First Look
State Dept deputy secretary takes over as new acting GSA leader
Michael Rigas, the deputy secretary of State for management and resources, is now serving as GSA’s acting administrator.
July 21, 2025 11:33 am
2 min read
A top State Department official who oversaw recent mass layoffs is now taking over as the acting head of the General Services Administration, according to an email sent to staff.
Michael Rigas, the deputy secretary of state for management and resources, is now serving as GSA’s acting administrator, “at the direction” of President Donald Trump.
“Together, we will continue to keep front and center the importance of being good stewards of taxpayers’ dollars,” Rigas told GSA employees Monday in an email obtained by Federal News Network. “This means helping other agencies be as effective and efficient as possible in their acquisition of goods and services, their use of technology, and their use and disposal of real property.”
The previous acting administrator, Stephen Ehikian, will stay on as deputy GSA administrator.
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It’s not immediately clear if Rigas will continue serving as both a senior official at GSA and the State Department.
A State Department spokesperson told Federal News Network that, “As a general practice, we do not comment on internal personnel matters.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held up to four positions in the Trump administration. In addition to leading the State Department, Rubio has served as the acting head of the now-shuttered U.S. Agency for International Development, interim national security advisor and acting leader of the National Archives and Records Administration.
This is Rigas’ third role at GSA. He held several positions during the first Trump administration, including GSA senior advisor, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, acting federal chief information officer and acting deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget.
Rigas was appointed as an associate GSA administrator during the George W. Bush administration, and held served as senior advisor and deputy administrator.
“I know the talent, expertise and dedication of the workforce here at GSA, and I look forward to what we will accomplish together for the President and the American people,” Rigas wrote in his email.
Federal News Network has reached out to GSA for comment.
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This is a developing story and will be updated
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