United States federal executive departments

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The United States federal executive departments are the principal units of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States. They are analogous to ministries common in parliamentary or semi-presidential systems but (the United States being a presidential system) they are led by a head of government who is also the head of state. The executive departments are the administrative arms of the President of the United States. There are currently 7 executive departments.

Each department is headed by a secretary of their respective department, with the exception of the Department of Justice, whose head is known as the attorney general. The heads of the executive departments are appointed by the president and take office after confirmation by the United States Senate, and serve at the pleasure of the president. The heads of departments are members of the Cabinet of the United States, an executive organ that normally acts as an advisory body to the president. In the Opinion Clause (Article II, section 2, clause 1) of the U.S. Constitution, heads of executive departments are referred to as "principal Officer in each of the executive Departments".

The heads of executive departments are included in the line of succession to the president, in the event of a vacancy in the presidency, after the vice president, the speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senate.

Current departments

Seal Department Formed Employees Head
Title Titleholder
Department of state logo.png State 2013 6 Secretary of State Hankwim55
Dott logo.png Treasury 2013 2 Secretary of the Treasury VACANT
Dod logo.png Defense 2013 Secretary of Defense RoFiles
Doj seal.png Justice 2013 57 Attorney General RummyLeroux
Docal seal.png Commerce and Labor 2016 0 Secretary of Commerce and Labor TacticalOwen
Department of transportation logo.png Transportation 2013 25 Secretary of the Treasury ZhangJinping
Dhs seal.png Homeland and Security 2013 15 Secretary of Homeland and Security akacoolguy96

Former departments

Seal Department Formed Removed from Cabinet Superseded by
Us dohud seal.png Housing and Urban Development 2013 2018
Doi seal.png Interior 2013 2015
Dhhs seal.png Health and Human Services 2013 2016
Doti logo.png Technology and Innovation 2013 Unknown
Doe logo.png Education 2013 2018
Doc logo.png Commerce 2013 2016 Department of Commerce and Labor
Dol logo.png Labor 2013 2016 Department of Commerce and Labor
Strategic command department logo.png Strategic Command July 22, 2020 October 6, 2020
Dva logo.png Veterans Affairs 2013 Furloughed, not officially shutdown.