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[Policy Scholars](/experts) 

# Katherine Thompson 

Senior Fellow, Defense and Foreign Policy Studies

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Katherine Thompson is a senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute. Her research focuses on US defense and foreign policy decision making and process, congressional war powers, and US alliance structures.

Prior to joining Cato, Katherine was the Deputy Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of War for Policy and performed the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, overseeing US defense policy for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She also spent over six years working on Capitol Hill, serving as National Security Advisor to Senator Mike Lee (R‑UT) and Foreign Policy Advisor to Senator Josh Hawley (R‑MO).

Her work has appeared in the *Federalist* and *National Review*. She is a candidate for an M.A. in War, History, and Diplomacy from King’s College London, and holds a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from the King’s College NYC.

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