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.

Investor Gilman Louie has spent much of his career focused on future national security.  Tapped by former CIA Director George Tenet to be the first CEO of the Agency's venture capital arm and later becoming an advisor and venture capital investor, Louie has spent decades working to identify the technologies that will ensure future national security.  He told State Secrets podcast host Suzanne Kelly what clues we have about China's future ambitions and why he believes we're facing an Oppenheimer moment with AI.

Sir Richard Moore gets serious with the State Secrets podcast about the impact that intelligence alliances will have on future security, shares what he knows about China and Russia, lays out the ways in which AI and other technologies will impact the intelligence mission and oh yeah, aliens.  We actually asked him about that. Find out what he had to say in this episode of the State Secrets podcast - recorded just as he prepares to accept this year's Cipher Brief HONORS Award for Impact in Alliance. 

Former CIA Chiefs of Station Ralph Goff and Glenn Corn have spent a lot of time on the ground in Ukraine.  In this State Secrets podcast episode, they share details on what they're seeing there now that isn't making the headlines. Get the raw reporting with Goff and Corn in this special edition of the State Secrets Podcast.

The former head of one of the government's most secret agencies, the National Security Agency, and the former Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, General Paul Nakasone (ret.) sits down with State Secrets to talk about the things he wishes every American knew when it comes to today's cyber threats.

It's a rough business, from traveling the world scouting exotic locations to knowing the correct position of your trigger finger on your pistol to understanding how to clear a room in a hostage situation. And all of that comes before your fingers even hit the keyboard.  Join State Secrets Podcast host Suzanne Kelly as she welcomes spy writer extraordinaire Mark Greaney to talk about his latest book, The Hard Line, what he learned from writing with Tom Clancy and what actually goes into writing a best-selling spy novel.

From cyber vulnerabilities to supply chain risk, Cipher Brief Expert and former National Intelligence Manager for Counterintelligence Sandrea Hwang tells State Secrets Podcast host Suzanne Kelly why modern national security threats are no longer distant or abstract and why protecting data, infrastructure, and innovation now requires whole-of-society cooperation.

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.

Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly sits down with Executive Producer Sebastian Junger to talk about the Netflix documentary 'Marines' and whether today's fighting force is the one we need in today's threat environment.

 In this edition of the State Secrets podcast, we're talking with two men who are carrying one of the most legendary torches in modern thriller history.  Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson are the powerhouse duo behind the tier one series and are the authors of the latest novel in the Tom Clancy, Jack Ryan universe - Executive Power.  Host Suzanne Kelly talks with them about a covert team wiped out in Angola and a high-stakes hostage with action playing out on a global scale, of course.  In other words, all the good stuff. 

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.

What does "peace through strength" mean in 2025—when AI, drones and great-power rivalry are reshaping the battlefield? In this episode of State Secrets, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with David Trulio, President & CEO of the Reagan Foundation and head of the Reagan National Defense Forum (RNDF), to unpack how one of the nation's most influential defense gatherings is responding to a far more dangerous world. Trulio walks through the origin story of RNDF, why it was designed as a bipartisan space for national security leaders, and how this year's forum, taking place at the Reagan Library in California, shapes the tone of debate. Kelly and Trulio discuss this year's agenda - from AI and "deterrence by design" - to fixing the defense industrial base and making acquisition fast enough to compete with China. They also explore former President Ronald Reagan's enduring principles—from "trust but verify" to the centrality of allies and partners—and how those ideas are being stress-tested today in Europe, the Middle East and in the Indo-Pacific. 

In this episode of State Secrets, Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly talks with retired four-star Gen. Stan McChrystal, who served as Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and is author of the new book, On Character: Choices That Define a Life, about what character really means in an era where everything feels political, whether intended or not.

Former NSA senior executive Mike Driscoll joins Cipher Brief's Brad Christian to dissect how America - and its allies - win or lose in the cognitive domain. From post-9/11 SIGINT dominance and its pitfalls to today's OSINT revolution powered by AI, Driscoll details why democracies keep ceding the narrative, what Oct. 7 revealed about messaging at speed, and how to rebalance "the exquisite" with the open. They break down gray zone tactics, attribution lags, tunnel warfare, and the policy/risk mindset shifts needed to shrink decision timelines from months to seconds. Driscoll argues that education, public-private integration, and mission-driven AI are now decisive. If you care about how the next conflict is fought - and who shapes the truth - this conversation is essential.

Lithuania's Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys joins Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly in Washington with a blunt warning: Western military restraint is encouraging, not deterring, the Kremlin. Budrys explains why Lithuania is raising defense spending to more than 5% of GDP by 2026—the highest in the democratic world—and pushing NATO toward offensive deterrence and denial "from the very first inch." He details Belarus' role as a state-enabled criminal actor, from weaponized migration to smuggling operations using high-altitude balloons that forced Lithuania to shut down its main international airport, and why Minsk deserves tougher sanctions. Budrys also walks through recent Russian gray-zone activity in the Baltic Sea and NATO airspace, arguing that only stronger posture—not de-escalation—has stopped undersea infrastructure attacks and drone incursions. The Minister lays out what a potential Ukraine ceasefire would mean for the Baltics, why Vilnius is committing 0.25% of GDP annually to Ukraine's security for ten years, and how Russian forces redeployed from Ukraine could reshape the threat on NATO's eastern flank. He also highlights Lithuania's energy break from Moscow—now sourcing 75% of its LNG from the U.S.—and its push for tougher economic security policies toward China as it prepares to hold the EU presidency in 2027. A candid, front-line view of deterrence, gray-zone warfare, and the future of the transatlantic alliance.

Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly talks with two former directors of the National Security Agency and former Commanders of U.S. Cyber Command about the cyber threat from China, and just what they think Americans need to know. Retired General Tim Haugh – a new Cipher Brief Expert, spoke recently about the threat with 60 Minutes.  He is now also working with investors and teaching at Yale University. And retired General Paul Nakasone is the founding director of the Institute for National Security at Vanderbilt University. Both men have a serious warning for America.

Shawn Chenoweth has one of the most fascinating titles in government, Director of Cognitive Advantage at the National Security Council. Sean explains the concept of cognitive advantage, the challenges of measuring success, and talks about the 'Kill Web' concept, which highlights the interconnectedness of information and cognitive processes in modern warfare.

Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, Author and Stanford Professor Steve Blank has published a phone book of sorts for the Pentagon - at least when it comes to the trickier issue of understanding how the Pentagon buys things – which is a crucial component of future U.S. national security. Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly talks to Blank about his new 'phone book' for businesses trying to sell into the DoW.

As tensions rise globally, so does the risk of conflict. Poland's Prime Minister has recently warned that Poland is closer to war than at any time since WWII.  And while Russia's war against Ukraine escalates with no clear path to peace in sight, other incidents such cyberattacks and drone incursions across NATO airspace are fueling growing uncertainty among European leaders. At the same time, U.S.–China competition is intensifying across economic, military, and technological fronts with some arguing that the risk of military conflict between Washington and Beijing is rising.  But some experts argue the U.S. is already engaged in a "Gray War" with Beijing - without realizing it. In this episode of The State Secrets Podcast, guest host Brad Christian speaks with former CIA officers Dave Pitts and Chip Usher, authors of a recent Cipher Brief article called China's Gray War on America. Together, they unpack Beijing's doctrine of "Unrestricted Warfare," explore the six strategic fronts of China's current strategy against the U.S., and assess America's vulnerabilities and options. From the fight for AI supremacy to the dangers of strategic defeat, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone concerned with the future of U.S. power and security.

Former CIA Director General David Petraeus (Ret.) doesn't mince words: Russia's 19-drone incursion into Polish airspace was no accident — it was a deliberate test of NATO's resolve. Joining The State Secrets Podcast from Kyiv, Ukraine, General Petraeus lays out Ukraine's   breathtaking innovation in drone warfare, noting that units now fly thousands of missions daily, with entire regiments springing up to meet demand. But the Russians are innovating, too.  So, what does that mean for the future of this war and those to come?