Daniel J. Caldwell
All Connections
6 total
All Connections
6 totalSenior Advisor to SecDef Hegseth Feb 2025; fired Apr 18 2025 in leak probe (no evidence publicly released); retains security clearance
Caldwell joined CVA in 2013, ~10 years tenure including senior advisor / executive director roles; helped pass VA MISSION Act, VA Accountability
Caldwell served as Senior Advisor to SecDef Hegseth Feb-Apr 2025; long Hegseth ally from CVA tenure (Hegseth CEO 2012-2016, Caldwell at CVA 2013-2022); designated DoD point of contact in Yemen Houthi Signal chat
Cross-cohort overlap: both senior CVA figures (Caldwell at CVA 2013-2022 incl exec director; Selnick CVA Senior Advisor 2019-2024) - so they overlapped at CVA roughly 2019-2022; reunited as Hegseth Pentagon advisers Jan-Feb 2025; fired together Apr 18 2025 with Carroll for alleged unauthorized disclosures; signed joint statement calling termination 'unconscionable'
Caldwell was Vice President of Foreign Policy at Stand Together (Koch policy umbrella); led Stand Together response to Russia-Ukraine war
Co-membership in Pete Hegseth's 'Defense Team Huddle' Signal chat (Jan-Apr 2025) where Yemen strike details discussed; Parlatore as personal attorney, Caldwell as designated DoD point of contact for Houthi strikes chat
All Findings
5 total
All Findings
5 totalfinancial (1)
LittleSis donation records: $500 to Joseph Kent / Joe Kent for Congress (Feb-Mar 2021) and $1,000 via WinRed (same period); positions at CVA (Senior Advisor 2014-present per LittleSis), Stand Together (Foreign Policy campaign advisor), US DoD (through Apr 2024-Apr 2025 per LittleSis dating, actually Feb-Apr 2025)
relationship (1)
Caldwell is the defense secretary's designated Defense Department point of contact in the Yemen Houthi strikes Signal group chat published by The Atlantic; close ally of Pete Hegseth from joint CVA tenure (Hegseth was CVA CEO 2012-2016, Caldwell at CVA 2013-2022)
intelligence (1)
Caldwell escorted from Pentagon Apr 15 2025 placed on administrative leave; fired Apr 18 2025 along with Selnick and Carroll for alleged unauthorized disclosures; no evidence publicly released supporting leak charge; Caldwell retained security clearance; subsequently hired by ODNI under DNI Tulsi Gabbard for an administrative role
background (2)
Dan Caldwell biography: born Scottsdale AZ Mar 26; ASU 2011 cum laude (Asian History/Political Science); enlisted USMC Nov 2005 as infantryman; Marine Presidential Support security at Camp David; deployed Iraq with 2/1 Marines (Al Anbar/Ninawa); staffer for Rep David Schweikert (R-AZ) 2011-2013; joined CVA 2013; ~10 years at CVA helping pass VA MISSION Act and VA Accountability; VP Foreign Policy at Stand Together; named Senior Advisor to SecDef Hegseth Feb 2025
Koch network ties: Caldwell was Vice President of Foreign Policy at Stand Together (the Koch policy umbrella); led Stand Together response to Russia-Ukraine war as a leading voice against escalation; Concerned Veterans for America was Koch-funded and described by Washington Post as 'one of the most muscular arms of the conservative Koch network' that has spent at least $52M; Caldwell also was a public policy advisor at Defense Priorities (Koch-funded isolationist think tank)