The Cipher Brief: National Security news, analysis and expert commentary.

The Open Source Report

Report for Friday, April 18, 2025

Rubio says U.S. may halt Ukraine Peace Efforts if No Progress Within ’Days’

Trump says he is 100% confident on Europe trade deal

Hamas says it is ready to release all remaining hostages for an end to Gaza war

China Wants Countries to Unite Against Trump but Is Met with Wariness

Al Shabaab militants killed in U.S.-Somali airstrikes that target weapons ship

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Leveraging AI in ‘No-Fail Mission’ for U.S. Intelligence

NGA Director VADM Frank Whitworth sees AI and the private sector as critical tools in an increasingly challenging mission

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW – It’s hard to overstate the complexity and importance of the work of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), which — by its […] More

The Experts

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

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Featured Viewing

A Temperature Check on Taiwan


Opinion

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Beyond Signal Fiasco

ODNI at 20: Interview with the First Director

Can the U.S. Crush Mexico’s Powerful Cartels?


Book Reviews

Dead Drop

This Week’s Dead Drop: April 18

THE BEST NATIONAL SECURITY BALL OF THEM ALL:  The Cipher Brief is hosting its annual HONORS Dinner this week in Washington, recognizing the best of the best from the national security community. We kind of like this dinner because it offers a clear focus on the broader community of professionals who must come together to ensure future national security. Let’s face it: one person could never do this on their own. The categories in which honorees are being recognized include leadership in the battlespace, leading innovation in government, investing in [...] More

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Podcasts

State Secrets

Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth sits at the helm of the Intelligence Agency that is helping war fighters and Intelligence analysts better understand the world and what’s beyond it. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) works intensely with the private sector to bring the most critical technological advances to the mission – not just here on Earth, but in Space as well. Join us for this State Secretsconversation with Cipher Brief Honoree VADM Frank Whitworth on why getting the technology right – is so important to the broader national security mission.

Cover Stories: Spies, Books & Entertainment

Veteran journalist Douglas Waller is out with a new book “The Determined Spy: The Turbulent Life and Times of CIA Pioneer Frank Wisner. We will talk with Waller about his fascinating examination of the life of a brilliant man who was a standout member of the World War II OSS, one of the founders of the CIA, and a combatant in the nascent Cold War. But Wisner also battled – and eventually lost a fight against bipolar disorder.


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General Michael Hayden

Since retiring from CIA in 2017, I’ve been honored to be a part of the exceptional Cipher Brief team providing expert assessment – whether it’s nuclear proliferation, transnational terrorism, and climate change or hard targets like Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia – The Cipher Brief delivers without the predisposed ideological bias so often prevalent in today’s discourse.

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