House positions

Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office January 3, 2007 – January 2, 2009
Deputy	John B. Larson
Leader	Nancy Pelosi
Preceded by	Jim Clyburn
Succeeded by	John B. Larson
Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007
Preceded by	Bob Matsui
Succeeded by	Chris Van Hollen

Senior Advisor to the President

In office
January 20, 1993 – November 7, 1998

President

Bill Clinton

Preceded by

Position established

Succeeded by

Doug Sosnik

White House Director of Political Affairs

In office
January 20, 1993 – June 23, 1993

President

Bill Clinton

Preceded by

Janet Mullins

Succeeded by

Joan Baggett

Personal details

Born

Rahm Israel Emanuel

November 29, 1959 (age 65)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Political party

Democratic

Spouse

Amy Rule

(m. 1994)

Children

Relatives

Ari Emanuel (brother)
Ezekiel Emanuel (brother)

Education

Sarah Lawrence College (BA)
Northwestern University (MA)

Occupation

Politician
diplomat
political strategist
legislator

Signature

Rahm Israel Emanuel (born November 29, 1959) is an American politician and diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to Japan from 2022 to 2025. Before that, he was the Mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019.

Emanuel also worked as the White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2010. He represented Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms, from 2003 to 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early Life and Family Background

Rahm Emanuel was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 29, 1959. His first name, Rahm, means "high" or "lofty" in Hebrew. His father, Benjamin M. Emanuel, was born in Jerusalem. He moved to the United States and became a pediatrician. The family name "Emanuel" means "God is with us." They adopted it to honor Rahm's uncle, Emanuel Auerbach, who died in Jerusalem in 1933.

Rahm's mother, Marsha (née Smulevitz), was the daughter of a labor union organizer in Chicago. She was involved in the civil rights movement. Rahm has two older brothers, Ezekiel Emanuel and Ari Emanuel, and a younger adopted sister, Shoshana. Ezekiel is a doctor and bioethicist. Ari is a well-known CEO in the entertainment industry.

Education and Early Interests

Emanuel attended Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School for elementary school. His family later moved to Wilmette, Illinois, where he went to public schools. As a teenager, he worked part-time at an Arby's restaurant. He had an accident there, severely cutting his right middle finger.

Rahm's mother encouraged him to take ballet lessons. He graduated from the Evanston School of Ballet and also studied at the Joel Hall Dance Center. He even received a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet. However, he chose to attend Sarah Lawrence College, which had a strong dance program. He earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts in 1981. Later, he received a master's degree in speech and communication from Northwestern University in 1985.

In 1991, during the Gulf War, Emanuel volunteered in Israel. He helped the Israel Defense Forces by repairing truck brakes.

Starting a Political Career

Emanuel began his political journey with Illinois Public Action, a group focused on public interest. He then worked on several political campaigns, mainly helping to raise money. He worked for Democrat Paul Simon's 1984 campaign for the U.S. Senate.

In 1988, he was the national campaign director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He also helped Richard M. Daley win his first campaign for mayor of Chicago in 1989.

Working with President Clinton

Emanuel played a key role in Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. He directed the campaign's finance committee. He helped Clinton raise a large amount of money, which was very important for the campaign's success.

After Clinton won, Emanuel joined the White House staff from 1993 to 1998. He served as a senior advisor, helping with political affairs and policy strategy. He was a main strategist for important initiatives like NAFTA.

Emanuel is known for his strong and direct style. He was sometimes called "Rahmbo" because of his intense approach.

Career in Finance

After working for President Clinton, Emanuel joined an investment banking firm called Wasserstein Perella in 1998. Even without a business degree or banking experience, he became a managing director. He earned a significant amount of money during his two and a half years there.

Freddie Mac Board Member

In 2000, President Clinton appointed Emanuel to the Board of Directors of Freddie Mac. He earned money from this role, including later stock sales. He resigned from the board in 2001 before running for Congress.

Serving in Congress

Rep. John Dingell and Rep. Emanuel celebrating Paczki Day in 2006.

In 2002, Emanuel ran for the U.S. House of Representatives seat in Illinois's 5th district. The seat was open because Rod Blagojevich resigned to become governor. Emanuel won the primary election and then the general election against Republican Mark Augusti. He served three terms, from 2003 to 2009.

Leading the Democratic Campaign Committee

Emanuel became the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). In this role, he led the Democratic Party's efforts to win more seats in the House of Representatives in the 2006 elections. The Democrats gained 30 seats, taking control of the House for the first time since 1994. Emanuel received much praise for his work.

He focused on recruiting candidates who could win in key districts. Some of these candidates were military veterans or former Republicans.

Democratic Caucus Chairman

After the 2006 elections, Emanuel became the Democratic Caucus Chairman. This role gave him more responsibilities in shaping the party's strategy and messages.

Views on Key Issues

Emanuel generally holds liberal views on social topics. He supports LGBT rights, including same-sex marriage, and is a strong supporter of gun control. He has also supported making healthcare affordable for all Americans.

In his 2006 book, The Plan: Big Ideas for America, Emanuel suggested a three-month required service program for young Americans aged 18 to 25.

White House Chief of Staff

White House Chief of Staff Emanuel reading a newspaper in the Oval Office in 2009.

After the 2008 presidential election, President Barack Obama asked Emanuel to be his White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel accepted and resigned from his congressional seat in January 2009.

As Chief of Staff, Emanuel was very influential. He was known for his direct negotiation style. He played a role in war strategy, economic policy, and political decisions. He once said, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste," meaning that difficult times can be opportunities for new ideas.

Emanuel left his position as Chief of Staff in October 2010. He decided to run for Mayor of Chicago.

Mayor of Chicago

Mayoral Elections

2011 Election

On September 30, 2010, Emanuel announced he would run for Mayor of Chicago. He was already well-known locally and nationally. His eligibility to run was questioned because he had been living in Washington, D.C., as Chief of Staff. However, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that he was eligible.

Emanuel had a significant financial advantage over other candidates. He raised a lot of money for his campaign, partly due to his connections in Washington and Hollywood. He emphasized his strong ties to Chicago and his experience in the White House.

Emanuel (left) at the 2012 Hyde Park Obama presidential reelection campaign office.

Emanuel won the election on February 22, 2011, with 55% of the vote. He became the 55th Mayor of Chicago on May 16, 2011. He was Chicago's first Jewish mayor.

2015 Election

In August 2014, a poll showed Emanuel's approval rating as mayor was 35%. In the 2015 Chicago mayoral election, he won the run-off election against Jesús "Chuy" García with 56% of the vote. He faced criticism for closing 50 public schools and for the high level of gun violence in the city. However, he had strong support from the business community.

2019 Election

Emanuel announced in October 2017 that he planned to run for a third term. However, on September 4, 2018, he changed his mind and decided not to run for reelection. He left office in May 2019 and was succeeded by Lori Lightfoot.

Key Actions as Mayor

Emanuel worked to improve Chicago in several areas. He focused on public safety, pension reform, and economic development.

Police and Community Relations

Emanuel faced significant criticism for how his administration handled the 2014 police shooting of Laquan McDonald. The video of the shooting was initially kept from the public and only released after a judge ordered it. This led to protests and calls for Emanuel's resignation. His approval ratings dropped significantly.

In response, Emanuel made changes to the Chicago Police Department. He also announced plans to reform the department.

Public Education

In 2012, there was a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) over contract negotiations. After several days, the CTU and the city reached an agreement, and the strike ended.

In 2013, the Chicago Board of Education, appointed by Emanuel, decided to close 50 Chicago public schools. This was the largest school closure in the city's history.

Transparency Issues

Emanuel faced criticism regarding transparency during his time as mayor. His office was found to have deleted many emails and withheld information from public requests. This went against his campaign promise to create a very open government.

In 2017, Emanuel released thousands of emails he had previously withheld. These emails showed instances where lobbyists and donors gained access to city officials without proper registration.

Lollapalooza Tax Exemption

Lollapalooza, a large music festival in Chicago, had been exempt from paying certain taxes. Emanuel's brother, Ari Emanuel, is a co-owner of the company that co-owns the event. In 2012, Lollapalooza began paying taxes for the first time in seven years and extended its contract to host in Grant Park.

Immigration Policy

In 2012, Chicago became a "sanctuary city" under Emanuel's leadership. This means the city adopted policies to protect undocumented immigrants.

After Being Mayor

Emanuel (left) with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2022.

After leaving the mayor's office in May 2019, Emanuel took on several new roles. He became a senior counselor at Centerview Partners, an investment banking firm. He also worked as a political analyst for ABC News.

United States Ambassador to Japan

Emanuel with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2022.

In February 2021, it was reported that President Joe Biden was considering Emanuel for an ambassador position. In August 2021, he was formally nominated to be the United States Ambassador to Japan. The U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination in December 2021. He officially began his role in Japan on March 25, 2022.

Emanuel riding a Tokyo Metro train in January 2023.

Emanuel became popular with the Japanese public. He often used the local train system in Tokyo and shared photos of his travels on social media. He completed his term as ambassador in January 2025.

Current Activities

After his time as Ambassador, Emanuel joined the investment banking firm Centerview Partners in New York. He also became a commentator for CNN and started writing a column for The Washington Post. He frequently appears on political podcasts and gives speeches. These activities have led some to believe he might consider running for president in the future.

Personal Life

Emanuel and his wife, Amy Rule, in 2022.

Rahm Emanuel is married to Amy Merritt Rule. They have a son and two daughters. The family lives in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago. Amy Rule converted to Judaism before their wedding. The Emanuels are active members of their synagogue in Chicago.

Emanuel enjoys staying active. He trains for and participates in triathlons. He is also a passionate cyclist and rides a custom-built road bike. Each year, his family takes a trip during the winter holidays to experience different cultures around the world.

Images for kids

Emanuel with President Bill Clinton in 1993.
Rep. Emanuel speaking at St. Hyacinth Basilica in Chicago.
Emanuel speaks at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.
Emanuel with Barack Obama in the Oval Office.
Emanuel joins Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich to advocate changes to Medicare legislation in 2003.
Emanuel and his wife with President Joe Biden in May 2022.