Michael Ellis (attorney)

Michael Ellis (born 1984/1985)^[1] is an American attorney, Republican political operative,^[2] and former government official. He is a visiting fellow for law and technology with The Heritage Foundation's Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. Ellis previously worked in multiple positions in the George W. Bush administration, for Republican congressman Devin Nunes and the first Trump administration, being called a Donald Trump loyalist.^[3] He worked as a legal advisor to the National Security Council and was later appointed as Senior Director for Intelligence for the agency. In December 2021, he became the general counsel for the online video platform Rumble.^[4]

While on the NSC, Ellis was tasked with conducting a security review of a memoir by former Trump national security advisor John Bolton that sharply criticized Trump, resulting in Bolton being criminally charged.^[5] Ellis was appointed as the general counsel of the National Security Agency during the closing days of the Trump administration in 2020. NSA director Paul Nakasone opposed the appointment, but was ordered by acting defense secretary Christopher Miller to install Ellis to the position. Despite a preliminary finding by the Defense Department Inspector General that there was no improper influence on the appointment process, Nakasone placed Ellis on administrative leave on the first day of the Biden administration. Ellis resigned the following April, with an investigation later finding that there was no improper influence in his selection.