WWSG Exclusive
American Diplomat, Lawyer, 27th National Security Advisor (2019-2021), Former Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Former Co-Chairman of the U.S. Department of State Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan
Ambassador Robert O’Brien served as the 27th United States National Security Advisor and is a highly regarded diplomat, having played an integral role in negotiating the Abraham Accords, representing the United States at the 60th UN General Assembly, and many other accomplishments.
O’Brien’s expertise in the geopolitical atmosphere, American defense, the global economy, and the Indo-Pacific inform his intellectually stimulating speeches.
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During Robert C. O’Brien’s time as National Security Advisor, the United States orchestrated the historic Abraham Accords in the Middle East, brokered economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo, achieved significant defense spending increases among NATO partners, and increased cooperation with America’s allies across the Indo-Pacific. When he served as Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, O’Brien was personally involved in bringing over two dozen hostages and detainees back to America. In a 30-year career as a lawyer in Los Angeles, O’Brien resolved some of the highest profile cases in the country. All of these matters involved delicate and sensitive negotiations and no two situations were the same. Some events took place under the harsh light of media scrutiny, while others were handled quietly in hallways and conference rooms. O’Brien will share stories and lessons learned from three decades of making deals.
As National Security Advisor, Robert C. O’Brien placed a bronze plaque on his desk that read:
“There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.” ― Ronald Reagan
At the White House, O’Brien lead a team of NSC professionals and coordinated the entire U.S. government interagency in one of the highest stress environments anywhere. As Hostage Envoy, his small State Department team achieved unparalleled results bringing Americans home from overseas. As the West Coast Managing partner of a national law firm, he grew the California offices faster than any other firm. In this address, O’Brien will discuss how following Reagan’s adage and adhering to the principles of servant leadership can bring success to any team.
With the advent of a new era of “Great Power Competition,” America faces its most challenging geopolitical landscape since 1939. Former National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien will walk audiences through the issues and threats facing the United States from the South China Sea to Taiwan, Iran and the Middle East, the former Soviet states in Eastern Europe, and the Western Hemisphere. He will also share insights on how the United States can prevail in the coming decades and usher in another “American Century.”
Robert C. O’Brien is the co-founder and chairman of American Global Strategies LLC. He was the 27th United States National Security Advisor from 2019-2021. He has been appointed to serve on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) in President Trump’s second term.
In President Trump’s first term, O’Brien served as the President’s principal advisor on all aspects of American foreign policy and national security affairs. O’Brien brought a renewed focus to defense and industrial base issues to the NSC. A long-time advocate of a sea power and a 355 ship Navy, O’Brien visited leading shipyards during his tenure. He also spent time at defense plants and with our troops at bases around the world.
During O’Brien’s time as National Security Advisor, the United States orchestrated the historic Abraham Accords in the Middle East, brokered economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo, achieved significant defense spending increases among our NATO allies and increased cooperation with America’s allies across the Indo-Pacific.
Prior to serving as NSA, O’Brien was the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs with the personal rank of Ambassador. He was directly involved in the return of over 25 detainees and hostages to the United States. O’Brien previously served as Co-Chairman of the U.S. Department of State Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan under both Secretaries of State Rice and Clinton.
O’Brien was also a presidentially appointed member of the U.S. Cultural Property Advisory Committee from 2008-2011. In 2005, O’Brien was nominated by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a U.S. Representative to the 60th session of the UN General Assembly. Earlier in his career, O’Brien served as a Senior Legal Officer for the UN Security Council commission that decided claims against Iraq arising out of the first Gulf War. He was a Major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve.
O’Brien was the co-founding partner of Larson O’Brien LLP (now Larson LLP) in Los Angeles, a nationally recognized litigation boutique. Over his career, he has served as counsel and arbitrator in dozens of International proceedings. The Daily Journal named O’Brien one of the top 100 lawyers in California and Law Dragon listed him as one of the top 500 lawyers in America.
O’Brien is the recipient of the National Security Medal, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the National Defense Medal, the Legion d’honneur (chevalier), the Republic of China (Taiwan) Order of the Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon and the Kosovo Presidential Medal of Merits.
The National Museum of the Surface Navy named O’Brien the recipient of the 2021 Freedom of the Seas Award. That same year, O’Brien and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were awarded the Richard Nixon Foundation’s Architect of Peace Award for their work on the Abraham Accords and other initiatives while in office. Following the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, a tree was planted on behalf of the State of Israel at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Forest in the Hills of Jerusalem in honor of O’Brien. In 2019, O’Brien received the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Award for the Defense of America and Israel. The U.C. Berkeley School of Law presented O’Brien with the Stefan A. Riesenfeld Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the field of international law in 2011.
In July 2022, O’Brien was elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Richard Nixon Foundation. O’Brien is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy and a Carnegie Distinguished Fellow at the Columbia University Institute of Global Politics.
O’Brien serves as the Chairman of the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) Task Force on US-Taiwan Relations. He is also a co-chair of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention.
In 2016, O’Brien authored “While America Slept” published by Encounter Books. During the Trump Administration, he edited the book “Trump on China.” O’Brien’s opinion pieces have appeared in every major American newspaper and he has been a frequent guest on cable TV and the Sunday shows over the last two decades.
O’Brien holds a J.D. from the U.C. Berkeley School of Law. He received his B.A. degree in political science, cum laude, from UCLA.
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