Irving Kristol

Irving Kristol (1920–2009) was an American journalist and essayist, widely described as the “godfather of neoconservatism.” Born in Brooklyn, New York, he studied at the City College of New York. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he worked as an editor and commentator, helping shape postwar debates about liberalism, capitalism, and American foreign policy. He co-founded and edited *The Public Interest* (1965–2005) and later served as publisher of *The National Interest*. Kristol wrote influential essays collected in volumes such as *Neoconservatism: The Autobiography of an Idea* (1995). In 2002 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.