Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo teams up with National Cold War Center

The National Cold War Center (NCWC) in Blytheville announced Thursday (Nov. 6) that former U.S. Secretary of State and former CIA Director Michael Pompeo has joined the organization as a special advisor.

“The National Cold War Center’s mission of educating Americans on the Cold War and America’s stunning triumph over Soviet tyranny is more important than ever,” Pompeo said. “I’m proud to be part of this important effort to advance the understanding of this critical period in world history.”

In his role, Pompeo will work with the NCWC board of directors and National Advisory Board to guide the center’s strategic direction, fundraising, and educational outreach.

“Secretary Pompeo has been active on the international stage since first being elected to Congress in 2010,” said Dr. Christian Ostermann, executive director of the National Cold War Center. “As America’s top diplomat, he brings a unique perspective and global credibility that will significantly advance our mission to tell the story of the Cold War from both sides of the Iron Curtain.”

A graduate of West Point and veteran U.S. Army cavalry officer, Pompeo served on the front lines of the Cold War, leading troops patrolling the Iron Curtain — the symbolic and strategic divide between Soviet and Western influence in Europe.

As Secretary of State during President Donald Trump’s first administration, Pompeo played a role in strengthening U.S. alliances across Asia, including with Japan, India, and South Korea, and in advancing historic peace efforts through the Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab nations, according to a press release from the center.

The National Cold War Center is located on the site of the former Blytheville Air Force Base. Once a Strategic Air Command facility, the base played a vital role in America’s nuclear deterrence strategy during the Cold War before its closure in 1992. Plans are underway to develop the site into a world-class museum and educational destination.

Fundraising efforts are underway to raise money to build a museum in Blytheville.