Ash Carter, who served as Obama's defense secretary, has died after suffering a heart attack. He was 68.
Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter holds a news conference at the Pentagon in 2017. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Imagesdied Monday after suffering a heart attack, the dean of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government said in a statement. He was 68.Carter, who served as defense secretary under former President Barack Obama, was involved in national security, technology and innovation — both from within government and in academia for more than three decades.
As defense secretary from 2015 to 2017, he oversaw the military campaign against ISIL, launched a renewed focus on the Asia-Pacific region, created a new cyber strategy and established a stronger NATO response to Russia, per Harvard University's Douglas W. Elmendorf. He was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the department’s highest civilian honor, five times, perAfter leaving public service, Carter led the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard's Kennedy School.The United States and the world know Ash Carter for his lifelong efforts to serve this country, to defend the best values of this country, and to build a safer world for all people," Elmendorf said in a statement.
"During the past few years, he remained a very important public voice and private adviser on matters of national security and international relations."