1. David Peter Pekoske was born on May 5,1955 and is an American government official and retired US Coast Guard vice admiral who served as the seventh administrator of the Transportation Security Administration in the United States Department of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2025.
David Pekoske served as the acting deputy secretary of homeland security from April to November 2019 and again from January to June 2021.
David Pekoske earned his Bachelor of Science degree in ocean engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.
David Pekoske is a 1989 graduate of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University with a Master of Public Administration degree.
David Pekoske graduated from the MIT Sloan School of Management with an MBA in 1997.
David Pekoske served as a member of the United States Coast Guard Academy Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2008.
David Pekoske served on the west, gulf and east coasts of the United States and on the Great Lakes.
David Pekoske served Executive Assistant to the Commandant from 2001 to 2004.
David Pekoske oversaw the operation of units performing missions in marine safety, maritime mobility, protection of natural resources, maritime security, homeland security and national defense in an Area of Operations encompassing over 73,000,000 square miles throughout the Pacific Basin and Far East.
Vice Admiral David Pekoske served as vice commandant of the United States Coast Guard from August 7,2009 to May 24,2010.
On May 6,2022, David Pekoske was nominated to a second five-year term by President Joe Biden.
On January 20,2025, David Pekoske was forced out of office by President Trump.
David Pekoske remained the TSA Administrator, but day-to-day operations of TSA were overseen by TSA's acting deputy administrator, Patricia Cogswell.
On November 13,2019, with the appointment of Ken Cuccinelli as Acting Deputy Secretary, David Pekoske returned to his duties as TSA Administrator.
From January 20,2021 to February 2,2021, David Pekoske was appointed acting secretary of homeland security by President Joe Biden, during the Senate confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas to the role.