Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs

In the United States, the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs or ASD (ISA) is the principal advisor to the under secretary of defense for policy (USD (P)) and the secretary of defense on international security strategy and policy on issues of Department of Defense (DoD) interest related to the governments and defense establishments of the nations and international organizations of Europe (including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization), the Middle East, Africa, and the Western Hemisphere. The ASD (ISA) also oversees security cooperation programs and foreign military sales programs in these regions. Despite the broad title of the office, the ASD (ISA) does not develop policy related to Asia, the Pacific region, Latin America, or South America.

Responsibilities According to a description provided by the Office of the USD (P), the ASD (ISA) shall:

Conduct and manage day-to-day, multilateral, regional, and bilateral defense relations with all foreign governments in assigned areas of responsibility. Develop regional security and defense strategy and policy, provide advice, and issue guidance to translate global and functional policies into regional-specific country strategies, and oversee their implementation in coordination with cognizant DoD officials. For countries in assigned areas of responsibility, develop, coordinate, and oversee the implementation of: Defense security policy and management of defense and military relations Policy, plans, and activities, as well as uses of DoD resources engaged in encouraging the development of military capabilities, constitutional democracy and respect for human rights, including civilian control of the military, institutionalizing an appropriate role for the military in a constitutional democracy, and encouraging the development of standards of military professionalism that promote respect for elected civilian authorities and human rights. DoD policy and recommendations concerning security cooperation programs and organizations, foreign military sales, military education and training, and other missions pertaining to security cooperation program relationships. Develop, coordinate, and oversee the implementation of policy related to NATO, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the Partnership for Peace, and other institutions with a security dimension including the European Union, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the African Union. Provide policy guidance and oversight to the defense advisor, U.S. mission to NATO, and representative of the secretary of defense representative to the OSCE on behalf of the under secretary of defense for policy. Promote coordination, cooperation, and joint planning on nuclear policy and strategy with NATO allies, in coordination with the assistant secretary of defense for special operations/low intensity conflict and interdependent capabilities. Support the NATO Nuclear Planning Group and its subordinate body, the High Level Group and chair the High Level Group. Represent the under secretary of defense for policy and the secretary of defense in interagency policy deliberations and international negotiations dealing with assigned areas of responsibility. Monitor and provide policy recommendations related to the conduct of U.S. military operations in the countries or regions of focus or on the participation of such countries in operations outside of the region. Perform such other functions as the under secretary of defense for policy or the secretary of defense may prescribe.

Officeholders The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time, as well as all the holders of those offices.

+ Assistant secretaries of defense (international security affairs) Name Tenure SecDef(s) served under President(s) served under Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs) John H. Ohly March 27, 1949 – December 1, 1949 Louis A. Johnson Harry S. Truman Maj. Gen. James H. Burns (USA) December 6, 1949 – August 27, 1951 Louis A. Johnson George Marshall Harry S. Truman Frank C. Nash August 28, 1951 – February 10, 1953 George Marshall Robert A. Lovett Charles E. Wilson Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs) Frank C. Nash February 11, 1953 – February 28, 1954 Charles E. Wilson Dwight D. Eisenhower H. Struve Hensel March 5, 1954 – June 30, 1955 Gordon Gray July 14, 1955 – February 27, 1957 Mansfield D. Sprague February 28, 1957 – October 3, 1958 Charles E. Wilson Neil H. McElroy John N. Irwin II October 4, 1958 – January 20, 1961 Neil H. McElroy Thomas S. Gates Jr. Paul Nitze January 29, 1961 – November 29, 1963 Robert McNamara John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson William Bundy November 29, 1963 – March 14, 1964 Lyndon B. Johnson John T. McNaughton July 1, 1964 – July 19, 1967 Paul Warnke August 1, 1967 – February 15, 1969 Robert McNamara Clark Clifford Melvin Laird Lyndon B. Johnson Richard Nixon G. Warren Nutter March 4, 1969 – January 30, 1973 Melvin Laird Elliot Richardson Richard Nixon Lawrence Eagleburger (Acting) January 31, 1973 – May 10, 1973 Elliot Richardson Robert C. Hill May 11, 1973 – January 5, 1974 Elliot Richardson James R. Schlesinger Vice Adm. Raymond E. Peet (Acting) January 6, 1974 – April 1, 1974 James R. Schlesinger Amos Jordan (Acting) April 2, 1974 – June 4, 1974 Robert Ellsworth June 5, 1974 – December 22, 1975 James R. Schlesinger Donald Rumsfeld Richard Nixon Gerald Ford Amos Jordan (Acting) December 23, 1975 – May 5, 1976 Donald Rumsfeld Gerald Ford Eugene V. McAuliffe May 6, 1976 – April 1, 1977 Donald Rumsfeld Harold Brown Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter David E. McGiffert April 4, 1977 – January 20, 1981 Harold Brown Jimmy Carter Bing West April 4, 1981 – April 1, 1983 Caspar Weinberger Ronald Reagan Richard Armitage April 2, 1983 – June 5, 1983 (Acting) June 5, 1983 – June 5, 1989 Caspar Weinberger Frank Carlucci William Howard Taft IV (Acting) Dick Cheney Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush Harry Rowen June 26, 1989 – July 31, 1991 Dick Cheney George H. W. Bush James R. Lilley December 12, 1991 – January 20, 1993 Assistant Secretary of Defense (Regional Security Affairs) Charles W. Freeman Jr. July 6, 1993 – April 11, 1994 Les Aspin William Perry Bill Clinton Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs) Charles W. Freeman Jr. April 11, 1994 – September 14, 1994 William Perry Bill Clinton Joseph Nye September 15, 1994 – December 16, 1995 Franklin D. Kramer March 29, 1996 – February 16, 2001 William Perry William Cohen Donald Rumsfeld Bill Clinton George W. Bush Peter Rodman July 16, 2001 – March 2, 2007 Donald Rumsfeld Robert Gates George W. Bush Mary Beth Long March 3, 2007 – December 21, 2007 (Acting) December 21, 2007 – January 20, 2009 Robert Gates Michael W. Coulter (Acting) January 20, 2009 – April 3, 2009 Barack Obama Alexander Vershbow April 3, 2009 – February 10, 2012 Derek Chollet June 1, 2012 – January 15, 2015 Chuck Hagel Elissa Slotkin (Acting)January 15, 2015 – January 20, 2017Chuck Hagel Ash CarterKenneth B. Handelman (Acting)January 20, 2017 – June 7, 2017Jim MattisDonald TrumpRobert KaremJune 7, 2017 – October 31, 2018 Kathryn L. Wheelbarger (Acting)October 31, 2018 – July 4, 2020Jim MattisMark EsperMichael C. Ryan (Acting)July 5, 2020 – August 31, 2020Mark EsperMichael Cutrone (Acting)September 1, 2020 – January 20, 2021Laura Cooper (Acting)January 20, 2021 – February 9, 2021Lloyd AustinJoe BidenMara Karlin (Acting)February 9, 2021 – August 17, 2021Laura Cooper (Acting)August 17, 2021 – December 17, 2021Ilan Goldenberg (Acting)December 17, 2021 – February 22, 2022Celeste WallanderFebruary 22, 2022 – January 20, 2025Katherine Thompson (Performing The Duties Of)January 20, 2025 - July 8, 2025Pete HegsethDonald TrumpDaniel ZimmermanJuly 8, 2025 - Incumbent

Structure This office can trace its roots back to the early days of the modern national security establishment. It was created in 1949, two years after the National Security Act established the Department of Defense.

The ASD (ISA) is supported by seven deputy assistant secretaries (DASDs), each with coverage of a different region or international organization. The DASDs manage "principal directors" who in turn oversee "country directors" with more narrow geographic portfolios:

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Near East and Central Asia Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, & Eurasia Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Secretary of Defense Representative in the U.S. Mission to NATO Secretary of Defense Representative to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

DASDs are appointed by the secretary of defense. Some are appointed from civilian life, while others are career defense officials. Once at the DASD level, the latter are considered a part of the DoD Senior Executive Service.

The ASD (ISA) is also supported by a principal deputy, or PDASD, who helps manage the day-to-day operations.

Principal deputy assistant secretaries for international security affairs Name Tenure ASD (ISA) served under USD(P) served under SecDef(s) served under President(s) served under Lincoln P. Bloomfield Jr. 1988–1989 Richard Armitage vacant Frank Carlucci Ronald Reagan Carl W. Ford Jr. April 1989 – February 1993 Henry S. RowenJames R. Lilley Paul Wolfowitz Dick Cheney George H. W. Bush Frederick C. Smith ? – ? Charles W. Freeman, Jr.Joseph NyeFranklin D. Kramer Frank G. WisnerWalter B. Slocombe Les AspinWilliam PerryWilliam Cohen Bill Clinton Peter C. W. Flory July 2001 – August 2005 Peter Rodman Douglas Feith Donald Rumsfeld George W. Bush Mary Beth Long August 2005 – December 2007 Peter Rodman Eric Edelman Donald RumsfeldRobert Gates George W. Bush Michael W. Coulter ? – 2009 Mary Beth Long Eric Edelman Robert Gates George W. Bush Joseph McMillan May 2009 – October 2012 Alexander R. VershbowDerek Chollet Michele FlournoyJames Miller Robert M. GatesLeon Panetta Barack Obama Elissa Slotkin October 2012 – January 2015 Derek Chollet Christine Wormuth Ash Carter Barack Obama Kenneth B. Handelman July 2015 – ? Elissa Slotkin Christine Wormuth Brian P. McKeonTheresa Whelan (acting) Robert S. Karem (acting) Ash Carter James Mattis Barack Obama Donald Trump Kathryn L. Wheelbarger July 2017 – July 2020 Robert S. Karem John Rood James Mattis Mark Esper Donald Trump Michael Cutrone September 2020 – January 2021 vacant James H. Anderson (acting) Mark Esper Donald Trump Mara Karlin January 2021 – August 2022 Mara Karlin Colin Kahl Lloyd Austin Joe Biden Ilan Goldenberg December 2021 – September 2022 Celeste A. Wallander Colin Kahl Lloyd Austin Joe Biden Tressa Guenov October 2022 – January 20, 2025 Celeste A. Wallander Colin Kahl Lloyd Austin Joe Biden Julia Sokol (Acting) October 2025 - Present Daniel Zimmerman Elbridge Colby Pete Hegseth Donald Trump

Deputy assistant secretaries of defense reporting to the ASD (ISA) The list below details the current and former DASDs in this office.