K. T. McFarland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
K. T. McFarland
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| 28th United States Deputy National Security Advisor | |
| In office January 20, 2017 – May 19, 2017 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Avril Haines |
| Succeeded by | Ricky L. Waddell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kathleen M. Troia
July 22, 1951 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Alan McFarland |
| Children | 3, including Fiona |
| Education | George Washington University (BA) St Anne's College, Oxford (BA) Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Kathleen Troia McFarland (born Kathleen M. Troia; July 22, 1951) is an American political expert, government worker, and author. She has also run for political office.
McFarland started her government career in the 1970s. She worked for the U.S. National Security Council, which helps the President with important decisions about other countries. In the 1980s, during the time of President Ronald Reagan, she worked for the United States Department of Defense. She helped write speeches and was a spokesperson.
In 2017, McFarland served as the Deputy National Security Advisor for President Donald Trump. This role helps the main National Security Advisor. She later left this job and was nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to Singapore. However, she withdrew her name from consideration. This was due to questions about her answers regarding discussions with officials.
McFarland often appears on Fox News to share her opinions. She has also written three books.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kathleen Troia was born on July 22, 1951, in Madison, Wisconsin. She grew up there as the oldest of four children. Her father worked for a railway company.
She graduated from Madison West High School in 1969. After high school, she studied at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.. In 1970, she worked part-time at the White House for Henry Kissinger. He was a very important advisor on national security. She helped type important daily reports for the President.
McFarland became very interested in how the U.S. deals with other countries. She also learned a lot about President Nixon's visit to China in 1972. Because of this, she studied Chinese history and culture. She graduated from George Washington University in 1973.
Later, she received a scholarship to study at Oxford University in England. There, she earned a master's degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. She also attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At MIT, she spent three years studying topics like nuclear weapons, China, and the Soviet Union.
Career in Government
Early Government Roles
McFarland continued to work at the White House during the time of President Gerald Ford. She was a research assistant and sometimes helped with press relations for the National Security Council. Many people saw her as a talented person who learned a lot from Henry Kissinger. In 1975, she spoke about how Secretary of State Kissinger helped keep the world's view of the United States strong. This was during a difficult time for President Nixon.
In 1981, McFarland returned to Washington, D.C. She joined the staff of the Senate Armed Services Committee. This committee deals with military matters. She helped prepare important information and talking points for the committee.
Working for President Reagan
During the Reagan administration, McFarland worked as a speechwriter for Caspar Weinberger. He was the U.S. Secretary of Defense. She helped write a famous speech about when the U.S. military should be used.
In 1983, she was promoted to a senior role in public affairs for the Department of Defense. She also served as a spokesperson for the Pentagon, which is the headquarters of the U.S. military. She stayed in this position until late 1984.
Time Away from Work
In 1985, Kathleen Troia married Alan Roberts McFarland. After getting married, she became known as K.T. McFarland. She then took a break from her career to focus on raising her family.
Running for Senate
In 2006, K.T. McFarland decided to run for a seat in the United States Senate in New York. She ran as a Republican against Hillary Clinton. She wanted to show that a Republican could run in New York. She described herself as a "moderate Republican" and a "Reagan Republican."
During her campaign, there were some questions about her past claims. For example, some reports said she had overstated her role in writing a famous speech for President Reagan. There were also questions about her voting record. In August 2006, she stopped her campaign. In the Republican primary election, she lost to her opponent, John Spencer.
Political Commentator
Starting in 2010, McFarland became a regular guest on Fox News. She shared her opinions as a political expert. She also wrote a weekly column for FoxNews.com and hosted an online talk show.
In her role as a commentator, McFarland often criticized President Obama's approach to fighting terrorism. She believed he did not fully recognize the threat.
She also shared strong opinions on other topics. For example, she called Julian Assange and WikiLeaks "terrorist organizations." She also said that a certain interrogation method was "not torture."
McFarland often expressed doubts about "globalism," which is the idea of countries working closely together. She also questioned the value of the U.S. getting involved in conflicts in other countries. She supported the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, known as Brexit.
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In 2013, McFarland wrote that Vladimir Putin deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for his actions in the Syrian Civil War. In 2014, after Russia took over Crimea, she tweeted about the situation.
Other Work
McFarland has written three books: Our Time is Now: Reclaiming an America We Can Believe In, Our Time is Now: Tough Love Diplomacy, Commonsense Economy, and the Second Great American Century, and Revolution: Trump, Washington and "We the People".
She was also a board member of The Jamestown Foundation and an advisor to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. McFarland is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a group that studies foreign policy.
Role in the Trump Administration
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Deputy National Security Advisor
In November 2016, it was announced that McFarland had been chosen as President-elect Donald Trump's Deputy National Security Advisor. This job does not need approval from the Senate. Her former boss, Henry Kissinger, praised her selection. Michael T. Flynn, who was chosen as the main National Security Advisor, welcomed her. Former Senator Joe Lieberman also praised McFarland as an experienced expert.
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In February 2017, Michael Flynn resigned from his position. Reports said that President Trump wanted McFarland to stay in her role. However, in April 2017, she was asked to step down by Flynn's replacement, General H. R. McMaster. McFarland said she saw this as a "promotion" because she was offered a new role.
Ambassadorial Nomination
After leaving her role as Deputy National Security Advisor, McFarland was officially nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to Singapore in May 2017. Her confirmation hearing took place in July 2017. During the hearing, McFarland stated that she believed Russia had interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections. In September, her nomination was approved by a Senate committee.
However, in December 2017, a special investigation mentioned McFarland in connection with Michael Flynn. The investigation looked into discussions Flynn had with Russian officials. An email McFarland wrote also became public. Because of these developments, some Senators questioned her nomination. Her nomination was sent back to the White House.
In January 2018, the administration nominated McFarland again. But on February 2, 2018, McFarland withdrew her nomination. This was due to concerns about her answers to questions related to discussions with officials. President Trump said that some politicians chose to play politics instead of approving a qualified person.
Awards and Honors
In 1985, McFarland received the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award. This is the highest honor a civilian can receive from the Department of Defense.
Personal Life
Kathleen Troia married Alan Roberts McFarland on January 12, 1985. The wedding took place at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Alan McFarland was a successful investment banker. The couple had three children together. K.T. McFarland also became a stepmother to her husband's two children from his first marriage. Her oldest daughter, Fiona McFarland, attended the United States Naval Academy.
