Chuck Hagel shakes hand with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. Former Virginia Sen. John Warner stands in the background. (Defense Department photo)
If Chuck Hagel is confirmed as Secretary of Defense — and that’s a big IF — he’ll join a short list of prominent Republicans who agreed to join the president’s Cabinet in a Democratic administration. Here’s a sampling of some previous Republican Cabinet officials over the past century:
Harold Ickes, Secretary of the Interior (1933-1946)
Progressive Republican who campaigned for Theodore Roosevelt, Charles Evans Hughes
Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S Truman
Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy* (1940-1944)
Chicago Daily News publisher and 1936 Republican vice presidential nominee
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Henry Stimson, Secretary of War* (1940-1945)
Secretary of War to President William Howard Taft
Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S Truman
C. Douglas Dillon, Secretary of the Treasury (1961-1965)
Former Dewey and Eisenhower campaign official, President Dwight Eisenhower’s Ambassador to France
Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johson
Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense (1961-1968)
Self-described liberal Republican and auto executive
Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johson
James Schlesinger, Energy Secretary (1977-1979)
Defense Secretary for Republican Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford
President Jimmy Carter
William Cohen, Secretary of Defense (1997-2001)
Former Maine congressman and senator
President Bill Clinton
Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense (2006-2011)
Remained in place following transition from George W. Bush to Obama administration
President Barack Obama
Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation (2009-present)
Former Illinois congressman
President Barack Obama
* Then a Cabinet department
9
1of9Secretary of Interior Harold Ickes appearing before the House Rivers and Harbors Committee to ask congressfor full control over the Bonneville Dam project in Oregon, Jul. 18, 1939, Washington, D.C.Library of CongressShow MoreShow Less2of9Receives the congratulations of Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, upon being presented with the Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his service as Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1 December 1936 to 1 January 1944. The presentation took place in Secretary Knox' office on 12 April 1944. Looking on are Lieutenant General Alexander A. Vandegrift, Commandant of the Marine Corps (right) and Colonel James Roosevelt.National Archives / Official U.S. Navy PhotographShow MoreShow Less3of9President Harry Truman and Secretary of War Henry Stimson, 1945.National ArchivesShow MoreShow Less4of9President John F. Kennedy meets with officials from the Department of the Treasury and members of his staff at the winter White House in Palm Beach, Fla., Dec. 26, 1962, regarding his 1963 tax cut proposal. Left to right: Secretary of the Treasury Douglas Dillon; Pres. Kennedy; and presidential council advisor Theodore Sorensen.William J. Smith / AP PhotoShow MoreShow Less5of9Robert McNamara, Former Defense SecretaryAP PhotoShow MoreShow Less6of9James Schlesinger, right.Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less7of9William Cohen, left, member of the House Judiciary Committee during Watergate, speaks during an event sponsored by The Washington Post to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Watergate Monday, June 11, 2012 at the Watergate office building in Washington.Alex Brandon / AP PhotoShow MoreShow Less8of9Defense Secretary Robert Gates listens to a reporter's question during a news briefing about gays in the military Tuesday at the Pentagon.Charles Dharapak / AP PhotoShow MoreShow Less9of9Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Mississippi River bridge connecting Illinois and Missouri Monday, April 19, 2010, in St. Louis. Earlier, LaHood spoke to reporters about a $16.4 million fine Toyota Motor Corp. has agreed to pay for failing to properly notify U.S. authorities about a dangerous accelerator pedal defect.Jeff Roberson / AP PhotoShow MoreShow Less
