Chad Wolf — American government official and homeland security administrator

Chad Wolf, born in 1976 in Jackson, is an American government official, lobbyist, and civil servant who served as Acting Secretary of Homeland Security during the Trump administration. His tenure was marked by contentious immigration enforcement decisions, a Government Accountability Office ruling that his appointment was legally invalid, and findings by the DHS Inspector General that he had interfered with an intelligence assessment on Russian election interference. He is the recipient of four federal service medals and has since moved into private advisory work and policy advocacy.

Key facts

Born: 1976
Birthplace: Jackson
Country: United States
Occupation: official; lobbyist; civil servant
Employer: United States Department of Homeland Security
Education: Plano East Senior High School; Collin College; Southern Methodist University; Naval War College

Early Life and Education

He then attended Collin College on a tennis scholarship until 1996, when he transferred to Southern Methodist University, graduating in 1998. He later attended the Naval War College, rounding out an educational record that included community college, a university degree, and advanced national security coursework.

Early Career in Washington

After finishing at SMU in 1998, Wolf moved to Washington, D.C., and took a position as a legislative assistant to Senator Chuck Hagel, a Nebraska Republican. He also served as a congressional staffer for Republican Senators Phil Gramm and Kay Bailey Hutchison early in his career, building a base in the Republican legislative apparatus before transitioning to the executive branch.

Among his documented accomplishments during his government service were playing a key role in the reopening of Reagan National Airport to general aviation operations and helping finalize the Congressionally mandated National Strategy for Transportation Security.

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security

Wolf rose to lead the Department of Homeland Security in an acting capacity following the departure of Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in April 2019. On August 14, 2020, the Government Accountability Office ruled that his appointment as Acting Secretary was invalid because the department had not followed the proper order of succession established under federal law. That ruling did not immediately remove him from the role.

Wolf was identified as an architect of the Trump administration’s 2018 family separation policy. He had drafted a December 2017 memo of immigration policy recommendations that included separating family units at the border. Beginning in July 2020, he authorized the deployment of federal law enforcement officers in Portland, Oregon, a decision that prompted 15 Members of Congress to call publicly for his resignation.

In September 2020, DHS intelligence official Brian Murphy filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that Wolf had instructed him to stop providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference in the United States and to instead focus on threats from China and Iran. The DHS Office of Inspector General later found that Wolf had inappropriately interfered with a 2020 intelligence assessment on Russian election meddling, delaying the report and making changes that appeared to be based in part on political considerations.

Wolf resigned as Acting Secretary on January 11, 2021, citing court rulings on the validity of his authority. He was succeeded in an acting capacity by FEMA head Pete Gaynor.

Awards and Recognition

Over the course of his federal career, Wolf received four notable service recognitions: the U.S. Secretary of Transportation 9/11 Medal, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, and the TSA Transportation Security Silver Medal.

Post-Government Career

After leaving DHS, Wolf founded Wolf Global Advisors, a strategic advisory and consultancy firm focused on the domestic geopolitical environment with a specific emphasis on homeland and national security markets.

On February 13, 2025, Wolf assumed the role of Executive Director of the America First Policy Institute, following Brooke Rollins’s departure as president of the organization.

Did you know

Wolf’s resignation on January 11, 2021, made him the third Cabinet-level official to quit in the immediate aftermath of the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot. (cnbc.com)
Wolf’s listed compensation at the America First Policy Institute was $526,800, making him the second-highest-paid employee at the organization as of the most recent available tax records, behind President and CEO Brooke Rollins, who earned $801,800. (influencewatch.org)

Data sources

Data updated: 2026-10-30