View source for John Podesta

{{Short description|American political consultant (born 1949)}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = John Podesta
| image               = John Podesta February 2024 (1).jpg
| caption             = Podesta in 2024
| office              = [[U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate|Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy]]
| president           = [[Joe Biden]]
| alongside          = [[Stephen K. Benjamin|Steve Benjamin]], [[Tom Perez]], [[Annie Tomasini]], [[Karine Jean-Pierre]]<br>and [[Ben LaBolt]]
| term_start          = March 6, 2024
| term_end            = January 20, 2025
| office1             = [[Senior Advisor to the President of the United States|Senior Advisor to the President]] for [[White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation|Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation]]
| president1          = Joe Biden
| alongside1          = [[Stephen K. Benjamin|Steve Benjamin]], [[Tom Perez]], [[Annie Tomasini]], [[Karine Jean-Pierre]]<br>and [[Ben LaBolt]] <br>and<br>[[Mike Donilon]], [[Anita Dunn]], [[Gene Sperling]], [[Mitch Landrieu]], [[Neera Tanden]], [[Julie Chávez Rodriguez|Julie Rodriguez]] & [[Keisha Lance Bottoms]]
| deputy1             = Kristina Costa
| term_start1         = September 2, 2022
| term_end1           = January 20, 2025
| predecessor1        = ''Office established''
| successor1          = 
| office2             = [[Counselor to the President]]
| president2          = [[Barack Obama]]
| term_start2         = January 1, 2014
| term_end2           = February 13, 2015
| predecessor2        = [[Pete Rouse]]
| successor2          = [[Kellyanne Conway]]
| office3             = 20th [[White House Chief of Staff]]
| president3          = [[Bill Clinton]]
| deputy3             = [[Steve Ricchetti]]<br>[[Maria Echaveste]]
| term_start3         = October 20, 1998
| term_end3           = January 20, 2001
| predecessor3        = [[Erskine Bowles]]
| successor3          = [[Andrew Card|Andy Card]]
| office4             = [[White House Deputy Chief of Staff]] for Operations
| president4          = [[Bill Clinton]]
| term_start4         = January 20, 1997
| term_end4           = October 20, 1998
| predecessor4        = [[Evelyn S. Lieberman|Evelyn Lieberman]]
| successor4          = [[Steve Ricchetti]]
| office5             = [[White House Office of the Staff Secretary|White House Staff Secretary]]
| president5          = [[Bill Clinton]]
| term_start5         = January 20, 1993
| term_end5           = June 30, 1995
| predecessor5        = [[Phillip D. Brady|Phillip Brady]]
| successor5          = [[Todd Stern]]
| birth_name          = John David Podesta Jr.
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1949|1|8}}
| birth_place         = [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Mary Podesta|1978}}
| relatives           = [[Tony Podesta]] (brother)
| children            = 3
| education           = [[Knox College (Illinois)|Knox College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]) <br> [[Georgetown University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])
| predecessor         = [[John Kerry]] (U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate)
}}

'''John David Podesta Jr.''' (born January 8, 1949) is an American [[political consultant]] who served as [[U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate|Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy]] from 2024 to 2025, having previously served as the [[Senior Advisor to the President of the United States|Senior Advisor to the President]] for [[White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation|Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation]] from 2022 to 2025. Podesta previously served as [[White House chief of staff]] to President [[Bill Clinton]] from 1998 to 2001 and [[Counselor to the President|counselor]] to President [[Barack Obama]] from 2014 to 2015. Before that, he served in the [[Clinton administration]] as [[White House staff secretary]] from 1993 to 1995 and [[White House deputy chief of staff]] for operations from 1997 to 1998.

Podesta is the former president and now chair and counselor of the [[Center for American Progress]] (CAP), a [[think tank]] in Washington, D.C., as well as a visiting professor of law at the [[Georgetown University Law Center]] and was chairman of [[Hillary Clinton]]’s [[Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign|2016 presidential campaign]].<ref>{{cite news|first1=Katie|last1=Glueck|first2=Edward-Isaac|last2=Devere|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/john-podesta-leaves-white-house-february-114229.html|title=John Podesta to leave White House post in February|access-date=January 13, 2015|date=January 13, 2015|work=[[Politico]]}}</ref> Additionally, he was a co-chairman of the [[Obama transition team]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-12-10/obama-to-name-former-clinton-official-podesta-as-special-adviser|title=Obama to Name Former Clinton Official Podesta as Special Adviser|work=[[BusinessWeek]]|date=December 10, 2013|access-date=December 10, 2013|first=Margaret|last=Talev}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Sam|last=Stein|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/08/obama-mccain-transition-e_n_132976.html|title=Obama, McCain Transition Efforts Are Worlds Apart|work=[[Huffington Post]]|access-date=July 17, 2011|date=October 8, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Who Runs Gov - Washington Post">{{cite web|url=http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/John_D._Podesta|title=Washington Post|publisher=Who Runs Gov|access-date=July 17, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717202400/http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/John_D._Podesta|archive-date=July 17, 2011}}</ref> In his role as senior advisor to President [[Joe Biden]], Podesta oversaw the disbursement of $370–783 billion in clean energy tax credits and incentives authorized by the [[Inflation Reduction Act of 2022]].<ref name="nyt 2022-09-02">{{cite news|last=Friedman|first=Lisa|date=September 2, 2022|title=Biden, remaking climate team, picks John Podesta to guide spending|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/climate/john-podesta-climate-biden.html|access-date=September 5, 2022}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2023-06-07 |title=Repealing Inflation Reduction Act's Energy Credits Would Raise $663 Billion, JCT Projects |url=https://taxfoundation.org/inflation-reduction-act-green-energy-tax-credits-analysis/ |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=Tax Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref> On January 31, 2024, it was announced that Podesta would succeed [[John Kerry]] as [[U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate|top U.S. climate diplomat]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Joselow |first=Maxine |date=2024-01-31 |title=John Podesta to succeed John Kerry as top U.S. climate diplomat |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/01/31/podesta-john-kerry-climate-envoy/ |access-date=2024-01-31 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

==Early life==
Podesta spent most of his early years in Chicago, where he was born, growing up in the neighborhood of [[Jefferson Park, Chicago|Jefferson Park]] on the city's [[Northwest Side, Chicago|Northwest Side]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/1264016,CST-NWS-sweet06.article|work=Chicago Sun-Times|title=All-business Obama begins transition to White House|first=Lynn|last=Sweet|date=November 6, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210025245/http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/1264016,CST-NWS-sweet06.article|archive-date=December 10, 2008}}</ref> His mother, Mary (née Kokoris), was [[Greek-American]], and his father, John David Podesta Sr., was [[Italian-American]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Fusco |first=Chris |date=March 12, 2007 |title=Cooking, wit nourished D.C. Dem elite: Younger son was chief of staff to Bill Clinton |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=117D616D3904FC20&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921161924/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=117D616D3904FC20&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=November 17, 2025 |work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> [[Tony Podesta]], a lobbyist, is his brother.<ref>{{cite web|last=Crispin|first=Jessa|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93791815|title=Podesta: Progressive Politics Will Cure U.S. Ills|website=NPR.org |date=August 21, 2008 |publisher=NPR|access-date=July 17, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/05/us/in-a-lobby-happy-washington-politics-can-be-even-thicker-than-blood.html|work=The New York Times|first1=Robert|last1=Pear|first2=John M.|last2=Broder|title=In a Lobby-Happy Washington, Politics Can Be Even Thicker Than Blood|date=September 5, 2000}}</ref> Podesta's father did not graduate from high school, but encouraged his children to attend college.<ref name=PBaker>{{cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Peter|title=For Hillary Clinton, John Podesta Is a Right Hand With a Punch|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/16/us/politics/for-hillary-clinton-john-podesta-brings-a-right-hand-with-punch.html?_r=0|access-date=February 16, 2015|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 15, 2015}}</ref>

In 1967, Podesta graduated from [[Lane Technical College Prep High School|Lane Tech High School]] in Chicago. Podesta met Bill Clinton in 1970 when they worked in Connecticut for [[Joseph Duffey]], a candidate for the United States Senate.<ref>{{cite book|first=Bill|last=Clinton|author-link=Bill Clinton|date=2004|title=My Life|publisher=[[Alfred A. Knopf]]|location=New York City|page=176|isbn=9780375414572}}</ref> In 1971, he graduated from [[Knox College (Illinois)|Knox College]] in [[Galesburg, Illinois]], where he had served as a volunteer for the presidential candidacy of [[Eugene McCarthy]].<ref name=PBaker/> He received his [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] from [[Georgetown University Law Center]] in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.law.georgetown.edu/news/Alumni-Honored-with-Paul-Dean.cfm|title=Alumni Honored with Paul Dean Award|publisher=[[Georgetown Law School]]|date=October 18, 2011|access-date=July 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021003850/https://www.law.georgetown.edu/news/Alumni-Honored-with-Paul-Dean.cfm|archive-date=October 21, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Podesta worked as a trial attorney for the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]]'s Honors Program in the Land and Natural Resources Division (1976–77), and as a Special Assistant to the Director of [[ACTION (U.S. government agency)|ACTION]], the Federal volunteer agency (1978–79). His political career began in [[1972 United States presidential election|1972]], when he worked for [[George McGovern]]'s unsuccessful [[George McGovern 1972 presidential campaign|presidential campaign]].<ref name="Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me">{{cite news|last=Podesta|first=John|title=During a guest appearance on [[Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me]], broadcast May 17, 2014}}</ref>

==Career==
Podesta held positions on [[Capitol Hill]], including Counselor to Democratic Leader Senator [[Thomas Daschle]] (1995–96); Chief Counsel for the Senate Agriculture Committee (1987–88); Chief Minority Counsel for the [[United States Senate|United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks]]; Security and Terrorism; and Regulatory Reform; and Counsel on the Majority Staff of the [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] (1979–81). In 1988, he and his brother Tony co-founded [[Podesta Associates|Podesta Associates, Inc.]], a Washington, D.C., "government relations and public affairs" [[lobbying]] firm. Now known as the [[Podesta Group]], the firm "has close ties to the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and the [[Obama administration]] [and] has been retained by some of the biggest corporations in the country, including [[Wal-Mart]], [[BP]] and [[Lockheed Martin]]."<ref>Elliott, Justin (January 28, 2011) [http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/01/28/egypt_in_washington/index.html "Who's doing Mubarak's bidding in Washington?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129201544/http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/01/28/egypt_in_washington/index.html |date=January 29, 2011 }}, salon.com; accessed February 16, 2015.</ref>

===Clinton administration===
[[File:John Podesta official portrait.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Podesta in 1993]]
Podesta served as both an assistant to the president and as [[White House Deputy Chief of Staff|deputy chief of staff]]. Earlier, from January 1993 to 1995, he was assistant to the president, [[Staff Secretary|staff secretary]] and a senior policy adviser on government information, privacy, telecommunications security and regulatory policy. Podesta was the first White House staffer to get the news of the [[Lewinsky scandal]] and was put in charge of managing the crisis.<ref>{{cite book|first=Chris|last=Whipple|date=2017|title=The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency|publisher=[[Crown Publishing]]|location=New York City|pages=209, 211|isbn=9780804138246}}</ref> In 1998, he became President Clinton's chief of staff in the second [[Clinton Administration|Clinton administration]] and served in the position until the end of Clinton's time in office in January 2001. Podesta encouraged [[Executive Order 12958]], which led to efforts to declassify millions of pages from the U.S. diplomatic and national security history.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kean|first1=Leslie|title=John Podesta: Pulling Back the Curtain on UFOs|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-kean/john-podesta-pulling-back_b_6717872.html|access-date=December 10, 2015|website=[[Huffington Post]]|date=February 20, 2015}}</ref>

===Post-Clinton administration===
[[File:John Podesta, Bill Clinton, and John DeGioia.jpg|thumb|Podesta meeting with [[Bill Clinton]] and [[Georgetown University]] president [[John J. DeGioia]] in 2006.|alt=Three older, white men in suits and ties stand on a stone balcony, with trees and brick buildings behind them.]]
In 2003, Podesta founded the [[Center for American Progress]], a [[Modern liberalism in the United States|liberal]] [[think tank]] in Washington, D.C., and served as its president and CEO until he stepped down in 2011. (CAP chief operating officer [[Neera Tanden]] succeeded Podesta as president and CEO, taking over day-to-day operations.)<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Janie|last=Lorber|url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/Center-for-American-Progress-Faces-Challenges-as-John-Podesta-Steps-Back-209775-1.html|title=CAP Faces Challenges as Podesta Steps Back|newspaper=[[Roll Call (magazine)|Roll Call]]|date=October 25, 2011|access-date=August 5, 2016|archive-date=October 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013130458/http://www.rollcall.com/news/Center-for-American-Progress-Faces-Challenges-as-John-Podesta-Steps-Back-209775-1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="RoginStepsDown">{{cite magazine|first=Josh|last=Rogin|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2011/10/24/john-podesta-stepping-down-as-head-of-cap/|title=John Podesta stepping down as head of CAP|magazine=[[Foreign Policy (magazine)|Foreign Policy]]|date=October 24, 2011}}</ref> Podesta remained chairman of the nonexecutive board of directors for a time,<ref name="RoginStepsDown"/><ref>{{cite web|first=Jonathan|last=Allen|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/john-podesta-white-house-center-for-american-progress-101103|title=W.H., CAP to counter Podesta attacks|website=[[Politico]]|date=December 12, 2013}}</ref> and remains on the board as of August 2020, although not as chairman.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.americanprogress.org/about/c3-board/ |title=CAP Board of Directors |publisher=[[Center for American Progress]] |access-date=August 1, 2020 }}</ref>

Podesta has taught at his alma mater, [[Georgetown University Law Center]], many times over the years,<ref name="HarrisGtown">{{cite news|first=John F.|last=Harris|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2001/02/05/podesta-to-teach-at-georgetown/9317bba2-f19b-4628-b540-a1e6a2d2b103/|title=Podesta to Teach at Georgetown|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=February 5, 2001}}</ref> teaching classes on [[United States Congress|congressional]] investigations, law and technology, legislation, copyright and public-interest law.<ref name="HarrisGtown"/><ref name="GtownBio">[https://www.law.georgetown.edu/faculty/podesta-john.cfm Our Faculty: John Podesta, Distinguished Visitor from Practice], Georgetown University Law Center, August 5, 2016.</ref> On the Georgetown faculty, Podesta's title is Distinguished Visitor from Practice.<ref name="GtownBio"/> From 2002 to 2014, Podesta served as a member of the [[Constitution Project]]'s bipartisan Liberty and Security Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.constitutionproject.org/about-us/the-liberty-and-security-committee|title=The Liberty and Security Committee|publisher=[[Constitution Project]]|access-date=August 6, 2016}}</ref> In 2008, he authored ''The Power of Progress: How America's Progressives Can (Once Again) Save Our Economy, Our Climate, and Our Country''. In 2009, he accompanied Bill Clinton to [[North Korea]] for negotiations securing the release of [[2009 imprisonment of American journalists by North Korea|two American journalists imprisoned]] on [[espionage]] charges. He can be seen in numerous widely circulated photographs of Clinton meeting with [[Kim Jong-il]].<ref name="LA Times">{{cite news|title=Clinton in North Korea|url=http://www.latimes.com/la-0806-worldinphotos010_knv5wtncc-photo.html|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=July 7, 2016}}</ref>

[[File:President Barack Obama in a meeting aboard Air Force One en route to New Delhi.jpg|thumb|left|President Obama holds a meeting with Podesta and [[Susan Rice]] aboard [[Air Force One]], 2015]]
Podesta opposes the excessive use of [[Classified information|classification]], and in a 2004 speech at [[Princeton University]] condemned what he called the U.S.'s "excessive government secrecy" and "bloated secrecy bureaucracy".<ref name="Podeta2004">[https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/general/news/2004/03/10/638/john-podesta-remarks-at-princeton-university John Podesta 2004 Remarks at Princeton University], Center for American Progress, March 10, 2004.</ref> Podesta has called [[Executive Order 12958]], "which set tough standards for classifying documents and led to the unprecedented effort to declassify millions of pages from our nation's diplomatic and national security history," as "perhaps the biggest accomplishment of the Clinton administration."<ref name="Podeta2004"/> More than 800 million pages of intelligence documents were declassified as part of the program.<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news|first=Tim|last=Shipman|title=UFO enthusiasts call on Obama to release X-Files|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3536229/UFO-enthusiasts-call-on-Obama-to-release-X-Files.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3536229/UFO-enthusiasts-call-on-Obama-to-release-X-Files.html |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London, UK|date=November 30, 2008|access-date=December 23, 2008}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Podesta is described as "a longtime advocate for government [[disclosure (ufology)|disclosure]] of [[Unidentified flying object|UFO]] files".<ref>{{cite web|first=Lee|last=Speigel|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-podesta-hillary-clinton-ufos_us_56d730c9e4b03260bf78f129|title=John Podesta: I've Convinced Hillary Clinton To Declassify UFO Files|website=[[Huffington Post]]|date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> Podesta has supported petitions by some who believe UFOs are alien spacecraft to the government to release files related to the subject. At a 2002 news conference organized by [[Coalition for Freedom of Information]] Podesta stated that, "It is time for the government to declassify records that are more than 25 years old and to provide scientists with data that will assist in determining the real nature of this phenomenon."<ref>{{cite news|first=Tony|last=Norman|title=Change is coming (but not for space aliens)|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08337/932038-153.stm|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=December 2, 2008|access-date=December 23, 2008}}</ref> Podesta wrote the foreword for a book by [[Leslie Kean]] titled "UFOs- Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go On The Record". The book details numerous contact events by these trained personnel.<ref>Kean, Leslie (2010) "UFOs- Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go On The Record" Harmony Books/Random House.</ref>[[File:John Podesta before the U.S. Senate.jpg|thumb|Podesta testifies before the [[Senate Budget Committee]] Task Force on Government Performance.]]
Podesta became an honorary patron of the [[University Philosophical Society]] in March 2006. Podesta is an emeritus member of the Knox College Board of Trustees.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.knox.edu/about-knox/our-leadership/our-trustees|title=Board of Trustees|publisher=[[Knox College (Illinois)|Knox College]]|date=December 15, 1957|access-date=July 27, 2016}}</ref> Podesta has served on the board of directors of [[Bedford, Massachusetts]]–based energy company [[Joule Unlimited]] since January 2011.<ref name="CorpTies">{{cite news|first=Eric|last=Lipton|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/us/politics/new-obama-adviser-brings-corporate-ties.html|title=New Obama Adviser Brings Corporate Ties|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 12, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160819204649/http://www.jouleunlimited.com/joule-elects-former-white-house-chief-staff-john-podesta-board-directors Joule elects John Podesta to its Board of Directors]}}, Joule Unlimited (accessed August 5, 2016).</ref> He has also served on the board of the [[Portland, Oregon]]-based Equilibrium Capital. In 2013, Podesta earned $90,000 as a consultant to the [[West Chester, Pennsylvania]]-based HJW Foundation, a nonprofit group led by Swiss billionaire [[Hansjörg Wyss]].<ref name="CorpTies" /> He was the U.S. representative to the UN High-Level Panel on the [[Post-2015 Development Agenda]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2012/07/31/un-secretary-general-appoints-high-level-panel-on-post-2015-development-agenda.html|title=UN Secretary-General appoints high-level panel on post-2015 development agenda|publisher=United Nations Development Programme|date=July 31, 2012|access-date=January 17, 2014|archive-date=January 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127034259/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2012/07/31/un-secretary-general-appoints-high-level-panel-on-post-2015-development-agenda.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the 2016 election, Podesta joined ''[[The Washington Post]]'' as a columnist.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sterne |first=Peter |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2017/02/john-podesta-joins-washington-post-as-contributing-columnist-235300 |title=John Podesta joins The Washington Post as contributing columnist |work=[[Politico]] |date=February 23, 2017|access-date=February 24, 2017}}</ref> Podesta also sits on the steering committee of the [[China–United States Exchange Foundation]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=US-China 2022 - Steering Committee |url=https://www.chinausfocus.com/2022/index-page_id=1241.html |access-date=2022-09-13 |website=[[China–United States Exchange Foundation]] |language=en-US}}</ref> On September 2, 2022, President [[Joe Biden]] appointed Podesta as [[Senior Advisor to the President of the United States|senior advisor to the president]] for clean energy innovation and implementation, heading his own [[White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation|new dedicated White House office]].<ref>{{cite web |date=September 2, 2022 |title=President Biden announces senior clean energy and climate team |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/02/president-biden-announces-senior-clean-energy-and-climate-team/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902173421/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/02/president-biden-announces-senior-clean-energy-and-climate-team/ |archive-date=September 2, 2022 |access-date=September 5, 2022 |website=[[whitehouse.gov]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Grandoni|first1=Dino|last2=Pager|first2=Tyler|date=September 2, 2022|title=Biden reshuffles top White House climate team|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/09/02/gina-mccarthy-stepping-down-climate-advisor/|access-date=September 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Colman|first1=Zack|last2=Thompson|first2=Alex|date=September 2, 2022|title=Climate chief Gina McCarthy leaving White House as John Podesta returns|work=[[Politico]]|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/02/gina-mccarthy-climate-adviser-00054677|access-date=September 5, 2022}}</ref> For nearly two years in this role, Podesta oversaw the $370–783 billion climate investment authorized by the [[Inflation Reduction Act of 2022]], which was passed the previous month.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bustillo|first=Ximena|date=September 3, 2022|title=Biden has a $369 billion climate plan — and new advisers to get the program running|work=[[NPR]]|url=https://www.npr.org/2022/09/03/1120837779/biden-has-a-369-billion-climate-plan-and-new-advisers-to-get-the-program-running|access-date=September 5, 2022}}</ref><ref name="nyt 2022-09-02" /><ref name=":8" /> He left to succeed [[John Kerry]] in the role of [[U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate]] in 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Joselow |first=Maxine |date=2024-01-31 |title=John Podesta to succeed John Kerry as top U.S. climate diplomat |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/01/31/podesta-john-kerry-climate-envoy/ |access-date=2024-01-31 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

The White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation was abolished by President Trump by his "Unleashing American Energy" executive order on January 20th, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-04 |title=Unleashing American Energy: Tax Credits & Executive Order Impacts |url=https://www.bonadio.com/article/impacts-unleashing-american-energy-tax-credits-executive-order/ |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=The Bonadio Group |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal email leak==
{{Main|Podesta emails}}
On October 7, 2016, [[WikiLeaks]] started to publish thousands of emails reportedly retrieved from Podesta's private [[Gmail]] account, some of which contained controversial material regarding Clinton's positions or campaign strategy.<ref name=chozick>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/12/us/politics/hillary-clinton-emails-wikileaks.html|title=John Podesta Says Russian Spies Hacked His Emails to Sway Election|first=Amy|last=Chozick|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 11, 2016|access-date=October 13, 2016}}</ref> Podesta and the Clinton campaign did not confirm or deny the authenticity of the emails.<ref>{{citation|title=How Should NPR Report On Hacked WikiLeaks Emails?|date=October 19, 2016|first=Elizabeth|last=Jensen|newspaper=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/ombudsman/2016/10/19/498444943/how-should-npr-report-on-hacked-wikileaks-emails|access-date=November 1, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Leaked emails show 'hostility' to Catholic Church, some say|author=CNS News|date=October 19, 2016|newspaper=Catholic News Service|url=http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/leaked-emails-show-hostility-to-catholic-church-some-say.cfm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018121405/http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/leaked-emails-show-hostility-to-catholic-church-some-say.cfm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 18, 2016|access-date=November 1, 2016}}</ref> Experts investigating the leak, including a private security firm called [[Secureworks]], claimed that a Russian hacking group named [[Fancy Bear]] gained access to Podesta's account through [[phishing]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first1=Lorenzo |title=How Hackers Broke Into John Podesta and Colin Powell's Gmail Accounts |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-hackers-broke-into-john-podesta-and-colin-powells-gmail-accounts/ |access-date=August 5, 2020 |agency=Motherboard ([[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]) |date=October 20, 2016}}</ref> Podesta said that Russian intelligence officials attempting to influence the presidential election in favor of [[Donald Trump]] were behind the leak.<ref name=chozick/>

The [[United States Intelligence Community]] released a statement directly accusing Russian intelligence of involvement.<ref name=CNNIntel>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/13/politics/russia-us-election/|title=US finds growing evidence Russia feeding emails to WikiLeaks|website=[[CNN]]|first1=Jim|last1=Sciutto|first2=Nicole|last2=Gaouette|first3=Ryan|last3=Browne|date=October 14, 2016|access-date=October 13, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://theintercept.com/2016/10/11/in-the-democratic-echo-chamber-inconvenient-truths-are-recast-as-putin-plots/|title=In the Democratic Echo Chamber, Inconvenient Truths Are Recast as Putin Plots|last=Greenwald|date=October 11, 2016|first=Glenn|author-link=Glenn Greenwald|newspaper=[[The Intercept]]|access-date=October 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/politics/hillary-clinton-speeches-wikileaks.html|title=Leaked Speech Excerpts Show a Hillary Clinton at Ease With Wall Street|last1=Chozick|first1=Amy|date=October 7, 2016|last2=Confessore|first2=Nicholas|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|issn=0362-4331|last3=Michael|first3=Barbaro|access-date=October 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/2016/10/report_cia_has_kremlin_in_cyber_sights|title=Report: CIA has Kremlin in cyber sights|first=Brian|last=Dowling|newspaper=[[Boston Herald]]|date=October 15, 2016|access-date=October 15, 2016}}</ref> Vice President [[Joe Biden]] told [[NBC News]] that the United States was "sending a message" to Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] and that a wide-ranging "clandestine" cyber operation would take place in response to the Russians' activities.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-10-15 |title=The CIA is prepping a possible cyber strike against Russia |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cia-prepping-possible-cyber-strike-against-russia-n666636 |access-date=2025-06-22 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> When asked about the leaks, Putin replied that claims of Russian involvement were false. "The hysteria is merely caused by the fact that somebody needs to divert the attention of the American people from the essence of what was exposed by the hackers."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/us/politics/wikileaks-hillary-clinton-emails.html|title=Donald Trump Finds Improbable Ally in WikiLeaks|last1=Healy|first1=Patrick|date=October 12, 2016|first2=David E.|last2=Sanger|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|issn=0362-4331|last3=Haberman|first3=Maggie|author-link3=Maggie Haberman|access-date=October 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cia-reportedly-preparing-major-cyber-assault-against-russia-in-wake-of-hack-attacks/|title=CIA Reportedly Preparing Major Cyber Assault against Russia in Wake of Hack Attacks|website=[[Fox News]]|date=October 15, 2016|access-date=October 19, 2016}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Podesta is [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] and has worked with [[Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good]] and [[Catholics United]].<ref name=firstthings.convictions>{{cite web|first=Matthew J.|last=Franck|url=https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2016/10/john-podesta-son-of-the-church|title=John Podesta, Son of the Church|website=First Things|date=October 17, 2016|access-date=October 19, 2016}}</ref><ref name=Religion&Ethics>{{cite web|last=Lawton|first=Kim|title=Catholic Voters|work=[[Religion & Ethics Newsweekly]]|publisher=[[WNET]]|date=October 8, 2004|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2004/10/08/october-8-2004-catholic-voters/13536/|access-date=April 3, 2011}}</ref> He and his wife Mary Podesta, a Washington, D.C., attorney, married in 1978 and have three children.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Endicott|first1=William T.|title=An Insider's Guide to Political Jobs in Washington|date=2003|publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]]|location=Hoboken, New Jersey|isbn=978-0-471-47362-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/insidersguidetop00will/page/238 238]|url=https://archive.org/details/insidersguidetop00will|url-access=registration|quote=podesta  mary three children.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Julie|last=Pace|url=https://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=33412120&nid=481|title=Democratic wise man splits loyalties between Obama, Clinton|website=KSL.com|access-date=November 6, 2016}}</ref> His daughter, Megan Rouse, was the president of the [[Dublin Unified School District]] (CA) Board of Trustees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dublin.k12.ca.us/domain/4|title=Board of Trustees / Board of Trustees|website=www.dublin.k12.ca.us|language=en|access-date=November 5, 2017|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107022337/https://www.dublin.k12.ca.us/domain/4|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first=Michael|last=Utsumi|url=https://onedublin.org/2016/10/26/dublin-school-board-trustee-megan-rouse-responds-to-wikileaks-allegations/|title=Dublin School Board Trustee Megan Rouse Responds to WikiLeaks Allegations|date=October 26, 2016|work=OneDublin.org|access-date=November 5, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> Podesta is an avid cook.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bennett|first=Kate|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/kgb-podestas-cook-214286|title=The Podesta brothers are ready to cook for Hillary|work=Politico|date=October 2015 |access-date=November 6, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pleasantonweekly.com/news/2023/01/08/dublin-school-board-welcomes-new-leadership/ | title=Dublin school board welcomes new leadership | date=January 8, 2023 }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Podesta Group]]
* [[Timeline of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections (July 2016 – election day)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|author=Clinton, Bill|date=2005|title=My Life|publisher=Vintage|isbn=1-4000-3003-X}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://www.americanprogress.org/about/staff/podesta-john/bio/ Founder and Chair] of the [[Center for American Progress]]
* [http://www.law.georgetown.edu/faculty/podesta-john.cfm Faculty profile] at [[Georgetown Law School]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120413135619/http://www.state.gov/s/p/fapb/185597.htm Profile] at the [[U.S. Department of State]]
* {{C-SPAN|32104}}
* {{IMDb name|1827421}}

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