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Susan M. Gordon

For persons of a similar name, see Susan Gordon (disambiguation).

Susan M. Gordon served as Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence until August 15, 2019.[1][2] Prior to assuming that role, she was the Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), having assumed the position on January 1, 2015.[3] Before joining the NGA, she served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency's Information Operations Center and senior cyber adviser to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.[4] Gordon worked for the CIA for over 25 years.[5]

Sue Gordon
5th Principal Deputy DNI
In office
August 7, 2017 – August 15, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
DirectorDan Coats
Preceded byStephanie O'Sullivan
Succeeded byNeil Wiley
Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
In office
January 1, 2015 – August 9, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byMichael Rodrigue
Succeeded byJustin Poole
Personal details
BornKnoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
EducationDuke University (BS)

Early life and education

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Gordon obtained a B.S. from Duke University in 1980, majoring in zoology.[6] While at Duke, she was a power forward and the only three-year captain for the Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team in its history.[7]

Career

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Gordon joined the Central Intelligence Agency in 1980, where she worked as an analyst in the Office of Scientific and Weapons Research, Directorate of Intelligence.[3][8] She later moved to the Agency's Directorate of Science & Technology, as well as the first director of the Office of Advanced Analytic Tools (AAT), serving in that capacity from July 1996 to October 2000.[9][3][10] Gordon was later Deputy Director for Support at the CIA.[7] Prior to assuming Deputy Directorship of the NGA, Gordon served concurrently as Director of the CIA's Information Operations Center and as the CIA Director's senior advisor on cyber issues.

President Donald Trump announced on July 28, 2019, that he intended to nominate Republican congressman John Ratcliffe to replace Dan Coats as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), but withdrew Ratcliffe from consideration five days later.[11][12] After Trump's announcement, it was not immediately clear if he would retain Gordon, as acting DNI during Ratcliffe's confirmation process, or if she would be retained in the agency upon Ratcliffe's confirmation. Two sources told CNN there was an active search underway and that Gordon was not considered likely to be retained because she "is viewed by some in the administration as someone who is not going to be the type of political loyalist Trump wants in that role."[13] Some Trump allies advised him Gordon was too close to former CIA director John Brennan, an outspoken Trump critic, an assertion Brennan dismissed.[14][15] One Democratic congressional official told NBC News, "if he appoints anyone other than Sue Gordon as acting DNI, the Senate will raise holy hell."[16] By law, the Principal Deputy succeeds the Director upon a vacancy, but on August 8, 2019 Trump announced Gordon was resigning and appointed the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joseph Maguire as acting DNI.[17]

Since leaving the Intelligence Community, Gordon has become a member of the Advisory Board of Pallas Advisors, a national security strategic advisory firm based in Washington, DC,[18] and the board of CACI.[19] She is also a consultant to Microsoft.[8]

In the book The Madman Theory by Jim Sciutto, Gordon stated in response to Donald Trump challenging of 'loyalty' of people in the Intelligence Community that disagreed with him, "You can say you don't believe intelligence as much as you want. If you're questioning the integrity of the people that put that in front of you, I think that's very difficult because those people, in their own minds, would never lack integrity."[20]

In 2020, Gordon was named a candidate for either Director of National Intelligence or Director of the Central Intelligence Agency as part of the Administrative Presidency of Joe Biden.[21]

As of 2024, Gordon serves on the advisory board of the National Security Space Association.[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Principal Deputy DNI". www.dni.gov.
  2. ^ "Top intelligence official Sue Gordon leaving her post same day as boss". www.cbsnews.com. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
  3. ^ a b c "Sue Gordon, Deputy Director". National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017.
  4. ^ Hoffman, Mary-Louise (June 30, 2017). "NGA Deputy Director Susan Gordon Nominated to Fill ODNI No. 2 Post". ExecutiveGov. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  5. ^ Chappellet-Lanier, Tajha (June 29, 2017). "Sue Gordon nominated to be principal deputy director of national intelligence". FedScoop. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  6. ^ Duke University (October 31, 2014). "Duke University Alumni: Sue Gordon '80". YouTube. Retrieved May 18, 2017. Sue Gordon '80, director of the CIA's Senior Advisor for Cyber and director of Information Operations, says that majoring in zoology at Duke University was the perfect choice for preparing for a career at the CIA. Interview by Christina Holder. Video by Christina Holder and Morgan Capps.
  7. ^ a b Neu, Ryan (October 28, 2015). "From the Hardwood to the CIA, Gordon a Leader". Duke University.
  8. ^ a b Welna, David (August 13, 2020). "Exclusive: After Quitting Last Year, Senior U.S. Intelligence Official Now Talks". NPR. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  9. ^ Richelson, Jeffrey T. (2008). The Wizards Of Langley: Inside The CIA's Directorate Of Science And Technology. Basic Books. ISBN 9780786742660. Director, Office of Advanced Analytical Tools (AAT): Susan Gordon: July 18, 1996 - October 2000
  10. ^ Finegan, Jay (1998). "License to Know". CIO. pp. 48–49.
  11. ^ "Ratcliffe Tapped to Replace Coats as U.S. Spy Chief". July 28, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
  12. ^ "Ratcliffe withdraws from consideration for intelligence chief less than a week after Trump picked him". Washington Post.
  13. ^ Zachary Cohen and Nicole Gaouette (30 July 2019). "Trump says Ratcliffe will 'rein in' US intelligence agencies as spy chief". CNN.
  14. ^ "Trump Says Deputy Intelligence Director to Resign With Coats". Bloomberg. August 8, 2019 – via www.bloomberg.com.
  15. ^ "Brennan scoffs at Trump Jr. suggestion his ties to Sue Gordon disqualify her for DNI". Washington Examiner. August 9, 2019.
  16. ^ "Is Trump's pick for top spy qualified for the job?". NBC News. 29 July 2019.
  17. ^ Kevin Liptak (8 August 2019). "Trump announces new intel chief pick, No. 2 intelligence official is leaving administration". CNN.
  18. ^ "Pallas Advisors Team".
  19. ^ "CACI".
  20. ^ "The Madman Theory". HarperCollins.
  21. ^ "Who Are Contenders for Biden's Cabinet?". The New York Times. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  22. ^ "National Security Space Association, Board of Advisors". National Security Space Association. 2024-03-14. Archived from the original on 2024-03-14. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
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