Gary J. Schmitt is an American political scientist and national security expert renowned for his contributions to U.S. foreign policy, constitutional studies, and intelligence matters. He currently serves as a senior fellow in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies program at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he examines issues related to the American presidency, the U.S. Constitution, and its foundational principles. Schmitt's career includes significant roles in influential think tanks and government advisory positions, highlighting his expertise in shaping national security discourse. Earlier in his career, he was the executive director of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), a prominent neoconservative organization that advocated for assertive U.S. global leadership. He also held key government roles, including minority staff director of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and executive director of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. Additionally, Schmitt has been a visiting fellow at institutions like the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University and has appeared frequently on C-SPAN since 2003, discussing policy and constitutional topics. He earned his B.A. from the University of Dallas in 1974 and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1980, both in political science. Schmitt maintains an online presence on X (formerly Twitter) as @GaryJSchmitt1, engaging with current events in national security and politics.