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Jack Lew
Jack Lew
Jack Lew
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Jacob Joseph Lew (born August 29, 1955) is an American attorney and diplomat who served as the 28th United States ambassador to Israel from 2023 to 2025. He was the 76th United States secretary of the treasury from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he also served as the 25th White House chief of staff from 2012 to 2013 and as director of the Office of Management and Budget in both the Clinton administration and Obama administration.

Key Information

During the Obama administration, Lew served as the first deputy secretary of state for management and resources from 2009 to 2010, before returning to his former post of OMB Director from 2010 to 2012. He then served as chief of staff for the remainder of President Barack Obama’s first term from 2012 to 2013.

On January 10, 2013, Lew was nominated to replace retiring Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner,[1] was confirmed by the Senate February 27, 2013, and then sworn in on the following day, serving until the conclusion of the Obama administration. Since 2017, he has been a managing partner at Lindsay Goldberg,[2] a private equity firm headquartered in New York City. He is currently a visiting professor at the School of International and Public Affairs of Columbia University.[3]

Early life, education, and early career

[edit]

Lew was born in New York City, the son of Ruth (née Turoff) and Irving Lew.[4][5] His family is Jewish.[6] He attended New York City public schools, graduating from Forest Hills High School.[7] His father was a lawyer and rare book dealer who came to the United States from Poland as a child.[8] Lew attended Carleton College in Minnesota for a year, where his faculty adviser was Paul Wellstone, who eventually represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate.[9] He graduated from Harvard College in 1978 and the Georgetown University Law Center in 1983.[10]

He worked as an aide to Rep. Joe Moakley (D-Mass.) from 1974 to 1975.[11] In 1979, he was a senior policy adviser to House Speaker Tip O'Neill.[12] Under O'Neill he served at the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee as Assistant Director and then Executive Director, and was responsible for work on domestic and economic issues including Social Security, Medicare, budget, tax, trade, appropriations, and energy issues.[13]

Lew practiced as an attorney for five years as a partner at Van Ness Feldman and Curtis.[14] His practice dealt primarily with electric power generation. He has also worked as Executive Director of the Center for Middle East Research, Issues Director for the Democratic National Committee's Campaign 88, and Deputy Director of the Office of Program Analysis in the city of Boston's Office of Management and Budget.[15][16]

Clinton administration

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From February 1993 to 1994, Lew served as Special Assistant to the President under Bill Clinton.[17] Lew was responsible for policy development and the drafting of the national service initiative (AmeriCorps) and health care reform legislation.[18]

Lew left the White House in October 1994 to work as OMB's Executive Associate Director and Associate Director for Legislative Affairs.[19] From August 1995 until July 1998, Lew served as Deputy Director of OMB.[20] There, Lew was chief operating officer responsible for day-to-day management of a staff of 500. He had crosscutting responsibilities to coordinate Clinton administration efforts on budget and appropriations matters. He frequently served as a member of the Administration negotiating team, including regarding the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

President Clinton nominated Lew to be director of the OMB,[21] and his nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 31, 1998.[22] He served in that capacity until the end of the Clinton administration in January 2001. As OMB director, Lew had the lead responsibility for the Clinton Administration's policies on budget, management, and appropriations issues. As a member of the Cabinet and senior member of the economic team, he advised the president on a broad range of domestic and international policies. He represented the Administration in budget negotiations with Congress and served as a member of the National Security Council.

Between Clinton and Obama tenures

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After leaving public office in the Clinton administration, Lew served as the executive vice president for operations at New York University and was a clinical professor of public administration at NYU's Wagner School of Public Service.[23] While at NYU, Lew aided the university in ending graduate students' collective bargaining rights. The Obama administration has maintained that Lew supports workers' union rights.[24] According to a 2004 report in NYU's student newspaper, the Washington Square News, Lew was paid $840,339 during the 2002–2003 academic year.[25] In addition, the university forgave several hundred thousand dollars in mortgage loans it made to Lew.[26] In 2004, President George W. Bush appointed Lew as a member of the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a position he held until 2008.[27]

In June 2006, Lew was named chief operating officer of Citigroup's Alternative Investments unit, a proprietary trading group. The unit he oversaw invested in a hedge fund "that bet on the housing market to collapse."[28] During his work at Citigroup, Lew had invested heavily in funds in Ugland House while he worked as an investment banker at Citigroup during the 2008 financial crisis.[29] Lew also had oversight of Citigroup subsidiaries in countries including, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and Hong Kong; and during his time at Citigroup, Citigroup subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands increased to 113.[30][31]

Lew co-chaired the Advisory Board for City Year New York.[32] He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Brookings Institution Hamilton Project Advisory Board, and the National Academy of Social Insurance.[33] Lew is also a member of the bar in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.[34]

Obama administration

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Deputy Secretary of State

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Lew with former Chair of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen at the Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad, July 27, 2010.

As Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Lew was the State Department's chief operating officer and was primarily responsible for resource issues, while James Steinberg, who also served as Deputy Secretary of State during that period was responsible for policy.[35][36] Lew was co-leader of the State Department's Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review.[37]

Budget director

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Lew with President Barack Obama on July 13, 2010

On July 13, 2010, the White House announced that Lew had been chosen to replace Peter Orszag as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), subject to Senate confirmation.[38] During confirmation hearings in the Senate, in response to questioning by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lew said that he did not believe deregulation was a "proximate cause" of the 2008 financial crisis: Lew told the panel that "the problems in the financial industry preceded deregulation," and after discussing those issues, added that he didn't "personally know the extent to which deregulation drove it, but I don't believe that deregulation was the proximate cause."[39][40]

On November 18, 2010, Lew was confirmed by the Senate by unanimous consent.

The $3.7 trillion 2011 budget President Obama unveiled the administration estimated reductions to federal spending deficits by $1.1 trillion over the next decade if adopted and economic assumptions were fully achieved. Two-thirds of that estimated reduction would come from spending cuts through a five-year freeze in discretionary spending first announced in Obama's 2011 State of the Union address, as well as savings to mandatory programs such as Medicare and lower interest payments on the debt that would result from the lower spending. Tax increases are responsible for the other third of the reduction, including a cap on itemized reductions for wealthier taxpayers and the elimination of tax breaks for oil and gas companies.[41] Economist and former financial fraud investigator William K. Black warned that the OMB budget statement prepared under Lew's direction was "an ode to austerity," and that austerity would force the U.S. economy back into recession.[42]

Lew meeting with President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and the Legislative Affairs Director Rob Nabors, April 5, 2011

In an op-ed in the Huffington Post, Lew cited top Administration priorities to achieve deficit reduction; including: $400 billion in savings from non-security discretionary spending freezes, $78 billion in cuts to the Department of Defense, returning to the Clinton-era tax rates for the top 2% of income earners, and lowering the corporate tax from 35% to 25%.[43]

Chief of Staff

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On January 9, 2012, President Obama announced that Lew would replace William M. Daley as White House Chief of Staff.[44] Lew's nomination was followed with criticism[45][46][47][48] after renewed reports that he received over $900,000 in bonuses while working at Citigroup, which had been rescued with $45 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) after losing $27.7 billion, or 90% of its value.[49][50]

During his tenure as chief of staff, Lew was seen as a supporter and top negotiator for a "grand bargain" deal between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, to avoid "fiscal cliff" sequester cuts and tax increases.[13]

Secretary of the Treasury

[edit]
Lew's signature
Lew's currency signature
Lew is sworn as Secretary of the Treasury by Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House, February 28, 2013.

On January 10, 2013, President Obama nominated Lew for the position of Secretary of the Treasury.[1] The nomination became the subject of some humorous commentary, due to Lew's unusual loopy signature, which would have appeared on all newly issued U.S. paper currency for the duration of his tenure;[51] the signature generated enough media attention that Obama joked at a press conference that he had considered rescinding his nomination when he learned of it.[52] Lew later adopted a more conventional signature for currency.[53] The Senate Finance Committee held confirmation hearings for Lew on February 13, 2013.[54] During his confirmation hearings before the United States Senate Committee on Finance, Republican senator Chuck Grassley expressed concern that Lew did not know what Ugland House was, though he had invested in it.[55] Lew had invested heavily in funds in Ugland House, while he worked as an investment banker at Citigroup during the 2008 financial crisis.[56] Lew had taken advantage of current tax law, and his financial allocation in the venture resulted in Lew taking roughly a 2.8% loss, a $1,582 decrease in his investment principal.[57] The committee approved his nomination by a 19–5 vote on February 26, 2013, sending his nomination to the full Senate.[58]

Lew and Foreign Minister John Kerry with Chinese President Xi Jinping, June 5, 2016

On February 27, 2013, the full Senate voted and approved Lew for Secretary of the Treasury by a 71–26 vote.[59] He was sworn into office on February 28, 2013.[60]

In December 2013, Lew said that the government might run out of cash to pay the country's bills by late February or early March 2014. That set up yet another showdown in Congress over raising or suspending the debt limit, a statutory limit on the total amount of United States borrowing, early in the year. "The creditworthiness of the United States is an essential underpinning of our strength as a nation; it is not a bargaining chip to be used for partisan political ends," Mr. Lew said in the letter. "Increasing the debt limit does not authorize new spending commitments. It simply allows the government to pay for expenditures Congress has already approved."[61]

In May 2014, Lew received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Georgetown University, and spoke at the first commencement ceremony of the McCourt School of Public Policy.[62]

In 2016, a fictionalized version of Lew appeared in season 2 episode 2 and episode 11 in the series Mr. Robot.[63][64]

Biden administration

[edit]

Ambassador to Israel

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Jack Lew and Israeli president Isaac Herzog at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on July 3, 2024

On September 5, 2023, President Biden nominated Lew as the U.S. ambassador to Israel. A hearing on his nomination took place before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on October 18, 2023. Lew's confirmation coincided with Congress responding to the October 7 attacks and the ensuing war in Gaza. Although Biden had nominated Lew before the war began, the urgency surrounding his confirmation heightened as hostilities between Israel and Gaza intensified. While Republicans recognized the necessity of a Senate-confirmed ambassador, they opposed Lew, expressing concerns about his role in the multinational nuclear pact with Iran during the Obama years. They argued that this made him an unreliable interlocutor with Israel and questioned him about the deal during his confirmation hearing.[65][66]

On October 25, 2023, the committee advanced his nomination by a 12–9 vote, with Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, joining all of the Democrats to advance his nomination to the full Senate.[67] On October 31, 2023, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 53–44 vote.[68] Later that day, Lew's nomination was confirmed by a 53–43 vote, with Republican senators Rand Paul and Lindsey Graham voting to confirm his nomination.[69][70] Lew presented his credentials to President Isaac Herzog on November 5, 2023.[71]

Lew, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on August 19, 2024

In January 2024, Lew advocated the US State Department to approve Boeing manufactured GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb sales to Israel, asserting that the Israeli air force would minimize civilian death. GBU-39 bombs were later identified in attacks on dense civilian areas, including the Tel al-Sultan attack, Al-Sardi school attack, and Al-Tabaeen school attack. Embassy officials in both Jerusalem and Washington say that concerns about civilian death tolls, including the targeting of Palestinian embassy employees and their families, were brought to Lew repeatedly. Such concerns were not found in Lew's diplomatic cables.[72]

Controversies

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On August 26, 2025, in an interview with The New Yorker staff writer Isaac Chotiner, Lew justified Israel's killing of children during the ongoing Gaza war, saying that "in many cases, the children were children of Hamas fighters, not children taking cover in places" and therefore "whether or not it was a legitimate military target flows from the population that’s there". "Killing and Maiming children" is one of the six grave violations identified and condemned by the United Nations Security Council.[73][74]

Personal life

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Lew married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Schwartz.[75] As Chief of Staff, Lew commuted to Washington from the couple's home in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City.[75][76] They have two grown children,[75] one of whom is Shoshana Lew, head of the Colorado Department of Transportation.[77]

Lew is an Orthodox Jew who observes the Jewish Shabbat[78][79] and has attended Beth Sholom Congregation in Potomac, Maryland; TheSHUL of the Nation's Capital[80] and Kesher Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C.;[81] and the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in the Bronx, New York.[82] Interviewed in a 2010 article, Lew's former boss on the National Security Council, Sandy Berger, commented that "Lew's faith never got in the way of performing his duties."[78] A 2011 press release from the Religion News Service noted that Lew also "has extensive connections in the American Jewish community," and that he might be able to help President Obama "build a more friendly rapport" with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[83]

In 1971, at the age of 16, Lew helped organize The New York March Against Hunger. In 2018, Lew was honored by Queens Community House for his lifelong contributions to social equality.[84]

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Jack Lew

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Jacob Joseph "Jack" Lew (born August 29, 1955) is an American attorney and government official with extensive experience in and . He earned an A.B. from in 1978 and a J.D. from in 1983. Lew's career spans multiple administrations, where he focused on budgeting, management, and implementation. Lew served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under President Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2001, contributing to efforts that achieved federal budget surpluses during that period. In the Obama administration, he held roles including Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources from 2009 to 2010, OMB Director again from 2010 to 2013, White House Chief of Staff from 2012 to 2013, and culminated as the 76th U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 2013 to 2017, overseeing responses to economic challenges like the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act and international financial diplomacy. More recently, he was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Israel in October 2023, presenting credentials in November 2023 and serving until January 2025 amid heightened U.S.-Israel security cooperation following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. Throughout his tenure in key fiscal roles, Lew emphasized balanced approaches to deficit reduction and , drawing from his early work as a policy advisor to House Speaker and subsequent experience at and , where he managed investment funds. His appointments reflect a career defined by technocratic expertise in government operations rather than electoral politics, though his ties, particularly at during the aftermath, drew scrutiny from critics questioning potential conflicts in regulatory oversight. An Orthodox Jew, Lew's background informed his diplomatic posting to , where he advocated for sustained U.S. support amid regional conflicts. Post-government, he has returned to academia as a professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Upbringing

Jacob Joseph Lew was born on August 29, 1955, in to Irving Lew, a and rare book dealer whose family had immigrated from , and Ruth Turoff Lew. Irving Lew's father, Jack's paternal grandfather, arrived in New York around 1916–1919 from Poland and worked as a woolen goods dealer before Irving pursued law and rare books. Lew grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in the Forest Hills neighborhood of , residing in a brick apartment building on Yellowstone Boulevard. The family observed Jewish traditions closer to during his childhood, with Lew attending public schools, including Forest Hills High School, where he was known for his academic focus amid a typical suburban Queens environment. By 1960, the family had relocated within the area, maintaining roots in the Jewish community. Lew's upbringing emphasized education and values, influenced by his father's professional path from immigrant origins to established trades, though specific childhood anecdotes remain limited in public records. His later personal shift toward reflects an evolution beyond his family's initial Conservative-leaning practices, but his early years were marked by standard middle-class stability in post-World War II .

Academic Achievements and Influences

Lew earned an A.B. degree from in 1978, graduating magna cum laude. He initially attended in before transferring to Harvard. During his undergraduate years, Lew demonstrated early interest in by serving as a legislative aide to U.S. Representative (D-MA) from 1974 to 1975, an experience that foreshadowed his career trajectory. He subsequently obtained a J.D. from in 1983. In recognition of his public service contributions, Georgetown awarded Lew an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in May 2014. Specific academic influences on Lew are not extensively documented in , though his Orthodox Jewish upbringing in and involvement in at Harvard likely shaped his focus on and policy. His early congressional aide role under Moakley, who emphasized bipartisan , exerted a notable influence on Lew's approach to , as later reflected in confirmation hearings praising shared work ethic and policy orientation.

Early Career

Entry into Public Service

Lew entered federal in 1973 as a legislative aide in , while an undergraduate at . From February 1974 to August 1975, he served as a to U.S. Representative (D-MA), handling policy matters during his early college years. Following his graduation from Harvard with an A.B. degree magna cum laude in 1978, Lew returned to in 1979 as a senior policy advisor to House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr. (D-MA). He advanced to and then of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, where he advised on key domestic and economic issues, including Medicare expansion, federal budgeting, taxation, trade, appropriations, and energy policy. In this capacity through 1987, Lew acted as O'Neill's primary liaison to the National Commission on Social Security Reform, chaired by , playing a central role in negotiating the 1983 bipartisan amendments that addressed the program's long-term solvency by adjusting benefits, taxes, and retirement age. These early congressional roles established Lew's expertise in and legislative strategy within Democratic leadership circles.

New York City and Congressional Roles

Lew entered federal public service in 1973 at age 18, serving as a legislative aide in the U.S. House of Representatives. From 1979 to 1987, he advanced to the role of principal domestic policy advisor to House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr. (D-MA), where he contributed to negotiations on fiscal policy, social welfare programs, and bipartisan budget agreements amid rising federal deficits in the early 1980s. In this capacity, Lew helped shape Democratic responses to President Ronald Reagan's economic agenda, emphasizing investments in education, healthcare, and poverty reduction while advocating for revenue measures to address the national debt, which exceeded $2 trillion by 1987. His congressional experience under O'Neill positioned Lew as a key figure in Democratic policy circles, focusing on pragmatic approaches to entitlement reforms and rather than ideological confrontations. This period honed his reputation for detail-oriented budget work, which later informed his executive branch roles.

Clinton Administration Service

Office of Management and Budget Directorship

Jacob Lew served as Director of the (OMB) from May 1998 to January 2001 during the second term of President . He was nominated to succeed following Raines' appointment as Secretary, with the transition announced on April 14, 1998. In this Cabinet-level role, Lew led the OMB's budget team, coordinated federal agency operations, and advised on as a member of the . Under Lew's leadership, the OMB prepared annual budgets that contributed to unified federal surpluses for fiscal years 1998 through 2001—the first consecutive surpluses since the late 1960s and the only such period in over three decades. The FY 1998 budget achieved a $69 billion surplus, following projections of $39 billion in May 1998, driven by robust economic growth, restrained discretionary spending, and revenues from the 1993 tax increases and 1997 Balanced Budget Act. Lew, who had participated in bipartisan negotiations for the 1997 Act as OMB Deputy Director, emphasized fiscal discipline in congressional testimonies, projecting continued surpluses for debt reduction and program investments while cautioning against over-optimism amid economic uncertainties. Lew's tenure focused on performance-based budgeting and government efficiency, including mid-session reviews that adjusted projections upward due to higher-than-expected revenues. By FY 2000, the on-budget surplus (excluding Social Security) exceeded expectations, enabling proposals for Medicare solvency and education funding without new deficits. These outcomes reflected a combination of the late-1990s economic expansion—with GDP growth averaging over 4% annually—and congressional agreements on spending caps, though critics later attributed much of the surplus to the dot-com boom's temporary revenue spike rather than structural reforms alone. Upon departing OMB in January 2001, Lew transferred management of a projected $236 billion unified surplus to the incoming administration.

Inter-Administration Period

Private Sector at Citigroup

In 2006, Lew joined as of its global division, a role recommended by former Treasury Secretary . In this capacity, he oversaw operations for a unit managing client assets through investment advisory and brokerage services. In January 2008, Lew transitioned to of 's Alternative Investments unit, a arm with approximately $54 billion in assets, including hedge funds, , and structured investment vehicles exposed to mortgage-backed securities and other . Lew's tenure at Citigroup coincided with the , during which the bank incurred massive losses from subprime mortgage exposures and required multiple government interventions. Citigroup received $45 billion in (TARP) funds in November 2008, along with guarantees on $26 billion in assets and additional support, totaling over $300 billion in assistance by early 2009. The Alternative Investments unit under his oversight held positions in high-risk assets that contributed to Citigroup's broader losses exceeding $27 billion in 2008. Lew departed Citigroup in January 2009 to join the Obama administration as Deputy for Management and Resources, receiving a deferred bonus of $940,000 tied to 2008 performance, paid amid the bank's dependency. During Senate confirmation hearings for Treasury Secretary in 2013, Lew's roles drew scrutiny for potential conflicts, including his investment of $50,000–$100,000 in a -managed fund domiciled in the , which yielded a net loss of about $1,582 after taxes. Lew maintained that the investment complied with U.S. tax laws and was a standard employee option, not a vehicle. Critics, including Republican senators, questioned the alignment of his compensation with , given 's reliance on taxpayer funds.

Academic and Nonprofit Positions

From 2001 to 2006, Lew served as executive vice president and at (NYU), where he managed the institution's budget, finance, and operational functions amid efforts to expand its global presence and address fiscal challenges. During this period, he contributed to NYU's investment strategies and administrative restructuring, though his tenure drew scrutiny for decisions involving severance payments upon departure, including a $685,000 payout to himself in 2006 when transitioning to . Lew also engaged in academic teaching at NYU, reflecting his prior experience in public policy education, and expressed a personal commitment to mentoring students on government operations and fiscal policy. His instructional role complemented administrative duties, focusing on practical applications of public administration rather than full-time scholarly research. In parallel, Lew held nonprofit board positions, including service on the Corporation for National and Community Service from 2004 to 2008, where he chaired the Management, Operations, and Oversight Committee, influencing program efficiency for initiatives like AmeriCorps. He additionally served on the board of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonprofit advocacy group emphasizing progressive fiscal analysis, contributing to discussions on federal budgeting and poverty reduction policies. These roles bridged his public sector background with civil society efforts, prioritizing operational oversight over ideological advocacy.

Obama Administration Roles

Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources

Jacob J. Lew was confirmed by the U.S. as the inaugural Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources on January 28, 2009, and sworn in the following day. He served in the position until November 19, 2010, under , overseeing the department's operational and fiscal infrastructure amid expanded diplomatic commitments in and elsewhere. Lew's responsibilities encompassed budget formulation and execution—totaling approximately $50 billion annually by —human resources for over 60,000 personnel, systems, , and facilities management to align resources with priorities. In December 2009, he testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on resource allocation for the Obama administration's surge strategy, emphasizing ground-level implementation of civilian assistance alongside military efforts, which required reallocating $2.8 billion in supplemental funding for stabilization and development. A signature initiative under Lew was chairing the first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), launched in July and released on November 3, 2010, which advocated "leading through civilian power" by integrating State Department with USAID development efforts, proposing reforms like a civilian surge capacity of 2,000 additional personnel and enhanced crisis response mechanisms. The QDDR aimed to institutionalize metrics for diplomatic effectiveness, though implementation faced congressional scrutiny over costs and overlap with defense functions. Lew's management of the department's "complex and challenging budget" during this period was cited by the as a factor in his subsequent nomination to head the Office of Management and Budget.

Second OMB Directorship and Budget Policies

Jacob Lew was nominated by President to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on July 13, 2010, and confirmed by the on November 18, 2010, assuming the role amid ongoing economic recovery from the and escalating federal deficits exceeding $1 trillion annually. Lew's second stint at OMB, following his 1998–2001 tenure under President Clinton, focused on crafting budgets that balanced deficit reduction with targeted investments, though these proposals frequently faced congressional resistance, particularly from Republicans advocating deeper spending cuts without revenue increases. His policies emphasized restraint while preserving growth in mandatory programs like Social Security and Medicare, contributing to a decline in annual deficits from $1.4 trillion in fiscal year (FY) 2011 to $483 billion in FY 2014, though critics attributed much of this to cyclical economic improvement rather than structural reforms. Lew played a central role in the 2011 debt ceiling negotiations, helping broker the Budget Control Act (BCA) signed into law on August 2, , which raised the by $2.1 trillion in exchange for $917 billion in immediate caps over 10 years and a subsequent $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts (sequestration) triggered by the failure of a congressional supercommittee to identify further savings. The BCA imposed biennial caps on defense and non-defense starting in FY2012, effectively freezing non-security discretionary outlays at FY2010 levels initially, with adjustments for and ; Lew defended these as necessary to avert default and instill fiscal discipline, though sequestration's across-the-board mechanism later drew bipartisan criticism for its indiscriminate impact on programs. Under Lew's oversight, OMB implemented the BCA's caps, which reduced projected deficits by an estimated $2.1 trillion over the decade, but real discretionary spending growth was limited to about 1% annually in nominal terms through FY2014, far below pre-BCA trends. The FY2012 budget proposal, released February 14, , under Lew's direction, called for a five-year freeze on non-security —capping it at $398 billion—and included $400 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years through efficiencies like terminating underperforming programs and reforming . It projected a deficit of $1.1 trillion for FY2012, down from prior years, by combining spending savings with revenue measures such as limiting itemized deductions for high-income households, though enacted a compromise that adhered loosely to the freeze while averting a shutdown. For FY2013, Lew's budget sought $4 trillion in total deficit reduction over a decade, including $1.5 trillion in new revenues from tax code reforms closing loopholes for the wealthy and corporations, paired with $580 billion in savings and other cuts, but emphasized protecting investments in and infrastructure; the proposal faced rejection, leading to reliance on BCA caps and the onset of sequestration in March 2013, which trimmed $85 billion that year alone. Lew's FY2014 budget, submitted in April 2013, proposed replacing sequestration with a balanced approach yielding $1.8 in deficit reduction, featuring $400 billion in entitlement reforms (e.g., adjusting Medicare provider payments) and $580 billion in new revenues, while boosting investments in research and job training; it aimed to stabilize the at 70% by 2017 but assumed rates of 3.6% annually post-2014, which proved overly optimistic as actual growth averaged under 2.5%. Overall, Lew's budgets prioritized "investments" in over broad , with non-defense discretionary funding rising modestly despite caps, from $658 billion in FY2011 to $546 billion in FY2014 (post-sequestration), while defense outlays fell from $690 billion to $607 billion. Critics from fiscal conservative outlets argued these policies perpetuated entitlement growth—mandatory spending increased 30% during Obama's first term—failing to address long-term drivers like demographics, whereas Lew contended in congressional that revenue enhancements were essential for sustainability without gutting core services.

White House Chief of Staff

Jacob Lew was appointed by President on January 9, 2012, succeeding Bill Daley, and served in the position until his nomination for Secretary of the Treasury on January 10, 2013. In this role, Lew managed the daily operations of the Executive Office of the President, coordinated policy implementation across federal agencies, and acted as a key advisor to Obama on domestic and fiscal matters. During his tenure, Lew played a central role in White House efforts to negotiate with congressional Republicans amid ongoing budget disputes, including preparations for addressing the impending fiscal cliff set to occur at the end of 2012, which involved the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts and automatic spending reductions under the Budget Control Act of 2011. He was described as a principal negotiator in attempts to achieve a "grand bargain" on deficit reduction, building on his prior experience as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Lew's approach emphasized pragmatic deal-making, earning him a reputation among some Republicans as a tough but credible counterpart, though others viewed his negotiating style as overly partisan and aligned with Obama's resistance to significant entitlement reforms. Lew's time as coincided with the implementation of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which averted the fiscal cliff through a compromise extending tax cuts for most Americans while raising rates on high earners and delaying spending cuts. Critics, particularly from conservative outlets, argued that Lew defended policies that prioritized spending increases and entitlement protections over structural fiscal reforms, contributing to projections of sustained federal deficits exceeding $1 trillion annually during the period. His Orthodox Jewish observance, including avoidance of work on the , was noted as influencing scheduling but did not publicly disrupt operations. Lew's brief stint ended with his successful transition to , where his experience informed his subsequent focus on coordination.

Treasury Secretary Tenure

Jacob Lew was confirmed by the as the 76th Secretary of the Treasury on February 27, 2013, in a 71-26 vote, succeeding , and sworn in the following day by Justice . In this role, Lew served as the principal economic advisor to President on domestic and international financial, economic, and tax matters, overseeing Treasury operations through the remainder of Obama's second term until January 20, 2017. Lew's tenure focused on managing fiscal challenges amid ongoing economic recovery from the 2008 financial crisis, including repeated debt ceiling crises. In September 2013, he informed House Speaker John Boehner that extraordinary measures to avoid default would be exhausted no later than October 17, urging Congress to raise the limit without conditions to prevent harm to U.S. credit and global markets. He testified before the Senate Finance Committee on October 10, 2013, emphasizing that debt limit debates should not be conflated with spending negotiations, and warned of potential default's severe consequences in an October 3 op-ed. Congress ultimately raised the ceiling in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 and further via the 2014 Tax Increase Prevention Act, averting shutdowns and defaults during his service. On international finance, Lew advanced sanctions policy as a tool of U.S. , highlighting its evolution and effectiveness when coordinated with allies. In a March 30, 2016, speech at the Carnegie Endowment, he defended sanctions against , , and as "smart power," crediting them with extending Iran's nuclear breakout time under the 2015 (JCPOA), while cautioning against overuse that could erode credibility or strain alliances. As lead U.S. negotiator on Iran sanctions relief, Lew facilitated the JCPOA's implementation, which suspended nuclear-related penalties in exchange for verifiable limits on Iran's program, including reduced centrifuges and stockpiles; he argued in an August 2015 op-ed that rejecting the deal would forfeit these gains without alternatives. Domestically, Lew prioritized balanced deficit reduction through revenue increases and spending restraint, signaling continuity with prior policies during his February 2013 confirmation hearing. He oversaw the redesign of U.S. , approving a modified version of his signature—initially criticized for illegibility—in June 2013 for use on new $5 and $100 notes starting that fall, ensuring compliance with security features amid the shift to polymer-based elements. Under his leadership, the Treasury navigated implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act's financial regulations and contributed to efforts on global growth, though the national debt rose from approximately $16.7 trillion to $19.9 trillion during his term, reflecting sustained deficits.

Biden Administration Appointment

Nomination and Senate Confirmation for Ambassador to Israel

President nominated Jacob J. Lew to serve as the Ambassador to on September 5, 2023, selecting the former Treasury Secretary for his extensive experience in senior Obama administration roles and his Orthodox Jewish background, which included personal ties to through religious observance. The nomination came amid heightened U.S.- coordination following the October 7, 2023, attacks, aiming to install a permanent envoy after interim arrangements. Lew's Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing occurred on October 18, 2023, where he affirmed strong support for 's security and defense against threats from , , and , while pledging to advance hostage recovery efforts and in Gaza. Republicans, including Senators and , opposed Lew citing his involvement in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as Treasury Secretary, arguing it provided sanctions relief that empowered 's regional aggression against ; Cotton specifically accused Lew of misleading the Senate on deal-related payments to . Democrats, led by Chairman , defended Lew's qualifications and urged swift confirmation given the ongoing - war. The full confirmed Lew on October 31, 2023, in a 53-43 party-line vote, with all Democrats and independents plus two Republicans— and —voting in favor, overcoming GOP efforts to delay amid the post-October 7 crisis. The confirmation, formalized under PN1062, enabled Lew to assume the role as the U.S. prioritized bolstering alliance ties during escalated hostilities.

Service as U.S. Ambassador to Israel

Jacob Lew presented his credentials to Israeli President on November 5, 2023, formally beginning his service as the 28th U.S. Ambassador to amid the ongoing -Hamas war triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack. His tenure focused on bolstering U.S.- cooperation, including expediting assistance such as munitions transfers, with Lew advocating for additional bomb shipments to citing their "decades-long proven track record" of precision use. Lew played a key role in U.S. efforts to secure the release of hostages held by , participating in negotiations and publicly affirming in September 2024 that the proposed deal remained feasible despite obstacles. He also addressed humanitarian concerns in Gaza, criticizing a December 2024 USAID-backed warning of as "inaccurate" due to flawed population estimates and prompting its , while emphasizing that Israel's policies did not aim to starve civilians. Lew spoke at a May 18, 2024, rally in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square advocating for the return of captives. Throughout his service, Lew coordinated with Israeli officials on talks and delivery, balancing support for Israel's defense against with U.S. pressure for minimizing civilian casualties in Gaza. In farewell remarks in January 2025, he credited coordination between the Biden and incoming Trump administrations for advancing Gaza prospects and warned that the war's domestic political fallout in the U.S. would influence future policymakers. Lew's ambassadorship concluded on January 20, 2025, coinciding with the end of the Biden administration.

Controversies and Criticisms

Involvement in Financial Sector During 2008 Crisis

Prior to entering the Obama administration, Jacob "Jack" Lew served as a managing director at from October 2006, initially in its Alternative Investments unit, which managed hedge funds, , and portfolios involving leveraged investments in credit markets. In January 2008, amid escalating subprime defaults and market turmoil, Lew was promoted to of the same unit, overseeing operations that included high-risk activities such as structured credit products and distressed asset bets—practices that mirrored the speculative strategies contributing to broader sector vulnerabilities. Citigroup, under Lew's tenure in this role, faced severe losses from exposure to mortgage-backed securities and related derivatives, culminating in the bank's near-collapse; by November 2008, it required a $45 billion equity injection from the U.S. Treasury's , plus $306 billion in asset guarantees from the and . Lew's unit specifically profited from some distressed debt opportunities during the downturn, though as a whole reported $27.7 billion in net losses for 2008, reflecting systemic failures in and over-leveraging that predated but intensified under crisis conditions. Despite these institutional setbacks, Lew received approximately $1.5 million in total compensation for 2008, including salary and deferred bonuses tied to unit performance, which drew scrutiny for rewarding executives amid taxpayer-funded rescues. Critics, including Senate Republicans during Lew's 2013 Treasury confirmation hearings, highlighted his role as emblematic of revolving-door dynamics between and government, arguing it exemplified where private gains preceded public s without sufficient accountability for risk-taking. Lew defended his involvement by noting the unit's focus on operational efficiency rather than trading decisions and emphasized that 's core problems stemmed from legacy holdings in traditional banking, not alternative investments; he departed the firm in January 2009 for a State Department position, prior to full bailout implementation. Independent analyses, such as those from financial watchdogs, have attributed 's vulnerability primarily to executive-level underestimation of risks in securitized assets, with operational leaders like Lew implicated indirectly through oversight of leveraged vehicles that amplified losses when credit markets froze.

Fiscal Policies and National Debt Expansion

During his second stint as Director of the Office of Management and Budget from November 2010 to January 2012, Jack Lew oversaw the preparation of 2012 and 2013 , which projected cumulative 10-year deficits of $8.47 and $5.6 in primary deficits, respectively, but were assailed for relying on optimistic revenue growth assumptions exceeding historical norms. The Congressional Budget Office's alternative analysis of the 2012 estimated a higher 10-year deficit of $9.5 , citing discrepancies in baseline economic projections. These proposals, which emphasized tax increases on high earners alongside limited spending restraints, garnered zero votes in the and were lambasted by Republican critics, such as Senator , for perpetuating annual deficits above $1 without structural reforms to entitlements like Medicare and Social Security, key drivers of long-term imbalances. Lew's budgets were further faulted for misrepresenting fiscal trajectories; for instance, the proposal claimed progress toward "not adding to the " within years by focusing on primary balances excluding interest, yet full debt metrics continued rising due to obligations. Actual deficits for fiscal years 2011 ($1.3 trillion) and 2012 ($1.1 trillion) aligned with or exceeded projections amid post-recession spending, contributing to gross federal climbing from $13.6 trillion at fiscal year-end to $16.1 trillion by 2012. As Treasury Secretary from February 2013 to January 2017, Lew managed issuance amid repeated ceiling impasses, urging unconditional hikes—enacted seven times during the Obama administration—while dismissing linkages to spending cuts as "manufactured crises" that risked economic harm. Under his oversight, public outstanding rose from $16.7 trillion in early 2013 to approximately $19.9 trillion by late 2016, an expansion of over $3.2 trillion, fueled by ongoing discretionary outlays, mandatory programs, and interest accrual despite claimed deficit reductions averaging 4.5% of GDP annually. Critics contended this reflected policy failures, including insufficient offsets for initiatives like the Affordable Care Act's costs and stimulus extensions, with the overall Obama-era doubling from $10.6 trillion in 2009; Lew countered that deficits fell faster than post-World War II paces due to recovery and sequestration, though opponents highlighted these as involuntary rather than strategic. Such approaches drew bipartisan scrutiny for prioritizing short-term stability over entitlement and tax base reforms, exacerbating intergenerational burdens; Republican analyses, while partisan, underscored verified discrepancies between Lew's optimistic baselines and CBO baselines, which assumed more plausible growth rates. Lew's advocacy aligned with administration views that debt sustainability hinged on growth rather than , yet empirical data showed payments surpassing defense spending by 2017, signaling rising opportunity costs.

Iran Nuclear Deal and Middle East Policy Stances

As U.S. Treasury Secretary from February 2013 to January 2017, Jacob Lew oversaw the financial aspects of sanctions policy toward , including the design and enforcement of measures aimed at pressuring to negotiate limits on its nuclear program. Lew's department implemented targeted sanctions that froze Iranian assets abroad and restricted access to international financial systems, contributing to Iran's economic isolation prior to the 2015 (JCPOA). Under the JCPOA, signed on July 14, 2015, between and the powers (, , , , , and ), Lew's Treasury facilitated the phased relief of these sanctions in exchange for Iran's commitments to reduce enrichment capacity by 98 percent for 15 years, cap its low-enriched stockpile, and allow enhanced (IAEA) inspections. This relief unlocked an estimated $50–100 billion in previously inaccessible Iranian funds, primarily from oil sales, though Lew maintained that such assets remained Iran's sovereign property and that ongoing non-nuclear sanctions persisted for abuses and support. Lew vocally advocated for the JCPOA as a mechanism to verifiably block Iran's pathways to a nuclear weapon without military action, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 23, 2015, that it would strengthen U.S. national security by enabling snap-back sanctions if violations occurred. In a June 7, 2015, address at the Jerusalem Post Conference, he asserted that Iran had adhered to interim Joint Plan of Action obligations, rejecting reports of uranium stockpile discrepancies and emphasizing the deal's verification regime as superior to pre-existing arrangements. An August 13, 2015, op-ed by Lew warned that congressional rejection of the JCPOA would forfeit a durable diplomatic solution, potentially accelerating Iran's nuclear advances amid diminished multilateral leverage. He argued the agreement's structure—reducing centrifuges from nearly 20,000 to 5,060 operational units and modifying the Arak reactor to prevent plutonium production—provided empirical constraints absent in prior unilateral sanctions, which Iran had evaded through illicit procurement networks. Lew's JCPOA advocacy drew sharp criticism for underestimating Iran's post-deal nuclear hedging and proxy funding; Republican senators, including , later cited it during Lew's 2023 ambassador as evidence of enabling over $100 billion in Iranian liquidity that bolstered , , and other militias without dismantling covert military nuclear research. Empirical data post-JCPOA implementation showed Iran exceeding low-enriched limits by 2019 and achieving 60 percent enrichment by 2021—short of weapons-grade but beyond civilian needs—after U.S. withdrawal in , highlighting the deal's reliance on sustained rather than permanent barriers. Lew countered such critiques in his October 18, 2023, Senate hearing, defending the agreement's initial successes in verified compliance until U.S. exit while labeling a persistent threat to regional stability and prioritizing Israel's security against Tehran's and proxy threats. Beyond the nuclear file, Lew's policy stances emphasized to counter Iranian influence, including actions against Hezbollah financing networks in 2015–2016 that disrupted $500 million in annual laundering via Lebanese banks and real estate. He supported maintaining secondary sanctions on non-Iranian entities dealing with Tehran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, framing these as complementary to JCPOA nuclear guardrails by targeting development and support. Lew's earlier roles, such as executive director of the Center for Middle East Research in the , reflected engagement with Arab-Israeli dynamics, but his Obama-era positions aligned with multilateral engagement over confrontation, including non-veto of UN Security Council Resolution 2334 in December 2016, which condemned Israeli settlements—a move critics attributed to signaling leniency toward Palestinian claims amid Iran deal implementation. In recent statements, Lew has underscored U.S.- strategic alignment against shared Iranian threats, advocating robust defense aid and intelligence sharing without revisiting JCPOA revival amid Tehran's escalations.

Personal Life and Beliefs

Family and Orthodox Jewish Practice

Lew married Ruth Schwartz, his high school sweetheart from Forest Hills High School in , and the couple has two adult children: "Danny" Lew and . has led the chapter of an organization focused on Jewish community engagement. Lew adheres to , maintaining strict observance of throughout his public service career, including prohibitions on work from Friday sunset to Saturday night. As in 2012, President Obama explicitly addressed Lew's commitments during his appointment discussions, allowing accommodations such as delegating urgent tasks to deputies after sundown. Lew has recounted walking home from on while serving as director under President Clinton, ignoring ringing phones to uphold the observance. His Orthodox practice includes active synagogue involvement; Lew has been a member of congregations such as Beth Sholom in . He frequently speaks to Orthodox Jewish audiences, including at events hosted by the , emphasizing the integration of faith with while advising humility in religious expression. Lew speaks Hebrew and maintains family ties in , reflecting deeper cultural and religious connections. As the first Orthodox Jew to serve as U.S. Treasury Secretary, his tenure highlighted the feasibility of high-level roles for observant Jews, provided structural adjustments accommodate religious requirements.

Public Persona and Ethical Positions

Jack Lew is regarded by associates as a calmly charismatic and irreproachable public servant, with a demeanor suited to high-level diplomatic and financial roles. His public image emphasizes dedication to U.S. interests, particularly in and , often presented through measured, optimistic statements reflecting long-term service in Democratic administrations. As an Orthodox Jew, Lew integrates personal observance into his career without imposing it on others, advising younger observant professionals to practice faith openly yet humbly to avoid discomforting colleagues. Lew's ethical positions prioritize national obligations over individual religious convictions, arguing that public servants must subordinate personal beliefs to the broader interests of the country. He has advocated for ethical boundaries in discourse, stating that while vigorous debate on policy principles is essential, it must not cross into hateful speech. Observers close to him, including a former , highlight his and consistent concern for vulnerable populations alongside the powerful, framing this as a core aspect of his approach to governance.

References

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