An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Jonathan Rath Hoffman

Former Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ATSD(PA))

 

As Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ATSD(PA)), Jonathan Rath Hoffman served as the principal advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense for strategic communications, community engagement, media relations, and visual information until Jan. 20, 2021.  Mr. Hoffman also served as the Chief Pentagon Spokesperson for the Department of Defense.

Prior to this role, Mr. Hoffman served as the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs, where he oversaw the Department’s strategic communications, public outreach and media relations efforts and served as the principal communications advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security. He also served as the federal government’s communications lead during times of crisis, including Hurricanes Michael, Florence, Maria and Irma. 

For nearly a decade prior, Mr. Hoffman worked as a public affairs and government relations strategist for non-profits, businesses, and political candidates. He also served as the South Carolina Executive Director for the national security non-profit Americans for Peace, Prosperity, and Security. 

During the George W. Bush Administration, Mr. Hoffman served in a variety of roles, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Intergovernmental Affairs, Director of International Programs and Border Security Policy at the White House Homeland Security Council, and roles with the Department of State, Customs and Border Protection and in the Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security. 

Mr. Hoffman has taught homeland security and domestic terrorism as an adjunct professor at the Citadel.  He has also taught law school courses on military justice and immigration law.  He earned his BA at the University of Richmond and his JD at the University of Virginia. In addition to his professional work, he serves as a major in the Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General Corps.