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

What China’s ‘World-Class Navy’ Means for the U.S. and Asia

Experts worry that the U.S. is losing a critical edge in the competition with Beijing

What China’s ‘World-Class Navy’ Means for the U.S. and Asia

DEEP DIVE — On a Wednesday in November, with Chinese President Xi Jinping looking on, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned the [...] More

ChinaAsia
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The Open Source Report

<span>Global Intelligence Report for Wednesday, December 10, 2025</span>

Global Intelligence Report for Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Danish intelligence agency describes U.S. security risk

Trump reportedly presses Ukraine to agree to peace deal by Christmas

Hamas says Gaza truce cannot enter second phase over alleged Israeli “violations”

Former senior Chinese diplomat urges China-Russia cooperation against Japan

Access Today’s Report

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Can Europe Survive the New Multipolar World?

Brigadier General Edin Fako

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — For more than three decades after the Cold War, Europe lived under the illusion that history had settled in its favor. Liberal democracy seemed ascendant, global markets expanded without friction, and [...] More

Europe

Inside the Pentagon IG’s Findings on Signalgate

Walter Pincus

OPINION — “The [Defense] Secretary [Pete Hegseth] sent nonpublic DoD information [on March 15 at 11:44 EDT] identifying the quantity and strike times of manned U.S. aircraft over hostile [Houthi] territory [in Yemen] over [...] More

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News & Analysis

The Kremlin's Kill List: Inside a Culture of State-Sponsored Murder

The Kremlin's Kill List: Inside a Culture of State-Sponsored Murder

EXPERT OPINION / PERSPECTIVE — The 2024 spy swap between Russia and the West exposed a brutal truth: Moscow still treats innocent civilians as [...] More

RussiaEurope

Opinion

The Delhi Blast and Pakistan’s Proxy War: Why Another Clash Looks Likely

Siddhant Kishore

The Delhi Blast and Pakistan’s Proxy War: Why Another Clash Looks Likely

OPINION — South Asia has once again returned to the global spotlight after a suicide bombing struck the heart of India’s capital on November 10. The [...] More

Alternative PerspectivesAsia

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Tapping a China Vibe in South Koreaplay icon

Tapping a China Vibe in South Korea

The Open Source Report

Book Reviews

Stealing Success: A Hard Look at China's Rise
Stealing Success: A Hard Look at China's Rise

The FBI’s Pursuit of Chi Mak and the Challenge of Modern Spycraft
The FBI’s Pursuit of Chi Mak and the Challenge of Modern Spycraft

Want a Security Clearance? Stop Smoking Pot and Read This
Want a Security Clearance? Stop Smoking Pot and Read This

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The Best National Security Gossip

U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY EARNS FIVE STARS FROM MOSCOW: The good news is that while the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 requires presidents to submit a National Security Strategy (NSS) to Congress every year, it does not require them to actually follow their own strategy. The newly released NSS document from the Trump White House received high praise – from Moscow – where Kremlin spokesmen proclaimed it as “largely consistent” with Russian government views. In Europe, the reception was considerably chillier in part because the national strategy warns that the continent faces “civilizational erasure” due to migration [...] More

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Events

Live Events

The Cipher Brief 2026 HONORS Awards

The Cipher Brief 2026 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of March 13, 2026. This Black-Tie event is invite only, please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 13 March, 2026

Podcasts

State Secrets


Join Suzanne Kelly as she delves into the world of Russian intelligence with former CIA operations officer Sean Wiswesser. Discover the intricacies of Russian operations, the impact of propaganda, and the ongoing secret war led by Putin. Gain insights into the challenges faced by the Russian people and the global implications of state-sponsored actions. Don't miss this eye-opening episode of the State Secrets Podcast.

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.