Mr. Denmark is responsible for advising the Secretary of Defense and other senior defense leaders on all issues related to AUKUS, and supports the coordination of efforts across the Department of Defense to rapidly help Australia acquire a conventionally armed, nuclear powered submarine capability, to accelerate the development of advanced trilateral military capabilities, and to deepen military technology cooperation between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Mr. Denmark also advises the Secretary of Defense on efforts to accelerate and coordinate a Department-wide response to challenges posed by Uncrewed Aerial Systems.

Preceding this role, Mr. Denmark served as Vice President of Programs and Director of Studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He also previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, where he advised the Secretary of Defense and other defense leaders on the management of key U.S. alliances and partnerships as well as strategies and activities related to the People's Republic of China. Mr. Denmark started his career in the U.S. intelligence community, and first worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Country Director for China Affairs. He has also worked in analytic positions at the National Bureau of Asian Research, and the Center for a New American Security.

Mr. Denmark received an MA in International Security at the University of Denver, and a BA in History (honors) at the University of Northern Colorado. He has also conducted intensive Mandarin language study at Beijing University. His pursuit of a PhD at Kings College London was suspended upon being named to his current position. He is the author of U.S. Strategy in the Asian Century: Empowering Allies and Partners, published in 2020 by Columbia University Press. Mr. Denmark has received numerous awards, including the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service.