Christine Wormuth | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2021 | |
| 25thUnited States Secretary of the Army | |
| In office May 28, 2021 – January 20, 2025 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Christopher Lowman (acting) Gabe Camarillo |
| Preceded by | John E. Whitley (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Daniel P. Driscoll |
| 11thUnder Secretary of Defense for Policy | |
| In office June 23, 2014 – June 10, 2016 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Michael D. Lumpkin (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Brian McKeon (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1968-04-19)April 19, 1968 (age 56) San Diego,California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Williams College (BA) University of Maryland, College Park (MPP) |
| Signature |  |
Wormuth's opening statement at aSenate Armed Services Committee hearing on the FY2023 Army budget Recorded May 5, 2022 | |
Christine E. Wormuth[1] (born April 19, 1969) is an American defense official and career civil servant who served as theUnited States secretary of the Army from 2021 to 2025.[2] A member of theDemocratic Party, she is the first femaleUnited States secretary of the Army.[3]
Christine Elizabeth Wormuth[4] was born on April 19, 1969, in the community ofLa Jolla, north ofSan Diego.[5] After growing up inCollege Station, Texas, she graduated fromWilliams College in Massachusetts with a bachelor's degree inpolitical science before earning her master's inpublic policy from theUniversity of Maryland.[6][7]
Wormuth entered government service as apresidential management intern in 1995. She spent the next6+1⁄2 years as a civil servant in the Defense Department. Later, she worked as a government consultant and then a senior fellow at theCenter for Strategic and International Studies.
Before she was nominated for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Wormuth served in theNational Security Council as the special assistant to the president and the senior director for defense policy and strategy.[8] From 2009 to 2010, Wormuth was the principal deputy assistant secretary for homeland defense.
Wormuth was nominated by PresidentBarack Obama to serve as theunder secretary of defense for policy. On June 19, 2014, she was confirmed by the United States Senate by voice vote.[9] As the under secretary, Wormuth contributed to counter-terrorism operations and engaged in defense relations with Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.[9]
Upon the conclusion of her tenure as the under secretary, Wormuth was appointed as the director of theRAND International Security and Defense Policy Center.[10]
In November 2020, Wormuth was named a volunteer member of theJoe Biden presidential transition Agency Review Team to support transition efforts related to theUnited States Department of Defense.[11]
On April 12, 2021, PresidentJoe Biden nominated Wormuth to serve as the 25thsecretary of the Army.[12] She is the first woman to serve in the position for the Army, however, not the first female secretary in theUnited States Armed Forces, as there have been five femalesecretaries of the Air Force. On April 15, 2021, her nomination was sent to the Senate.[4] On May 24, her nomination was reported out of theSenate Armed Services Committee by voice vote. Two days later, her nomination was confirmed by the Senate by unanimous consent, but Senate majority leaderChuck Schumer requested it be rescinded and her confirmation was subsequently reversed hours later. This was because Republican senatorKevin Cramer had placeda hold on her nomination to resolve an issue involving an underpaid Army major and the Senate had mistakenly approved her nomination before he had removed his hold.[13] The following day, Cramer removed his hold after being told the pay issue would be resolved and confirmed that he supported Wormuth, who he said would "do a fine job".[13] Wormuth was then officially confirmed on May 27, again by unanimous consent. She was sworn in the following day.[2]
Secretary Wormuth is married to Andrew "Drew" Kuepper, a formernaval flight officer flying theP-3 Orion who retired as acommander in theNavy Reserve. He currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary for CWMD strategy, plans and policy in theU.S. Department of Homeland Security.[14][15] They have two daughters.[16]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | United States Secretary of the Army 2021–2025 | Succeeded by Mark Averill Acting |
| International | |
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| National | |
