Donald Rumsfeld | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2001 | |
| 13th and 21st United States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office January 20, 2001 – December 18, 2006 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | |
| Preceded by | William Cohen |
| Succeeded by | Robert Gates |
| In office November 20, 1975 – January 20, 1977 | |
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Deputy | Bill Clements |
| Preceded by | James Schlesinger |
| Succeeded by | Harold Brown |
| 6th White House Chief of Staff | |
| In office September 21, 1974 – November 20, 1975 | |
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Alexander Haig |
| Succeeded by | Dick Cheney |
| 9th United States Ambassador to NATO | |
| In office February 2, 1973 – September 21, 1974 | |
| President |
|
| Preceded by | David Kennedy |
| Succeeded by | David Bruce |
| Director of the Cost of Living Council | |
| In office October 15, 1971 – February 2, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Counselor to the President | |
| In office December 11, 1970 – October 15, 1971 Serving with Robert Finch | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | |
| Succeeded by | Robert Finch |
| 3rd Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity | |
| In office May 27, 1969 – December 11, 1970 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Bertrand Harding |
| Succeeded by | Frank Carlucci |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 13th district | |
| In office January 3, 1963 – May 25, 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Marguerite Church |
| Succeeded by | Phil Crane |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Donald Henry Rumsfeld July 9, 1932 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 2021 (aged 88) Taos, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Joyce Pierson (m. 1954) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Princeton University (AB) Case Western Reserve University Georgetown University |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Library website |
| Nickname | "Rummy" |
| Military service | |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service |
|
| Rank | Captain |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Conservatism in the United States |
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Donald Henry Rumsfeld (July 9, 1932 – June 29, 2021) was an American politician, government official and businessman who served as secretary of defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and again from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush.[1][2] He was both the youngest and the oldest secretary of defense.[3] Additionally, Rumsfeld was a four-term U.S. Congressman from Illinois (1963–1969), director of the Office of Economic Opportunity (1969–1970), counselor to the president (1969–1973), the U.S. Representative to NATO (1973–1974), and the White House Chief of Staff (1974–1975). Between his terms as secretary of defense, he served as the CEO and chairman of several companies.
Born in Illinois, Rumsfeld attended Princeton University, graduating in 1954 with a degree in political science. After serving in the Navy for three years, he mounted a campaign for Congress in Illinois's 13th Congressional District, winning in 1962 at the age of 30. Rumsfeld accepted an appointment by President Richard Nixon to head the Office of Economic Opportunity in 1969; appointed counsellor by Nixon and entitled to Cabinet-level status, he also headed up the Economic Stabilization Program before being appointed ambassador to NATO. Called back to Washington in August 1974, Rumsfeld was appointed chief of staff by President Ford. Rumsfeld recruited a young one-time staffer of his, Dick Cheney, to succeed him when Ford nominated him to be secretary of defense in 1975. When Ford lost the 1976 election, Rumsfeld returned to private business and financial life, and was named president and CEO of the pharmaceutical corporation G. D. Searle & Company. He was later named CEO of General Instrument from 1990 to 1993 and chairman of Gilead Sciences from 1997 to 2001.
Rumsfeld was appointed secretary of defense for a second time in January 2001 by President George W. Bush. As secretary of defense, Rumsfeld played a central role in the 2001 United States invasion of Afghanistan and 2003 invasion of Iraq. Before and during the Iraq War, he claimed that Iraq had an active weapons of mass destruction program; no stockpiles were ever found.[4][5] A Pentagon Inspector General report found that Rumsfeld's top policy aide "developed, produced, and then disseminated alternative intelligence assessments on the Iraq and al-Qaeda relationship, which included some conclusions that were inconsistent with the consensus of the Intelligence Community, to senior decision-makers".[6] Rumsfeld's tenure was controversial for its use of torture and the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal.[7] Rumsfeld gradually lost political support and resigned in late 2006. In his retirement years, he published an autobiography, Known and Unknown: A Memoir, as well as Rumsfeld's Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War, and Life.
- ^ "Donald H. Rumsfeld – George W. Bush Administration". Office of the Secretary of Defense – Historical Office. Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ "Donald H. Rumsfeld – Gerald Ford Administration". Office of the Secretary of Defense – Historical Office. Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ Cronk, Terri Moon; Garamone, Jim (June 30, 2021). "Rumsfeld Was Nation's Youngest, Oldest Defense Secretary". United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on July 2, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
- ^ "Truth, War And Consequences: Why War? – In Their Own Words – Who Said What When". Frontline. PBS. Archived from the original on May 28, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ Jackson, Brooks (September 2, 2005). "Anti-war Ad Says Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld & Rice "Lied" About Iraq". FactCheck.org. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ Landay, Jonathan S. (February 8, 2007). "Pentagon office produced 'alternative' intelligence on Iraq". McClatchy. Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ Shanker, Thom (February 4, 2005). "Rumsfeld Says He Offered to Quit". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2017.