Todd Harrison

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Todd Harrison |John Ferrari

The Department of Defense was created in the immediate aftermath of World War II to fight and win America’s wars. It has evolved over time through mission creep and congressional action, driven by a philosophy of centralization that has added tangled layers of bureaucracy that negatively impact warfighter readiness. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears aware of this — he has directed the bureaucracy to present him with “future-state organization charts” — but he lacks a guiding philosophy.

2 weeks ago | aei.org | John Ferrari |Todd Harrison

Several forces acting on the Pentagon this year could fundamentally improve its organization, weapons procurement, operational support, and personnel management.

1 month ago | aei.org | Vincent Smith |Barry K. Goodwin |Todd Harrison |Nat Malkus

The recent outbreak of the highly infectious avian flu has disrupted agricultural markets and sent egg prices soaring, raising critical economic and public health concerns. Join AEI’s Barry K. Goodwin and Vincent H. Smith with industry and academic experts for an insightful discussion as they explore potential solutions, policy responses, and strategies to mitigate this and future animal health crises. Submit questions to or on X with #AskAEIEcon.

1 month ago | aei.org | With Nat Malkus |Nat Malkus |Todd Harrison |Scott Winship

In June 2023, an Oklahoma charter school board approved the nation’s first religious charter school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. In spring 2025, the US Supreme Court will consider whether a religious charter school violates the separation of church and state, or if denying a charter application because the school is Catholic constitute illegal religious discrimination. The case raises a host of education policy questions.

1 month ago | thehill.com | Todd Harrison |John Ferrari

In the early 1990s, the Department of Defense made a pivotal decision that has shaped American defense production for decades. Then-Secretary of Defense Les Aspin’s infamous “Last Supper” meeting with defense industry leaders signaled that the end of the Cold War would mean a drastic reduction in military spending and that industry consolidation was required. This move, reminiscent of Britain’s post-war industrial policies, has led to an inefficient and uncompetitive defense sector.