William J. Schneider Jr. (born November 20, 1941)[1] is an American who has served in a number of federal government positions.

Schneider served as Under-Secretary of State in the Reagan administration, and later became a member of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC).

He was one of the signers of the January 26, 1998, PNAC Letter sent to President Bill Clinton that encouraged an attack against Iraq.

In January 2001, as President George W. Bush prepared to take office, Schneider served on a panel for nuclear weapons issues sponsored by the National Institute for Public Policy, a conservative think tank.

This panel advocated using tactical nuclear weapons as a standard part of the United States defense arsenal.