Hegseth Names 2 Trump Jr-Linked Investors to Pentagon Board as Joint Bets Win Billions
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 11
Hegseth Names 2 Trump Jr-Linked Investors to Pentagon Board as Joint Bets Win Billions
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 11
Summary
Pete Hegseth appointed Marc Andreessen and Blake Masters to the 15-member Defense Policy Board even though both have ties to Donald Trump Jr’s venture fund, 1789 Capital.
Andreessen’s a16z co-invests with 1789 in at least three defense contractors, while Masters sits on boards tied to three 1789-linked ventures, putting both advisers near Pentagon decisions affecting sectors where those firms invest.
Billions in federal money already flow to overlapping holdings: Anduril won about $1.25 billion in Trump’s first 500 days and a contract worth up to $20 billion, while Hadrian secured Navy and Army deals worth up to $980 million.
Watchdog and policy experts said the board’s industry-heavy makeup revives longstanding conflict concerns around Pentagon advisory panels, which have previously included members tied to contractors with major Defense Department business.
The board, reconstituted by Hegseth in June 2026 after he disbanded it in 2025, advises on strategy and force structure without setting policy directly but has historically carried significant influence.