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State Secrets
by The Cipher Brief
State Secrets is a weekly interview podcast featuring Cipher Brief experts and national security leaders.
Episodes
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A Decade of Warning Signs: How America's Threats Have Changed
A 10th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION of the State Secrets Podcast with Suzanne Kelly and Brad Christian as they share the behind-the-scenes stories from the past decade as The Cipher Brief prepares to host the Cipher Brief Threat Conference. From a world where terrorism was front and center and AI...
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The Changing Character of War: Inside the Future Battlefield
In this episode of The Cipher Brief's State Secrets podcast, host Suzanne Kelly sits down with retired U.S. Army General Bryan Fenton, former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, for a wide-ranging conversation about the changing character of war — and what the United States will need to...
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The Making of the Modern Middle East
In this episode of The Cipher Brief's State Secrets podcast, host Suzanne Kelly sits down with award-winning historian and bestselling author Simon Sebag Montefiore to discuss his new book, The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East — a sweeping history of roughly 125 years that traces…
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How America's Adversaries Manipulate What You See Online
America's adversaries are fighting a war designed to shape what people see, believe, share—and ultimately do. Russia, China and Iran are investing billions of dollars in influence operations intended to divide Americans, weaken alliances and alter real-world decisions, often without firing a…
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The Future of Intelligence in the Age of AI | VADM Trey Whitworth
Artificial intelligence, drones and commercial satellites are transforming the way intelligence is collected, analyzed and used — but as technology delivers answers faster than ever, how do intelligence professionals make sure those answers are actually right? In this episode of The Cipher…
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Held Hostage by Iran: What Emad Shargi Wants America to Understand
Iranian-American businessman Emad Shargi spent more than five years detained in Iran, enduring solitary confinement, brutal interrogations, a mock execution and a 10-year prison sentence after being accused of cooperating with the United States. Now, Shargi joins The Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher...
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Gen. David Petraeus: The U.S. Must Prepare for a Revolution in Warfare | Iran, Ukraine, China & Drones
Former CIA Director and retired U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus joins The Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly for a wide-ranging conversation about the wars reshaping the global security landscape — and why the United States needs to fundamentally rethink how it prepares for the conflicts of...
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Former NSA Chief Gen. Paul Nakasone: AI Is Changing the Cyber Battlefield
Artificial intelligence is transforming cyber warfare - and former NSA Director and U.S. Cyber Command Commander Gen. Paul Nakasone says the speed of that transformation demands a new approach to America's defense. In this episode of The Cipher Brief's State Secrets podcast, Suzanne Kelly sits…
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What Ukraine Is Teaching the World About the Future of War | Rear Admiral (Ret) Mark Montgomery
Recorded on location in Kyiv, Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery joins Suzanne Kelly for a timely State Secrets conversation on how Ukraine is reshaping the future of warfare. Editor's Note: We caught up with Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery in Kyiv just as President Zelensky announced the...
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NATO's European Test: Ukraine, Russia and the Future of the Alliance
Speaking from the NATO summit in Ankara, Nick Fishwick assesses the alliance's most urgent challenges, from Europe's push to increase defense spending to the need for greater intelligence sharing and military interoperability. He explains why a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine remains...
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The Drone Revolution Is Rewriting the Rules of War
The battlefield is changing faster than most governments can adapt. In this episode of State Secrets, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with retired General Phil Breedlove, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, to examine how drones, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems are...
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General David Petraeus: The Future of War Has Already Arrived—Is America Ready?
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…
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THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO HOLLYWOOD — AND THE NSA
What happens when one of Hollywood's most influential futurists sits down with a former NSA Director? In this special State Secrets conversation, Ronald D. Moore—the creator behind For All Mankind, Battlestar Galactica, and Star Trek—joins former NSA and U.S. Cyber Command Commander Gen. Timothy...
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Can America Innovate Faster Than China? Steve Blank & Pete Newell on the Future of Defense
America's national security challenges are evolving faster than ever—and the traditional defense innovation system is struggling to keep pace. In this episode of State Secrets, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with two of the most influential voices in defense innovation: Steve Blank,...
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2084: The Future of War, AI, Climate Conflict—and Humanity's Survival
What happens when artificial intelligence, climate disruption, geopolitical rivalry, and information warfare collide? In this episode of the State Secrets Podcast, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with retired Admiral James Stavridis and bestselling author and former Marine Eliot Ackerman...
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Inside Jack Ryan: Ghost War — Director Andrew Bernstein on CIA Realism & Modern Espionage
What does it take to make a modern espionage thriller feel real? In this episode of State Secrets, Suzanne Kelly sits down with acclaimed director Andrew Bernstein to discuss Jack Ryan: Ghost War — the new feature-length installment of the iconic franchise that brings shadow conflict…
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China, Cyber War & the Five Eyes Fight: Rachel Noble on the New Front Lines of National Security
Former Australian Signals Directorate Director-General Rachel Noble joins State Secrets with Suzanne Kelly for a rare insider's look at the cyber battles shaping modern national security. From China's targeting of critical infrastructure to Russia, Iran, AI-enabled threats, offensive cyber...
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The Narrative Kill Chain
Jennifer Ewbank dives deep into how algorithmic manipulation and AI are reshaping the battlefield of information. As threats evolve, our understanding of them must too. The convergence of technology and tactics is unprecedented, and it's vital to recognize the implications of this industrialized...
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CIA in Mexico: The Hidden Risks Behind U.S. Intelligence Missions
The reported deaths of two CIA officers in Mexico have sparked questions, sharp reactions, and widespread speculation. But what really happened - and what does it reveal about how U.S. intelligence operates in one of the world's most complex threat environments? In this in-depth conversation,...
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What the Future of Conflict Looks Like: Petraeus on Iran Endgame & Ukraine's Drone War
What does "success" look like in a conflict with Iran - and what comes next? In this in-depth conversation, General David Petraeus joins The Cipher Brief's Suzanne Kelly to unpack the military and strategic realities shaping today's most consequential conflicts. From the importance of reopening…
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Tradecraft and Deception: Understanding Russia's Intelligence Machine
In this episode of State Secrets, former CIA Senior Operations Officer Sean Wiswesser examines the evolution of Russian intelligence - from Soviet-era tradecraft to modern hybrid warfare. He unpacks Moscow's strategic mindset, its transactional relationships with partners like Iran, and its...
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ISIS Reawakens: What the Bondi Attack Signals for Global Terror
A mass-casualty attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach in December 2025 shattered assumptions about the decline of ISIS - and raised urgent questions about what comes next. In this episode of State Secrets, Suzanne Kelly speaks with terrorism experts Levi West and Andrew Zammit to unpack what made this...
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David Ignatius on War with Iran, the Future of Espionage, and 50 Years of Reporting
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....
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China's Fancy Dragons in the Sky Hold Hidden Clues for National Security
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...
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The Former Chief of MI6 on Alliances, Adversaries, AI & Aliens
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...
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From a Bunker in Ukraine: Two Former CIA Officers Share Intel
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...
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What We Must Get Right In Cyber
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.
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Mark Greaney gets gritty about what it takes to pen the perfect spy thriller
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...
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AI, Infrastructure, and the New Front Lines of National Security
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,...
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What the Writer Found in the Spy Archive
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...
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Does 'Marines' Fulfill the Mission for Netflix?
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.
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Taking Clancy's Franchise and Executive Power to New Heights
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…
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Inside Russia's Secret War: A Conversation with Sean Wiswesser
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…
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Peace Through Strength in an AI Era: Inside the Reagan National Defense Forum
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…
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Getting Candid with Gen. Stan McChrystal (Ret.) on Character and Controversy
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...
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Information Warfare The New Frontline
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...
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Lithuania's Foreign Minister: 'Western Restraint Invites Russian Aggression
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...
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Two Generals and a Cyber Warning for America
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...
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White House Director: We Need a 'Kill Web' for Modern Warfare
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...
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Steve Blank has Mapped the Pentagon
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…
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China's Gray War on America
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...
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Drones, Deterrence, and Overplaying Putin's Hand: with Gen. David Petraeus
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…
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The Secret U.S. Counter-Narcotics Mission
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited a warship off the coast of Puerto Rico this week, telling Marines and sailors that they are on the "front lines" of a critical counter-narcotics mission. Exactly what that mission is – remains murky but the statement itself was a clue to the...
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Inside Emerging Threats: Former CIA Leader Sheetal Patel on Drones, Tech, and America's Adversaries
In this wide-ranging conversation, former CIA senior leader Sheetal Patel warns about the vulnerabilities the U.S. faces from evolving drone threats, drawing lessons from Ukraine's successful deep-strike operations against Russia. She highlights the lack of clear authorities, resources, and...
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Does the CIA Have a Trust Problem?
In a recent opinion piece published in The Cipher Brief, former senior CIA Executive Mark Kelton suggests that the country's leading intelligence organization has a trust problem both with policy makers and the public. One component of that problem that Kelton argues poses an existential threat…
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Mission CIA: Mapping Beijing's Path to War
Taiwan has launched its largest annual military exercise ever - amid growing concern that China is on the cusp of launching a military invasion. Many national security experts see a Chinese invasion as inevitable. A recent piece published at the cipher brief.com focuses on what Washington will do...
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A Practitioner's Guide to Cocktail Tradecraft
Writing a book was something former senior CIA Officer Rob Dannenberg never thought he'd do, but as he started reflecting on the ways he and his former colleagues would celebrate the successful recruitment of a new agent or the end of an operation that he couldn't talk about, he started thinking...
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Hitting the Panic Button on Rare Earth Minerals
Rare Earth minerals might not be at the top of your panic list today but when it comes to U.S. national security, it's an issue that has the potential to have the greatest impact on both our way of life and our future security. It was on the agenda at the recent G7 meeting where world leaders...
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Ground Truth on Ukraine's Tech War
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainians have used every resource available to fight back. From aid packages and weapons systems acquired from western allies to mobilizing every sector of society to bring innovation to the fight, Ukraine has stayed alive largely...
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Why China's Data Centers Should Concern You
Beijing has long said that it aims to be the world's technology leader but the rate at which it is building data centers – and how it's using them - is raising alarms in national security circles. State Secrets Podcast host Suzanne Kelly is talking with SCSP Senior Director of Intelligence Chip...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does State Secrets have?
State Secrets currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is State Secrets about?
State Secrets is a weekly interview podcast featuring Cipher Brief experts and national security leaders.
How often does State Secrets release new episodes?
State Secrets has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to State Secrets?
You can listen to State Secrets on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts State Secrets?
State Secrets is created and hosted by The Cipher Brief.
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