James R. Clapper is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General with more than 32 years of service, culminating as assistant chief of staff for intelligence at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, serving as the service’s senior intelligence officer. Over the course of his career, he served in multiple senior intelligence roles, including:

• Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (1992–1995)

• Director of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, later the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (2001–2006), where he introduced the term “geospatial intelligence” or GEOINT and oversaw the agency’s transition to NGA

• Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (2007–2010), serving as the principal intelligence advisor to the Secretary of Defense

• Director of National Intelligence (2010–2017), leading the U.S. Intelligence Community and serving as the principal intelligence advisor to President Barack Obama

Earlier in his military career, Clapper flew 73 combat support missions in Southeast Asia and served as director of intelligence for U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Pacific Command, and Strategic Air Command, as well as assistant chief of staff for intelligence during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

His remarks in this clip draw on decades of direct experience overseeing intelligence operations across the Air Force, DIA, NGA, and the broader U.S. Intelligence Community, including activities involving test ranges in the western United States.