Spokesperson for the United States Department of State


The Spokesperson for the United States Department of State is a U.S. government official whose primary responsibility is to serve as the spokesperson for the United States Department of State and the U.S. government's foreign policies. The position is located in the Bureau of Public Affairs. On March 4, 2017, it was reported that the Trump administration intended to appoint Fox News anchor Heather Nauert as the new spokesperson for the State Department. On April 24, 2017, the State Department officially announced Nauert's appointment.
On March 28, 2019, it was reported that Morgan Ortagus would succeed Heather Nauert as the spokesperson for the State Department. Ortagus, an active Reserve Officer in the United States Navy and counterterrorism expert was a contributor at Fox News. On April 3, 2019, the appointment of Ortagus as the State Department spokesperson succeeding Nauert was officially announced.
Historically, the State Department Spokesperson and the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs were synonymous names for the same role. However, this has not been the case since Philip J. Crowley's tenure ended in 2011. Since 2011, the Assistant Secretary and the State Department Spokesperson have been two separate roles held by different people. In late 2015, the two roles were once again merged with the appointment of Spokesperson John Kirby as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs.

Responsibilities

The State Department spokesperson is responsible for communicating the foreign policy of the United States to American and foreign media, typically in a daily press briefing. The daily press briefing typically includes a summary of the secretary of state's schedule, any upcoming trips by the secretary, the president of the United States, or other distinguished State Department officials including under secretaries and assistant secretaries, and official reactions and positions of the U.S. government on certain news of the day, followed by Q&A with journalists attending the briefing. A tradition that began during the tenure of John Foster Dulles as secretary of state in the 1950s, the daily press briefing is on-the-record, and is recorded and made available on the State Department's website.
The State Department spokesperson will also often accompany the secretary of state on travel to assist with press conferences.

List of State Department Spokespeople

TenureSpokespersonPresidentSecretary of State
1927–1945Michael J. McDermottCalvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman		Frank B. Kellogg, Henry L. Stimson,
Cordell Hull, Edward Stettinius, Jr.
1945–1948Roger TubbyHarry S. TrumanJames F. Byrnes, George C. Marshall
1955–1963Lincoln WhiteDwight D. Eisenhower, John F. KennedyJohn Foster Dulles, Christian Herter,
Dean Rusk
1964–1973Robert J. McCloskeyLyndon B. Johnson, Richard NixonDean Rusk, William P. Rogers
1966–1970Carl E. BartchLyndon B. Johnson, Richard NixonDean Rusk, William P. Rogers
1974–1976Robert AndersonGerald FordHenry Kissinger
1977–1980Hodding Carter IIIJimmy CarterCyrus Vance
1980–1981William J. DyessJimmy CarterEdmund Muskie
1981–1982Dean E. FischerRonald ReaganAlexander Haig
1982–1985Robert John HughesRonald ReaganGeorge P. Shultz
1985–1986Bernard KalbRonald ReaganGeorge P. Shultz
1986–1989Charles Edgar RedmanRonald ReaganGeorge P. Shultz
1989–1992Margaret D. TutwilerGeorge H.W. BushJames Baker
1992–1993Richard BoucherGeorge H.W. BushLawrence Eagleburger
1993–1995Mike McCurryBill ClintonWarren Christopher
1995–1997R. Nicholas BurnsBill ClintonWarren Christopher
1997–2000James RubinBill ClintonMadeleine Albright
2001–2005Richard BoucherGeorge W. BushColin Powell
2005–2009Sean McCormackGeorge W. BushCondoleezza Rice
2009-2010Ian C. KellyBarack ObamaHillary Clinton
2010-2011Philip J. CrowleyBarack ObamaHillary Clinton
2011–2013Victoria NulandBarack ObamaHillary Clinton
2013–2015Jen PsakiBarack ObamaJohn Kerry
2015Marie HarfBarack ObamaJohn Kerry
2015–2017John KirbyBarack ObamaJohn Kerry
2017Mark TonerDonald TrumpRex Tillerson
2017–2019Heather NauertDonald TrumpRex Tillerson, Mike Pompeo
2019–presentMorgan OrtagusDonald TrumpMike Pompeo