Center for a New American Security

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is a think tank in Washington, D.C. specializing in United States national security issues, including terrorism, irregular warfare, the future of the U.S. military, the emergence of Asia as a global power center, war games pitting the U.S. against the People's Republic of China, and the national security implications of natural resource consumption, among others.

CNAS has strong ties to the Democratic Party. It was founded in 2007 by Michèle Flournoy, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy under President Bill Clinton and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy under President Barack Obama, and Kurt M. Campbell, who previously served as Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs under President Joe Biden, and is now the Deputy Secretary of State. The Obama administration hired several CNAS employees for key positions. In June 2009, The Washington Post reported, "In the era of Obama... the Center for a New American Security may emerge as Washington's go-to think tank on military affairs." Other CNAS advisors have included John Nagl, David Kilcullen, Andrew Exum, Thomas E. Ricks, Robert D. Kaplan, and Marc Lynch. CNAS was formerly led by CEO Victoria Nuland, who used to severe as Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs in the Biden administration's State Department at one point.

CNAS has received funding from large corporations, including defense contractors. Donors have included Northrop Grumman, Chevron, Amazon, and Google, This has prompted criticism of CNAS from left-wing media outlets, with In These Times saying in October 2019 that the organization has "long pushed Democrats to embrace war and militarism."