About

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation between retired four-star general and 26th United States Secretary of Defense General Jim Mattis and philanthropist, author, and civic leader David M. Rubenstein - two leaders who have spent decades reflecting on the meaning of leadership, character, and service to the nation.

Mattis and Rubenstein will engage in a candid, wide-ranging discussion on the responsibilities of leadership, the role of the military in a democratic society, and the values that uphold American institutions. Their dialogue will be shaped by the enduring questions Thomas Jefferson grappled with throughout his life: character, service, the exercise of power, and the essential relationship between a military and the democracy it serves.

Echoing Jefferson’s belief in the necessity of an informed, principled citizenry, and the continual effort required to sustain a republic, this conversation, set against the backdrop of Jefferson’s mountaintop home, invites reflection on how these ideals continue to challenge and guide us today.