Anduril CEO defends company's government contracts amid ethics concerns

Reported / unconfirmed Curated by Anduril News from CNBC and 2 more · October 15, 2026 · 2 min read

What happened

In an interview with CNBC on Thursday, Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf addressed ethics questions about co-founder Palmer Luckey's close relationship with the Trump administration and Luckey's role on a Department of Defense advisory group called Project Meridian. The timing has drawn scrutiny: Anduril announced a shipyard contract worth up to $2.9 billion on October 6, just days after Luckey's appointment to the group.

Schimpf said Anduril has thrived under both administrations. "We've done incredibly well under Biden," he said, noting the company is a Democrat-led firm with relationships across the political spectrum. He emphasized that all government contracts go through competitive processes and the company wins "based on the merits."

The concerns reflect broader questions about whether defense executives who advise the government should simultaneously compete for billions in contracts. Luckey has donated over $500,000 to Republican candidates and groups this year, according to FEC filings analyzed by CNBC. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, also on Project Meridian, has contributed over $276 million to Republican groups since July.

Schimpf also discussed the company's $90 billion valuation in a new employee tender offer announced this week, saying the move gives workers liquidity while keeping the company focused on "a massive, unprecedented ramp in defense production."

Background

Anduril Industries, founded in 2017, is a defense technology company known for autonomous drones, uncrewed boats, and command software. It has grown rapidly and is now valued at $90 billion as of this week, up from $61 billion in May. The company supplies systems to the U.S. Department of Defense and allied militaries. Palmer Luckey, the co-founder and a major shareholder, is known for his political activism and Trump connections; he helped raise money for Trump's 2020 campaign. Project Meridian is a Pentagon working group tasked with examining defense strategy. The ethics concerns stem from a pattern: executives with major government contracts increasingly take official roles in defense policy.

What to watch next

Watch for any congressional inquiries into the relationship between Luckey's advisory role and Anduril's contract awards. The company is also pursuing a massive production ramp over the next two years to fulfill its existing contracts, including the $1.8 billion NGC2 command system expansion and new shipyard work. Anduril's path to a public offering remains undecided; Schimpf has said the company is not rushing an IPO.