Matt Pottinger

Matt Pottinger
Matt Pottinger in June 2024
32nd United States Principal Deputy National Security Advisor
In office
September 22, 2019  January 7, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byCharles Kupperman
Succeeded byJonathan Finer
Personal details
Born
Matthew Forbes Pottinger

1973 (age 5152)
Spouse
Yen Duong
(m. 2014)
Children2
Parent
EducationUniversity of Massachusetts, Amherst (BA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Marine Corps
Years of service2005–2010 (active)
2010–present (reserve)
RankLieutenant Colonel
Battles/warsIraq War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsBronze Star
Combat Action Ribbon
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Chinese name
Chinese博明
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinBó Míng

Matthew Forbes Pottinger (/ˈpɒtɪnər/ POT-in-jər; born 1973) is an American former journalist and U.S. Marine Corps officer who served as the United States deputy national security advisor from September 22, 2019 to January 7, 2021. Previously Asia director on the National Security Council since 2017, his tenure was unusual among senior aides serving under President Trump for its length, given an administration marked by high turnover. Pottinger worked to develop the Trump administration's policies towards China.

Pottinger resigned in the afternoon of January 6, in response to the 2021 United States Capitol attack. He left the White House the following morning.

Pottinger currently serves as Chairman of the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

Pottinger is the CEO of Garnaut Global, a strategic advisory firm focused on geopolitics.

Pottinger is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution.