David Rader is the Deputy Director of the Economic Defense Unit and also the Managing Director of Fund Finance at the Office of Strategic Capital in the Office of the Secretary of War. He oversees the deployment of more than $200B into critical materials, industrials, energy, and global logistics as he leads various efforts related to economic warfare, security, and statecraft.

Previously, David worked across the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). At DARPA, David worked on capital markets and critical materials projects. At OSC, David supported the design and implementation of its investment strategy; he also served as OSC’s liaison to private capital partners. At DIU, David led the modernization of the business intelligence and due diligence practice, managed senior leader engagements, and worked to identify the best dual-use commercially available technologies. He has advised senior leadership at OSD Policy, A&S, R&E, and I&S on various topics regarding business intelligence, economic security, advanced technologies, commercialization strategies, and industrial production and manufacturing efforts. He has also advised senior leaders at the White House, National Security Council, Combatant Commands, Military Departments, and the Intelligence Community on a range of legal, regulatory, intelligence, policy, investment, and congressional issues. In 2025, David was nominated by President Trump to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce, but instead decided to remain at the Department of War.

Prior to those roles, David was the Deputy Director (GS-15) of Global Investment & Economic Security (GIES) at the Department of Defense. David oversaw an office of 80 and his portfolio focused on national economic security, foreign direct investment, trade and industrial policy, and all matters under the purview of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). He also led interdepartmental activities regarding macroeconomic modeling, supply chain risk management, complex due diligence and investigations, incentivizing technology development, industrial policy decision-making, and navigating legal or financial issues with senior government officials, Fortune 500 leaders, middle market business executives, law firm partners, entrepreneurs, finance professionals, and interagency and international partners.

David has also held roles as the head of government for Archer Aviation, senior advisor at Squire Patton Boggs, chief commercial officer for Materiel Group, manager in Transaction Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, vice president in the Corporate & Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan, 0associate in the National Security Research Division at the RAND Corporation, law clerk at the U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and as an infantryman in the U.S. Army.

David was a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, an adjunct senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Bretton Woods Committee, an advisory board member of the Vandenberg Coalition, on the advisory council of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy, an advisor for Marque Ventures, and a fellow at the 2430 Group.

David’s work has appeared in Foreign Policy, The Diplomat, National Review, The National Interest, The Hill, Security and Strategy, The Jerusalem Post, Washington Examiner, Real Clear Defense, Defense News, and Lawfare. He holds a BA in Political Science, an MA in Government, a JD in Corporate Bankruptcy Law, an MS in Finance, an MBA in Economics, and an MA in International Relations.