FDD Action Policy Fall 2026 Internship

About FDD Action

FDD Action is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that works with policymakers to advance a robust U.S. foreign policy that strengthens our national security, counters our adversaries, and supports our allies. FDD Action provides Congress with actionable insights and legislative solutions, including through the NDAA and appropriations processes, to counter China, Russia, Iran, and other adversaries and threats. Our extensive expertise ranges from sanctions and counterterrorism to arms sales, combating antisemitism, and addressing foreign influence in education.

FDD Action's Advocacy Internship

We are seeking full-time and part-time advocacy interns to work at the intersection of research, strategy, and legislative action. You'll be embedded in real congressional projects: analyzing pressing national security challenges and tracking live policy debates as they unfold on Capitol Hill. Issue areas include Iran and Israel, Russia and Ukraine, China, sanctions and export controls, defense policy, and countering foreign malign influence and activities. Through this internship, interns will contribute to FDD Action's efforts to shape policies being developed in Congress.

As an advocacy intern, you will develop practical communications and messaging skills essential for any national security, advocacy, or policy career. Expect to sharpen your writing, editing, and strategic communication abilities while building a professional network that extends well beyond your time here. You'll gain valuable insights into how to communicate complex policy objectives effectively to key policymakers and stakeholders.

We provide interns with dedicated mentorship and career guidance through educational sessions with issue-area experts and FDD Action staff.

We are looking for detail-oriented self-starters with strong research skills and a genuine interest in how policy and communications intersect. Prior Hill experience is a plus, but is not required.

Intern Responsibilities

• Contribute to FDD Action's NatSec Roundup, our flagship weekly publication for congressional staffers. In doing so, interns will learn about how legislation moves through Congress and where congressional work meets national security.
• Support FDD Action's advocacy team as it works to produce Action Alerts and Policy Alerts in support of endorsed legislation, letters, and policies.
• Help craft social media content that advances FDD Action's policy priorities.
• Monitor and track important national security developments and breaking events.

Eligibility

• Must have at least a 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
• Should have a relevant course of study and have completed coursework in any of the following fields: International Relations, Security Studies, History, Communications, Journalism, International Economics, Political Science. Computer science, and/or a relevant STEM field of study.
• Interns should have knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, including Word, as well as basic Excel skills.
• Must be able to commit to a minimum of 22 hours per week.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.

Application Materials Required

• Resume/CV
• Cover letter (Please review our website and include which FDD projects and issue areas resonate with you and why. Also indicate where you found this internship and your availability for the semester.)
• Writing Sample (no more than 3 pages)
• Unofficial transcript copy

Please specify the department(s) for which you would like to be considered (feel free to indicate preferences) in your cover letter. While you may use the same cover letter for multiple positions, please submit a separate application for each position of interest.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.