Jack Lew

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Jack Lew
BornJacob Joseph Lew
29 8, 1955
BirthplaceNew York City, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationAttorney, diplomat, government official
Known for76th United States Secretary of the Treasury, 25th White House Chief of Staff, 28th United States Ambassador to Israel, Director of the Office of Management and Budget
EducationHarvard University (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)
Spouse(s)Ruth Schwartz
Children2

Jacob Joseph "Jack" Lew (born August 29, 1955) is an American attorney, diplomat, and government official whose career in public service has spanned more than four decades, encompassing some of the most consequential fiscal and diplomatic policy debates in modern American history. Lew served as the 76th United States Secretary of the Treasury from 2013 to 2017 under President Barack Obama, the 25th White House Chief of Staff from 2012 to 2013, and the 28th United States Ambassador to Israel from 2023 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. A member of the Democratic Party, he holds the distinction of having served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under two presidents — Bill Clinton and Barack Obama — making him one of the few individuals to hold that position twice. His government career has been marked by deep involvement in federal budget negotiations, entitlement reform debates, and international economic diplomacy. Since leaving government service, Lew has served as a managing partner at the private equity firm Lindsay Goldberg and as a visiting professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.[1]

Early Life

Jacob Joseph Lew was born on August 29, 1955, in New York City.[2] He grew up in New York and developed an interest in public policy and government at an early age. Lew's upbringing in New York City would shape his long career in government and law, and he maintained deep ties to the city throughout his professional life.[3]

Education

Lew attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, before transferring to Harvard University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.[4] He subsequently attended Georgetown University Law Center, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree.[5] His legal training at Georgetown would prove instrumental in his career as a policy adviser and government official, and he later returned to the university for public engagements, including a 2025 event on fiscal policy hosted by Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service.[6]

Career

Early Government Service and Congressional Work

Lew began his career in public service working on policy issues in Washington, D.C. He developed expertise in federal budget policy and domestic affairs, which would become central themes of his career. His early work in government laid the groundwork for the senior positions he would later hold in multiple presidential administrations.[7]

Clinton Administration

Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget

Lew served as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Bill Clinton beginning in August 1995, succeeding John Koskinen in the role. As Deputy Director, he was deeply involved in the budget negotiations of the mid-1990s, a period marked by intense political conflict between the Clinton administration and the Republican-controlled Congress over federal spending, entitlements, and deficit reduction. He served in this capacity until July 31, 1998.[8]

Director of the Office of Management and Budget

On April 14, 1998, President Clinton nominated Lew to serve as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, succeeding Franklin Raines.[9] He initially served in an acting capacity beginning May 21, 1998, before being formally confirmed, and served until January 19, 2001.[10]

As OMB Director during the final years of the Clinton administration, Lew presided over a period of federal budget surpluses — the first in decades. He played a central role in fiscal negotiations and helped craft budgets that achieved balanced federal finances. His tenure at OMB during this era established his reputation as one of the most experienced budget policy officials in Washington, a credential that would lead to his return to the same post more than a decade later.[11]

Private Sector and Academic Work

Between his service in the Clinton and Obama administrations, Lew worked in the private sector and in academic administration. He was involved in various policy and management roles during this period. His private sector experience later drew scrutiny during his nomination for Treasury Secretary, including questions about investments linked to the Cayman Islands.[12] Critics, including journalist Matt Taibbi and academic William K. Black, raised questions about aspects of Lew's private sector tenure.[13] Separately, his tenure in the private sector included a period that drew attention regarding labor relations.[14]

Obama Administration

Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources

In late 2008, the incoming Obama administration tapped Lew for a senior role in the new national security team. He was named to the newly created position of Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, the first person to hold the title.[15][16] In this role, which he held from January 28, 2009, to November 18, 2010, Lew was responsible for overseeing the management, budget, and administrative operations of the United States Department of State. He was succeeded in the position by Thomas R. Nides.[17]

Return as Director of the Office of Management and Budget

In September 2010, President Obama nominated Lew to return to his former post as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, making him one of the few individuals in American history to serve as OMB Director under two different presidents.[18] He assumed the position on November 18, 2010, succeeding acting director Jeff Zients, and served until January 27, 2012.

During his second tenure as OMB Director, Lew was at the center of some of the most contentious budget battles of the Obama era. He was responsible for preparing and defending the president's annual budget proposals at a time when debates over the federal deficit, the national debt ceiling, and government spending dominated Washington politics. In a 2011 opinion piece, Lew outlined the administration's approach to the 2012 federal budget, framing the discussion in terms of the need to balance investment in economic growth with fiscal responsibility.[19] His budget proposals and approach drew both support and criticism. Some commentators accused the OMB under his direction of adopting overly austere positions on spending.[20]

During this period, Lew's involvement in community service was also noted; he was documented participating in events such as a City Year New York initiative in January 2011.[21]

White House Chief of Staff

On January 9, 2012, President Obama announced the appointment of Lew as the 25th White House Chief of Staff, succeeding Bill Daley.[22] He assumed the position on January 27, 2012, and served through the remainder of Obama's first term, until January 20, 2013. As Chief of Staff, Lew was the president's top adviser and gatekeeper, coordinating White House operations, legislative strategy, and policy development during a politically charged period that included Obama's 2012 reelection campaign and continued negotiations with Congress over fiscal policy.[23]

A November 2012 profile in National Journal characterized Lew as a figure with the potential to play a defining role in Obama's second-term legacy, given his deep expertise in fiscal policy and his reputation as a skilled negotiator. The article highlighted Lew's extensive experience with budget negotiations dating back to the Clinton era and his central role in the fiscal debates of the Obama administration.[24]

Secretary of the Treasury

On January 10, 2013, President Obama nominated Lew to serve as the 76th United States Secretary of the Treasury, replacing the retiring Timothy Geithner.[25] The United States Senate confirmed Lew on February 27, 2013, and he was sworn in the following day, February 28, 2013.[26]

During his confirmation process, Lew faced questions from senators regarding his private sector background, including his oversight of investment funds with connections to the Cayman Islands and aspects of his tenure in the private sector before returning to government.[27]

As Treasury Secretary, Lew served from February 28, 2013, to January 20, 2017, covering the entirety of President Obama's second term. His deputies during this period included Neal S. Wolin, Mary J. Miller (acting), and Sarah Bloom Raskin. Lew oversaw the Treasury Department during a period of economic recovery following the Great Recession, managed ongoing debates over the federal debt ceiling, and represented the United States in international economic forums. He was succeeded by Steven Mnuchin upon the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

One notable aspect of Lew's Treasury tenure was the public attention his signature received. His distinctive, loopy signature — which would appear on U.S. currency — drew widespread media commentary when his nomination was announced. Lew subsequently modified his signature for use on banknotes.

Post-Obama Administration and Private Sector

After leaving the Treasury Department in January 2017, Lew joined Lindsay Goldberg, a private equity firm headquartered in New York City, as a managing partner. He also became a visiting professor at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, where he has engaged in teaching and public discussion of fiscal policy, international relations, and governance.[28]

United States Ambassador to Israel

On September 5, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Lew to serve as the 28th United States Ambassador to Israel, succeeding Thomas R. Nides. He was confirmed and began his ambassadorial service on November 5, 2023. His appointment came at a particularly volatile time in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, as the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and the subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza had dramatically escalated tensions in the region.

Lew served as ambassador throughout the period of the Israel–Hamas war, representing U.S. interests and managing the bilateral relationship between the United States and Israel during one of the most intense periods of conflict in the region's recent history. He served until January 20, 2025, and was succeeded by Mike Huckabee under the incoming Trump administration.

His tenure as ambassador later drew significant scrutiny. In early 2026, Reuters reported that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) staffers had drafted early warnings about conditions in Gaza during 2024, but that these warnings were blocked by U.S. envoys in Israel from reaching senior officials.[29] The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) subsequently issued a statement condemning Lew and other Biden administration officials for what the organization described as concealing reports regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza.[30]

Post-Ambassadorial Activities

Following the end of his ambassadorial service, Lew returned to public commentary on fiscal and foreign policy matters. In September 2025, he delivered the Shell Distinguished Lecture at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, where he discussed the U.S. budget, national debt, and policies shaping the future.[31]

In October 2025, Lew participated in a public conversation with his successor as Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service, co-hosted by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, on the subject of solving America's fiscal challenges.[32] Also in October 2025, Lew discussed the challenges of rebuilding Gaza following the war in an interview with NPR.[33]

In January 2026, Lew appeared on Bloomberg Television to discuss Federal Reserve independence, stating that using legal prosecution to pressure the Federal Reserve chair would set a dangerous precedent.[34]

Personal Life

Lew is married to Ruth Schwartz. The couple has two children.[35] Lew is Orthodox Jewish and has been noted for his observance of the Sabbath. He has been associated with various civic and community organizations throughout his career, including engagement with Yeshiva University, where he participated in events such as the university's Hanukkah dinner and convocation in November 2012.[36] He maintains residences in the New York City area.

Recognition

Lew's career in government has been the subject of extensive media coverage and analysis. A 2012 National Journal profile described him as a figure with unmatched expertise in federal budget policy, noting his role in negotiations dating back to the Clinton-era budget surpluses.[24] His appointment as Treasury Secretary in 2013 was covered by news organizations internationally, with particular attention paid to his experience as a two-time OMB Director and White House Chief of Staff.

Following his service in government, Lew has been a sought-after speaker on fiscal and foreign policy topics. His 2025 appearances at the Baker Institute, Georgetown University, and on NPR and Bloomberg underscore his continued role as a commentator on economic and international affairs.[37]

Legacy

Lew's career is notable for its breadth and longevity at the highest levels of the U.S. federal government. As one of the few individuals to have served as OMB Director under two different presidents, White House Chief of Staff, and Treasury Secretary, he accumulated an unusually deep institutional knowledge of federal fiscal policy. His involvement in the budget negotiations of the 1990s — which produced the first federal surpluses in a generation — and the fiscal debates of the Obama era, including the debt ceiling crises and sequestration negotiations, placed him at the center of some of the most consequential economic policy decisions of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.[24]

His ambassadorship to Israel during the Israel–Hamas war of 2023–2025 added a significant diplomatic dimension to his career, though it also proved to be his most controversial assignment, generating scrutiny from humanitarian organizations and media reports regarding the handling of information about conditions in Gaza.[38]

As of 2026, Lew continues to participate in public discourse on fiscal policy, the national debt, and international affairs through his academic position at Columbia University and through public lectures and media appearances.

References

  1. ↑ "Shell Distinguished Lecture Series: Jack Lew on the US Budget, Debt, and Policies Shaping the Future".Baker Institute for Public Policy.September 23, 2025.https://www.bakerinstitute.org/event/shell-distinguished-lecture-series-jack-lew-us-budget-debt-and-policies-shaping-future.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ "Jack Lew Fast Facts".CNN.August 14, 2025.https://www.cnn.com/us/jacob-jack-lew-fast-facts.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ "Jack Lew: The Man Who Could Save Obama's Legacy".National Journal.http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/jack-lew-the-man-who-could-save-obama-s-legacy-20121101.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ "Obama Appoints Former Carleton Student as Secretary of Treasury".Carleton College.https://www.carleton.edu/news/stories/obama-appoints-former-carleton-student-as-secretary-of-treasury/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Jack Lew Named Obama Chief of Staff".Georgetown University.http://www.georgetown.edu/news/jack-lew-obama-chief-of-staff.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Solving America's Fiscal Challenges with Jack Lew and Steve Mnuchin".Institute of Politics and Public Service, Georgetown University.October 15, 2025.https://politics.georgetown.edu/2025/10/15/solving-americas-fiscal-challenges-with-jack-lew-and-steve-mnuchin/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Jack Lew: The Man Who Could Save Obama's Legacy".National Journal.http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/jack-lew-the-man-who-could-save-obama-s-legacy-20121101.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "OMB Organization: Jacob Lew".National Archives and Records Administration.http://clinton3.nara.gov/omb/organization/lew.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Jack Lew Nominated to Be OMB Director".National Archives and Records Administration.April 14, 1998.http://clinton6.nara.gov/1998/04/1998-04-14-jack-lew-nominated-to-be-omb-director.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Remarks by the President and OMB Director Designate Jack Lew".National Archives and Records Administration.http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/html/19980415-12692.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Jack Lew: The Man Who Could Save Obama's Legacy".National Journal.http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/jack-lew-the-man-who-could-save-obama-s-legacy-20121101.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Jack Lew Oversaw $113 Cayman Island Investment Funds".The Weekly Standard.http://m.weeklystandard.com/blogs/jack-lew-oversaw-113-cayman-island-investment-funds_701211.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Matt Taibbi, Bill Black: Obama's New Treasury Secretary a Failure of Epic Proportions".AlterNet.http://www.alternet.org/economy/matt-taibbi-bill-black-obamas-new-treasury-secretary-failure-epic-proportions?page=0,1.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Jack Lew's Union-Busting Past".Salon.http://www.salon.com/2013/01/09/jack_lews_union_busting_past/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "National Security Team Additions".Time/RealClearPolitics.http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2008/12/23/natl-security-team-additions/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Obama National Security Team Takes Shape".National Journal.http://lostintransition.nationaljournal.com/2008/12/obama-national-security-team-takes-shape.php.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Nomination Hearing on Jacob J. Lew".U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/minority-media/thompson-schedules-nomination-hearing-on-jacob-j-lew.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "Obama Nominee Jacob Lew for OMB".The Huffington Post.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/21/obama-nominee-jacob-lew-f_n_732594.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "The 2012 Budget".The Huffington Post.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacob-lew/the-2012-budget_b_823041.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "Obama's OMB Channels Its Inner Tea Party".New Economic Perspectives.http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2012/12/obamas-omb-channels-its-inner-tea-party.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Director Jack Lew Blogs About CYNY".City Year New York.http://cityyearnewyork.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/director-jack-lew-blogs-about-cyny/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "Jack Lew Named Obama Chief of Staff".Georgetown University.http://www.georgetown.edu/news/jack-lew-obama-chief-of-staff.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Jack Lew: The Man Who Could Save Obama's Legacy".National Journal.http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/jack-lew-the-man-who-could-save-obama-s-legacy-20121101.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 "Jack Lew: The Man Who Could Save Obama's Legacy".National Journal.http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/jack-lew-the-man-who-could-save-obama-s-legacy-20121101.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Obama Appoints Former Carleton Student as Secretary of Treasury".Carleton College.https://www.carleton.edu/news/stories/obama-appoints-former-carleton-student-as-secretary-of-treasury/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  26. ↑ "Jack Lew Fast Facts".CNN.August 14, 2025.https://www.cnn.com/us/jacob-jack-lew-fast-facts.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  27. ↑ "Jack Lew Oversaw $113 Cayman Island Investment Funds".The Weekly Standard.http://m.weeklystandard.com/blogs/jack-lew-oversaw-113-cayman-island-investment-funds_701211.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  28. ↑ "Shell Distinguished Lecture Series: Jack Lew on the US Budget, Debt, and Policies Shaping the Future".Baker Institute for Public Policy.September 23, 2025.https://www.bakerinstitute.org/event/shell-distinguished-lecture-series-jack-lew-us-budget-debt-and-policies-shaping-future.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  29. ↑ "US envoys blocked early warning of Gaza 'Apocalyptic Wasteland'".Reuters.January 30, 2026.https://www.reuters.com/world/early-warning-apocalyptic-wasteland-gaza-blocked-by-us-envoys-israel-2026-01-30/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  30. ↑ "CAIR Calls Biden Officials Jack Lew, Stephanie Hallett 'War Criminals' for Concealing Reports of Gaza Genocide".Council on American-Islamic Relations.https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-biden-officials-jack-lew-stephanie-hallett-war-criminals-for-concealing-reports-of-gaza-genocide/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  31. ↑ "Shell Distinguished Lecture Series: Jack Lew on the US Budget, Debt, and Policies Shaping the Future".Baker Institute for Public Policy.September 23, 2025.https://www.bakerinstitute.org/event/shell-distinguished-lecture-series-jack-lew-us-budget-debt-and-policies-shaping-future.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  32. ↑ "Solving America's Fiscal Challenges with Jack Lew and Steve Mnuchin".Institute of Politics and Public Service, Georgetown University.October 15, 2025.https://politics.georgetown.edu/2025/10/15/solving-americas-fiscal-challenges-with-jack-lew-and-steve-mnuchin/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  33. ↑ "The war devastated Gaza, destroying entire communities. What will it take to rebuild".NPR.October 13, 2025.https://www.npr.org/2025/10/13/nx-s1-5570828/the-war-devastated-gaza-destroying-entire-communities-what-will-it-take-to-rebuild.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  34. ↑ "Watch Fmr. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Fed Independence".Bloomberg.com.January 15, 2026.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2026-01-15/fmr-treasury-secretary-jack-lew-on-fed-independence-video.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  35. ↑ "Jack Lew Fast Facts".CNN.August 14, 2025.https://www.cnn.com/us/jacob-jack-lew-fast-facts.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  36. ↑ "YU Hanukkah Dinner and Convocation".Yeshiva University.http://blogs.yu.edu/news/2012/11/26/yu-hanukkah-dinner-and-convocation/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  37. ↑ "Shell Distinguished Lecture Series: Jack Lew on the US Budget, Debt, and Policies Shaping the Future".Baker Institute for Public Policy.September 23, 2025.https://www.bakerinstitute.org/event/shell-distinguished-lecture-series-jack-lew-us-budget-debt-and-policies-shaping-future.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  38. ↑ "US envoys blocked early warning of Gaza 'Apocalyptic Wasteland'".Reuters.January 30, 2026.https://www.reuters.com/world/early-warning-apocalyptic-wasteland-gaza-blocked-by-us-envoys-israel-2026-01-30/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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