The Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Public Affairs

Bureau of Public Affairs

The Bureau of Public Affairs is the part of the United States Department of State that carries out the Secretary of State's mandate to help Americans understand the importance of foreign affairs...

 within the United States Department of State

United States Department of State

The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...

. Typically, the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs is also the official spokesperson of the State Department. The Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs reports to the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

Assistant Secretaries of State for Public Affairs, 1944—Present

Name	Assumed office	Left office	President President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....  appointed by
Archibald MacLeish Archibald MacLeish Archibald MacLeish was an American poet, writer, and the Librarian of Congress. He is associated with the Modernist school of poetry. He received three Pulitzer Prizes for his work.-Early years:...	December 20, 1944	August 17, 1945	Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
William Benton	September 17, 1945	September 30, 1947	Harry Truman
George V. Allen	March 31, 1948	November 28, 1949	Harry Truman
Edward W. Barrett Edward W. Barrett Edward Ware Barrett was a United States journalist who was Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1950 to 1952, and Dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism from 1956 to 1968, in which capacity he founded the Columbia Journalism Review in 1961.-Biography:Edward W...	February 16, 1950	February 20, 1952	Harry Truman
Howland H. Sargeant Howland H. Sargeant Howland H. Sargeant was United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1952-53, and the president of Radio Liberty from 1954 to 1975.-Biography:...	February 21, 1952	January 29, 1953	Harry Truman
Carl McCardle	January 30, 1953	March 1, 1957	Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Andrew H. Berding Andrew H. Berding Andrew Henry Berding was United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1957 to 1961.-Biography:Berding was educated at the University of Oxford. He worked as a newspaper correspondent and writer...	March 28, 1957	March 9, 1961	Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Roger Tubby Roger Tubby Roger Wellington Tubby was White House Press Secretary from 1952 to 1953 and served under President Harry Truman.-Career:Roger Tubby born in Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1910 and went to Yale University. He worked in Bennington, Vermont, for the Bennington Banner; Tubby was a reporter and then editor...	March 10, 1961	April 1, 1962	John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
Robert Manning Robert Manning (journalist) Robert Joseph Manning is an American journalist. He worked as London Bureau Chief for Time, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and editor of the The Atlantic Monthly....	April 11, 1962	July 31, 1964	John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
James L. Greenfield James L. Greenfield James L. Greenfield served as United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1962 to 1964 and was one of the editors of the New York Times who decided to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971.-Biography:...	September 10, 1964	March 12, 1966	Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
Dixon Donnelley Dixon Donnelley Dixon Donnelley was United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1966 to 1969.-Biography:...	March 22, 1966	January 31, 1969	Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
Michael Collins Michael Collins (astronaut) Michael Collins is a former American astronaut and test pilot. Selected as part of the third group of fourteen astronauts in 1963, he flew in space twice. His first spaceflight was Gemini 10, in which he and command pilot John Young performed two rendezvous with different spacecraft and Collins...	January 6, 1970	April 11, 1971	Richard Nixon Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
Carol Laise Carol Laise Carol Laise was an American civil servant, ambassador to Nepal and the first female Assistant Secretary of State.-Biography:Born in Winchester, Virginia to Elizabeth Frances and James Frederic Laise...	October 10, 1973	March 27, 1975	Richard Nixon Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
John Reinhardt John Reinhardt John Edward Reinhardt is a retired American ambassador and diplomat.Reinhardt was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. He attended the University of Chicago, initially pursuing a graduate degree in English, but did not finish on account to serving in World War Two. His doctorate in English was completed...	April 22, 1975	March 22, 1977	Gerald Ford Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
Hodding Carter III Hodding Carter III Hodding Carter, III , is an American journalist and politician best known for his role as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs in the Jimmy Carter administration.-Biography:...	March 25, 1977	June 30, 1980	Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
William J. Dyess William J. Dyess William Jennings Dyess was a United States diplomat who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1980 to 1981 and as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1982 to 1983.-Biography:...	August 29, 1980	July 30, 1981	Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
Dean E. Fischer Dean E. Fischer Dean E. Fischer was a United States journalist with Time who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1981 to 1982.-Biography:...	August 7, 1981	August 19, 1982	Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Robert John Hughes	August 20, 1982	January 1, 1985	Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Bernard Kalb Bernard Kalb Bernard Kalb is a journalist, media critic and author.Born in New York City, he covered international affairs for more than three decades at CBS News, NBC News and The New York Times. Nearly half that time he was based abroad in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Paris and Saigon.Near the end of his tenure at...	August 12, 1985	October 8, 1986	Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Charles E. Redman Charles E. Redman Charles Edgar Redman is a former United States diplomat. From 1987 to 1989, he was Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. He served as United States Ambassador to Sweden from 1989-1992, and United States Ambassador to Germany from 1994-1996. In 1996 he joined Bechtel Group, Inc. as...	June 29, 1987	March 1, 1989	Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Margaret D. Tutwiler Margaret D. Tutwiler Margaret DeBardeleben Tutwiler is a former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the US State Department, serving from December 16, 2003 to June 30, 2004. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 9, 2003 to replace outgoing Under Secretary Charlotte Beers...	March 3, 1989	August 23, 1992	George H. W. Bush George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
Thomas E. Donilon Thomas E. Donilon Thomas E. “Tom” Donilon is the National Security Advisor in the Obama Administration, and has had a career as a U.S. political advisor, government official and lawyer...	April 1, 1993	November 7, 1996	Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
James Rubin James Rubin James Philip "Jamie" Rubin is a former diplomat and journalist. He is currently an executive editor at Bloomberg News. Having served in the State Department during the administration of President Bill Clinton, he became a Sky News television news journalist and commentator...	August 7, 1997	April 2, 2000	Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
Richard Boucher Richard Boucher Richard A. Boucher is Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development . He took up post on 5 November 2009. Prior to joining OECD, he was the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, a post he took up on February 21, 2006...	January 5, 2001	June 2, 2005	Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
Sean McCormack Sean McCormack Sean McCormack is a former United States Assistant Secretary of State. He was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Department Spokesman on June 2, 2005, and served until January 20, 2009.-Early career:...	June 2, 2005	January 20, 2009	George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
Philip J. Crowley Philip J. Crowley Philip J. “P.J.” Crowley is the former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, having been sworn into office on May 26, 2009. He resigned on March 13, 2011, following comments he made about the treatment of Bradley Manning. Crowley was named the 2011-2012 recipient of the...	May 26, 2009	March 13, 2011	Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
Mike Hammer	March 13, 2011		Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...