Pentagon Board Picks Have Financial Ties to Firms Drawing Billions in Federal Contracts

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appointed Marc Andreessen and Blake Masters to the Defense Policy Board on August 11, 2026. Both have ties to 1789 Capital, co-founded by Donald Trump Jr. Companies jointly backed by Andreessen's firm a16z and 1789 have drawn billions in federal loans and contracts since January 2025, including a $620 million Pentagon loan to rare-earth start-up Vulcan Elements.