Robert C. O’Brien

One of America’s top diplomats, strategic thinkers, and an accomplished leader in foreign policy, Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien, was elected July 18, 2022 as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Richard Nixon Foundation.

O’Brien served as the 27th U.S. National Security Advisor from 2019 to 2021. During O’Brien’s time as National Security Advisor, the United States orchestrated the historic Abraham Accords in the Middle East, brokered economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo, achieved significant defense spending increases among its NATO allies, and instituted a new framework of strategic cooperation with allies across the Indo-Pacific.

O’Brien has served as co-chair of The Nixon Seminar on Conservative Realism and National Security since March of 2021 and was the recipient—along with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo— of the Nixon Foundation’s 2021 Architect of Peace Award.

Prior to serving as National Security Advisor, O’Brien was the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs with the personal rank of Ambassador. He was directly involved in the return of over 25 detainees and hostages to the United States. O’Brien previously served in diplomatic posts as Co-Chairman of the U.S. Department of State Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, U.S. Representative to the 60th session of the UN General Assembly, and Senior Legal Officer for the UN Security Council commission that decided claims against Iraq arising out of the first Gulf War. O’Brien had practiced law for 30 years in Los Angeles and has rejoined the firm he founded with Judge Stephen Larson, Larson LLP, as Of Counsel.