Foundation for Defense of Democracies

FDD endorses a confrontational approach to China. ² FDD also supports confrontational policy towards Russia and other nations such as Iran. ³ FDD supports continued support for Israel ⁴ and calls American support for Ukraine in its war with Russia in America’s “national interest.” ⁵

The left-of-center magazine The Nation, ⁶ center-right publication the American Conservative, ⁷ and the non-interventionist foreign policy think tank Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft have referred to FDD as a neoconservative outlet. ⁸ Former New York Times journalist and Republican National Committee communications director Clifford May is FDD’s founder and president. ^{9 10}

History and Leadership

Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) was originally established as an organization of pro-Israel donors called EMET in April 2001. Shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and Pentagon, EMET broadened its mission set and changed its name to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. ^{11 12}

Clifford May is the founder and president of FDD. Previously May was a reporter and editor of the New York Times. He was a member of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom from 2016 until 2018. May was nominated by President George W. Bush to work on the Broadcasting Board of Governors and was the communications director of the Republican National Committee during the 2000 election cycle. ⁹

Former venture capitalist Mark Dubowitz is FDD’s CEO. ¹³

FDD’s advisors include former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), former Obama administration U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, former Trump administration National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, and others. ¹⁴

Activities and Funding

Foundation for Defense of Democracies is a Washington, D.C.-based policy institute that focuses its advocacy on national security and foreign policy issues. ¹² FDD supports an activist foreign policy for the United States and advocates on issues that it considers priorities for American foreign policy. The left-of-center magazine The Nation, ⁶ center-right publication the American Conservative, ⁷ and the non-interventionist foreign policy think tank Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft have referred to FDD as a “neoconservative” outlet that exercises outsized influence on U.S. foreign policy. ⁸

FDD conducts research on foreign policy matters and its broad portfolio contains work on issues such as Arab politics, biodefense, China, cybersecurity, disinformation, domestic extremism, energy, the Gulf States, the Indo-Pacific region, Lebanon, international organizations, Iran, Israel, Jihadism, Kurdish issues, lawfare, military and political power, nuclear nonproliferation, North Korea, Palestinian politics, Russia, sanctions, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine. ¹⁵

Since its founding, FDD has offered policy guidance and advice to the George W. Bush administration, Obama administration, Trump administration, Biden administration, and numerous congressional offices. ¹⁶

During the Trump administration, FDD was one of the leading voices in support of President Donald Trump’s decision to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as “the Iran deal.” FDD officials testified no fewer than 17 times before Congress in opposition to the bill and appeared on major media outlets including Fox News, CBS, CNN, PBS, and other outlets no fewer than 35 times to oppose the deal and support withdrawal from the deal. ¹¹ FDD also called for an end to diplomatic efforts to rejoin the Iran deal after the Trump administration’s decision to withdrawal. ¹⁷

FDD has a large team of in-house experts, scholars, and researchers  ¹⁸ who have been professionals in government intelligence, military, private sector, academia, and journalism and regularly provides open-source research and analyses to policymakers and media figures. ¹² As of May 2023, FDD operates a Biden administration foreign policy tracker  ¹⁹ and the Foreign Podicy podcast. ²⁰

Research Priorities and Programming

In 2020, Foundation for Defense of Democracies spent $2,938,861 on Iran-related policy research, $1,453,410 on economic and financial research, $2,713,444 for national security research, $1,424,044 on military research, $1,134,840 on cybersecurity research, and $1,058,552 on projects FDD identifies as extremism-related research. ²¹

FDD endorses a confrontational approach to China, Russia, and other nations such as Iran  that FDD argues endorse an “illiberal” approach to policy and constitute a threat to American global hegemony. FDD also opposes the concept of a Russian sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, claiming Russia is engaged in “imperialist aggression” while defending the existence of what it calls the “American-led, liberal international order.” ³ FDD also advocates for continued support for Israel ⁴ and claims that American support for Ukraine in its war with Russia in the United States’ “national interest.” ²²

Centers on American Power

FDD also operates several centers on American power, which aim to strengthen U.S. national security and enable a more active American foreign policy. FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP) promotes defense strategies and capabilities for what FDD considers necessary to defeat the threats to the freedom, security, and prosperity of Americans and American allies. FDD’s program says that U.S. military superiority has deteriorated or vanished in strategic locations including the Middle East, eastern Europe, and the Western Pacific in a way that emboldens enemies, adversaries, and rivals. ²³

Former Trump administration National Security Advisor Lieutenant General (Ret.) H.R. McMaster is the chairman of CMPP’s board of advisors. Other members of the CMPP’s board of advisors include former Sen. Kelly Ayotte(R-NH), former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and others.

CMPP focuses on defense policy and strategy, augmenting and integrating FDD’s existing expertise in sanctions, illicit finance, and cyber warfare, as well as FDD’s ongoing lines of effort related to Middle East regional security and terrorism. ²³

Areas of particular focus for CMPP include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, as well as political-military affairs, alliances, ballistic missile defense, conventional force modernization, freedom of navigation, gray-zone aggression, hybrid warfare, the national security innovation base, nuclear modernization, and U.S. military posture. ²³

FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power (CEFP) promotes strategies and policies to bolster economic security framework to protect what FDD identifies as U.S. national security objectives and deter America’s adversaries. CEFP also supports U.S. dollar hegemony and provides research and analysis to government agencies, international partners, private sector companies, and outside influence organizations. CEFP works with other centers on American power to promote the use of all instruments of U.S. power to expand U.S. national security interests overseas. ²⁴

The Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI) seeks to advance U.S. prosperity and security through technology innovation while countering threats to the U.S. government, private sector, and allied countries. ²⁵ CCTI also believes that technology holds the promise of greater inclusivity and productivity for American society while also creating the opportunity for non-state actors to undermine American national security and democracy. CCTI houses programs that focus on cybersecurity, cyber innovation, cyber-enabled economic challenges, and others. It has also claimed that “domestic extremists” within the United States are embracing cryptocurrency. ²⁶

Barish Center for Media Integrity

Foundation for Defense of Democracies also operates the Barish Center for Media Integrity, which addresses what FDD considers the national security threats posed by misinformation campaigns and influence operations against the United States and allied democracies. ²⁷

Through the program, FDD operates a media fellowship and researches foreign adversaries, nations, and non-state actors and their influence operations to advance strategic goals. ²⁷

Affiliated Organizations

In 2020, Foundation for Defense of Democracies gave $250,000 to its affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, Foundation for Defense of Democracies Action, which advocates for a more active U.S. foreign policy and greater American involvement in international affairs. ^{28 29}

Funding

Foundation for Defense of Democracies receives funding from individual donations and foundation grants. ³⁰ FDD has seven different tiers of membership based on annual contributions to the organization. ³¹

In 2020, FDD reported revenue of $15,032,714 and expenses of $16,908,812. In 2019, the group reported revenue of $32,535,486 and expenses of $16,963,767. ³²

In 2019, FDD received $100,000 from the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation. ³³ FDD also received $5,000 from the Jewish Endowment Foundation in 2018, ³⁴ $150,000 from the Helen Diller Family Foundation in 2016, ³⁵ and $234,800 from the Jewish Communal Fund in 2014. ³⁶

In 2011, FDD received $1,075,000 from the Abramson Family Foundation, $10,745,000 from the Marcus Foundation, $1,341,001 from the Newton and Rochelle Becker Family Foundation, $3,600,000 from Paul Singer, $950,000 from the center-right Sarah Scaife Foundation, and $1,510,059 from Sheldon Adelson. ³⁷