Bradford Wilson

Bradford Pentony Wilson is an American professor and writer who has served as the archivist of the United States since 2026. He previously served as Executive Director of the James Madison Program at Princeton University.

In March 2026, President Donald Trump nominated Wilson to serve as Archivist of the United States.

Early life and education Wilson attended North Carolina State University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts. Following this, he earned a Master of Arts from Northern Illinois University, and a Ph.D. in Politics from Catholic University of America. a socially conservative think tank.

Wilson has previously served as a Fellow of Forbes College at Princeton University, Erskine-Canterbury Fellow at the University of Canterbury, Fulbright Senior Scholar at Moscow State University, He has edited or co-authored several books, was previously Editor of the journal Academic Questions, and is a fellow of the Civitas Institute, a conservative think tank.

From 1984 to 1987, Wilson served as Research Associate to chief justices Warren E. Burger and William H. Rehnquist. a conservative group. Since 2006, he has served as President of the Association for the Study of Free Institutions.

Political appointments In July 2023, President Joe Biden appointed Wilson as a trustee of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation.

In March 2026, President Donald Trump nominated Wilson to serve as Archivist of the United States. In April 2026, Bradford's nomination was endorsed by the National Association of Scholars, and the Witherspoon Institute, asserting that he had made "enduring contributions to the study and preservation of our nation's foundational principles." In contrast, the Society of American Archivists, the largest professional association of archivists in North America, expressed hope that Wilson would, if confirmed, "actively engage the American archivist profession" to demonstrate how he would, as Archivist, uphold the values of the archivist profession in regards to "open government, equitable access to information, and...advocacy on behalf of...records held...for the American people." The professional association also sent a letter to the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, in June 2026, asking about five topics: Presidential Records Act, records management by the National Archives, electronic records, "advocacy for NARA's funding and independence," and expanding access to the agency's records.

In April 2026, Edward Forst, head of the Government Services Administration, began serving as acting Archivist of the United States, while Wilson awaited Senate confirmation. During a hearing for his nomination, in June 2026, before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, he stated that "preservation, transparency, and accessibility" would continue to remain at the heart of the agency, if he was confirmed, along with a program focusing on the agency's holdings for "civic education" of those living within the U.S., including about U.S. history.

On August 7th, 2026, the United States Senate confirmed Wilson's nomination as Archivist of the United States.

Personal life Wilson and his wife, Elle, have three children, as well as several grandchildren.