Encyclopedia · Biography

David Friedman

U.S. ambassador to Israel during the first Trump administration

Background

David Friedman is an American attorney and former U.S. ambassador to Israel, serving from March 2017 to January 2021.

Career and institutions

During his ambassadorship the U.S. embassy moved to Jerusalem, and Friedman was among officials involved in the 2020 Abraham Accords. Aryeh Lightstone worked as a senior adviser and chief of staff at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.

Recent and documented role

After leaving government he established the Friedman Center for Peace through Strength. Those historical roles link him to the later Board of Peace personnel network but do not by themselves prove ongoing official authority.

Education, legal career and family

Friedman received a bachelor's degree from Columbia University in 1978 and a law degree from New York University School of Law in 1981. He worked as a commercial and bankruptcy attorney in New York, including as a founding partner of the law firm Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman. Public biographical material identifies his wife as Tammy and reports that they have five children.

Ambassadorship and subsequent work

He was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to Israel on March 29, 2017, and served until January 2021. During his tenure the U.S. embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and the administration participated in negotiations leading to the Abraham Accords. Friedman later founded the Friedman Center for Peace through Strength and published the memoir Sledgehammer in 2022. These public diplomatic and legal roles are distinct from any financial or advisory relationships requiring their own records.

References

1. https://www.friedmancenter.com/davidfriedman
2. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1156
3. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/david-friedman/
4. https://lci.global/team/ambassador-david-friedman/