John Ashcroft is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 79th Attorney General of the United States from 2001 to 2005 under President George W. Bush. Before his role as Attorney General, he was the Governor of Missouri from 1985 to 1993 and a U.S. Senator from 1995 to 2001. As Attorney General, Ashcroft was known for his strong stance on national security, particularly in the wake of the September 11 attacks. He played a key role in implementing the USA PATRIOT Act, which expanded law enforcement's surveillance and investigative powers to combat terrorism.