Defense and Security

  • United States
    A Conversation With Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines
    Play
    Please note that the CFR meeting with Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Thursday, December 5, 2024, will now be held from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. (EST) due to a change in the speaker’s schedule. The lunch will begin at 12:15 p.m. Avril Haines discusses strategic competition with China and the operations of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, including her focus on collaboration with the private sector and the intelligence community’s recruitment needs. For those attending virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question and answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this meeting will be posted on the CFR website.  
    Virtual Event by Avril Haines and Michael Froman December 5, 2024
  • Israel
    Assessing a Year of War in the Middle East
    A year after Hamas’s devastating October 7 attack, Israel faces a seven-front war and deepening divisions between its military and Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is dire. This joint symposium between CFR and the Institute for National Security Studies (Israel) will bring together a broad range of regional and military experts to reflect on a year of war in the Middle East and how the change in U.S. administrations could shape evolving regional dynamics. The sessions will cover the present state of the war in Gaza, the future of Middle East peace processes, and U.S. strategy towards Iran. Click here to download the full agenda for the symposium.  Members may bring a guest to this symposium.
    Virtual Event by Audrey Kurth Cronin, Tamir Hayman, Robert Pape, Elliott Abrams , Nazanin Boniadi, Salam Fayyad, Richard Haass , Assaf Orion, Itamar Rabinovich, Mara E. Rudman, Steven A. Cook , Elise Labott and Janine Zacharia December 3, 2024
  • Latin America
    Latin America Reacts to Trump’s Election, With Will Freeman (Transition 2025, Episode 5)
    Podcast
    Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin America studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Trump’s victory is being viewed in Latin America and what his policies toward the region might be. This episode is the fifth in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
    Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Will Freeman December 3, 2024 The President’s Inbox

Experts in this Topic

Richard K. Betts

Adjunct Senior Fellow for National Security Studies

Biddle Headshot
Stephen Biddle

Adjunct Senior Fellow for Defense Policy

Max Boot Headshot
Max Boot

Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow for National Security Studies

Nathan Colvin
Nathan M. Colvin

Military Fellow, U.S. Army

Thomas E. Donilon
Thomas E. Donilon

Distinguished Fellow

Rush Doshi Headshot
Rush Doshi

C.V. Starr Senior Fellow for Asia Studies and Director of the China Strategy Initiative

Shuxian Luo

Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow

Manjari Chatterjee Miller

Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia

Lori Murray Headshot
Lori Esposito Murray

Senior Fellow for National Security and Managing Director of CEO Programs

Thomas P. O’Donnell
Thomas P. O’Donnell

Military Fellow, U.S. Navy

Poneman Headshot
Daniel B. Poneman

Senior Fellow

Todd E. Randolph

Military Fellow, U.S. Air Force

Wilfred Rivera
Wilfred Rivera

Military Fellow, U.S. Marine Corps

Carla Anne Robbins
Carla Anne Robbins

Senior Fellow

David Sacks

Fellow for Asia Studies

Sheila A. Smith

John E. Merow Senior Fellow for Asia-Pacific Studies

Paul Stares
Paul B. Stares

General John W. Vessey Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention and Director of the Center for Preventive Action

Jacob Ware Headshot
Jacob Ware

Research Fellow

  • Cybersecurity
    Cyber Week in Review: November 22, 2024
    Justice Department says Google should divest search engine; U.S. court orders release of NSO Group documents; U.S. hosts AI safety meeting; Trump taps Carr as FCC chair; China hosts World Internet Conference.
    Blog Post by Kat Duffy , Kyle Fendorf , Zoë Moore and Maya Schmidt November 22, 2024 Net Politics
  • United States
    Transforming Terrain—How AI is Shaping the Future of Geospatial Intelligence: A Conversation With Frank Whitworth
    Play
    Vice Admiral Frank ‘Trey’ Whitworth, director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), explores the NGA’s current initiatives and how AI is transforming the field of geospatial intelligence. Please note there is no virtual component to this meeting. The audio, video, and transcript of this virtual meeting will be posted on the CFR website.
    Event with Frank Whitworth III and Massimo Calabresi November 21, 2024
  • United States
    Young Professionals Briefing With CFR Military Fellows
    Play
    CFR Military Fellows discuss ways their respective branches are meeting the challenges of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, climate change, and an evolving global threat landscape. The CFR Young Professionals Briefing Series provides an opportunity for those early in their careers to engage with CFR. The briefings feature remarks by experts on critical global issues and lessons learned in their careers. These events are intended for individuals who have completed their undergraduate studies and have not yet reached the age of thirty to be eligible for CFR term membership. We are pleased to extend this invitation to you through the recommendation of a CFR member. If you no longer wish to receive these invitations, please let us know by replying to this email. If you wish to attend virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question and answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and the transcript of this hybrid meeting will be posted on the CFR website. 
    Virtual Event by Nathan M. Colvin, Thomas P. O'Donnell, Tina J. Peña, Todd E. Randolph, Wilfred Rivera and Meena Bose November 20, 2024
  • United States
    The Interconnections of Science and Foreign Policy
    Play
    In the inaugural launch of this new forum on science and foreign policy, U.S. State Department science envoys—specializing in fusion energy, ocean sustainability, and quantum technology—discuss the relationship between science and U.S. foreign policy in addressing global challenges through collaboration, and ways policymakers can support these efforts more effectively.   Established in 2024, the Norman E. Alexander Family M Foundation Forum on Science and Foreign Policy is an endowed annual event that explores the interconnections among the natural sciences, emerging technologies, and foreign policy and national security. It was made possible through the generosity of the Norman E. Alexander Family M Foundation in recognition of Mr. Alexander’s lifelong engagement in all manner of discourse for the betterment of humanity. The forum provides a unique platform for interdisciplinary knowledge-sharing among scientists and foreign policy experts. 
    Virtual Event by Stephanie Diem, Dawn Wright and Margaret (Peggy) Hamburg November 18, 2024 Norman E. Alexander Family M Foundation Forum on Science and Foreign Policy
  • Ukraine
    Ukraine’s ATACMS: What Will the U.S. Missiles Mean for the War?
    President Joe Biden has given the green light for Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missile systems to strike deep inside Russian territory. What could it mean for the course of the war?
    Expert Brief by Max Boot November 18, 2024 National Security and Defense Program
  • Cybersecurity
    Cyber Week in Review: November 15, 2024
    U.S. will vote yes on UN Cybercrime Convention; Norway selected to host 2025 Internet Governance Forum; DHS releases responsible AI framework; CISA releases list of top vulnerabilities in 2023; GEC faces shutdown.
    Blog Post by Kat Duffy , Zoë Moore, Kyle Fendorf and Maya Schmidt November 15, 2024 Net Politics
  • Latin America
    Illegal Gold Finances Latin America’s Dictators & Cartels. The United States Must Lead the Fight Against It.
    Four policy ideas to curb illegal gold mining in the Western Hemisphere.
    Blog Post by Will Freeman and Steven Holmes November 15, 2024 Latin America’s Moment
  • Israel
    U.S. Aid to Israel in Four Charts
    Israel has long been the leading recipient of U.S. foreign aid, including military assistance. That aid has come under heightened scrutiny amid Israel’s conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.
    Article by Jonathan Masters and Will Merrow November 13, 2024
  • Iran
    Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
    The IRGC is one of the most powerful organizations in Iran, conceived as the principal defender of the 1979 revolution, and now a critical link to Islamist militant groups violently opposed to Israel and the United States.
    Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors November 12, 2024