Who became the first U.S. secretary of the treasury under President George Washington?

Alexander Hamilton became the first U.S. secretary of the treasury under President George Washington.

Washington nominated Hamilton in 1789, and the Senate confirmed him on September 11 of that year. Hamilton served until January 1795, making him the first person to lead the newly established Treasury Department.

As secretary, Hamilton proposed a national financial program that included federal assumption of state war debts, a national bank, and federal taxation. His economic ideas helped define the powers and priorities of the early national government.

Hamilton also wrote 51 of the 85 Federalist Papers essays, served as an officer during the Revolutionary War, and helped establish the Federalist Party. Thomas Jefferson, often confused with Hamilton in questions about Washington’s cabinet, was the first secretary of state rather than treasury secretary.