Laura Cooper | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs | |
Acting | |
| In office January 20, 2021 – December 17, 2021 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Michael Cutrone (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Celeste A. Wallander |
| Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia | |
| In office January 20, 2017 – January 8, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Evelyn Farkas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | St. Louis,Missouri, U.S. |
| Education | Northwestern University (BA) Georgetown University (MS) National Defense University (MS) |
Laura Katherine Cooper is an Americancivil servant. Ms. Cooper is the 2023 Federal Employee of the Year (Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals), awarded by the nonprofit, nonpartisanPartnership for Public Service to celebrate excellence in the U.S. federal civil service.[1] She isDeputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian affairs in the office of theUnder Secretary of Defense for Policy, and a career member of theSenior Executive Service (SES). In 2023, she was honored with thePresidential Rank Distinguished Executive Award,[2] the highest annual award for career SES members. She previously served as principal director in the office of theHomeland Defense and Global Security Affairs.
Cooper testified to theUnited States Congress'sHouse Intelligence Committee during a closed-door hearing on October 23, 2019; this committee gathered information relevant toimpeachment proceedings involving U.S. PresidentDonald Trump.[3] She also testified on November 20, 2019, in an open hearing to that same committee.
Cooper is a 1992 graduate ofCor Jesu Academy high school and attendedSt. Margaret Mary Alacoque school in southSt. Louis County, Missouri.[4]Cooper attendedNorthwestern University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts. She received a master's degree fromGeorgetown University inForeign Service, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from theNational Defense University.[5]
Before joining theDepartment of Defense (DOD) in 2001, she had been a policy planning officer for theState Department and a Junior Fellow at theCarnegie Endowment for International Peace.[5]
A prior assignment in the DOD had been asAfghanistan Team Chief, Stability Operations Office, responsible for stability and security. In 2004 she presciently noted that to achieve these objectives, the efforts had to be enduring, with no end in sight. She identified the major needs to reach these goals: theMinistry of Defense and theAfghan National Army needed to be reformed and rebuilt to counter the resurgentTaliban and the powerfulwarlords; a police force was needed to combat crime; the justice system had to be assisted to ensure therule of law; prisons had to be built.[6]
.jpg)
Described as a "senior U.S. Department of Defense official", Cooper has been involved in multiple U.S.–Eurasian defense negotiations.[7][8][9][10][11]
She has described theRussian intervention in Ukraine as "a brazen violation ofinternational law" afterUkrainian vessels were attacked by Russia in late November 2018.[9][12] Cooper has been supportive of continued military aid to Ukraine. During a 2018 visit to Ukraine, she noted that Congress had authorized money for military aid, and she said that "one of my goals on this visit was to discuss with theGovernment of Ukraine what its priority needs are for security assistance."[13] She met withUkrainian Minister of DefenceStepan Poltorak to define measures of bilateral cooperation for defense.[14] Cooper was the Pentagon official in charge of the aid package;[15] she confirmed in December 2018 that the U.S. would have a comprehensive response to Russian aggression.[16] In a video message Cooper said that Ukraine "can count on the U.S. to remain your strong partner" in strengthening its military.[17] There is consensus that her assurances to the Ukrainians demonstrated that she expected the funds to be released in early 2019.[18]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Testimony of Cooper and David Hale to the House Intelligence Committee, November 20, 2019,C-SPAN |
Her testimony was sought by the Congressional committees leading theimpeachment inquiry against Donald Trump in matters relating to theTrump–Ukraine scandal.[19] On October 23, 2019, in defiance to aWhite House letter warning her not to appear before the impeachment inquiry,[20][21] Cooper testified in a closed-door deposition before congressional committees. After a five-hour delay due to a protest by Republican members of Congress, Cooper completed a 3.5-hour deposition in which she explained the process for transferring military aid to Ukraine.[22][23] During a public hearing on November 20, 2019, Cooper testified to the U.S House of Representatives that Ukrainian officials knew about the hold on military aid by July 25, the day of the Trump–Zelensky call, undercutting an assertion that there could not have been aquid pro quo because Ukraine was not aware of the hold.[24]