The Last Line of Defense

Host Seth Jones sits down with the Honorable Kathleen Hicks, the 35th U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense and former director of the International Security Program at CSIS, to discuss how industrial production shapes U.S. military readiness across multiple theaters. Hicks examines the challenge China's unprecedented military modernization poses to U.S. deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, the case for a high-low mix of munitions and platforms, and the Pentagon's ongoing integration of autonomy and artificial intelligence. 

Host Seth Jones sits down with United States Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR), chair of the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), to discuss next-generation threats to the American homeland. Drawing on HPSCI’s recently published Review of the 9/11 Commission Report, Chairman Crawford highlights the growing security challenges posed by China, drones, and misinformation. He also discusses the need to better integrate local and state governments within the country’s national security architecture, and what’s at stake for the American people’s freedom and security. 

Host Dr. Seth Jones sits down with Dr. Dan Byman, director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at CSIS and professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Drawing on his experience in the U.S. intelligence community, the 9/11 Commission, and the Joint 9/11 Inquiry Staff of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, Dr. Byman offers his reflections on the attacks, the United States' response in Afghanistan and the global war on terror, evolving threats to the homeland today, and the lessons that Americans should draw to improve national resilience and prepare for future crises. 

Host Seth Jones sits down with Frank Kendall, former Secretary of the U.S. Air Force and former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, to discuss his new book, Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare Whether We Like It or Not. They explore China’s military modernization and the challenge it poses to U.S. and allied forces in the Asia-Pacific, along with lessons from past military-technology “offsets.” Kendall examines how autonomous systems will reshape the way the United States designs, equips, and employs its forces, discusses the future of land and surface warfare, and explains the imperative for technological innovation to strengthen deterrence and help prevent great-power conflict.

Host Seth Jones sits down with General Sir Nick Carter, who served as Chief of the Defence Staff and Chief of the General Staff in the UK military, for an assessment of the changing character of warfare. Drawing on decades of military leadership and firsthand experience commanding U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Carter offers insight into the operational lessons emerging from the wars in Iran and Ukraine, the risks of strategic hubris, the evolving role of drones and autonomy on the battlefield, and the growing danger of escalation toward a broader, multi-theater conflict. 

Host Seth Jones sits down with Robert Cardillo, former director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, for an assessment of space as an emerging domain of modern warfare. Drawing on decades of experience in the intelligence community and his current leadership positions in the private sector, Cardillo offers insight into the role of space assets in the wars in Ukraine and Iran, the rise of commercial space companies, and the implications of surging Chinese space capabilities for U.S.-China strategic competition and U.S. homeland defense.  

Host Seth Jones sits down with Secretary Leon Panetta for an assessment of the Iran war, U.S. military readiness, and broader strategic challenges. Drawing on decades of experience at the highest levels of government, Panetta discusses America's national security strategy, offering insights shaped by his leadership as chairman of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, and former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Host Seth Jones welcomes back Mick Ryan, retired Australian Army Major General, for the latest on the Ukraine-Russia battlefield. The pair discussed the Ukrainian air campaign, including the use of AI and drone warfare, as well as the conditions of Russia’s frontlines.

On this episode, host Seth Jones discusses areas of bipartisan support for global engagement, including NATO, the threat posed by China, support for Ukraine, and more. He is joined by Roger Zakheim, who currently serves as the Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, and previously General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.

Host Seth G. Jones sits down with Walter Russell Mead to examine the war in Iran, including its political implications, the state of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the historical forces shaping the conflict. Drawing on decades of expertise, Mead offers critical historical context and perspective as the Ravenel B. Curry III Distinguished Fellow in Strategy and Statesmanship at Hudson Institute, Global View columnist at The Wall Street Journal, and Alexander Hamilton Professor of Strategy and Statecraft at University of Florida’s Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education.