Who was the first U.S. secretary of state under President George Washington?

Thomas Jefferson was the first U.S. secretary of state under President George Washington.

Washington appointed Jefferson in 1789 to lead the new Department of State. Jefferson had recently returned from serving as the American minister to France and brought extensive diplomatic experience to the administration. He served as secretary of state until December 1793.

The department handled foreign relations, treaties, and other responsibilities that later became distributed among several federal agencies. Jefferson’s tenure included debates over the meaning of executive power, neutrality in the war between Britain and revolutionary France, and the proper direction of American foreign policy.

Jefferson often disagreed with Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, especially over economic policy and the scope of federal authority. Their disputes contributed to the emergence of organized political factions. Jefferson later became vice president under John Adams and president of the United States in 1801, serving two terms.