FDD Launches Program on Energy and National Security

WASHINGTON, DC, September 30, 2025 — The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) today announced the launch of its Program on Energy and National Security, led by FDD Senior Advisor Richard Goldberg, former White House National Energy Dominance Council Senior Counselor.

FDD is a nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

To ensure the United States can deter and, if necessary, defeat the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and effectively counter threats posed by Russia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Venezuela, and others, America must not merely be energy independent — it must be energy dominant. The new program will examine how U.S. American power and national security can be strengthened through five key energy security priorities:

• Increasing exports of American energy and energy technologies to allies and partners;
• Meeting power demands to win the AI arms race while ensuring a stable, resilient, and secure grid;
• Developing a U.S.-led, non-CCP supply chain for critical minerals;
• Advancing American leadership in nuclear energy; and
• Leveraging energy independence to promote peace and counter illicit activity by adversaries and hostile states.

“An energy program at FDD is a natural fit given the breadth of opportunities and challenges the organization has studied for more than two decades,” said Richard Goldberg. “How will we generate enough energy to unlock the computing power needed to win the AI arms race? How can energy strengthen allies and weaken adversaries? And how will we defend our energy resources and infrastructure against political, economic, and cyber warfare? These are among the critical questions our research will address.”

“Energy is central to American power, and we’re thrilled to have Rich leading this program fresh from his service helping establish the National Energy Dominance Council in the White House,” said FDD CEO Mark Dubowitz. “America’s economic, military, and political strength will increasingly depend on whether America can become — and remain — energy dominant.”

Goldberg helped conceive, launch, and operationalize the White House National Energy Dominance Council, serving as its senior counselor. He advised on all aspects of the council’s work, including oil and gas, advanced nuclear power, AI energy infrastructure, and critical minerals. A longtime senior advisor to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Goldberg also served as a national security and international affairs advisor to Burgum at the Department of the Interior and supported both Burgum and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright in their roles on the National Security Council. Goldberg’s full biography is available on FDD’s website.

For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

##

About the Foundation for Defense of Democracies:

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan policy institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. Connect with FDD on X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.