Charles Kupperman

Charles Martin Kupperman[1] (born November 9, 1950) was the United States Deputy National Security Advisor for President Donald Trump, a position he held from January to September 2019. He also was the acting United States National Security Advisor for eight days in September 2019 between John Bolton and Robert C. O'Brien.

Charles Kupperman
Kupperman in 1987
31st United States Deputy National Security Advisor
In office January 11, 2019 – September 22, 2019
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Mira Ricardel
Succeeded by	Matthew Pottinger
Acting United States National Security Advisor
In office September 10, 2019 – September 18, 2019
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	John R. Bolton
Succeeded by	Robert O'Brien
Personal details
Born	Charles Martin Kupperman November 9, 1950
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Judie Kupperman
Children	3
Education	Purdue University (BA) University of British Columbia (MA) University of Southern California (PhD)

Early life and education

Kupperman graduated from Waukegan High School in 1968, where he played varsity baseball; his parents owned a paint factory in Waukegan.[2]

Kupperman earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Purdue University in 1972. He received a master's degree in international relations from the University of British Columbia in 1973.[3][4] His master's thesis was entitled Strategy, Technology and the Making of United States Strategic Doctrines 1945–1972.[1] Kupperman completed a doctorate in strategic studies at the University of Southern California in 1980.[3][4] His doctoral thesis was entitled The SALT II Debate,[5] and supervised by William Van Cleave.

Career

Kupperman greeting President Ronald Reagan in 1987

From 1978 to 1980, Kupperman was the senior defense analyst for the Committee on the Present Danger.[6]

In 1980, Kupperman was a foreign policy adviser to Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign.[7] After Reagan was elected, Kupperman joined the Reagan administration. He was executive assistant to the acting administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, beginning in December 1985,[8] and then the Executive Director of the General Advisory Committee on Arms Control[9] of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, before becoming the executive assistant to the director of the Office of Personnel Management.[6] In July 1986 he became special assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Administration.[4]

In 1991, Kupperman became the president and chief executive of Xsirius Superconductivity,[10] a small Arlington, Virginia company developing commercial applications for high-temperature superconductivity technology.[11]

Kupperman also worked at two defense contractors, Lockheed Martin and Boeing; he was the vice president for business development for missile defense systems for Boeing and the vice president of Washington Space Operations for Lockheed Martin Corporation. He retired from Boeing in July 2006, after six years.[12]

From 2001 to 2010, Kupperman was on the board of directors for the Center for Security Policy.[13] In late 2014, he was the treasurer of the Bolton for New Hampshire PAC.[14]

In April 2018, after Bolton was chosen to be the national security advisor, Kupperman took a temporary leadership post on the National Security Council.[15] In January 2019, he became the deputy national security advisor,[3] replacing Mira Ricardel, who had left that position in mid-November 2018.[7][3] On September 10, 2019, when John Bolton departed from his position of United States national security advisor, Kupperman was made acting United States national security advisor.[16][17] The Council on American Islamic Relations said that it was "appalled" by Kupperman's appointment because of the Center for Security Policy's record of anti-Islam statements.[18]

With the appointment of Robert O'Brien on September 18, he was removed as acting national security advisor; he was replaced as deputy national security advisor four days later, on September 22, with Matt Pottinger.[19]

Trump-Ukraine scandal

Kupperman was on the July 25th call when President Trump allegedly pressured Ukrainian President Zelensky to investigate the Bidens.[20] Kupperman was scheduled to testify on October 28, 2019, before three House committees handling the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump with respect to the Trump-Ukraine scandal. The Trump administration, through White House counsel Pat Cipollone, directed Kupperman in writing not to comply with the House subpoena claiming "constitutional immunity" would protect him.[20] Subsequently, Kupperman filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to decide whether or not he must comply with the House subpoena or the Trump Administration's request to not testify. Kupperman's lawyer argued that he is faced with "irreconcilable commands" between the legislative and executive branches of government which can only be decided by the judicial branch.[20][21] Due to the withdrawal of the House subpoena, on December 30, 2019, Judge Richard J. Leon dismissed Charles M. Kupperman v United States House of Representatives, et al., over the plaintiff's objections that he was still exposed to contempt, arrest, and fines from reissued subpoenas even though the House's lawyers had made promises not to do so.[22][23][24]

Personal life

Kupperman is Jewish.[25][26] His wife Judie also graduated from Waukegan Township High School.[2] He and his wife have three children.[6]

References

1. "Strategy, Technology and the Making of United States Strategic Doctrines 1945–1972". Ubc.ca. September 1973. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
2. Coleman, Emily K. (September 11, 2019). "Waukegan High School classmates recall Trump's new interim national security adviser as 'very smart guy' with open ambition". chicagotribune.com. Lake County News-Sun. Retrieved 2019-09-12.
3. "White House National Security Advisor Announces Senior Staff Appointment". The White House. January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
4. "Appointment of Charles M. Kupperman as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of Administration". Reaganlibrary.gov. July 31, 1986. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
5. Caldwell, Dan (2016). "The SALT II Treaty". The Politics of Arms Control Treaty Ratification. p. 348. ISBN 9781137045348. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
6. "Appointment of Charles M. Kupperman as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of Administration". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library - National Archives and Records Administration. July 31, 1986. Retrieved 2019-09-12.
7. Restuccia, Andrew (January 11, 2019). "Former Reagan aide tapped as deputy national security adviser". Politico. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
8. Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1985, a Chronology. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1988. p. 185. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.192.1929.
9. Shribman, David (1983-10-12). "...and Recruit for the Government". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
10. "Executive Changes". The New York Times. 1991-03-01. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
11. Sugawara, Sandra (July 29, 1991). "Technology Firms are Finding their Expertise Elsewhere". Washington Post. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
12. "Milestones - Retirements" (PDF). Boeing Frontiers. Boeing Corporation. September 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
13. "Trump's new 'anti-Muslim' appointee worries civil rights groups". Aljazeera.com. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
14. Woodruff, Betsy (October 30, 2014). "New Hampshire Hawk". Slate. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
15. Vogel, Kenneth P. (May 21, 2018). "Meet the Members of the 'Shadow N.S.C.' Advising John Bolton". The New York Times. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
16. Breuninger, Kevin; Mangan, Dan (September 10, 2019). "Trump says he fired national security advisor John Bolton – but Bolton says he 'offered to resign'". CNBC. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
17. Wallace, Danielle (September 11, 2019). "Trump names Bolton's deputy to be acting national security adviser; Muslim-American group derides choice". Fox News. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
18. Kampeas, Ron (11 September 2019). "Muslim civil rights group 'appalled' by choice for John Bolton's interim replacement, Charles Kupperman". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
19. Samuels, Brett (September 22, 2019). "Trump's top adviser on Asia to serve as deputy national security adviser". The Hill. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
20. Mary Kay Mallonee, Adam Levine and Caroline Kelly. "Impeachment witness asks federal judge to decide if he is obliged to testify". CNN. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
21. Wagtendonk, Anya van (2019-10-26). "Trump's latest attempt to block impeachment inquiry testimonies faces a key court battle". Vox. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
22. Savage, Charlie. (30 December 2019). "Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by Ex-Trump Aide Subpoenaed in Impeachment Inquiry". NY Times website Retrieved 7 February 2020.
23. Tucker, Eric. (30 December 2019). "Judge dismisses impeachment suit from ex-White House aide". AP News website Retrieved 7 February 2020.
24. United States District Court for the District of Columbia. (30 December 2019). Memorandum Opinion. Case 1:19-cv-03224-RJL. Charles M. Kupperman v. United States House of Representatives et. al. Politico website Retrieved 7 February 2020.
25. "Reagan Names 11 Jews Among His 68 Foreign Policy and Defense Advisors". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. April 21, 1980. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
26. "Kupperman, Bolton's acting replacement, is Jewish, worked under Reagan". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. September 11, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.

External links

• Media related to Charles Kupperman at Wikimedia Commons