R. James Woolsey dies at 84

James Woolsey, former CIA director under President Bill Clinton, died on July 22, 2026, at his home in Washington, D.C., at age 84. The cause was a stroke, according to his wife, Conchita Sarnoff Woolsey, who also stated that his health had declined due to Havana syndrome. Woolsey led the CIA from 1993 to 1994, a tenure marked by the arrest of Aldrich Ames, budget cuts, and the early post-Cold War transition. After leaving the CIA, he became a prominent neoconservative voice, supporting the Iraq War and later advising Donald Trump's 2016 campaign. He also served in various government roles under Presidents Carter, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush.