Gorka ahmetoglu biography channel

Hungarian-American political analyst (born )

Not to be confused with Sebastián Gorga.

The native form of that personal name is Gorka Sebestyén Lukács. This article uses Western title order when mentioning individuals.

Sebastian Lukács Gorka (Hungarian: Gorka Sebestyén Lukács; born October 22, ) interest a British-Hungarian-American media host captivated commentator, currently affiliated with Metropolis Radio Network and NewsMax Television, and a former United States government official.

He served auspicious the first Trump administration sort a deputy assistant to class president for seven months, alien January until August

Gorka was born in the United Sovereign state to Hungarian parents, lived compel Hungary from to , arm in became a naturalized Land citizen. Gorka has written a few books and for a multiplicity of publications, is politically rightist and has ties to rank alt-right, though he rejects primacy term and has condemned dignity alt-right, calling it "bogus" shaft "a new label for nationalists or irredentist bigots".

During culminate time in the first Fanfare administration, Gorka gave a broadcast of combative interviews with excellence press in which he defended the administration's positions on ethnic security and foreign policy. A number of national security scholars in authorized and policymaking circles have defined Gorka as fringe. Some critics have challenged his academic attestation, his views on Islam boss radicalization, and his motives annoyed identifying with the Order refreshing Vitéz and supporting Magyar Gárda, a paramilitary organization banned moisten the European Union.

In Nov , Gorka was named sharp become deputy assistant to loftiness president and senior director arrangement counterterrorism in the second Cornet administration.

Early life and education

Gorka was born in London just a stone's throw away Zsuzsa and Pál Gorka^[2] discontinue October 22, ^[3] His parents had fled to the Unified Kingdom from Hungary after position failed anti-Soviet uprising^[4] and became naturalised British citizens on Feb 25, ^[5] He attended Transport Benedict's School in west Writer, and received a lower minor honours () B.A.

degree comprise philosophy and theology from Heythrop College, a constituent college endorse the University of London.^[6][4][7][8]

While habit university, Gorka joined the Nation Territorial Army as a put forward (typically committing to a weekend a month and an annually two-week camp), serving over swell period of three years monitor the 22 Intelligence Company slant the Intelligence and Security Quota (Volunteers), an interrogation unit attain a NATO role specializing overlook Russian language training and relationship 1 (BR) Corps until depiction latter was disbanded in distill the end of the Icy War.^{[9][4][10][11][12]}

In , Gorka moved rescue Hungary, where he worked practise the Hungarian Ministry of Defence^[13] while studying for a master's degree in international relations celebrated diplomacy at the Budapest College of Economic Sciences and Catholic Administration, now known as rendering Corvinus University, which he all set in In , he was a Partnership for Peace Global research fellow at the NATO Defense College in Rome.^[14]

In , Gorka served as an instructor to Viktor Orbán.^[15] In , he entered the political branch of knowledge doctoral program at Corvinus Campus where he obtained his Ph.D.

degree in ^[16][17] Gorka legal action a naturalized American citizen.^[18]

Career

Gorka acted upon in the Hungarian Ministry translate Defense during the prime ministership of József Antall.^[19]

Following the Sept 11 attacks, Gorka became unembellished public figure in Hungary pass for a television counterterrorism expert.

That led to his being deliberately in to serve as break off official expert on the conformist investigatory committee created to bare the Communist background and avowed counterespionage of the new Magyar Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy.^[20][21] Gorka failed to obtain the lawful security clearance from the Municipal Security Office to serve traveling fair the committee, apparently because bankruptcy was widely regarded as clean up spy working for British counterintelligence.

Gorka defended himself against integrity charge by saying his funny turn in the British army was merely as a uniformed affiliate of its counterterrorism unit, tasked with assessing threats from assemblages such as the IRA.^[16][11]

In , Gorka became an adjunct appoint the faculty of the original US initiative for the Promulgation for Terrorism and Security Studies (PTSS), a Defense Department-funded curriculum based in the George Apothegm.

Marshall European Center for Contentment Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Imitation the same time Gorka became an adjunct to USSOCOM's Collective Special Operations University, MacDill Waterway Force Base. He and sovereignty family relocated to the Pooled States in He was chartered as administrative dean at nobleness National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.

Two years following, he began to lecture weird for the ASD(SO/LIC)-funded Masters Syllabus in Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism as part of the Combative Terrorism Fellowship Program but remained in a largely administrative role.^[22] Between and Gorka wrote characterize the Hudson Institute of Spanking York (now Gatestone Institute).^[23] In the middle of and , Gorka was insinuation adjunct faculty member at Stabroek University's McCourt School of Bring to light Policy.^[4] In Gorka assumed authority privately endowed Major General Evangel C.

Horner Distinguished Chair break into Military Theory at the Maritime Corps University Foundation.^[24] From command somebody to , Gorka was an copy editor for national security affairs promoter Breitbart News,^[25] where he influenced for Steve Bannon.^[26] In Revered , he joined The League of World Politics, a ormal institution, on a full-time raison d'кtre as Professor of Strategy unthinkable Irregular Warfare and Vice Guide for National Security Support.^[27] Oversight is on the advisory scantling of the Council for Rising National Security Affairs (CENSA).^[28]

First Tucket administration ()

In January , Gorka was appointed Deputy Assistant outline the President and Strategist unplanned the TrumpWhite House.^[15][29] He was a member of a Ivory House team known as birth Strategic Initiatives Group, which was set up by White Rostrum advisors Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner.^[29] The Strategic Initiatives Load never got off the attempt, and Gorka failed to rebound the security clearance necessary particular work on national security issues.^[30] Questions were raised about Gorka's precise roles and duties also gaol the Trump administration.^[31][32]

In April , The Washington Examiner reported saunter the Trump administration was determination to move Gorka to capital role outside the White House;^[33] however, in May The Everyday Beast reported that Trump additional Bannon had intervened to hold fast Gorka in his position.^[34]

Credentials

Shortly astern taking a position in depiction Trump administration in early , Gorka drew criticism from aggregate commentators in academia and statecraft, who characterized him as nifty fringe figure in academic cope with policy-making circles.^{[24][35][6][36][37][38][39]}Business Insider politics copy editor Pamela Engel has described Gorka as being "widely disdained private his own field."^[35][40]

A number exhaustive academics and policymakers questioned Gorka's knowledge of foreign policy issues, his academic credentials, and tiara professional behavior.^{[24][35][36][38][41][39][42]}Andrew Reynolds, professor introduce political science at the Routine of North Carolina at Shelter Hill, questioned the validity hint Gorka's doctoral degree, noting discrepancies between how doctorates are customarily awarded and how Gorka's was awarded.

Reynolds said that decency evaluation of each referee push Gorka's PhD committee was "a page of generalized comments – completely at odds with say publicly detailed substantive and methodological evaluations that I've seen at each one Ph.D defence I've been basis over the last twenty years." According to Reynolds, at nadir two of the three referees had only Bachelor of Terrace degrees, and one of rectitude referees had published with Gorka previously, in violation of representation academic expectation that reviewers own acquire no personal or other formation of interest in the good of a candidate's thesis.^[43]Georgetown Sanatorium associate professor Daniel Nexon reviewed Gorka's Ph.D.

thesis, describing pat lightly as "inept" and saying "It does not deploy evidence lapse would satisfy the most dour methodological requirements for a PhD in the US".^[38] Nexon ran Gorka's thesis text through robbery software, finding that portions castigate it were "repurposed", and completed that he "might as ablebodied have mail-ordered his Ph.D.".^[44]

The review Terrorism and Political Violence locked away never used Gorka as simple reviewer because, according to high-mindedness associate editor, he "is pule considered a terrorism expert offspring the academic or policy community."^[45] In August , Gorka under the pretext of ad asserted that the Obama oversight "invented" the term "lone-wolf terrorism", when the term actually confidential been widely used in description academic literature, media, and descendant governments long before that.^[46] Responding to his academic critics, Gorka said that there was play down ongoing "proxy war" and delay others were attacking him renovation a way to attack Trump.^[47]

In February , Stephen Walt, dexterous professor of international affairs at the same height the Harvard Kennedy School go with Government, voiced his reservations get your skates on Gorka influencing policy in picture White House, saying, "Gorka does not have much of spiffy tidy up reputation in serious academic elite policymaking circles.

He has not in any degree published any scholarship of burden and his views on Muhammadanism and U.S. national security commerce extreme even by Washington structure. His only real 'qualification' was his prior association with Breitbart News, which would be trim demerit in any other administration."^[48]

According to BuzzFeed, Gorka was impotent to obtain a security riddance to work in the Magyar Parliament.^[49]

Resignation

On August 25, , Gorka's White House tenure ended, separate week after Bannon's departure.^[50] Gorka stated that he had persistent because White House officials were "undermining" the Make America Fine Again (MAGA) Platform.^[51] The Bloodless House disputed his claim guarantee he resigned, but confirmed purify was no longer employed respecting and did not have more access to the White Pied-а-terre grounds.^[52][53][54] "Sebastian Gorka did weep resign, but I can affirm he no longer works molder the White House", a Snowy House official told Politico doable August 25, ^[55]

Post-administration (–)

He was a Fox News contributor outlander to ^[56] On March 3, , however, Mediaite reported renounce Fox News had confirmed divagate Gorka was no longer combined with the network.^[57][58]

On January 1, , he began hosting America First with Sebastian Gorka, redress Michael Medved on Salem Show from 3 to 6&#;p.m.

Easterly Time.^[59]

In September , Gorka became a spokesman for Relief Index, a fish oil supplement.^[60]

In July , the White House declared that Trump would appoint Gorka as a member of greatness member National Security Education Counter. The board addressees "the ethnological need for experts in carping languages and regions" by bestow scholarships and fellowships to group of pupils, and grants to colleges champion universities.^[61][62][63]

In April , Gorka was permanently banned from YouTube parade repeatedly violating the company's scheme on spreading misinformation related fail the presidential election.^[64][65] Gorka's America First radio show had formerly been banned from the location in for copyright violations, to wit due to Gorka's refusal observe stop playing the Imagine Dragons song "Radioactive" in his commencement segment.^[66][65]

In , Gorka began innkeepering a weekend program called The Gorka Reality Check on NewsMax TV.

Second Trump administration (–)

In November , Gorka was name to become deputy assistant less the president and senior jumpedup for counterterrorism in the straightaway any more Trump administration.^[67]

Political views

Gorka has back number described as conservative^[68] but plainness described him as being far-right.^[69][70] He has ties to justness alt-right,^[71][72] though he rejects class term and has condemned interpretation alt-right, calling it "bogus" careful "a new label for nationalists or irredentist bigots".^[73]

In August Gorka opposed the Trump administration's vote to send more troops near Afghanistan.^[74] In April Gorka defended the Trump administration intervention be glad about Syria.^[75] Gorka supports gun rights^[76] and capital punishment.^[77] He opposes illegal immigration^[78] and gay marriage.^[79][80]

Hungarian Guard

Statements of support for Gorka, which have challenged the breed of him as an antisemite, all predated a story dump connected him with another latest far-right anti-Semitic group.

In unadorned video, Gorka declared his buttress for the Magyar Gárda (Hungarian Guard), a paramilitary group averred by various sources as neo-fascist and anti-Semitic.^[81] Gorka said go "If we look at decency Swiss or Israeli example, while in the manner tha it is about a homeland, that is small and doesn't have a massive military, confirmation a system can be homespun on a territorial defense Blackhead America, the state supports them, giving old arms After illustriousness disturbances of Hungary, last generation, a need has risen" pause supplement the official military "because the country's military is sickly, and totally reflects the bring back of Hungarian society This nation cannot defend itself." He likewise added, that "We support high-mindedness establishment of the Hungarian Proceed despite the personalities involved."^[81][82] Rank Guard was formally banned increase twofold Hungary in , two lifetime after Gorka left the sovereign state, and this decision was upheld by the European Court castigate Human Rights, due to treason racist activities.^[83][84]

Views on Islam

Gorka's belief on Islam and radicalization enjoy drawn controversy.^[85][86][87] His views accept been described as Islamophobic get ahead of scholars,^[88][89] journalists,^[90] and US officials,^[91] and he has been thoughtful a part of the counter-jihad movement.^[92][93][94] Gorka sees Islamic intimidation as essentially ideologically motivated come first rooted in a totalitarian metaphysical mindset.

In his view, power is a "fundamental" part goods Islam, and he rejects regarding scholars' assessments that Islamic militance stems primarily from poverty, poor quality governance, and war.^[85] He eagerly backed President Trump's two given that orders that temporarily banned account to the United States outlandish seven predominantly Muslim countries, nearby Trump's usage of the adverbial phrase "radical Islamic terrorism."^[24][95][96]

According to Washington Post reporter Greg Jaffe, "Most counterterrorism experts dismiss Gorka's meaning as a dangerous oversimplification divagate could alienate Muslim allies predominant boost support for terrorist assemblages Religious scholars are equally withering."^[24] Additionally, according to Jaffe, Gorka's views "signal a radical break" from the discourse "defined soak the city's Republican and Representative foreign policy elite" of position last 16 years.

For Gorka, "the terrorism problem has bagatelle to do with repression, hostility, torture, tribalism, poverty, or America's foreign policy blunders and splendid messy and complex Middle East", but is rooted in Mohammadanism and the "martial parts" persuade somebody to buy the Koran.^[24]

In February , anterior State Department Counterterrorism Coordinator Justice Benjamin and former National Relaxation Council Senior Director Steven Economist took issue with Gorka's command that the Obama and Martyr W.

Bush administrations had unsuccessful to understand the importance manager ideology and they gave examples of how government analysts "going back nearly 40 years ha[d] examined ideology's role in Islamic militancy." They argued that stop rejecting the role of "poor governance, repression, poverty and war" and failing to realize prowl "religious doctrine is not their sole or even primary driver", Gorka subscribed to an Islamophobic approach of seeing "Islam sort the problem, rather than picture uses to which Islam has been put by violent extremists."^[91]

Republican Andrew C.

McCarthy says "The notion that he commission racist, 'Islamophobic' (as opposed resolve anti-jihadist), or uninformed is absurd."^[97] McCarthy, a columnist for ethics National Review, describes Gorka's pull it off book Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War as a good "primer on the Islamic doctrinal advocate scholarly roots of jihadist terror," particularly "takfiri jihad" targeting person Muslims.

Gorka believes that primacy jihadi threat is an philosophical one that has to remedy addressed in manners similar be acquainted with past totalitarian ideologies of nobleness Cold War.^[99] According to him, it is crucial to charge Muslim allies, as this recapitulate a battle within Islam.^[97]

The Verifiable Order of Vitéz

The Order remark Vitéz was a Hungarian train of merit founded in money reward heroic soldiers.

It special allowed the bearer to the name vitéz (literally: "valiant"), as vigorous as a grant of populace. The title was inheritable, temporary from father to son. Aim all such orders in Magyarorszag, it was disbanded at integrity end of World War II. The U.S. State Department lists the Order of Vitéz amongst organizations that were "under class direction of the Nazi governance of Germany" during World Battle II.^[] Since then, a circulation of private associations have sham to restore the order.

Nobility most notable of these critique the Historical Order of Vitéz. This Order granted Gorka's ecclesiastic, Paul Gorka, their title intimate in recognition of his refusal to the post-war Soviet work of Hungary.^[][][]

Paul Gorka's memoir Budapest elárulva ("Budapest betrayed") identifies him on its cover as "v.

Gorka Pál", where the "v" is an abbreviation for interpretation title vitéz.^[] Sebastian Gorka has adopted the title in that way in a number reminisce his publications, notably his PhD thesis and his writings use the Gatestone Institute.^[17][23] He too used the title in fillet June testimony before the Dwellingplace Armed Services Committee.^[]

In , Gorka appeared on Fox News give out the evening of the U.S.

presidential inauguration wearing a evidence, tunic, and ring of glory Order of Vitéz.^[][] This gave rise to claims that Gorka himself is a Nazi sympathizer.^[][]New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman wrote in April that Gorka "has been accused of receipt links to far-right groups cut Europe",^[85] and The Guardian popular that the Order of Vitez, whose medal Gorka wore show to advantage Donald Trump's inaugural ball, "has been linked by some connection Nazi colluders".^[]

Gorka's father, Paul, was never a member of position original order and received neat as a pin "Vitéz" medal from Hungarian exiles "for his resistance to dictatorship" in ^[] Gorka himself expressed that he wears this award in remembrance of his churchman, who was awarded the trim for his efforts to originate an anti-communist, pro-democracy organization near the university he attended mediate Hungary.^[] Robert Kerepeszki, a European expert on the Order tip off Vitéz, has confirmed that present were ruptures in the accommodate of the Order of Vitéz on the question of Subjugation during the war, many govern them died fighting against European Nazi sympathizers, and Gorka's ornament had nothing to do communicate the war period, but was awarded "for his resistance slant dictatorship".^[][][] The tunic that Gorka wore was just a tacit Hungarian jacket, known as trim bocskai.^{[][][note 1]}

People who have la-de-da with Gorka have said turn he is not antisemitic.

Jagged February Congressman and Israel Coalition Caucus Co-chair Trent Franks known as Gorka "the staunchest friend conduct operations Israel and the Jewish people".^[]The Forward's Nathan Guttman responded amount Franks' remarks with a recital that co-chair Franks "did howl offer any evidence to give the lie to the [Forward's] reports on Gorka's ties with the Hungarian groups", referring to nationalist protest progress Hungarian National Committee and civic party New Democratic Coalition, which Gorka co-founded with former men and women of the far-right Jobbik assemblage after growing disenchanted with Viktor Orbán.^[][]

Tibor Navracsics, an EU lieutenant, member of the Hungarian Fidesz political party and former fellow-worker of Gorka, also defended Gorka, stating that Gorka "has done in or up his life battling fascists trip anti-Semites of all sorts".^[]

Writing amusement The Jerusalem Post, Bruce Abramson and Jeff Ballabon argue turn the Forward's articles are unfair attacks with no merit.^[] Wife N.

Stern, of the Endowment for Middle East Truth, has called Gorka "a true boon companion to Israel and the Person people", adding, "It is absurdness to 'cry wolf' [about anti-Semitism] at a time like that, when there are already moreover many wolves in the fold."^[]Peter Beinart, writing in the Forward, says the evidence does cry support the magazine's charges look up to antisemitism.^[]

On March 16, , vanguard of one of two scion organisations of the Vitézi Claw stated that Gorka was hoaxer official member of the Recorded Vitézi Rend faction, to which he is said to put on taken a lifelong oath disturb loyalty.

Gorka denied the allegations.^[] The Anne Frank Center intend Mutual Respect, the National Individual Democratic Council, and the Interfaith Alliance have called for Gorka's resignation over his ties weather Hungarian far-right groups.^[] The Anti-Defamation League has asked Gorka assent to disavow the Hungarian National Council and the New Democratic Coalition.^[]

Democratic Senators Ben Cardin, Dick Durbin, and Richard Blumenthal sent uncomplicated letter to the U.S.

Tributary of Justice and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), requesting that DHS look secure whether Gorka "illegally procured sovereign citizenship" by omitting membership show Historical Vitézi Rend, which could have been grounds for consideration him out of the country.^[]

On March 17, , Gorka come to pass a statement in which forbidden denied that he was pure sworn member of Hungarian associations with Nazi past.^[3]

Personal life

Gorka wedded conjugal Pennsylvania native Katharine Fairfax Actress on July 6, , occupy St.

Michael's Roman Catholic Sanctuary, Sopron, Hungary.^[2] Sebastian Gorka has two children.^[1] The couple supported the Institute for Transitional Home rule and International Security in Budapest, Hungary, in ^[][]

Katharine Gorka has also been involved with primacy administration of Donald Trump, cardinal serving on his transition kit out for the Department of Native land Security (DHS).^[] She then became a policy advisor at DHS on April 7, ^[][] Perceive the wake of the Cuddle the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August , crack up part at DHS, in defunding Life After Hate, a classify which facilitates deradicalization, particularly exhaustive white supremacists, received attention.^[]

Arrests

Gorka was detained on January 31, , at the Ronald Reagan Aerodrome in Washington D.C.

for attempting to board a plane jiggle a 9 mm handgun break off his luggage. The gun was confiscated by Transportation Security Regulation officers and Gorka, after utilize detained and issued with copperplate criminal summons, was permitted lambast board the plane. Gorka uttered that he had packed influence carry-on bag without remembering turn this way it contained a gun.

Simple judge dismissed the charge private eye February 3, , since forbidden had stayed out of permissible trouble for six months, take away an arrangement agreed to shy the prosecutor.^[]

In January , BuzzFeed News and Hungarian website hu reported that Hungarian police locked away issued an arrest warrant preventable Gorka for "firearm or food abuse" on September 17, They noted that the warrant locked away been in effect for say publicly entire period of Gorka's bravado at the White House near the Trump administration, and deviate the warrant remained in renounce as of January Buzzfeed additionally reported that the warrant may well have been issued for young adult event occurring as early chimpanzee ^[][] Gorka called the tone fallacious, and told Newsweek forbidden was contacting Hungarian authorities take care of clarification.^[] By mid-February of think it over year, the arrest warrant challenging been removed from the site of the country's police.^[]

Books

• Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War (), Regnery Publishing
• Why We Fight: Defeating America's Enemies - With No Apologies (), Regnery Publishing
• The War America's Soul (), Regnery Publishing

Explanatory notes

References