Mr. Patrick Witt is the Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets at the White House. In this role, he leads efforts to develop and coordinate national policy on digital asset innovation, regulation, and emerging financial technologies. Mr. Witt also serves as Acting Director of the Office of Strategic Capital within the Department of Defense (DoD), where he directs $200 billion of investment into the US military’s defense industrial base.
From January until May 2025, Mr. Witt performed the duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, overseeing the entire defense science and technology enterprise, including DARPA, to drive technological innovation and digital transformation across the DoD.
During President Trump’s first administration, Mr. Witt served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, where he helped lead workforce management for millions of federal employees, retirees, and their dependents. After leaving government service, he engaged in various entrepreneurial ventures and served as Managing Director for a lower-middle-market private equity firm. Earlier in his career, he worked for McKinsey & Company, where he advised aviation, aerospace, and defense clients across four continents on a wide range of issues.
A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, Mr. Witt received numerous academic accolades, including the Francis Gordon Brown Prize, a distinction shared by former President George H.W. Bush, and was also a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, Rhodes, and Mitchell Scholarships. In addition to his academic achievements, he excelled as a student-athlete, shattering numerous school records. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Mr. Witt was invited to participate in the NFL Combine and later signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints.
Mr. Witt is a proud uncle to Joan, Kirby, Grace, and Charlie. He is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and a member of the State Bar. He is fluent in French.
