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Office of the Chief of Protocol

Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall was sworn in as Chief of Protocol of the United States on August 3, 2009.

Whether rolling out the red carpet for a King visiting the President at the White House, hosting a Prime Minister at the President's guesthouse, traveling overseas with the President, credentialing a new foreign Ambassador, or planning events for the Secretary of State, the duties of the Office of the Chief of Protocol are many and varied.

Led by Ambassador Marshall and Deputy Chiefs of Protocol Lee Satterfield and Dennis Cheng, the office is responsible for activities including the planning, hosting the office is responsible for activities including the planning, hosting, and officiating of ceremonial events for visiting chiefs of state and heads of government, as well as coordinating logistics for the visits; managing Blair House, the President's guesthouse; and overseeing all protocol matters for Presidential or Vice Presidential travel abroad, working alongside the White House.

Click below to read more about the divisional duties of the Office of the Chief of Protocol.

Visits

• Plan and execute detailed programs for Chiefs of State and Heads of Government meeting with the President, Vice President or Secretary of State; coordinate foreign media.
• Arrange arrivals of visiting dignitaries to the United States. 
• Accompany the President on official visits abroad.
• Propose and purchase gifts to give foreign leaders and receive reciprocal gifts on behalf of the President, First Lady, Vice President, Secretary of State and spouses.
• Plan and execute Presidential Delegations abroad.

Ceremonials

• Arrange official entertainment by the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of State in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms. 
• Organize participation of the Diplomatic Corps in special events, Joint Sessions of Congress, inaugurations, funerals and other ceremonies.
• Maintain the Order of Precedence of the United States.

Blair House

• The President’s official guest house for monarchs, presidents and prime ministers while in Washington.
• Four interconnected townhouses; 110 rooms totaling 70,000 square feet; across the street from White House.
• Built in 1824; owned by the Francis Preston Blair family from 1835 to 1943.
• Purchased by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1943 as the President’s Guest House.

Diplomatic Affairs

• Oversee the accreditation of foreign Ambassadors and organize the presentation of their credentials to the President and Secretary of State.
• Act as the President’s personal representative and liaison to foreign Ambassadors in Washington.
• Determine the acceptability of foreign government personnel accredited to the United States.
• Resolve Diplomatic Immunity cases.
• Publish and maintain the Diplomatic List and the list of Foreign Consular Offices in the United States.

Management

• Administer the human resources, financial and information management systems, security and general services of the Office of the Chief of Protocol.
• Provide guidance and support to all divisions of the office.

Gifts Unit

• The Protocol Gift Unit within the Office of the Chief of Protocol serves as the central processing point for all tangible gifts received from foreign sources, by employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal government.
• The unit is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the official record of all gifts presented by the Department of State to officials of foreign governments.