 On 23 February 2010 following the resignation of Wouter Bos, and with him all the Labour Party members from the Fourth Balkenende cabinet, De Jager became Minister of Finance.He worked on the 2011 budget and on 14 October 2010 De Jager remained as Cabinet Minister in the First Rutte cabinet with Frans Weekers as State secretary.On 26 February 2012 former Minister of Finance Onno Ruding told journalist and television host Eva Jinek he had regular contact with De Jager on specific topics.