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| Alliance for Securing Democracy | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alliance for Securing Democracy |
| Formation | 2017 |
| Founder | * Michael Chertoff * Tom Bossert |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Parent organization | German Marshall Fund of the United States |
Alliance for Securing Democracy is a transatlantic initiative launched in 2017 focused on countering authoritarian influence and foreign interference in democratic processes. It operates within the German Marshall Fund of the United States ecosystem and involves experts from United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Homeland Security, European Commission, and think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and Council on Foreign Relations. The initiative engages with policymakers from the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, Bundestag, and institutions including NATO and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The project was announced amid debates following the 2016 United States presidential election, the 2014 Crimean crisis, and analyses by the Intelligence Community (United States) regarding alleged influence operations attributed to the Russian Federation. Founders with backgrounds linked to the George W. Bush and Donald Trump administrations partnered with European counterparts from United Kingdom, France, and Germany to form a transatlantic response engaging officials from the European Parliament and experts formerly associated with the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency. Early activities included briefings for members of the U.S. Congress, testimony before committees such as the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and convenings with representatives from the North Atlantic Council.
The initiative states goals aligned with strengthening democratic resilience against foreign interference and authoritarian influence traced to actors like the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, and state-affiliated media such as RT (TV network) and Xinhua News Agency. Its objectives include developing detection tools used by officials in the European Commission, advising legislators in the United States Congress, and shaping norms within multilateral bodies like NATO and the G7. The organization emphasizes norms drawn from documents such as the Budapest Memorandum debates and recommendations similar to reports produced by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the initiative draws staff with prior service in entities including the United States Department of State, the U.S. National Security Council, and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Funding sources reported include philanthropic foundations active in transatlantic policy, grants associated with the European Commission programs, and contributions from donors familiar to institutions like the Open Society Foundations and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Governance has involved advisory boards composed of former officials from the White House, retired diplomats linked to the Foreign Service of the United States, and scholars from the Harvard Kennedy School and Johns Hopkins University.
Programs emphasize detection and public education, including monitoring platforms inspired by collaborations with tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, and civil society groups like Freedom House and Transparency International. Notable initiatives include toolkits for legislators modeled on policy guidance from the Atlantic Council and training modules that mirror exercises conducted by the European External Action Service and cyber units in the Baltic states such as Estonia. The initiative has convened task forces on electoral integrity linked to campaigns in countries including Ukraine, Germany, and France.
Research outputs have addressed topics paralleling studies published by the RAND Corporation, the Heritage Foundation, and the Royal United Services Institute. Analyses examine disinformation campaigns attributed to state actors and nonstate networks studied alongside scholars from Oxford University, King's College London, and Stanford University. Publications include briefings for committees like the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and reports that echo methodologies used by the European Centre for Countering Hybrid Threats and the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.
The initiative collaborates with international organizations such as NATO, the European Commission, and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. It works with academic partners including Georgetown University, Columbia University, and Princeton University, and with advocacy groups including American Civil Liberties Union affiliates and Human Rights Watch on civil-liberties implications. The initiative has engaged technology firms, civil society networks, and parliamentary groups across the European Union and the United States.
Critics from outlets including The Intercept and commentators associated with World Socialist Web Site have raised concerns about potential politicization, transparency of donor relationships, and effects on press freedom similar to debates around initiatives like the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act. Some scholars at institutions such as George Mason University and civil liberties advocates in the Electronic Frontier Foundation have questioned methodologies for attribution and the balance between security priorities and protections enshrined in documents like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.