David Trachtenberg

David Joel Trachtenberg is an American national security consultant and advisor who served as principal deputy under secretary for policy in the United States Department of Defense. Prior to assuming this role, he was the head of U.S. national security consulting firm Shortwaver. On March 17, 2017, he was announced as President Donald Trump's nominee to become principal deputy under secretary for policy in the Department of Defense.[1] This nomination was confirmed by a 79–17 vote of the U.S. Senate on October 17, 2017.[2]

David Trachtenberg
Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
In office October 27, 2017 – July 19, 2019
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Brian P. McKeon
Succeeded by	James H. Anderson (Acting)
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Acting
In office October 27, 2017 – January 8, 2018
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Robert Karem (Acting)
Succeeded by	John Rood
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy
In office 2001–2003
President	George W. Bush
Personal details
Education	University of Southern California Georgetown University
Awards	Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service (2003)

Trachtenberg previously served as vice president and head of the strategic analysis division of CACI International Inc., the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security policy at the U.S. Department of Defense, and as a senior staff member on the United States House Committee on Armed Services.[3][4]

In mid-July 2019, it was announced[5] that Trachtenburg would leave his Pentagon job, as of Friday 19 July 2019. There were at least seven other vacant positions in senior leadership at the Pentagon.