Robert Gates | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2006 | |
| 22nd United States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office December 18, 2006 – June 30, 2011 | |
| President | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Deputy | Gordon R. England William J. Lynn III |
| Preceded by | Donald Rumsfeld |
| Succeeded by | Leon Panetta |
| 24th Chancellor of the College of William & Mary | |
| Assumed office February 3, 2012 | |
| President | W. Taylor Reveley III Katherine Rowe |
| Preceded by | Sandra Day O'Connor |
| 22nd President of Texas A&M University | |
| In office August 1, 2002 – December 16, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Ray M. Bowen |
| Succeeded by | Ed J. Davis (Interim) |
| 15th Director of Central Intelligence | |
| In office November 6, 1991 – January 20, 1993 | |
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Deputy | Richard James Kerr William O. Studeman |
| Preceded by | William H. Webster |
| Succeeded by | R. James Woolsey Jr. |
| Acting December 18, 1986 – May 26, 1987 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | William J. Casey |
| Succeeded by | William H. Webster |
| 17th United States Deputy National Security Advisor | |
| In office March 20, 1989 – November 6, 1991 | |
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | John Negroponte |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Howe |
| 16th Deputy Director of Central Intelligence | |
| In office April 18, 1986 – March 20, 1989 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | John N. McMahon |
| Succeeded by | Richard James Kerr |
| 36th National President of the Boy Scouts of America | |
| In office 2014–2016 | |
| Preceded by | Wayne M. Perry |
| Succeeded by | Randall Stephenson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Michael Gates September 25, 1943 Wichita, Kansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican[1] |
| Spouse |
Becky Wilkie (m. 1967) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | College of William & Mary (BA) Indiana University Bloomington (MA) Georgetown University (PhD) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1967–1969 |
| Rank | First lieutenant |
Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and was retained by President Barack Obama. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the United States Air Force but was quickly recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).[2] Gates served for twenty-six years in the CIA and at the National Security Council, and was director of central intelligence under President George H. W. Bush from 1991 to 1993. After leaving the CIA, Gates became president of Texas A&M University and was a member of several corporate boards. Gates served as a member of the Iraq Study Group, the bipartisan commission co-chaired by James A. Baker III and Lee H. Hamilton that studied the lessons of the Iraq War.
Gates was nominated by Republican president George W. Bush as secretary of defense in 2006, replacing Donald Rumsfeld.[3] He was confirmed with bipartisan support.[4] In 2007, Time named Gates one of the year's most influential people.[4] In 2008, Gates was named one of America's Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report.[5] He continued to serve as secretary of defense in President Barack Obama's administration[6] and retired in 2011. "He'll be remembered for making us aware of the danger of over-reliance on military intervention as an instrument of American foreign policy," said former senator David L. Boren.[7] Gates was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, by President Obama during his retirement ceremony.[8]
Since leaving the Obama administration, Gates was elected president of the Boy Scouts of America, served as Chancellor of the College of William & Mary, and served as a member on several corporate boards. In 2012, Gates was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.[9]
- ^ "Gates: Military looks to accelerate Iraq pullout". NBC News. Associated Press. December 1, 2008. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
Gates also cleared up confusion about his political affiliation. During his tenure at the CIA, he said, he thought he should be apolitical so he did not register with a political party. But, he added, "I consider myself a Republican."
- ^ Gates, Robert (1996). From The Shadows (2006 Paperback ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 20–21.
- ^ "Robert M. Gates – George W. Bush / Barack Obama Administration". Office of the Secretary of Defense – Historical Office. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
- ^ a b Brzezinski, Zbigniew (2007). "Robert Gates". Time. Archived from the original on May 5, 2008.
- ^ "America's Best Leaders: Robert Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense". Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2008.
- ^ "Key members of Obama-Biden national security team announced". change.gov (Press release). December 1, 2008. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
- ^ "Looking Back, Gates Says He's Grown Wary of 'Wars of Choice'". The New York Times. June 18, 2011. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ "Obama Awards Gates Presidential Medal of Freedom". American Forces Press Service via Defense.gov. June 30, 2011. Archived from the original on December 21, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
- ^ Incorporated, Prime. "National Academy of Public Administration". National Academy of Public Administration. Retrieved February 10, 2023.