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

Former CIA Station Chief on the Trump Administration’s Caribbean Strategy

What the growing U.S. military footprint in Latin America and escalating strikes on drug cartels tells us about the administration’s plans

Former CIA Station Chief on the Trump Administration’s Caribbean Strategy

EXPERT INTERVIEW — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced today that the U.S. has carried out three additional strikes on four sea vessels, bringing [...] More

AmericasLatin America
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The Open Source Report

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a bilateral meeting at Gimhae Air Base on October 30, 2025 in Busan, South Korea.

Global Intelligence Report for Thursday, October 30, 2025

Trump cuts China tariffs and says issue over trade of rare earths is "settled"

U.S. to restart nuclear weapons testing after a 33 year pause

Russia tests nuclear-capable Poseidon super torpedo, Putin says

U.S. to withdraw some troops from NATO's eastern flank, Romania says

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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Trump’s National Guard Plan Faces Legal Pushback and Constitutional Questions

Walter Pincus

OPINION — “I'm not going to answer particulars on something that may be in the planning process, but we definitely do have multiple layers of National Guard response forces, whether it's in each state, whether it's [...] More

AmericasWalter PincusFine Print

America’s Drug Crisis: Why the U.S. Must Fight Traffickers Abroad—and Addiction at Home

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

OPINION — It is the responsibility of the U.S. Government to ensure that illicit drugs do not enter the U.S. and to ensure that those countries and narcotraffickers involved in the illicit drug business are prevented from [...] More

AmericasAmbassador Joseph DeTraniLatin America
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News & Analysis

Inside Zelensky’s “Mega-Drone Deal” with the U.S.

Inside Zelensky’s “Mega-Drone Deal” with the U.S.

DEEP DIVE – Often lost in the Trump administration's on-again, off-again offer to deliver Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine is the proposed deal that [...] More

Tech/CyberEuropeUkraine

Opinion

Ukraine’s Winter War Is the World’s Test — and America Can’t Afford to Blink

Dr. Douglas J. Davis, MD, PhD

Ukraine’s Winter War Is the World’s Test — and America Can’t Afford to Blink

OPINION — Two weeks ago, my colleagues and I stood in Dnipro while warning sirens cut across the city and Shahed drones screamed overhead. We had [...] More

UkraineEuropeAlternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Tapping a China Vibe in South Koreaplay icon

Tapping a China Vibe in South Korea

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Book Reviews

Courage and Betrayal in the Heart of Hitler's Germany
Courage and Betrayal in the Heart of Hitler's Germany

The Nuclear Age: How the Quest for the Bomb Redefined Power — and Still Shapes Today’s Global Order
The Nuclear Age: How the Quest for the Bomb Redefined Power — and Still Shapes Today’s Global Order

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The Best National Security Gossip

RIGHT AND WONG: To say that there is a little sniping going on between federal government spokespeople and the media – might be underselling it just a bit. On Tuesday, Kevin Baron, a founding editor for Defense One who has also worked for Politico, Stars and Stripes, and the National Journal (and also served as VP of the Pentagon Press Association) re-posted on social media a clip of the President speaking to the crew of USS George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan with Trump saying “Look at all the fake news back there.” Baron’s perspective was that “Trump has been training the rank-and-file military to hate the press since [...] More

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Events

Live Events

Threat Conference

Threat Conference

The Cipher Brief Threat Conference is the nation’s premier forum for non-partisan discussion of global threats and solutions as well as high-level [...] More

Previous Event: 19 October, 2025

Podcasts

State Secrets

Shawn Chenoweth has one of the most fascinating titles in government, Director of Cognitive Advantage at the National Security Council. Sean explains the concept of cognitive advantage, the challenges of measuring success, and talks about the 'Kill Web' concept, which highlights the interconnectedness of information and cognitive processes in modern warfare.

Cover Stories: Spies, Books & Entertainment


David McCloskey, former CIA Analyst turned novelist is out with his fourth book, The Persian, about an Iranian dentist who is recruited by Mossad to take on a dangerous mission inside Iran. Cover Stories Host Suzanne Kelly digs in on how McCloskey’s real-life Intelligence background fueled his latest novel, and discovers a few of McCloskey’s own secrets along the way.