Jeff Flake

Jeff Flake is a statesman, author, and diplomat with a career spanning nearly two decades in the U.S. Congress and subsequent diplomatic service. Flake served as a United States Senator from Arizona and previously represented Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives. He later held the position of U.S. Ambassador to Turkey. Flake earned a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and a Master of Arts in political science from Brigham Young University. Prior to his political career, he served as executive director of the Foundation for Democracy in Namibia, monitoring Namibia's independence process. He also led the Goldwater Institute, a public policy research organization in Phoenix, Arizona.

During his six terms in the House, Flake became known for his opposition to congressional spending earmarks, frequently introducing amendments targeting projects from both major parties. As a senator, he chaired the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology & the Law and the Africa Subcommittee of the Foreign Relations Committee. Flake developed a reputation as a conservative willing to challenge his own party, serving as a vocal critic of President Trump and advocating for bipartisanship and fiscal responsibility. He called for an FBI investigation into Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh prior to Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court.

Flake is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle." In the book, he critiques his party's embrace of nationalism and populism and calls for a return to foundational conservative principles. Flake delivered a widely discussed speech on the Senate floor denouncing the president's conduct and announcing he would not seek reelection.

As U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Flake contributed to diplomatic efforts, including supporting Sweden's accession to NATO. He has contributed to CNN and CBS News, guest lectured at Stanford, Princeton, and Yale, served as a Resident Fellow at Harvard's Institute of Politics, and delivered the commencement address at Harvard Law School. Flake has appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press," ABC's "This Week," CBS' "Face the Nation," Fox News Sunday, and CNN's "State of the Union."

Flake received the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage from the University Philosophical Society at Trinity College, Dublin. He directs Arizona State University's Institute of Politics and serves as chairman of World Trade Center Utah. Flake has participated in survival challenges on remote desert islands, experiences he cites as a metaphor for bipartisan cooperation.