National Security

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Former Defense Secretary On Pro-Trump Mob's Insurrection

7:30pm January 06, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Leon Panetta, former defense secretary and CIA director under President Barack Obama, about the occupation of the U.S. Capitol building by pro-Trump extremists.

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U.S. Capitol Police hold protesters at gunpoint near the House Chamber inside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

Authorities Send Reinforcements To Help Secure The Capitol

6:02pm January 06, 2021

by Ryan Lucas

FBI, ATF, regional law enforcement and National Guard personnel responded to the Capitol on Wednesday after it was breached by pro-Trump extremists.

Fireworks explode over the Kremlin and Red Square during New Year's celebrations on Jan. 1 in Moscow. The U.S. government says a widespread computer incursion into U.S. government and private computer networks was likely carried out by Russia.

U.S. Security Agencies: Massive Computer Hack Is 'Likely Russian'

6:21pm January 05, 2021

by Greg Myre

In its most detailed comment so far, the U.S. government says the breach of government and private company computer networks "will require a sustained and dedicated effort to remediate."

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Zachary Terwilliger, shown outside the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Va., in October, is headed into private practice.

Will Biden DOJ Pursue Assange Extradition? Outgoing Prosecutor Isn't Sure

12:12pm January 05, 2021

by Carrie Johnson

Zachary Terwilliger told NPR he isn't sure whether the Justice Department will continue trying to extradite after a defeat in court. Terwilliger, meanwhile, is set to hang up his U.S. flag pin.

Former Defense Secretaries Call For Quick Transition To Biden Administration

6:46pm January 04, 2021

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with ex-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel about a Washington Post op-ed, signed by all former living Pentagon chiefs, urging an easy transition to the Biden administration.

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces 18 federal counts related to allegations of illegally obtaining, receiving and disclosing classified information. He is accused of conspiring to hack U.S. government computer networks, and obtain and publish classifi

British Court Rejects U.S. Request To Extradite WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange

3:53pm January 04, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

The WikiLeaks founder took refuge for seven years inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He was removed in April 2019 and imprisoned while he awaited a decision on his extradition.

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper joined nine other former defense secretaries in calling for an end to challenges to the presidential election.

In Op-Ed, 10 Ex-Defense Secretaries Say Military Has No Role In Election Dispute

12:50pm January 04, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

A bipartisan group of 10 former secretaries of defense criticized attempts to challenge November's presidential election and called it a dangerous threat to the nation's security.

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Eurasia Group: The Biggest Global Risks For 2021

6:35am January 04, 2021

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy, about the organization's report on the most significant global threats of this year.

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Surrounded by Army cadets, President Trump watches the Army-Navy football game at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., on Dec. 12.

Trump And The Military: What An Erratic Commander In Chief Leaves Behind

5:38am January 04, 2021

by Tom Bowman

"Military and some civilian leaders have been in constant damage control over the last four years. The old 'cleanup on aisle 4, then 6, then 8,' " a retired officer says of President Trump's tenure.

A Look Back At What Happened After The Killing Of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani

3:43pm January 01, 2021

One year after the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, NPR correspondents discuss what happened since and what Iran policy might look like under the Biden administration.