Jack Lew

Jack Lew
Born	Jacob Joseph Lew 29 8, 1955
Birthplace	New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, diplomat, government official
Known for	76th United States Secretary of the Treasury; 25th White House Chief of Staff; Director of the Office of Management and Budget; 28th United States Ambassador to Israel
Education	Harvard University (BA) Georgetown University (JD)
Spouse(s)	Ruth Schwartz
Children	2

Jacob Joseph "Jack" Lew (born August 29, 1955) is an American attorney, diplomat, and public policy figure who has held some of the most consequential positions in the United States government over a career spanning more than four decades. He served as the 76th United States Secretary of the Treasury from 2013 to 2017 under President Barack Obama, as the 25th White House Chief of Staff from 2012 to 2013, and as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in both the Clinton administration and the Obama administration. From 2023 to 2025, he served as the 28th United States Ambassador to Israel under President Joe Biden, a posting that coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in Israeli-Palestinian relations. A member of the Democratic Party, Lew has been recognized as one of the foremost experts on the federal budget process in Washington and has shaped fiscal policy across multiple administrations. Since leaving government service, he has served as a managing partner at Lindsay Goldberg, a private equity firm in New York City, and as a visiting professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.

Early Life

Jacob Joseph Lew was born on August 29, 1955, in New York City. He grew up in New York and developed an early interest in public policy and government. Lew became engaged in Democratic politics at a young age, and his formative years in New York City exposed him to the complexities of urban governance and public service that would come to define his career.

Lew's early political engagement led him to work on Capitol Hill as a young man, where he gained firsthand experience in the legislative process and federal policymaking. His early career trajectory reflected a consistent orientation toward the intersection of law, public policy, and government service. These experiences would provide the foundation for his later roles in budget management and fiscal policy at the highest levels of the federal government.

Education

Lew attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, before transferring to Harvard University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. His legal education at Georgetown would prove instrumental in his later roles, providing him with the analytical and legal skills necessary for navigating complex fiscal legislation and intergovernmental negotiations. Lew has maintained ties with Georgetown throughout his career; in 2025, he participated in a discussion at Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service alongside former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on the topic of America's fiscal challenges.

Career

Early Government and Policy Work

Lew began his career in government working on domestic policy issues and congressional relations. His expertise in the federal budget process grew through successive positions in Washington, where he gained a reputation as a meticulous and knowledgeable policy operative. His early work in government included roles that brought him into close contact with the legislative and executive branches, giving him a broad understanding of how fiscal policy is formulated and implemented in the United States.

Clinton Administration

Lew's career in senior government service began in earnest during the Clinton administration. He served as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget from August 1995 to July 1998, succeeding John Koskinen in the role. In this capacity, Lew was deeply involved in the budget negotiations that characterized the mid-1990s period of divided government, working to advance the Clinton administration's fiscal priorities.

On April 14, 1998, President Clinton nominated Lew to serve as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, succeeding Franklin Raines. He served in an acting capacity from May 21, 1998, until his formal confirmation on July 31, 1998, and then continued as Director until January 19, 2001. His deputy directors during this period included Joshua Gotbaum (acting) and Sylvia Mathews Burwell.

As OMB Director, Lew presided over one of the most notable periods in modern American fiscal history. The late Clinton era was marked by federal budget surpluses — a rarity in the postwar period — and Lew played a central role in the budget negotiations and fiscal discipline that produced those surpluses. His tenure at OMB during this period established him as one of Washington's preeminent experts on the federal budget and earned him a reputation for mastery of budgetary detail.

Between Administrations

Following the conclusion of the Clinton administration in January 2001, Lew transitioned to the private and academic sectors. He was succeeded as OMB Director by Mitch Daniels under the incoming George W. Bush administration. During this period, Lew worked in various capacities, including in the private sector and at academic institutions, maintaining his engagement with policy issues.

Obama Administration

Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources

When President Barack Obama took office in January 2009, Lew was tapped for a newly created position: the first Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. He was appointed on January 28, 2009, serving under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In this role, Lew was responsible for overseeing the management and resource allocation functions of the State Department, including budgetary planning and administrative operations. He served in this capacity until November 18, 2010, and was succeeded by Thomas R. Nides.

Return to OMB

On November 18, 2010, Lew returned to his familiar post as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, succeeding Jeff Zients who had served in an acting capacity. This made Lew one of the rare figures in American government to serve as OMB Director under two different presidents. His deputy directors during this second tenure included Jeffrey Liebman (acting) and Heather Higginbottom.

During his second stint at OMB, Lew was tasked with navigating an extraordinarily challenging fiscal environment. The aftermath of the Great Recession had produced large federal deficits, and the political landscape was shaped by intense debates over government spending, deficit reduction, and the national debt. Lew was central to the Obama administration's budget proposals and negotiations with Congress during this period. His approach to fiscal policy during this period drew both praise from those who valued his emphasis on deficit reduction and criticism from some commentators who argued that his positions on spending reflected austerity-oriented thinking.

Lew served as OMB Director until January 27, 2012, when he moved to his next role in the administration.

White House Chief of Staff

On January 27, 2012, Lew was appointed as the 25th White House Chief of Staff, succeeding Bill Daley. In this role, Lew served as the principal gatekeeper to the President and was responsible for managing the White House staff, coordinating the administration's policy agenda, and serving as a key adviser to President Obama. His appointment reflected Obama's confidence in Lew's organizational abilities and his deep knowledge of the federal government.

As Chief of Staff, Lew oversaw White House operations during a critical period that included the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election and the continuation of contentious fiscal negotiations with Congress. His tenure was characterized by the same low-key, detail-oriented approach that had defined his earlier government service. National Journal profiled Lew during this period, describing him as a figure who could help shape Obama's legacy through his command of policy and budgetary detail.

Lew served as Chief of Staff until January 20, 2013, when he was succeeded by Denis McDonough.

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. The United States Senate confirmed Lew on February 27, 2013, and he was sworn in the following day, February 28, 2013.

During his confirmation process, Lew faced questions about his tenure in the private sector, including his involvement with investment funds domiciled in the Cayman Islands during his time at Citigroup. His nomination also drew scrutiny from some commentators regarding his record on financial regulation and his approach to labor issues. His nomination hearing was scheduled by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

As Treasury Secretary, Lew served as the principal economic adviser to the President and as the head of the Department of the Treasury, overseeing a vast array of responsibilities including fiscal policy, financial regulation, international economic affairs, and the management of the nation's finances. His deputy secretaries during his tenure included Neal S. Wolin, Mary J. Miller (acting), and Sarah Bloom Raskin.

Lew's tenure at Treasury coincided with several significant economic and fiscal developments, including ongoing debates over the debt ceiling, the implementation of Dodd-Frank financial reforms, and international economic negotiations. His signature, which appeared on U.S. currency, initially drew attention for its looping, illegible style; Lew subsequently adopted a more legible version for use on banknotes.

Lew served as Treasury Secretary for the remainder of the Obama administration, leaving office on January 20, 2017, and was succeeded by Steven Mnuchin.

Private Sector and Academia

Following his departure from the Treasury Department, Lew joined Lindsay Goldberg, a private equity firm headquartered in New York City, as a managing partner. He also became a visiting professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where he has engaged with students and scholars on issues of public policy, fiscal affairs, and international relations.

United States Ambassador to Israel

On November 5, 2023, Lew was sworn in as the 28th United States Ambassador to Israel, appointed by President Joe Biden. He succeeded Thomas R. Nides in the position. Lew's posting to Israel came at a period of extraordinary tension, following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Lew's ambassadorship was marked by the diplomatic complexities arising from the Israel-Gaza conflict. He served as the primary diplomatic representative of the United States to Israel during a period of intense international scrutiny of the conflict and its humanitarian consequences. In October 2025, after leaving the post, Lew discussed the challenges of rebuilding Gaza in an interview with NPR, addressing the devastation wrought by the war and the question of what would be needed for reconstruction.

His tenure drew significant criticism from some quarters. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) accused Lew and other Biden administration officials of concealing reports regarding conditions in Gaza, characterizing them in strongly negative terms. A Reuters investigation reported that U.S. Agency for International Development staffers had drafted early warnings about catastrophic conditions in Gaza in early 2024, but that these warnings were blocked from reaching senior officials by U.S. envoys in Israel.

Lew served as ambassador until January 20, 2025, and was succeeded by Mike Huckabee, appointed by President Donald Trump.

Post-Ambassadorial Activities

After leaving the ambassadorship, Lew returned to public engagement on policy issues. In September 2025, he delivered a Shell Distinguished Lecture at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, addressing the U.S. budget, national debt, and policies shaping the nation's economic future. In October 2025, he participated in a bipartisan discussion on fiscal challenges at Georgetown University alongside former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, hosted by the Institute of Politics and Public Service in partnership with the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

In January 2026, Lew commented publicly on the importance of Federal Reserve independence, stating in a Bloomberg interview that using legal prosecution to pressure the Federal Reserve chair would set a dangerous precedent.

Personal Life

Jack Lew is married to Ruth Schwartz, and the couple has two children. The family resides in New York. Lew is an Orthodox Jew and has been noted for his observance of the Shabbat, which has occasionally been referenced in media coverage of his public service. He has been involved in community activities, including engagement with City Year New York. He has also participated in events at Yeshiva University, including the university's Hanukkah Dinner and Convocation.

Legacy

Jack Lew's career in public service spans more than four decades and encompasses some of the most consequential fiscal and diplomatic positions in the United States government. His dual tenures as Director of the Office of Management and Budget — under two different presidents — are a distinction shared by few in American history and reflect his reputation as a preeminent authority on the federal budget process. His service during the Clinton-era budget surpluses and his management of fiscal policy during the post-recession Obama years placed him at the center of defining debates about the role of government spending, taxation, and deficit management in the American economy.

As Treasury Secretary, Lew steered the department during a period of economic recovery and ongoing regulatory reform following the 2008 financial crisis. His ambassadorship to Israel, while briefer, placed him at the center of one of the most consequential geopolitical crises of the 2020s, and his handling of that role has been the subject of both praise and criticism.

Since leaving government, Lew has continued to contribute to public discourse on fiscal policy, economic governance, and international affairs through academic engagement, public lectures, and media commentary. His career trajectory — from budget analyst to Treasury Secretary to diplomat — reflects a sustained commitment to government service at the intersection of law, economics, and international relations.