James Robert Clapper Jr., born March 14, 1941, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general and former government official. He is best known for serving as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) from August 9, 2010, to January 20, 2017, under President Barack Obama. His tenure as DNI was marked by significant events, including the killing of Osama bin Laden, the Edward Snowden revelations, and ongoing concerns over cybersecurity and foreign interference in U.S. elections.

Clapper's career in intelligence and military service spans over five decades. He began his career in the U.S. Air Force after graduating from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned a degree in political science. He also holds a master's degree in political science from St. Mary's University in Texas. Clapper is a graduate of the National War College, where he further honed his expertise in military and intelligence matters.

In the Air Force, Clapper held various positions related to intelligence, including serving in Vietnam as a signals intelligence officer. He rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) from 1992 to 1995. After retiring from active duty in 1995, Clapper worked in the private sector, including as an executive at Booz Allen Hamilton, a management consulting firm known for its work with defense and intelligence agencies.

In 2001, Clapper returned to government service as the first civilian director of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), which was later renamed the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). His leadership was pivotal in transforming NIMA into a critical component of the U.S. intelligence community, especially in the post-9/11 era.

Clapper was appointed Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence in 2007, a position that made him the principal intelligence advisor to the Secretary of Defense. His role was to oversee the integration of intelligence within the Department of Defense and coordinate with other agencies across the intelligence community.

In 2010, President Obama nominated Clapper to serve as the DNI, where he was responsible for overseeing all national intelligence agencies and ensuring the effective coordination of intelligence activities. His time as DNI was challenging, particularly due to the disclosure of classified information by Edward Snowden in 2013, which exposed the extent of surveillance activities conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA). Clapper faced significant criticism for his initial testimony before Congress, where he stated that the NSA did not "wittingly" collect data on millions of Americans, a statement later shown to be misleading.

Despite the controversies, Clapper was recognized for his efforts to improve intelligence-sharing and his commitment to modernizing the U.S. intelligence apparatus in the face of evolving threats. He was also involved in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, where he expressed concerns over the extent of foreign influence on American democracy.

After retiring in 2017, Clapper became a prominent commentator on national security issues, often appearing on news programs and writing on intelligence matters. He has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, particularly regarding Trump's relationship with the intelligence community and handling of Russian interference allegations.

Clapper authored a memoir titled *Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence*, published in 2018, where he provides an insider's perspective on his career and the challenges faced by the intelligence community during his time in service.

REFERENCE:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clapper