Center for a New American Security

The Center for a New American Security, commonly known as CNAS, is a nonprofit research organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was established in 2007 by Michèle Flournoy and Kurt M. Campbell, two national-security specialists who later held senior positions in Democratic administrations. CNAS presents itself as a policy research institution focused on practical, forward-looking solutions to security challenges facing the United States and its allies. Its work covers a broad range of subjects, including U.S. defense policy, military strategy, terrorism, irregular warfare, transatlantic security, the rise of China and other Asian powers, the future of warfare, cybersecurity, space, emerging technologies, energy, climate-related security risks, and the relationship between natural-resource consumption and national security. The organization produces policy reports, commentary, events, fellowships, simulations, and other forms of research intended for policymakers, the media, academics, and the wider public. CNAS became particularly visible during the late 2000s as several of its experts moved into senior roles in the Obama administration. This led observers to describe the institution as an important pipeline, or “farm team,” for Democratic national-security personnel. Its policy influence has continued through alumni who have served in Congress, the State Department, the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and other government institutions. Former fellows and staff have included national-security officials, scholars, journalists, and public commentators. The center has also developed research programs dealing with U.S. relations with India, China, Taiwan, Russia, Europe, and the broader Indo-Pacific. Its China-related work has included assessments of military competition, technology, maritime security, and possible conflict scenarios involving Taiwan. In 2024, CNAS conducted war-gaming and related analysis on a potential Taiwan Strait conflict, examining the possible roles of underwater systems, autonomous drones, intelligence, logistics, and allied interoperability. It has also assessed challenges facing the U.S. Space Force and explored how emerging technologies may alter future military operations. CNAS operates through research programs and expert networks rather than through commercial products. Notable initiatives have included a cybersecurity project, the U.S.-India Initiative, the Papers for the Next President series, and the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellowship. The latter was created in 2009 to develop early-career national-security professionals and was renamed in 2018 to honor CNAS founding member Shawn Brimley. The organization has received support from foundations, government-related entities, foreign diplomatic missions, and major corporations, including defense and aerospace companies. Publicly identified supporters have included Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, BAE Systems, Airbus, Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP America, Google, Amazon, the Open Society Foundations, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office. This funding model has generated debate about the independence of think-tank research, particularly where donors have interests connected to defense procurement, technology, energy, or foreign policy. Critics have also questioned the movement of personnel between CNAS and government agencies. CNAS has maintained that its research and public advocacy are separated from donor influence through internal ethics and disclosure rules. CNAS remains an active U.S. policy institution whose brand is associated with pragmatic, defense-oriented, internationally engaged national-security analysis. Its influence comes from a combination of research publications, media visibility, government alumni, policy events, fellowships, and relationships with public and private-sector stakeholders.

CNAS was founded in Washington, D.C., in 2007 by Michèle Flournoy and Kurt M. Campbell. Both founders had substantial experience in Democratic foreign-policy and defense circles. Flournoy had served in senior defense-policy roles during the Clinton and Obama eras, while Campbell had held government and academic positions related to Asian security and later became a senior State Department official. From its beginning, CNAS sought to combine scholarly analysis with recommendations that could be used directly by government decision-makers. The institution expanded its profile during the Obama administration, when a number of CNAS staff members and affiliates entered senior government positions. This movement helped establish the organization as an influential source of personnel and policy ideas for Democratic national-security teams. Contemporary observers described it as a prominent policy shop on military and international-affairs questions. Its experts appeared frequently in national newspapers, television, radio, and specialist foreign-policy publications. During its early years, CNAS developed research on terrorism, irregular warfare, military force structure, cybersecurity, Asia, U.S.-India relations, and long-term defense planning. Its U.S.-India Initiative examined security, economics, energy, climate, democracy, and human-rights issues in the bilateral relationship. In 2010, the center also developed a cybersecurity project involving prominent figures from government, technology, and security policy. Its recommendations addressed the need for stronger federal attention while warning against inefficient or unfocused cybersecurity spending. CNAS has periodically examined defense organization and military costs. One proposal involved shifting some heavy Army units to the National Guard and Army Reserve as a possible way to reduce future expenses. Military officials and state-level authorities raised concerns that such a change could conflict with governors' preferences for forces suited to domestic emergencies and disaster response. The center broadened its public-policy output in 2016 with the Papers for the Next President series. The reports addressed issues such as U.S.-Russia relations, transatlantic cooperation, the Asia-Pacific, and Middle Eastern strategy. The stated purpose was to offer an incoming administration practical recommendations for its first months in office. CNAS also invested in professional development. It created the Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellowship in 2009, selecting an inaugural cohort of early-career specialists for training and leadership development. In 2018 the program was renamed in honor of Shawn Brimley, a founding member of the organization. Alumni from CNAS programs and staff positions have subsequently served in Congress, the State Department, the Defense Department, the White House, academia, journalism, and other public-policy institutions. In the 2020s, CNAS placed increasing emphasis on strategic competition with China, the security implications of advanced technology, autonomy, maritime systems, space, and the future character of warfare. Its 2024 war-gaming work considered how a Taiwan Strait conflict might be shaped by underwater drones and increasingly autonomous operations. The center also discussed stronger cooperation among members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, including joint exercises, interoperability, intelligence, logistics, defense technology, and arms sales. Separate analysis identified weaknesses and organizational challenges facing the U.S. Space Force. CNAS's funding and personnel practices have been subjects of continuing scrutiny. Its publicly identified supporters have included defense contractors, energy companies, technology companies, foundations, government-related entities, and foreign diplomatic representatives. Critics have argued that such relationships can create perceived or actual conflicts of interest, particularly when research addresses Taiwan, weapons exports, defense spending, or military technology. A further source of debate has been the movement of CNAS personnel into government and the movement of former officials into think-tank positions. These issues have not displaced the institution's central role as a policy research and convening organization, but they remain part of how its influence and independence are assessed.

• 2024

  Advanced technology and Taiwan conflict analysis

  [1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  CNAS publishes war-gaming and strategic analysis on autonomous and underwater systems, allied coordination, and other factors in a potential Taiwan Strait conflict.

• 2018

  Fellowship receives the Shawn Brimley name

  [1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  The Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellowship is renamed to honor founding member Shawn Brimley.

• 2016

  Papers for the Next President series launches

  [1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  CNAS begins publishing reports intended to give an incoming U.S. administration actionable recommendations on major national-security challenges.

• 2010

  Cybersecurity research project expands

  [1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  The center develops a cybersecurity project focused on federal policy, national resilience, and the need for effective rather than unfocused government spending.

• 2009

  Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellowship begins

  [1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  CNAS establishes a fellowship designed to develop early-career national-security professionals and future policy leaders.

• 2007

  CNAS is founded

  [1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  Michèle Flournoy and Kurt M. Campbell establish the Center for a New American Security in Washington, D.C., as a nonprofit institution focused on national-security policy.

A policy-oriented Washington think tank that combines academic research, government experience, strategic analysis, and practical recommendations on U.S. national security and defense.

• Research publications · 2007

  Policy reports and research papers

  CNAS's core output consists of public policy reports, issue briefs, commentary, and research papers on U.S. defense, international security, military strategy, emerging technology, regional competition, and global affairs. These publications generally seek to translate specialist analysis into recommendations for policymakers, congressional audiences, allied governments, journalists, and the public.

• Policy series · 2016

  Papers for the Next President

  Launched in 2016, this series was designed to help an incoming U.S. president and administration develop an early national-security agenda. Its reports address major regions and cross-cutting policy problems, including relations with Russia, transatlantic security, the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, with emphasis on recommendations that could be implemented during the first months of a new administration.

• International-policy initiative

  U.S.-India Initiative

  The U.S.-India Initiative examines the development of bilateral relations across security, economics, energy, climate change, democracy, and human rights. Its work has sought to identify areas in which Washington and New Delhi could deepen cooperation and has been cited in discussion of presidential-level U.S.-India engagement.

• Fellowship · 2009

  Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellowship

  Created in 2009, the fellowship supports the development of emerging national-security professionals through a cohort-based program focused on policy knowledge, professional networks, and leadership. It was renamed in 2018 in honor of CNAS founding member Shawn Brimley.

• Strategic analysis

  War games and strategic simulations

  CNAS uses war games and scenario exercises to explore how military forces, alliances, technology, logistics, intelligence, and decision-making could interact in future conflicts. Recent work has considered a potential Taiwan Strait conflict, including the possible effects of autonomous systems and underwater drones.

• 2020

  Allegations concerning ethics-policy compliance

  A report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research's Revolving Door Project alleged that CNAS had not consistently acknowledged possible violations of its own ethics policy in connection with donor-supported research. CNAS's funding disclosures and institutional safeguards became part of a broader debate over think-tank transparency and independence.

  Source

• 2019

  Debate over corporate and foreign-government funding

  Critics questioned whether CNAS's funding from defense contractors, technology companies, energy firms, foundations, and foreign-government representatives could affect or appear to affect its research. Particular scrutiny concerned work involving Taiwan, drone exports, defense spending, and relations with China.

  Source

Read more

• 2016Papers for the Next President

  United States

  CNAS organized a major publication initiative aimed at shaping the next U.S. administration's national-security priorities through reports on regions and policy challenges requiring early attention.

  Outcome. The series produced 12 reports covering subjects including Russia, transatlantic security, the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.

  Source

• 2024

  Expanded war-gaming of technology-intensive conflictOther

  Background

  Rapid advances in autonomous systems and heightened concern about a possible Taiwan Strait conflict created demand for scenario-based analysis.

  Action taken

  CNAS conducted war-gaming and related research on underwater drones, autonomy, allied interoperability, intelligence, logistics, and defense technology.

  Aftermath

  The work contributed to public debate about how emerging systems and coalition cooperation could affect a future Indo-Pacific conflict.

  Source

• 2016

  Launch of a transition-focused policy seriesStrategy

  Background

  The organization aimed to make its research useful during the transition to a new U.S. presidential administration.

  Action taken

  CNAS launched Papers for the Next President and commissioned reports with early-term policy recommendations.

  Aftermath

  The series expanded CNAS's role as a source of transition-era national-security advice.

  Source

• 2009

  Establishment of a national-security leadership fellowshipStrategy

  Background

  CNAS sought to build a durable community of emerging national-security professionals in addition to publishing policy research.

  Action taken

  The center created the Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellowship.

  Aftermath

  The program continued under the Shawn Brimley name after its 2018 renaming and became part of CNAS's leadership-development portfolio.

  Source

• 2024

  CNAS publishes analysis of Taiwan conflict scenarios and advanced military technologies[1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  Other · Product generation

  CNAS war-gaming and related research examined how underwater drones, autonomous systems, allied coordination, logistics, intelligence sharing, and defense technology could affect a potential conflict involving Taiwan and China.

• 2024

  Victoria Nuland leaves the U.S. State Department after serving as undersecretary for political affairs[1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Former CNAS chief executive Victoria Nuland ended her tenure as U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, highlighting the institution's continuing links with senior government service.

• 2018

  CNAS renames its national-security fellowship for Shawn Brimley[1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellowship was renamed the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Fellowship in recognition of CNAS founding member Shawn Brimley.

• 2016

  CNAS launches the Papers for the Next President series[1]Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Other

  The center introduced a report series intended to provide early policy recommendations for the incoming U.S. presidential administration on regions and issues requiring immediate national-security attention.

1. 1Center for a New American Securityen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Center for a New American Security official websitecnas.org