Podcast
State Secrets
Hosted by The Cipher Brief · EN
State Secrets is a weekly interview podcast featuring Cipher Brief experts and national security leaders.
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
CIA in Mexico: The Hidden Risks Behind U.S. Intelligence Missions
May 700:24:20Tap to summarizeThe reported deaths of two CIA officers in Mexico have sparked questions, sharp reactions, and widespread speculation. But what really happened - and what does it reveal about how U.S. intelligence operates in one of the world's most complex threat environments? In this in-depth conversation, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly speaks with Ralph Goff, a six-time CIA station chief, who brings rare, firsthand insight into the realities of intelligence operations, the risks officers face, and the truth behind the headlines. Goff explains why the loss of intelligence officers - often far from traditional war zones - remains an enduring reality of the job. He also breaks down how the CIA works with foreign partners, why operations in Mexico are uniquely dangerous, and how missions continue even after tragedy strikes. This conversation also pulls back the curtain on how intelligence operations are actually authorized and conducted - dispelling Hollywood myths about rogue agents and revealing the legal, political, and operational constraints that govern every move.
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What the Future of Conflict Looks Like: Petraeus on Iran Endgame & Ukraine's Drone War
Apr 2700:45:27Tap to summarizeWhat does "success" look like in a conflict with Iran - and what comes next? In this in-depth conversation, General David Petraeus joins The Cipher Brief's Suzanne Kelly to unpack the military and strategic realities shaping today's most consequential conflicts. From the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the unresolved risks around Iran's nuclear program, Petraeus explains what's at stake not just for the U.S., but for the global economy. But the real story? Ukraine. Petraeus calls it the true test case for the future of war - where drones, autonomy, and rapid innovation are redefining the battlefield in real time.
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Tradecraft and Deception: Understanding Russia's Intelligence Machine
Apr 600:32:34Tap to summarizeIn this episode of State Secrets, former CIA Senior Operations Officer Sean Wiswesser examines the evolution of Russian intelligence - from Soviet-era tradecraft to modern hybrid warfare. He unpacks Moscow's strategic mindset, its transactional relationships with partners like Iran, and its enduring focus on weakening democratic systems. With insights drawn from decades in the field, Wiswesser explains what most people misunderstand about Russia - and why that matters now more than ever.
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ISIS Reawakens: What the Bondi Attack Signals for Global Terror
Mar 3000:26:26Tap to summarizeA mass-casualty attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach in December 2025 shattered assumptions about the decline of ISIS - and raised urgent questions about what comes next. In this episode of State Secrets, Suzanne Kelly speaks with terrorism experts Levi West and Andrew Zammit to unpack what made this attack different: months of planning, coordinated tactics, and a clear alignment with evolving ISIS strategy. The discussion reveals a troubling shift - from isolated, impulsive attacks to more deliberate, semi-organized operations fueled by sophisticated propaganda and global events like the Gaza conflict. The group also examines how ISIS is leveraging English-language messaging, rebuilding momentum across regions like Afghanistan and the Sahel, and blurring the line between "inspired" and "directed" attacks. Most importantly, they explore what this means for U.S. and allied security services at a time when counterterrorism is no longer the top global priority. Bottom line: ISIS may look diminished - but the threat is adapting in ways that are harder to detect, disrupt, and defeat.
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David Ignatius on War with Iran, the Future of Espionage, and 50 Years of Reporting
Mar 1100:31:22Tap to summarizeWashington Post columnist and bestselling novelist David Ignatius joins State Secrets to reflect on more than five decades covering intelligence, war, and global power. In this conversation with Suzanne Kelly, Ignatius shares his perspective on what he calls a potentially historic moment in U.S. conflict with Iran and explains why today's battles increasingly unfold in the gray zone - from cyber operations to covert networks operating far from traditional battlefields. Ignatius also discusses the evolving relationship between journalists and intelligence agencies, the challenges of reporting during periods of restricted access, and why original reporting still matters in an era of AI-generated analysis. Drawing on decades of travel and firsthand reporting - from Beirut to Kyiv - he explains why being on the ground remains essential to understanding modern conflict, including what he calls Ukraine's emerging "algorithm war." The conversation comes as Ignatius is honored with The Cipher Brief's 2026 Impact in Journalism Award, recognizing a career spent uncovering how intelligence, technology, and geopolitics shape the world.
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China's Fancy Dragons in the Sky Hold Hidden Clues for National Security
Mar 500:37:05Tap to summarizeInvestor Gilman Louie has spent much of his career focused on future national security. Tapped by former CIA Director George Tenet to be the first CEO of the Agency's venture capital arm and later becoming an advisor and venture capital investor, Louie has spent decades working to identify the technologies that will ensure future national security. He told State Secrets podcast host Suzanne Kelly what clues we have about China's future ambitions and why he believes we're facing an Oppenheimer moment with AI.
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The Former Chief of MI6 on Alliances, Adversaries, AI & Aliens
Feb 2400:43:52Tap to summarizeSir Richard Moore gets serious with the State Secrets podcast about the impact that intelligence alliances will have on future security, shares what he knows about China and Russia, lays out the ways in which AI and other technologies will impact the intelligence mission and oh yeah, aliens. We actually asked him about that. Find out what he had to say in this episode of the State Secrets podcast - recorded just as he prepares to accept this year's Cipher Brief HONORS Award for Impact in Alliance.
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From a Bunker in Ukraine: Two Former CIA Officers Share Intel
Feb 2000:26:31Tap to summarizeFormer CIA Chiefs of Station Ralph Goff and Glenn Corn have spent a lot of time on the ground in Ukraine. In this State Secrets podcast episode, they share details on what they're seeing there now that isn't making the headlines. Get the raw reporting with Goff and Corn in this special edition of the State Secrets Podcast.
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What We Must Get Right In Cyber
Feb 900:31:25Tap to summarizeThe former head of one of the government's most secret agencies, the National Security Agency, and the former Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, General Paul Nakasone (ret.) sits down with State Secrets to talk about the things he wishes every American knew when it comes to today's cyber threats.
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Mark Greaney gets gritty about what it takes to pen the perfect spy thriller
Feb 600:30:22Tap to summarizeIt's a rough business, from traveling the world scouting exotic locations to knowing the correct position of your trigger finger on your pistol to understanding how to clear a room in a hostage situation. And all of that comes before your fingers even hit the keyboard. Join State Secrets Podcast host Suzanne Kelly as she welcomes spy writer extraordinaire Mark Greaney to talk about his latest book, The Hard Line, what he learned from writing with Tom Clancy and what actually goes into writing a best-selling spy novel.
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