John Kirby is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who currently serves as Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House. He previously served as Pentagon Press Secretary for the first year and a half of the Biden administration and worked as a military and diplomatic analyst for CNN from 2017 to 2021. He served in the Obama administration as the spokesperson for the United States Department of State from 2015 to 2017.
Early life
John was born in 1963 but the exact date of his birth is unknown. Born into a Christian family, he spent the early days of his childhood in Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA. He hasn’t revealed much about his family and parents, nor is he known to have any siblings. John graduated from St. Petersburg Catholic High School in 1981 and attended the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. He graduated in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in history. John also completed his Masters in International Relations at Troy University and a Masters in National Security from the Naval War College. He also attended Officer Candidate School, graduating in 1986.
John Kirby Career
John began his career in 1986 as a Surface Warfare Officer in the US Navy and was later positioned as a Public Affairs Officer. He served overseas at sea with the aircraft career USS Forrestal and the command and control ship USS Mount Whitney. John also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Navy’s flagship monthly magazine. He also became commander of US Naval Forces in Europe, chief of naval operations and as special assistant for public affairs to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Media Operations. In 2012, he became Rear Admiral (below) and began serving as the US Navy Chief of Information (CHINFO) and served as the chief spokesman for the Department of the Navy.
He was appointed Pentagon press secretary in 2013 and promoted to rear admiral in 2014. That same year he was named the new US State Department spokesman and that same year he retired from the military. From 2015 to 2017, he served as US State Department spokesman and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. Kirby then started as a military and diplomatic analyst for the CNN network in 2017 and is currently working in the same position as of 2021. He was recently appointed Pentagon press secretary for the second time in Biden’s administration.
social media
John is not known for being on many social media platforms but has a well-updated LinkedIn profile to maintain professional connections. He is also known to have been on Twitter since 2017 and currently has 23.6k followers.
John Kirby Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | John Francis Kirby |
| date of birth | 1963 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 60 years |
| place of birth | St. Petersburg, Florida, USA |
| nationality | American |
| job | admiral |
| religion | Christianity |
| sun sign | Not known |
Physical Statistics | |
| height | in feet inches – 5′ 9” – in centimeters – 175 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 78kg – in pounds – 171 pounds |
| shoe size | 10 (US) |
| Hair color | Brown |
| eye color | dark brown |
| body type | Slim |
John Kirby family | |
| father | – |
| mother | – |
| sister | – |
| Brothers | – |
Qualification/Education | |
| school | St. Petersburg Catholic College |
| University | US Naval War College, University of South Florida |
relationship status | |
| marital status | Married |
| affair | no |
| Who is John Kirby’s wife? | Donna Kirby |
| children | Two |
Personal life
John is currently married to his wife Donna Kirby. The couple hasn’t shared much about their married life, but they have cherished their marriage for more than 20 years. He also has a daughter named Meghan McDowell who was anorexic and suffered from depression for over 6 years. Together, he and his wife helped Meghan overcome the disorder and she is now healthy. She got married in 2012 and is also a mother. He currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and family.
controversy
As a politician, John has been involved in many controversies when he has been in the news for his opinions and words. In 2014, John McCain called him an “idiot” after claiming the US would win the war against Iraq and Syria. A few years later, in 2016, he broke into the news after defending Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen, which drew media and public attention.
Most recently, in 2021, he was in the news after being criticized by Tucker Carlson for his statements that Kabul was not an immediate threat to the environment, even considering the situation in Afghanistan created by the Taliban. This statement was not only criticized by Tucker but also sparked a heated public debate.
John Kirby Net Worth
John has worked as a naval officer and a politician for several years. He has held many important positions and earned a lot of fortune. His net worth as of 2021 is estimated to be around $2 million.
Facts About John Kirby
- Kirby received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Meritorious Service Medal for his service in the Navy.
- He was also awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
- Kirby opposed Tucker Carlson, arguing that maternity wear and haircut regulations hampered their readiness and effectiveness in the US military.
- John recently held a press conference as Pentagon press secretary to answer strategic and information technology questions regarding the US-Afghanistan situation and the evacuation of US soldiers.
- John is a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan while his daughter was an equestrian and athlete.