John David Ashcroft (born May 9, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and former politician who served as the 79th United States Attorney General from 2001 to 2005 under President George W. Bush. He is known for overseeing the Department of Justice’s post-9/11 operations, including the implementation of the USA PATRIOT Act, the expansion of surveillance powers, and the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security; he initially supported, then resisted aspects of the Bush administration’s warrantless surveillance program. His tenure was marked by controversies over the expansion of executive power and detentions at Guantanamo Bay, and he served as a member of the Principals Committee. He was also the boss of Kris Kobach during Kobach's White House Fellowship.

Raised in Springfield, Missouri, in a Pentecostal household, Ashcroft earned a BA in economics from Yale University in 1964 and a JD from the University of Chicago Law School in 1967. Early in his career he taught business law at Southwest Missouri State University (1967–1973) and performed as a gospel singer and pianist.

Ashcroft’s political career began in Missouri: he served as state auditor (1973–1975), as attorney general (1976–1985—the longest-serving in state history), and as governor (1985–1993), focusing on education reform, economic development, and crime reduction. He was later elected to the U.S. Senate representing Missouri (1995–2001), where he advocated conservative policies.

After resigning as Attorney General in 2005 due to health issues, Ashcroft founded The Ashcroft Group LLC, a lobbying and consulting firm, and served on corporate boards. A devout Pentecostal Christian, he married Janet Ashcroft in 1967 and has three children.