Today, State Armor, a non-profit organization committed to educating lawmakers and the American public about state policy solutions to global threats, announced the formation of its Board of Advisors.
The Board of Advisors will help State Armor fulfill its mission by delivering world class security expertise in every statehouse across the country. The board is comprised of some of the nation’s foremost national security experts and former executive branch officials. Their knowledge, expertise, and strategic counsel will be invaluable to protecting our citizens from global threats with state-level policy action.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new Board of Advisors, chaired by Ambassador Robert O’Brien. This distinguished group of leaders brings a dynamic blend of expertise and vision to the table that will be invaluable in statehouses across the country,” said Michael Lucci, Founder and CEO of State Armor. “Their guidance will be instrumental in helping State Armor protect the American homeland, and their insights are already helping state lawmakers craft and enact critical state security laws. Our Board’s work to protect American security is highly regarded around the world. Long before State Armor was founded, the leaders who make up our Board of Advisors had already rendered decades of vital service to the United States government. Now, State Armor is tremendously proud to leverage their patriotism and expertise in the states to broaden America’s whole-of-government response to CCP and adversary aggression.”
The State Armor Board of Advisors includes:
- Ambassador Robert O’Brien – Former Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to President Donald J. Trump
- Ambassador Kelley Currie – Former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council
- Alex Gray – Former Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council and Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council and CEO of American Global Strategies
- Jacqueline Deal – President of the Long Term Strategy Group and Co-Founder of the American Academy for Strategic Education
- Brian Cavanaugh – Former National Security Council Senior Director, Senior Vice President at American Global Strategies
- Adam Klein – Director of the Robert Strauss Center on International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin
“The recognition of the People’s Republic of China as the greatest threat to America and the free world represents one of the most significant strategic shifts in American history and a lasting achievement of the Trump administration,” said Ambassador O’Brien, Chair of State Armor’s Board of Advisors. “The competition with the CCP is generational, one that will test every aspect of our society. State Armor is playing a vital role in preparing states for the predictable and dire impacts that the CCP’s prolonged strategy of cooption, subversion, and coercion will have on our communities. Working together we can preserve our country’s prosperity and security in the face of this existential threat.”
The impact of State Armor’s Advisory Board is already being felt in dozens of states. In just the past week, Ambassador Kelley Currie, Dr. Jacqueline Deal, and Alex Gray delivered critical testimony in two Oklahoma House committees on state policies to stop CCP subnational influence campaigns. A sample of their powerful impact from an October 7th Oklahoma hearing can be viewed here.
To learn more about State Armor, visit their website at StateArmor.org or visit State Armor on “X” @StateArmor.
Additional Statements from State Armor Advisory Board:
Alex Gray, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff of the NSC and current CEO of American Global Strategies LLC:
“The Chinese Communist Party views U.S. states as a significant arena of competition, and Americans must respond accordingly. State Armor is the first serious and concerted response to the CCP’s efforts at political warfare at the state and local level. Every American, regardless of party and ideology, should be united in countering the CCPs malign influence.”
Jacqueline Deal, President of the Long Term Strategy Group and Co-Founder of the American Academy for Strategic Education:
“State Armor’s work is vital to countering the cumulative damage wrought by the Chinese Communist Party’s operations at the local level across the United States. These operations subvert our democracy by encouraging unregistered lobbying and undermining free speech, assembly, and academic inquiry. They also facilitate CCP espionage, surveillance, and technology and data exfiltration, helping Beijing prepare for war. I am honored to play a part in State Armor’s effort to equip patriotic, courageous legislators around the country with the information they need to protect their communities and constituents from CCP interference and predation.”
Adam Klein, Director of the Robert Strauss Center on International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin:
“The United States is in a full-spectrum competition with the Chinese Communist Party. To prevail, the CCP will use all means at its disposal, including subversion, hacking, and propaganda inside the United States. Unfortunately, state universities are a prime target. State Armor is working to secure our states against this profound challenge to our future prosperity and way of life.”
Brian Cavanaugh, Former National Security Council Senior Director, Senior Vice President at American Global Strategies:
“The Chinese Communist Party represents a far-reaching and pervasive threat to the United States, targeting not just our national security but our critical infrastructure and essential resources. Through a combination of cyberattacks, espionage, and strategic land acquisitions, the CCP seeks to infiltrate the very foundations of American society—our food, agriculture, energy, and defense sectors. The Trump administration recognized these threats as an existential challenge, laying the groundwork for the strategic shift we must now continue. State governments have a vital role to play in resisting this infiltration, from protecting their own infrastructure to scrutinizing foreign investments and bolstering their cyber defenses. By working together, states can provide the leadership and resilience needed to safeguard our country and ensure that America’s future remains secure in the face of these multifaceted threats.”
