Jan 27, 2021

Pompeo goes from Sec. of State to D.C. think tank

Posted Jan 27, 2021 8:30 PM
Mike Pompeo represented Kansas 4th Congressional District from 2011 until his appointment to CIA Director in 2017. In March of 2018, President Trump appointed him to serve as Secretary of State.
Mike Pompeo represented Kansas 4th Congressional District from 2011 until his appointment to CIA Director in 2017. In March of 2018, President Trump appointed him to serve as Secretary of State.

WASHINGTON â€” Hudson Institute announced Tuesday that former U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo has joined Hudson as a distinguished fellow, according to a media release from the organization.

“I am pleased to be joining Hudson Institute and look forward to contributing to its mission of promoting American leadership and global engagement,” said Secretary Pompeo.

Secretary Pompeo has had a distinguished career in public office, serving most recently as America’s 70th Secretary of State. He is the only person to have had both that role and to have served as the Director Central Intelligence Agency. His previous public service also includes representing the people of the 4th District of Kansas as a member of the House of Representatives and as an officer in the United States Army. As Secretary of State, he successfully led U.S. foreign policy in confronting a range geopolitical challenges, including religious freedom, human rights and the threats posed by authoritarian powers such as China, North Korea, Russia and Iran. In 2019, Hudson Institute honored Secretary Pompeo for his service with its Herman Kahn Award.

“Secretary Pompeo’s exemplary record of public service and his commitment to the values underpinning our mission makes this an exciting opportunity for collaboration,” said Sarah May Stern, chair of Hudson Institute’s Board of Trustees. “It’s a great privilege to welcome him to Hudson.”

Prior to joining the Trump Administration, Secretary Pompeo was serving in his fourth term as congressman from Kansas’ 4th Congressional District. He had served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the Energy and Commerce Committee and House Select Benghazi Committee.

Before reentering public service, Secretary Pompeo founded Thayer Aerospace, a manufacturer of airplane components, where he served as CEO. He later became President of Sentry International, an oilfield equipment manufacturing, distribution, and service company.

“From his leadership in promoting peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors to confronting strategic threats to the United States, Secretary Pompeo has been among the most consequential secretaries of State,” said John Walters, president and CEO of Hudson Institute. “It is an honor to have this outstanding public servant join Hudson Institute.”

Pompeo graduated first in his class at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1986 and served as a cavalry officer in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment patrolling the Iron Curtain before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He also served with the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry in the U.S. Army’s Fourth Infantry Division. After leaving active duty, Mr. Pompeo graduated from Harvard Law School, having been an editor of the Harvard Law Review. 

Founded in 1961 by strategist Herman Kahn, Hudson Institute challenges conventional thinking and helps manage strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary studies in defense, international relations, economics, health care, technology, culture, and law, according to the institute web site. They "promote American leadership and global engagement for a secure, free and prosperous future."