Tom Tugendhat

Tom Tugendhat is a distinguished fellow at Hudson Institute. He is also the member of parliament for Tonbridge, Kent, in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Tugendhat has represented Tonbridge since 2015. Two years later he was elected to chair the Foreign Affairs Committee and on the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy. He was among the first to warn of foreign corrupt practices as a threat to UK security and the spread of malign influence from authoritarian states. Mr. Tugendhat was reelected to chair the Foreign Affairs Committee in 2019.

As chair, Mr. Tugendhat led the debate on the threat from Russia and the role of corruption in expanding the Kremlin’s influence in the report Moscow’s Gold. He also changed the way the UK approaches Beijing with two reports: China’s Rules, which declares the end of the so-called golden era and warns of the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in educational institutions; and A Cautious Embrace, which discusses defending democracy in an age of autocracies. Mr. Tugendhat also recognised the role of tech in UK foreign policy including recognising that the largest companies should be treated like nation states in Encoding Values. 

From 2022 to 2024, Mr. Tugendhat was security minister, responsible for Britain’s intelligence efforts to protect against foreign and domestic threats. Mr. Tugendhat was the author of the National Security Act 2023, the first update to national security legislation in a generation. The act increases the scope of espionage to include cyber threats and other modern tactics, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all potential security risks.

As security minister Mr. Tugendhat focused on threats of Islamist radicalisation, the spread of Iranian influence and Russian and Chinese actions in the UK and against British interests around the world. Under his leadership, more Russian and Chinese spies were arrested and charged than in the previous decade. His firm stance against authoritarian regimes has led to his being sanctioned by Russia, China, and Iran. He also led the fight against the online sexual exploitation of children, internet fraud, and other cybercrime, working with partners including in the US and Commonwealth.

Before entering politics, Mr. Tugendhat served in the British Army’s Intelligence Corps, deploying on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also worked for the Foreign Office, helping to establish the National Security Council of Afghanistan in Kabul and creating the first civilian administration in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. On his return to the UK, Mr. Tugendhat was appointed military assistant to the chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of the UK Armed Forces. In recognition of his service, he was appointed a member of the order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 new year honours.

Mr. Tugendhat started his career as a journalist in Beirut before moving to Bloomberg News, where he covered commodities, energy, and, occasionally, politics.

Mr. Tugendhat holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and religious studies from the University of Bristol and a master’s degree in Islamic studies from Cambridge University. He studied Arabic in Yemen. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, with expertise in strategic leadership and military operations. In addition, he serves as an honorary professor in the Strategy and Security Institute at the University of Exeter.

Mr. Tugendhat’s wife, Anissia, is a member of France’s Council of State, the administration’s supreme court. They live in London, and are often in Paris, with their two children.