Douglas A. Ollivant is an American retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, former National Security Council official, political candidate, and managing partner of Mantid International, LLC, a global strategic consulting firm.
Military and Government Career
Ollivant served in the U.S. Army, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His military assignments included two combat tours in Iraq: in 2004–2005 in Baghdad, Najaf, and Fallujah, and in 2006–2007 as Chief of Plans for Multi-National Division Baghdad, where he led the planning team that designed the U.S. and coalition portion of the Baghdad Security Plan, a key component of what became known as the "Surge." In 2010–2011, he served in Afghanistan as the Senior Counterinsurgency Advisor to the Commander, Regional Command-East.
His last government assignment was as Director for Iraq at the National Security Council, serving under both the Bush and Obama administrations. He also taught politics at the United States Military Academy at West Point for three years.
Education
Ollivant holds a B.A. from Wheaton College, a Master's degree from James Madison University, a Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army's School of Advanced Military Studies.
Private Sector and Think Tank Work
Since 2012, Ollivant has been Managing Partner and Senior Vice President of Mantid International, LLC, a global consulting firm focusing on international business, compliance, anti-corruption, and asset recovery, with offices in Washington, D.C., Beirut, Baghdad, Hilla, and Basra. He is also an ASU Future of War senior fellow at New America and a contributor to the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He has written for War on the Rocks and has been a frequent television commentator on defense and Middle East issues for networks including CNN, PBS, NPR, MSNBC, ABC, and Al Jazeera America.
Political Candidacy
In 2025, Ollivant announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia's 7th Congressional District as a Republican. He is running in the 2026 Republican primary against candidates including Philip Harding and Ricky Smithers, with the winner expected to face Democratic incumbent Rep. Eugene Vindman. His campaign platform emphasizes fiscal responsibility, rebuilding American industry, and food security.
Personal Life
Ollivant resides in Culpeper County, Virginia, with his wife Sabrina. He is the father of seven grown children and two grandchildren. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Political Science Association.
