John D. Negroponte

Ambassador John D. Negroponte is the Deputy Secretary of State, the Department of State’s second ranking official. Appointed by President Bush, he was confirmed by the U.S.
Senate on February 12, 2007, and was sworn into office by Vice President Cheney on February 13. As Deputy Secretary of State, he assists Secretary Rice in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy and functions as the chief operating officer of the Department. He coordinates and supervises U.S. Government activities overseas, represents the Department’s position before Congress, and manages key foreign policy issues on the Secretary’s behalf.

Prior to his current assignment, Ambassador Negroponte served as the first Director of National Intelligence (DNI), for which he was sworn in on April 21, 2005. Previously, he had been serving as United States Ambassador to Iraq, since June 28, 2004. From September 18, 2001, until his appointment to Iraq, Ambassador Negroponte served as the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

From 1997 to 2001, Ambassador Negroponte was employed in the private sector as Executive Vice President for Global Markets of The McGraw-Hill Companies in New York.

From 1960 to 1997, Ambassador Negroponte was a member of the Career Foreign Service. He served at eight different Foreign Service posts in Asia, Europe and Latin America; and he also held important positions at the State Department and the White House.

Among his assignments, Ambassador Negroponte was Ambassador to Honduras (1981-1985); Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (1985-1987); Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (1987-1989); Ambassador to Mexico (1989-1993); and Ambassador to the Philippines (1993-96).

Ambassador Negroponte is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Diplomacy. He is a former Chairman of the French-American Foundation.

Ambassador Negroponte was born July 21, 1939, in London, England. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1960. He and his wife, Diana, have five children.