Maxwell O. Huntley

Former National Security Council director for defense policy and strategy under the Trump White House. Trusted advisor to Armed Services Committee members. Years of congressional experience in military appropriations and authorizations strategy.

Maxwell Huntley engages with industry, congressional and Department of Defense (DOD) leaders to anticipate legislation and funding levels for current and developing defense programs. During his years on Capitol Hill and the White House, he developed close relationships with lawmakers overseeing defense policy and appropriations, including the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Most recently, Maxwell served as director for defense policy and strategy with the White House’s National Security Council under President Trump. His portfolio included the defense industrial base policy, acquisitions reform, Navy shipbuilding, Department of the Navy, Department of the Army, United States Indo-Pacific Command and United States Central Command. He drafted and implemented executive orders and coordinated the president’s directives to re-energize the defense industrial base and spur on acquisitions reform.

Maxwell has held positions as a professional staff member for the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, managing many of DOD’s top programmatic priorities while playing a key role in crafting the NDAA under Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL). Maxwell’s time working as senior advisor to the current vice-chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Robert Wittman (R-VA), built his deep knowledge of defense, foreign affairs and homeland security policy. His skills allow him to craft government relations strategy around a broad range of military issues including defense tech, unmanned systems, shipbuilding, aircraft systems, electronic warfare, acquisitions policy and the defense industrial base.

Outside his time in the House, Maxwell also worked with Senate Appropriations Committee Member Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) as his national security advisor. In the upper chamber, he worked on defense-related appropriations and legislation, including the NDAA.

Education

M.A., 2017, University of Michigan, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

B.A., 2015, University of Michigan