Earlier in her career, she had served in various other leadership positions in the Department of Energy and the National Security Council.

[6][7] In July 1998, she became director of the White House Office of Combating Terrorism under the National Security Council.

[3][9][11] In September 2019, she was named as one of five finalists for National security advisor after the resignation of John Bolton,[12] although the position ultimately went to Robert C.

[13] On November 6, 2020, she resigned from her positions, reportedly due to longstanding tensions and disagreements with Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette.

[16] During a congressional committee hearing, Representative Curt Weldon compared Gordon-Hagerty to a character in the 1997 thriller The Peacemaker, a counterterrorism director portrayed by Nicole Kidman.