Abe Denmark

Abe Denmark is an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and a partner at The Asia Group, where he cochairs the Defense & National Security Practice and leads the Australia Practice.

With more than two decades of experience across government, think tanks, and the private sector, Denmark is a leading expert on Indo-Pacific security and geopolitics and on U.S. strategy and policy toward the region.

Denmark most recently served as senior advisor to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III. In that capacity, he led the Department of Defense’s efforts to develop and implement the historic Australia–United Kingdom–United States (AUKUS) partnership and supported the secretary’s initiatives to counter threats posed by uncrewed aerial systems.

Previously, Denmark served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia. He also served at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars as director of the Asia Program, and later as vice president for programs and director of studies. Earlier in his career, he held analytic roles at the National Bureau of Asian Research, at CNAS, and in the U.S. intelligence community.

Denmark is the author of U.S. Strategy in the Asian Century: Empowering Allies and Partners (Columbia University Press, 2021). His awards include the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service (2024) and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service (2017). He also received a Gold Commendation from the Australian secretary of defence and from the chief of the Australian Defence Force (2024) and the Order of the Resplendent Banner from the Republic of China (Taiwan). Denmark is an honorary rear admiral in the Republic of Korea Navy.