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

Remembering the Americans Who Made Ukraine’s War Their Own

There is no official count of how many Americans have died helping to defend Ukraine but the community feels every death just the same

Remembering the Americans Who Made Ukraine’s War Their Own

This Memorial Day, The Cipher Brief is remembering the Americans who answered the call after Russia launched its unprovoked, deadly invasion of [...] More

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The Open Source Report

General Dynamics F-16 fighter jet on the tarmac at the static display during the International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget airport. The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole military fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force USAF, designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,600 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Visitors gather around the US Air Force F16 Fighting Falcons fighter jet. The two fighters have the tail number 91-403 and 901-412 are F-16C Block 50D variants. The 480th Fighter Squadron 480 FS, nicknamed the Warhawks, is an active United States Air Force unit operating from the Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany. Paris Air Show is the world's largest aviation and space industry exhibition focusing on modern and advanced technologies on the civilian and military sector. Paris, France on June 2023 (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Global Intelligence Report for Wednesday, May 27, 2026

U.S. intelligence indicated IRGC mining and drone activity in Strait, prompting strikes

U.S. to pull jets, destroyers and submarines from NATO as part of European drawdown

British spy chief warns UK facing ‘moment of consequence' as threats from Russia mount

U.S. defense industry delegation visits Taipei to expand Taiwan cooperation

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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Opinion

AI, Autonomous Weapons, and the Pentagon’s $55 Billion Bet on Future War

Walter Pincus

“The [Defense] Department (DoD) is requesting a massive increase for DAWG. For those in the audience that may not know, DAWG is the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group [tasked with rapidly developing, testing, and fielding [...] More

Walter PincusFine Print
Opinion

Sweden and Denmark are in a Position of Power Over Russia

Joey Gagnard
Nils Alstad

Two straits, six thousand kilometers apart, are defining the global balance of power in 2026. The first, Hormuz, is closed by force and heavily impacting the world economy. The second, the Øresund, is open, and through it [...] More

Joey Gagnard
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News & Analysis

The G-2: Takeaways from Trump's Trip to Beijing

The G-2: Takeaways from Trump's Trip to Beijing

By most accounts, President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing ended ambiguously for the U.S. From Air Force One on his way back to the U.S., Trump [...] More

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Opinion

Narco-Terrorism as Grey-Zone Warfare: Pakistan’s Hidden Front Against India

Siddhant Kishore

Narco-Terrorism as Grey-Zone Warfare: Pakistan’s Hidden Front Against India

The United States has long framed its South Asia policy around countering China’s rise, managing the fallout from Afghanistan, and preventing [...] More

Alternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Book Reviews

Great Powers Are Back … Yet Again
Great Powers Are Back … Yet Again

Five Traitors, One Last Book Please
Five Traitors, One Last Book Please

War, Climate, and AI Collide in "2084"
War, Climate, and AI Collide in "2084"

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The Best National Security Gossip

UN-MEMORIAL DAY: There is a rumor floating around (pardon the pun) in naval circles – that the administration is seriously considering removing the name of World War II hero Doris “Dorie” Miller from a Ford-class aircraft carrier (CVN-81) currently under construction. Miller was a mess attendant serving aboard USS West Virginia at Pearl Harbor and despite no gunnery training, manned an anti-aircraft gun and shot down at least one and perhaps up to six Japanese planes on December 7, 1941. Cuba Gooding Jr. played him in the 2001 movie “Pearl Harbor.” Less than two years into the war, Miller was killed in action when the [...] More

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Events

Live Events

2026 Threat Conference

2026 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

Upcoming: 25 October, 2026

Podcasts

State Secrets

What does it take to make a modern espionage thriller feel real?

In this episode of State Secrets, Suzanne Kelly sits down with acclaimed director Andrew Bernstein to discuss Jack Ryan: Ghost War — the new feature-length installment of the iconic franchise that brings shadow conflict, intelligence operations, and geopolitical tension into sharp focus.

Bernstein — whose work includes The Americans and Ozark — reveals how the production worked directly with the Central Intelligence Agency and MI6 to better understand the realities of intelligence work, the emotional toll of covert operations, and the evolving threats facing the West today.

The conversation explores the balance between realism and entertainment, why intelligence professionals connected deeply with the film, and how today’s gray zone conflicts — from cyber warfare to disinformation campaigns — are shaping modern storytelling. Bernstein also shares behind-the-scenes insight into filming unprecedented action sequences in central London and what it was like screening the movie at CIA headquarters.