Who is Keith Kellogg?

Keith Kellogg is a former US government official and a retired lieutenant general in the US Army. He previously served as the National Security Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence.

The 78-year-old was born in Dayton, Ohio. He is the son of Helen (Costello) and Joseph Keith Kellogg. In 1961, he received his diploma from Long Beach Polytechnic High School.

Kellogg was commissioned into the Army through the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) at Santa Clara University as an Infantry Officer. While in service, he earned an M.S. in international affairs from the University of Kansas. He later went on to study senior-level management and diplomacy at the United States Army War College.

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Kellogg was part of the Vietnam War where he served in the 101st Airborne Division. He later qualified as a US Army Special Forces officer, as a special forces adviser to the Cambodian Army.

His time in Vietnam helped him earn the Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” Device, and Air Medal with “V” Device.

Kellogg was in the Pentagon during the attacks on September 11, 2001.

He has also served as Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States National Security Council in the Trump administration. He was named National Security Advisor on an acting basis following the resignation of Michael T. Flynn.

Kellogg, who is the second oldest of four children, married his wife, Paige, in 1980. Paige is a former US Army officer and paratrooper who served during the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada. The couple has three children together.

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During the January 6, 2021 riots, Kellogg defended Pence’s decision not to leave the Capitol. Pence insisted on staying despite the Secret Service attempting to get him to a safer place.

Kellogg reportedly told Anthony Ornato, at the time White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, why Pence would not be evacuated. He made it clear that Pence would stay, even if he needed to remain in the Capitol all night.