Vance swears in gay State Department official

Vice President JD Vance, right, swears in Jacob Helberg, left, as under secretary of state on Oct. 17, 2025, as his husband, Keith Rabois, center, looks on. (Photo courtesy of Helberg’s LinkedIn page)

Vice President JD Vance on Oct. 17 swore in Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jacob Helberg.

Helberg stood alongside his husband, Keith Rabois, during the ceremony.

“An unforgettable moment being sworn in by Vice President Vance alongside my husband, Keith Rabois,” wrote Helberg in a LinkedIn post that included two photos of the swearing in ceremony. “VP Vance is a friend and a role model for a generation of patriots who look to the future with excitement and optimism while always putting America First.”

“Grateful to serve under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s historic leadership, as we unleash America’s economic power — fueling growth, energy abundance, and technological leadership for a new American century,” added Helberg.

President Donald Trump before his inauguration announced he would nominate Helberg.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who Trump named as interim executive director of the Kennedy Center in D.C., are among the Trump-Vance administration’s openly gay members. Former State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, who Trump has nominated to become deputy representative at the U.N., describes herself as a “gay woman.”

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