James Skinner

James Skinner is a Senior Vice President at American Global Strategies, where he leads the firm’s Technology Policy & Artificial Intelligence Practice and advises clients on geopolitical risk, emerging technology competition, digital regulation, export controls, government engagement, and national security policy.

James has been with American Global Strategies since its founding in 2021 and previously served as Vice President and Chief of Staff.

Prior to joining American Global Strategies, James served on the White House National Security Council as Special Assistant to the U.S. National Security Advisor, where he was responsible for managing sensitive national security processes and global engagements. He worked closely with the White House Situation Room to review and prioritize national security documents and intelligence reports for the National Security Advisor, ensuring senior leadership remained informed of real-time global developments.

Earlier in his career, James served as a Presidential Appointee at the U.S. Department of Defense and as Policy Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counternarcotics and Global Threats. He directed counter threat finance and counter transnational organized crime initiatives targeting networks and individuals involved in human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and intellectual property theft. James concurrently led the Counter Threat Finance Information Technology Task Force and served on both the Counterterrorism Interagency Finance Cell and the Iran Finance Fusion Cell at the Pentagon.

James previously held positions at the U.S. Department of Defense as Advisor to the White House Liaison and as a Defense Fellow in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He began his federal service as a White House Intern in the Executive Office of the President.

James is a recipient of the 2023 NextGen Leadership Award for Policy & Public Service. He is a Fellow in National Security Affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council, a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of the National Defense Industrial Association. He previously served as a National Security Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, on the Council of Advisors of the State Chamber of Oklahoma, and as a Founding Member of Oklahoma City Business Leaders for Good.

James earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, cum laude, from the University of Missouri. His commentary and analysis have appeared in The National Interest, The Washington Times, The Kansas City Star, Defense Dossier, 19FortyFive, and USAPol.dk.