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Michael Hayden facts for kids

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Michael Vincent Hayden
Michael Hayden, CIA official portrait.jpg
20th Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
In office
May 30, 2006 – February 12, 2009
President George W. Bush
Preceded by Porter J. Goss
Succeeded by Leon Panetta
15th Director of the National Security Agency
In office
March 1999 – April 21, 2005
President Bill Clinton
George W. Bush
Preceded by Kenneth Minihan
Succeeded by Keith Alexander
Personal details
Born (1945-03-17) March 17, 1945 (age 80)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Profession Military Officer

Michael Hayden (born March 17, 1945) is an American who has had a long career in the U.S. government and military. He is known for leading two very important intelligence agencies: the NSA and the CIA. These agencies work to protect the United States by gathering information about other countries and potential threats.

Michael Hayden's Important Roles

Michael Hayden was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on March 17, 1945. He joined the Air Force and became an officer. His career involved working in intelligence, which means gathering and understanding secret information.

Leading the National Security Agency

From 1999 to 2005, Michael Hayden was the Director of the NSA. The NSA is a government agency that collects and processes information from signals, like phone calls and internet communications. They also work to protect U.S. government communications from being spied on by others. During his time as NSA Director, he served under both President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush.

Leading the Central Intelligence Agency

After leading the NSA, Michael Hayden became the Director of the CIA. He held this position from 2006 to 2009, serving under President George W. Bush. The CIA is another major intelligence agency. Its job is to collect information about foreign governments, organizations, and people. They also conduct secret operations to protect U.S. interests around the world. The United States Senate voted to approve him as the new head of the CIA on May 24, 2006.

A Career in Intelligence

Michael Hayden has been involved in intelligence work since 1970. This means he has spent many years helping the U.S. government understand what is happening in the world and how to keep the country safe. His work involved dealing with complex global issues and making important decisions for national security.

Health Update

In November 2018, Michael Hayden experienced a health issue and was hospitalized. He later recovered.


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