Why I Serve

I’ve spent my life in pursuit of service—not as a career move, but as a calling.
That calling began as a boy in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, lying on the grass behind our chicken coop, when I felt a voice that wasn’t mine calling me to something more. That voice has guided me through every chapter of life—in business, in Congress, in academic leadership, and now in global policy.
I come from a long line of working-class Americans who valued community over status. My Irish immigrant ancestors sought dignity and opportunity on the American frontier. My parents raised seven children with faith and discipline. My mother urged us every first day of school to “find the new kid and make them feel welcome.” That spirit of inclusion and responsibility shaped everything I’ve done since.
I picked strawberries, washed dishes, and pumped gas to become the first boy in my family to graduate from college. I married a woman of deep faith who shared my sense of purpose. We saved half of everything I earned so that, one day, we could serve without compromise. And we have.
Service has taken many forms: casting deciding votes in Congress, building bipartisan coalitions, leading universities through transformation, and helping shape America’s strategic posture at a time of global change. I’ve tried to serve with clarity—whether standing for free speech, advocating for students others overlooked, or defending alliances that preserve democracy.
I’ve led when it was unpopular. I’ve spoken out when silence was safer. Twice, I’ve lost positions after doing what I believed was right. I’ve never regretted it.
Because leadership isn’t about keeping your job. It’s about being worthy of it.
And service isn’t about the stage—it’s about the responsibility. To steward institutions. To defend ideals. To build the future for people you may never meet.
I don’t lead from the left or the right. I lead from the mission.
I believe that life is a game of addition—not division. That principled leadership can still bring people together. And that the institutions we inherit are only as strong as our willingness to sacrifice for them.
That’s why I serve. And why I still do.