Devin Nunes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Devin Nunes
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Official portrait, 2010
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| Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board | |
| Assumed office January 20, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | James A. Winnefeld Jr. |
| Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 1, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Adam Schiff |
| Succeeded by | Mike Turner |
| Chair of the House Intelligence Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Rogers |
| Succeeded by | Adam Schiff |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California |
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| In office January 3, 2003 – January 1, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Connie Conway |
| Constituency | 21st district (2003–2013) 22nd district (2013–2022) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Devin Gerald Nunes
October 1, 1973 Tulare, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Elizabeth Tamariz
(m. 2003) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | College of the Sequoias (AA) California Polytechnic State University (BS, MS) |
| Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2021) Grand-Officer of the Order of Prince Henry, Portugal (2013) Commander of the Order of the Star of Romania, Romania (2017) |
| Signature |  |
Devin Gerald Nunes (born October 1, 1973) is an American businessman and politician. He currently leads the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and is the CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group. Before these roles, Nunes served as a U.S. representative for California in the United States House of Representatives. He represented the 21st district from 2003 to 2013, and then the 22nd district from 2013 to 2022.
As a member of the Republican Party, Nunes was the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee from 2015 to 2019. This committee oversees intelligence agencies like the CIA and FBI. He was also part of President Donald Trump's first team when Trump was preparing to take office. In 2021, President Trump awarded Nunes the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a high honor for civilians.
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Early Life and Education
Devin Nunes was born on October 1, 1973, in Tulare, California. His family had a large dairy farm in Tulare County. They later sold the farm and bought another one in Iowa. Nunes is mostly of Portuguese descent, with his family coming from the Azores islands.
When he was 14, Nunes started his own small business. He bought young cattle and learned how to make a profit from them. After high school, he earned an Associate of Arts degree from the College of the Sequoias in 1993. He then went to California Polytechnic State University, where he got a bachelor's degree in agricultural business in 1995 and a master's degree in agriculture in 1996. After college, he returned to farming.
In 1996, at just 23 years old, Nunes was elected to the College of the Sequoias Board. This made him one of the youngest community college trustees in California's history. He served on the board until 2002. In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Nunes to a role in the United States Department of Agriculture.
Time in U.S. Congress
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Becoming a Representative
In 1998, Nunes first ran for a seat in Congress but did not win. In 2002, he ran again for a new district in California, the 21st congressional district. He won the Republican nomination and then easily won the general election. He was 29 years old when he first became a U.S. Representative.
Nunes was reelected several times with strong support. After the 2010 census, his district was renumbered as the 22nd. He continued to win elections, though his 2018 race was his closest. In 2020, he was reelected again.
Committee Work
In 2015, Nunes became the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This committee is very important because it oversees all the U.S. intelligence agencies.
He also served on the Committee on Ways and Means. This committee handles tax laws and other important financial matters for the country. Nunes was also part of various caucuses, which are groups of lawmakers who work together on specific issues. For example, he was a co-chair of the U.S.–Mexico Friendship Caucus.
In December 2021, Nunes decided to leave the House of Representatives. He resigned on January 1, 2022, to become the chief executive officer of the Trump Media & Technology Group.
Political Views
Devin Nunes is known for supporting President Donald Trump's ideas. He often voted in line with the President's positions during Trump's time in office.
Energy and Environment
Nunes has supported plans to increase the exploration and production of fossil fuels. He also wanted to expand the number of nuclear power plants in the U.S. He believed these steps would help the country produce more energy.
Regarding the environment, Nunes has expressed concerns about water shortages in California. He has said that water restrictions, due to environmental rules, caused a "man-made drought." He supported bills to change water allocation rules and increase water delivery to farms in California's Central Valley.
Money and Taxes
Nunes has been a supporter of changing the tax system. He proposed ideas for a "cash-flow tax plan" that would reduce taxes for businesses. He also voted to support the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which significantly changed U.S. tax laws.
Health Care
Nunes helped create a health care bill called the "Patients' Choice Act." This bill aimed to set up health insurance marketplaces and offer tax credits for health insurance. He has also been against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a major health care law, and voted to repeal it.
Immigration and Security
Nunes supported President Trump's temporary ban on travel to the U.S. from certain countries. He believed this was a necessary step for national security.
As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Nunes oversaw an investigation into the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya. The committee's report found that there was no wrongdoing by U.S. officials, but it did find that the U.S. diplomatic facility was not well-protected.
Nunes also supported extending a law called Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This law allows the government to collect information on foreigners for security reasons, which can sometimes include information from Americans. He said this tool is important for tracking foreign terrorists.
International Relations
Nunes has spoken out about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He accused Turkey, a NATO member, of making the conflict worse. He signed a letter asking for an immediate ceasefire.
He also had disagreements with the Pentagon about a U.S. military base in the Azores, Portugal. He suggested moving some intelligence centers there to save money, but the Pentagon disagreed.
COVID-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nunes made some comments that were different from public health advice. He encouraged healthy people to go to restaurants and said that closing schools was "way overkill." He also predicted the crisis would be over quickly.
Personal Life
Devin Nunes married Elizabeth Tamariz, an elementary school teacher, in 2003. They have three daughters. Nunes is a practicing Catholic and attends Mass in Tulare, California.
Honors and Awards
President Donald Trump awarded Devin Nunes the Presidential Medal of Freedom on January 4, 2021. This is one of the highest civilian awards in the United States.
Nunes has also received honors from other countries:
Grand-Officer of the Order of Prince Henry, Portugal (2013)
Commander of the Order of the Star of Romania, Romania (2017)
Images for kids
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Devin Nunes's signature
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Ribbon for the Presidential Medal of Freedom
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