State Secrets

The Cipher Brief
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State Secrets is a weekly interview podcast featuring Cipher Brief experts and national security leaders.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    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.

    31 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    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 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.

    30 min

  3. 20 JAN

    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, infrastructure, and innovation now requires whole-of-society cooperation.

    27 min

  4. 13 JAN

    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 covering the world of espionage and his assessment of MI6's new Chief.

    30 min

  5. 5 JAN

    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.

    25 min

  6. 18/12/2025

    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, 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.

    29 min

  7. 09/12/2025

    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 people and the global implications of state-sponsored actions. Don't miss this eye-opening episode of the State Secrets Podcast.

    36 min

  8. 01/12/2025

    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 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.

    29 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

State Secrets is a weekly interview podcast featuring Cipher Brief experts and national security leaders.

Information

  • Creator
    The Cipher Brief
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    State Secrets

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