List of United States Secretaries of Defense by time in office

2,595 days
Robert McNamara from 1961 to 1968
114 days
Elliot Richardson in 1973

This is a list of United States Secretaries of Defense by time in office. This is based on the difference between dates; if counted by number of calendar days all the figures would be one greater. (Note that the list of popes by length of reign uses numbers of calendar days.)

Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld are the only two people to have served as Secretary of Defense for more than 7 years. Rumsfeld is the only Secretary of Defense to have served two non-consecutive terms. Elliot Richardson served as Secretary of Defense for less than four months before becoming Attorney General.

# in office Secretary Days Rank
8 Macnamara, RobertRobert McNamara 2,595 1
13/21 Rumsfeld, DonaldDonald Rumsfeld 2,585 2
15 Weinberger, CasparCaspar Weinberger 2,497 3
5 Wilson, Charles ErwinCharles Erwin Wilson 1,722 4
22 Gates, RobertRobert Gates 1,656 5
10 Laird, Melvin R.Melvin R. Laird 1,469 6
14 Brown, HaroldHarold Brown 1,460 7
20 Cohen, WilliamWilliam Cohen 1,457 8
17 Cheney, DickDick Cheney 1,402 9
19 Perry, WilliamWilliam Perry 1,085 10
12 Schlesinger, James R.James R. Schlesinger 870 11
6 Macelroy, Neil H.Neil H. McElroy 783 12
24 Hagel, ChuckChuck Hagel 720 13
25 Carter, AshtonAshton Carter 610 14
23 Panetta, LeonLeon Panetta 608 15
1 Forrestal, JamesJames Forrestal 558 16
2 Johnson, Louis A.Louis A. Johnson 540 17
4 Lovett, Robert A.Robert A. Lovett 491 18
16 Carlucci, FrankFrank Carlucci 424 19
7 Gates, Thomas S.Thomas S. Gates, Jr. 415 20
18 Aspin, LesLes Aspin 378 21
3 Marshall, GeorgeGeorge Marshall 356 22
9 , Clark M. CliffordClark M. Clifford 326 23
11 Richardson, ElliotElliot Richardson 114 24

    See also

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