Colin Kahl | |
|---|---|
 Kahl in 2021 | |
| Under Secretary of Defense for Policy | |
| In office April 28, 2021 – July 17, 2023 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | John Rood |
| Succeeded by | Elbridge Colby |
| National Security Advisor to the Vice President | |
| In office August 1, 2014 – January 20, 2017 | |
| Vice President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Jake Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | Andrea L. Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Colin Hackett Kahl (1971-06-01)June 1, 1971 (age 54) Michigan, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Michigan (BA) Columbia University (PhD) |
Colin Hackett Kahl is an Americanpolitical scientist who served asunder secretary of defense for policy in theBiden administration from April 28, 2021, to July 17, 2023. Previously, he served asnational security advisor to the vice president under then-Vice President Joe Biden (2014–2017).[1] After the Obama administration, Kahl served as a Steven C. Házy Senior Fellow at theCenter for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) atStanford University.[2][3][4][5] Since January 2026, Kahl is the Director of Stanford’sFreeman Spogli Institute (FSI) for International Studies, which includes CISAC.[6]
In the Obama administration, Kahl was involved in the negotiations of theJoint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal. After leaving the administration, he was subject to disinformation campaigns, as well as private intelligence investigations by former Trump administration staff that targeted him, his wife and children.
Kahl was born inMichigan[citation needed] but moved to theSan Francisco Bay Area with his mother and brother in 1981. He was raised inRichmond, California.[7] He graduated fromJohn F. Kennedy High School in 1989.[8] Kahl earned a BA in political science from theUniversity of Michigan in 1993 and a PhD in political science fromColumbia University in 2000.[9] Under his advisorsRobert Jervis andJack Snyder, Kahl's doctoral thesis was entitledStates, Scarcity, and Civil Strife in the Developing World [Kenya].[10]
From 1997 to 1998, he was a national security fellow atHarvard University. From 2005 to 2006, he was aCouncil on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow, working on stability operations policy at the Department of Defense.[11] He has been a professor at theUniversity of Minnesota. Kahl has published in leadingsecurity studies journals, such asInternational Security andSecurity Studies, as well asForeign Affairs.[12][13][14]
From 2009 to 2011, he was the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East in the Obama administration.[15] In 2011, he was awarded theSecretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service by Secretary of DefenseRobert Gates.[15] In 2014, he became National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Joe Biden.[16] In the Obama administration, Kahl was directly involved in negotiating theIran Nuclear Deal, as well as publicly advocating for it.[17][18]
In May 2018, it was revealed that aides to U.S. PresidentDonald Trump had contracted with the Israeli private intelligence firmBlack Cube to find evidence to support unsubstantiated and false claims that Kahl was being enriched by Iran lobbyists and that either he or deputy national security advisorBen Rhodes were cheating on their wives.[19][20][21][22][23]
In November 2020, Kahl was named a member of theJoe Biden presidential transition Agency Review Team to support transition efforts related to theNational Security Council.[24]
Kahl was nominated by Biden to serve as the under secretary of defense for policy. His nomination was subject to controversy in the Senate, with the Republican caucus unanimously opposing his confirmation due to his support for theIran nuclear deal, as well as for his criticisms of Trump administration policies.[25][26] In 2021, 18 Republican United States Senators including Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), alleged that Kahl might have publicly disclosed classified or sensitive national security information on social media, and demanded an FBI investigation.[27] Experts[who?] on classification toldPolitico the Republican accusations against Kahl appeared to be politically motivated, asserting that the tweets did not appear to constitute a violation.[28][29]
On March 4, 2021, the Senate'sArmed Forces Committee held hearings on Kahl's nomination. The committee deadlocked on the nomination on March 24, 2021, therefore delaying his confirmation. The entire Senate voted to discharge Kahl's nomination from the committee in a 50–50 roll call vote; Vice PresidentKamala Harris was needed tobreak the tie.[30] On April 27, 2021, Kahl was confirmed by a vote of 49–45, thanks in part to the absence of several Republican senators.[31][4] He was sworn in the following day by Secretary of DefenseLloyd Austin.[32]
In May 2023 it became known that Kahl would return to his role as a professor at Stanford University after being granted a two-yearleave of absence.[33]
In April 2024, Kahl joined theTruman National Security Project's board of directors.[34]
Kahl was a member of theDefense Policy Board Advisory Committee.[35] It was disbanded in April 2025.
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