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Home / People / Daniel Davis
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Land power, Combat planning and operations, and Military analysis

Daniel Davis

Senior Fellow & Military Expert

Daniel L. Davis is a senior fellow and military expert at Defense Priorities.

Davis retired from the U.S. Army as a Lt. Col. after 21 years of active service. He was deployed into combat zones four times in his career: Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Iraq in 2009, and Afghanistan twice (2005, 2011). Davis was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor at the Battle of 73 Easting in 1991 and awarded a Bronze Star Medal in Afghanistan in 2011. He is the author of The Eleventh Hour in 2020 America. Davis gained some national notoriety in 2012 when he returned from Afghanistan and published a report detailing how senior U.S. military and civilian leaders told the American public and Congress the war was going well while, in reality, it was headed to defeat. Events since confirmed his analysis was correct. His work on defense and foreign affairs has been published in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, USA TODAY, CNN, Fox News, The Guardian, TIME, POLITICO, and other publications. Davis was also the recipient of the 2012 Ridenhour Prize for Truth-telling. He is a frequent guest on Fox News, Fox Business News, NBC News, BBC, CNN, and other television networks. He lives in the Washington, DC, area.

In the mediaUkraine‑Russia, Europe and Eurasia, Russia, Ukraine

Daniel Davis discusses Russian strikes into the Black Sea on NBC News

Featuring Daniel Davis

July 14, 2026

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

The United States cannot control the Strait of Hormuz: Daniel Davis on NewsNation

Featuring Daniel Davis

July 13, 2026

In the mediaEurope and Eurasia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine‑Russia

Ukraine, Russia peace prospects; Trump being optimistic: Lt. Col Daniel Davis | RISING

Featuring Daniel Davis

July 7, 2026

More from Daniel Davis

In the mediaUkraine‑Russia, Europe and Eurasia, Russia, Ukraine

Daniel Davis discusses Russian strikes into the Black Sea on NBC News

Featuring Daniel Davis

July 14, 2026

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

The United States cannot control the Strait of Hormuz: Daniel Davis on NewsNation

Featuring Daniel Davis

July 13, 2026

In the mediaEurope and Eurasia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine‑Russia

Ukraine, Russia peace prospects; Trump being optimistic: Lt. Col Daniel Davis | RISING

Featuring Daniel Davis

July 7, 2026

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

Trump faces split among retired U.S. commanders over whether to resume Iran strikes

Featuring Daniel Davis

May 13, 2026

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

Daniel Davis on Scripps News argues that Iran still has the upper hand in this war

Featuring Daniel Davis

May 12, 2026

In the mediaUS‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

Daniel Davis discusses the Pentagon’s “defensive umbrella” over Hormuz on NBC News

Featuring Daniel Davis

May 5, 2026

RSVP

Daniel Davis Past Events

virtualMiddle East

What’s Next for U.S. Foreign Policy in 2026? Middle East Edition

January 14, 2026
virtualMiddle East, Basing and force posture, Diplomacy, Houthis, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Israel‑Hamas, Military analysis, Syria

Trump in the Middle East: Impacts, implications, and alternatives

May 16, 2025
virtualUkraine‑Russia, Air power, Drones, Europe and Eurasia, Land power, Military analysis, Russia, Ukraine

Can U.S. military aid to Ukraine turn the tide?

April 24, 2024
virtualUkraine‑Russia, Russia, Ukraine

Can Ukraine still win? Evaluating U.S. interests and policy options

February 20, 2024
virtualAfghanistan, Middle East

One year later: assessing the Afghanistan withdrawal

August 30, 2022
in-personMiddle East, Counterterrorism, Israel‑Iran

Recalibrating Middle East policy

November 27, 2018

Daniel Davis Featured Symposia

symposiumWestern Hemisphere

Americas first: A shift to hemispheric defense

February 10, 2026

symposiumNATO, Alliances

Antique alliance: Rethinking NATO at 75

July 2, 2024

ukraine flag
symposiumUkraine, NATO, Russia, Ukraine‑Russia

Lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

February 13, 2023

symposiumAfghanistan, Counterterrorism

Lessons from Afghanistan

September 10, 2021

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