Center on Economic and Financial Power
About
FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power promotes strategies and policies to bolster an effective economic security framework that deters America’s adversaries and protects U.S. national security objectives.
With rogue states – including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea – threatening the integrity of the global financial system and increasingly employing offensive economic tools to challenge American interests, CEFP’s cutting-edge research is aimed at sharpening America’s financial toolkit to encourage financial transparency and economic growth while ensuring U.S. dollar primacy.
Experts from CEFP conduct in-depth research, produce timely analyses, and provide policy recommendations on today’s most pressing economic security issues. Key lines of effort include: leveraging U.S. economic power to counter illicit finance and emerging risks, including through financial sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) tools, export controls, and regulatory guardrails; countering kleptocracy and authoritarian corruption; exploring new alliances for economic security; and protecting and “ally-shoring” critical global supply chains in support of U.S. economic interests.
Armed with open-source intelligence, commercial data, and integrated national economic security strategies, CEFP provides research and analysis to government agencies, international partners, the private sector, and NGOs to address the evolving economic challenges posed by adversaries. Leveraging experience in trade, global financial reform, technology, national security, global governance, capital markets, and emerging alliances, CEFP experts work in tandem with FDD’s centers on American power to promote the use of all instruments of U.S. power to strengthen U.S. national security.
CEFP is comprised of a team of FDD domain experts as well as a top-level board of advisors, who provide strategic guidance, help lead initiatives, and promote research.
CEFP experts also analyze and propose new defensive strategies to protect the strength of America’s economy and those of its partners and allies, as well as developing positive strategies for targeted investment and trade promotion. CEFP likewise explores the changing technological landscape to understand its effects on financial transparency and accountability, two principles underpinning the integrity of the international financial system.
Elaine K. Dezenski serves as Senior Director and Head of CEFP. The Hon. Juan C. Zarate, former Deputy National Security Advisor for Combatting Terrorism, serves as the co-founder and Chairman of CEFP and its Board of Advisors. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of FDD, serves as senior counselor and co-founder.
CEFP is one of FDD’s centers on American power, which also include FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power and FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.
CEFP Reports
In-depth research
CEFP Congressional Testimony
CEFP experts regularly testify on Capitol Hill
Experts
Juan C. Zarate
- Iran
- Iran Sanctions
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Iran in Latin America
- Hezbollah
- North Korea
- Russia
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
- Cyber
Elaine K. Dezenski
Josh Birenbaum
Mark Dubowitz
- Iran Sanctions
- Iran Human Rights
- Syria
- Iran Missiles
- Iran
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Hezbollah
- Iran-backed Terrorism
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
- Cyber
- Iran Nuclear
Chip Poncy
- Iran
- Iran Sanctions
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
- Iran Global Threat Network
Eric B. Lorber
Yaya J. Fanusie
Daniel Glaser
CEFP Board of Advisors
Products
Qatar keeps purchasing political influence
Washington Examiner
Yemeni president meets with Russian president despite Russia’s ongoing relationship with the Houthis
FDD's Long War Journal
Turkey and Qatar Are Buying Into Syria. The US Should Be Wary of Their Motives
Policy Brief
Lifting Sanctions on the Syrian Regime is a Grave Mistake
1945
New Syria sanctions relief (and risks) explained
Firms relying on the recent wave of lifted sanctions and exceptive relief will face significant hurdles in verifying that transactions do not benefit excluded actors
Al Majalla
Congress Nears Move To Designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Terrorist Organization
The Washington Free Beacon
A massive sanctions threat hangs over Putin
Politico
Who is Julius Malema, the South African politician behind 'kill the farmer' chant?
Fox News
No point in downplaying the role of Qatar as reality hits hard
The Times of Israel
Events
The Trajectory of U.S. Economic Statecraft
April 21, 2025 | 12:00 pm