Photo: Central Intelligence Agency / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on January 5, 1953 in New York City, New York, United States, George Tenet is a politician, intelligence officer and beamter. That puts George Tenet at 73 years old in 2026. Schooling on record includes Benjamin N. Cardozo High School and Columbia University. Listed accolades include Presidential Medal of Freedom (2004) and Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
My Take
George Tenet is one of the most consequential and contested figures I can think of. The son of Greek immigrants in New York, Columbia-educated, he rose to lead the CIA through 9/11 and the Iraq War, an era when intelligence carried impossible stakes. His Presidential Medal of Freedom sits uneasily beside the controversies of those years, and I think that tension is precisely why he matters. Power exercised in the shadows is hard to judge fairly. His later turn to teaching diplomacy at Georgetown adds a reflective coda. Flawed or not, he is a man history simply cannot ignore.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- George Tenet
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョージ・J・テネット
- Reading
- じょーじ・J・てねっと
- Born
- January 5, 1953 (age 73)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Snake
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Occupation
- politician / intelligence officer / beamter
2. Background
- High school
- Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
- University
- Columbia University
Awards & achievements
- 2004 Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was George Tenet born?
Born January 5, 1953 (age 73).
Where is George Tenet from?
George Tenet is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does George Tenet do?
George Tenet works as politician, intelligence officer, beamter.
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