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

Open Source Report for Friday, May 25, 2025

  • U.S. State Department overhaul will gut workforce, push 'Western values.’

  • Russia Appears to Launch New Offensive in Ukraine Amid Peace Talks

  • North Korea’s Surging Military Aid to Russia Detailed in Report

  • Saudi Arabia warned Iran to reach deal with U.S. or risk Israeli strike

  • Nvidia’s Huang warns that Chinese AI rivals have ‘evolved,’ are now ‘formidable’.
Access the Report

Russia's Nuclear Rhetoric: Cold War Redux

Russia escalates nuclear saber-rattling as signaling to West over Ukraine

Russia's Nuclear Rhetoric: Cold War Redux
EXPERT INTERVIEW — Russia has accompanied its war against Ukraine with an escalation of nuclear rhetoric reminiscent of that used during the Cold [...] More

The Experts

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

U.S. Counterintelligence in the 21st Century: Confronting the Russia–China Threat Nexus

Susan Miller
Emmanouil M. Karatarakis
OPINION — Geopolitical rivalry with China and Russia is growing, and this is making counterintelligence even more critical to U.S. national security. [...] More

Dear Mr. President: A Former CIA Officer’s Unvarnished Brief on Putin

Glenn Corn
Dear Mr. President:I am hoping you remember me. I spent about 90 minutes with you and much of your cabinet in the Oval Office in the spring of 2017, [...] More

News & Analysis

As U.S. Retreats on the Global Stage, Is China Winning?

As U.S. Retreats on the Global Stage, Is China Winning?

EXPERT INTERVIEWS – As the U.S. retreats on several global fronts -- foreign aid, global health, global alliances and others -- is China taking [...] More

Opinion

Where are the Sage Advisors When You Need Them?

OPINION -- “There are few things you can do that are more gratifying and more satisfying, and when you look back, being able to say that maybe, you [...] More

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Book Reviews

A GOLD MEDAL SPORT: Remember those senior members of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s staff who were summarily fired for – well, it was never entirely clear why – but reports said they were suspected of leaking to the media. And remember the subsequent threats of prosecution? And then an investigation - led in part by the Secretary’s personal attorney (part-time Navy commander) Tim Parlatore – was launched to find out who did what. It seemed a little odd to fire people and THEN investigate what they did – but who are we to judge? Now comes word, via The Guardian, that there may need to be an investigation into [...] More

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Events

Live Events

NatSecEDGE

NatSecEDGE

NatSecEDGE is a unique event that convenes influential voices in cutting-edge fields—artificial intelligence, space technology, quantum encryption, [...] More

Upcoming: 05 June, 2025

Podcasts

State Secrets

CIA veteran Sheetal Patel helped stand up and then lead the spy agency’s Transnational and Technology Mission Center in 2022, at a time when there was no longer any denying that more outreach to the private sector and a better grasp of the technologies that were available had to become more of a focus if the Agency was to maintain its strategic advantage. Patel retired earlier this year after a 25-year career at the Agency and State Secrets Podcast host Suzanne Kelly caught up with her to find out how the Agency’s technology mission has evolved.

Cover Stories: Spies, Books & Entertainment

Former CIA Officer Rodney Faraon served in some pretty fascinating roles at CIA – including as a daily briefer to former director George Tenet and as Chief of the unit that dealt with Chinese and Taiwanese relations. Since retiring, he’s kept his analytic hat on as a Partner at Crumpton Global but he also took a turn toward Hollywood and did what many who have come from the Agency – have yet to do – launch a show for television. In this episode of the Cover Stories podcast, Rodney spills the secrets on how he adopted his CIA skills to help him survive in Hollywood.