| Post: | Minister of Defence |
| Body: | the Netherlands |
| Native Name: | Dutch; Flemish: Minister van Defensie |
| Insignia: | Logo ministerie van defensie.svg |
| Flag: | Onderscheidingsvlag Minister van Defensie (2023).svg |
| Flagborder: | yes |
| Flagcaption: | Flag for the minister of defence |
| Incumbent: | Ruben Brekelmans |
| Incumbentsince: | 2 July 2024 |
| Department: | Ministry of Defence |
| Style: | His/Her Excellency |
| Member Of: | Council of Ministers |
| Appointer: | The Monarch |
| Appointer Qualified: | on advice of the Prime Minister |
| Precursor: | Minister of War Minister of the Navy |
| Formation: | 1 September 1928 7 August 1948 |
| Abolished: | 27 July 1941 |
| Deputy: | Gijs Tuinman as State Secretary for Defence |
| Salary: | (including of expenses) |
| Website: | Minister of Defence |
The minister of defence (Dutch; Flemish: Minister van Defensie) is the head of the Ministry of Defence and a member of the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers. The incumbent minister is Ruben Brekelmans of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) party who has been in office since 2 July 2024. Regularly, a state secretary is assigned to the ministry who is tasked with specific portfolios. The current state secretary is Gijs Tuinman of the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) who also has been in office since 2 July 2024.
| Minister of Defence | Term of office | Party | Prime Minister (Cabinet) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major Johan Lambooij (1874–1942) | 1 September 1928 – 10 August 1929 | Roman Catholic State Party | Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer I) [1] | ||
| Dr. Laurentius Nicolaas Deckers (1883–1978) | 10 August 1929 – 2 September 1935 | Roman Catholic State Party | Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (De Beerenbrouck III) [2] | ||
| Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn II) [3] | |||||
| Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn III) [4] | |||||
| Major Dr. Hendrikus Colijn (Prime Minister) (1869–1944) | 2 September 1935 – 24 June 1937 | Anti-Revolutionary Party | |||
| Captain Dr. Jannes van Dijk (1871–1954) | 24 June 1937 – 10 August 1939 | Anti-Revolutionary Party | Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn IV • V) [5] [6] | ||
| Major general Adriaan Dijxhoorn (1889–1953) | 10 August 1939 – 12 June 1941 | Independent Liberal (Conservative Liberal) | Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer II) [7] | ||
| Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Gerbrandy I) [8] | |||||
| Hendrik van Boeijen (also Minister of the Interior) (1889–1947) | 12 June 1941 – 27 July 1941 | Christian Historical Union | |||