Dan Senor

Dan Senor
דן סניור
Born	Daniel Samuel Senor (1971-11-06) November 6, 1971 Utica, U.S.
Education	University of Western Ontario (BA) Hebrew University Harvard University (MBA)
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Campbell Brown ​ (m. 2006)​

Daniel Samuel Senor (, ; born November 6, 1971) is an American political adviser, writer, and columnist. He served as the chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and acted as a senior foreign policy adviser to Mitt Romney during the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. A regular contributor and commentator for The Wall Street Journal, Senor co-wrote Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle (2009) and The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation in a Turbulent World (2023). He is married to journalist Campbell Brown.

Early life and education

Born in Utica, New York, Senor grew up in Toronto as the youngest sibling among four children. His father was employed by Israel Bonds, while his mother, a Holocaust survivor originally from Košice, Slovakia, lost her own father at Auschwitz concentration camp. After World War II, she relocated through Paris and New York before settling in Montreal. Senor has acknowledged that his mother's trauma following the Holocaust had a profound impact on their family life. He completed his secondary education at Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, pursued undergraduate studies at the University of Western Ontario, attended Hebrew University, and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Early career

Throughout much of the 1990s, Senor was involved with Senator Spencer Abraham’s 1994 campaign and subsequently worked in his Washington office. He also held positions with Senator Connie Mack III and at the pro-Israel lobbying organization AIPAC. During this time, Weekly Standard editor William Kristol introduced him to a neoconservative network associated with the administration of President George W. Bush.

Between 2001 and 2003, Senor was employed as an investment banker at the Carlyle Group.

Iraq

In the period leading up to and following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Senor operated as an adviser to both the Pentagon and White House, stationed at U.S. Central Command Forward in Doha, Qatar. He later collaborated with General Jay Garner in southern Iraq during the regime’s collapse.

Senor gained recognition for his optimistic public communications that often diverged from the realities observed on-site, as noted by commentators such as Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Serving as Chief Spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and Senior Advisor to Ambassador L. Paul Bremer, he was a leading media representative for the Bush Administration’s initiatives in Iraq. Critics argued that his public messaging tended to understate the significant difficulties faced during the occupation.

On April 20, 2003, Senor moved to Baghdad, becoming one of the earliest American civilians present following Saddam Hussein’s ousting. He remained with the CPA for 15 months, making him one of the longest-serving American civilian officials in Iraq at that time. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award, among the highest civilian honors granted by the Pentagon.

Start-up Nation

Together with his brother-in-law, Jerusalem Post columnist Saul Singer, Senor co-authored Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle (2009), a book that explores Israel’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape and its culturally supportive framework. Although aimed at a broad audience beyond the Jewish community, the book is predominantly categorized within business literature and has elicited varied responses—ranging from commendations for its thorough research and depiction of Israeli society to critiques concerning its political undertones. The phrase "Start-up Nation" has since become synonymous with Israel’s innovation environment and inspired the establishment of Start-Up Nation Central, a nonprofit organization based in Tel Aviv.

Additional professional engagements

Senor has held the position of Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and produced investigative documentaries on Iraq and Iran for Fox News. His articles have been published in leading outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. He also serves on the advisory board of the nonprofit organization America Abroad Media.

In 2008, Senor was among the honorary delegation accompanying President George W. Bush during Israel’s 60th anniversary celebrations in Jerusalem.

In 2010, Republican officials encouraged Senor to run against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in New York’s Senate race. After careful consideration, he declined due to family and professional commitments, choosing instead to co-found the think tank Foreign Policy Initiative alongside William Kristol and Robert Kagan.

Senor publicly endorsed President Obama’s Afghanistan strategy in a 2009 op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, commending his dedication. Nevertheless, he later expressed criticism of Obama’s diplomatic approach toward Israel through several articles.

In May 2020, Senor introduced the podcast Call Me Back, which examines global issues, economics, culture, and technology within historical frameworks. This podcast is part of the Ark Media network.

Involvement in the Romney campaign

During the 2012 presidential election, Senor acted as a foreign policy advisor to candidate Mitt Romney. Romney’s chief of staff, Beth Myers, highlighted their instant connection. Senor was instrumental in coordinating Romney’s July 2012 visit to Israel, working closely with Ron Dermer, chief strategist for Benjamin Netanyahu. He utilized his extensive Israeli network, including his sister Wendy Singer, who leads the Jerusalem branch of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Senor gained attention by affirming that Romney "would respect" an Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. In an August 2012 op-ed for USA Today, he described Romney as "a longtime advocate for the Jewish state" who draws parallels between Israel’s narrative and America’s founding principles. He also criticized President Obama for failing to remove Syrian President Assad, asserting that this inaction projected U.S. weakness.

According to an August 2012 report by Politico, Senor was considered a strong contender for a senior White House position if Romney won—potentially as deputy chief of staff or national security advisor. Additionally, he provided comprehensive debate preparation for vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan ahead of Ryan’s October 2012 debate with Vice President Joe Biden.

Post-election

Following Romney's defeat to Obama in November, Senor openly rebuked prominent Republicans for their contradictory behavior—commending Romney as "iconic" prior to the election and then harshly criticizing him afterward—a viewpoint that received extensive media attention.

Published work

• Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle (2009)
• The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation in a Turbulent World (2023)

Personal life

Senor wed Campbell Brown in April 2006. Brown is the editor-in-chief of The 74, a nonprofit focused on education news, and previously served as an NBC Today weekend anchor and CNN host. The couple has two children. His father-in-law, James H. "Jim" Brown, is a Democrat who formerly held positions as Louisiana Insurance Commissioner and Secretary of State. Senor's mother lives in Toronto.

External links

• Dan Senor's Whitehouse.gov Biography
• Dan Senor - Rosemont Solebury Capital Management
• Dan Senor at the Council on Foreign Relations
• Dan Senor on Twitter