IN THIS WEEK’S DEAD DROP RUMINT FILE: The NSA may have a new Deputy Director very soon and that could be followed by a new NSA director being named with only one hat as the debate over splitting NSA [...] More

Dead Drop: May 16

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR: On Tuesday, Fox News was the first to report that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard removed the top two officials from the National Intelligence Council. There was [...] More

Chinese Ghost Machines: The Hidden Risk in Australia's Energy Infrastructure

Chinese Ghost Machines: The Hidden Risk in Australia's Energy Infrastructure

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — The recent revelations from Reuters and other U.S. news outlets, detailing the discovery of "rogue" communication devices [...] More

22 May, 2025

Liesl Jordan

22 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

China Liesl Jordan Cipher Brief Expert View Espionage

Security will be a Critical Aspect of New AI Center

Security will be a Critical Aspect of New AI Center

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — The recent signing of an agreement between the United Arab Emirates and the United States to create a large scale joint center [...] More

21 May, 2025

Rick Ledgett

21 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

Middle East Cipher Brief Expert View national security

Counter-AI May be the Most Important AI Battlefront

Counter-AI May be the Most Important AI Battlefront

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — Artificial intelligence (AI) has truly captivated the American imagination, with increasing attention focused on the latest AI [...] More

21 May, 2025

Jennifer Ewbank

21 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

Cyber Initiatives Group Cipher Brief Expert View Tech/Cyber national security

As Negotiations Over Ukraine Drag On, What Can Putin Stand to Lose?

As Negotiations Over Ukraine Drag On, What Can Putin Stand to Lose?

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE - “How Many Divisions has the Pope Got?” Josef Stalin’s sarcastic, contemptuous dismissal of an appeal by Pope Pius XI to a higher [...] More

20 May, 2025

Mark Kelton

20 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

Russia Cipher Brief Expert View Ukraine

How the U.S. is Tapping a Much Bigger Well in The Middle East

an expert deep dive

How the U.S. is Tapping a Much Bigger Well in The Middle East

EXPERT DEEP DIVE – President Donald Trump’s first official trip to the Middle East during his current administration may have tapped a well that runs [...] More

19 May, 2025

The Cipher Brief

19 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

Middle East Tech/Cyber

What Comes After Istanbul Will Define Ukraine

What Comes After Istanbul Will Define Ukraine

Never give in—never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. [...] More

16 May, 2025

Rob Dannenberg

16 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

Russia Cipher Brief Expert View Ukraine

Afghanistan's Tale of Two Extremist Movements

Afghanistan's Tale of Two Extremist Movements

OPINION — There has been considerable comparison between the Taliban and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as both groups originated from extremist [...] More

16 May, 2025

Matin Bek

16 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

Afghanistan Matin Bek

What Could Follow the U.S. Surprise in Syria?

CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING – President Donald Trump made a number of headlines this week as he led an impressive delegation of government and private [...] More

15 May, 2025

Brad Christian

15 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

Middle East Syria Brad Christian

Dead Drop: May 10

CIPHER BRIEF EXPERTS ARRIVE IN KYIV: This week’s DD is a day late. And it’s not because our spies blew their deadline. It’s because a lot of Cipher [...] More

10 May, 2025

Suzanne Kelly

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