United States Department of State

The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an <a href="/facts/United_States_federal_executive_departments/qMKY8RGz">executive department</a> of the <a href="/facts/U.S._federal_government/VJCxUaf7">U.S. federal government</a> responsible for the country's <a href="/facts/Foreign_policy_of_the_United_States/LqGcw96t">foreign policy</a> and <a href="/facts/Foreign_relations_of_the_United_States/2rusceuf">relations</a>. Equivalent to the <a href="/facts/Ministry_of_foreign_affairs/KH37J9lz">ministry of foreign affairs</a> of other nations, its primary duties are advising the <a href="/facts/U.S._president/oMsfmLb1">U.S. president</a> on international relations, administering <a href="/facts/List_of_diplomatic_missions_of_the_United_States/SjbLoDud">diplomatic missions</a>, negotiating international treaties and agreements, protecting citizens abroad and representing the U.S. at the <a href="/facts/United_Nations/fgXLnmgT">United Nations</a>. The department is headquartered in the <a href="/facts/Harry_S_Truman_Building/gUm70Xc6">Harry S Truman Building</a>, a few blocks from the <a href="/facts/White_House/CJQc7dKF">White House</a>, in the <a href="/facts/Foggy_Bottom,_Washington,_D.C./v3SPdQz0">Foggy Bottom</a> neighborhood of <a href="/facts/Washington,_D.C./enXPK156">Washington, D.C.</a>; "Foggy Bottom" is thus sometimes used as a <a href="/facts/Metonym/EdwzPEyE">metonym</a>.
Established in 1789 as the first administrative arm of the <a href="/facts/U.S._executive_branch/VJCxUaf7">U.S. executive branch</a>, the State Department is considered among the most powerful and prestigious executive agencies. It is headed by the <a href="/facts/U.S._secretary_of_state/AgUe4Dkq">U.S. secretary of state</a>, who reports directly to the U.S. president and is a member of the <a href="/facts/Cabinet_of_the_United_States/2ouVJrjQ">Cabinet</a>. Analogous to a <a href="/facts/Foreign_minister/3HMfd3Qu">foreign minister</a>, the secretary of state serves as the federal government's chief diplomat and representative abroad, and is the first Cabinet official in the <a href="/facts/United_States_order_of_precedence/dGhERyxg">order of precedence</a> and in the <a href="/facts/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession/wIHT3L7l">presidential line of succession</a>. The position is currently held by <a href="/facts/Marco_Rubio/qs8WDBbw">Marco Rubio</a>, who was appointed by President <a href="/facts/Donald_Trump/pqqKY21P">Donald Trump</a> and confirmed by the <a href="/facts/U.S._Senate/VyzXHE01">U.S. Senate</a> on January 20, 2025, by a vote of 99–0.
As of 2024<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Department_of_State&action=edit">[update]</a>, the State Department maintains 271 diplomatic posts worldwide, second only to the <a href="/facts/Ministry_of_Foreign_Affairs_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China/cjl7x5Hy">Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China</a>. It also manages the <a href="/facts/U.S._Foreign_Service/yhMD05Lo">U.S. Foreign Service</a>, provides <a href="/facts/Foreign_Service_Institute/6PBkj018">diplomatic training</a> to U.S. officials and military personnel, exercises partial jurisdiction over <a href="/facts/Immigration_to_the_United_States/KT75X7Uc">immigration</a>, and provides various services to Americans, such as issuing <a href="/facts/Passport/jr95DKxC">passports</a> and <a href="/facts/Travel_visa/y2S7fwNw">visas</a>, posting foreign travel advisories, and advancing commercial ties abroad. The department administers the oldest U.S. civilian intelligence agency, the <a href="/facts/Bureau_of_Intelligence_and_Research/FujVxxmD">Bureau of Intelligence and Research</a> (INR), and maintains a <a href="/facts/Federal_law_enforcement_in_the_United_States/UJvsMwEk">law enforcement arm</a>, the <a href="/facts/Diplomatic_Security_Service/m5cK4N1f">Diplomatic Security Service</a> (DSS).

United States Department of State open-in-new

United States Department of State