The Cipher Brief

China’s Military Purges Were Larger Than We Thought

A new report reveals that Xi Jinping’s sweeping purge has removed more than half of the PLA’s senior officers, raising questions about China’s readiness for a Taiwan contingency

China Holds Annual Two Sessions Political Meetings-NPC

In China, the generals keep losing their jobs. On February 26, nine senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – five generals, one [...] More

The Open Source Report

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

While the World Watches the Middle East, War Is Brewing in South Asia

While the World Watches the Middle East, War Is Brewing in South Asia

OPINION — For decades, strategists have warned that the most dangerous flashpoint in South Asia lies between India and Pakistan. The reasoning [...] More

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE: According to press reports, a sailor aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle recently revealed the exact location of his ship by running circles around the flight deck while underway off the Turkish coast. He was allegedly using an app called Strava, which lets runners share their workouts online. Media reports say the sailor racked up more than four miles in a 36-minute workout which could have helped the Iranians target the ship, if they wanted to. French military leaders are reportedly unhappy with the sailor and “appropriate measures will be taken by the command” per a [...] More

Get The Drop

Events

Live Events

Podcasts

State Secrets

Washington Post columnist and bestselling novelist David Ignatius joins State Secrets to reflect on more than five decades covering intelligence, war, and global power. In this conversation with Suzanne Kelly, Ignatius shares his perspective on what he calls a potentially historic moment in U.S. conflict with Iran and explains why today’s battles increasingly unfold in the gray zone - from cyber operations to covert networks operating far from traditional battlefields.

Ignatius also discusses the evolving relationship between journalists and intelligence agencies, the challenges of reporting during periods of restricted access, and why original reporting still matters in an era of AI-generated analysis.

Drawing on decades of travel and firsthand reporting - from Beirut to Kyiv - he explains why being on the ground remains essential to understanding modern conflict, including what he calls Ukraine’s emerging “algorithm war.”

The conversation comes as Ignatius is honored with The Cipher Brief’s 2026 Impact in Journalism Award, recognizing a career spent uncovering how intelligence, technology, and geopolitics shape the world.