REPORT FOR THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
SUBJECT: Ambassadorial Nomination: Certificate of Demonstrated Competence — Foreign Service Act, Section 304(a)(4)
POST: Republic of Singapore
CANDIDATE: Kathleen Troia McFarland
Kathleen Troia McFarland, a prominent national security analyst, television commentator, political nominee and former senior U.S. Government official, has served as the Deputy National Security Advisor in the National Security Council at the White House since the advent of the Trump Administration. Ms. McFarland has a strong background in foreign policy, government service and political engagement. She was a Candidate for the U.S. Senate in New York in 2006 and for the U.S. House of Representatives, 12th District of New York in 2005. Her demonstrated ability to lead large, complex government institutions, engage effectively in high-level political endeavors, tackle numerous challenges with great intellectual acumen and clearly articulate U.S. government policy make her an excellent candidate for U.S. Ambassador to Singapore.
Previously, Ms. McFarland was a freelance national security commentator on Fox News in New York City and the District of Columbia (2013-2016) and occasionally made public appearances as a guest on other television networks (2007-2013). She served as a staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (1991), on the staff of the National Security Council (1970-1976), both in Washington, District of Columbia, and as a Senior Speechwriter and Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense, Arlington, Virginia (1982-1985). In the interims, she raised her family of five children.
Ms. McFarland earned a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, a B.A./M.A. from the University of Oxford, Oxford, England and a B.A. from George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia. She received a Distinguished Civilian Service Award from the Department of Defense. She is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.