Thomas E. Donilon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas E. Donilon
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| 22nd United States National Security Advisor | |
| In office October 8, 2010 – June 30, 2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | Denis McDonough Tony Blinken |
| Preceded by | Jim Jones |
| Succeeded by | Susan Rice |
| 25th United States Deputy National Security Advisor | |
| In office January 20, 2009 – October 8, 2010 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | James Franklin Jeffrey |
| Succeeded by | Denis McDonough |
| 22nd Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs | |
| In office April 1, 1993 – November 7, 1996 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Margaret D. Tutwiler |
| Succeeded by | James Rubin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thomas Edward Donilon
May 14, 1955 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Cathy Russell |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Mike Donilon (brother) |
| Education | Catholic University (BA) University of Virginia (JD) |
Thomas Edward Donilon, born on May 14, 1955, is an American lawyer and business leader. He used to work for the government. He was the 22nd National Security Advisor for President Barack Obama from 2010 to 2013. Donilon also worked for Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Today, he is the Chairman of the BlackRock Investment Institute, which is like a global research group.
Donilon grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. Early in his career, he worked in politics and then focused on foreign policy and national security. He has advised many presidential campaigns, including those of Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale, Joe Biden, Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton. He helped them with their policies, managed big events, and prepared them for debates.
In 1992, Donilon became chief of staff at the State Department. During his time with President Clinton, he helped expand NATO and worked on the Dayton Agreement, which brought peace to Bosnia. He also traveled to over 50 countries for diplomatic work.
When Obama became president, Donilon joined his team as Deputy National Security Advisor. He became the main National Security Advisor on October 8, 2010. He left this role on June 5, 2013, and Susan Rice took over.
After leaving government, Donilon continued to advise. He chaired a group on improving national cybersecurity, appointed by President Obama. He also worked as vice chairman at a law firm. During Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, he helped plan her transition team and led its foreign policy efforts. In 2020, Joe Biden reportedly offered Donilon the job of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
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Early Life and Education
Donilon went to La Salle Academy, a Catholic school in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1977, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with high honors from The Catholic University of America. He also received the President's Award, which is the highest honor there. In 1985, he earned a law degree from the University of Virginia. While there, he was on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review.
Early Career in Politics
Working with Presidents
After college, Donilon started working in the Carter White House in 1977. He was part of the team that worked with Congress. At just 24, Donilon managed the 1980 Democratic Convention. During this event, Senator Ted Kennedy challenged President Carter for the presidential nomination. Donilon was seen as a "Wunderkind," meaning a very talented young person.
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In 1983, Donilon took a break from law school to work on Walter Mondale's presidential campaign. He was the national campaign coordinator and helped prepare Mondale for his debates. Donilon met his wife, Catherine Russell, while working on this campaign. Both Donilon and Russell later worked on Joe Biden's 1988 presidential campaign. Donilon also helped prepare Michael Dukakis for his debates.
In 1992, Donilon led Bill Clinton's debate preparations for the general election. He also advised the team that managed the transition after Clinton won.
State Department Role
When Warren Christopher became Secretary of State under President Clinton, Donilon worked as his chief of staff. He also served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1993 to 1996. In these roles, he traveled to more than 50 countries. He was involved in important foreign policy issues, like the Dayton Agreement for peace in Bosnia and the expansion of NATO. During the Srebrenica massacre, Donilon pushed for military action and worked with allies to approve intervention.
Obama Administration Roles
In 2008, Donilon was chosen to lead President Obama's debate preparation team. After Obama won, he became Deputy National Security Advisor. In October 2010, Donilon became the main National Security Advisor. He was in charge of the U.S. National Security Council staff. He also gave the president his daily national security briefing. Donilon was responsible for making sure the administration's foreign policy, intelligence, and military efforts worked together.
Donilon also managed the White House's international economics and cybersecurity efforts. He traveled as the President's personal representative to meet with world leaders. These included Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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Foreign Policy magazine described Donilon as someone who kept a very close watch on foreign policy. They noted he was demanding with his staff. The Washington Post described his approach as focusing on shifting resources and interests away from Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Europe, and more towards Asia. He believed America should build stronger relationships with China and India.
When Donilon announced he was leaving the White House in June 2013, President Obama praised him. Obama said Donilon had a great sense of where the country needed to go and how to get there. Joe Biden added that Donilon had amazing talent and strategic judgment.
Focus on Asia
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Donilon strongly supported the Obama administration's "pivot" or rebalance to Asia. He explained this policy in a 2013 speech. He said the U.S. was working to strengthen alliances and build partnerships in Asia. This included building a strong relationship with China.
In 2012 and 2013, Donilon met with Chinese leaders. He called for a "healthy, stable, and reliable" military relationship between the U.S. and China. However, Donilon also criticized China at times. He was the first U.S. official to publicly warn China about its cyber espionage. He said that stealing business information through cyber attacks was a serious concern.
Before leaving the Obama Administration, Donilon helped organize a two-day meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and President Obama in California in June 2013.
Global Economy and Human Rights
Donilon supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a major trade agreement. He called it the most important trade negotiation in the world. He also pushed for stronger trade ties between the U.S. and European allies.
Donilon also focused on human rights. He urged the Philippines and Myanmar to protect human rights as they moved towards democracy. Obama also asked Donilon to set up the Atrocities Prevention Board. This group would work to prevent mass killings, seeing it as a key national security and moral duty for the U.S.
Russia and the Middle East
Donilon helped negotiate the New START treaty in 2011, which aimed to reduce nuclear weapons. He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2012. Donilon told Putin that Russia should help remove Bashar al-Assad from power in Syria.
Donilon built a strong relationship with the Israeli government. He met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2012. This helped ensure Israel felt its views were heard by the U.S. government.
Donilon was against further military action in Afghanistan. He worked with Vice President Biden to manage the withdrawal of troops from Iraq by the end of 2011. During discussions about military action in Libya in 2011, Donilon advised caution. He also recommended that Obama carry out the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011.
In 2011, Donilon spoke about the Obama administration's efforts to pressure Iran regarding its nuclear program. He said that if Iran did not change its path, the pressure would increase. This included more sanctions and stronger defenses for Iran's neighbors. Donilon led the White House team that secretly negotiated with Iran about its nuclear project through Oman.
After the Obama Administration
After leaving government in 2013, Donilon became a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He co-chaired a group that studied global health issues. In 2014, he gave a speech where he argued that America was not declining. He said the U.S. has many strengths, including its resources, alliances, military, and innovation.
Donilon returned to a law firm in 2014. Since April 2017, he has been chairman of the BlackRock Investment Institute.
In 2016, Obama appointed Donilon to chair a group on improving national cybersecurity. The group's report made recommendations for better cybersecurity in the U.S. Donilon presented these findings to Obama, who called them "thoughtful." Donilon also spoke out about cyber attacks during the 2016 election. He called for an FBI investigation and public condemnation of those responsible.
During Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, Donilon was a co-chair for her transition team. He led its foreign policy efforts. If Clinton had won, many thought Donilon might become Secretary of State or CIA Director.
Donilon has continued to share his thoughts on foreign policy. He criticized the Trump administration's "Muslim ban" and its decision to leave the Iran nuclear deal. In 2019, he wrote an article criticizing the trade war with China. He suggested focusing on investing in American science, education, and alliances instead.
In 2020, Joe Biden reportedly offered Donilon the job of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, but Donilon decided not to take it. Donilon is also a member of the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee.
Personal Life
Donilon's brother, Mike Donilon, was a senior advisor to President Joe Biden. His other brother, Terrence Donilon, works for the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Donilon's sister, Donna, is a nurse. He is married to Catherine M. Russell, who used to be chief of staff to Jill Biden. In 2013, she was named the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues at the U.S. State Department. They have two children.
Honors and Awards
| Award | Organization |
|---|---|
| Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award | Department of State |
| National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal | United States Intelligence Community |
| Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service | Department of Defense |
| Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| Director's Award | Central Intelligence Agency |
 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun |
Government of Japan |
