Thomas Vanderbilt was a Human male who served as United Earth Secretary of Defense in 2155 during the Earth-Romulan War in the government of Prime Minister Nathan Samuels. That year, he advised Prime Minister Samuels to terminate the NX-class project in favor of increased construction of Daedalus-class ships in the United Earth Starfleet. (ENT novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing.)

In 2381, one of the rooms in the Palais de la Concorde was named after him. (ST novel: A Singular Destiny.)

In the Picard Family Album, briefly glimpsed in the TNG movie: Generations, an article was written (but went unseen onscreen) establishing that Vanderbilt was the first President of the United Federation of Planets, elected to the office in 2161 by the other members of the Federation Council upon the signing of the Federation Charter on 11 October. The contents of the Picard Family Album were not visible, and no other source has verified Vanderbilt's term as Federation President. The method of his election contradicts the popular election process seen in the novel A Time for War, A Time for Peace by Keith R.A. DeCandido, and the date of the signing of the Charter contradicts Last Full Measure, which establishes it to have been 12 August 2161.

Preceded by: Unestablished

United Earth Secretary of Defense c. 2155

Succeeded by: Unestablished

Presidents of the United Federation of Planets
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