As NATO leaders gather in Ankara this week, the alliance faces a myriad of security challenges unlike anything it has confronted in decades.With [...] More

06 July, 2026

The Cipher Brief

06 July, 2026

Ryan Simons

International NATO

The Open Source Report

Global Intelligence Report for Monday, July 6, 2026

Trump set to put NATO unity to the test at Turkey summit

China test-fires ballistic missile from submarine in South Pacific, alarming regional powers

Trump holds separate calls with Putin, Zelensky on ending war in Ukraine

Khamenei’s successor absent from funeral as thousands mourn across Iran

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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Opinion

Walter Pincus

Gen. Dunford: Military Leaders Must Advise, Not Advocate

“We [the Joint Chiefs of Staff] often times in the national security decision-making process or White House meetings -- outside of the Pentagon process -- will go back and forth between military issues and political [...] More

07 July, 2026

Walter Pincus Fine Print

Opinion

David Fitzgerald

Colombia’s Election Exposes a Country Still Split

Colombia stands at a crossroads because of the narrow victory of right‑wing outsider Abelardo de la Espriella over leftist Senator Iván Cepeda. On August 7, 2026, Colombia will close the country’s first experiment with a [...] More

07 July, 2026

David Fitzgerald

News & Analysis

DNI Day Two: Building the Intelligence Community for 2045

Author's NoteIn our first paper, DNI Day One: Three Strategic Decisions for National Security Evolution, we identified three challenges confronting [...] More

25 June, 2026

Renee Pruneau Novakoff

25 June, 2026

Shelby L. Pierson

25 June, 2026

Ryan Simons

Renee Pruneau Novakoff Intelligence

Propaganda paintings with american flag an "Down with the USA text" in Tehran, Iran - stock photo

What Iran Wants and How It Can Still Fight

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is touting success out of the latest round of talks in Switzerland focused on seeking a permanent end to the war in [...] More

23 June, 2026

The Cipher Brief

23 June, 2026

Ryan Simons

Middle East Iran

DNI Day One: Three Strategic Decisions for National Security Evolution

Authors’ Note:This paper is intended to frame a discussion, not settle one.Too often, debates about intelligence reform begin with organizational [...] More

17 June, 2026

Renee Pruneau Novakoff

17 June, 2026

Shelby L. Pierson

17 June, 2026

Ryan Simons

Renee Pruneau Novakoff Intelligence

Pentagon On Lockdown Briefly After False Air Quality Alert

The AI Race Won't Be Won by the Best Model—But by the Fastest Military

The United States Intelligence Community does not ordinarily deal in hyperbole. When the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released its [...] More

16 June, 2026

Hollie McKay

16 June, 2026

Ryan Simons

United States Americas North America

Opinion

How to Get the Venezuela Response Right

How to Get the Venezuela Response Right

When the two earthquakes struck Venezuela last week, killing more than 1,400 people and leaving tens of thousands missing, there was a silent pause [...] More

06 July, 2026

Russell T. Porter

06 July, 2026

Ryan Simons

Alternative Perspectives

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What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Russia, China and the Next Phase of the Global Security Challenge

General David Petraeus: The Future of War Has Already Arrived—Is America Ready?

On the Ground in Ukraine: Why Kyiv Still Won’t Break

2084: The Future of War, AI, Climate Conflict—and Humanity’s Survival

Book Reviews

Cole's Digital Danger Is A Useful Guide For The Wrong Audience

The Nord Stream Sabotage: Mystery Attacks Explained

Transparency Matters: Inside Canada's UFO Files

The Best National Security Gossip

MOSCOW’S HEADHUNTERS – Russia’s largest job platform HeadHunter has posted recruitment listings for drone operators to support air defense around Moscow. Reuters reports that the new recruits will become part of a volunteer unit linked to the Combat Army Reserve Force. The role includes operating drones for reconnaissance and data collection, with minimal experience required. A down side of the drone gig? The pay – which reportedly falls below the city average. The job posting comes as Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian infrastructure are escalating (and Russia continues to target Ukrainian cities with both missiles and [...] More

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2026 Threat Conference

The Cipher Brief Threat Conference is the nation’s premier forum for non-partisan discussion of global threats and solutions as well as high-level [...] More

Upcoming: 25 October, 2026

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of April 9, 2027. This Black-Tie event is invite-only. Please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 09 April, 2027

Congress Questions Pentagon Spending—and the Future of Trump’s Battleship

30 June, 2026

Walter Pincus

30 June, 2026

Ryan Simons

An Intelligence Veteran Reflects on the Impact of Normandy

03 July, 2026

Dave Pitts

03 July, 2026

Ryan Simons

The War Before the War Has Already Begun

30 June, 2026

Bob Pearson

30 June, 2026

Ryan Simons

The Hidden National Security Risk in Smart Cities

17 October, 2025

Anna Gielas

17 October, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Russia’s $11 Billion Soft Power Gamble

02 July, 2026

Glenn Corn

02 July, 2026

Ryan Simons

Podcasts

State Secrets

How will wars be fought in the next decade—and is the United States prepared?

In this exclusive conversation, The Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with General David Petraeus to examine the sweeping transformation reshaping modern warfare. Drawing on his repeated visits to Ukraine alongside The Cipher Brief, General Petraeus argues that the battlefield has changed more dramatically in the last three years than at any point in modern military history.

From artificial intelligence and autonomous systems to drone swarms and machine-speed decision making, Petraeus explains why the war in Ukraine has become the world's most important laboratory for military innovation—and why the United States and its allies must move far more quickly to adapt.

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