William H. Webster | |
|---|---|
 Webster as FBI director,c. 1978 | |
| Chair of theHomeland Security Advisory Council | |
| In office August 10, 2005 – August 18, 2020 | |
| President | |
| Deputy |
|
| Preceded by | Joseph J. Grano Jr. |
| Succeeded by | William Bratton |
| 14th Director of Central Intelligence | |
| In office May 26, 1987 – August 31, 1991 | |
| President | |
| Deputy |
|
| Preceded by | Robert Gates (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Robert Gates |
| 3rd Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation | |
| In office February 23, 1978 – May 25, 1987 | |
| President |
|
| Deputy | James B. Adams |
| Preceded by | James B. Adams (acting) |
| Succeeded by | John E. Otto (acting) |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit | |
| In office July 18, 1973 – February 22, 1978 | |
| Appointed by | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Marion Charles Matthes |
| Succeeded by | Theodore McMillian |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri | |
| In office December 21, 1970 – July 18, 1973 | |
| Appointed by | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Succeeded by | John Francis Nangle |
| United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri | |
| In office January 1, 1960 – January 20, 1961 | |
| President | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Preceded by | Harry Richards |
| Succeeded by | Jeff Lance |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Hedgcock Webster (1924-03-06)March 6, 1924 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | August 8, 2025(2025-08-08) (aged 101) Warrenton, Virginia, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | |
| Military service | |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Service years |
|
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Conflicts | |
William Hedgcock Webster (March 6, 1924 – August 8, 2025) was an American attorney and jurist who served as chair of theHomeland Security Advisory Council from 2005 until 2020.[1][2][3] He was aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and a United States circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit before serving asdirector of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 1978 to 1987 anddirector of Central Intelligence (CIA) from 1987 to 1991.[4] He is the only person to have held both positions.[5]
Webster was born on March 6, 1924, inSt. Louis, Missouri, He was the son of Thomas Milliken Webster and Katherine Hedgcock, and received his early education inWebster Groves, Missouri;[6] and served as alieutenant in theUnited States Navy duringWorld War II. Following his service in the Navy, he received hisBachelor of Arts degree fromAmherst College inAmherst, Massachusetts, in 1947. While at Amherst, he was a member of thePsi Upsilon fraternity. He received hisJuris Doctor from theWashington University School of Law in 1949. After law school, he served in the Navy again during theKorean War;[7] later, he joined the St. Louis law firmArmstrong Teasdale, but left private practice soon after to begin a career in public service. He was theUnited States Attorney for theEastern District of Missouri from 1960 to 1961, then a member of the Missouri Board of Law Examiners from 1964 to 1969.[8]
Webster was nominated by PresidentRichard Nixon on December 8, 1970, to theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, to a new seat created by 84 Stat. 294. He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on December 17, 1970, and received his commission on December 21, 1970. His service was terminated on August 10, 1973, due to elevation to the Eighth Circuit.[8]
Webster was nominated by President Nixon on June 13, 1973, to a seat on theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated by JudgeMarion Charles Matthes. He was confirmed by the Senate on July 13, 1973, and received his commission on July 18, 1973. WhenWilliam O. Douglas retired from the Supreme Court in 1975, Webster was onEdward H. Levi's final listfrom which Gerald Ford would nominate his successor.[9] Levi said of Webster that he
has proven to be a very competent judge – energetic, careful, and intelligent.[9]
Nonetheless, when Ford made his choice Webster was rated below eventual nomineeJohn Paul Stevens, and alsoArlin Adams andPhilip Willis Tone.[9]
Webster resigned from his judgeship on February 22, 1978.[8]
In 1978, PresidentJimmy Carter appointed him as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.[10] This was despite Webster being a registeredRepublican.[11][12] Webster assumed the position of director on February 23, 1978.
Webster was portrayed by actor Sean Cullen in the second season of theNetflix showMindhunter, which was set during his tenure as director of theFBI.[13]
In 1987, PresidentRonald Reagan appointed him director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He led the CIA from May 26, 1987 until his retirement from the post on August 31, 1991 (four years, 97 days, the 5th-longest term of 19 directors).[14] After this, Webster practiced law atMilbank, where he specialized in arbitration, mediation and internal investigation.[15]
In 2002, he became the first chairman of thePublic Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). However, his appointment was controversial, and another controversy erupted when newspapers reported that Webster had headed the boardaudit committee of U.S. Technologies, ahigh-tech company being investigated foraccounting irregularities and accused of fraud.[16] Webster resigned less than three weeks after the PCAOB was set up.[17]
Webster was the chairman of theHomeland Security Advisory Council,[5] from 2005 to 2020.[1]
In the2020 presidential election, Webster, along with over 130 other former Republican national security officials, signed a statement that asserted thatPresident Trump was unfit to serve another term, and "To that end, we are firmly convinced that it is in the best interest of our nation thatVice President Joe Biden be elected as the next President of the United States, and we will vote for him."[18] Similarly, he endorsedKamala Harris in2024.[19][20]
Webster received numerous honors and awards for his service.Washington University granted him the Alumni Citation for contributions to the field of law in 1972[21] and in 1981 he received the William Greenleaf Eliot Society Award for his support for the university.[22] In 1984, he received the U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official, an award given out annually byJefferson Awards.[23] In 1999, Washington University'sSchool of Law created the Webster Society, an outstanding scholars program. Furthermore, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the university's law school in 1977. TheSt. Louis Globe-Democrat named him "Man of the Year". In 1978, he received the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement.[24][25]
Webster also received honorary degrees from several colleges and universities. In 1991, he was presented theDistinguished Intelligence Medal, thePresidential Medal of Freedom, and theNational Security Medal. In June 2008, Webster received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree as well as honorary doctorates from theInstitute of World Politics andNational Intelligence University.[26] He received the William J. Donovan Award from theOSS Society in 2005[27] and served as an honorary chairman of this organization.[28]
Webster was a member of theAmerican Bar Association, the Council of theAmerican Law Institute, theOrder of the Coif,The Missouri Bar, theBar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and thePsi Upsilon fraternity. Additionally, he served as chairman of the Corporation, Banking and Business Law section of the American Bar Association. He was a fellow of theAmerican Bar Foundation and an honorary fellow of theAmerican College of Trial Lawyers. He served as co-chairman of theHomeland Security Advisory Council. In 2009, he was named to head an independent investigation of the FBI's actions surrounding theFort Hood shooting.[29]
Webster also served as an honorary director on the board of directors at theAtlantic Council.[30]
Webster was married to Drusilla Lane for 34 years until her death in 1984. The couple had three children.[31]
In 1990, Webster married Lynda Clugston.[32] In 2015, the couple were targeted by a man who peddled alottery scam over phone calls and emails. Over multiple phone calls, Keniel Aeon Thomas of Jamaica told Webster and Clugston that he would "set their house ablaze or have a sniper shoot them in the back of the head" if they did not "pay him thousands of dollars", according to prosecutors' filings. The perpetrator was sent to prison for nearly six years in early 2019.[5]
Websterturned 100 on March 6, 2024.[33] He died at a care facility inWarrenton, Virginia, on August 8, 2025, at the age of 101.[34][35]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New seat | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri 1970–1973 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 1973–1978 | Succeeded by |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by James B. Adams Acting | Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 1978–1987 | Succeeded by John E. Otto Acting |
| Preceded by Robert Gates Acting | Director of Central Intelligence 1987–1991 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theHomeland Security Advisory Council 2005–2020 | Succeeded by |
| Bureau of Investigation |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | ||
Italics denotes an acting director. | ||
