Michael Loftus

Michael Loftus (LinkedIn) is a national security analyst and doctoral candidate at Johns Hopkins University SAIS, where his research examines the impact of humanitarian norms and belligerent brutality on great power conflict, coalition formation, and U.S. strategy. He previously served at the U.S. Department of State, where he led civilian harm mitigation efforts during the Israel-Hamas conflict, oversaw large-scale humanitarian assistance across the Middle East, directed the U.S. humanitarian response to the Ukraine refugee crisis in Poland, and coordinated interagency efforts during the Afghanistan evacuation and resettlement. Before joining the State Department, he served as a U.S. Army Captain, including a combat advisory deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. His writing has appeared in War on the Rocks and The Diplomat, and he has presented for NATO audiences. He is a Presidential Management Fellow alumnus and a recipient of multiple State Department and U.S. Army honors.