David Zimmermann graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1992, was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, and achieved the rank of Captain while serving as a designated F/A-18D Weapons and Sensors Officer.

In 1997, Captain Zimmermann transitioned into the civilian world and began working for United Space Alliance as a flight controller for the International Space Station program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

In 1999, Zimmermann was appointed as a Special Agent (SA) with the FBI. From 1999 to 2013, SA Zimmermann served as a field investigator in two FBI field offices working mainly counterterrorism. SA Zimmermann was a certified SWAT operator and Crisis Management team member in both FBI field offices. In 2013, SA Zimmermann was promoted and reported to London as an Assistant Legal Attaché (ALAT) responsible for working counterterrorism matters with British and Irish partners.

In 2017, ALAT Zimmermann graduated with high merit from King’s College London (KCL) with an MA in Terrorism, Security, and Society.

Upon completion of his tour in London in 2018, SA Zimmermann returned to the U.S. and continued to work counterterrorism investigations.

In 2020, SA Zimmermann was again promoted and reported to Tel Aviv as the ALAT responsible for working counterterrorism matters with Israeli partners. From October 2023 to July 2024, in coordination with Israeli and U.S. partners, ALAT Zimmermann led the FBI’s Israel-based wartime efforts to seek the release/return of over 250 innocent hostages held by Hamas terrorists.

In July 2024, ALAT Zimmermann retired from the FBI. During his career, he received dozens of awards and commendations.

He is currently a Senior Research Fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, a Visiting Senior Research Fellow in KCL’s War Studies Department, and a Fellow at The Institute for Counter Terrorism (ICT) of Reichman University.