Who is the head of the American expert team?
Who is the head of the American expert team?
Michael Anton, who is supposed to manage technical negotiations with Iran on behalf of the U.S. in nuclear talks, does not have a background in nuclear energy issues. He is more known for his roles in the U.S. National Security Council, teaching at universities, writing speeches for political figures, publishing controversial articles, managing companies in financial affairs, and of course, his staunch support for Donald Trump.
Michael Anton has Italian and Lebanese roots and was born in 1969 in Loomis, near Sacramento, California.
He studied at various universities, including the University of California, and his serious political activities began with collaborating with Rudy Giuliani, the then-mayor of New York, and writing his speeches. Anton joined the National Security Council under George Bush’s administration and was one of the council’s spokespersons under Condoleezza Rice.
After leaving the government, he worked in the management of financial companies.
In 2016, during Donald Trump’s election campaign, Michael Anton wrote a controversial article in support of Mr. Trump, which gained widespread attention.
This article, inspired by one of the crashed flights during the September 11 attacks, was titled ‘Flight 93 Election,’ arguing that by choosing Donald Trump, the American people could prevent America’s downfall.
With Donald Trump’s election as president, Michael Anton once again served in the U.S. National Security Council during Trump’s first term, but he resigned a day before John Bolton started his presidency over the council. During this time, he also occasionally used his skills as a professional chef and took charge of preparing meals for several official U.S. government banquets. After resigning from the government, Michael Anton continued teaching at universities and publishing various articles.
On January 20, 2025, with the start of Donald Trump’s presidency, Michael Anton was appointed as the thirty-third Director of the Office of Policy Planning at the U.S. Department of State. The French news agency described him as a conservative scholar known more for his strong criticism of immigration to the United States than for his technical expertise in nuclear issues. This likely refers to the articles Michael Anton wrote a few months before the recent U.S. presidential elections in support of Donald Trump and his programs, including on immigration.
Michael Anton has made various comments about Iran over the years, including in 2019 during heightened tensions between the U.S. and the Iranian government. He told NPR that the Iranian regime is particularly cautious and, when faced with a united front and vigilance among its enemies, tends to mind its own business and refrain from provocative actions.
He also considered forming a strong and united front against the Iranian government as the right approach, suggesting that this could convince the Iranian regime not to escalate tensions or attack U.S. and its allies’ interests. He described this as a way to prevent conflict with Iran.