Susan Rice

The neutral encyclopedia of notable people


Susan Rice
BornSusan Elizabeth Rice
17 11, 1964
BirthplaceWashington, D.C., U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationDiplomat, policy advisor, public official
Known forU.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, National Security Advisor, Director of the Domestic Policy Council
EducationStanford University (BA)
New College, Oxford (MPhil, DPhil)
Children2
AwardsRhodes Scholarship, Truman Scholarship

Susan Elizabeth Rice (born November 17, 1964) is an American diplomat, policy advisor, and public official who has occupied some of the most consequential positions in United States foreign and domestic policy over the course of three decades. A member of the Democratic Party, Rice served as the 27th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013, the 23rd United States National Security Advisor from 2013 to 2017, and the 22nd director of the United States Domestic Policy Council from 2021 to 2023. Earlier in her career, she served as the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001, making her, at age 32, the youngest person to have held a regional assistant secretary of state position at that time.[1] A Rhodes Scholar who earned her doctorate from the University of Oxford, Rice has served as a foreign policy advisor to multiple Democratic presidential campaigns and held senior positions in two presidential administrations. As of 2024, Rice serves on the board of directors of Netflix, a role that has drawn public attention amid political disputes in 2026.[2]

Early Life

Susan Elizabeth Rice was born on November 17, 1964, in Washington, D.C. She is the daughter of Emmett J. Rice, a Cornell University economics professor who later served as a governor of the Federal Reserve System, and Lois Dickson Rice, an education policy scholar who was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a guest scholar at numerous policy organizations.[3] Her family roots in Washington's professional and academic circles placed Rice in proximity to public policy from an early age. Her father, who was born in Florence, South Carolina, became one of the first African Americans to serve as a governor of the Federal Reserve, and her mother was a Brookings expert on federal higher education policy and financial aid.[4]

Rice grew up in Washington, D.C., and was raised in an environment that emphasized academic achievement, public service, and civic engagement. Her Jamaican heritage on her mother's side has also been noted in biographical profiles.[5] Rice attended the National Cathedral School, a prestigious private school in Washington, where she excelled academically and was elected student council president. Her early education in the nation's capital, combined with her family's deep connections to public policy and academia, helped shape her trajectory toward a career in government and diplomacy.

Education

Rice enrolled at Stanford University, where she studied history and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. At Stanford, she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and was awarded a Truman Scholarship, a competitive federal scholarship recognizing future leaders in public service.[6] Her academic record at Stanford earned her a Rhodes Scholarship, one of the most prestigious international academic awards, which funded her graduate studies at the University of Oxford.

At Oxford's New College, Rice earned a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and subsequently a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in international relations. Her doctoral research focused on issues related to the Commonwealth of Nations and conflict in Africa, areas that would define much of her early career in government. The combination of her Stanford and Oxford credentials placed Rice among a distinguished cohort of American policymakers who had studied at both institutions.[7]

Career

Early Career and Clinton Administration

Rice's career in government began in earnest during the administration of President Bill Clinton. She joined the staff of the National Security Council (NSC) in 1993, where she served in various capacities related to international organizations and peacekeeping, and eventually focused on African affairs. Her work at the NSC during the mid-1990s coincided with major crises on the African continent, including the Rwandan genocide of 1994 and ongoing instability in the Great Lakes region of Africa.

In 1997, President Clinton appointed Rice as the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, making her, at age 32, the youngest person to have served as a regional assistant secretary of state at the United States Department of State.[8] She served in this role from October 14, 1997, to January 20, 2001, succeeding George Moose. During her tenure, Rice helped shape significant changes in U.S.–Africa policy. She was involved in the passage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which sought to expand trade and economic ties between the United States and African countries. She also supported democratic transitions in South Africa and Nigeria, and helped elevate the U.S. focus on combating HIV/AIDS on the continent.

However, Rice's tenure as assistant secretary also drew criticism. Analysts and commentators questioned the Clinton administration's approach to conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Second Congo War, and Rice's role in shaping U.S. policy toward Rwanda under President Paul Kagame was a subject of ongoing debate.[9] Some foreign policy analysts also raised questions about the administration's broader engagement with Africa during a turbulent period.[10]

Brookings Institution

After leaving the State Department at the end of the Clinton administration in January 2001, Rice joined the Brookings Institution as a senior fellow, where she focused on U.S. foreign policy, transnational security threats, and issues related to weak and failing states.[11] At Brookings, she published research and policy papers on a range of subjects, including U.S.–Africa relations, global poverty, and the challenges posed by failed states to international security. Her time at the think tank allowed her to remain influential in Democratic foreign policy circles during the George W. Bush administration.

During this period, Rice also served as a foreign policy advisor to several Democratic presidential campaigns. She had previously advised Michael Dukakis during his 1988 presidential campaign and later advised Senator John Kerry during his 2004 presidential bid. These advisory roles kept Rice connected to the Democratic Party's foreign policy establishment and positioned her for a major role in the next Democratic administration.

Obama Campaign and U.N. Ambassador

Rice became a senior foreign policy advisor to Senator Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign.[12] Her role on the campaign was noted as a key part of Obama's foreign policy brain trust, and she was frequently mentioned as a candidate for a senior national security position in the event of an Obama victory.[13][14]

After Obama won the 2008 presidential election, he nominated Rice as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, a position that carried cabinet rank in the Obama administration. The United States Senate confirmed her by unanimous consent on January 22, 2009, and she succeeded Zalmay Khalilzad in the post.

During her tenure as U.N. ambassador from 2009 to 2013, Rice championed a human rights and anti-poverty agenda at the United Nations. She elevated climate change, LGBT rights, and women's rights as global priorities and committed the United States to agreements including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review process, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Rice also defended Israel at the United Nations Security Council, pushed for tougher international sanctions against Iran and North Korea in response to their nuclear programs, and was a prominent advocate for U.S. and NATO intervention in Libya during the 2011 Libyan civil war.[15][16]

Rice's advocacy for the Libya intervention was part of a broader debate within the Obama administration about the use of military force for humanitarian purposes. Commentators noted that Rice, along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and NSC official Samantha Power, was among the senior officials who pushed most forcefully for action to prevent potential atrocities by the Libyan government of Muammar Gaddafi.[17]

Benghazi Controversy and Secretary of State Consideration

In late 2012, Rice was mentioned as a leading candidate to succeed Hillary Clinton as United States Secretary of State following Clinton's announced retirement. However, Rice became the subject of significant political controversy following the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya. In the days following the attack, Rice appeared on several Sunday morning television news programs and described the attack as a spontaneous reaction to an anti-Muslim video, a characterization based on talking points provided by the intelligence community that later proved incomplete.

Republican members of Congress sharply criticized Rice's public statements, and her potential nomination as secretary of state became a focal point of partisan debate. On December 13, 2012, Rice withdrew from consideration for the position, citing what she described as a "very politicized" confirmation process and expressing concern that a lengthy Senate battle could distract from other administration priorities.[18] President Obama subsequently nominated Senator John Kerry for the position instead.

National Security Advisor

On June 5, 2013, President Obama appointed Rice as the United States National Security Advisor, replacing Thomas E. Donilon.[19] The position of national security advisor does not require Senate confirmation, which allowed Rice to assume the role without the contentious confirmation hearings that had been anticipated for the secretary of state nomination. She formally took office on July 1, 2013, and served until January 20, 2017. Her deputy national security advisors included Antony Blinken, who later became secretary of state, and Avril Haines, who later became Director of National Intelligence.[20]

As national security advisor, Rice played a central role in several major policy initiatives during Obama's second term. She supported U.S. efforts that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the Iran nuclear deal) in 2015, which placed restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions. She was involved in coordinating the U.S. response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, which required significant interagency coordination. Rice also oversaw the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, and supported the negotiation of the Paris Agreement on climate change in 2015.

During the 2016 presidential transition, Rice's activities drew further scrutiny. Reports indicated that Rice had requested the identities of certain Trump associates who appeared in intelligence reports, a practice known as "unmasking" that is a routine part of intelligence review by senior national security officials.[21] The requests became a matter of political controversy, though no evidence of wrongdoing was established and Rice maintained that her actions were in the normal course of her duties as national security advisor.

Director of the Domestic Policy Council

Following the election of President Joe Biden in 2020, Rice was appointed as the director of the United States Domestic Policy Council, assuming office on January 20, 2021. In this role, Rice shifted from her longstanding focus on foreign policy and national security to overseeing the development and implementation of the Biden administration's domestic policy agenda. She succeeded Brooke Rollins, who had served in an acting capacity at the end of the Trump administration.

As director of the Domestic Policy Council, Rice was tasked with coordinating policy across areas including health care, immigration, racial equity, and economic opportunity. She served in this capacity until May 26, 2023, when she departed the position. She was succeeded by Neera Tanden.

Post-Government Career and Netflix Board

After leaving the Biden administration, Rice joined the board of directors of Netflix, the streaming entertainment company. Her role on the Netflix board drew significant public attention in February 2026 when President Donald Trump demanded that Netflix "immediately" fire Rice from its board or face unspecified consequences.[22] Trump's demands came as Netflix was engaged in a bidding process for Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that required regulatory review by the United States Department of Justice.[23]

Rice had reportedly criticized Trump during a podcast appearance, prompting the president's public response.[24] Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos dismissed Trump's demand to remove Rice from the board.[25] Commentators noted that the dispute raised broader questions about the intersection of corporate governance, free speech, and political pressure on private companies.[26][27]

Personal Life

Susan Rice married Ian Officer Cameron, a Canadian-born television producer, on September 12, 1992. Their wedding was reported by The New York Times.[28] The couple has two children. Rice's father, Emmett J. Rice, served as a governor of the Federal Reserve from 1979 to 1986. Her mother, Lois Dickson Rice, was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a noted education policy scholar who served on multiple corporate and nonprofit boards.[29]

Rice has maintained a residence in Washington, D.C., throughout much of her adult life. Her Jamaican ancestry has been noted in biographical coverage.[30]

Recognition

Rice's academic achievements have been among the most noted aspects of her biography. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at Stanford University, awarded a Truman Scholarship for her commitment to public service, and received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford, placing her among a select group of American scholars to receive all three honors.[31] She was inducted into the Stanford Black Alumni Hall of Fame.

At the time of her appointment as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs in 1997, Rice was the youngest person to have held any of the regional assistant secretary positions at the State Department, a distinction that drew widespread attention to her rapid ascent in foreign policy circles.[32]

Her confirmation as U.N. ambassador by unanimous consent in the Senate in 2009 reflected broad bipartisan support at the outset of her tenure in the Obama administration, before the Benghazi controversy altered the political dynamics surrounding her career.

Legacy

Susan Rice's career spans more than three decades of American foreign and domestic policy. She is one of a small number of individuals to have served as both U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Advisor, two of the most senior positions in U.S. national security decision-making. Her appointment as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at age 32 set a precedent for younger officials in senior diplomatic roles.

Rice's involvement in major policy initiatives — including the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the Libya intervention, the Iran nuclear deal, the normalization of relations with Cuba, and the Paris Agreement on climate change — placed her at the center of consequential foreign policy decisions across two administrations. Her shift to domestic policy as director of the Domestic Policy Council under President Biden demonstrated the breadth of her portfolio.

Her career has also been marked by significant political controversies, including the Benghazi dispute that ended her candidacy for secretary of state and the unmasking debate during the 2016 presidential transition. These episodes, alongside her policy achievements, have made Rice one of the most prominent and debated figures in American foreign policy of the early 21st century. Her 2026 conflict with President Trump over her Netflix board membership has extended her role as a visible figure in debates over the relationship between government, corporate governance, and political speech.

References

  1. ↑ "Susan Rice".Stanford Alumni Magazine.January 2000.http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2000/janfeb/articles/rice.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ "Trump Calls on Netflix to Oust Susan Rice From Its Board".The New York Times.2026-02-22.https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/22/business/media/trump-netflix-susan-rice.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ "Lois Dickson Rice".Brookings Institution.http://www.brookings.edu/experts/ricel.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ "Lois Dickson Rice".Brookings Institution.http://www.brookings.edu/experts/ricel.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "SO Who Knew — Susan Rice".Jamaica Observer.http://m.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/SO-Who-Knew----Susan-Rice_13125713.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Susan Rice — Stanford Black Alumni Hall of Fame".Stanford Alumni Association.http://www.stanfordalumni.org/erc/reunions/black_alumni_hall.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Susan Rice".Stanford Alumni Magazine.January 2000.http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2000/janfeb/articles/rice.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Susan Rice".Stanford Alumni Magazine.January 2000.http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2000/janfeb/articles/rice.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Kagame's Hidden War in the Congo".The New York Review of Books.2009-09-24.http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2009/sep/24/kagames-hidden-war-in-the-congo/?page=2.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Losing Africa Yet Again".EBSCOhost.http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/1109328/losing-africa-yet-again.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Susan Rice — Brookings".Brookings Institution.2002-09-13.http://www.brookings.edu/media/NewsReleases/2002/20020913rice.aspx.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Key Members of Obama-Biden National Security Team Announced".Change.gov (Obama-Biden Transition).http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/key_members_of_obama_biden_national_security_team_announced/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Cabinet: Susan Rice".RealClearPolitics.http://www.realclearpolitics.com/lists/cabinet/rice.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Jarrett, Podesta, Rouse to Lead Transition".Chicago Sun-Times.2008-11.http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/11/jarrett_podesta_rouse_to_lead.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Obama Takes Hard Line With Libya After Shift by Clinton".The New York Times.2011-03-19.https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/africa/19policy.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Libya No-Fly Zone: Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice Push for U.N. Resolution".International Business Times.2011-03-17.http://uk.ibtimes.com/articles/124009/20110317/libya-no-fly-zone-hillary-clinton-united-nations-susan-rice.htm.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Timothy P. Carney: Obama Aides Find Moral Clarity in Libya's Foggy War".Washington Examiner.2011-03.http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/03/timothy-p-carney-obama-aides-find-moral-clarity-libyas-foggy-war.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "Exclusive: Susan Rice drops out of running for secretary of state, cites 'very politicized' confirmation process".NBC News.2012-12-13.http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/13/15888883-exclusive-susan-rice-drops-out-of-running-for-secretary-of-state-cites-very-politicized-confirmation-process.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "Susan Rice to Replace Tom Donilon as National Security Adviser".JD Journal.2013-06-05.http://www.jdjournal.com/2013/06/05/susan-rice-to-replace-tom-donilon-as-national-security-adviser/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "Susan Rice Assumes Office as National Security Advisor".The Economic Times.2013-07-02.http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-07-02/news/40329210_1_susan-rice-indian-ambassador-tom-donilon.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Top Obama Adviser Sought Names of Trump Associates in Intel".Bloomberg.2017-04-03.https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-04-03/top-obama-adviser-sought-names-of-trump-associates-in-intel.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "Trump pressures Netflix to "immediately" fire board member Susan Rice".Axios.2026-02-23.https://www.axios.com/2026/02/23/trump-netflix-susan-rice.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Trump demands Netflix fire Susan Rice as DOJ probes Warner deal".CNBC.2026-02-22.https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/22/trump-demands-netflix-fire-susan-rice-as-doj-probes-warner-deal.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ "Poor judgment or a principled stand? Susan Rice's spat with Trump dissected".Business Insider.https://www.businessinsider.com/susan-rice-critique-trump-fuels-debate-on-board-members-speech-2026-2.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Netflix boss dismisses Trump's demand for Susan Rice to be fired".The Hill.2026-02-23.https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5750810-netflix-warner-brothers-ted-sarandos-trump-rice/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  26. ↑ "Susan Rice is right. Now Netflix must choose.".Democracy Docket.2026-02-23.https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/susan-rice-is-right-now-netflix-must-choose/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  27. ↑ "Trump pushing Netflix to fire Susan Rice is about far more than just one former official".MS NOW.2026-02-23.https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-pushing-netflix-to-fire-susan-rice-is-about-far-more-than-just-one-former-official.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  28. ↑ "Weddings; Susan E. Rice, Ian Cameron".The New York Times.1992-09-13.https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/13/style/weddings-susan-e-rice-ian-cameron.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  29. ↑ "Lois Dickson Rice".Brookings Institution.http://www.brookings.edu/experts/ricel.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  30. ↑ "SO Who Knew — Susan Rice".Jamaica Observer.http://m.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/SO-Who-Knew----Susan-Rice_13125713.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  31. ↑ "Susan Rice — Stanford Black Alumni Hall of Fame".Stanford Alumni Association.http://www.stanfordalumni.org/erc/reunions/black_alumni_hall.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  32. ↑ "Susan Rice".Stanford Alumni Magazine.January 2000.http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2000/janfeb/articles/rice.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

Retrieved from "https://biography.wiki/index.php?title=Susan_Rice&oldid=2543"