The American Enterprise Institute (AEI), officially the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, is a prominent and influential center-right/conservative public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C., advocating free-market policies, national security, limited government, and foreign policy through research and policy advocacy. Founded in 1938 as the American Enterprise Association in response to concerns about post-war economic controls and the potential permanence of wartime price and production regulations, AEI initially operated as a research bureau for American industry. It evolved significantly in the 1970s under the leadership of William Baroody Sr., becoming a major nonprofit research institution dedicated to researching and promoting policies on government, politics, economics, social welfare, foreign policy, and domestic issues, with a focus on free enterprise, democratic capitalism, human dignity, and conservative principles. AEI operates as an independent nonprofit organization funded by contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals, including significant funding from entities like DonorsTrust ($19.8 million between 2002 and 2011), the Knowledge and Progress Fund (tied to Charles Koch, at least $8 million since 2005), the Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation ($1 million in 2017), and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. For the fiscal year ending June 2015, AEI reported revenues of $84,616,388 against expenses of $38,611,315, reflecting its substantial operational scale. It is governed by a 29-member Board of Trustees and associates with approximately 185 scholars and authors who produce original research, policy analyses, commentary, and advocacy on topics including the world economy, U.S. foreign policy, international security, and domestic political and social issues to influence public discourse and policymaking, with key influence on U.S. government appointments. Under leaders like William Baroody Sr. (president until 1978) and Arthur C. Brooks (president from 2007 to 2021), AEI solidified its influence in conservative policy circles, though it maintains a nonpartisan stance in its research mission. The organization has played a significant role in conservative intellectual circles, with affiliations to influential figures and scholars who advise governments, particularly during Republican administrations, including individuals like William Kristol, Roger Hertog, Paul Wolfowitz, and Frederick Kagan. AEI has been influential in debates on issues such as Iraq strategy and benefit cliffs in social welfare programs, and has faced adversarial relationships with left-leaning groups like the Center for American Progress and critics including George Soros, as well as legal challenges from organizations such as Public Citizen and the Sierra Club. While praised for rigorous scholarship, AEI has faced criticism for its funding sources, perceived ties to corporate interests, and close ties to conservative donors, raising questions about potential biases in its policy recommendations. AEI continues to advance ideas on expanding human potential and building a freer, safer world through events, publications, and media engagement, emphasizing preserving the foundations of a free society. Its scholars and fellows conduct research in specialized areas such as Middle Eastern studies. The think tank is also described as a prominent neoconservative institution closely associated with PNAC network members, and figures such as Zalmay Khalilzad have been affiliated with it.