Jack Lew ’78, Former Clinton Budget Chief, Named to Same Post by Obama

If confirmed, the current deputy secretary of state will face a $1.6 trillion deficit.

President obama has nominated Jack Lew ’78 to head the federal Office of Management and Budget. Lew, whose time as budget director during the Clinton administration included three consecutive years with a surplus, now confronts a $1.6 trillion deficit. "If there was a hall of fame for budget directors, then Jack Lew would surely have earned his place," President Obama was quoted as saying in The Caucus, the New York Times political blog. Currently deputy secretary of state for management and resources, Lew has served as the chief operating officer of both New York University and Citi Alternative Investments. If confirmed by the Senate, he will replace Peter R. Orszag, a key figure in the administration's health-reform and economic-stimulus efforts. The Washington Post ran a letter from secretary of state Hillary Clinton to State Department employees on Lew's imminent departure, and NPR and Bloomberg have reported on the story. A video of President Obama's announcement is available from NBC News.

Related topics

You might also like

Bringing Korean Stories to Life

Composer Julia Riew writes the musicals she needed to see.

A New Narrative of Civil Rights

Political philosopher Brandon Terry’s vision of racial progress

Most popular

How MAGA Went Mainstream at Harvard

Trump, TikTok, and the pandemic are reshaping Gen Z politics.

Free Speech, the Bomb—and Donald Trump

A Harvard cardiologist on the unlikely alliances that shaped a global movement to prevent nuclear war

Explore More From Current Issue

Vivian W. Rong sitting on bench outdoors.

Highlighting Harvard Magazine’s Fellows

The 2025-2026 Ledecky and Summer Undergraduate Fellows

Brandon Terry, wearing a blue suit, standing before The Embrace, a large bronze sculpture of intertwined arms in Boston Common.

A New Narrative of Civil Rights

Political philosopher Brandon Terry’s vision of racial progress

Student walking under bright stage lights shaped like smartphones displaying social media apps.

Two Years of Doxxing at Harvard

What happens when students are publicly named and shamed for their views?