Tom Nichols Biography: Age, Wife, Net Worth, Children, Siblings

Tom Nichols (Thomas Michael Nichols) is an American writer, academic, and specialist in international affairs.

A retired U.S. Naval War College professor, his expertise includes Russia, nuclear weapons, and national security.

He has taught at institutions such as Dartmouth College and Harvard Extension School. Nichols is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of several books, including The Death of Expertise and Our Own Worst Enemy. He is also a five-time undefeated Jeopardy! champion.

Profile

• Full Name: Thomas Michael Nichols
• Stage Name: Tom Nichols
• Born: December 7 1960
• Age: 64 years old
• Birthplace: Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: American writer, academic, and specialist in international affairs
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Nick James Nichols
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Lynn Nichols ​(m. 2014)​
• Children: 1
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $1 million

Early Life And Education

Thomas Michael Nichols was born on December 7, 1960, in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

He is the son of Nick James Nichols, while details about his mother remain unknown. It is unclear whether he has siblings, as no publicly available information is known about them.

Nichols pursued higher education in political science, earning a Bachelor of Arts from Boston University in 1983.

He continued his studies at Columbia University, obtaining a Master of Arts in 1984 and a certificate from the Harriman Institute in 1985.

He later completed his Ph.D. in government at Georgetown University in 1988. He is of White ethnicity; Nichols has Greek heritage from his paternal grandparents and Irish ancestry from his mother. He identifies as a Christian.

Career

Tom Nichols began his academic career as an associate professor at Dartmouth College from 1989 to 1997, specializing in political science and Russian affairs.

During this time, he also served as a legislative aide for defense and foreign affairs to U.S. Senator John Heinz.

In 1997, he joined the U.S. Naval War College as a professor of strategy, later becoming a professor of national security affairs.

From 2002 to 2005, he served as the department chairman, further solidifying his military strategy and global security expertise.

Beyond academia, Nichols has held key policy and research roles. He worked as a legislative aide in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1981 to 1986 and was a senior research analyst at SRS Technologies from 1986 to 1989.

His research affiliations include the Center for Strategic and International Studies fellowships, the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and the International History Institute at Boston University.

He has also contributed to the Niskanen Center and is a senior fellow at the Graham Centre for Contemporary International History at the University of Toronto.

A prolific writer and commentator, Nichols is a staff writer at The Atlantic and has contributed to USA Today.

His books, including The Death of Expertise and Eve of Destruction: The Coming Age of Preventive War, examine global security, U.S. foreign policy, and the erosion of public trust in expertise.

Politically, he has been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, aligning himself with the “Never Trump” movement and advocating for strategic voting to counter Trump’s influence.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Naval War College in 2022, Nichols continues to engage in public discourse on international affairs, particularly on Russia and U.S. national security.

Social Media

Tom Nichols does not have any active social media accounts.

Personal Life

Tom Nichols has been married twice, though details about his first marriage remain unknown.

After his divorce, he married Lynn Nichols in 2014. He has one daughter, and the family resides in Middletown, Rhode Island.

Net Worth

The American writer and academic Tom Nichols has an estimated net worth of approximately $1 million.

His wealth primarily stems from his career as a writer, specialist in international affairs, and retired professor at the U.S. Naval War College.