Glenn S. Gerstell

Senior Adviser (Non-resident), International Security Program
Glenn S. Gerstell

Glenn S. Gerstell served as the general counsel of the National Security Agency (NSA) from 2015 to 2020. A frequent guest commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR, he has written and spoken widely about the intersections of technology and national security, with articles appearing in the New York Times, Washington Post, New Yorker, The Hill, Barron’s, and POLITICO. Prior to joining the NSA, Mr. Gerstell practiced law for almost 40 years at the international law firm of Milbank, LLP, where he focused on the global telecommunications industry and was the managing partner of the firm's Washington, D.C., Singapore, and Hong Kong offices. Mr. Gerstell served on the President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council, the Future of Encryption Committee for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and the District of Columbia Homeland Security Commission. A graduate of New York University and the Columbia University School of Law, Mr. Gerstell is an elected member of the American Academy of Diplomacy and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Earlier in his career, he was an adjunct law professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and New York Law School. He is a recipient of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service, and the NSA Distinguished Civilian Service Medal. 

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The Engine Room of Democracy

Balancing Electronic Intelligence with Democratic Rights of Privacy

Former NSA general counsel Glenn Gerstell discusses how the United States undertakes sophisticated intelligence collection while staying consistent with a constitutional obligation to protect the privacy of U.S. citizens.

Podcast Episode by John J. Hamre and Glenn S. Gerstell — August 11, 2020

Podcast Engine Room of Democracy

Public Surveillance to Keep Us Healthy and Protect Our Privacy

The Covid-19 pandemic has focused attention on the potential conflict between public health monitoring and technology-fueled surveillance. Glenn Gerstell examines the issues to be considered as the fight to stop the spread of the virus continues.

Commentary by Glenn S. Gerstell — April 16, 2020