Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has named 15 members to the Defense Policy Board more than a year after the previous board was dismissed as part of a “zero-based” review of Pentagon advisory groups.
The Defense Policy Board provides strategic counsel on national security and defense policy issues for senior Pentagon leaders, including Mr. Hegseth, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen A. Feinberg and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby.
The Defense Policy Board will be led by Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, a former U.S. trade representative from 2017-2021. Former Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota will serve as the board’s vice chair.
The board includes venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, which invests in several defense technology companies, including Anduril Industries. Anduril builds autonomous systems and software platforms for military applications.
Board members include former Rep. Mike Garcia, a Navy fighter pilot who represented California for two terms in the House; retired Navy Adm. Charles A. Richard, a former commander of U.S. Strategic Command; and Michael Pillsbury, a foreign policy strategist and expert on U.S.-China relations.
Mr. Hegseth’s predecessor, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, similarly fired all members of Pentagon advisory boards in February 2021 as part of a review of their operations.
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