This week, The Cipher Brief's National Security Reporter and Europe Analyst Kaitlin Lavinder speaks with Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, former Deputy Secretary General of NATO (2012-2016). A changing external threat environment, internal security concerns, and the rise of populist anti-EU political parties leave Europe in a vulnerable position in 2017. Alexander tells Kaitlin how NATO can play a vital role in European security, and how the United States plays an indispensable role. 

This week The Cipher Brief’s Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani speaks to John Nixon, author of “Debriefing The President: The Interrogation of Saddam Hussein.” 

John was the first CIA analyst to question the Iraqi leader after his capture. He specialized in profiling world leaders for the CIA and spent much of his career studying Saddam. 

In the second part of the interview, John describes the interrogation process, and the challenges of analyzing high-profile targets like Saddam. 

This week The Cipher Brief’s Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani speaks to John Nixon, author of “Debriefing The President: The Interrogation of Saddam Hussein.” 

John – who spent much of his career profiling Saddam – was the first CIA analyst to question the Iraqi leader after his capture. 

In the first part of the interview, John describes his thoughts when he finally came face-to-face with the Iraqi leader, what he uncovered about the weapons of mass destruction, and his views on Saddam’s trial and execution. 

This week The Cipher Brief’s Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani speaks to Vince Houghton, the curator and historian for The International Spy Museum. With all the intrigue and mystique surrounding the world of spies, the museum attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. But as Vince tells Leone, its main mission is to educate the public about the real-life world of espionage – and how spies have shaped the course of history.

This week The Cipher Brief's Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Makhani speaks to Chris Taylor, who leads a course at Georgetown University called "Hacking for Defense". Despite the name, the course isn't just about cyber threats; it uses unique new methodology to find solutions to pressing challenges in national security, brought directly to the class by U.S. government agencies. 

This week, The Cipher Brief's Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani speaks to Haras Rafiq, CEO of Quilliam—a UK-based organization whose mission is to counter extremism, in every form. Much of its work surrounds counter-messaging Islamism by creating alternatives and empowering moderate Islamic voices. Leone spoke to Haras about how Quilliam conveys its message.

This week The Cipher Brief's Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani speaks to David Priess, a former CIA analyst and author of The President's Book of Secrets, which shares the untold stories and historical perspectives of the president's daily intelligence briefing. Press, who served during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, once worked as a daily intelligence briefer for the CIA himself. He speaks to Leone about the types of details that go into the President's Daily Brief. 

This week The Cipher Brief's Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani speaks to Antony Blinken, who served as Deputy Secretary of State under the Obama Administration. As Donald Trump takes office, Leone asks Antony for his views on the diplomatic and security challenges facing this administration. From Russia to North Korea… Syria and Iraq.

This week The Cipher Brief's Executive Editor Fionnuala Sweeney speaks to Mary Aiken, advisor to Interpol and author of The Cyber Effect. Fionnuala talks to Mary to explain cyber-psychology and the impact of the internet on human behavior.

This week The Cipher Brief's Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani speaks to Corin Stone, Executive Director of the National Security Agency. Leone asks Corin about the evolving role of the NSA amid new threats including cyber crime. 

This week The Cipher Brief's Executive Editor Fionnuala Sweeney sits down with Steve Grobman, Chief Security Officer with the Intel Security Group. When it comes to America's security in the cyberspace, the U.S. government and the private sector haven't always seen eye to eye. Fionnuala talks to Grobman about how best to cooperate to the two sectors. 

This week The Cipher Brief's Executive Editor Fionnuala Sweeney sits down with Suzanne Spaulding, Under-Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security. Fionnuala talks to Suzanne about the development and execution of cyber security policies in the federal government. 

This week, The Cipher Brief’s Executive Editor Fionnuala Sweeney talks to Rob Richer, former CIA Associate Deputy Director for Operations and formerly chief of Russian Operations, about Donald Trump’s rejection of a recent CIA finding that Russia helped him win the White House,. She asks him for his opinion on Russia’s objectives and how it conducts itself in the field of espionage.

This week, The Cipher Brief’s Executice Editor Fionnuala Sweeney speaks to Alex Finley, a former CIA officer who served in West Africa and Europe. Alex has gained a niche cult following with the publication earlier this year of her satirical novel, ‘Victor in the Ruble’ which depicts the trials and tribulations of an overseas CIA counter-terrosim officer whose biggest enemy turns out to be Agency red tape. Alex, not her real name, discusses the impact a Trump administration might have on the CIA.

This week, In a post–election special edition, The Cipher Brief's Executive Editor Fionnuala Sweeney talks to Jack Keane, retired four-star general and former Vice Chief of Army Staff. Fionnuala asks General Keane for his insight on President-elect Donald Trump's choice of retired General James Mattis (whose name Keane recommended to the transition team) as Secretary of Defense. 

This week, in a special edition of 15 minutes, The Cipher Brief’s Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani talks to Steve Murphy, one of the DEA agents who was instrumental in bringing down Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Murphy and his partner Javier Pena were depicted in the Netflix series Narcos, during their hunt for Escobar. To mark Escobar’s death anniversary, Leone sits down with Murphy for a special edition of 15 minutes. In the first part of the interview, she asks him how much of the series was accurate, how much was pure Hollywood, and what really happened the day the “King of Cocaine” was killed.

[A word of warning, if you’re still watching the series, here’s your spoiler alert!]

This week The Cipher Brief’s Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani talks to Steve Murphy, one of the DEA agents who was instrumental in bringing down Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Murphy and his partner Javier Pena were depicted in the Netflix series Narcos, during their hunt for Escobar. In the second part of the interview, Leone asks Murphy what Escobar was really like, how they finally caught him, and the true story behind his death.

[A word of warning, if you’re still watching the series, here’s your spoiler alert!]

This week The Cipher Brief's Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani sits down with Ambassador Dennis Ross, Counselor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former senior Middle East Adviser to three U.S. Presidents. She talks to him about President Barack Obama’s legacy in the Middle East, and the challenges facing the next administration.

This week on 15 Minutes, The Cipher Brief’s Executive Editor Fionnuala Sweeney speaks to John McLaughlin, former Deputy Director and Acting Director CIA. On the agenda - why he joined the Agency, his view of the challenges facing the new administration. And a touch of magic.

This week, in a post–election special, The Cipher Brief's Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani sits down with Jack Keane, retired four-star general and former Vice Chief of Army Staff. General Keane has been tapped for a potential position in Donald Trump’s national security team. Leone speaks to Keane after his meeting with the President-elect and asks him about his views on the transition team.

This week The Cipher Brief's CEO and Publisher Suzanne Kelly sits down with Jason Matheny, Director of IARPA, the research branch for the intelligence community that works on ways to tell the future. In the first part of the interview, she asks Matheny what exactly IARPA does and how it accurately forecasts events. 

This week The Cipher Brief's CEO and Publisher Suzanne Kelly sits down with Jason Matheny, Director of IARPA, the research branch for the intelligence community that works on ways to tell the future. In the second part of the interview, she asks Matheny what keeps him up at night, and if there's ways to predict political instability and unrest. 

This week The Cipher Brief’s Executive Editor Fionnuala Sweeney talks to the European Union’s Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove. De Kerchove discusses the challenges of keeping the continent safe, following terrorist attacks in France and Belgium in the past year.

This week The Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with Michael Vickers - former Green Beret, CIA paramilitary operations officer and Undersecretary Defense for Intelligence - about his illustrious career and the security threats that face the next administration.