David Romley

David Romley is senior advisor at Hudson Institute.

Previously, he led communications, external relations, strategic financial partnerships and media relations for defense and national security think tanks, including as senior vice president at the Center for a New American Security and as vice president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Prior to that time, he served 20 years in the United States Marine Corps as a public affairs officer where he was press attaché to the Secretary of Defense and a Pentagon spokesman. At the Pentagon, he developed the department’s response to interagency communication efforts following the capture of Saddam Hussein and during operation Phantom Fury, the battle for Fallajuh, Iraq. He was senior Marine spokesman during combat operations in Afghanistan for General Jim Mattis and Task Force-58, and in Iraq he authored the combined Marine Corps and British Royal Commando plan to integrate more than 340 news media representatives into combat operations. As director of community relations for the United States Marine Corps he established its trademark and license office and created the Corps’ signature public outreach campaign, Marine Week.

Mr. Romley also serves as managing partner of DTR Communications, a strategic public relations firm that operates at the intersection of policy, politics, and the press. His specialty practice builds brands, develops issue campaigns, protects reputations, and positions leaders to drive growth. He is also senior advisor to CLS Strategies, a strategic communications firm specializing in crisis litigation, digital advocacy, coalition building, and grassroots activism. He was military affairs fellow to former Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and is the recipient of the Department of Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star, and the Anti-Defamation League’s Global Leadership Award. He was the Defense Department’s distinguished graduate in communications at the University of Oklahoma where he holds a master’s degree in communications and a bachelor’s degree in political science.