Jonah Patel
The President's Cabinet is an advisory body established in Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution. It is composed of the Vice President, 15 department heads, and 10 Cabinet-level officials, totalling 26 members. The Cabinet's primary role is to advise the President on any matter pertaining to the duties of its members' respective offices. The President may also designate the heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office as Cabinet members.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of cabinet members | 26 |
| Number of vice presidents | 1 |
| Number of department heads | 15 |
| Number of cabinet-level officials | 10 |
| Number of cabinet members requiring Senate confirmation | 7 |
| Role of the cabinet | To advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office |
| Formation of the cabinet | Established in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution |
| Cabinet members with high public profiles | Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Ron Klain, Julie Su, Cecilia Rouse |
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What You'll Learn
The Cabinet's role is to advise the President
The role of the Cabinet is to advise the President of the United States on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The Cabinet includes the Vice President, the heads of 15 executive departments, and 10 other Cabinet-level officials, all of whom are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The President may also designate the heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as members of the Cabinet.
The Cabinet does not have any collective executive powers or functions of its own, and no votes are required to be taken. The President has the authority to organize the Cabinet, such as by instituting committees. The members of the Cabinet serve at the pleasure of the President, who can dismiss them from office at any time without the approval of the Senate.
The tradition of the Cabinet dates back to the beginnings of the Presidency itself. Initially, the Vice President was not included in the Cabinet as the position was regarded as a legislative officer (president of the Senate). It was not until the 20th century that vice presidents became regularly included as members of the Cabinet and came to be regarded primarily as members of the executive branch.
The Cabinet is similar to a board of directors for the federal government, with each member overseeing a different aspect of government operations. The Cabinet's role is to provide expertise and advice to the President on a wide range of issues, from domestic policy to foreign affairs. They meet regularly to discuss and make recommendations on policy matters, with each member contributing based on their area of expertise.
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The President appoints the Cabinet
The President of the United States appoints the Cabinet, which is made up of the vice president, 15 department heads, and 10 Cabinet-level officials. The Cabinet's primary role, as established in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, is to advise the President on any matter relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The President can also designate heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as members of the Cabinet.
The Cabinet members whom the President appoints serve at the pleasure of the President, meaning the President can dismiss them from office at any time without seeking the approval of the Senate. The President also has the authority to organise the Cabinet, such as by instituting committees. While the vice president is elected and not appointed, they serve in the Cabinet by statute.
The heads of the executive departments and other senior federal officers at the Cabinet or sub-cabinet level receive their salary according to a fixed five-level pay plan known as the Executive Schedule. Twenty-one positions, including the heads of the executive departments, receive Level I pay, which was set at an annual rate of $250,600 as of January 2025. The vice president's salary is $235,300 per year.
The process of appointing Cabinet members typically involves the President nominating the heads of the executive departments, who are then presented to the Senate for confirmation or rejection by a simple majority. If approved, they are sworn in and begin their duties. However, when the Senate is not in session, the President can appoint acting heads of the executive departments, particularly at the beginning of their term.
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The Senate confirms the Cabinet
The US Cabinet is composed of the Vice President, 15 department heads, and 10 Cabinet-level officials, totalling 26 members. The President appoints the heads of departments, but these appointments must be confirmed by the Senate.
The Senate confirmation process is an important check on the President's power and a crucial vehicle for transparency and accountability. It ensures that the individuals selected by the President for key positions are not only vetted and qualified for their jobs but also fit to serve in a position of public trust.
Confirmation hearings are held in the relevant committee of the Senate, based on the office where the nominee will serve. For example, a hearing for a nominee for Secretary of Defense will be held in the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senators ask the nominee questions about their experience, policy views, and how they plan to fulfil their duties. Nominees must also earn the trust of the people they will govern, and extensive vetting and testimony can reveal important facts that senators and the public can consider and respond to.
After the hearing, the Senate holds a final vote on the nominee. To be confirmed, the nominee must receive a majority of the votes in the Senate (51, if the full Senate votes, or 50 if the vice president breaks the tie in favor of the nominee). If the nominee is confirmed, they can officially assume their new role. If not, the President must select a new nominee and the process starts over.
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The Vice President is a member of the Cabinet
The Vice President of the United States is a member of the Cabinet. The role of the Cabinet is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The Twenty-fifth Amendment authorises the vice president, along with a majority of the heads of the executive departments, to declare the president "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office". The vice president is the highest-ranking Cabinet member, followed by the secretary of state, who is fourth in line of succession to the president.
The vice president's inclusion in the Cabinet is a relatively recent development. Vice President John Adams was not included in George Washington's Cabinet, as the position was initially regarded as a legislative officer. It was not until the 20th century that vice presidents became regularly included as members of the Cabinet and came to be regarded primarily as a member of the executive branch.
The Cabinet includes the vice president, the heads of 15 executive departments, and 10 Cabinet-level officials, all except three of whom require Senate confirmation. The president may also designate the heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as members of the Cabinet.
While the vice president is a member of the Cabinet, they do not have any authority over the president's Cabinet and all Cabinet officials report directly to the president. The president can dismiss Cabinet members from office at any time without the approval of the Senate.
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Cabinet members have full control over their departments
The Cabinet's role, as established in Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution, is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments, including the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General. The President can also include the heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as members of the Cabinet.
While the Cabinet does not have any collective executive powers or functions of its own, and no votes are required to be taken, Cabinet members are political appointees and administratively control their departments. As appointed officers heading federal agencies, these Cabinet secretaries are executives with full administrative control over their respective departments. The President may dismiss them from office at any time without the approval of the Senate or downgrade their Cabinet membership status.
The highest-ranking Cabinet member, after the Vice President, is the Secretary of State, who is fourth in line of succession to the President. The tradition of the Cabinet arose out of the debates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention regarding the extent of the President's executive authority. As a result, the Constitution vests "the executive power" in the President and authorises, but does not compel, the President to seek the written opinion of the principal officer in each of the executive departments on any subject relating to their duties.
The first US President, George Washington, organised his principal officers into a Cabinet, and it has been part of the executive branch structure ever since. Washington's Cabinet consisted of five members: himself, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Over time, the number of Cabinet members has grown, and today, there are 26 members in total, including the Vice President, 15 department heads, and 10 Cabinet-level officials.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 26 members in the POTUS cabinet: the vice president, 15 department heads, and 10 Cabinet-level officials.
The 15 department heads include the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General.
The 10 Cabinet-level officials include the White House Chief of Staff, the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, the Director of the Office of Management & Budget, the United States Trade Representative, and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
