Security Administration John S. Pistole has been confirmed as the US Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) fifth Administrator in July. As TSA Administrator, he oversees management of a 60,000-strong workforce, the security operations of more than 450 federalised airports throughout the US, the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), and the security for highways, railroads, ports, mass transit systems and pipelines.

Pistole came to TSA as a 26-year veteran of the FBI with extensive national security and counterterrorism experience. After the terror attacks of 11 September 2001, he was put in charge of the FBI’s greatly expanded counterterrorism programme, eventually becoming the FBI’s executive assistant director for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence. In 2004, Pistole was named deputy director for the FBI. The TSA said that under his leadership, the administration will “continue to grow as a risk-based, intelligence-driven counterterrorism agency dedicated to protecting our transportation systems”.