Michael Ellis (attorney)

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Michael Ellis

| image = Michael Ellis 2025.jpg

| width =

| office = 9th Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

| president = Donald Trump

| term_start = February 10, 2025

| term_end =

| predecessor = David S. Cohen

| successor =

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|28|2013|5|8}}

| party = Republican

| spouse = {{marriage|Katherine Racicot|2011}}

| education = Dartmouth College (BA)
Yale University (JD)

| occupation = {{Hlist|Attorney|political operative|government official}}

| caption = Official portrait, 2025

}}

Michael Ellis (born 1984/1985) is an American attorney, Republican political operative,

{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/534655-nsa-places-former-gop-political-operative-in-top-lawyer-position-after-acting|title=NSA places former GOP political operative in top lawyer position after Pentagon chief's reported order|first=Justine|last=Coleman|date=January 17, 2021|website=The Hill}}
{{cite news |last1=Nakashima |first1=Ellen |title=NSA official installed as Trump left office resigns after he was sidelined |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-nsa-michael-ellis-/2021/04/17/5f03fb82-9fa6-11eb-b7a8-014b14aeb9e4_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 17, 2021}}
{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/23/the-game-that-ruins-friendships-and-shapes-careers/|title=The Game That Ruins Friendships and Shapes Careers|first=David|last=Klion|work=Foreign Policy|date=October 23, 2020}} and government official who is the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency since 2025. He was a visiting fellow for law and technology with The Heritage Foundation's Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. Ellis previously worked in multiple positions in the George W. Bush administration, for Republican congressman Devin Nunes and the first Trump administration, being called a Donald Trump loyalist.Trump loyalist:
{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/us/politics/michael-ellis-nsa.html |title=Michael Ellis, a Trump appointee at the N.S.A. who was sworn in on Tuesday, has been placed on leave. |first=Julian E. |last=Barnes |date=January 21, 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times}}
{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/michael-ellis-administrative-leave/index.html|title=Last-minute Trump appointee at NSA put on administrative leave due to inspector general probe |first1=Zachary |last1=Cohen |first2=Paul |last2=LeBlanc |work=CNN |date=January 21, 2021}}
{{Cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/19/nsa-trump-michael-ellis-460467 |title=Trump loyalist starts job as NSA's general counsel |first=Martin |last=Matishak |work=Politico|date=January 19, 2021}} He worked as a legal advisor to the National Security Council and was later appointed as Senior Director for Intelligence for the agency. In December 2021, he became the general counsel for the online video platform Rumble.{{Cite web|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/former-trump-nunes-aide-lands-top-legal-job-at-rumble-platform|title=Former Trump, Nunes Aide Lands Top Legal Job at Rumble Platform|publisher=Bloomberg Law|date=December 9, 2021}}

While on the NSC, Ellis was tasked with conducting a security review of a memoir by former Trump national security advisor John Bolton that sharply criticized Trump, resulting in Bolton being criminally charged.{{cite news |title=Justice Dept. drops John Bolton book lawsuit, won't charge the ex-security aide who became Trump's scathing critic |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/bolton-book-lawsuit-dismissed/2021/06/16/e16e367a-ced4-11eb-8cd2-4e95230cfac2_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 16, 2021|author1=Spencer S. Hsu|author2=Josh Dawsey}} Ellis was appointed as the general counsel of the National Security Agency during the closing days of the Trump administration in 2020. NSA director Paul Nakasone opposed the appointment, but was ordered by acting defense secretary Christopher Miller to install Ellis to the position. Despite a preliminary finding by the Defense Department Inspector General that there was no improper influence on the appointment process, Nakasone placed Ellis on administrative leave on the first day of the Biden administration. Ellis resigned the following April, with an investigation later finding that there was no improper influence in his selection.

On February 3, 2025, Trump named Ellis as his deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and he was sworn in on February 10.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/03/us/trump-usaid-news/764f93fd-b21c-543b-87ed-9bd3400ca24d |title=President Trump announced that he would appoint Michael Ellis, a former top aide to House Republicans, to serve as the deputy director of the C.I.A. |date=February 3, 2025 |last=Barnes |first=Julian |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 3, 2025}} He is the youngest person to serve as deputy director of the CIA and the first millennial to hold the office.

Early life and education

During high school, Ellis lived in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. He socialized with the journalist David Klion, with whom he often played the strategy board game Diplomacy. At the age of 17, Ellis wrote an essay about the Battle of Caporetto. Ellis is an Eagle Scout.{{cite magazine |last1=Klion |first1=David |title=The Game That Ruins Friendships and Shapes Careers |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/23/the-game-that-ruins-friendships-and-shapes-careers/ |magazine=Foreign Policy |access-date=January 20, 2021 |date=October 23, 2020 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145022/https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/23/the-game-that-ruins-friendships-and-shapes-careers/ |url-status=live}}

Ellis attended Dartmouth College{{cite news |last1=Sohr |first1=Caroline A. |title=Former TDR Editor Appears on Jeopardy! and Wins First Round |url=http://dartreview.com/former-tdr-editor-appears-on-jeopardy-and-wins-first-round/ |access-date=January 17, 2021 |newspaper=The Dartmouth Review |date=April 23, 2013 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145039/http://dartreview.com/former-tdr-editor-appears-on-jeopardy-and-wins-first-round/ |url-status=live}} where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2006 and graduated summa cum laude.{{cite news |last1=Cleary |first1=Tome |title=Michael Ellis: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know |url=https://heavy.com/news/2017/03/michael-ellis-white-house-lawyer-devin-nunes-photos-dartmouth-jeopardy-wife-navy/ |access-date=27 April 2021 |publisher=Heavy |date=31 March 2017}} While at Dartmouth, he was the editor of the Dartmouth Review and a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He went on to attend Yale Law School where he earned a Juris Doctor in 2011.{{cite web |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to the Office of the White House Counsel|date=March 7, 2017 |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-key-additions-office-white-house-counsel/ |via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|access-date=September 28, 2019}} While at Yale, he was President of that school's chapter of the Federalist Society.{{cite news |title=Federalist Society Chapter Flourishes at Yale Law School; Rove, Mukasey Among Recent Featured Speakers |url=https://law.yale.edu/yls-today/news/federalist-society-chapter-flourishes-yale-law-school-rove-mukasey-among-recent-featured-speakers |access-date=January 17, 2021 |publisher=Yale Law School |date=September 8, 2010}} In 2011 he was named as one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 for law and policy.{{cite news |title=30 Under 30: Law & Policy |url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlj45flij/michael-ellis-clerk-sixth-circuit-court-of-appeals-28/?sh=7c8603ea6638 |access-date=January 17, 2021 |work=Forbes|date=December 19, 2011 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145029/https://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlj45flij/michael-ellis-clerk-sixth-circuit-court-of-appeals-28/?sh=7c8603ea6638 |url-status=live}} He also served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve.{{cite news |last1=Vavra |first1=Shannon |title=White House official, former Nunes aide Michael Ellis named NSA general counsel |url=https://www.cyberscoop.com/michael-ellis-nsa-general-counsel-white-house/ |access-date=27 April 2021 |publisher=Cyberscoop |date=9 November 2020}}

Career

=Early career in law and politics=

While a freshman at Dartmouth, Ellis was a volunteer for the George W. Bush 2004 presidential campaign. After graduation he was hired by the administration to work as the associate director of the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives. He held the position from 2006 to 2007.{{cite news |last1=Naham |first1=Matt |title=Trump Installs Lawyer Who Worked for Rep. Nunes and Don McGahn in Key NSC Role |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/trump-installs-lawyer-who-worked-for-rep-nunes-and-don-mcgahn-in-key-nsc-role/ |access-date=27 April 2021 |publisher=Law and Crime |date=3 March 2020}} From 2007–2008 he was the deputy director of strategy in Boston for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. Ellis clerked for Judge Amul Thapar of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals,{{Cite web|last=Lat|first=David|title=Trump White House Lawyers: How Much Are They Worth? (Part 2)|url=https://abovethelaw.com/2017/04/the-trump-white-house-lawyers-how-much-are-they-worth-part-2/|access-date=January 17, 2021|website=Above the Law|date=April 5, 2017 |language=en-US}} and later served as counsel to Mike Rogers from 2013 to 2015 and Devin Nunes and the Republican majority on the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence from 2015 to 2017.{{Cite news|date=November 9, 2020|title=White House official and former GOP political operative Michael Ellis named as NSA general counsel|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/former-gop-political-operative-michael-ellis-named-as-nsa-general-counsel/2020/11/09/8c7c025a-22cc-11eb-8672-c281c7a2c96e_story.html|access-date=November 9, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145008/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/former-gop-political-operative-michael-ellis-named-as-nsa-general-counsel/2020/11/09/8c7c025a-22cc-11eb-8672-c281c7a2c96e_story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web | last1=Schmitt | first1=Eric | last2=Crowley | first2=Michael | last3=Barnes | first3=Julian E. | title=Who Are the Senior Officials at the Pentagon and the N.S.A? | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/11/business/new-leaders-pentagon-nsa.html | date=November 11, 2020 | work=The New York Times | access-date=November 17, 2020 | archive-date=February 9, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145009/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/11/business/new-leaders-pentagon-nsa.html | url-status=live}} Ellis was one of the principal staffers who compiled the 2016 bipartisan House Intelligence Committee report on the Edward Snowden leaks, which was unanimously approved by the Committee.{{Cite news |first=Catherine |last=Herridge |title=Recent Trump appointee at National Security Agency placed on leave |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-ellis-nsa-placed-on-leave/ |access-date=2021-02-06 |date=January 21, 2021 |work=CBS News |language=en-US |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145058/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-ellis-nsa-placed-on-leave/ |url-status=live}}

=2017 to present: National Security Council and NSA=

In 2017, Ellis became the deputy legal advisor to the National Security Council (NSC) and the senior associate counsel to President Trump.{{cite web |title=Annual Report to Congress on White House Office Personnel |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/07012018-report-final.pdf |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |access-date=September 28, 2019}} The same year, The New York Times reported that Ellis was one of two officials who provided intelligence documents to Representative Devin Nunes, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, regarding the Trump Tower wiretapping allegations.{{Cite news |last1=Rosenberg |first1=Matthew |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |last3=Goldman |first3=Adam |date=March 30, 2017 |title=2 White House Officials Helped Give Nunes Intelligence Reports |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/us/politics/devin-nunes-intelligence-reports.html |access-date=January 17, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145136/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/us/politics/devin-nunes-intelligence-reports.html |url-status=live}}

In March 2020, Ellis was appointed Senior Director for Intelligence on the NSC.{{Cite web|last=Goodman|first=Ryan|date=March 4, 2020|title=The Gravity of Michael Ellis' Promotion to Senior Director for Intelligence at the White House|url=https://www.justsecurity.org/69012/the-gravity-of-michael-ellis-promotion-to-senior-director-for-intelligence-at-the-white-house/|access-date=July 23, 2020|website=Just Security|language=en-US|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145024/https://www.justsecurity.org/69012/the-gravity-of-michael-ellis-promotion-to-senior-director-for-intelligence-at-the-white-house/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|first1=Bertrand|last1=Natasha|first2=Lippman|last2=Daniel|title=Trump loyalist installed in top intelligence post on National Security Council|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/03/trump-loyalist-national-security-council-119416|date=March 3, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|website=Politico|language=en|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145123/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/03/trump-loyalist-national-security-council-119416|url-status=live}} The same year, he was assigned to further review the manuscript for The Room Where It Happened, a memoir written by former national security advisor John Bolton.{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Benner |first2=Katie |title=Trump Administration Asks Judge to Stop Publication of Bolton's Book |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/us/politics/john-bolton-book-publication.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=June 16, 2020 |date=June 16, 2020 |archive-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623032544/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/us/politics/john-bolton-book-publication.html |url-status=live}} The review was conducted from May 2 to June 9. It was later acknowledged that as many as half of the items Ellis had marked as classified may not have been so when Bolton wrote his manuscript, and Ellis's review was the first time that those items in the manuscript were flagged.{{Cite news |last1=Benner |first1=Katie |last2=Savage |first2=Charlie |date=June 18, 2020 |title=Targeting Bolton, Justice Dept. Again in Alignment With Trump's Desires |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/us/politics/justice-department-bolton-book.html |access-date=June 21, 2020 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622222403/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/us/politics/justice-department-bolton-book.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/us/politics/john-bolton-lawsuit.html |title=Justice Dept. Escalates Legal Fight With Bolton Over Book |first=Charlie |last=Savage |date=June 17, 2020 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622183537/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/us/politics/john-bolton-lawsuit.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.axios.com/bolton-restraining-order-trump-e5f54f66-fba6-4f29-9257-68f9b579dca6.html |title=DOJ applies for emergency restraining order to block Bolton's book |first=Orion |last=Rummler |work=Axios|date=June 18, 2020 |access-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622093031/https://www.axios.com/bolton-restraining-order-trump-e5f54f66-fba6-4f29-9257-68f9b579dca6.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/us/politics/bolton-book-trump-impeached.html |title=Bolton Says Trump Impeachment Inquiry Missed Other Troubling Episodes |first=Peter |last=Baker |date=June 17, 2020 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623230805/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/us/politics/bolton-book-trump-impeached.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |first1=Spencer S. |last1=Hsu |first2=Rachel |last2=Weiner |date=June 19, 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/us-judge-to-hear-trump-administrations-emergency-request-to-block-publication-of-bolton-book/2020/06/19/ce8b5844-b198-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html |title=U.S. judge blasts Bolton for abandoning classified information review but doubts he can bar book publication |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623040844/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/us-judge-to-hear-trump-administrations-emergency-request-to-block-publication-of-bolton-book/2020/06/19/ce8b5844-b198-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |first1=Zeke |last1=Miller |first2=Deb |last2=Riechmann |first3=Jill |last3=Colvin |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.startribune.com/bolton-says-trump-asked-china-to-help-him-get-reelected/571324152/ |title=White House seeks emergency order to block release of John Bolton's book |date=June 17, 2020 |newspaper=Star Tribune |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617212649/https://www.startribune.com/bolton-says-trump-asked-china-to-help-him-get-reelected/571324152/ |archive-date=2020-06-17}} NSA Director Nakasone agreed that the book contained classified information, and a federal judge later ruled that "Bolton likely published classified materials."{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Marshall |last2=Cohen |first2=Zachary |title=Breaking down Bolton's account of a White House in turmoil |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/politics/bolton-book-breakdown-analysis/index.html |access-date=3 May 2021 |publisher=CNN|date=25 June 2020}} Ellis was also investigated by the Defense Department inspector general regarding accusations that he retaliated against Eugene Vindman, the twin brother of Alexander Vindman who was a whistleblower in the Trump-Ukraine scandal.{{Cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian E. |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael S. |date=January 17, 2021 |title=N.S.A. Installs Trump Loyalist as Top Lawyer Days Before Biden Takes Office |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/us/politics/nsa-michael-ellis-trump.html |access-date=January 19, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145016/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/us/politics/nsa-michael-ellis-trump.html |url-status=live}}

In November 2020, Ellis was named general counsel of the National Security Agency (NSA) by the Pentagon general counsel after a civil service selection process.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/the-nsa-is-moving-forward-to-install-michael-ellis-a-former-gop-operative-as-its-top-lawyer-the-agency-said-sunday/2021/01/17/b8430e8c-58e2-11eb-a976-bad6431e03e2_story.html|title=NSA is 'moving forward' to install Michael Ellis, a former GOP operative, as its top lawyer, the agency said|last=Nakashima|first=Ellen|date=January 17, 2021|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=January 24, 2021|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145055/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/the-nsa-is-moving-forward-to-install-michael-ellis-a-former-gop-operative-as-its-top-lawyer-the-agency-said-sunday/2021/01/17/b8430e8c-58e2-11eb-a976-bad6431e03e2_story.html|url-status=live}} The position was within the federal civil service, which would allow Ellis to remain beyond the end of the Trump administration.{{Cite news |date=2021-01-16 |last=Nakashima |first=Ellen |title=Acting defense secretary orders NSA director to immediately install former GOP operative as the agency's top lawyer |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/acting-defense-secretary-orders-nsa-director-to-immediately-install-former-gop-operative-as-the-agencys-top-lawyer/2021/01/16/b3e06a02-5837-11eb-a931-5b162d0d033d_story.html |access-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145033/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/acting-defense-secretary-orders-nsa-director-to-immediately-install-former-gop-operative-as-the-agencys-top-lawyer/2021/01/16/b3e06a02-5837-11eb-a931-5b162d0d033d_story.html |url-status=live}} He did not immediately assume the position, and NSA director Paul Nakasone opposed the appointment,{{Cite web|date=November 11, 2020|last1=Seligman|first1=Lara|last2=Bertrand|first2=Natasha|title=Trump's new Pentagon sets up clash over Afghanistan pullout|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/11/trump-new-pentagon-clash-afghanistan-436120|website=Politico|access-date=November 15, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145013/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/11/trump-new-pentagon-clash-afghanistan-436120|url-status=live}} and it was seen by some as a political appointee. Senators Mark Warner and Jack Reed requested that the Pentagon's acting inspector general conduct an investigation into the appointment.{{cite news |last1=Herb |first1=Jeremy |last2=Starr |first2=Barbara |last3=Liebermann |first3=Oren |last4=Cohen |first4=Zachary |title=Acting secretary of defense orders NSA chief to install Trump loyalist as agency's general counsel |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/16/politics/nsa-counsel-michael-ellis-christopher-miller/index.html |access-date=January 18, 2021 |publisher=CNN|date=January 17, 2021 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145031/https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/16/politics/nsa-counsel-michael-ellis-christopher-miller/index.html |url-status=live}}

Four days before Trump was set to leave office in January 2021, acting defense secretary Christopher Miller ordered the NSA to install Ellis by 6pm on January 16, 2021. NSA Director Nakasone did not honor Miller's request by the deadline, stating he had concerns over Ellis' qualifications.{{Cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2021/01/17/nsa-will-install-trump-loyalist-michael-ellis-as-its-general-counsel/ |title=NSA Will Install Trump Loyalist Michael Ellis As Its General Counsel |first=Sarah |last=Hansen |work=Forbes|date=2021-01-17 |access-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145033/https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2021/01/17/nsa-will-install-trump-loyalist-michael-ellis-as-its-general-counsel/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Matishak |first1=Martin |title=Trump loyalist to be installed as NSA's top lawyer |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/17/trump-loyalist-to-be-installed-as-nsas-top-lawyer-460005 |access-date=January 18, 2021 |date=January 17, 2021 |work=Politico|archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145040/https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/17/trump-loyalist-to-be-installed-as-nsas-top-lawyer-460005 |url-status=live}} Nonetheless, on the required day, NSA announced that "Mr. Ellis accepted his final job offer yesterday afternoon." Nakasone placed Ellis on administrative leave on the first day of the Biden administration, pending completion of a Defense Department inspector general inquiry into the circumstances of his appointment,{{cite news |last1=Nakashima |first1=Ellen |title=Former GOP operative Michael Ellis placed on administrative leave from NSA top lawyer job |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/former-gop-operative-michael-ellis-placed-on-administrative-leave-from-nsa-top-lawyer-job/2021/01/20/3bd154e6-5b83-11eb-b8bd-ee36b1cd18bf_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 20, 2021 |access-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145129/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/former-gop-operative-michael-ellis-placed-on-administrative-leave-from-nsa-top-lawyer-job/2021/01/20/3bd154e6-5b83-11eb-b8bd-ee36b1cd18bf_story.html |url-status=live}} the preliminary findings of which found no improper political influence in the selection process.{{cite news |first=Ellen |last=Nakashima |title=NSA official Michael Ellis, installed as Trump left office, resigns |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-nsa-michael-ellis-/2021/04/17/5f03fb82-9fa6-11eb-b7a8-014b14aeb9e4_story.html |access-date=3 May 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=17 April 2021}} On April 16, 2021, Ellis resigned.{{cite news |last1=Conklin |first1=Audrey |title=Trump-era NSA appointee resigns after Biden admin placed him on months long administrative leave |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-nsa-appointee-ellis-resigns-administrative-leave |access-date=16 April 2021 |publisher=Fox News |date=16 April 2021}} The Inspector General later released findings saying there was no improper influence in Ellis' selection.{{cite web |title=Review of the Selection Process and Administrative Leave of the Former National Security Agency General Council |url=https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/21089638/dodig-2022-002.pdf |website=Inspector General Report US Department of Defense}}

In May 2021, Ellis became a visiting fellow for law and technology with The Heritage Foundation's Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies.{{cite news |title=Michael J. Ellis Joins Heritage Foundation as a Visiting Legal Fellow |url=https://www.heritage.org/press/michael-j-ellis-joins-heritage-foundation-visiting-legal-fellow |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503185941/https://www.heritage.org/press/michael-j-ellis-joins-heritage-foundation-visiting-legal-fellow |url-status=unfit |archive-date=May 3, 2021 |access-date=3 May 2021 |publisher=The Heritage Foundation |date=3 May 2021}} The Inspector General later released findings saying there was no improper influence in Ellis' selection.{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian |title=Report Finds No Wrongdoing in Hiring of Trump Loyalist as N.S.A.'s Top Lawyer |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/21/us/politics/nsa-michael-ellis-trump.html |access-date=8 November 2021 |date=21 October 2021}}

Personal

Ellis married Katherine Racicot in 2011.{{Cite news|date=July 2, 2011|title=Katherine Racicot, Michael Ellis|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/fashion/weddings/katherine-racicot-michael-ellis-weddings.html|access-date=January 17, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145114/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/fashion/weddings/katherine-racicot-michael-ellis-weddings.html|url-status=live}} In 2013, he appeared as a contestant on Jeopardy! and won with a final score of $16,400.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thisweeknews.com/article/20130508/news/305089583|title=Who is Michael Ellis?|first=Kevin|last=Corvo|date=May 8, 2013|website=ThisWeek Community News|access-date=January 17, 2021|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209145049/https://www.thisweeknews.com/article/20130508/news/305089583|url-status=live}}