Denis McDonough

American government official (born 1969)

Denis McDonough
Official portrait, 2021
11th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 9, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
DeputyDonald Remy
Guy Kiyokawa (acting)
Tanya J. Bradsher
Preceded byRobert Wilkie
26th White House Chief of Staff
In office
January 20, 2013 – January 20, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJack Lew
Succeeded byReince Priebus
25th United States Deputy National Security Advisor
In office
October 20, 2010 – January 20, 2013
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byThomas E. Donilon
Succeeded byAntony Blinken
Personal details
Born
Denis Richard McDonough

(1969-12-02) December 2, 1969 (age 54)
Stillwater, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseKarin Hillstrom
Children3
EducationSt. John's University, Minnesota (BA)
Georgetown University (MS)
Denis McDonough's voice
Denis McDonough's opening statement at his confirmation hearing to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Recorded January 27, 2021

Denis Richard McDonough (born December 2, 1969) is an American government official serving under President Joe Biden since 2021 as the eleventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs.[1]

McDonough served in the Obama administration as chief of staff at the National Security Council from 2009 to 2010 and as Deputy National Security Advisor from 2010 to 2013. He then served as White House Chief of Staff for the full second term of President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017.[2]

Early life and education

McDonough was born on December 2, 1969, in Stillwater, Minnesota.[3] He was one of 11 children in a devout Irish Catholic family, his grandparents having emigrated from Connemara in the Gaeltacht.[4][5]

McDonough graduated from Stillwater Area High School in 1988,[6] then attended Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota[7] He played safety on the Johnnies football team for Hall of Fame coach John Gagliardi[8][9] and was a member of teams that won two conference titles in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. McDonough graduated from Saint John's University with a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in history and Spanish in 1992. After graduation, he traveled extensively throughout Latin America and taught high school in Belize.[8]

In 1996, McDonough earned an MSFS degree at Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.[8]

Career

From 1996 to 1999, McDonough worked as an aide for the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs,[10] where he focused on Latin America.[3] He then served as a senior foreign policy advisor to Senator Tom Daschle.[8] After Daschle's reelection defeat in 2004, McDonough became legislative director for newly elected Senator Ken Salazar.[8] McDonough was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in 2004.[3]

In 2007, Senator Barack Obama's chief foreign policy advisor Mark Lippert, a Navy reservist, was called into active duty.[11] Lippert recruited McDonough to serve as his replacement during his deployment to Iraq.[8][12] McDonough continued to serve as a senior foreign policy advisor to Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign.[3][13]

Obama administration

McDonough, seated, third from right in blue shirt, in the Situation Room during the Bin Laden raid.
McDonough conferring with Obama about the Cairo Speech, with Ben Rhodes, on June 4, 2009.

After Obama was elected president, McDonough joined the administration as the National Security Council's head of strategic communication.[10] He also served as National Security Council chief of staff.[14]

On October 20, 2010, Obama announced that McDonough would replace Thomas E. Donilon as Deputy National Security Advisor, who had been promoted to succeed General James L. Jones as National Security Advisor.[15] McDonough was seen in photos of the White House Situation Room taken during the monitoring of the May 2011 SEAL operation in Pakistan that resulted in the Osama bin Laden's death.[16]

On January 20, 2013, at the beginning of his second term in office, Obama appointed McDonough his chief of staff.[7] In February 2013 McDonough urged lawmakers to quickly confirm Chuck Hagel and John O. Brennan to their posts in Obama's national security team, expressing "grave concern" about the delays. McDonough served as White House chief of staff through the end of Obama's second term, which ended on January 20, 2017.

Return to private life

In 2017, McDonough joined the Markle Foundation,[17] a nonprofit that aims to "transform America's outdated labor market to reflect the needs of the digital economy," boost employment opportunities, and expand job training for Americans. As a senior principal,[18] he worked to grow the organization nationwide and broaden its work with governments such as the state of Colorado, public institutions such as Arizona State University, and private companies such as LinkedIn.[19][18]

McDonough is a professor of the practice at Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs and a visiting senior fellow in Carnegie's Technology and International Affairs Program.[20][17]

Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2021–present)

McDonough being sworn in on February 9, 2021
Secretary McDonough with First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary Xavier Becerra, June 4, 2021

President Joe Biden nominated McDonough to lead the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.[21] He appeared before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on January 27, 2021. On February 8, the Senate confirmed McDonough as VA Secretary by a 87–7 vote, with six senators absent.[22] McDonough is the second non-veteran to hold this position.[23] Vice President Kamala Harris swore him in on February 9.[24]

Personal life

McDonough is married to Karin Hillstrom.[5] They have three children.[5]

References

  1. ^ @Transition46 (December 10, 2020). "Working families, veterans, farmers and producers, and those fighting for their place in the middle class will have partners in government once again. This experienced group will help us make it through this pandemic and thrive once the crisis is over" (Tweet). Retrieved December 10, 2020 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Nakamura, David (November 26, 2021). "Denis McDonough to be Obama's new chief of staff". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "The New Team". The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  4. ^ "Who is Denis McDonough?". Our Daily Thread. January 25, 2013. Archived from the original on September 5, 2013. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c O'Dowd, Niall (January 25, 2013). "Denis McDonough new Obama Chief of Staff deeply proud of his Irish heritage". Irish Central. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  6. ^ Boldt, Megan (January 25, 2013). "Denis McDonough: Obama picks Stillwater native as chief of staff". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Denis McDonough – Keough School – University of Notre Dame". Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Arthur Eisele (Winter 2009). "At Home in the West Wing: An Interview with Denis McDonough '92" (PDF). Saint John's Magazine. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 4, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  9. ^ Thayer Evans (September 18, 2009). "No Whistles, No Tackling and No End in Sight for St. John's Coach". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  10. ^ a b Garance Franke-Ruta (October 22, 2010). "Denis McDonough: Five things worth knowing". WhoRunsGov. The Washington Post Company. Archived from the original on October 25, 2010. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  11. ^ Keating, Joshua E. (January 16, 2013). "6 Things You Need to Know About Denis McDonough". Foreign Policy. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  12. ^ Monica Langley (September 22, 2007). "From the Campaign to the Battlefront". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  13. ^ "Obama's People". The New York Times Magazine. January 18, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  14. ^ Helene Cooper (July 9, 2010). "The Saturday Profile: The Adviser at the Heart of National Security". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  15. ^ Peter Baker (October 22, 2010). "Obama Making National Security Appointment". The New York Times. The Caucus Blog. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  16. ^ "Osama bin Laden Situation Room Photo: Where Are They Now?". Time. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Denis McDonough – Keough School – University of Notre Dame". Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Denis McDonough Joins the Markle Foundation". Markle | Advancing America's Future. February 13, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  19. ^ Megan R. Wilson (February 15, 2017). "Obama's chief of staff joins foundation with focus on jobs". The Hill. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  20. ^ "Denis McDonough". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  21. ^ "WATCH: VA Secretary nominee Denis McDonough testifies in Senate confirmation hearing". PBS NewsHour. January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  22. ^ "Roll Call Vote 117th Congress – 1st Session". US Senate. February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  23. ^ Shane III, Leo (December 10, 2020). "Biden to name former WH Chief of Staff Denis McDonough as VA Secretary nominee". Defense News. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  24. ^ Wentling, Nikki (February 9, 2021). "McDonough is sworn in as VA secretary; calls it the 'honor of my lifetime'". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved February 9, 2021.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Denis McDonough.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Denis McDonough
Political offices
Preceded by Deputy National Security Advisor
2010–2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by White House Chief of Staff
2013–2017
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
2021–present
Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Secretary of Education Order of precedence of the United States
as Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Succeeded byas Secretary of Homeland Security
U.S. presidential line of succession
Preceded byas Secretary of Education 16th in line
as Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Succeeded byas Secretary of Homeland Security

# denotes acting secretary

Seal of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
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Cabinet of President Joe Biden (2021–present)
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Cabinet
Vice President
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
  • Denis McDonough (2021–present)
Secretary of Homeland Security
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Cabinet-level
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Director of the Office of Management and Budget
Director of National Intelligence
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
  • William J. Burns (2023–present)
Trade Representative
Ambassador to the United Nations
Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers
Administrator of the Small Business Administration
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
White House Chief of Staff
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Cabinet of President Barack Obama (2009–2017)
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Cabinet
Vice President
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Homeland Security
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Cabinet-level
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Director of the Office of Management and Budget
Trade Representative
Ambassador to the United Nations
Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers
Administrator of the Small Business Administration
White House Chief of Staff
* took office in 2009, raised to cabinet-rank in 2012
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Office Name Term Office Name Term
Secretary of State John Kerry 2013–2017 Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew 2013–2017
Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter 2015–2017 Attorney General Loretta Lynch 2015–2017
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell 2013–2017 Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack 2009–2017
Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker 2013–2017 Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez 2013–2017
Secretary of Health and
  Human Services
Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2014–2017 Secretary of Education
Secretary of Transportation
John King Jr.
Anthony Foxx
2016–2017
2013–2017
Secretary of Housing and Urban
  Development
Julian Castro 2014–2017 Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald 2014–2017
Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz 2013–2017 Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson 2013–2017
Vice President Joe Biden 2009–2017 White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough 2013–2017
Director of the Office of Management and
  Budget
Shaun Donovan 2014–2017 Administrator of the Environmental
  Protection Agency
Gina McCarthy 2013–2017
Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power 2013–2017 Chair of the Council of Economic
  Advisers
Jason Furman 2013–2017
Trade Representative Michael Froman 2013–2017 Administrator of the Small Business Administration Maria Contreras-Sweet 2014–2017
Below solid line: Granted Cabinet rank although not automatically part of the Cabinet. See also: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet
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Office Name Term Office Name Term
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009–10 National Security Advisor James L. Jones 2009–10
Pete Rouse 2010–11 Thomas E. Donilon 2010–13
William M. Daley 2011–12 Susan Rice 2013–17
Jack Lew 2012–13 Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009–10
Denis McDonough 2013–17 Denis McDonough 2010–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Mona Sutphen 2009–11 Antony Blinken 2013–14
Nancy-Ann DeParle 2011–13 Avril Haines 2015–17
Rob Nabors 2013–15 Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009–11 Lisa Monaco 2013–17
Alyssa Mastromonaco 2011–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute 2009–13
Anita Decker Breckenridge 2014–17 Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ben Rhodes 2009–17
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning Mark B. Childress 2012–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff Mark Lippert 2009
Kristie Canegallo 2014–17 Denis McDonough 2009–10
Counselor to the President Pete Rouse 2011–13 Brooke D. Anderson 2011–12
John Podesta 2014–15 White House Communications Director Ellen Moran 2009
Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod 2009–11 Anita Dunn 2009
David Plouffe 2011–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2009–13
Daniel Pfeiffer 2013–15 Jennifer Palmieri 2013–15
Shailagh Murray 2015–17 Jen Psaki 2015–17
Senior Advisor to the President Pete Rouse 2009–10 Deputy White House Communications Director Jen Psaki 2009–11
Brian Deese 2015–17 Jennifer Palmieri 2011–14
Senior Advisor to the President and Valerie Jarrett 2009–17 Amy Brundage 2014–16
Assistant to the President for Liz Allen 2016–17
Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs 2009–11
Director, Public Engagement Tina Tchen 2009–11 Jay Carney 2011–13
Jon Carson 2011–13 Josh Earnest 2013–17
Paulette L. Aniskoff 2013–17 Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton 2009–11
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz 2009–12 Josh Earnest 2011–13
David Agnew 2012–14 Eric Schultz 2014–17
Jerry Abramson 2014–17 Director of Special Projects Stephanie Cutter 2010–11
Director, National Economic Council Lawrence Summers 2009–10 Director, Speechwriting Jon Favreau 2009–13
Gene Sperling 2011–14 Cody Keenan 2013–17
Jeff Zients 2014–17 Director, Digital Strategy Macon Phillips 2009–13
Chair, Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer 2009–10 Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman 2015–17
Austan Goolsbee 2010–13 Director, Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro 2009–11
Jason Furman 2013–17 Rob Nabors 2011–13
Chair, Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker 2009–11 Katie Beirne Fallon 2013–16
Chair, Council on Jobs and Competitiveness Jeff Immelt 2011–13 Miguel Rodriguez 2016
Director, Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009–12 Amy Rosenbaum 2016–17
Cecilia Muñoz 2012–17 Director, Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard 2009–11
Director, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois 2009–13 David Simas 2011–16
Melissa Rogers 2013–17 Director, Presidential Personnel Nancy Hogan 2009–13
Director, Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle 2009–11 Johnathan D. McBride 2013–14
Director, Office of National AIDS Policy Jeffrey Crowley 2009–11 Valerie E. Green 2014–15
Grant N. Colfax 2011–13 Rodin A. Mehrbani 2016–17
Douglas M. Brooks 2013–17 White House Staff Secretary Lisa Brown 2009–11
Director, Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrión Jr. 2009–10 Rajesh De 2011–12
Racquel S. Russell 2010–14 Douglas Kramer 2012–13
Roy Austin Jr. 2014–17 Joani Walsh 2014–17
Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009–11 Director, Management and Administration Bradley J. Kiley 2009–11
White House Counsel Greg Craig 2009–10 Katy A. Kale 2011–15
Bob Bauer 2010–11 Maju Varghese 2015–17
Kathryn Ruemmler 2011–14 Director, Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009–11
Neil Eggleston 2014–17 Danielle Crutchfield 2011–14
White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009–13 Chase Cushman 2014–17
Danielle C. Gray 2013–14 Director, White House Information Technology David Recordon 2015–17
Broderick D. Johnson 2014–17 Director, Office of Administration Cameron Moody 2009–11
Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009–11 Beth Jones 2011–15
Brian Mosteller 2011–12 Cathy Solomon 2015–17
Marvin D. Nicholson 2012–17 Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009–17
Director, Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller 2012–17 Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra 2009–12
Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009–11 Todd Park 2012–14
Anita Decker Breckenridge 2011–14 Megan Smith 2014–17
Ferial Govashiri 2014–17 Director, Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009–10
Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jackie Norris 2009 Jack Lew 2010–12
Susan Sher 2009–11 Jeff Zients 2012–13
Tina Tchen 2011–17 Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2013–14
White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009–10 Brian Deese 2014
Julianna Smoot 2010–11 Shaun Donovan 2014–17
Jeremy Bernard 2011–15 Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009–11
Deesha Dyer 2015–17 Steven VanRoekel 2011–14
Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain 2009–11 Tony Scott 2015–17
Bruce Reed 2011–13 United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009–13
Steve Ricchetti 2013–17 Michael Froman 2013–17
White House Chief Usher Stephen W. Rochon 2009–11 Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009–14
Angella Reid 2011–17 Michael Botticelli 2014–17
Director, White House Military Office George Mulligan 2009–13 Chair, Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009–14
Emmett Beliveau 2013–15 Michael Boots 2014–15
Dabney Kern 2016–17 Christy Goldfuss 2015–17
† Remained from previous administration.
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Position Appointee
Chief of Staff to the Vice President Steve Ricchetti
Counsel to the Vice President Cynthia Hogan
Counselor to the Vice President Mike Donilon
Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison Evan Ryan
Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications Shailagh Murray
Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President Shailagh Murray
Deputy National Security Adviser to the Vice President Brian P. McKeon
Residence Manager and Social Secretary for the Vice President and Second Lady Carlos Elizondo
National Security Adviser to the Vice President Colin Kahl
Position Appointee
Chief of Staff to the Second Lady Catherine M. Russell
Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President Moises Vela
Domestic Policy Adviser to the Vice President Terrell McSweeny
Chief Economist and Economic Policy Adviser to the Vice President Jared Bernstein
Press Secretary to the Vice President Elizabeth Alexander
Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President Annie Tomasini
Director of Legislative Affairs Sudafi Henry
Director of Communications for the Second Lady Courtney O’Donnell
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* Ineligible to act as president • ** Ambiguity exists concerning eligibility to act as president
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