Jake Sullivan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jake Sullivan
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Official portrait, 2021
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| 28th United States National Security Advisor | |
| In office January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Jonathan Finer |
| Preceded by | Robert C. O'Brien |
| Succeeded by | Mike Waltz |
| National Security Advisor to the Vice President | |
| In office February 26, 2013 – August 1, 2014 |
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| Vice President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Antony Blinken |
| Succeeded by | Colin Kahl |
| 26th Director of Policy Planning | |
| In office February 4, 2011 – February 15, 2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Anne-Marie Slaughter |
| Succeeded by | David McKean |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jacob Jeremiah Sullivan
November 28, 1976 Burlington, Vermont, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Maggie Goodlander
(m. 2015) |
| Education | Yale University (BA, JD) Magdalen College, Oxford (MPhil) |
Jacob Jeremiah Sullivan (born November 28, 1976) is an American lawyer and government official. He was the U.S. National Security Advisor from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. In this important role, he advised the President on matters of national security and foreign policy.
Before becoming National Security Advisor, Sullivan held several other key positions. He was a top policy advisor to President Barack Obama. He also served as National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Biden. He was a senior advisor during the Iran nuclear negotiations. He also taught at Yale Law School.
On November 23, 2020, President-elect Biden announced that Sullivan would be his National Security Advisor. He officially started the job on January 20, 2021.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sullivan was born in Burlington, Vermont. He grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His father was a professor and his mother was a high school guidance counselor. Sullivan went to Southwest High School in Minneapolis. He graduated in 1994. In high school, he was a debate champion and student council president.
Sullivan studied at Yale University in the United States. He focused on international studies and political science. He graduated with high honors in 1998. He then won a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Magdalen College, Oxford in the United Kingdom. There, he studied international relations. He also earned a law degree from Yale Law School in 2003.
Early Career
After law school, Sullivan worked for two important judges. He worked for Judge Guido Calabresi and then for Justice Stephen Breyer at the U.S. Supreme Court. Later, he practiced law in Minneapolis. He also taught law as a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. He then became a chief counsel for Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar.
Working in the Obama Administration
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In 2008, Sullivan advised Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign. He then advised Barack Obama during his general election campaign. He helped prepare both Clinton and Obama for their debates. When Hillary Clinton became Secretary of State, Sullivan became her deputy chief of staff. He traveled with her to many countries.
Sullivan also worked for President Obama as a deputy assistant. He was the National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Joe Biden. He became Biden's main security aide in February 2013. In these roles, he helped shape U.S. foreign policy. This included policies toward countries like Libya, Syria, and Myanmar.
In August 2014, Sullivan left the administration to teach at Yale Law School.
Iran Nuclear Talks
In 2013, officials from the Obama administration had secret talks with Iranian officials. These talks were about a possible agreement on Iran's nuclear program. Sullivan was part of the American team that met with Iranian officials. These meetings helped lead to an agreement called the Joint Plan of Action. This agreement was signed in Geneva in November 2013.
Sullivan continued to attend meetings with Iran as part of the U.S. team. These talks focused on the Iranian nuclear program.
2016 Clinton Presidential Campaign
Sullivan was Hillary Clinton's main foreign policy advisor during her 2016 presidential campaign. He suggested that Clinton should spend more time campaigning in Midwestern states. After the election, Sullivan felt responsible for Clinton's defeat.
Macro Advisory Partners and Microsoft
After the Clinton campaign, Sullivan joined Macro Advisory Partners in 2017. This company advises businesses on risks. He advised companies like Uber, Mastercard, and Lego. He also advised large investment groups.
Between 2017 and May 2020, Sullivan was on an advisory council for Microsoft. He was paid for this work. Because of his role in shaping U.S. cybersecurity policy later, some people raised questions about possible conflicts of interest.
National Security Advisor
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On November 22, 2020, Jake Sullivan was announced as Joe Biden's National Security Advisor. When he started, Sullivan said the top priorities for the National Security Council would be the COVID-19 pandemic and relations with China. He also said the Biden administration wanted to improve relationships with U.S. allies.
In September 2021, The Guardian newspaper noted that Sullivan often talked about how U.S. foreign policy should help ordinary Americans. He used the phrase "a foreign policy for the middle class."
After the Taliban took control of Kabul in Afghanistan, Sullivan explained that the Afghan government collapsed because its forces "would not fight for the country."
On September 28, 2021, Sullivan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia. They discussed the global energy situation and the conflict in Yemen. They also talked about possibly normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
On October 6, 2021, Sullivan met with Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Zürich, Switzerland. They discussed issues like Taiwan, trade, and human rights in Hong Kong. Both sides agreed to continue working together peacefully.
On October 25, 2021, Sullivan was briefed by Pentagon officials. They discussed military options to ensure Iran could not develop a nuclear weapon.
On November 7, 2021, Sullivan stated that the U.S. was no longer trying to change China's political system. He said the U.S. was not seeking a new Cold War with China. Instead, it aimed for peaceful coexistence.
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On December 7, 2021, Sullivan warned that Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project would end if Russia invaded Ukraine.
2022
On January 14, 2022, Sullivan accused Russia of sending people into Ukraine to create a fake attack. He said this would be a reason for Russia to invade Ukraine. Russia's foreign minister denied this claim.
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On January 23, 2022, the U.S. Department of State told U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine. This was due to the ongoing threat of Russian military action.
On February 11, 2022, the State Department issued a "Do Not Travel" warning for Ukraine.
Jake Sullivan warned that the conflict was likely to get worse. He suggested there was a high chance of a Russian invasion of Ukraine before the end of the 2022 Winter Olympics. He also said there would be "no prospect of a U.S. military evacuation" once an invasion started. He stated that "Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action."
The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
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On March 13, 2022, Sullivan warned of a full NATO response if Russia attacked any NATO territory. He reportedly advised Ukrainian President Zelenskyy not to try to retake Crimea or attack the Crimean Bridge. This was due to fears of a possible nuclear response from Russia. Sullivan also reportedly limited Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons for attacks on Russian territory.
On March 14, 2022, he warned China that it would face consequences if it helped Russia avoid international sanctions.
2023
On July 6, 2023, President Joe Biden allowed the use of cluster munitions to help Ukraine. This was for a Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces. Sullivan defended this decision. He said Ukraine would be using these weapons to defend its own country.
On October 2, 2023, Sullivan wrote an article saying the Middle East was "quieter today than it has been in two decades." Five days later, Hamas launched a large attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. This started the Gaza war.
On October 15, 2023, Sullivan was asked about Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip and its impact on people. He said the U.S. worked with Israel to ensure innocent Palestinians received water, medicine, and food.
On October 29, 2023, Sullivan rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. He warned that a "humanitarian pause" to free hostages could help Hamas. He stated that "Israel has a right, indeed a responsibility, to defend itself against a terrorist group."
In late 2023, Sullivan wrote an article in Foreign Affairs about "The Sources of American Power."
2024
In January 2024, the Biden administration rejected Vladimir Putin's proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Sullivan told Putin's foreign policy advisor that the U.S. would not discuss a ceasefire without Ukraine's involvement.
Also in January 2024, Sullivan met with Wang Yi in Bangkok for two days.
In March 2024, Sullivan warned Ukrainian officials to stop military strikes inside Russia using Ukraine's own weapons. This was due to concerns about oil prices.
In May 2024, Sullivan expressed concern about Ireland, Norway, and Spain recognizing Palestine. He also noted Israel's increasing diplomatic isolation. He said this was concerning because it might not help Israel's long-term security.
On June 9, 2024, Sullivan said that the rescue operation to free Israeli hostages from the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza received intelligence support from the United States.
On August 29, 2024, Sullivan met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. He also spoke with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and General Zhang Youxia. They discussed concerns about the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. This was the first trip to Beijing by a U.S. National Security Advisor in eight years.
During the Biden administration, Jake Sullivan and others helped connect officials and lawmakers with the President.
2025
In January 2025, three days before leaving his position, Sullivan warned about the future of artificial intelligence. He said the next few years would be very important in determining if AI leads to problems. He also spoke about the competition between China and America in AI.
On January 14, 2025, Sullivan said that the shortage of soldiers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine was still a big problem. He suggested that Ukraine should increase its mobilization efforts.
Post-National Security Advisor Career
Sullivan joined the faculty of the Harvard Kennedy School on April 1, 2025. He became the first Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order.
Personal Life
Sullivan is married to Maggie Goodlander. She has represented New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2025. Goodlander is also a Yale graduate. She was a former intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve. She also worked as a foreign policy advisor to Senators Joe Lieberman and John McCain. They married in 2015. They live in Nashua, New Hampshire, and also have homes in Washington, D.C., and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
In April 2023, a man reportedly entered Sullivan's home in Washington D.C. The man left before Secret Service agents were alerted. Sullivan discovered the man because he was still working at the time.
Honors and Awards
International Honors
Sweden:
Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (2024)
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See also
In Spanish: Jake Sullivan para niños
- List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 2)
