Overview

Tomasz Pobóg Malinowski is a Polish-born American diplomat, human rights advocate and politician who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Born in Poland during the height of the Cold War, he immigrated to the United States with his mother at age six and was raised primarily in Princeton, New Jersey.

Malinowski pursued a career in foreign policy and human rights after earning a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University. He served as a speechwriter for Secretaries of State Warren Christopher and Madeleine Albright, and as Senior Director on President Bill Clinton's National Security Council. He spent more than a decade as Washington Director for Human Rights Watch, where he advocated against torture and for democracy worldwide.

In 2014, President Barack Obama appointed him Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, a position he held until January 2017. He entered electoral politics in 2018, winning election to Congress and becoming the first Democrat to represent New Jersey's 7th District in nearly 40 years. He served as Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and gained national attention for his vocal criticism of President Donald Trump.

After losing re-election in 2022 following redistricting that added more Republican-leaning communities to his district, Malinowski remained active in New Jersey politics. He served as Hunterdon County Democratic Chairman and endorsed Andy Kim in the 2024 U.S. Senate race after declining to run himself. In November 2025, he launched a comeback bid for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District in a special election to succeed Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, but lost the special election to progressive activist Analilia Mejia in February 2026. He currently serves as a visiting scholar at Seton Hall University's School of Diplomacy and International Relations.

Political Career

Speechwriter, U.S. Department of State (1994–2001); served under Secretaries Warren Christopher and Madeleine Albright

Senior Director, National Security Council (1998–2001); foreign policy speechwriting, Clinton administration

Washington Director, Human Rights Watch (2001–2013)

Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (April 3, 2014–January 20, 2017); Obama administration

U.S. Representative, New Jersey's 7th Congressional District (January 3, 2019–January 3, 2023)

Vice Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Committee (2019–2023)

Member, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (2019–2023)

Member, House Homeland Security Committee (2019–2023)

Member, House Problem Solvers Caucus

Member, House Pro-Choice Caucus

Hunterdon County Democratic Chairman (June 23, 2024–November 2025); resigned to run for Congress

Candidate, New Jersey's 11th Congressional District special election (unsuccessful)

Key Policy Areas

Foreign policy and human rights

Transportation and infrastructure

Healthcare access

Domestic extremism and counterterrorism

Government ethics and anti-corruption

Artificial intelligence regulation

Trade policy

Notable Actions / Initiatives

Led bipartisan effort to end U.S. use of torture post-9/11 through legislation and executive policy

As Assistant Secretary of State, expelled from Bahrain in July 2014 after meeting with opposition group; U.S. State Department defended meeting as proper diplomatic conduct

Flipped New Jersey's 7th District from Republican to Democratic control in 2018 for first time in nearly 40 years

Secured emergency pandemic aid for small businesses and municipal governments to prevent property tax increases during COVID-19

Restored federal funding to combat domestic terrorism and extremism after Trump administration cuts

Faced House Ethics Committee investigation regarding late disclosure of stock trades (2019–2020); investigation concluded without resolution upon his departure from Congress in January 2023

Education

University of California, Berkeley – Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (1987)

St. Anthony's College, Oxford University – Master of Philosophy in Politics (1991); Rhodes Scholar

Personal

Birth date: September 23, 1965

Birthplace: Poland (immigrated to U.S. age 6)

Residence: South Orange, New Jersey

Family: Stepson of Blair Clark (journalist, broadcast executive, political operative); step-aunt Anne Martindell (former New Jersey State Senator and U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand); married to Henrietta Levin (2022–present); one daughter from previous relationship

Other: Naturalized U.S. citizen; fluent in English and Polish; author of articles appearing in The Washington Post, New York Times, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy and Foreign Affairs