Richard Lee Armitage is a retired American government official, diplomat and foreign policy expert who served as United States Deputy Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005 under President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell. A realist Republican known for clashing with neoconservatives over Iraq policy, he was criticized for hawkish stances and initial support for the Iraq War but later expressed reservations about how the conflict was conducted. He was a member of the Vulcans foreign policy advisory team that counseled George W. Bush during his 2000 presidential campaign.

A Vietnam War veteran, Armitage began his career in the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of captain after serving three combat tours. He subsequently held senior positions in the Defense Department during the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations, including Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. Renowned for his expertise in Asia–Pacific affairs, he advocated for strong U.S. alliances in the region and contributed to influential assessments such as the Armitage–Nye reports on U.S.–Japan relations.

Armitage was identified as the original source who disclosed CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity to columnist Robert Novak during the 2003 Plame affair, acknowledging he was the first to reveal her identity to Novak; he cooperated with the subsequent investigation and faced no charges. After leaving government, he co-founded Armitage International, a consulting firm focused on international strategic policy, remained active in public service through various boards and advisory roles, and has engaged with the media on foreign policy matters, including collaborations with journalists such as Laura Rozen.