Former DHS chief information officer Antoine McCord rejoins Anduril, FedScoop reports
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What happened
FedScoop reported on October 7, 2026 that Antoine McCord, the former chief information officer of the Department of Homeland Security, had returned to Anduril, which the article called his former company. The report relied on multiple unnamed sources familiar with the matter. It did not give his title or role at Anduril, and it included no statement from McCord, Anduril or DHS. It did not say whether any of them were asked to comment.
FedScoop said McCord led the department's multibillion-dollar IT portfolio from March 2025 to August 2026. He also served as acting chief information security officer and head of the Office of Biometric and Identity Management. The article put DHS spending on Anduril at about $148 million in fiscal 2025 and $431 million in fiscal 2026, and reported that the increase followed his appointment. It said DHS priorities under McCord included surveillance systems, a larger data estate, faster AI use and more investment in biometric technologies. Privacy experts and transparency advocates raised concerns about governance controls and accountability levers. Kyle Schutt joined DHS in August 2026 to fill the post McCord left.
Key points
- FedScoop reported, citing multiple unnamed sources, that McCord had returned to Anduril; no title was given.1
- McCord led DHS's IT portfolio as chief information officer from March 2025 to August 2026.1
- DHS spent about $148 million on Anduril in fiscal 2025 and $431 million in fiscal 2026.1
- The article had no statement from McCord, Anduril or DHS.1
Why it matters
The hire connects Anduril to a former IT head of a department that, per FedScoop, spent about $431 million with it in fiscal 2026. The article reported that the rise from about $148 million followed his appointment.
FedScoop paired the hire with DHS's rising spend on Anduril and with privacy experts' concerns about governance and accountability under McCord. That places part of Anduril's DHS business at the center of the report.
The report gave no title or start date for McCord at Anduril, so what the hire adds to its leadership was not stated. It rested on unnamed sources rather than a company announcement.
In context
| Round | Date | Post-money valuation | Raised | Led by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series B | Sep 11, 2019 | $1.0B | $127M | Unknown |
| Series C | Jul 1, 2020 | $1.9B | $200M | Andreessen Horowitz |
| Series D | Jun 17, 2021 | $4.6B | $450M | Elad Gil |
| Series E | Dec 2, 2022 | $8.5B | $1.5B | Valor Equity Partners |
| Series F | Aug 8, 2024 | $14B | $1.5B | Founders Fund and Sands Capital |
| Series G | Jun 5, 2025 | $31B | $2.5B | Founders Fund |
| Series H | May 13, 2026 | $61B | $5.0B | Andreessen Horowitz and Thrive Capital |
Updated
Fact-check
- Antoine McCord, former DHS chief information officer, has returned to Anduril.Reported by [1] FedScoop on October 7, 2026 from multiple sources familiar with the matter; the article contains no statement from McCord, Anduril or DHS, and no title is given.Partly verified
- McCord was DHS chief information officer from March 2025 to August 2026.Confirmed by [1] FedScoop: it says he led DHS's multibillion-dollar IT portfolio from March 2025 to August 2026.Verified
- McCord also served as acting chief information security officer and head of the Office of Biometric and Identity Management.Confirmed by [1] FedScoop, which lists both roles.Verified
- DHS spent about $148 million on Anduril in fiscal 2025 and $431 million in fiscal 2026.Confirmed by [1] FedScoop, which gives these figures and says the increase followed McCord's appointment.Verified
- Kyle Schutt joined DHS in August 2026 to fill the post McCord left.Confirmed by [1] FedScoop, which says Schutt joined DHS in August 2026 to fill the gap left by McCord's departure.Verified
Sources
- [1]FedScoop (opens in a new tab)Former DHS CIO lands back at Anduril
