Secretary Jeh Johnson To Discuss Role of Homeland Security in Times of Crisis

While the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is temporarily closed, we are pleased to present the next program in our When the World Changes digital conversation series on at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, June 19.

It is our distinct honor to welcome Secretary Jeh Johnson, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2013–2017) to our digital program “Homeland Security in a Time of Crisis,” in which he will share his perspectives on crisis management during extreme circumstances and the role intelligence plays in the nation’s ability to respond to homeland security threats, including the current COVID-19 pandemic.

A 9/11 Memorial & Museum board member, Secretary Johnson, served as general counsel of the U.S. Department of Defense from 2009 through 2012. In this role, he helped to create the legal framework for counterterrorism missions, including the 2011 Abbottabad compound raid that killed Osama bin Laden. More details on the raid, and the nearly 10 years of preparation that lead to it, can be found in our digital exhibition Revealed: The Hunt for Bin Laden.

Under Secretary Johnson’s leadership, DHS was responsible for counterterrorism, cybersecurity, aviation security, border security, port security, maritime security, administration and enforcement of our immigration laws, protection of our national leaders, protection of critical infrastructure, detection of and protection against chemical, biological, and nuclear threats to the homeland, and response to disasters.

Secretary Johnson has been outspoken about recent homeland security failings in response to COVID-19 and the civil unrest triggered by the murder of George Floyd, adding his voice in support of the retired four-star military generals that have publicly denounced putting active-duty military and military-type equipment on American streets.

On Monday, June 8, Secretary Johnson was named Special Adviser on Equal Justice in the Courts, a volunteer role, to lead an initiative to review the New York State court system’s response to issues of institutional racism.

This program will be live streamed, and live captioning will be available, at 911memorial.org/watch. Those tuning in will have the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A with Secretary Johnson.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff