George Tenet headed the CIA under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. While Tenet was Director, Al Qaeda operatives flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the United States invaded Iraq.
Fast Fact:
- Born: January 5, 1953
- Birthplace: Queens, New York
- Education: Georgetown University
- Master's: Columbia University
- Military service: None
- Prior position: Director of Central Intelligence Agency
- Current position: Professor at Georgetown University
- Second-longest serving director
Key Dates
- 1953: Born in Queens, New York
- 1976: Graduates from Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University
- 1978: Receives Master's from Columbia University
- 1988: Becomes Staff Director of Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
- 1993: Appointed Senior Director for Intelligence Programs at National Security Council by President Clinton
- 1995: Appointed Deputy Director of CIA
- 1996: Becomes acting Director after resignation of John Deutch
- 1997: Officially appointed Director of CIA
- January, 2001: President George W. Bush takes office; Tenet remains as CIA Director
- September 11, 2001: Terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
- Late 2001: Formulates plan for "War on Terror" with President George W. Bush
- December 12, 2002: Tells Bush case against Saddam Hussein is a "slam-dunk"
- March 19, 2003: U.S. invades Iraq
- June 3, 2004: Resigns as head of CIA
- April, 2007: Publishes memoir, At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA
