Richard Fontaine
In June 2025, Richard Fontaine was appointed to Anthropic's Long-Term Benefit Trust. The trust serves as the independent governance structure of one of the world's leading artificial intelligence companies. Fontaine leads the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based research institution focused on defense and national security. Born in New Orleans, he holds degrees from Tulane University and Johns Hopkins SAIS. His path to that role ran through Capitol Hill, the White House, and the campaign trail. How a man whose career was built on great-power competition ended up governing an AI company is worth examining. His career began, as many in Washington do, on the staff side of Congress.
Fontaine's first Washington post was at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he concentrated on the Middle East and South Asia. Between 2003 and 2004, he moved to the White House National Security Council. There he served as associate director for Near Eastern Affairs under President George W. Bush. From 2004 to 2008, he was a foreign policy advisor to the John McCain 2008 presidential campaign. After the election, he returned to the Senate as minority deputy staff director of the Armed Services Committee. In 2009, the Center for a New American Security named him a senior fellow and senior advisor. It was the start of a long relationship with the institution.
In 2012, Fontaine became president of CNAS, succeeding John Nagl. In 2019, he was named CEO, succeeding Victoria Nuland.
Outside CNAS, Fontaine taught as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, in the security studies program. He also served on the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee.
In 2024, Fontaine and Robert D. Blackwill published "Lost Decade: The U.S. Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power." The subtitle sets out the book's scope: the American strategic pivot toward Asia and the concurrent rise of Chinese power. Both subjects had been at the center of American foreign policy debate when the book appeared.
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Common questions
What is Richard Fontaine's current role?
Fontaine is the CEO of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a position he has held since 2019. He succeeded Victoria Nuland as CEO and previously served as CNAS president from 2012, succeeding John Nagl.
What book did Richard Fontaine co-author about China?
Fontaine co-authored "Lost Decade: The U.S. Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power" with Robert D. Blackwill, published in 2024. The subtitle identifies its two subjects: the American strategic pivot toward Asia and the rise of Chinese power.
Where did Richard Fontaine attend college and graduate school?
Fontaine holds a BA in international relations from Tulane University and an MA in international affairs from Johns Hopkins University SAIS.
What was Richard Fontaine's role in the Bush administration?
Between 2003 and 2004, Fontaine served as associate director for Near Eastern Affairs at the White House National Security Council under President George W. Bush.
What was Richard Fontaine's connection to John McCain?
From 2004 to 2008, Fontaine served as a foreign policy advisor to Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign.
What is Richard Fontaine's role at Anthropic?
In June 2025, Fontaine was appointed a member of Anthropic's Long-Term Benefit Trust. The trust is the company's independent governance structure.
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13 references cited across the entry
- 1Trump will see nuclear subs as a 'win-win', US foreign policy guru predictsMatthew Knott — 2024-04-08
- 5Between Iraq and a Hawk BaseRobert Draper — 1 September 2015
- 6NewsCNAS names Richard Fontaine, former McCain adviser, as its new presidentAllen McDuffee — 2012-05-17
- 10US is urged to join Asia-Pacific trade group, shift forces to Indo-PacificBochen Han — 2024-06-18
- 12Book Review: Lost Decade: The U.S. Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese PowerJohn West — 2024-07-12
- 13Anthropic appoints a national security expert to its governing trustKyle Wiggers — 2025-06-06