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United States H.R. McMaster transitioned from a decorated United States Army Lieutenant General to an influential strategic thinker, serving as National Security Advisor and continuing to shape global security discourse.
Served as a Hoover National Security Affairs Fellow from 2002-2003. Currently, he is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution.
Serves as a Bernard and Susan Liautaud Visiting Fellow.
Serves as a lecturer.
Serves as Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the Center on Military and Political Power.
Holds the Japan Chair.
Featured in a discussion on 'Betting on America: The Future of U.S. Economic Statecraft'.
A two-time graduate, holding an MA and PhD in military history.
Joined the advisory board of the software firm focused on economic statecraft risk vis-à-vis strategic competition with China.
Featured in an article regarding his book and tenure as National Security Advisor.
Discussed 'Competitive Engagement Key to Defending America' as a former U.S. National Security Advisor.
Explores the global defense landscape in video content.
Stressed strategic empathy as an effective foreign policy.
Became a board member in 2020.
Became an advisor to the veteran-owned investment bank in 2020.
Joined the National Security Advisory Board as Senior Advisor in 2021.
Joined the advisory board of the geospatial-intelligence corporation in September 2021.
Appointed Distinguished University Fellow in 2021, serving as a subject matter expert on national security and defense issues.
Herbert Raymond McMaster was born in Philadelphia on July 24, 1962. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1984 and later earned a Ph.D. in American history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996. His doctoral dissertation critically examined American strategy and military leadership during the Vietnam War, forming the basis for his New York Times bestselling book, “Dereliction of Duty.” McMaster’s early military career included commanding Eagle Troop of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment during the Gulf War, where his unit famously destroyed 28 Iraqi Republican Guard tanks without suffering losses in the Battle of 73 Easting in 1991, earning him a Silver Star. This action is frequently used in U.S. Army training exercises.
Throughout his distinguished career, McMaster held various command and staff positions. He taught military history at West Point from 1994 to 1996 and commanded the 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry in Germany from 1999 to 2002. Notably, during the Iraq War, from 2005 to 2006, he commanded the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, leading successful counterinsurgency operations in Tal Afar. His innovative tactics involved embedding soldiers permanently within the city, which proved effective in gaining local support against insurgents. This approach garnered attention from figures like Vice President Dick Cheney and was highlighted in various media, including PBS’s “Frontline” and CBS’s “60 Minutes.”
In 2017, McMaster was appointed the 25th United States National Security Advisor by President Donald Trump, serving until 2018. During this period, he remained an active-duty lieutenant general. After retiring from the Army in 2018, he joined Stanford University’s Hoover Institution as the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies as the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Visiting Fellow. He also became a lecturer in management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and hosts the podcast series “Battlegrounds With H.R. McMaster,” discussing global security and foreign policy.
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