List of U.S. executive branch czars explained

In the United States, the informal term "czar" (or, less often, "tsar") is employed in media and popular usage to refer to high-level executive-branch officials who oversee a particular policy field. There have never been any U.S. government offices with the formal title "czar". The earliest known use of the term for a U.S. government official was in the administration of Franklin Roosevelt (1933–1945), during which eleven unique positions (or twelve if one were to count "economic czar" and "economic czar of World War II" as distinct) were so described.

The list of those identified as "czars" is based on inescapably subjective judgments, as individuals or offices may be referred to with the nickname by some publications or public figures, while not by others. A more limited (though no less subjective) definition of the term would encompass only those officials appointed without Senate confirmation.

By administration

Summary table
PresidentPartyIn officeNumber of
czar titles
Number of
appointees
Appointees not
confirmed by Senate
Democratic1933–1945111918
1945–195365
Republican1953–196110
Democratic1963–196931
Republican1969–197435
1974–19772
Democratic1977–1981232
Republican1981–19891
1989–1993230
Democratic1993–20018117
Republican2001–2009334928
Democratic2009–2017385039
Republican2017–2021454
Democratic2021-presentTBD TBD TBD

The numbers are based upon the sortable list below, which includes further details and references.

Note that the holders of certain official positions have been referred to as "czars" for only part of the time those positions have existed. For example, there has been an Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health since the passage of the Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, but the phrase "mine safety czar" has been applied to the position only since the appointment of Richard Stickler to the post in 2006. Similarly, there has been a director of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs since the office was created by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, but the term "regulatory czar" was not applied to the post until 2001.

List of executive branch czars

The following are executive branch officials who have been described by the media as a czar of some kind.

Czar titleOfficial titleOffice holderTenureType of appointmentAppointing administrationSenate confirmed
AfPak czar, Afghanistan and Pakistan czarSpecial Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan[1] 2009–2010President appointed
AIDS czarNational AIDS Policy Coordinator, Member of White House Domestic Policy Council[2] 1993–1994
Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy[3] 1993–1997
Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, Presidential Envoy for AIDS Cooperation[4] 1997–2000
Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy[5] 2001–2002
[6] 2002–2003
[7] 2004–2006
[8] 2009–2012
[9] 2012–2014
[10] 2014–2016
anti-poverty czar, poverty czarDirector of Office of Economic Opportunity[11] 1965–1969President nominated, Senate confirmed
Asian Carp czarAsian Carp Director, Council on Environmental Quality[12] 2010–UnknownCouncil on Environmental Quality selected
auto czar, car czarTreasury Advisor, Head of the Auto Task Force[13] 2009 Feb–JulSec. of Treasury appointed
Senior Advisor President's Automotive Task Force[14] 2009–2011President appointed
auto recovery czar, autoworker czarMember Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers[15] 2009–Unknown
bank bailout czar, Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) czarUnited States Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability, Senior Advisor to Secretary of the Treasury[16] 2008–2009(New position), President nominated, Senate confirmed
bank bailout czar, TARP czarUnited States Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability[17] 2009–2013President nominated, Senate confirmed
bioethics czarAdvisor to the President, Chairman of The President's Council on Bioethics[18] 2001–2005(New position), Exec order, President appointed
bird flu czarAssistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, Advisor to the President for Public Health Emergency Preparedness[19] 2004–2006(New position), President appointed
birth control czarDeputy Assistant Secretary of Population Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services[20] 2006–2007President appointed
border czarU.S. attorney and Special Representative for the Southwest Border, Department of Justice[21] [22] 1995–1998President nominated, Senate confirmed as U.S. Attorney, Appointed as Special Representative
Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, Special Representative for Border Affairs, Dept of Homeland Security2009–2011Sec of Homeland Security appointed

Notes and References

  1. Kondracke, Morton. "Pakistan Must Be Obama's Leading Foreign Priority", Roll Call, Mar 13, 2009, archived by WebCite. Holland, Steve. "Obama fashions a government of many czars", Reuters, May 29, 2009, Archived by WebCite. . "Remarks on US Military and Diplomatic Strategies for Afghanistan and Pakistan", US Govt Printing Office, Mar 27, 2009.
  2. Jehl, Douglas."Ex-Washington State Official to Get AIDS Post", The New York Times, Jun 25, 1993. Hunter, Elizabeth. "Kristine M. Gebbie, former AIDS czar", The Lutheran, Sep 2001.
  3. Hilts, Philip J. "Clinton Picks New Director of AIDS Policy", The New York Times, Nov 11, 1994. American Presidency Project, Announcing Patsy Fleming as National AIDS Policy Director, Nov 19, 1994. Announcing Sandra L. Thurman as Director, Apr 7, 1997.
  4. Staff biography, "Sandra Thurman", Office of National AIDS Policy, Apr 1997. American Presidency Project, Press briefing, presidential envoy for AIDS cooperation, Aug 27, 2000.
  5. Office of Press Secretary. "President Bush Announces Evertz to be the Director of the Office National AIDS Policy",GeorgeWBushWhiteHouse.gov Apr 9, 2001. Lochead, Carolyn."Bush's AIDS czar departing for post with global focus", San Francisco Chronicle, Jul 19, 2002
  6. Office of Press Secretary."President Bush Announced Dr. Joseph O'Neill to be Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy ", GeorgeWBushWhiteHouse.gov, Jul 19, 2002. "'AIDS czar' position unfilled since February", Washington Blade, Sep 15, 2006
  7. Chibbaro, Lou Jr. "White House mum on AIDS director post: 'AIDS czar' position unfilled since February", Washington Blade, Sep 15, 2006 Retrieved 2009-08-30.
  8. Office of the Press Secretary."President Obama Selects Health Policy Expert to Head Office of National AIDS Policy", "WhiteHouse.gov", Feb 26, 2009. 'The activists' wish list, the new AIDS czar, Jeffrey Crowley", Advocate, May 1, 2009.
  9. Web site: LA Times.
  10. News: White House AIDS Czar Steps Down. Steinmetz. Katy. TIME.com. 2016-03-24.
  11. Evans and Novak. "Numerous Pitfalls Face Move to Fight Poverty", The Free Lance Star, Oct 25, 1965. "Poverty and now justice", Time, May 6, 1966. "Williams v. Phillips, US Ct of Appeals, DC Cir, 1973.
  12. Evans and Novak. "U.S. names Asian Carp Czar", Chicago Tribune/WGN, Sept. 8, 2010.
  13. AFP. "Rattner tapped as Treasury's advisor for US auto sector", Feb 23, 2009. Thomas, Ken, A.P. "Rattner to advise Treasury on auto industry" salon.com, Feb 23, 2009. King, Neil, Jr. "Auto czar quits post six months into the job", Wall St. Journal, Jul 14, 2009.
  14. Allen, Mike. "Obama parks 'car czar' plan" Politico, Feb 16, 2009. Brown, Carrie Budoff. "Car czar decision has critics revved up", Politico, Feb 17, 2009.
  15. AP."Ed Montgomery, auto recovery czar, asked to help auto suppliers",Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 26, 2009 "Archived by WebCite. "Univ of MD Dean Appointed", Mar 30, 2009. Luhby, Tami."Obama taps czar to help autoworkers",CNN, Mar 30, 2009, "Archived by WebCite".
  16. Kall, Rob. "Meet the $700 Billion Bailout Czar, Neel Kashkari",Huffington Post, Sep 6, 2008, Archived by WebCite. Horowitz, Jed. "TARP Czar: AIG bailout isn't start of larger program", Investment News, Nov 10, 2008, "Archived by WebCite". Thomas LOC Presidential Nominations. PN1044-110, nominated Nov 15, 2007, confirmed Jun 27, 2008.
  17. Andres, Gary and Griffin, Patrick "Using czars in W.H. to focus on policy", Politico, Apr 27, 2009. Press office. "Herbert M. Allison, Jr. Confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability", U.S. Department of Treasury, Jun 19, 2009. Thomas LOC Presidential Nominations. PN390-111, confirmed Jun 19, 2009.
  18. Gillespie, Nick. "Leon Kass' bioethics homework assignment", Slate Magazine, Jan 18, 2002. Allen, Arthur. "The bioethics czar's new right-hand man is passionately opposed to abortion, public schools, federal taxes and Democrats", Salon.com, Nov 30, 2001. Weiss, Rick. "Bioethics Council Head to Step Down",Washington Post, Sep 9, 2005.
  19. Lovley, Erika. "Czar (n): An insult; a problem-solver", Politico, Oct 21, 2008, archived by WebCite. Office of Press Secretary "Personnel Announcement ", Apr 8, 2004.
  20. Schaeffer, Amanda. "The Family Un-Planner, The Bush administration's crazy new HHS appointment", Slate Magazine, Nov 21, 2006. Lloyd, Carol. "Pharmacy protects women from contraception.", Salon.com, May 31, 2007. Estes, Andrea."Doctor who quit US post was warned by state", Boston Globe, Apr 7, 2007.
  21. Ellingwood, Ken. "'Border Czar' Ends a Highly Visible Reign", Los Angeles Times, Jun 28, 1998.
  22. https://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1239820176123.shtm "Secretary Napolitano Appoints Alan Bersin"