Drone Sightings are a Reminder: US Needs Better Drone Defenses
What’s going on with all the drone sightings? That’s a question on the minds of residents in several northeastern states and – in recent days – top national security officials as well. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Sunday that the federal government is investigating the sightings, and assured the public that there is no known threat or evidence of foreign involvement.
Memo to the President: A ‘Perfect Pressure Campaign’ Against Iran
MEMO TO THE PRESIDENT — Since Donald Trump’s victory in the November 5 election, The Cipher Brief has reached out to our network of experts for their thoughts on what the priorities ought to be for the second Trump administration. Our ask was straightforward: If you were given the opportunity of a short visit with the president during his first days in office, what message would you want to deliver?
The Axis of Upheaval
Michael and Andy speak with Beth Sanner, former CIA analyst and Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration, about the national security challenges facing the next U.S. president. They explore the complex relationships between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, rising tensions in the South China Sea, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
U.S. Adversaries Create a Web of Threats
Closer collaboration between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea – increasingly referred to as the ‘Axis of Authoritarians’ – requires a more holistic response when it comes to U.S. policy and national security. Experts say the U.S. and its allies are finding that to address concerns posed by one of these countries, action directed towards the others is more often required.
CIA PDB Briefer to President Trump | Senior Intel Analyst | Beth Sanner
In this episode of Combat Story, we hear from Beth Sanner, a former senior CIA analyst and President’s Daily Brief (PDB) briefer to President Trump. Beth previously served as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration, the Director of the PDB and as Vice Chair of the National Intelligence Council.
Israel’s Internal Division are Opportunities for its Adversaries
Before Hamas’ attack on October 7, Israel’s security leaders issued multiple warnings that internal strife – then mainly over Netanyahu’s pursuit of judicial reform – was making Israel dangerously vulnerable to attack by its adversaries.
The World at Risk: Navigating Modern Threat Landscapes
Jane Holl Lute, Former United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security John McLaughlin, Professor of Practice, Merrill Center for Strategic Studies, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University; Former Acting Director, Central Intelligence Agency Beth Sanner, Director, Geopolitics and Strategy, International Capital Strategies; Former Deputy Director of National Intelligence for […]
After Resignation Of Israel’s Intelligence Chief, Will Other Heads Roll?
The human tragedy continuing to unfold in Gaza and Israel reminds us how important it is to get strategic forecasting right. While in no way excusing Hamas’ culpability for 7 October, we also cannot dismiss the fact that the failure to anticipate and prepare for such an attack has had grave consequences for communities on both sides of this conflict, undermined efforts to bring peace and prosperity to the region, and affected global interests through the expansion of the conflict to the Red Sea and potentially beyond.
Executive Briefing | Navigating US-Asia Relations in an Era of Tech Competition with Beth Sanner
Joining us from the United States, Beth Sanner is one of the most influential experts in Security and Intelligence and has served as a trusted adviser to multiple US Presidents, congressional and cabinet officials. She has held senior leadership positions in the CIA’s Directorate of Analysis, including leading the analytic effort on South Asia.
Beyond Taiwan: “Are There Other Crocodiles Closer to the Boat?” & “The United States in the Indo-Pacific: Pivoting or Pretending.”
Richard Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer of Centre for a New American Security & Beth Sanner, Senior fellow at Harvard University Belfer Centre & Former Deputy Director for National Intelligence, addresses the National Press Club of Australia on “Beyond Taiwan: Are There Other Crocodiles Closer to the Boat?” & “The United States in the Indo-Pacific: Pivoting or Pretending.”
Prigozhin’s Final Lesson was that not even He Could Escape Kremlin Rules
Wagner Group Leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was a violent man who lived life on a knife’s edge; that he reportedly met a violent end seems both fitting and unsurprising. Most commentators have made this point, remarking that the only surprise was that it took so long.
Prigozhin’s Uncertain Fate
In the wake of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin’s 36-hour mutiny and the scant and the confusing smoke signals emanating from the Kremlin since then, evidence of Vladimir Putin’s decision-making disfunction and his way forward are coming into focus. How he manages these issues in the coming weeks may very well determine Putin’s ability to maintain his grip on power over the long run.