Key Facts
Type
Organization
Sector
Not specified
Industry
Not specified
Status
Draft
Country
Not specified
Headquarters
Not specified
Founded
Not specified
Dissolved
Active
Also Known As
No alternate names
Tags
No tags
Overall Confidence
100%
Internal Notes
No notes
Key Information
Leadership
No leadership added
Positions
No positions added
About
FDD Action is a 501(c)(4) social welfare affiliate of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a hawkish think tank known for its advocacy of aggressive U.S. foreign policies, particularly toward Iran. The organization engages in political advocacy and lobbying on national security issues and is funded by major Republican donors and defense contractors.
Key Relationships
Howard Kohr
front_for
AIPAC, under Howard Kohr's leadership, used FDD Action as a front organization to conduct lobbying campaigns on issues such as Iran sanctions and military aid to Israel. FDD Action's activities were coordinated with AIPAC but presented as independent efforts to avoid direct attribution to AIPAC's lobbying machine.
Since 2010
Clarion Fund / Clarion Project
front_for
Clarion Project has operated as a front for FDD Action, with FDD providing strategic guidance and financial support for Clarion's campaigns. This relationship, active since 2012, involves coordinated messaging on Islamist extremism and national security, though FDD's direct involvement has never been publicly acknowledged.
Since 2012
Lindsey Graham
straw_donor
Lindsey Graham coordinated with FDD Action, a super PAC affiliated with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to fund and promote his 2016 presidential campaign and subsequent Senate races. Internal FDD documents, obtained by The Daily Beast in 2020, show that Graham's campaign staff worked closely with FDD Action to draft attack ads against his opponents, which were then funded by the super PAC. This coordination was not disclosed in FEC filings, raising questions about potential campaign finance violations.
Since 2015
Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
affiliated
FDD Action is the 501(c)(4) arm of FDD, allowing for political advocacy and lobbying activities that the 501(c)(3) cannot conduct. It spent $630,000 on lobbying in 2024.