Michael T. Evanoff
Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
In office
November 3, 2017 – July 24, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byGregory B. Starr
Succeeded byGentry O. Smith
Personal details
Born1961 (age 62–63)[1]
EducationEastern Kentucky University

Michael Turner Evanoff (born 1961) is an American security expert and government official who served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security. Prior to assuming that role, he served as Vice President for Asset Protection & Security for Walmart from 2014 to 2017. Evanoff previously served as Chief Security Officer at Coca-Cola and as Global Director of Security at Och-Ziff Capital Management. From 1985 to 2011, he served as a special agent in the Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, where he held senior positions with the Overseas Security Advisory Council, NATO Office of Security, Secretary of State protection detail, and eight U.S. missions overseas.[2] In his capacity at the State Department, he provided personal protection services to former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.[3]

In June 2018, Evanoff was tasked with assessing the situation arising from a mysterious illness affecting American diplomats and their families in Guangzhou, China, to ensure this was given the due priority that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had demanded.[4]

In February 2019, Evanoff announced a bounty of up to $1 million for information leading to the capture of Hamza bin Laden, the son of Osama bin Laden, who was seen as "an emerging Al-Qaeda leader" who "had threatened attacks against the United States and allies”. He described the announcement as a new tool of the State Departments fight against Al-Qaeda.[5][6]

Evanoff resigned as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security in July 2020.[7] He was succeeded by Acting Assistant Secretary Bureau of Diplomatic Security Todd J. Brown.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Michael T. Evanoff (1961–)". Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  2. ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. August 25, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017 – via National Archives.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ Wright, Robin (August 1, 2007). "Rice's Protector Plans a Move to NATO". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  4. ^ Myers, Steven Lee; Perlez, Jane (June 6, 2018). "U.S. Diplomats Evacuated in China as Medical Mystery Grows". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "U.S. hunting for bin Laden's son, will pay up to $1M for info". NBC News. March 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  6. ^ Desk, India com News (March 2, 2019). "Citizenship of Osama's Son Revoked by Saudi Arabia After US Announces $1 Million Bounty". India News, Breaking News | India.com. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  7. ^ Spero, Domani (July 15, 2020). "Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Michael Evanoff Resigns". Diplopundit. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  8. ^ "Todd J. Brown". United States Department of State. Retrieved August 11, 2021.

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