Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9, 1932) is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is the youngest and the second oldest (after Leon Panetta) person to have served as Secretary of Defense. Additionally, Rumsfeld was a four-term U.S.