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Quick facts for kids James Clapper


4th Director of National Intelligence
In office August 9, 2010 – January 20, 2017
President	Barack Obama
Deputy	Stephanie O'Sullivan
Preceded by	Dennis C. Blair
Succeeded by	Dan Coats
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
In office April 15, 2007 – June 5, 2010
President	George W. Bush Barack Obama
Preceded by	Stephen Cambone
Succeeded by	Michael Vickers
Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
In office September 2001 – June 2006
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	James C. King
Succeeded by	Robert B. Murrett
Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
In office November 1991 – August 1995
President	George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Dennis M. Nagy
Succeeded by	Kenneth Minihan

Personal details
Born	James Robert Clapper Jr. (1941-03-14) March 14, 1941 (age 84) Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.
Spouse	Susan Terry
Children	2
Education	University of Maryland, College Park (B.S.) St. Mary's University, Texas (M.A.)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Air Force
Years of service	1963–1995
Rank	Lieutenant General
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star (2) Air Medal (2)

James Robert Clapper Jr. (born March 14, 1941) is a retired lieutenant general from the United States Air Force. He also served as the Director of National Intelligence, which is a very important job in the U.S. government.

Clapper held many key roles in the United States Intelligence Community. This community is a group of government agencies that collect and analyze information to protect the country. He was the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) from 1992 to 1995. He also led the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) from 2001 to 2006.

In 2010, President Barack Obama chose Clapper to be the United States Director of National Intelligence. The Senate, which is part of the U.S. Congress, approved him for this role. He served in this position until January 2017.

In 2013, there was a public discussion about the NSA collecting phone records from millions of Americans. Clapper had previously told a committee that the NSA did not collect data on millions of Americans. He later explained his answer. After leaving government, Clapper joined a research group and became a national security expert for CNN.

Early Life and Education

James Robert Clapper Jr. was born on March 14, 1941, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His father worked in US Army signals intelligence during World War II. His father later retired as a colonel.

Clapper finished high school in West Germany in 1959. His father was stationed there at the time.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the University of Maryland in 1963. He later received a Master of Science degree in political science from St. Mary's University, Texas, in 1970.

Military Career and Service

Captain James Clapper during his flying mission on a Douglas EC-47 Skytrain during the Vietnam War, June 1971

Clapper first joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He then transferred to the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. In 1963, he became an Air Force second lieutenant.

He served two times in Southeast Asia, including during the Vietnam War. He commanded a group that collected signals intelligence in Thailand. He also flew 73 missions in EC-47s. Later, he led a signals intelligence wing in Maryland. During the Persian Gulf War, Clapper was the Chief of Air Force Intelligence.

In November 1991, Clapper became the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. He helped change how intelligence was analyzed. He retired from active duty in September 1995 after 32 years of service.

After his military career, he worked in private companies for six years. In 2001, he became the director of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. This agency was later renamed the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Clapper as a USAF lieutenant general in the mid-1990s

Lieutenant General James Clapper during his time as Director of Defense Intelligence Agency with Director of Central Intelligence Agency Robert Gates in Washington, DC, January 17, 1992

Working in the Private Sector

From 2006 to 2007, Clapper worked for a satellite company called GeoEye. He also served on the boards of three companies that worked with the government. Two of these companies did business with the NGA while he was its director.

He also worked for other companies like Detica, SRA International, and Booz Allen Hamilton. Clapper believed that private companies played an important role in gathering intelligence.

Leading Defense Intelligence

In 2007, President George W. Bush nominated Clapper to be the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. The United States Senate approved him for this role. He was the second person to hold this position.

In this job, he oversaw important intelligence agencies. These included the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency (NSA), and the National Reconnaissance Office.

Director of National Intelligence (2010–2017)

Clapper and Barack Obama presented the NIDSM to James L. Jones, October 20, 2010.

Becoming the Director

Defense Secretary Robert Gates suggested to President Obama that Clapper should become the Director of National Intelligence. Obama announced his choice on June 5, 2010. He said Clapper was willing to "tell leaders what we need to know even if it's not what we want to hear."

Lawmakers approved his nomination on August 5, 2010. Clapper promised to improve how the intelligence community worked together.

Clapper and Senator John McCain listen as Defense Secretary Gates addresses the audience, June 4, 2011.

Improving Intelligence Sharing

Clapper made it a main goal to improve how different intelligence agencies shared information. In 2012, his office started a plan to create a common computer system for the entire Intelligence Community. This would help agencies work together more easily.

Clapper meets with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and DIA chief Ronald Burgess, September 29, 2011.

NSA Surveillance Discussion

In March 2013, during a hearing, Senator Ron Wyden asked Clapper if the NSA collected data on millions of Americans. Clapper replied, "No, sir." He added, "Not wittingly."

Later, documents leaked by Edward Snowden showed that the NSA had collected phone records from many Americans. Clapper then explained that the NSA collected "metadata" (like phone numbers and call times) but not the content of calls. He said this was allowed under a law called the Patriot Act.

Clapper later apologized for his earlier answer. He told the Senate Intelligence Committee that his response was "clearly erroneous." He explained that he had forgotten about a specific part of the Patriot Act when he answered the question. Some lawmakers criticized his answer, but the White House supported him.

Clapper and NSA director Keith B. Alexander (left) were both accused of lying under oath to Congress.

Rules for Media Contact

In March 2014, Clapper signed a rule that stopped intelligence employees from sharing information with reporters without permission. This rule was meant to stop leaks of secret information.

President Obama and Joe Biden meet Clapper, Rice, Brennan and other members of the National Security Council, September 10, 2014.

ACLU v. Clapper Lawsuit

In June 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued Clapper and others. They argued that the government's collection of phone data was against the Fourth Amendment. A court first said the collection was allowed. However, in 2015, a higher court ruled that the Patriot Act did not allow the large-scale collection of phone data.

Resignation

In November 2016, Clapper announced he would resign. His resignation became effective at the end of President Obama's term in January 2017.

Life After Government Service

Joining Australian National University

In June 2017, Clapper began a four-week visit at the Australian National University (ANU). He gave public talks about important global and national security issues.

CNN National Security Analyst

In August 2017, CNN hired Clapper as a national security analyst. He shares his knowledge and opinions on national security topics.

Views on Russia

In 2017, Clapper stated that Russia is the main opponent of the United States. He explained that he believes Russians are "almost genetically driven" to act against the U.S. and Western democracies.

In the Media

Clapper at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2016

In 2010, Clapper was interviewed by Diane Sawyer and admitted he was unaware of some arrests of alleged terrorists in Great Britain that day.

In 2011, during protests in Egypt, Clapper described the Muslim Brotherhood as a "largely secular" group that avoided violence. The Obama administration later clarified his statement.

In 2016, Clapper listed Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Islamic State, and "homegrown extremists" as major threats to the United States.

In March 2017, Clapper stated that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence had not obtained a court order to tap Trump Tower. He also said he saw no evidence of secret cooperation between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Personal Life

In 1965, Clapper married Susan Ellen Terry. She used to work for the National Security Agency. They have two children, a daughter named Jennifer and a son named Andrew.

Clapper also has a brother, Mike, and a sister, Chris.

Education and Training

1963: Bachelor of Science degree in political science, University of Maryland
1970: Master of Arts degree in political science, St. Mary's University, Texas
1973: Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama
1975: Distinguished graduate, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
1976: Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama
1979: National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1990: Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1990: Harvard Defense Policy Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Clapper also has an honorary doctorate in strategic intelligence. He taught as a professor at the Joint Military Intelligence College.

Awards and Honors

Military Awards

	Air Force Basic Officer Aircrew Badge
	Basic Space and Missile Badge
	Basic Missile Maintenance Badge
	Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

	Defense Distinguished Service Medal
	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
	Defense Superior Service Medal
	Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Air Force Commendation Medal
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and two oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
	National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
	Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award
	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
	Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars
	Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
	Air Force Training Ribbon
	Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit, Cheon-su Medal
	French National Order of Merit (Commander)
	Officer of the Order of Australia (Honorary – Military Division) – October 5, 2012
	Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (Commander with Star)
	Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
	Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
	Vietnam Campaign Medal