Elaine McCusker

Elaine McCusker is a defense budget and national security expert with a career spanning more than two decades across the executive branch, Capitol Hill, and the research community. McCusker served as deputy and then acting under secretary of defense (comptroller), becoming one of the most senior financial officials in the U.S. Department of Defense. She was nominated to become United States Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense and confirmed in the role. In this position, McCusker oversaw a significant increase in defense spending, managing an average annual budget of $694 billion to support National Defense Strategy priorities, including force modernization, partnership development, and business reform for accountability and affordability.

As comptroller, McCusker played a key role in the department's audit process and in the development of budgets for multiple fiscal years. She led analysis supporting the review of $106 billion in programs and initiatives, resulting in the realignment of $7 billion to higher-priority capabilities. During her tenure at the Defense Department, McCusker held various posts, including at US Central Command, where she focused on warfighting analysis, capability gap resourcing, and contingency budget development and execution. She also served in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and with the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition.

Prior to her work at the Pentagon, McCusker developed expertise in defense policy and legislative affairs. She worked as a professional staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee and held legislative and government relations positions at Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Washington. This combination of scientific, legislative, and operational experience provides McCusker with a comprehensive perspective on defense resource allocation and policy development.

McCusker is a senior fellow at American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on defense strategy, budget, innovation, the U.S. military, and national security. Her background includes defense planning and budgeting, military campaign assessments, defense data analytics, contingency operations, and science and technology. At American Enterprise Institute, McCusker has contributed to research and publications on Pentagon organization, defense spending efficiency, and U.S. national security strategy. Her work continues to inform policymakers, congressional staff, and the national security community on issues related to American defense finance and strategy.