Biography
Tom Malinowski is an American politician and former diplomat who served as the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2023. Born on September 23, 1965, in Słupsk, Poland, he immigrated to the United States at the age of six with his mother. Raised in Princeton, New Jersey, Malinowski graduated from Princeton High School in 1983. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1987, and a Master of Philosophy from St. Antony's College, Oxford, in 1991, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Before entering politics, Malinowski had a distinguished career in public service. He served as a speechwriter for Secretaries of State Warren Christopher and Madeleine Albright, and as a senior director on the National Security Council during the Clinton administration. From 2001 to 2013, he was the Washington director for Human Rights Watch, advocating for human rights globally. In 2014, he was appointed Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor under President Obama, a position he held until 2017.
In 2018, Malinowski was elected to Congress, defeating Republican incumbent Leonard Lance. He was re-elected in 2020 but lost his seat in 2022 to Republican Tom Kean Jr. In 2024, he was elected Chair of the Hunterdon County Democratic Party.
Education and Political Experience
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Education:
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley
- Master of Philosophy from St. Antony's College, Oxford
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Political Experience:
- Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
- U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District
- Chair of the Hunterdon County Democratic Party
