David Rader is a national economic security lawyer who advises senior leaders in government and industry on economic warfare, foreign investment and critical supply chain strategy. He currently serves in a consulting capacity as a senior advisor to the secretary of war for economic warfare, where he provides guidance on the use of economic tools, financial pressure and industrial capacity in support of US national security objectives.
David previously served as deputy director of the global investment and economic security directorate at the Department of Defense. In that role, he oversaw national economic security policy across foreign direct investment, industrial policy and all matters related to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). During his tenure, he and his team reviewed more than 1,000 transactions totaling nearly US$1 trillion in aggregate value.
His work at the Pentagon spanned macroeconomic modeling, supply chain risk analysis, complex due diligence and investigations, technology incentive design and high-stakes industrial policy decision-making. He regularly engaged with senior government officials, Fortune 500 leaders, middle-market executives, law firm partners, entrepreneurs, finance professionals and both interagency and international counterparts.
Before entering government service, David worked in the private sector underwriting national security-related investments and advising on financial and geopolitical risk.
David’s combination of legal expertise, interagency leadership and hands-on experience shaping US economic security strategy makes him a uniquely valuable advisor for clients facing foreign investment risk, supply chain vulnerability or complex cross-border regulatory challenges.
Term member, Council on Foreign Relations
Member, Bretton Wood Committee
Member, Chatham House
Co-chair, Alexander Hamilton Society
Advisory council, Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy
Advisory board member, Vandenberg Coalition
Finalist, Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal
Scholar, Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship