The Cipher Brief

2025: 10 Events That Changed the World

The decisions, conflicts, and power shifts that redefined global security - and what they mean heading into 2026.

SPECIAL REPORT — In a turbulent year, one of the biggest national security stories came in the form of a document.The administration’s National [...] More

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Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

The Push and Pull Between Washington and Beijing in the South China Sea

The Push and Pull Between Washington and Beijing in the South China Sea

OPINION — China uses a layered approach in the South China Sea that blends military power, paramilitary forces, legal instruments, and political [...] More

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ARMY KILLS SPIRITUAL FITNESS GUIDE AFTER FIVE MONTHS -- The Army’s much-touted Spiritual Fitness Guide has been nixed after less than five months. As reported by Task and Purpose, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the guide’s demise in a social-media video, saying that the Chaplain Corps has been sidelined into glorified therapy duty. Hegseth called the guide a feelings journal in camouflage, noting that it mentions God once but “feelings” 11 times. It even worked in nine shout-outs to “playfulness,” a concept clearly not resonating with senior leadership. Back in August, the Chaplain Corps described the guide as a [...] More

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State Secrets

In this edition of the State Secrets podcast, we’re talking with two men who are carrying one of the most legendary torches in modern thriller history. Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson are the powerhouse duo behind the tier one series and are the authors of the latest novel in the Tom Clancy, Jack Ryan universe - Executive Power. Host Suzanne Kelly talks with them about a covert team wiped out in Angola and a high-stakes hostage with action playing out on a global scale, of course. In other words, all the good stuff.