Ruben Brekelmans, born on 18 July 1986 in Leidschendam, is the Minister of Defence for the Netherlands as of July 2, 2024. A member of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), he previously served as a member of the House of Representatives (2021–2024), where he was the party spokesperson on foreign affairs and asylum & migration. Before his parliamentary role, Ruben Brekelmans held positions in the Ministries of Finance and Justice, and worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. He holds degrees from Harvard Kennedy School, the London School of Economics, and Tilburg University.