Biden’s National Security Test
Cipher Brief Expert John McLaughlin is former Acting Director of the CIA, former Deputy CIA Director and is the Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at the […] More
national security
How Can the U.S. Rebuild After Shocking Series of Cyber Breaches
President-Elect Joe Biden’s incoming national security adviser Jake Sullivan told NPR this week that the Defense Department hasn’t granted a meeting to the Biden transition […] More
The Russians Have Issued a Wake Up Call
Weeks after a massive cyber breach of U.S. government agencies and private sector companies was publicly announced, there is still not a clear response from […] More
Biden’s Nuclear Challenges
OPINION — President-elect Joe Biden’s campaign slogan, “Diplomacy is back,” will get an instant test after January 20, when his incoming team has just 16 […] More
Improving Transnational Intelligence Sharing
Emile Nakhleh is a retired CIA Senior Intelligence Service Officer and founding director of the CIA’s Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program Office. Nakhleh is currently […] More
A Bill, the President and China
Walter Pincus is a contributing senior national security columnist for The Cipher Brief. He spent forty years at The Washington Post, writing on topics from […] More
Washington’s Cyber Reckoning
As Washington continues to investigate the true depth of what experts are describing as one of the most damaging cyberattacks in U.S. history, both government […] More
A Dangerous Dance with a Nuclear North Korea
Cipher Brief Expert Ambassador Joseph DeTrani is former Special envoy for Six Party Talks with North Korea as well as former CIA director of East […] More
Biden Holds the Cards on Iran, But Will He Play Them?
Gary Grappo is a former U.S. ambassador who held senior positions including Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad; U.S. Ambassador […] More
Holiday Shopping Tips for the Best National Security Books
(The Cipher Brief is an amazon affiliate and may make a small commission on books purchased via The Cipher Brief. ) UnderCover Senior Book Editor […] More
Biden’s Best JCPOA Bid
OPINION — Was the November 27, assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh – Iran’s top nuclear scientist – the beginning or the end of attempts to sabotage […] More
A Few Words for America’s Night Soldiers
Views expressed in The Cipher Brief are individual views and do not represent all experts. Gregory Sims served in the CIA’s Clandestine Service for over […] More
Taiwan’s Critical Impact on the U.S. Supply Chain
Taiwanese factories produce much of the world’s computer chip and semi-conductor supplies that are used in a variety of products from smartphones to medical equipment. […] More
Iran: Assassination and Retaliation
Just over a week ago, Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed by what Iranian authorities describe as a remote-controlled weapon as his car […] More
A Sisterhood of National Security Engineers
The Listening Post tells the stories of women in the national security space by sharing experiences, interviews, and profiles of women who are ushering in […] More
A Border Wall Mess
OPINION — “There will not be another foot of [Trump’s border] wall constructed on my administration, No. 1,” President-elect Joe Biden pledged on August 4, […] More
CIA’s Unlucky Yet Meaningful Journey
Douglas H. Wise served as Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from August 2014 until August 2016. Following 20 years of active duty in […] More
Biden’s Russia Challenge
Even though national security did not play a significant role during the U.S. presidential campaign, President-elect Joe Biden is set to inherent a world in […] More