About The Nixon Seminar

ADVANCING CONSERVATIVE REALISM IN NATIONAL SECURITY

The Nixon Seminar on Conservative Realism and National Security is a monthly gathering of senior statesmen and rising specialists in various aspects of great power competition and American national security, to discuss issues of current and continuing importance to the nation’s interests abroad co-chaired by former Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and former National Security Advisor Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien. Dr. Henry Kissinger serves as Honorary Chair.

The Nixon Seminar reasserts and advances the visionary international policies rooted in conservative realism that President Nixon brought to fore 50 years ago by carefully developing and outlining policies that look 50 years into the future. Particular focus and emphasis will be given to advancing Sino-American relations, evaluating global technological innovations, and developing a lasting peace in the Middle East.

The members of the Seminar are all experienced in their fields and most have served at senior levels in government. All are committed to conservative realism as the North Star of American national security: the pressing need to see threats to American security clearly and to deal with them from a position of national strength and with candor and clarity.

The Nixon Seminar meets nine times annually, the first Tuesday evening of each month at 8:00 PM Eastern time except July, August and December as well as such additional gatherings as the co-chairs schedule. The meetings will be virtual until such time as the Covid-19 pandemic has been brought under control.

Nixon Seminar conversations are available for viewing online by members of the Nixon Foundation. 

Become a member of the Richard Nixon Foundation’s to watch the Nixon Seminar live.  Memberships start at $95 annually.

Co-Chairs

Michael R. Pompeo

Co-Chair

Secretary Pompeo, now serving as a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute, served as America’s 70th Secretary of State from 2018 to 2021. Prior to that, he was Director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 2017 to 2018, a Congressman representing Kansas’ fourth district, was the CEO/President of two industrial companies and a United States Army Officer.

Robert C. O'Brien

Co-Chair

Ambassador O’Brien served as the 28th National Security Adviser from 2019 to 2021. He previously served as the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs and as a U.S. Representative to the UN General Assembly. Ambassador O’Brien had practiced law for 30 years in Los Angeles and has rejoined the firm he founded with Judge Stephen Larson, Larson LLP, as Of Counsel.

Seminar Members

Dr. Lanhee Chen

Dr. Lanhee Chen

Stanford’s Hoover Institution

Elbridge Colby

Elbridge Colby

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development

Christopher Nixon Cox

Christopher Nixon Cox

Princeton’s Liechtenstein Institute

Dr. Monica Crowley

Dr. Monica Crowley

Former Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at Treasury

Amb. Kelley E. Currie

Amb. Kelley E. Currie

Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council

Alex Gray

Alex Gray

Former National Security Council Chief of Staff

Mary Kissel

Mary Kissel

Stephens Inc.

John Noonan

John Noonan

Senior Counselor for Military & Defense Affairs to Senator Tom Cotton

Morgan Ortagus

Morgan Ortagus

Former State Department Spokeswoman

Matt Pottinger

Matt Pottinger

Former Deputy National Security Adviser

Kimberly Reed

Kimberly Reed

Former Chairwoman and President of the U.S. Export-Import Bank

Dr. Nadia Schadlow

Dr. Nadia Schadlow

Former Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategy

Manisha Singh

Manisha Singh

Founder and Principal of Sunstone Strategy Group

Congressman Michael Waltz

Congressman Michael Waltz

Alex Wong

Alex Wong

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for North Korea

For Media Inquiries:

Joe Lopez
joe@nixonfoundation.org
714-364-1147