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TheDefense Policy Board Advisory Committee, also referred to as theDefense Policy Board (DPBAC orDPB), is a discretionaryfederal advisory committee to theUnited States Department of Defense. The objective of the DPB is to "provide independent advice and recommendations on matters concerning defense policy and national security issues."[1]
In April 2025, Defense SecretaryPete Hegseth dismissed all members of the DOD's advisory boards, including the DPB, as part of a "zero-based" review. However, this review was not a permanent disbandment.[2]
Excerpt of Objectives and Scope of Activities from the charter:[1]
1. The Defense Policy Board will serve the public interest by providing theSecretary of Defense,Deputy Secretary of Defense and theUnder Secretary of Defense for Policy with independent, informed advice and opinion concerning major matters of defense policy. It will focus upon long-term, enduring issues central to strategic planning for the Department of Defense and will be responsible for research and analysis of topics, long or short range, addressed to it by the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
Announcements for upcoming meetings of the DPBAC are published in theFederal Register.
The board was created under theReagan Administration. Historically, the DPBAC has mostly served as a method for the Pentagon to leverage consulting expertise in the private sector. However, the DPBAC served a very powerful and influential role in foreign policy in theGeorge W. Bush presidency.
In the early years of theBush 43 Administration, Defense Policy Board chairmanRichard Perle was an influence in the decision to go to war in Iraq. Later in the administrationJack Keane was instrumental in the implementation of theIraq War troop surge of 2007.
On 1 July 2009, Secretary of DefenseRobert M. Gates announced a new lineup thatMatthew B. Stannard said offered a look at Gates' defense priorities.[3]
On 25 November 2020, just before the Thanksgiving weekend, the Trump administration removed at least 11 of 13 board members, including senior defense policy experts such asHenry Kissinger,Madeleine Albright andJane Harman,[4] leavingPaula Dobriansky andJim Talent.[5]
In December 2020 Trump administration's Department of Defense announced several replacements to the Defense Policy Board. The included aHudson Institute analystMichael Pillsbury as the new board chair, formerNational Nuclear Security Administration AdministratorLisa Gordon-Hagerty, former House SpeakerNewt Gingrich, former Ambassador Thomas Carter, a historian and consultantEdward Luttwak, a retired Air Force Capt.Scott O'Grady, presidential adviser Thomas Stewart, former Rep.Randy Forbes, former Sen.Robert Smith and former AmbassadorCharles Glazer.[6] On 19 January 2021, Trump's last full day in office,Kash Patel andAnthony Tata were named to the board as well.[7]
In a 30 January 2021 memo, newly confirmedpresident Biden's Secretary of DefenseLloyd Austin ordered a "zero-based" review of all the Pentagon advisory boards, and fired all members of the Pentagon advisory boards who are appointed by the DoD effective 16 February 2021. That included all members of the Defense Policy Board.[8] In September 2021, Austin reinstated 16 advisory boards, including the Defense Policy Board.[9]
In March 2024, a review of all DOD advisory committees was initiated by Joe Kaspar, SECDEV Hegseth's then-chief of staff. The committees were asked to justify their existence by detailing how "their advice 'benefited the DoD, the federal government, and the United States,' and how it aligns with President Donald Trump’s goals and Hegseth’s priority of 'restoring the warrior ethos.'"[2]
On 23 April 2025, Defense SecretaryPete Hegseth dismissed all members of the DOD's advisory boards, including the DPB, as part of a "zero-based" review.[2] The announcement stated that the disbandment was to "support the new strategic direction and policy priorities of the Department, we require fresh thinking to drive bold changes."[10] However, this was not a permanent disbandment; new committee members were to be recommended by the committees' sponsors within 30 days.[10]
As of May 2025, the last meeting minutes available were from June 2024.[11]
In September 2024, the members of the now disbanded board were:[12]
