Who Is Kirstjen Nielsen, Is She Married? Why Did She Leave DHS?

Donald Trump promised to fix the migrant crisis of the United States and in a bid to fulfill his promise, he employed the services of many, including Kirstjen Nielsen. She was the brain behind the separation of parents and children upon illegal entry into the country, a move that was met with heavy backlash.

That policy thrust her further into the limelight, with many seeking to know more about her. Kristjen has severed the government of the country in various capacities since the Georg Bush administration. Learn more about her, why she left DHS, the facts about her love life, and much more below.

Background Details and Education of Kirstjen Nielsen

Records have it that Kirstjen Michele Nielsen was born in Colorado on the 14th of May 1972. However, she spent her childhood in Clearwater, located in Pinellas County, Florida. She is the first child of her parents who have three children; her immediate younger brother is a musician named Fletcher while her younger sister, the last child of the family, is called Ashley.

Kirstjen Nielsen is of Italian and Danish heritage. She claimed her Italian heritage from her mother’s side whereas her father’s grandparents were originally from Denmark; they immigrated to America as teenagers.

For her high school education, Kirstjen schooled at Berkeley Prep and graduated in 1990. After that, she became a student at Georgetown School of Foreign Science where she bagged a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service. Later, she obtained a degree in Law (Juris Doctorate) from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1999.

How Has Her Political Career Progressed?

Nielsen’s career in politics began to gain attention when she was appointed as the Special Assistant to President George Bush. She has also served as the Senior Director of Prevention, Preparedness, and Response with the Homeland Security Council.

Moving on with her life and career when Bush left office in 2008, Kirstjen Nielsen started her own consulting firm. She later found her way back to a position in government in 2017; this time, as the chief of staff to John Kelly who was the Secretary of Homeland Security.

By the end of 2017, she was sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Real Reason Kirstjen Nielsen Left DHS

Nielsen is the sixth Secretary of Homeland Security. Nonetheless, her tenure came to a sudden end in April 2019 when she tendered her resignation letter.

Kirstjen Nielsen’s first three months as DHS secretary was quite challenging. She found herself trapped in the web of the government’s war against illegal immigrants. Nielsen was particularly troubled by the crisis at the Southern U.S border. While her family separation policy brought her backlash from the public, it was praised by Trump.

However, in some weeks prior to Nielsen’s resignation, she was not on the same page with the president as she was asked to stop accepting asylum seekers, which she found inappropriate. Her refusal to heed the president’s bidding apparently led to her resignation.

Where Is She Now?

Not much was heard of Nielsen after her resignation, until recently, when she was mentioned among Trump’s nominees for another position under his administration. In October 2019, she was appointed to join the members of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC).

The council is a body in the DHS and its main duty is to advise the administration on ways to manage and improve the country’s infrastructure. Upon her return, she would join other members to serve on the council.

Who Is Kirstjen Nielsen’s Husband?

Kirstjen Nielsen has found a way to keep her private life very private. This has left many speculating about her love life. In 2018, when she attended a state dinner, she was with a young man called Chad Wolf, who many believed she had a relationship with. But then, it turns out that he was just her chief of staff.

She quelled the rumors about her marital status during a financial disclosure report, where the space for a spouse on the report showed “none”.

What We Know About Her Parents

Phyllis and James Nielsen are the parents of Kirstjen Nielsen. They were both doctors and served in the United States Army. They got divorced when Kirstjen was in Georgetown and never got back together.

Even though we are yet to authenticate the field her mom specialized in, it is known that her father held a job as an ophthalmologist.

Her mom is late but her dad is hail and hearty. He even attended her swearing-in ceremony as Secretary of DHS. Nielsen lost her mother in 2011.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.

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