Cabinet when the
Department of the Army became a component of the
Department of Defense in 1949. No woman had ever served while it was a Cabinet post.
Christine Wormuth became the first woman to serve as Secretary of the Army in 2021.[53] She was appointed after it became a position beneath the Secretary of Defense.
The
Secretary of the Navy ceased to be a member of the Cabinet when the
Department of the Navy became a component of the
Department of Defense in 1949. No woman had ever served while it was a Cabinet post.
Susan Livingstone became the first woman to serve as acting Secretary of the Navy in 2003.[54] She was appointed after it became a position beneath the Secretary of Defense.
The
Secretary of the Air Force ceased to be a member of the Cabinet when the
Department of the Air Force became a component of the
Department of Defense in 1949. No woman had ever served while it was a Cabinet post.
Sheila Widnall became the first woman to serve as Secretary of the Air Force in 1993.[55] She was appointed after it became a position beneath the Secretary of Defense.
Cabinet-level positions
The president may designate or remove additional officials as members of the Cabinet. These positions have not always been in the Cabinet, so some female officeholders may not be listed.
The following list includes women who have held Cabinet-level positions, which can vary under each president. They are not in the line of succession and are not necessarily
officers of the United States. The table below is organized based on the beginning of their terms in office while it was raised to cabinet-level status. Officeholders whose terms begin the same day are listed alphabetically by last name.
* denotes the first female holder of that particular office
^
abcThe position was established as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare on April 11, 1953; renamed Secretary of Health and Human Services on May 4, 1980.[15]
^"Origins: 1776-1913".
United States Department of Commerce. December 20, 2022.
Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022. President
William Taft signed legislation on March 4, 1913, his last day in office, splitting the combined department. Labor was given Cabinet status and the designation of the Department of Commerce and Labor was changed to the Department of Commerce.