What Are the Five SOS Members
The State Department, Office of the Secretary (SOS) is led by the Secretary of State and includes five key organizational members that define its leadership and operational structure. These members are the Deputy Secretary of State, the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, and the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. Each member oversees a specific policy portfolio and manages bureaus that execute U.S. diplomacy, sanctions, and international engagement. The current lineup reflects recent Senate-confirmed appointments and ongoing organizational updates across the department. For background on the department's leadership structure, see the official State Department overview State Department leadership.
The five SOS members collectively coordinate foreign policy, manage the Foreign Service, and supervise bureaus that handle political, economic, security, and public diplomacy functions. Their responsibilities include advising the President on international affairs, negotiating treaties, and representing the United States at the United Nations and other multilateral forums. The Deputy Secretary of State serves as the principal deputy and often chairs interagency coordination meetings when the Secretary is unavailable. This structure ensures that each major area of U.S. foreign policy has a designated senior leader accountable for execution and reporting. The latest organizational chart and bios are published on the official State Department website State Department leadership page.
Current Leadership and Recent Appointments
As of the most recent public data, the five SOS members include the Secretary of State, the Deputy Secretary of State, and the three Under Secretaries responsible for political affairs, economic and energy policy, and arms control and international security. The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs completes the core leadership group, overseeing global communications, cultural exchanges, and public outreach programs. Recent Senate confirmations have updated several of these positions, with new leaders bringing backgrounds in diplomacy, economics, and national security. These appointments are documented in official State Department announcements and Senate confirmation records State Department press releases.
The Deputy Secretary of State currently manages day-to-day operations, oversees bureau directors, and represents the department in high-level interagency forums. The Under Secretary for Political Affairs directs bureaus covering regions such as Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, aligning diplomatic strategy with national security objectives. The Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment leads efforts on trade policy, sanctions implementation, energy security, and environmental diplomacy. Each of these leaders reports directly to the Secretary and Deputy, ensuring a clear chain of command across the department's global operations About the Department of State.
Functions, Structure, and Operational Impact
The five SOS members oversee a decentralized network of bureaus, offices, and foreign posts that carry out U.S. diplomacy worldwide. The Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security manages non-proliferation, arms control negotiations, and international security policy, working closely with the Department of Defense and intelligence agencies. The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs leads the Bureau of Global Communications and Public Affairs, which manages digital diplomacy, press operations, and cultural programs. Together, these roles ensure that the department can respond to crises, conduct negotiations, and communicate U.S. policy to global audiences in real time.
The organizational structure of the five SOS members is designed to balance regional expertise with functional specialization, enabling coordinated action across political, economic, and security domains. Each Under Secretary supervises assistant secretaries and assistant secretaries of state who head individual bureaus, such as the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs or the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. The department's budget and staffing levels, published in annual congressional just