Chad Wolf

This article is about the U.S. government official. For the rock musician, see Carolina Liar.

Chad Wolf
Official portrait, 2017
Acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security
De facto, unlawful
In office
November 13, 2019 – January 11, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyKen Cuccinelli (acting)
Preceded byKevin McAleenan (acting)
Succeeded byPete Gaynor (acting)
Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Policy, and Plans
In office
November 13, 2019 – January 20, 2021
Acting: February 8, 2019 – November 13, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byJames D. Nealon (acting)
Succeeded byRobert P. Silvers
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Plans, Analysis, and Risk
In office
February 8, 2019 – November 13, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byBrodi Kotila
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Homeland Security
In office
July 31, 2017 – February 8, 2019
SecretaryKirstjen Nielsen
Preceded byKirstjen Nielsen
Succeeded byMiles Taylor
Personal details
Born
Chad Fredrick Wolf

(1976-06-21) June 21, 1976 (age 48)
Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseHope Wolf
Children2
EducationCollin College
Southern Methodist University (BA)
Villanova University (GrCert)

Chad Fredrick Wolf (born June 21, 1976)[1] is an American former government official and lobbyist who was named the acting United States secretary of homeland security in November 2019. His appointment was ruled unlawful in November 2020.[2] Wolf was also the under secretary of homeland security for strategy, policy, and plans from 2019 to 2021.[3]

A member of the Republican Party,[4] Wolf previously served in several positions in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including as chief of staff of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and chief of staff to DHS secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. From 2005 to 2016, he was a lobbyist, helping clients secure contracts from TSA. Wolf was an architect of the Trump administration family separation policy in 2018,[5] and was prominently involved in the deployment of federal law enforcement forces in Portland and elsewhere beginning in July 2020.

In September 2020, a whistleblower accused him of having ordered staff to stop reporting on threats from Russia.[6][7] In November 2020, District Judge Nicholas Garaufis ruled Wolf's appointment unlawful,[2][8] and overturned a set of Wolf's orders as "not an exercise of legal authority".[9][8][10][2] Wolf resigned his post on January 11, 2021, after a number of similar court rulings.[11]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference DHSinvolvement2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Porter, David (November 14, 2020). "Judge: DHS head didn't have authority to suspend DACA". AP News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  3. ^ Kanno-Youngs, Zolan (January 11, 2021). "Chad Wolf has resigned as acting secretary for the Homeland Security Department". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  4. ^ Lundquist, Paulette (November 5, 2019). "Hill.TV: Chad Wolf". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 7, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Whistleblower Alleges DHS Told Him To Stop Reporting On Russia Threat". NPR.org. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  7. ^ Volz, Dustin (September 9, 2020). "Whistleblower Says DHS Leadership Tried to Halt Reports on Russian Interference". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Gerstein, Josh. "Judge: Trump appointee lacked authority to rein in DACA". Politico. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  9. ^ Romero, Dennis (November 14, 2020). "Federal judge rules acting DHS head Chad Wolf unlawfully appointed, invalidates DACA suspension". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference GAO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Kanno-Youngs, Zolan (January 11, 2021). "Chad Wolf has resigned as acting secretary for the Homeland Security Department". The New York Times.