In 2005, Lowenthal retired from a prolific career working with the United States Intelligence Community and a recognized national security affairs expert. He has also served in the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research , as both an office director and as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. In 1992, he co-wrote Secrets of the Jeopardy Champions, which was marketed as an instruction manual for prospective contestants of the trivia game show.