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Robert Gates

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Robert Gates
Born (1943-09-25) September 25, 1943 (age 83)
Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Occupation(s)Intelligence expert, academic leader, government official
Years active1966–2011
Known for22nd United States Secretary of Defense; Director of Central Intelligence; President of Texas A&M University

Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is a distinguished American intelligence expert and academic leader who held the position of the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 until 2011. Initially appointed by President George W. Bush and subsequently retained by President Barack Obama, Gates began his professional journey as an officer in the United States Air Force before transitioning to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Over a span of twenty-six years, he served within the CIA and the National Security Council, culminating in his role as Director of Central Intelligence under President George H. W. Bush from 1991 to 1993. Upon departing from the CIA, Gates assumed the presidency of Texas A&M University and participated on various corporate boards. Additionally, he contributed as a member of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which evaluated strategic insights from the Iraq War.

In 2006, Republican President George W. Bush nominated Gates to succeed Donald Rumsfeld as secretary of defense, a nomination that received bipartisan confirmation. Recognized for his influence, Time included him among the most impactful individuals of that year in 2007, while U.S. News & World Report honored him as one of America's Best Leaders in 2008. Gates maintained his role as secretary of defense during President Barack Obama’s administration until his retirement in 2011. Former Senator David L. Boren commended Gates for drawing attention to the dangers associated with excessive dependence on military solutions in U.S. foreign policy. Upon stepping down, Gates was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian accolade in the United States, by President Obama.

After concluding his government tenure, Gates was elected president of the Boy Scouts of America, served as Chancellor of the College of William & Mary, and joined several corporate boards. In 2012, he earned election as a fellow to the National Academy of Public Administration.

Early life and education

Born in Wichita, Kansas, Robert Gates is the son of Isabel V. (née Goss) and Melville A. "Mel" Gates. His early involvement with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) led him to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. As an adult, he was honored with both the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and the Silver Buffalo Award from the BSA. Graduating from Wichita High School East in 1961, Gates was also a member of the Order of the Arrow, BSA’s National Honor Society, holding Vigil Honor status. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to scouting, he was designated the BSA National Alumnus of the Year in 2017.

Gates secured a scholarship to attend the College of William & Mary, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1965. During his time there, he led as president of both the Alpha Phi Omega chapter and the Young Republicans organization, alongside serving as business manager for the William and Mary Review. His graduation was marked by receiving the prestigious Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for notable service to others.

He pursued graduate studies at Indiana University Bloomington, earning a Master of Arts focused on Eastern European and South Slavic history in 1966. Subsequently, he achieved a PhD in Russian and Soviet history at Georgetown University in 1974. His doctoral dissertation titled Soviet Sinology: An Untapped Source for Kremlin Views and Disputes Relating to Contemporary Events in China underscores his specialized knowledge regarding Soviet communism and governmental oversight.

Gates has been bestowed honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from several institutions: William & Mary (1998), the University of Oklahoma (2011), Georgetown University (2014), and Kansas State University (2012).

He married Rebecca "Becky" Gates (née Wilkie) on January 7, 1967; together they have two children.

Early roles

During his time at Indiana University, Gates was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency and became a member in 1966. On January 4, 1967, after completing Air Force Officer Training School with CIA backing, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Between 1967 and 1969, he worked as an intelligence officer within the Strategic Air Command, spending a year at Whiteman Air Force Base where he provided intelligence briefings to Intercontinental Ballistic Missile personnel. After fulfilling his military service, he returned to the CIA as an intelligence analyst and concurrently completed his doctoral dissertation.

In 1974, Gates departed the CIA to join the staff of the National Security Council. He reentered the agency in late 1979 to lead the Strategic Evaluation Center within the Office of Strategic Research. His career progression included appointments as director of the DCI/DDCI Executive Staff in 1981, deputy director for intelligence in 1982, and ultimately serving as deputy director of central intelligence from April 18, 1986, until March 20, 1989.

Deputy National Security Advisor

Under the administration of President George H. W. Bush, Gates held the position of Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs from March through August 1989. Subsequently, from August 1989 to November 1991, he served as Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser under Brent Scowcroft.

In early 1987, Gates was nominated for the role of director of central intelligence, but he withdrew following Senate opposition related to his involvement in the Iran-Contra Affair.

Director of Central Intelligence

President Bush renominated Gates on May 14, 1991; he received Senate confirmation on November 5 and was sworn in the following day.

During his confirmation hearings, former division chief Melvin Goodman criticized both Gates and former agency head William Casey for disseminating misleading information and disregarding factual realities. Additionally, Harold P. Ford, chairman of the National Intelligence Council, observed that Gates had exceeded professional limits.

Gates’s deputies included Richard J. Kerr (November 1991–March 1992) and Admiral William O. Studeman (April 1992 until Gates’s departure). He served until 1993. The cautious stance taken by the Bush administration regarding the breakup of Yugoslavia was shaped by Gates and advisors with expertise in that region, acknowledging limited viable solutions.

Extent of involvement in Iran–Contra affair

Given his senior position at the CIA, Gates was closely linked to principal figures involved in the Iran-Contra Affair and was likely aware of their operations. In 1984, while serving as deputy director of the CIA, he supported a U.S. bombing campaign against Nicaragua and advocated for measures short of invasion aimed at toppling the Sandinista regime.

Gates became an early subject of scrutiny by the Independent Counsel’s investigation, which intensified in spring 1991 amid a wider inquiry into CIA officials’ roles in Iran–Contra. This escalation coincided with President George H. W. Bush nominating him as Director of Central Intelligence. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence requested any information relevant to assessing Gates’s suitability for this position.

In testimony, Gates stated that he first learned on October 1, 1986—from Charles E. Allen—about possible diversion of proceeds from arms sales to Iran supporting the Contras. However, records indicate he had received a report on such diversions earlier in summer 1986 from DDI Richard Kerr. The critical question was whether Gates knowingly withheld this information when later denying prior knowledge.

The Independent Counsel’s ability to act was constrained by grand jury secrecy rules; however, by September 1991, it was determined that Gates’s conduct and testimony related to Iran–Contra did not warrant prosecution. This conclusion remained subject to revision if further testimony—such as that from former CIA deputy director Clair E. George—emerged. George declined cooperation and faced indictment; he subpoenaed Gates as a defense witness in 1994 but Gates was never called upon.

The Independent Counsel’s final report in 1993 concluded that although Gates was closely connected to major Iran–Contra participants and positioned to be aware of their actions, there was insufficient evidence to justify charging him.

1993–1999

Upon retiring from the CIA in 1993, Gates transitioned into academia, serving as a lecturer and thesis evaluator for the International Studies Program at the University of Washington. He delivered lectures at institutions including Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, Indiana University, Louisiana State University, the University of Oklahoma, and the College of William & Mary. Gates also held a position on the Board of Visitors for the University of Oklahoma's International Programs Center and acted as a trustee for William & Mary’s endowment fund, which honored him with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 1998. In 1996, he authored his memoir titled From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War. Additionally, he contributed numerous opinion pieces on government and foreign affairs to publications such as The New York Times.

Texas A&M

From 1999 until 2001, Gates held the role of interim dean at Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government and Public Service. He was appointed as Texas A&M’s 22nd president on August 1, 2002. During his leadership, Gates propelled the "Vision 2020" initiative aiming to position Texas A&M among the top ten public universities by 2020. This strategy emphasized increasing student diversity, expanding faculty numbers, constructing new academic buildings, and improving educational standards. His administration saw the recruitment of 440 additional faculty members and oversaw a $300 million campus development project while also boosting minority student enrollment. On February 2, 2007, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents bestowed upon Gates the title of president emeritus. Both he and his wife Becky were awarded honorary doctoral degrees by Texas A&M on August 10, 2007.

Gates stepped down from the presidency on December 16, 2006,<ref> before being sworn in as Secretary of Defense two days later. He returned to Texas A&M on April 21, 2009, to deliver the address at the annual Aggie Muster ceremony—an honor granted to only six non-alumni speakers since Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke there in 1946. Furthermore, Gates has participated in Texas A&M’s National Security Higher Education Advisory Board.<ref>

Corporate boards

Gates has held trustee status at Fidelity Investments and served on the boards of NACCO Industries, Inc., Brinker International, Inc., Parker Drilling Company, Science Applications International Corporation, and VoteHere—a technology company specializing in cryptographic software security for electronic voting systems. After his nomination as Secretary of Defense, he intended to divest all personal stock holdings and relinquish corporate affiliations upon confirmation.

Public service

Gates formerly presided over the National Eagle Scout Association.

In January 2004, he co-led a Council on Foreign Relations task force focused on U.S. strategy toward Iran. The group advocated for direct diplomatic negotiations that would permit Iran’s nuclear activities under stringent peaceful-use conditions.

At the time of his Secretary of Defense nomination, Gates was a member of the Iraq Study Group (also known as the Baker Commission), which published its findings in November 2006. He was later replaced on this panel by former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger.

Declined appointment as Director of National Intelligence

In early 2005, Gates addressed speculation on his university's website regarding his potential departure from Texas A&M to assume the role of Director of National Intelligence (DNI). While he acknowledged being offered the position, he ultimately chose not to accept it after thorough deliberation. Gates opted to continue serving as president of Texas A&M, leading President George W. Bush to appoint John Negroponte as DNI instead.

Gates disclosed that he had initially planned to accept the DNI post out of a sense of responsibility and had even prepared a farewell message for his students. Nonetheless, after reflecting over a weekend, he decided against returning to Washington, D.C., feeling more personally satisfied remaining at Texas A&M.

Bush administration

Following the 2006 midterm elections, President George W. Bush nominated Gates to succeed the outgoing Donald Rumsfeld as U.S. Secretary of Defense. The Senate Armed Services Committee confirmed him unanimously on December 5, 2006. During his confirmation hearing, Gates remarked that the United States was neither achieving victory nor defeat in the Iraq War. The full Senate confirmed him by a 95–2 vote on December 6, with two Republicans opposing.

Gates was officially sworn in on December 18, 2006, during ceremonies held at both the White House and Pentagon.

As Secretary of Defense under Bush, Gates implemented the 2007 troop surge in Iraq—a major strategic shift from his predecessor’s approach. With violence subsequently decreasing, he initiated troop withdrawals in 2008, a policy that was sustained by the Obama administration.

Walter Reed Medical Center scandal

Shortly after assuming office, The Washington Post revealed the Walter Reed Army Medical Center neglect scandal in February 2007. This led Gates to remove Secretary of the Army Francis J. Harvey and later approve the firing of Army Surgeon General Kevin C. Kiley.

Controversy over Joint Chiefs

On June 8, 2007, Gates announced he would not support the renomination of Peter Pace, then serving as Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, citing expected challenges in securing Senate confirmation. Instead, he endorsed Mike Mullen, who was then Chief of Naval Operations, aiming to avoid a contentious confirmation battle. Gates commended Pace’s service while emphasizing the importance of maintaining military stability.

Misshipments of nuclear weapons

After disclosures in June 2008 about Air Force misshipments involving nuclear weapons and related components, Gates accepted the resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff T. Michael Moseley. He later referred to the U.S. Air Force as "one of my biggest headaches" during his tenure.

Obama administration

On December 1, 2008, President-elect Obama announced that Robert Gates would continue as Secretary of Defense for at least his first year in office. Gates became the fourteenth Cabinet member in U.S. history to serve presidents from different political parties and was the first to do so as Secretary of Defense. Early in Obama's administration, Gates prioritized reviewing U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. He was sixth in line for presidential succession and served as designated survivor during Obama’s inauguration. In March 2009, on Meet the Press, Gates suggested he might not complete the entire first term.

Gates proceeded with Iraq troop withdrawals initiated under Bush but authorized a limited surge in Afghanistan in 2009. In May 2009, he replaced General David D. McKiernan with General Stanley A. McChrystal, marking a rare wartime command change focused on counter-insurgency strategies. After President Obama announced an additional deployment of 30,000 troops against Taliban forces in December 2009, Gates visited Afghanistan.

Time highlighted Gates’s close collaboration with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, noting their frequent consultations to align policy efforts.

During a NATO address in March 2010, Gates underscored Europe's reduced military capabilities as a challenge to global security.

In February 2010, Gates declared the lifting of restrictions preventing women from serving aboard submarines. He also prepared the armed forces for repealing don't ask, don't tell, facilitating open service by homosexuals following its repeal later that year. In March 2010, he approved new policies making it more difficult to discharge gay service members, describing these changes as "common sense and common decency."

In August 2010, Gates announced plans to retire in 2011 rather than delaying leadership transition until an election year.

In March 2011, he directed U.S. military involvement in the 2011 military intervention in Libya, emphasizing that military action was only one component necessary for stabilizing Libya.

Gates appeared in the renowned White House Situation Room photograph captured during the operation that resulted in Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s death.

He concluded his term as Secretary of Defense on July 1, 2011, receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama upon retirement.

Budgetary discipline

Throughout his service in the Obama administration, Gates spearheaded a major realignment of spending priorities within the U.S. Department of Defense. In April 2009, he advocated for reductions in traditional warfare initiatives, including the cancellation of additional F-22 Raptor orders and the cessation of further development on Future Combat Systems manned vehicles. These budget cuts were balanced by increased investments in specialized areas such as special operations forces. Gates characterized this plan as the "nation's first truly 21st century defense budget."

By April 2010, Gates proposed discontinuing funding for an expensive new ballistic missile submarine project, citing concerns about its cost-effectiveness and strategic relevance. He recommended redirecting resources toward platforms better aligned with evolving threats and technological advances, urging the Navy and Marine Corps to reevaluate their assumptions given fiscal constraints. In May 2010, he pledged to implement politically challenging reductions within Pentagon administration to improve overall efficiency.

In August 2010, Gates set a goal to identify $100 billion in Defense Department savings by 2015 to cultivate a "culture of savings and restraint" across the military. He warned against repeating past errors of drastic, ill-advised cuts during economic downturns or after conflicts. Gates emphasized that sustained budget growth would depend on demonstrating fiscal prudence and optimizing every dollar spent. Actions included shutting down the Joint Forces Command, cutting fifty general and admiral posts, and eliminating 150 senior civilian positions.

Remarks on NATO

On January 16, 2008, Gates commented in the Los Angeles Times that NATO troops operating in southern Afghanistan lacked effective counterinsurgency tactics against guerrilla fighters, which could be contributing to escalating violence. His remarks sparked objections from both the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

During a June 10, 2011 address in Brussels, Gates called on NATO allies to boost their contributions as the United States confronted its own budget challenges. He cautioned that NATO risked splitting into a two-tier alliance: one group handling "soft" missions and another undertaking "hard" combat operations. Gates highlighted that some members enjoyed NATO benefits without adequately sharing financial or security responsibilities—a situation he described as unsustainable. He warned that shrinking European defense budgets might prompt future American leaders to reconsider the value of U.S. commitments to NATO.

College chancellor (2011–present)

On September 6, 2011, Gates accepted the role of chancellor at the College of William & Mary, succeeding Sandra Day O'Connor for a seven-year term.<ref>He officially took office on February 3, 2012.<ref> In September 2018, he was reappointed for an additional seven-year term.<ref>

Additional roles

Gates is a Principal at RiceHadleyGates LLC, a strategic advisory firm he co-founded alongside Condoleezza Rice, Stephen Hadley, and Anja Manuel.<ref>

He holds an honorary directorship on the board of the Atlantic Council.<ref>

On May 2, 2012, Starbucks Corporation named Gates to its board of directors; he participates on the nominating and corporate governance committee.<ref>

On October 30, 2013, Gates joined the National executive board of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), serving as national president from May 2014 through May 2016. During his leadership, he guided policy changes away from excluding gay adult leaders.<ref>Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T Inc., served as president-elect during Gates’s tenure.<ref>

Following Russia’s March 2014 annexation of Crimea, Gates authored an op-ed addressing Russian expansionism, sanctions policy, U.S. defense spending priorities, and leadership challenges.<ref>

Together with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other Republican foreign policy figures, Gates endorsed ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State under President Trump.<ref><ref>

On January 3, 2021, Gates joined all living former U.S. secretaries of defense in a Washington Post editorial urging President Trump not to deploy military forces in response to election disputes.<ref>

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gates served on the National Advisory Council for the COVID Collaborative.<ref>

Memoirs

In his book, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War, Gates offered both commendation and critique of President Obama's military leadership. He affirmed his confidence in Obama's unwavering backing of the armed forces but raised doubts about the president's dedication to the Afghan mission. Gates also praised Obama for approving the 2011 operation that eliminated Osama bin Laden. Concerning then Vice President Joe Biden, Gates remarked, "I believe he has been mistaken on almost every significant foreign policy and national security matter over the last forty years."

Criticism

During his tenure as deputy director and later as director of the CIA, Gates encountered criticism for inaccurately gauging the Soviet Union's weakening. He was charged with exaggerating Soviet capabilities to justify the Reagan administration's military expansion. Former Secretary of State George Shultz expressed skepticism about CIA intelligence under Gates, pointing out that the agency dismissed Gorbachev’s reforms as mere deception. Both former CIA Director Stansfield Turner and analyst Melvin Goodman attributed this misjudgment to intentional manipulation at the agency’s highest levels. Goodman subsequently described Gates’s leadership at the CIA as cultivating a "toxic environment." Furthermore, Gates reportedly endorsed a flawed CIA report connecting the Soviet Union to the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II, although he did not influence its findings.

Following his retirement as Defense Secretary in 2011, Gates openly voiced dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Israeli government. He underscored the extensive U.S. support provided to Israel’s security—including advanced weapon systems, missile defense initiatives, and intelligence cooperation—while lamenting a lack of Israeli reciprocity concerning peace efforts. Senior U.S. officials reportedly did not contest his perspective. In response, Israel’s Likud party defended Netanyahu, asserting he maintained strong public backing despite Gates’s characterization of him as a threat to Israel’s future.

Articles

  • The Dysfunctional Superpower, Foreign Affairs, September 29, 2023
  • The Scowcroft Model, Foreign Affairs, August 13, 2020
  • The Overmilitarization of American Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, June 2, 2020
  • Helping Others Defend Themselves, Foreign Affairs, May 1, 2010
  • A Balanced Strategy, Foreign Affairs, January 1, 2009
  • The CIA and Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, December 1, 1987

Awards and decorations

Among Gates's honors are:

Government awards
Other distinctions

Bibliography

  • Robert Gates, From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War. Simon & Schuster (1997).
  • Robert Gates, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War. Alfred A. Knopf (2014).
  • Robert Gates, A Passion for Leadership: Lessons on Change and Reform from Fifty Years of Public Service (2016).
  • Robert Gates, Exercise of Power: American Failures, Successes, and a New Path Forward in the Post-Cold War World. Alfred A. Knopf (2020).
  • Robert Gates, US Intelligence and the End of the Cold War, CIA (1999).
  • Robert Gates interview for PBS Frontline on The Gulf War (2001).
  • Robert Gates, A Balanced Strategy: Reprogramming the Pentagon for a New Age, Foreign Affairs (January/February 2009).

References

Citations

Sources

  • Biography, Robert M. Gates, President, Texas A&M University
  • Directors of Central Intelligence: Robert Michael Gates (1943– ), DCI (1991–1993)
  • Robert M. Gates, From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War
  • Gates passes on intelligence czar post – The Bryan-College Station Eagle

Further reading

  • Burka, Paul. "Agent of Change", Texas Monthly (November 2006)
  • Jervis, Robert. "Serving or Self-Serving? A Review Essay of Robert Gates's Memoir." Political Science Quarterly 129#2 (Summer 2014): 319-331.
  • Murphey, Dwight D. "A Provocative Look at Robert Gates' Memoirs of a Secretary at War" Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies 39#3 (Fall 2014): 342-362.

External links

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