Paul R. Houston | |
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![]() Photograph of Paul R. Houston, 2022 | |
Senior bureau official, Bureau of Diplomatic Security | |
Assumed office January 20, 2025 [1] | |
President | Donald Trump |
Assumed office August 22,2022 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Paul R. Houston |
Education | University of Iowa (BA) University of Kentucky (MS) |
Profession | Special agent |
Paul R. Houston (born 1979) is an American federal law enforcement officer who current serves as the acting head of the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
Paul Houston earned his BA in political science from the University of Iowa. He holds an master's degree in national security policy and international economics from the University of Kentucky's School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. [2]
Paul Houston served in the United States Marines and as a legislative assistant to Rep. Jim Leach [3] [4] prior to joining the Department of State as a special agent and diplomat in the Diplomatic Security Service. During his career with the DSS, Houston has served as director of the DSS Office of Special Investigations and as deputy director of the Department of State's Command Center. [4] While a member of the burea's senior advisory team, he led and participated in numerous projects in the public and private sectors, involving conducting overseas criminal and administrative investigations, threat dissemination and crisis command and control. [5] [2]