Dan Coats

Daniel Ray "Dan" Coats (born May 16, 1943) is an American politician. Coats is the 5th and current Director of National Intelligence serving since March 15, 2017. He served as United States Senator from Indiana from 1989 to 1999 and 2011 to 2017. He is a member of the U.S. Republican Party. He was in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1989.[1]

Dan Coats
Dan Coats official DNI portrait.jpg
5th Director of National Intelligence
In office
March 16, 2017 – August 15, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byJames R. Clapper
Succeeded byJohn Ratcliffe
United States Senator
from Indiana
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017
Preceded byEvan Bayh
Succeeded byTodd Young
In office
January 3, 1989 – January 3, 1999
Appointed byRobert Orr
Preceded byDan Quayle
Succeeded byEvan Bayh
United States Ambassador to Germany
In office
August 15, 2001 – February 28, 2005
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byJohn Kornblum
Succeeded byWilliam Timken
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 4th district
In office
January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1989
Preceded byDan Quayle
Succeeded byJill Long
Personal details
Born
Daniel Ray Coats

(1943-05-16) May 16, 1943 (age 81)
Jackson, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Marsha Coats
Children3
EducationWheaton College, Illinois (BA)
Indiana University, Indianapolis (JD)
WebsiteSenate website (Archived)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1966–1968

In March 2015, Coats announced his retirement and said he would not run for re-election in 2016. He was replaced by Republican Todd Young.

On January 5, 2017, Coats was nominated by President Elect Donald Trump for Director of National Intelligence, succeeding James R. Clapper.[2] In August 2019, Coats announced his resignation.

Early life

Coats was born on May 16, 1943 in Jackson, Michigan. He studied at Wheaton College in Illinois and at Indiana University, Indianapolis.

United States representative (1981–1989)

From 1976 to 1980, Coats worked for then-U.S. Representative Dan Quayle, a Republican from Indiana's 4th congressional district, as Quayle's district representative. When Quayle decided to challenge three-term Democratic incumbent Birch Bayh in the 1980 U.S. Senate election, Coats ran for and won Quayle's seat in the U.S. House.

United States senator (1989–1999; 2011–2015)

When Quayle resigned from the Senate after being elected Vice President of the United States in 1988, Coats was appointed to Quayle’s former seat. Coats was subsequently elected to the seat in 1990 and 1992 and served in the Senate until January 1999, when Evan Bayh became the new Senator. Coats announced on February 3, 2010, he would run[3] for his old Senate seat and on February 16, 2010, Bayh announced his intention to retire.[4] Coats went on to win that Senate seat.

Coats announced in March 2015 that he would not run for re-election in 2016.

United States ambassador (2001–2005)

From August 15, 2001, to February 28, 2005, Coats was the United States Ambassador to Germany.[5][6] As ambassador during the lead-up to the Iraq war, he pressured the German government not to oppose the war, threatening worsened US relations with Germany.[7] As Ambassador he also played a critical role in establishing robust relations with then opposition leader Angela Merkel and in the construction of a new United States Embassy in the heart of Berlin next to the Brandenburg Gate.[8]

Director of National Intelligence (2017–2019)

On January 5, 2017, then-President-elect of the United States Donald Trump nominated Coats to serve as Director of National Intelligence.[2] The United States senate confirmation hearing was held on February 28, 2017. His nomination was confirmed by the senate with a 85-12.

Coats step down from his position on August 15, 2019.[9][10] He announced his resignation on July 28.[11]

Personal life

Coats is married to Marsha Coats. They have three children. Coats lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.[12]

Dan Coats Media

References

  1. "Coats, Daniel Ray". Office of Art and Archives and Office of the Historian, The United States Congress. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Trump selects former Indiana Sen. Coats for top intelligence post".
  3. "Coats and Bayh finally set to do battle". TheHill. Archived from the original on 2017-09-09. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  4. "Bayh won't seek Senate re-election". CNN.com. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  5. "Speeches by Ambassador Coats". United States Diplomatic Mission to Germany. Archived from the original on August 27, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
  6. "Biography: Daniel R. Coats". United States Department of State. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
  7. "Irak-Kriegspläne: US-Botschafter mahnt die Deutschen - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Politik". Spiegel.de. September 4, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
  8. "Coats, Bucshon to headline GOP dinner » Local News » The Washington Times-Herald". Washtimesherald.com. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
  9. "Donald J. Trump". twitter.com. 2019-07-28.
  10. Steve Holland, Jeff Mason (2019-07-28). "Ratcliffe tapped to replace Coats as U.S. spy chief". www.reuters.com.
  11. "Dan Coats to step down, Trump tweets, as President announces Ratcliffe will be nominated as next director of national intelligence". CNN. July 28, 2019. https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/28/politics/dan-coats-national-intelligence-director/index.html. Retrieved 28 July 2019. 
  12. The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power by Jeff Sharlet: Chapter 14 page 381

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