Cait Conley, Former Counterterrorism Director, Seeks NY House Seat
Cait Conley, a Democrat endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is running for a congressional seat in New York's 17th District. She previously held the position of Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council from April 2021 to March 2023. During her time in this role, she was tasked with addressing Middle East terrorism and the threats posed by non-state actors, as well as overseeing the domestic and global use of emerging technologies.
Conley's tenure at the NSC coincided with the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, which has faced criticism for its execution. Reports indicated that the evacuation plan did not adequately prepare for the rapid collapse of the Afghan government, leading to a terrorist attack outside Kabul airport that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and over 160 Afghans. Since launching her congressional campaign, Conley has not publicly commented on the withdrawal, a silence that some observers have noted parallels President Biden's omission of the fallen service members during his 2022 State of the Union address.
During Conley's time at the NSC, Iranian financial support for Hamas reportedly increased significantly. Following the May 2021 conflict, Iran's funding to Hamas surged, with reports indicating that the group received $70 million for missile development and that overall funding rose from $100 million to $350 million annually by 2022. This period also saw a notable rise in incidents of antisemitism in the United States, with the Anti-Defamation League recording a 36 percent increase in such incidents from 2021 to 2022, reaching a total of 3,697 incidents. The numbers continued to escalate in 2023, with the ADL reporting 8,873 incidents, marking a 140 percent increase from the previous year.
In December 2021, while Conley was still at the NSC, Iran unveiled its Shahed-136 drone, which has become a key component of its military strategy against the U.S. and its allies, including Israel. Despite the deployment of Patriot defense missiles, many of these drones have successfully struck their targets. The threat from these drones persisted into March 2026, when Iran claimed to have destroyed a U.S. E-3 AWACS surveillance aircraft, resulting in significant operational losses for the U.S. military.
Conley's Support from J Street
Conley has received backing from J Street, an organization advocating for a different U.S. approach to its relationship with Israel. Following a recent House vote, J Street expressed support for members who voted to cut off U.S. aid to Israel. Conley has not disclosed her stance on whether she would have supported this measure.
Cleared to File
Cale Brown, chair of POLARIS National Security, emphasized that candidates who highlight their experience in the Biden administration should be prepared to address the national security decisions made during their tenure, particularly regarding the Afghanistan withdrawal and policies that may have emboldened Iran and its proxies. He stated that voters deserve transparency about what went wrong and how candidates would approach future leadership roles.
As Conley campaigns for a congressional seat, her record during a critical period in U.S. national security will likely be scrutinized by voters and political analysts alike.
