Richard V. Allen, foreign policy expert and national security aide for President Nixon, passed away on November 16, 2024 at the age of 88.
Born in Collingswood, New Jersey, Mr. Allen was a graduate of Notre Dame University where he received a B.A. and M.A. degree. He was a foreign policy advisor for President Richard Nixon’s 1968 and 1972 presidential campaigns and served as assistant to National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger in the Nixon administration. Mr. Allen went on to advise Ronald Reagan during his presidential campaigns and serve as National Security Advisor for President Reagan. In addition to his public service career, Mr. Allen was an international business consultant, a founder of the Georgetown University Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the author of multiple books and research papers on foreign policy.
President Nixon with Richard V. Allen and his family in the Oval Office in 1969.
Mr. Allen attended the dedication of the remodeled Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in 2017 during which he participated on a panel on President Nixon’s foreign policy.
Tributes to Richard V. Allen
Dick Allen was an extraordinary professional who provided Richard Nixon with invaluable counsel on national security and foreign policy matters during the critical days when he made his way back to the presidency in 1967 and 1968. He went on to become Deputy National Security Advisor during a critical moment in American defense and foreign policy. Dick was a mentor to me personally and to countless others who learned from him throughout his years of public service. His quick wit and profound intellect leave an indelible memory. RIP.
– Ken Khachigian, Deputy Special Assistant to the President
Dick Allen was an integral player on President Nixon’s Foreign Policy team in the 1968 presidential campaign. Sharp, witty and conservative to his core, Dick made a significant contribution to RN’s ultimate success in reaching the presidency.
– Dwight Chapin, former personal aide and assistant to President Nixon