Thomas E. Donilon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas E. Donilon
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Donilon in 2012
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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 National Security Advisor for President Barack Obama from 2010 to 2013. He also served in the governments of Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Today, he is the Chairman of the BlackRock Investment Institute, which is like a research group for a big investment company.
Mr. Donilon grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. He started his career in politics with the Democratic Party. Later, he 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 with policy, managed conventions, and prepared candidates 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 Barack Obama became president, Donilon joined his team as Deputy National Security Advisor. He was promoted to 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 on important issues. He chaired a group that worked on improving national cybersecurity. He also became vice chairman of a law firm called O'Melveny & Myers. During Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, he helped lead her transition team and foreign policy efforts. In 2020, Joe Biden reportedly offered him the job of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
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Early Life and School
Thomas Donilon went to La Salle Academy, a Catholic school in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1977, he earned a bachelor's 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 studying law, he was on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review.
Early Career in Politics
Working in Democratic Politics
After college, Donilon started working at the White House in 1977. He was a staff member in the office that dealt with Congress for President Jimmy Carter. When he was 24, Donilon managed the 1980 Democratic Convention. At this event, Senator Ted Kennedy challenged President Carter for the presidential nomination.
A news story from 1980 called him "one of those Wunderkinder" (a German word for a child prodigy) who became a driving force in politics. Carter won the nomination but lost the general election. In 1981, Donilon moved to Atlanta to help former President Carter adjust to private life. He also taught at his old university, Catholic University.
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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 convention director. Donilon helped Mondale get ready for his presidential debates. He met his wife, Catherine Russell, while working on this campaign. Both Donilon and Russell later worked on Joe Biden's 1988 presidential campaign. After Michael Dukakis won the Democratic nomination, Donilon helped him prepare for his debates.
During the George H. W. Bush administration, Donilon joined the law firm O'Melveny & Myers. He was recruited by Warren Christopher, a senior partner who had been Deputy Secretary of State under President Carter. In 1992, Donilon led Bill Clinton's debate preparations for the general election. He also advised the transition team after Clinton won.
State Department Role
When Warren Christopher became Secretary of State for 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.
According to The Washington Post, Donilon was deeply involved in many major foreign policy issues. These included helping to negotiate the Dayton Agreement for peace in Bosnia and the expansion of NATO. During the Srebrenica massacre, Donilon pushed for military action. He worked with members of Congress and allies to approve intervention.
Work Outside Government
Donilon worked as an executive vice president at Fannie Mae from 1999 to 2005. Fannie Mae is a company that helps people get mortgages. He was also a registered lobbyist during this time.
Before joining the Obama Administration, Donilon returned to the law firm O'Melveny & Myers. He advised companies on legal and policy matters. He also led the firm's efforts to increase its pro bono work, which means providing legal services for free. Even when he was not in government, Donilon stayed involved in foreign policy. He was a member of the National Security Advisory Group for the House and Senate Majority leaders.
Obama Administration Roles
In 2008, David Axelrod asked Donilon to lead Obama's presidential debate preparation team. After Obama won the election, Rahm Emanuel, Obama's choice for chief of staff, suggested that James L. Jones, the National Security Advisor, hire Donilon as his deputy. In October 2010, Donilon took over from Jones as National Security Advisor.
National Security Advisor (2010–2013)
As National Security Advisor, Donilon was in charge of the U.S. National Security Council staff. He led important meetings with cabinet members. He also gave the president daily updates on national security. He was responsible for making sure the administration's foreign policy, intelligence, and military efforts worked together.
Donilon also oversaw the White House's work on international economics, cybersecurity, and global energy. He traveled as the President's personal representative to meet with world leaders. These leaders included Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping from China, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.
A magazine called Foreign Policy described how Donilon kept a very close watch over foreign policy. Another article in The Washington Post talked about the "Donilon Doctrine." This idea meant shifting resources and focus away from Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Europe. Instead, it focused on Asia, where he believed America could build stronger relationships with China and India.
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In June 2013, when Donilon announced he was leaving the White House, President Obama praised him. Obama said Donilon had a rare mix of strategic thinking and practical skills. Joe Biden also said that Donilon had great talent and judgment.
David Rothkopf, a writer, said Donilon's biggest contribution was his strategic way of thinking. He helped shift the focus from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to new issues. These included China, cybersecurity, and the effects of America's energy changes. He also helped create new economic plans and address threats in places like Africa.
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 speech in 2013. He said the United States was using a full plan to strengthen alliances and build relationships with new powers. This included a stable relationship with China and supporting regional groups.
In July 2012, Donilon met with Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Dai Bingguo. The next year, he visited China again and met with Xi Jinping. During his visit, Donilon called for a "healthy, stable, and reliable" military relationship between the U.S. and China.
Donilon also criticized China at times. He was the first American official to publicly warn China about its cyber espionage. In 2013, he said that U.S. businesses were worried about the theft of their secret information and technology through cyber attacks. Donilon said China needed to understand the risk these actions posed to its own reputation and to international trade. He urged China to investigate these hacking claims. Before leaving the Obama Administration, Donilon helped organize a meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Obama in California in June 2013.
Global Economy and Trade
Donilon supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a major trade agreement. He called it the most important trade negotiation in the world and a key part of the focus on Asia. He also stressed the importance of building trade ties with European allies through the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP).
Human Rights Efforts
Before President Obama's trip to Myanmar, Donilon 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 make preventing mass killings a key part of U.S. national security and moral responsibility.
Relations with Russia
Donilon helped negotiate the New START treaty in 2011, which aimed to reduce nuclear weapons. He traveled to Moscow for a long discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2012. Donilon told Putin that Russia should help remove Bashar al-Assad from power in Syria. He argued that a long civil war would lead to the very extremism Putin feared.
Middle East Policy
Donilon built a strong relationship with the Israeli government. In 2012, he traveled to Israel for a five-hour meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This was unusual because he didn't visit any other countries in the region. A diplomat named Dennis Ross said that Donilon made Netanyahu feel that Israel's views were heard and considered by the U.S.
To prepare for advising the President on Afghanistan and Pakistan, Donilon looked at how decisions were made during the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. He found that in both cases, there were no key meetings where all issues were fully discussed. 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 was part of a small group that planned the raid to kill Osama bin Laden in May 2011. In 2011, Donilon gave a speech 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 pressure included more sanctions and stronger defenses for Iran's neighbors. Donilon led the White House team that worked with State Department officials to negotiate secretly with Iran about its nuclear project through Oman.
After the Obama Administration
After leaving government in 2013, Donilon became a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He co-chaired a group that studied global health issues. This group released a report in 2014 about noncommunicable diseases in poorer countries. That same year, Donilon gave a speech where he said America was not declining. He argued that the U.S. had many strengths, including its resources, alliances, military, and innovation. He also suggested ways for the government to improve, such as reducing debt and investing in education.
Donilon returned to O'Melveny & Myers in 2014 as vice chair. Since April 2017, he has been chairman of the BlackRock Investment Institute. In April 2016, President Obama appointed Donilon to chair the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity. The commission's report, released in December 2016, gave recommendations for improving cybersecurity in the United States. Donilon presented the findings to Obama, who called them "thoughtful and pragmatic."
Before the 2016 presidential election, after cyber attacks on the Democratic National Committee, Donilon called for an FBI investigation. He also wanted public condemnation of the attackers, saying Russia's claims of not interfering were wrong. In 2017, Donilon wrote an article in The Washington Post suggesting ways to protect future elections from foreign interference.
During Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, Donilon co-chaired her transition project and led its foreign policy efforts. If Clinton had won, many thought Donilon would have been a candidate for Secretary of State or CIA Director. Donilon has continued to comment on foreign policy. He criticized the Trump administration's "Muslim ban" and its decision to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Iran nuclear deal). In 2019, he wrote an article criticizing the trade war with China. He suggested a broader strategy that included investing in American science, education, and alliances.
In 2020, Joe Biden reportedly offered Donilon the position of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, but Donilon decided not to take the job. Donilon is a member of the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee.
Personal Life
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Thomas Donilon has a brother named Mike Donilon, who was a senior advisor to President Joe Biden. His other brother, Terrence Donilon, works as a communications director for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Donilon's sister, Donna, is a nurse. He is married to Catherine M. Russell, who was chief of staff to Jill Biden. In March 2013, Catherine Russell was named the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues at the U.S. State Department. They have two children.
Awards and Honors
| Award | Organization |
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| 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 |
