Brian Hook

Hook received a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of St. Thomas in 1990, a master's degree in philosophy from Boston College, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Iowa College of Law.

From 1999 to 2003, Hook practiced corporate law at Hogan & Hartson in Washington.{{cite news|title=Iran One Year Later: The Trump Administration's Policy, Looking Back and Looking Forward|url=https://www.csis.org/events/iran-one-year-later-trump-administrations-policy-looking-back-and-looking-forward|access-date=June 13, 2023|work=Vox |date=May 18, 2019}}

During the George W. Bush administration, Hook served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs; Senior Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; Special Assistant to the President for Policy in the White House Chief of Staff's office; and as Counsel, Office of Legal Policy, at the U.S. Justice Department.{{cite news|title=Trump's Iran whisperer|url=https://www.vox.com/world/2019/12/3/20938049/brian-hook-trump-iran-maximum-pressure|access-date=June 11, 2023|work=Vox |date=December 3, 2019}}

After the Bush administration, Hook founded Latitude, LLC, an international consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He serves on the advisory board of Beacon Global Strategies.{{cite news |title=Brian Hook Joins BGS Board of Advisors |url=https://bgsdc.com/news_article/brian-hook-joins-bgs-board-of-advisors/ |access-date=10 March 2021 |agency=Beacon Global Strategies, LLC |date=December 21, 2013}}

Hook worked on the 2012 Romney campaign staff as senior advisor on foreign policy. He chaired the foreign policy and national security task forces of the Romney Readiness Project. He was the foreign policy director of Governor Tim Pawlenty's presidential campaign from 2010 to 2011.{{Citation needed|date=June 2018}}

In 2013, he co-founded the John Hay Initiative,{{cite web|last=O'Connor|first=Patrick|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/09/27/john-hay-group-seeks-to-shape-candidates-foreign-policy-positions/|title=John Hay Group Seeks to Shape Candidates' Foreign-Policy Positions - Washington Wire - WSJ|website=Blogs.wsj.com|date=2015-09-27|access-date=2017-02-23}} an anti-isolationist group intended to inform political leaders about foreign policy.

In early 2017, Hook was appointed director of the Office of Policy Planning in the State Department by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the Secretary's chief foreign policy adviser.

In response to a comment by Tillerson about human rights, Hook sent Tillerson a memo stating that "Allies should be treated differently—and better—than adversaries. Otherwise, we end up with more adversaries, and fewer allies".{{cite web |last1=Toosi |first1=Nahal |title=Leaked memo schooled Tillerson on human rights |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/19/tillerson-state-human-rights-304118 |website=Politico |access-date=25 September 2024 |date=19 December 2017}}

Hook briefed Tillerson on and promoted the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, an approach by Japan and the U.S. to expand their Asia strategies to include India and the Persian Gulf, within the Trump administration.{{cite news| url =https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/30/biden-pacific-china/|title=How the U.S. Learned to Stop Worrying About the Pacific and Love the 'Indo-Pacific'|newspaper= Foreign Policy|date = July 30, 2021}}

In 2018 Pompeo set up the Iran Action Group to coordinate and run U.S. policy toward Iran with Hook as its head.{{cite web |title=Pompeo forms Iran Action Group for post-nuclear deal policy |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/pompeo-forms-iran-action-group-post-nuclear-deal-policy-180816184453565.html |date=17 August 2018 |website=aljazeera |access-date=17 August 2018}}

Hook spent months traveling between the US and Europe in an effort to negotiate an enhanced Iran nuclear agreement with European leaders. Hook also negotiated the release of two Iranian hostages, Xiyue Wang and Michael White.

File:Brian H. Hook & Rafael Mariano Grossi (01911387).jpg Rafael Mariano Grossi during his official visit at the Agency headquarters in Vienna, Austria on July 1, 2020.]]

Hook traveled to North Korea in May 2018 with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for a meeting with Kim Jong Un and to free three American hostages.{{cite news| url =https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/u-s-willing-to-offer-very-bright-future-if-north-korea-denuclearizes-says-state-department-official|title=U.S. willing to offer 'very bright future' if North Korea denuclearizes, says State Department official|newspaper= PBS NewsHour|date = May 11, 2018}}

In September 2019, Hook was named as a candidate to replace John Bolton as the National Security Advisor.{{Cite news |last=Hudson |first=John |date=2019-09-13 |title=Trump vets candidates to replace Bolton amid GOP divisions on foreign policy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trumps-short-list-to-replace-bolton-comes-under-scrutiny-amid-gop-divisions-on-foreign-policy/2019/09/13/537cd783-2379-45bf-93de-5fa2b6f067d6_story.html |access-date=2024-02-16 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} 

In November 2019, Hook was the subject of controversy when an internal State Department report claimed he mishandled an employment issue with department official Sahar Nowrouzzadeh. Nowrouzzadeh had been the subject of a 2017 article in the Conservative Review which falsely claimed she was born in Iran and made disparaging remarks against her. The article was reportedly passed around the State Department, including to President Trump. Nowrouzzadeh reported the issue to Hook, but the internal report stated he did not take proper action.{{cite news |last1=Jakes |first1=Lara |title=State Dept. Career Employee Was Targeted as 'Loyalist' to Democrats, Inquiry Shows (Published 2019) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/us/politics/state-department-inspector-general.html |access-date=February 12, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=November 14, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Finnegan |first1=Connor |last2=Siegel |first2=Benjamin |title=House Democrats say administration is pushing out State Dept. staffers not loyal to Trump |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-democrats-administration-pushing-state-dept-staffers-loyal/story?id=53779575 |access-date=February 12, 2021 |work=ABC News |date=March 15, 2018 |language=en}} The author of the internal report was later fired.{{cite news|title=Pompeo's moves against inspector general leave a trail of questions and a department divided |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/pompeos-moves-against-inspector-general-leave-a-trail-of-questions-and-a-department-divided/2020/05/18/ec34524e-9945-11ea-b60c-3be060a4f8e1_story.html|access-date=June 11, 2023|newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 18, 2020}}

Hook was a member of Trump's “Peace to Prosperity” plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hook accompanied the US Middle East envoy to focus on the economic and political components of the plan. This transpired into the Abraham Accords that were signed in 2020.{{cite news|title=Kushner says US Middle East peace plan addresses borders|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/2/26/kushner-says-us-middle-east-peace-plan-addresses-borders|access-date=June 11, 2023|work=Al Jazeera |date=February 26, 2019}}

File:Brian Hook and Xiyue Wang after release.jpg, who had been held in Iran for 3 years.]]

On August 6, 2020, Hook announced his resignation from the United States Department of State. Hook was succeeded in the position of Special Representative by Elliott Abrams.{{cite news|last1=Sanger|first1=David E.|last2=Crowley|first2=Michael|date=2020-08-06|title=Iran Envoy Brian Hook, a 'Survivor' on Trump's Team, to Quit|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/us/politics/iran-us-brian-hook.html|access-date=2020-08-06|issn=0362-4331}} He continued to work with Jared Kushner and the White House on the Middle East peace agreements known as the Abraham Accords.

After leaving the Trump administration, Hook joined Cerberus Capital Management as vice chairman of the alternative investment firm's international arm. Hook has also worked for Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and U.S. Congressman Jim Leach.{{cite news|title=Ex-Trump Iran Envoy Brian Hook Joins Cerberus|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ex-trump-iran-envoy-brian-hook-joins-cerberus-11621854001|access-date=June 1, 2023|work=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 24, 2021}}

Hook was appointed by President Trump to the board of trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center at the Smithsonian Institution.{{cite news |date=June 5, 2023 |title=Leadership |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/leadership |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230507141242/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/leadership |archive-date=7 May 2023 |access-date=June 5, 2023 |work=Wilson Center}} During the second presidential transition of Donald Trump, Mr. Hook was tapped to lead the State Department transition team https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/11/07/congress/national-security-transition-donald-trump-00188379 and was reported to be under consideration for the role of Secretary of State.https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/donald-trump-cabinet-transition-president-42989f5b?mod=Searchresults_pos12&page=1

Hook serves on the board of trustees for Saint John's Seminary in Boston and the board of directors for the National Civic Art Society in Washington, DC.{{cite web|title=Leadership|url=https://www.civicart.org/leadership|access-date=2020-08-06|website=National Civic Art Society|language=en-US}} On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Hook was fired from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.{{Cite news |last=Timotija |first=Filip |date=2025-01-21 |title=Trump fires 4 Biden appointees, including his own former Iran envoy |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5097601-trump-fires-appointees/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123015257/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5097601-trump-fires-appointees/ |archive-date=2025-01-23 |access-date=2025-01-23 |work=The Hill}}{{Cite web |last=Trump |first=Donald |date=2025-01-20 |title=Jose Andres from the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, Mark Milley from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Scholars, and Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President's Export Council—YOU'RE FIRED! |url=https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113864692804149616 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250121075134/https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113864692804149616 |archive-date=21 January 2025 |access-date=23 Jan 2025}} On January 22, 2025, Donald Trump revoked the security protection for Hook.{{Cite news |last=Haberman |first=Maggie |author-link=Maggie Haberman |date=2025-01-23 |title=Trump Revokes Security Detail for Pompeo and Others, Despite Threats From Iran |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/us/politics/trump-pompeo-security-iran.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250125020444/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/us/politics/trump-pompeo-security-iran.html |archive-date=25 January 2025 |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Trump revokes security protection for Pompeo and a former aide, report says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-revokes-security-protection-pompeo-former-aide-report-says-2025-01-23/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250123164305/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-revokes-security-protection-pompeo-former-aide-report-says-2025-01-23/ |archive-date=23 January 2025 |work=Reuters}}

Hook planned the Ministerial to Promote Peace and Security in the Middle East, a conference held in Warsaw, Poland, in February 2019. The summit was attended by foreign ministers and diplomats from 60 countries.{{cite news|title=US-led Middle East conference in Warsaw: All you need to know|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2019/2/13/us-led-middle-east-conference-in-warsaw-all-you-need-to-know|access-date=June 13, 2023|work=Al Jazeera |date=February 13, 2019}}

Hook coordinated secret talks between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to coordinate military and intelligence sharing against Iranian threats.{{cite news|title=The U.S. Has Joined Secret Talks With Israel and the U.A.E. The Topic? Iran.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/15/us/politics/us-iran-uae-israel.html |access-date=June 13, 2023|work=The New York Times |date=August 15, 2019}}

• Elliott Abrams
• Jim Jeffrey
• Brett McGurk
• David Satterfield
• Iran–United States relations during the first Trump administration

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Brian H. Hook}}

• {{cite web|last=Hook|first=Brian H.|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/brian-hook-the-u-n-agency-that-bungled-ebola-1413931419|title=Brian Hook: The U.N. Agency That Bungled Ebola - WSJ|website=Online.wsj.com|date=2014-10-21|access-date=2017-02-23}}
• {{cite web|last=Labash|first=Matt|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/hawks-feather_958507.html?page=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626233000/http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/hawks-feather_958507.html?page=1|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 26, 2015|title=Hawks of a Feather|publisher=The Weekly Standard|date=2015-06-08|access-date=2017-02-23}}
• {{cite web|url=https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21646745-republicans-are-dreaming-national-security-election-it-may-not-play-out-they|title=Lexington: Defending America|publisher=The Economist|date=2015-03-19|access-date=2017-02-23}}
• {{cite web|author=Josh Rogin|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/08/romney-foreign-policy-team-is-schooling-2016-s-republicans.html|title=Romney Foreign Policy Team Is Schooling 2016's Republicans|publisher=The Daily Beast|date=2014-08-28|access-date=2017-02-23}}
• {{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/11/07/the-romney-national-security-transition-team-that-might-have-been/|title=The Romney national security transition team that might have been|publisher=Foreign Policy|date=2012-11-07|access-date=2017-02-23}}
• {{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94921444|title=President Bush Bids U.N. Farewell|publisher=NPR|date=2008-09-23|access-date=2017-02-23}}

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{{succession box|

before=Kristen Silverberg|

title=Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs|

after=Esther Brimmer|

years=October 3, 2008 – January 20, 2009

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{{Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs}}

{{Iran–United States relations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hook, Brian H.}}

Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:United States assistant secretaries of state

Category:United States Department of Justice officials

Category:University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) alumni

Category:Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences alumni

Category:University of Iowa College of Law alumni

Category:Lawyers from Washington, D.C.

Category:Directors of policy planning

Category:George W. Bush administration personnel

Category:First Trump administration personnel