Threat Status Archives

Shield AI unveils X-BAT drone platform for Air Force

Shield AI has announced its new autonomous drone platform that has a 2,000-mile range.

Hegseth memo restricts Pentagon's communication with Congress

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the changes are a "pragmatic step" to improve communication with Congress and designed to "improve accuracy and responsiveness in communicating with the Congress to facilitate increased transparency."

Exclusive: Generals, senior officers say trust in Hegseth has evaporated

National Security Correspondent Ben Wolfgang has a deep dive based on interviews with current and former top officials criticizing Hegseth, even as military recruiting has surged.

Is the U.S. about to launch a covert invasion of Venezuela?

The strikes are designed to put pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who the Trump administration accuses of facilitating drug trafficking throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Gaza’s new war: Armed clans challenge Hamas as executions mount

Gaza’s fragile ceasefire is unraveling into internal warfare as armed clan militias challenge the remnants of a still-lethal Hamas, which has responded with a brutal crackdown that has left more than 30 people dead.

Exclusive: U.S.-Israeli partnership offers new self-destructing drone capability

New self-destructing drones, developed by U.S. and Israeli military contractors, will soon be in the hands of Army soldiers.

Pentagon's feud with the press reaches its crescendo

Reporters representing news outlets that refused to sign the Pentagon's restrictive new press policy are being told to turn in their credentials. Only one major news organization, One America News Network, has signed the document.

Inside the race to counter cheap killer drones

A slew of private defense firms and weapons builders are collaborating and competing on the development of advanced counter-drone systems.

Trump in Israel declares ‘historic dawn of a new Middle East’

President Trump heralded a seismic shift in the Middle East as he addressed the Israeli Knesset Monday.

China warhead arsenal to hit 1,500 in five years

Air Force Gen. Kenneth F. Wilsbach disclosed that the Pentagon now expects China's arsenal of nuclear warheads to reach 1,500 by 2030, as he warned the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Chinese nuclear and missile threat is growing.

AI powering influence ops, phishing scams run by adversary-linked hacking groups

A new report from OpenAI shines a light on just how big a role AI is playing in phishing scams, covert influence operations and other nefarious actions.

Trump to face uncompromising Xi at APEC summit

The Chinese president is expected to make stronger demands of President Trump at their expected meeting on the sidelines of the APEC forum in South Korea.

How the U.S. can maintain air superiority in 21st-century conflicts

The cold reality for war planners inside the Pentagon: It’s no longer a given that the U.S. and its allies will control the skies with ease in any future conflict.

Inside the Trump administration's new military-backed war on drugs

The administration has cast its series of operations against such boats — there have been at least four over just the past month — as a necessary step to stem the flow of deadly drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine into the U.S.

Trump says U.S. at war with drug cartels

President Trump declared that the U.S. is at war with drug cartels and labeled them "unlawful combatants" in a memo to key lawmakers.

Inside the next wave of counter-drone weapons

The future of combating small attack drones centers on directed energy weapons, cutting-edge electronic warfare and computerized fire control systems.

Golden Dome triggers Putin’s fears of U.S. space weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin is voicing alarm over President Trump’s plan to deploy space weapons as part of a missile defense shield.

Hegseth slams ‘fat generals and admirals’ in major Quantico speech

Hegseth vowed to purge the U.S. military of "woke garbage" and said all service members — including the highest-ranking officers — will be required to meet weight requirements and pass physical fitness tests twice each year.

Security concerns forcing leftist European leaders to get tougher on immigration

Several European leaders have pushed back at Mr. Trump's warnings about unchecked immigration, but complaints about open borders from angry voters are fueling a political shift across the continent.

Hegseth summons top officers while media crackdown triggers First Amendment fight

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned top U.S. military generals and admirals to the Marine Corps base in Quantico for a major meeting next week. The suddenness and the unusual size of the gathering have sparked international headlines.

Russian warplanes fly near Alaska a day after Trump's warning to Moscow

The U.S. scrambled fighter jets Wednesday to track and deter four Russian military aircraft flying near Alaska.

Questions swirl around telecom disruption plot uncovered during U.N. General Assembly

Investigators found miscellaneous cellphones and computers, firearms and 80 grams of cocaine at one of the sites, implying a connection between the network and international drug cartels.

Pace of China's military modernization is alarming, Pentagon officials say

Top U.S. military intelligence officials warned that China is developing and deploying next-generation fighter jets and launching advanced satellites at an alarming pace.

All eyes on Trump ahead of U.N. General Assembly speech

One of the key questions swirling around Mr. Trump's widely anticipated address at the U.N this week is this: Does he truly believe he still has a chance at the Nobel Peace Prize?

Could — or should — the U.S. reestablish a major air base in Afghanistan?

Taliban officials rejected the idea that American troops could return to Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base, a former key military facility and regional hub for U.S. troops.

U.S. sanctions Chinese spy balloon maker

The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security this week placed 32 foreign companies, including 23 in China, on its blacklist of sanctioned firms.

Could a perfect storm of controversies reignite South Korean anti-Americanism?

Washington Times Asia Editor Andrew Salmon writes that a resurgence of animosity could shake U.S.-South Korea relations at a delicate time, as the future of the bilateral security alliance is currently under negotiation.

Inside the expanding U.S. war on ‘narco-terrorists’ off Venezuela

Monday's strike was the second in as many weeks against alleged drug-carrying speedboats.

Some NATO members resist U.S. push to stop buying Russian oil and natural gas

U.S. allies have opposed or watered down European Union sanctions on Moscow and continue buying Russian oil, despite President Trump’s insistence on a 100% ban in exchange for heavy U.S. sanctions on Russia.

Pressure mounts on Trump to quickly reengage with Asian allies

In the wake of China's major military parade reception of Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and other world leaders, high-level former U.S. officials argue the U.S. must reengage quickly with the Indo-Pacific.

Is the U.S. military unprepared for drone threat as China advances?

U.S. forces are vulnerable to drone swarms due to insufficient scale.

Is Russia trying to draw Poland into Ukraine war?

Russia is trying to test NATO by luring Poland into the Ukraine war.

Israeli military strike targets Hamas leadership in Qatar

Israel carried out a military strike Tuesday targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar's capital.

Trump threatens sanctions on Russia after massive strike on Kyiv

Trump said he is ready to ramp up sanctions against Russia after Moscow launched more than 800 drones and 13 missiles in its largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the invasion began in 2022.

Trump to Europe: Stop bankrolling Putin’s war by buying Russian oil

European leaders collectively spent more on importing Russian oil last year than they did on financial aid for Ukraine, which totals roughly $21.7 billion, according to data from the Center for Research Energy and Clean Air.

Did Russia hack EU leader's plane over Bulgaria?

Russia is denying allegations it carried out a cyberattack on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s airplane.

Xi, Putin and Kim solidify authoritarian axis at parade in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un flanked Chinese President Xi Jinping on the VIP viewing stand — the balcony of Beijing’s Forbidden City — for China's massive military parade.

Kim Jong-un joins in China's power optics

North Korea's leader will join Russia's Vladimir Putin and Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian alongside Xi Jinping at Wednesday's Chinese military parade

Hegseth halts Pentagon program involving Chinese coders

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Chinese coders accessed sensitive Pentagon data through Microsoft.

U.S. Army’s second wave of short-range reconnaissance drones is coming

Production is underway on a second wave of short-range reconnaissance drones to equip the U.S. Army with small, unmanned vehicles at the tactical level.

Denmark outraged over alleged U.S. influence operation in Greenland

Denmark’s foreign minister has summoned the chief U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen over reports that several American citizens with ties to President Trump have been conducting influence operations in Greenland.

Trump says 'big progress' still possible with North Korea

President Trump said at his meeting with South Korea's president that "big progress" can be made on North Korea.

China expands focus on Tibet, Pakistan and India

Beijing has deployed a high-visibility charm offensive across Tibet, India and Pakistan, highlighting the region’s importance while leveraging perceived American diplomatic missteps.

Russia, China collaborating on a possible Taiwan attack plan

National Security Correspondent Bill Gertz breaks down this deeply troubling revelation: China is working with Moscow to develop an automated command-and-control system for landing operations, such as a future invasion of Taiwan.

What happens when AI can predict a war?

Military insiders say it's time to consider how political and military thinking will change when artificial intelligence is able to predict with near-certainty that a war is imminent.

China denounces 'Golden Dome' as space threat

China is working against the "Golden Dome" plan for a next-generation strategic missile defense system covering the United States, viewing it as a threat to Beijing's own large missile forces.

Reality is setting in: Ending the Ukraine war is complicated

The White House Ukraine summit brought as much uncertainty as it did optimism.

Trump's summit with Zelenskyy hinges on territorial sticking points

The questions of whether Ukraine is willing to cede the Crimean Peninsula to Russia and agree to never join NATO are at the center of Monday's high-stakes meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy and other European leaders at the White House.

Russia advancing on battlefield, spreading chaos in Europe

Russia’s battlefield breakthrough in Ukraine this week and the Kremlin’s relentless sabotage campaign across the rest of Europe has ratcheted up the stakes around the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.

Putin to test Trump’s deal-making prowess at Alaska summit

All eyes will be on President Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Golden Dome to include a four-layer defense system

The Trump administration’s Golden Dome for America missile defense shield will incorporate space- and land-based defenses to create a four-layered system.

Zelenskyy warns Russia not interested in peace

National Security Correspondent Bill Gertz and Washington Times Asia Editor Andrew Salmon look inside the collision between two Chinese military ships during a harassment operation against a Philippine coast guard boat.

Can Trump thread the needle on a Russia-Ukraine compromise?

Fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces raged overnight Sunday into Monday ahead of the high-stakes summit meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin set for the end of this week.

Podcast: Why the Pentagon instituted a Golden Dome gag order

The Trump administration's push for a next-generation "Golden Dome for America" missile defense shield was front and center at this week's Space & Missile Defense Symposium, despite a Pentagon order not to talk about the initiative.

Report: China, Russia, Iran exploit open-source software

Has the proliferation of open-source software, or OSS, opened up security vulnerabilities for the U.S.?

Could Trump accept a nuclear-armed North Korea?

It's a question hanging over upcoming talks between American and South Korean leaders and any future diplomatic overtures from Washington to Pyongyang: Could the Trump administration formally accept a nuclear-armed North Korea?

Pentagon picks a fight with Washington think tanks

Threat Status looks at the Defense Department's decision to slash participation in think tank events, saying they will conduct a "thorough vetting" of all such events before granting permission for any military officials to attend.

U.S. embarks on a major maritime buildup

It's been a long time coming, but there are clear signs that the U.S. is finally moving ahead with the kind of major shipbuilding initiative that military insiders say is crucial to keep pace with adversaries such as China.

NATO scrambling to counter Russian moves in the Arctic

NATO dispatched a task group of warships to the icy waters of the Arctic this week just days after a major Russian naval exercise in the strategically vital region. The NATO mission was made up of Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese and German vessels.

Exclusive: Inside the CIA’s plans for a powerful AI ‘game changer’

Artificial intelligence is transforming the CIA.

Putin’s boasts spark debate about Russia’s role in U.S. history

Vladimir Putin has been using Russian state media lately to promote a narrative that the U.S. owes credit for its birth in the 18th century and its survival during the Civil War to an unlikely source: Russia.

Trump says U.S. would bomb Iran again if it restarts uranium enrichment

The comments came days after U.S. diplomats were left on the sidelines as Iranian officials engaged in multinational nuclear talks with European officials in Turkey.

Video: Miles Yu on the China-Russia relationship

In an exclusive video interview, Miles Yu says the "relationship between China and Russia is not really equal, because clearly China is the boss. Russia is a proxy."

Exclusive: Hackers breached intelligence website used by CIA

Unidentified hackers recently compromised a major intelligence website used by the CIA and other agencies to submit details of sensitive contracts, according to the National Reconnaissance Office, the spy satellite service that runs the site.

China racing to merge man and machine in AI development

China is racing to create a cognitive merger between man and machine through brain-computer interface research.

U.S.-Japan deal critical to security alliance on China's periphery

The Trump administration appears to have staved off the prospect of a widening riff by reaching a trade deal with Japan.

Stakes rising in Ukraine ahead of talks

Officials from Ukraine and Russia are slated to meet in Turkey on Wednesday for a new round of peace talks that come as Ukrainian air defenses struggle to contain the Russian military's expanding drone and missile assault.

Pentagon's focus on drone warfare is expanding dramatically

The Pentagon is engaged in an increasingly aggressive push to accelerate the delivery of advanced, small and versatile drone systems to American warfighters across the services.

Exclusive: An inside look at the L3Harris 'Wolfpack' launch system

Threat Status got an exclusive look at two products from Florida-based L3Harris, which says its "Wolfpack" system can play a crucial role in a new military environment.

The bond between Pentagon and Silicon Valley is tightening

The generational shift that finds Silicon Valley increasingly partnering with U.S. national security, defense and intelligence agencies is accelerating.

Will Ukraine's military target Moscow?

It's clear just how frustrated President Trump has become with what he views as Russia's refusal to seriously pursue ceasefire talks, but he isn't so angry that he wants to see Russia's capital targeted by Ukraine.

Russia dismisses Trump's 'theatrical ultimatum' on oil tariffs, Ukraine ceasefire

President Trump says he's "disappointed ... but not done" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

'Turning point': Trump eyes major new Ukraine weapons plan

President Trump is expected to announce a new plan to supply Ukraine with weapons, including Patriot missile defense batteries and possibly offensive military equipment.

Pentagon still waiting for official damage assessment from Iran nuke strike

U.S. intelligence agencies have completed only the initial assessment of the June 21 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, and Pentagon officials say the final battle damage assessment won’t be finished “for some time."

Chinese-Russian bomber patrol a ‘clear threat’

Chinese and Russian bombers that conducted a joint patrol near U.S. territory in November for the first time represented practice for conducting a strategic nuclear attack on the United States, according to a new report.

Ukrainian air defenses blunt massive Russian drone assault

Russia launched more than 700 drone attacks targeting various Ukrainian cities on Tuesday night.

China signals Trump visit must include concessions on Taiwan

China is signaling President Trump may have to declare that the U.S. does not support Taiwan's independence if he wants a summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Battle lines: Trump takes aim at BRICS

President Trump threatened an extra 10% tariff on "any country aligning themselves with the anti-American policies of BRICS."

U.S. facing unprecedented level of suspected Chinese cyber threats

The scale and sophistication of Chinese cyber threats are unlike anything the U.S. has faced before.

U.S. halts some weapons shipments to Ukraine

The shift from the Trump administration seems to reflect growing concern inside the White House and Pentagon that America's own stockpiles are getting too low.

China stonewalls investigation into COVID origins

Global health officials say they can't pinpoint the exact origins of COVID-19, largely due to a lack of cooperation from China.

Top Iranian cleric issues fatwa against Trump

The fatwa issued against Mr. Trump comes amid deep concern about Iranian 'sleeper cells' already in the U.S. and prepared to conduct operations on American soil.

Trump eyes Gaza truce, Abraham Accords expansion after Iran ceasefire

Trump administration officials say the ceasefire between Israel and Iran after U.S. bombers hit the Islamic republic’s nuclear facilities has created momentum for peace in the Middle East, including a potential end to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Congress pushing to block Chinese AI from U.S. agencies

A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers wants new policy to stop U.S. agencies from acquiring or using artificial intelligence made by China or other foreign adversaries.

Deceptiveness of U.S. strike on Iran sends warning to China

The unprecedented long-range bombing strikes by the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear plants, including sending decoy B-2 bombers to Guam, had the secondary impact of bolstering deterrence against a Chinese attack on Taiwan.

Iranian supreme leader succession process accelerating

Iran's 86-year-old supreme leader Ali Khamenei has been hiding in a secure bunker since Israel began its bombing campaign earlier this month

Trump poised to drive wedge between China and Iran

The administration attempted over the weekend to use the U.S.-Iran confrontation as a way to divide Tehran from some of its global partners, particularly China.

Podcast: Why the U.S. should bomb Iran (and why it shouldn't)

Ben Wolfgang and Guy Taylor break down President Trump's looming decision whether to order U.S. military strikes on Iran in the latest episode of the Threat Status weekly podcast.

Israel's Iron Dome facing unprecedented test

The advanced-tech Israeli missile shield appears to be holding its own, although dozens of the Iranian missiles fired in daily barrages since last week have managed to pierce the multilayered air defense system.

Trump says Iran's supreme leader is an 'easy target'

The back-and-forth threats between Mr. Trump and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei underscore how dramatically the Israel-Iran war has escalated as it churns through its sixth day on Wednesday.

Will Trump order U.S. forces to bomb Iran’s Fordo nuclear complex?

President Trump is weighing whether to order a U.S. airstrike to aid Israel in destroying Iran's vast underground nuclear facility at Fordo.

U.S., China and Russia jockey for influence as Israel-Iran war intensifies

World powers, including the United States, China and Russia, are jockeyed for influence over the direction of the conflict in the days to come.

World on edge as prospect of war with Iran looms

President Trump said Friday that the Israeli military campaign against Iran "will only get worse" and urged Tehran to immediately make a nuclear deal with the U.S.

Digital superintelligence is on the near horizon, says Sam Altman

OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman says humanity is close to reaching superintelligence and he believes ChatGPT is in some ways "already more powerful than any human who has ever lived."

L.A. troop deployments could be pivotal moment for Hegseth

Neither Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth nor Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine appear likely to break with President Trump over the domestic deployment of U.S. troops.

High-stakes for Seoul and Tokyo at G-7 amid Trump's tariffs and defense spending pressure

The Trump administration’s tariffs on Japanese and South Korean goods have ratcheted up the stakes for the two U.S. allies.

Trump on California protests: 'We're going to have troops everywhere'

The initial deployment of 300 soldiers marked the first time since the 1960s that Guard troops had been activated without their governor’s consent.

Inside China's brain control warfare program

Ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu once declared that subduing your enemy without fighting is the acme of skill. For China, that goal is closer to being realized through new weaponry and capabilities that Beijing calls cognitive warfare.

Plans for 'AI Fight Club' brewing in Washington

An 'AI Fight Club' for futuristic war simulations is under development in Washington, with the first fight slated for later this year.

Intel report goes inside Russia-North Korea collaboration

North Korea has supplied at least at least 100 ballistic missiles and millions of rounds of artillery shells and rockets to Russia, in addition to dispatching 11,000 troops to support the Kremlin's war in Ukraine.

Pressure mounts on Putin as Ukraine gains an edge

The situation is precarious, given that seismic developments on the battlefield in recent days are reshaping the war in ways that may put momentum firmly on Kyiv’s side.

Ukraine, Russia meet amid surge in attacks by both sides

The prospects for progress seemed dim Monday as delegations from Russia and Ukraine met in Turkey.

Beijing snubs U.S. at major security conference in Singapore

Beijing, for the first time since 2019, didn't dispatch its defense minister to the Shangri-La Dialogue, a move that seems designed to send a message to the Trump administration.

China-backed hackers said to use Google Calendar for cyberattacks on U.S. government

Google says that Chinese-backed hacking groups exploited the company's Calendar application to infect U.S. government computers with malware.

Hegseth has chance to sway Asian allies at Shangri-La

Sec. Hegseth will be in the spotlight Friday at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, a conference attended by Asian politicians, military officials and industry executives, including representatives from China.

Trump sees opportunity in Syria to advance U.S. interests

President Trump's geopolitical calculus centers on the notion that a friendly Syria going forward will help advance U.S. interests.

Major Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap underway

A major Ukraine-Russia prisoner exchange is reported to be underway, a week after the two sides agreed to the swap and days after President Trump spoke by telephone with Vladimir Putin.

Russian hackers targeting Western tech, logistics companies

The U.S. and several of its allies said that Russia’s military intelligence targeted technology and logistics companies, particularly those involved in the delivery of wartime aid to Ukraine.

Defense industry leaders position themselves for a piece of Golden Dome

Behind the scenes, the jockeying for Golden Dome contracts began long before Mr. Trump's announcement.

Trump says Russia, Ukraine ready for 'immediate peace talks' after call with Putin

President Trump emerged from his two-hour phone call Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said Moscow is prepared for "immediate peace talks."

Ceasefire hopes hinge on Trump-Putin talks

The high-stakes Trump-Putin phone call is shaping up to be the make-or-break moment for the U.S.-led ceasefire push in Ukraine.

Trump pushing for summit with Putin

President Trump says he is considering calling Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the next steps to ending the Russia-Ukraine war after Mr. Putin didn’t show up to the peace talks in Turkey.

Trump administrator halts Biden’s AI rule, plans replacement policy

The Trump administration said that it would formally revoke the Biden administration’s AI diffusion rule, a regulatory framework that would have imposed new controls on chips and model weights.

Senate 'Golden Dome' caucus announced at Threat Status missile shield event

Sen. Tim Sheehy, Montana Republican, announced the formation of the chamber's Golden Dome caucus during his keynote speech Tuesday at a major event in Pentagon City hosted by Threat Status.

Exclusive: Trump weighs Golden Dome czar

Sources tell Threat Status that President Trump is weighing the appointment of a "Golden Dome czar"

Trump embarks on Persian Gulf tour seeking peace, profits, more U.S. power

With stops in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Doha, President Trump is signaling a return to transactional diplomacy focused on arms deals, tech investments, and countering China and Iran.

Trump hits Chinese firms, ships for role in Iranian oil sales

The Treasury Department on Thursday slapped sanctions on Chinese several companies the department said are involved in buying millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil.

China suspected of using 4 Cuban bases to spy on U.S.

Three of the suspected spy bases are near Havana on the north coast and a fourth is on the opposite side of the island near Santiago de Cuba.

India strikes Pakistan, tells China more could be coming

India launched airstrikes that killed at least 26 people in Pakistan early Wednesday, intensifying already high tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Pentagon conducts second successful test of recoverable hypersonic vehicle

The Pentagon’s Test Resource Management Center says the second successful flight of a fully recoverable uncrewed hypersonic test vehicle took place in March.

Are Trump’s direct talks with Iran dead?

The Trump administration's push for direct nuclear diplomacy with Iran has lost momentum over the past week, with Iranian officials reaching out increasingly to Europe.

Rubio: Iran must abandon uranium enrichment

The postponement of a high-stakes round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks comes as President Trump seeks to ramp up pressure on Tehran, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio declaring the Iranians must end all uranium enrichment.

Chinese supercomputer used by U.S. researchers threatens security

U.S. national laboratories and several American universities that are engaged in Pentagon-funded research are using Chinese supercomputers in ways that endanger national security.

Chinese fighter pilots flying alongside Egyptians in extensive joint drills

The air combat exercises include Chinese midair refueling with a Y-20U aerial tanker, air support, battlefield search and rescue, and a Kong Jing-500 airborne warning and control system.

Cost of U.S. nuclear forces is rising dramatically

Maintenance, operation and modernization of America’s nuclear forces are expected to rise to $946 billion through 2034.

Russia says it will hold brief ceasefire in May

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared his forces will adhere to a three-day, May 8-10 ceasefire in Ukraine to mark World War II Victory Day.

Russian general killed by car bomb ahead of Witkoff-Putin meeting

A car bomb killed a top Russian military general hours before the high-stakes meeting in Moscow between President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the three-year-old Russia-Ukraine war.

Top American AI labs ‘almost certainly’ penetrated by Chinese spies

America’s top artificial intelligence labs are on the precipice of unlocking superintelligence that can surpass humans, but their work is being watched by Chinese spies.

'Alarm bells' over Trump's potential nuclear deal with Iran

The U.S. and Iran will begin "expert-level" nuclear talks this weekend. And some analysts believe that's a bad sign.

Surge of Russian attacks on Ukraine ahead of peace talks

Russia launched a wave glide bomb and Iranian-made Shahed drone attacks on Ukrainian cities overnight.

Inside China's push to exploit regional shock over U.S. tariffs

Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia, taking advantage of unease over President Trump’s tariff offensive to promote Beijing’s own far-flung trade, investment and security strategies in the region.

Trump to 'move on' from Russia-Ukraine peace push?

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. could soon "move on" from its push to secure a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. The Trump administration, he said, is trying to figure out whether a deal "is even possible or not."

Inside the White House's plan to beat China in the tech race

One key to beating China in a high-stakes 21st-century tech race is ending American policies that subsidize Chinese growth.

Joint Chiefs chairman warns U.S. can't deter its adversaries

The comments from Gen. Caine, who was sworn into his post as the nation's top military officer last week, came in written responses to the Senate Armed Services Committee.

China is trying to recruit former U.S. officials as spies

China could be targeting former employees at the CIA, U.S. Agency for International Development, Defense Department, or other arms of the federal government.

Time for Russia to 'put up or shut up' on Ukraine ceasefire?

Russia's Palm Sunday attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, which killed more than 30 people, is fueling questions about whether Moscow is serious about pursuing a ceasefire deal to end its war in Ukraine.

Podcast: How robots and unmanned systems will transform combat

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Neil Thurgood, senior vice president at Anduril, dives into the rapidly evolving advanced technology and sophisticated war-fighting platforms used by the U.S. military in an interview on the Threat Status weekly podcast.

Congress probing threats from China’s DeepSeek

China’s artificial intelligence advances are fueling unease among U.S. lawmakers concerned about the privacy and security of Americans.

Are Chinese troops now active in Ukraine?

A top Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on Wednesday rejected Ukraine's claim that a substantial number of Chinese troops are now fighting in Eastern Ukraine.

U.S., Iran to hold nuclear talks on Saturday

Iran's foreign minister has confirmed he will meet with President Trump's top Middle East Envoy for a high-stakes round of nuclear talks.

Ukraine ceasefire remains out of reach

The Trump administration's push for a ceasefire has lost momentum in recent days, with Moscow rejecting the effort despite having agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine.

Russia threatens ‘irreversible global catastrophe’ if U.S. attacks Iran

The depths of Russia's strategic alliance with Iran were underscored when Moscow warned this week that Russian forces will retaliate if the U.S. bomb Iran's nuclear facilities.

Backdoors in telecom networks have enabled China’s hacking

A 1990s law mandating major telecom providers make their equipment compatible with court-order wiretaps resulted in backdoors inside telecommunications networks.

Pentagon adding carrier strike group to growing campaign against Houthis

The Defense Department said the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group will soon head to the Mideast, joining the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, and will remain there as U.S. forces increase their bombing campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen.

Trump’s tariffs could push Japan and South Korea closer to China

An impending trade war may spur a surprising new economic alliance among China and two key U.S. security allies: Japan and South Korea.

U.S. military campaign against Iran-backed Houthis increases

Suspected U.S. airstrikes struck around Yemen’s rebel-held capital, attacks that the Iranian-backed Houthis said killed at least three people.

Advanced tech transforming how Army builds and fixes weapons of war

U.S. Army leaders say rapid technological advances are poised to eliminate some of the massive logistical hurdles confronting a U.S. military operating thousands of miles from American shores.

CIA uses Signal, and America’s enemies are trying to hack it

CIA Director John Ratcliffe this week revealed the extent to which American spies have adopted Signal.

Spy chiefs warn: Adversaries are teaming up against America

Criminal cartels and gangs are what “most immediately and directly threaten the United States,” according to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Inside the group chat leak mess at the White House

The White House has ordered an inquiry into why the top editor at The Atlantic was included on an encrypted group chat about U.S. military strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen.

Trump’s moment of truth on Iran: A deal or a war?

Trump has made clear his administration is prepared to engage diplomatically with Tehran and is open to an agreement that would limit Iran’s nuclear program.

Inside Trump's China strategy: Head off hegemony in Indo-Pacific

Two months into President Trump’s second term, signs of the administration’s approach to Beijing are emerging: China remains the most dangerous flash point for war, and the U.S. defense and industrial base is currently inadequate to support a conflict.

China’s expanding space warfare capabilities

China is rapidly building up space warfare capabilities to destroy U.S. satellites in a future conflict and assist in conducting long-range attacks, according to a new U.S. Space Force intelligence report.

USIP, DOGE feud escalates as think tank files complaint in federal court

There are more developments in the dramatic feud between Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire collapses as IDF launches major strikes in Gaza

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire collapsed overnight, with the Israeli Defense Forces launching "extensive strikes" against the Palestinian terror group.

Trump, Putin to speak Tuesday as 'territory for future security guarantees' Ukraine deal takes shape

President Trump will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, as top White House officials say the two sides are "a lot closer" to a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

United front: China, Russia, Iran call on U.S. to end sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program

Key diplomats from China, Russia and Iran presented a united front Friday at a meeting in Beijing, calling on the U.S. to end economic sanctions and abandon the threat of force against Tehran over its nuclear program.

China’s military developing anti-stealth radar

China’s military is developing advanced anti-stealth radars for deployment on balloons and unmanned aircraft.

Europe, Canada retaliate against U.S. as tariff war heats up

The European Union said Wednesday it has imposed “swift and proportionate” tariffs on U.S. goods after President Trump’s 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S.

Trump team hopeful as Ukraine talks open in Saudi Arabia

Secretary State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz opened talks with a top Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Musk to Polish foreign minister: 'Be quiet, small man'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump adviser Elon Musk engaged in a war of words with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski over the weekend, urging him to be quiet and thankful for keeping Russia away from his doorstep.

Asian allies believe they're in line of fire of Trump’s trade, security policies

One of the core messages of President Trump's address to Congress this week was that U.S. allies and partners around the world must beef up their own defenses. Another was that unfair trade practices would be hammered with tariffs.

U.S.-China cyber and intelligence war heats up

A U.S.-China cyber and intelligence war is widening in the backdrop of trade tensions stemming from President Trump's imposition of tariff hikes on Beijing.

Inside look at why Trump fired top military officers

Robert Greenway goes inside President Trump's approach to the Defense Department in an exclusive interview on the latest episode of the Threat Status podcast.

What Trump will say in his speech to Congress tonight

President Trump will double down on his America First agenda Tuesday night in a speech to Congress.

How the Trump-Zelenskyy fight was viewed in Kyiv

No matter who was right or wrong in the sharp televised exchange, some in Kyiv say the Ukrainian president did his country a disservice with his feisty approach to the new American leadership.

China's 'authoritarian shadow' to be spotlighted at hearing

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark E. Green tells Threat Status that the committee is set to reveal new details of threats to the American homeland posed by China at a hearing on Wednesday examining Chinese “information warfare” activities.

CrowdStrike highlights surge in China’s hacking efforts

Texas-based cyber firm CrowdStrike observed a massive increase in China-linked cyberattacks and digital espionage last year.

Israeli opposition leader pushing alternative plan for Gaza

The head of the Israeli opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is floating his own proposal to resolve the thorny question of the future of the Gaza Strip.

U.S., Europe splitting apart over Russia-Ukraine war

The U.S. and Europe are at odds on multiple fronts of the Russia-Ukraine war, as President Trump sparred with French President Emmanuel Macron over how much money Europe has given Ukraine.

Clash deepens between Pentagon and DOGE

The Pentagon became the latest executive branch to tell Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk to stay in his own lane.

Exclusive: NSA doesn't deny it hacked China

Lead Tech Correspondent Ryan Lovelace has an exclusive story about the federal government's response to charges that the National Security Agency hacked a Chinese university.

What's the 'real' story behind U.S. TikTok ban?

Lead Tech Correspondent Ryan Lovelace tracked developments in an in-depth story about the Denver-based tech giant Palantir and how, to at least some degree, several of its top officials have gone "off script" in recent weeks.

Getting personal? Trump, Zelenskyy trade shots as Ukraine frozen out of U.S.-Russia talks

The back-and-forth between the two men came just hours after a U.S. diplomatic team left open the possibility that the U.S. will support a peace deal that permanently gives Ukrainian territory to Russia.

IDEX 2025: An inside look at 'the world's best AI pilot'

Threat Status has a team on the ground at IDEX 2025 in Abu Dhabi. National Security Editor Guy Taylor has an exclusive interview today with Brandon Tseng, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and co-founder of the advanced aerospace and defense tech firm Shield AI.

Global defense industry's major players converge at IDEX 2025

Nations including Qatar, Ethiopia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Cyprus will join the conference, billed as the largest exposition of cutting-edge tech in defense and security in the Middle East.

Mixed signals from Trump administration: Is Ukraine's NATO dream dead or not?

Ukraine's NATO status hangs over the Munich Security Conference, which kicked off today and will serve as the backdrop for a high-stakes meeting between Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Tech, national security worlds brace for Trump tariffs on semiconductor chips

The national security and tech worlds are bracing for President Trump's expected move to place major tariffs, possibly up to 100%, on advanced semiconductor chips manufactured by Taiwan-based companies.

Russia says prisoner swap at play in Marc Fogel release

The Kremlin said Wednesday it expects a Russian citizen detained in the U.S. to be returned in the "coming days" as part of the deal that secured American teacher Marc Fogel’s release, but has not provided details on the individual's identity.

Trump, Hamas trade threats as 'all hell' could break loose in Gaza

President Trump is warning that "all hell" will break loose if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages it is holding in the Gaza Strip by Saturday.

PODCAST: Is the DOGE a threat to national security?

Is the DOGE a threat to U.S. national security, or will it help revolutionize the bureaucracy-heavy defense acquisition process in positive ways?

VIDEO: IRI on Trump's threat to cut foreign aid funding

If the Trump administration moves ahead with severe cuts to U.S. foreign aid, the risks are real that autocratic powers will seize the opportunity to fill the void with anti-U.S. and anti-democracy propaganda in fragile democracies around the world.

Google drops weapons restrictions from updated AI principles

Google has shifted its artificial intelligence ethics policy by dropping a section that had prevented the company from using AI for weapons development.

Trump's plan for U.S. to 'take over' Gaza triggers backlash

The president's statements sparked swift backlash from regional and world leaders from Saudi Arabia, to Germany and China.

China hits back with retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods

Beijing hits back: China's leaders retaliated against President Trump's tariffs by slapping a 15% tariff on U.S. coal and liquefied natural gas exports and a 10% tariff on American crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars sold in China.

North Korea has new credibility in 'CRINK' axis

Projections that the 11,000-strong North Korean army contingent deployed to the Russia-Ukraine war would be ill-equipped cannon fodder are evaporating as battlefield reports indicate high motivation, quality training and lavish scales of gear.

Video: What Trump can do to compete with China on AI

Aspen Strategy Group Executive Director Anja Manuel went into depth on foreign and national security challenges facing the Trump administration in an exclusive video interview with Threat Status.

Deadly plane crash comes amid FAA's need to 'urgently' modernize air traffic systems

The crash between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial jet will cast a fresh spotlight on longstanding concerns about outdated air traffic control systems.

U.S. Air Force facing severe pilot shortages

The U.S. Air Force doesn’t have enough trained pilots to win in a conflict against a peer adversary like China or meet the nation’s other national security requirements, according to a new policy paper from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

DeepSeek and the U.S.-China battle for global data dominance

National Security Tech Correspondent Ryan Lovelace reports on concerns that China may use DeepSeek to refine and improve its ability to censor online content and amass user data.

What Trump means by an ‘Iron Dome for America’

In trademark Trumpian rhetorical style, the promise to build an Iron Dome for America is not a literal promise to build a replica of the Israeli system, which doesn’t seem financially or logistically feasible for a nation as big as the United States.

Will Trump deploy U.S. troops to Mexico and Venezuela?

How aggressively will President Trump use the U.S. military within his expanding crackdown on illegal immigration, and drug and human smuggling by international criminal cartels that the new administration deems as "foreign terrorist organizations"?

China working on unique sub-launched drone

Two Chinese research institutes are developing drones launched from submarines capable of both underwater and aerial transit, according to a report in a Chinese scientific journal.

An exclusive look at the terror threat facing the U.S. homeland

The New Year's Day terrorist attack by Islamic State-inspired extremist Shamsud-Din Jabbar, which killed 14 people, made headlines. But he was only one of dozens of extremists on American shores willing to carry out attacks.

Putin, Xi talk ‘global order’ as Trump takes office

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping seized the moment of President Trump's inauguration to highlight the growing power alignment between their autocratic governments.

Trump says he and China's Xi will ‘solve problems together’

Mr. Trump opened the door to an acceleration of leader-level diplomacy with China by speaking via telephone Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Oracle VP says Israel and Ukraine show AI has arrived in war

We asked Rand Waldron, vice president of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure product development and a former top FBI official, on the latest Threat Status Weekly Podcast whether the impact being had by AI on national security is real or overblown.

Inside Biden's 11th hour cybersecurity order

President Biden issued an executive order to strengthen government tools for countering foreign hacking groups that target U.S. internet and telecommunication systems, opening the way for increased sanctions on hostile powers.

Trump and Biden aligned on Israel ceasefire push?

It's unclear how the incoming Trump administration will greet the plan, but there are signs the Trump and Biden teams are working together in the region in the short term.

All eyes on Hegseth as confirmation hearing kicks off

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's for nominee for defense secretary arrived to chants of "USA! USA! USA!" inside a Senate hearing room Tuesday morning.

New intel emerging on Havana Syndrome

Two intelligence agencies now say some type of directed energy weapon is a possible cause for a small number of so-called “anomalous health incidents” identified since 2016 that have come to be known as Havana Syndrome.

U.S. military is gearing up for war with China by 2027

U.S. military forces in the Pacific are deploying large numbers of drone weapons and increasing overall force readiness in preparation for a potential 2027 war with China, according to the commander of the Indo-Pacific Command.

U.S. completes nuclear gravity bomb upgrade

The warplane-dropped nuclear gravity bomb known as the B61 has been fully modernized with a new precision guidance system.

North Korean threat has 'arrived in Europe'

North Korea's deployment of troops to help Russia's war against Ukraine underscores how Kim Jong-un's regime is "selling the blood, sweat and tears of the people of North Korea in order to stay in power."

Russian media site uses X’s AI for fighter jet rendering

A top Russian state-run news website used X’s artificial intelligence tools to generate an image of a new fighter jet — but neglected to scrub the tech platform’s watermark off the manipulated portrayal.

North Korea tests new missile as Blinken visits Seoul

North Korea fired a ballistic missile that landed in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan in a show of force as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Korea

Podcast: U.S. failing on cruise missile defense

The United States at the present moment "can't comprehensively defend itself against a conventional cruise or ballistic missile attack," retired Navy Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery tells Threat Status.

Shock waves from New Year's Day attacks stretch from Washington to Silicon Valley

New details emerged overnight about the suspected attacker's potential links to the Islamic State, while questions are still swirling over any possible connections to another incident outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.

U.S. Treasury hacked by China in ‘major cybersecurity incident’

Chinese government-backed hackers penetrated several U.S. Treasury Department workstations and obtained unclassified documents, according to a letter sent by the department to lawmakers on Monday.

Is Trump serious about retaking the Panama Canal and annexing Greenland?

Mr. Trump likes to "keep our allies off balance and our enemies feeling more secure than they should," according to columnist Jed Babbin.

Israel's next target: Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen

Israeli forces and Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have engaged in escalating tit-for-tat exchanges of fire this week.

Podcast: TikTok fight coming to a crescendo

The political, legal and national security battle over whether the U.S. government will ban TikTok or force a sale of the social media giant from its China-based owner Bytedance is coming to a head.

U.S.-China military friction is rising ahead of Trump's arrival in White House

Chinese officials accused U.S. ally the Philippines on Monday of stoking regional tensions by announcing plans to acquire and deploy midrange missiles to defend its territory from Chinese naval aggression.

Who's responsible when commercial satellites become military targets during a war in space?

Companies want to know how the government will protect their assets, or financially reimburse them if those assets are destroyed during a possible clash with China in space.

President Musk? Tech billionaire wields power to kill bipartisan funding bill

President-elect Donald Trump won last month's election, but is Elon Musk actually the most influential figure in American politics today?

China adds hundreds of new missiles, 100 nuclear warheads to arsenal

Threat Status is tracking a major Pentagon report out today with disturbing new details about China's military buildup, including the addition of another 100 nuclear warheads to its already impressive arsenal just since 2023.

Russia vows revenge on Ukraine after top WMD general killed in Moscow bombing

Senior Russian officials are vowing retribution after an apparent Ukrainian operation killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of the Russian military's nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, in Moscow.

Trump team seizes on mysterious New Jersey drones, pushes 'Iron Dome for America'

Rep. Michael Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be the next White House national security adviser, said that federal agencies are "pointing at each other" as questions mount.

Ukraine, Russia eye window of opportunity as they await return of Trump

As the date of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House grows closer, speculation mounts over negotiations for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

AI for military uses: Inside DOD's new unit

The Department of Defense is creating a unit to expedite the adoption of cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools, focused on pilot programs to give warfighters and decision makers an AI advantage.

Drone swarm mystery deepens in New Jersey

U.S. officials are not sure what to make of the swarms of drones flying over New Jersey in recent weeks, sparking outrage from lawmakers who said the situation makes the government look incompetent.

Netanyahu takes the stand in Tel Aviv trial as Israeli jets pound Syria

Benjamin Netanyahu took the stand in his long-running corruption trial. In a dramatic scene from a Tel Aviv courtroom, the Israeli prime minister decried the charges against him as "an ocean of absurdness."

Islamic extremism lurks behind Syria meltdown

Russia on Monday granted deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad political asylum, a day after he fled to Moscow as his longtime regime collapsed in the face of a stunning militant offensive that toppled city after city in Syria during recent days.

Judgment day looms for South Korean President Yoon

Doom may be looming for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Washington Times Asia Editor Andrew Salmon is covering every angle of the impending impeachment vote on Mr. Yoon, set for Saturday.

U.S. officials now say encryption is key in fight against suspected Chinese telecom hacks

There are new details about the depth of Chinese hacking operations targeting the American telecommunications sector and what the federal government says must be done to fight back.

Ron DeSantis for defense secretary? With Hegseth pick on the ropes, Trump weighs options

Sources tell Threat Status there is a growing belief in national security and military circles that the embattled Mr. Hegseth has a 50/50 shot at best to survive the week.

Yoon stuns South Korea with martial law declaration

South Korea's president has declared an “emergency martial law,” accusing the country’s opposition of sympathizing with North Korea — a move that could impact Seoul's debate on whether to directly arm Ukraine

Mideast war spreads to Syria as Aleppo falls to jihadists

Russia and Iran are rushing to support Syrian President Bashar Assad's counteroffensive against jihadist rebel groups, who scored stunning advances in Syria over the past five days.

Threat Status exclusive: Rep. Nancy Mace on alleged government cover-up of UFOs

UFO research remains one of the federal government’s most closely guarded secrets. Rep. Nancy Mace wants that to change.

What the ceasefire actually says

Sources tell Threat Status that Lebanese Hezbollah's relationship with Kataib Hezbollah is being closely tracked within the context of the ceasefire.

Enemy within: Ukraine’s security forces battle Russian spies

Ukraine and Russia have cultural, linguistic, economic and religious ties dating back centuries, so there's no neat boundary between pro- and anti-Russian populations along the more than 600-mile front line.

South Korea is being drawn into the Ukraine war

The Kremlin warned over the weekend that it will respond "in every way that we find necessary” if South Korea sends arms to Ukraine.

The Ukraine war is escalating

U.S. officials say the Kremlin alerted them through established arms control channels before launching an experimental longer-range ballistic missile into the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday.

Brace for arrival of the 'superhumans'

Mankind must begin preparations to no longer be in charge of Earth because of artificial intelligence, according to "Genesis," a new book by the late Henry Kissinger, who died last year at the age of 100, and a pair of leading technologists.

China capable of winning in conflict with U.S., congressional report warns

China’s military power poses an acute threat to the United States and Beijing’s forces could now potentially defeat the U.S. military in a future regional conflict, according to a congressional commission report.

Ukraine fires six U.S.-made ATACMS into Russia, Kremlin says

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Tuesday that Ukrainian forces fired six U.S.-made missiles into Russia's Bryansk region just days after President Biden eased restrictions on Kyiv's use of American-made weapons.

Moscow warns NATO over Biden's move to allow long-range Ukrainian strikes

Russia responded with threats Monday to Mr. Biden's decision over the weekend to let Ukraine use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia.

Hegseth’s combat experience may come in handy

President-elect Donald Trump's decision to name Army veteran and outspoken Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth as his choice to lead the Pentagon and the 1.3 million active duty men and women in uniform was a surprise to supporters and opponents alike.

Will Trump trash Biden's AI agenda?

President-elect Trump is expected to undo President Biden's artificial intelligence agenda, replacing an emphasis on safety with a new focus on freedom.

Russia attacks Kyiv as North Korean troops fight Ukrainian forces in Kursk

Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with a sophisticated combination of missiles and drones for the first time in 73 days on Wednesday, authorities reported.

Trump's team will be a mix of hawks and noninterventionists

Sources tell Threat Status that President-elect Donald Trump has likely settled on Sen. Marco Rubio — a hawk on China and a sharp Russia critic, but also a strong advocate of pursuing an end to the Ukraine war — as his nominee for secretary of state.

Nothing like cash to recruit, retain world’s warriors

Militaries all over the world are at war right now, and they are getting creative with pay and benefits to lure recruits and to keep battle-hardened veterans in their uniforms for another round.

Inside the Trump team for vetting national security picks

President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in Tuesday’s presidential contest sets in motion the selection of key officials for a forthcoming administration, including selections for a number of key senior national security positions.

China to unveil J-35 jet built with stolen U.S. tech

The aircraft, described as a "medium-weight, stealth multi-role fighter" jet, will be on display alongside other new military equipment, including the HQ-19 surface-to-air missile and a new type of reconnaissance and strike drone.

World leaders congratulate Trump on election

Across the world on Wednesday, heads of state wasted no time making pledges to work with the incoming president.

Intel warnings on foreign meddling to be tested as U.S. votes

With Election Day finally here, U.S. intelligence officials have assessed that the country's adversaries may attempt to spawn fear, uncertainty and doubt among voters during the immediate post-election period, especially if the vote is close.

Trump and Europe’s surging conservatives: It’s complicated

Conventional wisdom says the European right will be further strengthened if Donald Trump wins on Nov. 5 — but it's not clear which European right he'd be working with.

Why isn’t China a bigger issue in the presidential race?

At the end of the day, there isn't that much daylight between Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris when it comes to where each would take U.S. policy toward communist party-ruled China.

Inside the NSA's pursuit of 'economic' WMD

The National Security Agency Research Director Gilbert Herrera gave a rare glimpse this week into the agency's pursuit of research that could help produce an "economic weapon of mass destruction."

Pentagon slams new Israeli laws blocking controversial U.N. relief agency

The Pentagon is condemning a pair of bills passed this week by Israel's parliament that would effectively bar UNRWA, the U.N.'s primary Palestinian relief agency, from operating inside the country.

Is North Korea going all in on Russia's war in Ukraine?

National Security sources say Pentagon leaders are carefully weighing how to respond to the North Korean deployment, which has prompted U.S. ally South Korea to consider directly arming Ukraine's military in the war.

Ayatollah calls for global ‘military coalition’ against Israel

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is calling for a global “military coalition” against Israel, while other top officials in Tehran vow to make Israel pay a price for its weekend airstrikes against key Iranian military sites.

China's spy activities expanding inside the U.S.

Beijing's systematic effort to engage in espionage inside the United States is rapidly increasing, according to a new report by a House subcommittee.

China's potential election meddling now a 'non-issue'?

Army Gen. Paul M. Nakasone left the National Security Agency earlier this year worrying about China's potential election meddling and artificial intelligence powering deepfakes. He now believes "both of those issues really are non-issues to me."

U.S. intel: Iran, Russia could try to incite post-election divisions in U.S.

A declassified memo from the National Intelligence Council warns that Iranian and Russian operatives could try to incite violence in America after all the ballots have been cast on Nov. 5.

Could Harris stop Iran from becoming a nuclear weapons state?

The vice president and Democratic White House hopeful insists she'd never allow the Iranians to get a nuclear bomb, but it's not entirely clear what she'd do to stop them.

Trump, Harris and the 'deep state' — exclusive video

If Vice President Kamala Harris wins on Nov. 5, her foreign policy going forward "probably would be a continuation of Biden on almost any issue," according to longtime national security journalist and author Peter Bergen.

Hamas' leader is dead. What comes next?

Yahya Sinwar's death, which reportedly came during a chance encounter this week with an Israeli patrol in southern Gaza, put an immediate and emphatic end to the bloody career of the Palestinian radical movement’s best-known figure.

China’s cognitive warfare advances include sound weapons

China’s military is advancing the development of high-technology arms, including sound weapons to wage cognitive warfare — the use of unconventional tools and capabilities to alter enemy thinking and decision-making.

Inside Kyiv's defense production boom

Ukraine's domestic defense industry has experienced an unprecedented boom since Russia invaded and it's starting to be felt on the front lines.

Harris, Trump sharply divided on Russia-Ukraine war

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are both seizing on the war to portray the other as weak, ineffective and dangerous.

North Korea accuses Seoul of stealth drone infiltration

North Korea has put its border artillery units on standby after angrily claiming that South Korea conducted drone operations in the night skies over its capital, Pyongyang.

Biden works behind the scenes to save controversial China science and tech deal

Congressional Republicans say the deal should be permanently killed because it is helping the Chinese military buildup and undermining American security.

U.S. Army working on 'general purpose thinking machine'

The U.S. Army's artificial intelligence research is focused on developing a "general purpose thinking machine," a term that is difficult for researchers and security officials alike to precisely define.

China sought own deal to avoid Houthi rebel ship attacks

China turned down requests by the Biden administration to join the U.S.-led international naval armada to protect cargo ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

North Korea 'highly likely' to deploy troops to Ukraine

South Korean and U.S. intelligence have warned for months that North Korea has been supplying Russia with artillery munitions and missiles.

A year after Oct. 7 attack, Israel has turned the tables on its foes

A year later, stunning Israeli military victories have resuscitated the fortunes of Netanyahu and left Israel’s prime adversaries — Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran — reeling.

China may have way more nukes than estimated

Beijing is engaged in the world’s largest missile modernization program, and its nuclear delivery vehicle program is the most visible aspect of what has been called a nuclear “breakout” by American military commanders.

Inside the U.S. crackdown on Russia's Evil Corp cyber gang

The Biden administration has issued new sanctions on Russia's Evil Corp cyber gang in an international crackdown conducted by American officials coordinating with their counterparts in the U.K. and Australia.

October surprise? Mideast war rocks U.S. presidential campaign

Iran's missile attack against Israel has roiled the U.S. presidential race, pushing Vice President Kamala Harris to take a firmer stand on the chaos in the Middle East.

Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon begins

Israel announced the start of a “limited” invasion of southern Lebanon on Tuesday, with a top military spokesman saying Israeli troops were conducting “localized ground raids” on Hezbollah positions.

Blowback looms in wake of Nasrallah strike

Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of the terrorist group Hezbollah, is the most powerful figure killed by Israel in its war against Hamas, Hezbollah and other branches of Iran’s so-called axis of resistance.

Russian propaganda is having an impact on U.S. politics

The influence of Russian propaganda in conservative circles is real, according to Steven Moore, who writes, "one-third of Republican primary voters believe at least one of several narratives that are demonstrably false and originated in Russia."

U.S. spies warn foreign AI tricks are targeting American voters

U.S. intelligence officials revealed this week that AI-powered influence campaigns aimed at American voters have arrived and are the handiwork of Iran and Russia.

No way out? Biden latest U.S. president trapped by Mideast mayhem

President Biden came to power aiming to do the impossible: Dramatically shrink America’s military footprint in the Middle East and redirect Washington’s focus away from a volatile corner of the world that has consumed U.S. foreign policy.

Thousands of Capitol Hill staffers’ info spilled across dark web

Personal information for some 3,191 congressional staffers has been leaked across the dark web, according to new research from the internet security firm Proton being released today.

China getting ‘back-door access’ to sensitive military tech research through U.S. universities

China is exploiting U.S. government-funded research and partnerships between American and Chinese universities to gain “back-door access” to insights on advanced technology breakthroughs, according to a congressional report.

Chinese spies are lurking in or around the offices of our elected leaders

Retired CIA officer Daniel N. Hoffman homes in on the case of Linda Sun, who served for a time as the deputy chief of staff to New York Governor Kathy Hochul and was arrested by the FBI this month.

Feds fight Chinese hackers breaching Americans' cameras

U.S. officials say they've disrupted China's "Flax Typhoon" hacking group, which took aim at Americans' cameras and other internet-connected devices.

Where were the exploding Hezbollah pagers made?

A Taiwanese company said it authorized its brand on the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria in an apparent Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah’s communications network but that another company based in Budapest manufactured them.

Will Russia lose its superpower status if Ukraine wins?

Ukraine's top military intelligence officer says Russia considers 2025 a pivotal year because a failure to secure a victory in Ukraine by 2026 would undermine the Kremlin’s goal of remaining a global superpower.

Podcast: Biden picked 'optics over security' in Afghanistan

Rep. Zach Nunn says a core reason for the deadly debacle of the 2021 U.S. troop withdrawal was that the Biden administration repeatedly "picked optics over security" in executing the withdrawal.

Inside the China restrictions that just got passed by the House

Congress passed several legislative measures this week that members say are designed to counter threats posed by China.

Exclusive: NSA details election security work with private sector companies

A top National Security Agency official recently gave Threat Status insight into the agency's efforts to partner with private companies to thwart digital disruptions to systems tied to the election.

Never forget: Honoring those killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, on Wednesday honored the 184 people killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

Myanmar is tied to China’s Taiwan ambitions

There is "certainly an element of greater power competition in Myanmar," Stimson Center China Director Yun Sun says in an exclusive interview for the latest edition of the "Threat Status Influencers" video series.

New details on alleged Russian, Iranian efforts to influence U.S. election

Washington Times reporter Ryan Lovelace has been tracking all the details on foreign efforts to influence the American election, including through Russian-built networks of American influencers and stepped-up Iranian cyber operations.

Space Force general warns of China, Russia threat to satellites

Military forces in China and Russia are closely watching U.S. programs to protect satellites and space systems and could counter those measures with a large-scale attack, according to a senior U.S. Space Force general.

NSA shares its work on Osama Bin Laden manhunt

The National Security Agency revealed new details on Thursday of its pivotal role in tracking the most wanted terrorist in American history: Osama Bin Laden.

New York governor's former senior aide arrested as Chinese agent

The former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was arrested by the FBI this week and charged with working as an influence agent for the Chinese Communist Party, prosecutors disclosed in an unsealed indictment.

Is the U.S. prepared to defend the Philippines from China?

Both Washington and Manila are agonizing over their ability to deter China as confrontations between an under-resourced Philippine military and an expansionist Beijing increase in the South China Sea.

What is the road ahead for Ukraine?

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his aides say they are now preparing a proposal to end the war, but Ukraine’s surprise offensive has also focused attention on the uncertainties of Kyiv’s long-term objectives.

NSA to reveal untold secrets

The National Security Agency tells Threat Status it is preparing to spill some secrets.

Biden may hold the key to Ukrainian victory over Russia

Kyiv’s momentum in the coming days and weeks may largely depend on the next U.S. move.

Could Putin be ousted from within?

With Ukrainian forces holding territory inside Russia's Kursk region, Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing increasing pressure at home because of the high-stakes political and security risks associated with his ongoing war in Ukraine.

North Korea calls for AI integration in suicide drones

North Korea's Kim Jong-un has ordered scientists to integrate artificial intelligence into his regime's suicide drone fleet.

Social media war will precede next hot conflict, Army intel adviser warns

Army senior open-source intelligence adviser Dennis Eger says the U.S. needs to quickly come to grips with the weaponization of social media, particularly by Russia and China.

History shows the threat of 'all out war' is very real

Historian and former diplomat Philip Zelikow asserts that humanity is teetering dangerously close to global war.

Is Iran closer than the West thinks to having a nuclear bomb?

Tehran may well already have the capacity to produce dirty bombs, according to Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute.

Democratic policy platform on China seeks to avoid war

A Kamala Harris administration would continue America’s current policy of managing strategic competition with China in order to avoid war, according to a key plank of the Democrats’ 2024 policy platform made public this week.

Blinken: Talks 'maybe the last' chance to free hostages from Gaza

The push for a potential Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal is again at a pivotal stage. Sec. Blinken, who is back in the region for a fresh round of shuttle diplomacy, said Monday that President Biden wants him to get a deal “over the line.”

Exclusive: House Republicans demand answers on alleged Iran-backed plot to kill Trump

A pair of top House Republicans delivered a letter Friday morning to FBI Christopher A. Wray, demanding more information about Iranian murder plots against current and former U.S. officials, including former President Donald Trump.

Western weapons, vehicles playing a central role in Ukraine's incursion into Russia

Western powers, long reluctant to allow Ukrainian troops to strike inside Russia, are watching as their weapons and vehicles are now playing a key role in the campaign.

Inside Iran's plan to paint the attempted Trump assassination as a hoax

A top cyber intelligence firm says that Iran was behind a scheme to paint the July assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump as a hoax.

Ukraine flips the script on Russia with cross-border campaign

What was widely seen as a diversion has become the main act as Ukrainian forces push deeper into Russia.

Election cyberattacks are here. What comes next?

Just days before Donald Trump's presidential campaign said it was targeted by Iranian hackers, a top federal cyber official delivered this ominous prediction: Cyber chaos will come to be seen as routine trouble, akin to bad weather on Election Day.

Could Botswana host a key U.S. military base in Africa?

The Pentagon has only one permanent base in Africa, on the coast of Djibouti, even as Russia and China have increased their footprint on the continent.

Who actually assassinated Ismail Haniyeh?

Mystery surrounds the spectacular Israeli intelligence operation to assassinate Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in the heavily guarded heart of Iran's capital.

Inside the Iranian murder-for-hire plot against U.S. officials

Federal authorities broke up an assassination plot on U.S. soil, prosecutors revealed Tuesday, saying a Pakistani man operating as an agent of Iran was trying to kill American officials.

'Monopoly' ruling puts Google's dominance at risk

The U.S. federal court ruling on Monday that Google’s ubiquitous search engine has been illegally exploiting its dominance to squash competition could hobble one of the world’s best-known companies, according to The Associated Press.

Iranian strike on Israel said to be imminent

President Biden is convening his national security team amid mounting concern that Iranian missile attacks on Israel are imminent.

Did Putin win the U.S.-Russia prisoner swap deal?

It's a question analysts will likely be asking for years. And Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump certainly thinks so.

U.S., allies in major prisoner swap deal with Russia; Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan heading home

The U.S. and its allies have agreed to a major prisoner swap deal with Russia that will see Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan returned to America.

Middle East on the brink of wider war after Hamas leader killed in Iran

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a predawn airstrike in Tehran on Wednesday, according to Iranian officials who immediately blamed Israel for the apparent assassination.

An inside look at how China, Russia, and Iran could attack U.S. democracy ahead of November vote

U.S. intelligence officials warned Monday that foreign adversaries are scanning America's election infrastructure ahead of the contentious November election, raising concerns that those hostile powers are probing our defenses for any vulnerability.

China issues thinly veiled warning to U.S., Japan over new joint force HQ

The new joint force headquarters will be commanded by a three-star officer and will serve as a counterpart to Japan's own Japan Self-Defense Forces Joint Operations Command.

Security threats to Olympics are ‘manifold’

Arson attacks on the French high-speed rail network disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of people ahead of the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

U.S. jets scramble to intercept Chinese, Russian bombers near Alaska

Russia and Chinese nuclear-capable bombers entered the U.S. Air Defense Identification Zone near Alaska on Wednesday prompting North American Aerospace Defense Command jets to intercept the aircraft.

Exclusive interview: Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder joins Threat Status

The U.S. military's goal is "not to get into a conflict" with Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, but to "degrade and disrupt" the Houthis' ability to conduct strikes against commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea.

Kremlin takes aim at Kamala Harris’ lack of foreign policy cred

Russian officials are casting Ms. Harris as a foreign affairs neophyte with no measurable influence on U.S. policy.

Trump discusses possible visit to Kyiv in phone call with Zelenskyy

'Defect' in CrowdStrike update sparks tech outage, wreaks havoc around the world

So... one content update defect can nearly grind the world to a halt?

'A national embarrassment': Biden's ill-fated Gaza pier meets an early end

The U.S. military confirmed Wednesday that it is giving up on trying to salvage the ill-fated floating pier project meant to deliver crucial humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians inside the Gaza Strip.

Inside the GOP platform on Trump’s security priorities

The foreign policy and national security planks in the Republicans’ official 2024 platform is light on many specifics but heavy on the broad “America First” principles that have come to define Donald Trump’s GOP.

U.S. enemies use Trump assassination attempt for propaganda purposes

The Chinese Communist Party-affiliated Global Times, quoting Chinese analysts, said the shooting proves that "the long-standing toxic and violent rhetoric in U.S. politics has escalated into violent actions against politicians in recent years.”

Trump assassination attempt echoes around the world

The shocking incident has echoed around the world, with some of Mr. Trump's international allies — such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — offering their sympathies.

U.S., Finland and Canada join ‘ICE Pact' to counter Russia in Arctic

The U.S. is joining forces with Canada and Finland to vastly increase the Coast Guard’s small, aging fleet of icebreakers, which now consists of two vessels, compared to Russia's estimated fleet of some 36 icebreakers.

Modi’s chummy Putin visit a conundrum for U.S., allies

While leaders huddled on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington this week, Indian President Narendra Modi held a two-day visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Polish president: Russian imperialism 'has to be punished'

Polish President Andrzej Duda told Threat Status in an exclusive interview Tuesday that he sharply rejects the notion of any cease-fire deal that would require Kyiv to cede territory to Moscow.

Has Biden lost the support of Democratic national security leaders?

The White House says that Mr. Biden has nothing to prove, even as more and more members of his own party call on him to step aside and make room for a younger candidate to run against Republican Donald Trump in November.

Ukraine faces moment of truth as NATO allies gather

The overarching question hanging over NATO leaders as they gather in Washington to mark the alliance’s 75th anniversary is how and when — perhaps, even, if — they will formalize a clear pathway to Ukraine’s eventual membership.

Exclusive: Rep. Krishnamoorthi says U.S. must stand up to China’s attacks on freedom

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, tells Threat Status in an exclusive video interview that he doesn't care who owns TikTok as long as "it's not controlled by the CCP.”

Putin wants you to know there's a 'price' for being his enemy

Vladimir Putin’s recent meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was an acknowledgment by Moscow that it has become increasingly reliant on pariah states such as North Korea amid diplomatic isolation and heavy economic sanctions from the West.

Conservatives winning in France but bracing for wipeout in Britain

Unless polls and pundits are wrong, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservatives are on track to be toppled when voters go to the polls on July 4, with the center-left Labour opposition party set to take power for the first time since 2010.

Le Pen victory in France could shift Ukraine war

France’s anti-immigration, far-right National Rally party scored its biggest electoral triumph to date on Sunday, taking a clear first place in snap parliamentary elections called by centrist President Macron.

Moscow-Pyongyang alliance escalates danger

A high-level delegation of left-leaning South Korean lawmakers is calling on their country’s conservative president to resist Western pressure to directly arm Ukraine against Russia, even as North Korea is widely accused of aiding the Kremlin.

Former Navy captain details U.S. intel failures on China

U.S. intelligence agencies are guilty of multiple failures to address threats posed by China over the past 40 years, resulting in current existential dangers to American security, a former Navy intelligence director told Congress.

Was U.S. cybersecurity agency hacked by Chinese-backed operatives?

The federal government’s premier anti-hacking agency has revealed its systems were breached earlier this year by hackers seeking details on how the U.S. government collects information from facilities with dangerous chemicals that could be weaponized.

White House says Beijing rejects call to restrict AI use in nukes

A senior White House official has disclosed that China’s government does not accept a Biden administration policy that restricts the use of artificial intelligence for using nuclear weapons.

Israel's Netanyahu won't back down in public feud with Biden administration

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu isn't backing off his accusations that the Biden administration is slow-walking key weapons deliveries to Israel for its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Putin issues new warnings to South Korea; Seoul summons Russian ambassador as tensions soar

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued new warnings to both NATO and South Korea as Moscow stokes tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Alarm bells in Seoul over Russia-North Korea mutual military aid pact

The widely anticipated meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un resulted in a major new partnership deal between the two countries.

The Biden-Netanyahu relationship reaches new low

The Biden-Netanyahu relationship keeps crumbling, as the Israeli leader blasts U.S. weapons delays and the White House reportedly cancels a meeting with top Israeli officials in response.

Putin, Kim cement partnership and aim for a new 'multipolar world order'

Russian President Vladimir Putin is arriving in Pyongyang on Tuesday for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It's the Russian leader's first visit to North Korea in 24 years.

Vladimir Putin heads to North Korea

It's been a long time coming, but the Kremlin has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin will travel to North Korea for a two-day visit this week.

Putin's nuclear threats induce 'escalation paralysis' in Washington

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s barbaric war in Ukraine has "backfired in spectacular ways," according to retired CIA officer and Threat Status contributor Daniel Hoffman.

Flood of pro-Hamas deepfakes targeting U.S. audiences

Artificial intelligence-generated propaganda supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas is deliberately targeting an American audience, according to a new report studying online influence efforts that employ cutting-edge AI technology.

Baltic states would be likely target of Russian strike against NATO

A large-scale attack on the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania is the most likely scenario if Russia makes a move against NATO.

Macron could be out after EU election blow

French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to call for a snap election at the end of June came after a right-wing nationalist National Rally party took 32% of the vote in Sunday's European Parliament elections.

Inside Xi Jinping's mountain of corrupt wealth

Senior Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, are engaged in corruption and hiding hundreds of millions of dollars in wealth by using relatives to disguise their activities.

Ukrainian lawmaker: 'We're talking about an axis of evil'

In an exclusive interview on the latest Threat Status weekly podcast, Anastasia Radina, who heads the Ukrainian Parliament’s Anti-Corruption Committee, details her government's efforts to root out graft amid scrutiny from Washington.

D-Day at 80: 'The eyes of the world are upon you'

Mr. Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and a slew of other world leaders assembled Thursday on the beaches of Normandy to commemorate what remains the largest amphibious operation in history.

Threat to Taiwan looms as Tiananmen anniversary passes

The Tiananmen anniversary comes amid mounting concern in Washington over China's current military buildup and the prospect that Beijing could order a military invasion of the U.S.-backed island democracy of Taiwan.

How the Biden administration's slow-walking prevents Ukraine from winning

The Biden administration has finally given Ukraine the green light to use American-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia. But it may be too late, as Russia is already deep into its offensive in the Kharkiv region.

Houthis vow ‘escalation,’ fire missiles at U.S. warship

Houthi rebels in Yemen fired anti-ship ballistic missiles at the USS Gravely, an American Navy destroyer, in the Red Sea over the weekend and vowed further attacks, as clashes between the Iran-backed group and U.S. forces appear to be expanding.

End of an era in South Africa

In a dispatch from Johannesburg, Threats Status Special Correspondent Geoff Hill reflects that when the ANC was at its zenith, achieving nearly 70% of the vote in 2005, supporters had a bumper sticker with the party logo that read, “We will rule forever.”

Will the U.S. let Ukraine hit targets in Russia?

The White House for years has steadfastly opposed the use of American weapons for strikes against targets inside Russia itself. But could that stance be changing?

Psychological warfare: North Korea floats trash balloons into South

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the balloons, some equipped with timer devices apparently designed to disperse their cargoes, dumped garbage and sacks of manure across South Korea.

Chinese war games show new details of Taiwan attack plans

China's military kicked off its largest war games around Taiwan in two years last week, with Chinese state media reporting that the games were intended as a punitive action against new Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

North Korea on verge of launching second spy satellite

North Korea appears to be preparing to launch its second military spy satellite into space, South Korea’s military said Friday, as animosities remain high over the North’s continued weapons tests.

Taiwan scrambles fighter jets in response to Chinese drills

Taiwan scrambled jets and put missile, naval and land units on alert over Chinese military exercises being conducted around the self-governing island democracy.

Russia launches anti-satellite weapon

Russia recently launched a counter-space weapon capable of attacking U.S. satellites in low-earth orbit, according to the Pentagon, which says the U.S. military is “ready to protect and defend the domain” of space if necessary.

Exclusive video with House Intel Chairman Mike Turner

If Russia were to deploy a low-earth orbit nuclear weapon, it would threaten "basically all of our communications and use of space,” House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner warns in an exclusive Threat Status video interview.

What's next for Iran after Raisi's death?

The death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash Sunday has created a sudden power vacuum inside Tehran.

Modern war: ‘Everything, everywhere, all at once’

Adversarial states and non-state actors such as Islamic State and al Qaeda are deploying asymmetric assets that operate at low risk and low cost across new real and virtual battlefields.

What is TikTok's role in the anti-Israel protests?

The Chinese-owned video app TikTok serves as one of the "foremost weapons" within what the Chinese military calls “cognitive warfare,” according to analysts.

Gaza fighting has put Saudi breakthrough with Israel on ice

Powerful Arab nations’ moves toward a game-changing relationship with Israel came to a screeching halt with the war ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist rampage through southern Israel.

Terror groups gaining strength in Afghanistan

The power vacuum America left in Afghanistan is fueling a resurgence of Islamist terrorists with the will, and perhaps capability, to target the U.S., according to a new report.

Secret Hamas police force spied on Palestinians

A secret Hamas police force has long conducted surveillance on everyday Palestinians, tracking journalists and young people opposed to the terror group's rule.

U.S. 'losing' bitter info war with China

The Chinese Communist Party is waging a "bitter information war" and "we are losing," warns retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Wallace “Chip” Gregson, one of America's most experienced and battle-hardened Marines.

U.S. hypersonic defenses 'inadequate,' Pentagon official says

A Senate Armed Services hearing turned heated this week when the Strategic Forces subcommittee chairman asked why the Biden administration's 2025 missile defense budget request falls far short on funding.

New details emerge on Biden's Iran envoy-in-limbo

The mystery surrounding sidelined Biden administration Iran envoy Robert Malley is deepening amid revelations that he may have downloaded "classified documents" onto his cell phone, which was then apparently hacked by Iranian cyber operatives.

Israeli forces move on Rafah as doubt looms over cease-fire talks

Israeli troops rolled into Rafah on Tuesday in what authorities said was a limited operation to eliminate the Hamas militant movement's infrastructure in the eastern section of the Gaza city.

Israel orders Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah

Israel has shuttered Al Jazeera's operation in the country and told Palestinians to evacuate Rafah ahead of an expected attack by the Israeli military.

U.S. intel says greater military coercion by China is coming

China’s leaders are planning for greater instability in relations with the United States, and Chinese military forces are expected to continue aggressive actions in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Director of National Intelligence.

Russia used chemical weapons in Ukraine, U.S. says

The use of such banned weapons “is not an isolated incident, and is probably driven by Russian forces’ desire to dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions and achieve tactical gains on the battlefield,” the State Department said.

Some say China’s fearsome PLA may never fight

China's defense spending increases and expanding military capabilities across the South China Sea are a source of growing alarm in Washington over the communist regime’s military ambitions in the not-too-distant future.

Would China approve Elon Musk to buy TikTok?

Tesla CEO Elon Musk's surprise visit to Beijing over the weekend yielded major results, with the electric vehicle maker reportedly getting clearance from Chinese officials to launch its "Full Self-Driving," or "FSD," software feature in China.

Did Biden lie about 'over the horizon' capabilities?

In the three years since the American troop withdrawal, the U.S. has carried out exactly one over-the-horizon strike in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, ISIS-K has grown rapidly into a force capable of conducting external operations.

China space buildup is ‘breathtaking’

China is rapidly building up military space capabilities that will likely be strengthened following recent structural reforms by the People’s Liberation Army, according to Air Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command.

Houthi attacks on shipping surge again

The Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have resumed their campaign of anti-ship ballistic missile and drone attacks against commercial shipping vessels and U.S. military assets over the past 48 hours in the Gulf of Aden.

Do adversaries still fear the U.S.?

"Deterrence ... means that your adversary is not going to strike you because they fear that you will strike them even harder. It will be worse for them. We've lost that 100%, ...and we've lost it repeatedly."

The growing power of Chinese organized crime in Mexico

The Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico has had "more than two decades of relations with Chinese organized crime," according to Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown.

Israeli military intelligence chief resigns over Oct. 7 failures

Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva resigned Monday amid the ongoing political fallout in Jerusalem over failures surrounding Hamas's surprise October 7 attack.

Blinken says no U.S. involvement as Israel strikes back at Iran

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said the U.S. had no involvement in Israel's overnight airstrikes that reportedly hit a military base near the Iranian city of Isfahan.

Are U.S. agencies blind to CCP political warfare campaign?

China’s communist government is engaged in large-scale political warfare and influence efforts it calls united front operations that are seeking to subvert all sectors of the United States, according to an investigation by the House oversight committee.

Iran's attack was Biden's second deterrence failure

National Security Correspondent Bill Gertz has a deep-dive analysis, examining how the Iranian attack marked the second high-profile failure of the administration’s diplomacy-oriented policies over the past two years.

Microsoft and the U.S.-China battle for control over global AI

The U.S. tech giant Microsoft is now playing a central role in great power AI wars between the United States and China, with a particular focus on influencing the future of artificial intelligence development and proliferation across the Middle East.

Iran threatens additional strikes on Israel

Fears of a direct and escalating Iran-Israel war are running high. Iran's national security council threatened Monday to deliver an even "harsher response" if Israel retaliates for attacks over the weekend.

Central Command chief in Israel as Iran threatens attack

The head of U.S. Central Command is in Israel for high-level discussions with his Israeli counterparts about Iran’s threat to launch an attack in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike that killed a top Iranian general in Syria last week.

American intel is probing Chinese Communist Party corruption

U.S. intelligence agencies are working on a report expected to reveal extensive corruption and hidden wealth held by Chinese Communist Party leaders, including President Xi Jinping, who also holds the post of party general secretary.

An AI Manhattan Project?

The Manhattan Project developed the first atomic bombs and birthed Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the hills of East Tennessee more than 80 years ago. Today the U.S. government lab is running an artificial intelligence security research center.

Taiwan warns China using 'local collaborators' for disinformation

The success of China’s state-backed disinformation operations depends upon “local collaborators” capable of reaching individual audiences beyond the grasp of new tech tools, according to Taiwanese officials.

Inside the debate over Western boots on the ground in Ukraine

President Biden's red line against putting U.S. combat boots on the ground in Ukraine is under fresh attack, with French President Macron outlining how leaving the door open to Western troops in Ukraine could keep the Kremlin guessing.

Inside the Kremlin's vast AI surveillance of dissidents

Russia is deploying an artificial intelligence-powered surveillance operation using facial recognition to identify those opposed to the government at public events, according to an analysis of leaked Kremlin documents obtained by Estonian journalists.

Israel disputes AI targeting reports

The Israeli military is aggressively disputing reports that it has relied on an artificial intelligence system for a targeted killing program that tolerates civilian deaths as acceptable collateral damage in its war against Hamas.

Is the Israel-Hamas war spreading to the West Bank?

There were signs Wednesday of the war spreading to the West Bank as video circulated purporting to show Palestinian Authority reinforcements arriving in the West Bank city of Tulkarm amid serious clashes there.

Iran's supreme leader vows revenge for Damascus airstrike

Iran vowed revenge against Israel and the United States on Tuesday, a day after Syria claimed an Israeli airstrike had destroyed the consular section of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, killing two senior Iranian generals and others.

Netanyahu pressured on all sides amid mass protests

Demonstrations in Tel Aviv and elsewhere were some of the largest since Oct. 7, when Iran-backed Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 Israeli civilians and took about 250 hostages.

Did Putin know the ISIS-K attack was coming?

How much did Russian President Vladimir Putin know ahead of time about the ISIS-K massacre in Moscow?

America near breaking point on illegal immigration?

Under President Biden's watch, illegal immigration is reaching historic levels. But now the long-term, systemic ramifications are coming into focus.

Ukraine's MASH unit: Lack of doctors on front lines of war

After two years of fighting, Ukraine’s biggest shortfall is people. There is a lack of doctors and other medical professionals able to treat the sick and wounded soldiers trying to fend off the larger Russian army.

Simmering Biden-Netanyahu feud erupts

The Biden administration seems to have finally run out of patience with Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip — a campaign designed to crush Hamas.

Growing threat from ISIS-K comes into clear focus

The Moscow attack underscores what U.S. military and national security officials have been warning about: ISIS-K is getting stronger and more capable of carrying out attacks across the Middle East and Europe.

Pentagon sounds new alarms on Mideast, China

The outgoing commander of the Pentagon's Indo-Pacific Command warned Congress this week that China’s "massive" military buildup shows no signs of slowing and the U.S. military needs more money to better deter a war with Beijing.

U.S. intel ramping up ties with private cyber firms

A raft of new artificial intelligence tools are fueling new threats to U.S. elections, and American spy agencies are reaching out to more private-sector cyber partners to thwart foreign interference.

Texas' anti-illegal immigrant law remains on pause

The fight over Texas' implementation of a strict new anti-illegal immigration law just got hotter, with a federal appeals court moving Tuesday to erase a previous order that had allowed the law to take effect.

Inside Biden's anti-spyware coalition

The Biden administration says six more nations are joining its push to restrict commercial spyware tools developed by private companies enabling hackers to covertly soak up information from people's computers and phones.

Spotlight on Beijing's U.S. influence operations

The House Oversight and Accountability Committee is investigating what lawmakers say is a Chinese “political warfare” campaign against the entire American system.

AI 'hallucinations' spark U.S. intel concern

U.S. intelligence says new Generative Artificial Intelligence is providing opportunities for American spies collecting and analyzing open-source information, but also serious challenges given that those tools sometimes produce "hallucinations."

Inside the battle for TikTok

The fight over TikTok is getting hotter in Washington, with the House passing a bipartisan bill Wednesday that intends to leave the social media giant's China-based owner, ByteDance, with two choices: divest or face a ban in the United States.

A powder keg in Haiti

The Biden administration says it’s closely watching the unfolding chaos in Haiti, where Prime Minister Ariel Henry says he’ll resign amid widespread gang violence that some analysts say now resembles a low-scale civil war.

Exclusive look at NATO's Ukraine rift

NATO is stronger today than ever before. Defense spending is up among member nations and Finland and Sweden have joined in the two years since Russia invaded Ukraine. But beneath the surface are significant differences on key issues.

Inside the Pentagon's UFO research

National Security Correspondent Ben Wolfgang has a deep dive on the Defense Department's "All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office" report that addresses far-reaching claims by some former military personnel about undisclosed government contacts with aliens.

U.S. warns of 'imminent' extremist attack in Russia

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned Friday that an extremist attack in Russia could be “imminent” and alerted American citizens they may be in danger.

An exclusive inside look at China's dangerous ICBM build-up

Communist China's "breathtaking" nuclear build-up came into the spotlight during a public Senate hearing last week. But some of the most explosive details were revealed in a closed-door session between lawmakers and top Pentagon officials.

Kim Jong-un waiting for Trump?

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un‘s appetite to make a major diplomatic deal with the U.S. seems all but dead — but could it suddenly spring back to life in January 2025?

Biden-Netanyahu tension is soaring

Friction between the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is nearing a boiling point, as the Biden administration embraces one of Mr. Netanyahu’s most popular political rivals: Benny Gantz.

U.S. tech fueling Russian war in Ukraine

A Senate investigation has uncovered new evidence of American technology enabling Russia’s war in Ukraine, raising the prospect that combatants on both sides of the bloody struggle are using U.S.-powered tools.

Pentagon: China accelerating nuclear forces deployment

Chinese military leaders are speeding up the deployment of nuclear forces, in a sign that Beijing is shifting from a strategy of minimum deterrence, according to the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command.

Russia’s losing influence over former Soviet nations

Russia's war against Ukraine has damaged Moscow's influence over countries of the former Soviet Union that now are moving to reduce their dependence on the Kremlin.

China purge further cements Xi's power

The ruling Chinese Communist Party has taken action against two former senior leaders who disappeared suddenly several months ago, as part of an apparent political purge by President Xi Jinping.

Inside China's nuclear ASAT plan

Washington has been abuzz over intelligence on the prospect of Russian anti-satellite (ASAT) nuclear weapons. However, some corners of the national security community are also focused on China's growing arsenal of space warfare capabilities.

Temporary cease-fire possible in Gaza

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh says his government is resigning — a move signaling willingness by the Western-backed Palestinian leadership to accept a shake-up that could usher in reforms to revitalize the Palestinian Authority.

Russia advancing as war enters third year

Ukrainian troops are running perilously low on ammunition. Russian forces are gaining ground in the Donbas. And in America, the political fight over the utility of continued financial aid for Ukraine has reached a fever pitch.

China-Taiwan tensions soaring

Inside Beijing's push to control global information

Biden's bombing of al-Shabab has no endgame

AI in spotlight at Pentagon CDAO conference

Was Navalny assassinated?

Russia tested anti-satellite weapon three years ago

Milley: Learn from Ukraine and prepare for China

Bitter clash over foreign aid

Israel's looming operation in Rafah

House Chairman talks GOP divide on Ukraine

Why the South Korea-Saudi arms deal matters

Mayorkas impeachment looms

Biden is stumbling into a quagmire war with Iranian proxies

Is Taiwan prepared for war?

Inside the China-Russia cyberwar against the U.S.

World awaits U.S. response Wednesday

Where does this show up?

Tuesday on the border

Where does this show up?