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Special Report: Nat Sec EDGE 2025

The Cipher Brief's Special Report on Nat Sec EDGE 2025The Nat Sec EDGE 2025 conference took place June 5–6, 2025 in Austin, Texas.ForewordThe 2025 [...] More

Forget Guerrillas and IEDs - The Next Asymmetric War Will Be Engineered

Forget Guerrillas and IEDs - The Next Asymmetric War Will Be Engineered

OPINION — For most of modern history, asymmetric conflict conjured a familiar image: guerrillas in the hills, insurgents planting roadside bombs, or [...] More

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TIME TO CHOOSE YOUR TEAM: The Record, a publication by Recorded Future, reported on Friday that President Donald Trump has decided not to nominate Army Lieutenant General William Hartman, the current acting head of both the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, to those posts permanently. The Record says they have four sources (none on the record of course) confirming the decision. What’s more, they say Hartman, when told he would not be getting the gigs, put in his retirement papers. Hartman not getting the job is a little confusing if, as The Record reports, he had the support of both Secretary of War Pete [...] More

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State Secrets

As tensions rise globally, so does the risk of conflict. Poland’s Prime Minister has recently warned that Poland is closer to war than at any time since WWII. And while Russia’s war against Ukraine escalates with no clear path to peace in sight, other incidents such cyberattacks and drone incursions across NATO airspace are fueling growing uncertainty among European leaders.

At the same time, U.S.–China competition is intensifying across economic, military, and technological fronts with some arguing that the risk of military conflict between Washington and Beijing is rising. But some experts argue the U.S. is already engaged in a “Gray War” with Beijing - without realizing it.

In this episode of The State Secrets Podcast, guest host Brad Christian speaks with former CIA officers Dave Pitts and Chip Usher, authors of a recent Cipher Brief article called China’s Gray War on America. Together, they unpack Beijing’s doctrine of “Unrestricted Warfare,” explore the six strategic fronts of China’s current strategy against the U.S., and assess America’s vulnerabilities and options. From the fight for AI supremacy to the dangers of strategic defeat, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone concerned with the future of U.S. power and security.