Daniel Fata

Senior Adviser (Non-resident), International Security Program
Daniel Fata

Daniel Fata is the president of Fata Advisory LLC. He is a public policy expert, national security consultant, and strategic adviser focused on helping companies and organizations enhance their product and program offerings through the development of comprehensive government affairs strategies, risk assessments, strategic planning, and advocacy initiatives. He has more than 25 years of experience working in Congress (as a leadership staffer in both the House and Senate), at the Department of Defense (as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO), in the aerospace and defense industry (as a vice president at Lockheed Martin Corp), and in the consulting arena (as a vice president at the Cohen Group). He is an expert on issues regarding U.S. national security, government relations, strategic risk, European foreign policy, the global aerospace and defense industry, the industrial base supply chain, technology, and third-party advocacy campaigns, among other issues. He is also active in numerous technology start-up efforts. In February 2022, Dan was appointed by the U.S. Senate leadership to serve as one of 16 commissioners on the congressionally mandated Afghanistan War Commission. The commission was established in the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act to study the United States’ 20-year involvement in the war in Afghanistan and to assess lessons learned for future conflicts. The commission has a three-year mandate. Dan has been affiliated with some of the United States’ leading think tanks and nongovernmental organizations and is a regular guest lecturer at leading U.S. colleges and universities. He graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He earned his master’s degree in international relations from Boston University.

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Forward Defense: Strengthening U.S. Force Posture in Europe

The United States needs a robust force posture, including U.S. Army presence, in Europe on NATO’s eastern flank to deter future Russian aggression. A significant downsizing of U.S. forces in Europe would weaken deterrence and embolden a revanchist Russia.

Report by Seth G. Jones, Seamus P. Daniels, Catrina Doxsee, Daniel Fata, and Kathleen McInnis — March 11, 2024

Pulling Their Weight: The Data on NATO Responsibility Sharing

Looking at the broader national security spend of NATO allies shows a more complete picture of responsibility sharing. This debate has become toxic partly because many of the measures of what allies are doing remain shielded from public view.

Report by Kathleen McInnis, Daniel Fata, Benjamin Jensen, and Jose M. Macias III — February 22, 2024

The Data on NATO Responsibility Sharing

Please join the CSIS International Security Program for a virtual discussion focused on the NATO burden sharing debate and the misconceptions behind the hidden measurements of what allies are doing and how they are doing it.

Event — February 21, 2024

Strengthening Baltic Security: Next Steps for NATO

To counter a revanchist Russia, NATO has set a new path for strengthening deterrence in the Baltic states. Because progress has been slow, the upcoming Vilnius summit needs to take steps to ensure full implementation of the alliance's new direction.

Commentary by Mark F. Cancian, Sean Monaghan, and Daniel Fata — June 27, 2023

Ahead of the NATO Summit: Burden Sharing to Responsibility Sharing

Please join the CSIS International Security Program on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm EDT, for an engaging discussion on NATO’s historic burden sharing debate, including how NATO might recast its thinking about – and accounting for - how allies are sharing security and strategic responsibilities going forward.

Event — June 13, 2023

Demining Ukraine: An Urgent but Under-Resourced Priority

This commentary highlights the urgent need to prioritize demining efforts in Ukraine and outlines demining policy recommendations that should be made a priority in the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference.

Commentary by Daniel Fata — June 8, 2023

From Burden Sharing to Responsibility Sharing

Ahead of the NATO summit, a new CSIS brief argues for NATO member states to move to a 4 percent defense and security investment target—a 2 percent minimum spent on defense, and the remaining balance spent on security—flexibly defined.

Brief by Kathleen McInnis and Daniel Fata — June 7, 2023

Ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius: A Conversation with Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania

On Monday, March 7, the CSIS International Security Program was honored to host Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania for a virtual discussion on the transatlantic partnership between the United States and Lithuania, including a look ahead to the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius, Ukraine, and other bilateral strategic priorities.

Event — March 7, 2023

Envisioning a Multilayered Security Blanket for Ukraine

There is no definitive plan for what a postwar security guarantee looks like for Ukraine. As allied nations prepare for the NATO summit in terms of Ukraine, they should envision a multilayer security blanket of military and economic tools for Ukraine.

Commentary by Daniel Fata — February 28, 2023

The Value in NATO Being NATO

On November 15, Poland reported that Russian missiles struck its territory. While there were immediate calls on both sides of the Atlantic to respond to show alliance unity, it turned out that NATO did what NATO needed to do: get the facts and verify what happened.

Commentary by Kathleen McInnis and Daniel Fata — November 16, 2022