Michael Ellis | |
|---|---|
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| 9th Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | |
| Assumed office February 10, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | David S. Cohen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1984 or 1985 (age 39–40) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Katherine Racicot (m. 2011) |
| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) Yale University (JD) |
| Occupation |
|
Michael Ellis (born 1984/1985)[1] is an American attorney, Republican political operative,[2] and former government official who has served as the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency since 2025. He is a visiting fellow for law and technology with The Heritage Foundation's Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. Ellis previously worked in multiple positions in the George W. Bush administration, for Republican congressman Devin Nunes and the first Trump administration, being called a Donald Trump loyalist.[3] He worked as a legal advisor to the National Security Council and was later appointed as Senior Director for Intelligence for the agency. In December 2021, he became the general counsel for the online video platform Rumble.[4]
While on the NSC, Ellis was tasked with conducting a security review of a memoir by former Trump national security advisor John Bolton that sharply criticized Trump, resulting in Bolton being criminally charged.[5] Ellis was appointed as the general counsel of the National Security Agency during the closing days of the Trump administration in 2020. NSA director Paul Nakasone opposed the appointment, but was ordered by acting defense secretary Christopher Miller to install Ellis to the position. Despite a preliminary finding by the Defense Department Inspector General that there was no improper influence on the appointment process, Nakasone placed Ellis on administrative leave on the first day of the Biden administration. Ellis resigned the following April, with an investigation later finding that there was no improper influence in his selection.
On February 3, 2025, Trump named Ellis as his deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and he was sworn in on February 10.[6]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
apwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^
- Coleman, Justine (January 17, 2021). "NSA places former GOP political operative in top lawyer position after Pentagon chief's reported order". The Hill.
- Nakashima, Ellen (April 17, 2021). "NSA official installed as Trump left office resigns after he was sidelined". The Washington Post.
- Klion, David (October 23, 2020). "The Game That Ruins Friendships and Shapes Careers". Foreign Policy.
- ^ Trump loyalist:
- Barnes, Julian E. (January 21, 2021). "Michael Ellis, a Trump appointee at the N.S.A. who was sworn in on Tuesday, has been placed on leave". The New York Times.
- Cohen, Zachary; LeBlanc, Paul (January 21, 2021). "Last-minute Trump appointee at NSA put on administrative leave due to inspector general probe". CNN.
- Matishak, Martin (January 19, 2021). "Trump loyalist starts job as NSA's general counsel". Politico.
- ^ "Former Trump, Nunes Aide Lands Top Legal Job at Rumble Platform". Bloomberg Law. December 9, 2021.
- ^ Spencer S. Hsu; Josh Dawsey (June 16, 2021). "Justice Dept. drops John Bolton book lawsuit, won't charge the ex-security aide who became Trump's scathing critic". The Washington Post.
- ^ Barnes, Julian (February 3, 2025). "President Trump announced that he would appoint Michael Ellis, a former top aide to House Republicans, to serve as the deputy director of the C.I.A." The New York Times. Retrieved February 3, 2025.