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

The Country’s First ‘Cognitive Advantage’ Chief: Influence Is the New Battlefield

Inside America’s New Cognitive War and how the U.S. Is Getting Into the Minds of Our Adversaries

The Country’s First ‘Cognitive Advantage’ Chief: Influence Is the New Battlefield

WEEKEND INTERVIEW — In an era when foreign adversaries can shape public sentiment with a well-timed meme and a handful of AI-driven accounts, the [...] More

Tech/Cyber
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The Open Source Report

Politician speaks at podium with American and Israeli flags in the background.

Global Intelligence Report for Friday, January 16, 2026

Israel, Turkey, Arab Nations Asked Trump to Refrain From Attacking Iran

France replaces US as main intelligence provider to Kyiv, Macron says

U.S. Seizes Sixth Sanctioned Tanker Linked to Venezuela as Oil Control Campaign Expands

European troops in Greenland won’t change Trump’s mind, White House says

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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

What U.S. – China Cooperation Means for the World

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

OPINION -- China was very critical of the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last week. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the U.S. action was “blatant interference” in Venezuela and a [...] More

ChinaAmbassador Joseph DeTraniAsia

Remembering Aldrich Ames and the Lives He Destroyed

Mark Kelton

“I would never wish death upon anyone, but I have read some obituaries with great satisfaction.” - Winston ChurchillOPINION -- I associate myself with at least the latter part of that quote from Winston Churchill with [...] More

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News & Analysis

Russia Signals Minimal Desire for Peace

Russia Signals Minimal Desire for Peace

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — As Russia continues it's brutal bombardment of Ukrainian cities, talks between Moscow and the U.S. to end the war appear on very [...] More

RussiaEuropeUkraine

Opinion

The Coast Guard's Mission in the Gray Zone

Harrison Kass

The Coast Guard's Mission in the Gray Zone

OPINION — U.S. defense planning rests on the assumption that wars are fought abroad, by expeditionary forces, against defined adversaries. For [...] More

Alternative Perspectives

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

The Burden of the Bomb
The Burden of the Bomb

The Mossad’s Most Transformational Leader
The Mossad’s Most Transformational Leader

Can Iran Ever Become a “Normal Adversary”?
Can Iran Ever Become a “Normal Adversary”?

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The Best National Security Gossip

‘MOSCOW, WE HAVE A CYPRUS PROBLEM’: The Guardian reports that Alexei Panov, 41, assigned to Moscow’s embassy in Cyprus - was “found dead after an apparent suicide” on January 8th and the paper is now reporting that Panov was a GRU intelligence officer, adding a whole new layer of intrigue with some sources speculating that Panov may have wanted to defect. Local authorities were denied access to the building where Panov allegedly hanged himself and were only allowed access to the body in an Embassy courtyard hours after the death was reported. No suicide note was shared with local officials but one was said to have been [...] 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

Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly catches up with former BBC Correspondent and Author Gordon Corera to talk about the spy story he found in the archives: the subject of his new book, The Spy in the Archive: How One Man Tried to Kill the KGB as well as what he’s learned from decades of covering the world of espionage and his assessment of MI6’s new Chief.

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.