Mackenzie Eaglen

Eaglen, who joined AEI this year, is considered a rising star among conservative defense analysts, advising Republican leaders in Congress as well as serving on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s defense team. A hawk, she continues to advocate for more Pentagon spending while acknowledging the need for deep reforms. At ease with programs, politics and strategy, she worked on the Quadrennial Defense Review between 2001 and 2003 and was a legislative assistant for Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., and a defense adviser for Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. As a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, she participated in the congressionally mandated independent assessment of the last Quadrennial Defense Review.