Donald Rumsfeld

President-Elect Bush's nominee for secretary of defense

Join the Discussion "What's your opinion of the appointments? Any suggestions" Share Your Opinions "I do worry about taking steps "BACKWARDS" on a woman's right to choose and other human rights issues." BMARTIN38     Related Resources • Other Nominations • President's Cabinet • Presidential Resources • Apply for a Spot on Team Bush  From Other Guides • Condolezza Rice • Security Advisers • Ashcroft: Bad News • Thompson: Tpeid    Elsewhere on the Web • The White House • Bush Transition Site

Highlights of the career history of Donald Rumsfeld, President-Elect Bush's nominee for secretary of defense.

1954: Graduated from Princeton University

1955-57: Served in the U.S. Navy as an aviator and flight instructor.

1962: Elected to the House of Representatives from Illinois in 1962. Served four terms.

1962: Resigned from Congress to join the Nixon administration as an assistant to the president and director of the Office of Economic Opportunity; later served as counselor to the president and director of the Cost of Living Council.

1973: Became US ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

1974: Head President Gerald Ford's transition team.

1975, Nov. 20: Became youngest-ever secretary of defense at the age 43. Serve 14 months, until the end of President Ford's administration.

1977-1985: Chairman and CEO of G. D. Searle & Co.

1981-86: Chairman of the Rand Corporation

1983-84: Served as Presidential Envoy to the Middle East

1990-93: Chairman and CEO of General Instrument Corporation

1996: Served as chairman of Sen. Bob Dole's presidential campaign.

1997: Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom

1999-2000: Served as chairman of the Ballistic Missile Threat Commission that found an increasing threat of missile attack on the United States.

2000, Dec. 28: Named as President-Elect George W. Bush's nominee for secretary of defense.

As secretary of defense under President Ford, Rumsfeld was involved in the B-1 bomber, the Trident nuclear submarine program, and the MX missile. He personally piloted an early version of the B-1 bomber. 

 

Subscribe to the Newsletter
Name	Email