Catholic University Theology Professor Appointed Dept. of Homeland Security Cultural Outreach Director
Courtesy of The Catholic University of America
By Patrick D. Lewis
Catholic University School of Theology and Religious Studies Professor Chad Pecknold has been appointed head of cultural engagement for the Department of Homeland Security.
A Homeland Security official confirmed to The Tower that Pecknold is now serving as Principal Director of Cultural Outreach in the agency’s public engagement outreach.
“DHS is excited to welcome Dr. Chad Pecknold to the Office of Public Engagement as its Principal Director of Cultural Outreach,” the spokesperson said.
In a statement, Pecknold said, “I am excited to confirm I’ve joined the Trump Administration as the Principal Director for Cultural Outreach at the Department of Homeland Security. It is truly an honor to serve my country in this capacity.”
Pecknold joined Catholic University in 2008 and serves as an assistant professor. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is currently on a leave of absence for public service.
He joins Homeland Security as the agency finds itself the least popular it has been since it was established in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. DHS includes over two dozen agencies, the largest of which is Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has been the target of intense criticism during President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown.
Pecknold has long had an online following, where he is active on X/Twitter and is known as a right-wing commentator. He frequently reposts comments from administration departments and officials, as well as conservative personalities, that are in favor of mass deportations and other homeland security agenda priorities under the Trump Administration. Some of those immigration policies have led to condemnation from Church leadership, including Archbishop of Washington Robert McElroy, the chancellor of the university.
His Twitter posts led to significant backlash in 2020 when he posted a “ding dong the witch is dead” meme from “The Wizard of Oz” minutes after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“Catholic University has a long history of faculty contributing to public service across administrations,” Catholic University said in a statement to The Tower. “We appreciate that our location in the nation’s capital gives faculty these opportunities. As is normally the case with faculty serving in an administration, Chad Pecknold will serve in a personal capacity while on leave from the University and all teaching duties.”
