National Security Law Today

The latest National Defense Authorization Act marks a concrete step in how the Department of Defense is beginning to define, assess, and manage the use of artificial intelligence across its operations. This week, Elisa Poteat is joined by Josh Geltzer, partner at WilmerHale and former Deputy Assistant to the President, to break down what the NDAA outlines when it comes to AI governance. Together,...

The year ahead points to a new era of technology-driven defense. This week, we share a keynote address from the 35th Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law CLE Conference titled “Arms, AI, and the Future of Defense.” Christian Brose, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Anduril Industries, examines how AI, autonomous systems, and commercial innovation are reshaping the defense ecos...

A handful of tech billionaires now wield outsized influence over the U.S. economy—and increasingly, over national security itself. This week, Elisa sits down with Justin Sherman, founder and CEO of Global Cyber Strategies and author of Navigating Technology and National Security , to unpack how advanced AI systems, high-powered chips, and global investment flows collide with U.S. security law. Usi...

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the security landscape faster than policy can keep pace. This week, we bring you a special episode recorded live at the 35th Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law Conference : “The AI Arms Race and National Security Law.” Moderated by Margaret Hu, Professor of Law and Director of Digital Democracy Law at William & Mary Law School, the panel ex...

What happens when an innovation boom starts to look like a financial bubble? This week, Elisa sits down with Sarah Myers West of the AI Now Institute to examine the mounting evidence that America’s most influential AI firms may be overvalued, overleveraged, and quietly expecting government rescue if profits don’t materialize. Together, they trace the circular flow of investment between chipmakers,...

Polarization isn’t just a political outcome—it’s an industry. This week, Elisa welcomes Aakaash Rao and Shakked Noy, economists from MIT and Harvard and co-authors of The Business of the Culture War , to explore how shifts in the media business model—from the collapse of local newspapers to the rise of cable news—created powerful incentives to divide audiences. Together, they unpack how networks l...

Washington’s influence economy is bigger—and murkier—than most Americans realize. This week, Elisa sits down with investigative reporter Kenneth P. Vogel to unpack the sprawling web of foreign lobbying revealed in his new book, Devil’s Advocate, tracing how powerful insiders—from Rudy Giuliani to Hunter Biden—became entangled with corrupt foreign interests and why these relationships blur partisan...

AI is learning from us—but what happens when the data it’s fed carries our deepest biases? This week, Elisa Poteat sits down with Roy Austin, inaugural director of Howard Law School’s Artificial Intelligence Initiative and former Deputy Assistant to the President for Urban Affairs, Justice and Opportunity in the Obama White House, to discuss how law and ethics can keep pace with accelerating innov...

As artificial intelligence accelerates, questions about power, privacy, and accountability are more urgent than ever. This week, we revisit our conversation with bestselling author and award-winning AI reporter Karen Hao, whose book Empire of AI reveals how ambition and competition transformed OpenAI from a mission-driven nonprofit into one of the world’s most powerful—and controversial—tech compa...

This week, Elisa breaks down the latest headlines in national security law as the government shutdown stretches into its fourth week. From Russia’s attacks on eastern Ukraine to the growing energy needs of artificial intelligence, she connects how today’s developments are shaping policy and security. Elisa also covers the recent U.S. military plane crashes in the South China Sea, the evolving conv...

The Standing Committee’s 35th Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law is almost here. This week, Elisa sits down with Standing Committee Chair Stephen Preston to highlight what’s ahead at this year’s conference—taking place November 13–14 in Washington, DC. From keynotes on artificial intelligence and defense innovation to panels exploring ethics, cybersecurity, and private sector enga...

Once envisioned as a nonprofit dedicated to advancing AI for the benefit of humanity, OpenAI has since become one of the most powerful—and controversial—companies in the world. This week, Elisa Poteat sits down with Karen Hao, author of Empire AI , to examine how ambition, secrecy, and competition reshaped the organization’s mission. From the erosion of trust and safety standards to the looming en...

With hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed, the consequences of another government shutdown are hitting home. This week, Elisa is joined by Max Stier, President and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, to break down how shutdowns became a political tool—and what they cost the American people. Alongside guest host Harvey Rishikof, they discuss the essential vs. nonessential wo...

Can a sanctions law be used to set trade policy? In this episode, Elisa sits down with Rachel Alpert, former OFAC Chief Counsel and now a Partner at Jenner & Block, to explore how the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) has evolved—and why its use to justify tariffs is drawing scrutiny. Together, they trace the law’s origins, examine the traditional role of OFAC, and discuss th...

From OPEC cartels to U.S. shale revolutions, energy markets have long stood at the center of global power struggles. This week, Elisa is joined by Elaine Levin, energy markets expert and president of Powerhouse, to unpack today’s oil and gas landscape—examining U.S. refining bottlenecks, political pressures on production, and how rising demand from AI, China, and India is reshaping the global ener...

With FISA Section 702 up for reauthorization in 6 months, we’re revisiting the basics of this contested surveillance authority. In this extended episode, Elisa first speaks with Josh Geltzer, former Deputy Assistant to President Biden and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor with the National Security Council, to break down what 702 is and why it’s so controversial. Afterwards, Elisa is joined by Glen...

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case challenging the use of emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs—setting the stage for a ruling that could reshape U.S. trade policy. This week, Elisa is joined by David Ross and Kelly Dunbar of Wilmer Hale to break down the Federal Circuit’s recent decision in V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump. Together, they examine how the International Emergency E...

The aftermath of President Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin continues to raise difficult questions. In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Elisa is joined again by Rob Dannenberg—former CIA officer and two-time Moscow Station Chief—to look beyond the summit table. Together, they explore Ukraine’s bold Operation Spiderweb, the controlled flow of information shaping what Russians know about the war,...

Days after President Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin, questions remain: what was gained, what was conceded, and what does it mean for Ukraine? In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Elisa is joined by Rob Dannenberg—former CIA officer and two-time Moscow Station Chief—to examine the dynamics of the Alaska summit. They discuss Putin’s shifting demands, Trump’s rejection of a ceasefire in favor of...

In the wake of President Trump and Vladimir Putin’s summit in Alaska, we turn our focus back to the nation that remains central to their agenda—Ukraine. Since the sixth century, Ukraine has been the site of many incursions from the east and west, from Ghengis Khan, to the Ottomans, Swedes, Poles, and more. This week, host Elisa is joined by Russia and Eurasia expert Eugene Rumer to review Ukraine'...

In Myanmar’s remote Kachin State, a rebel militia now controls one of the world’s most strategic mineral frontiers. In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Elisa and journalist Timothy McLaughlin explore the realities of rare earth mining in the region—from environmental damage and unsafe labor conditions to the steady flow of minerals into China. Together, they unpack how this supply chain is shaping...

In Myanmar’s remote Kachin State, a rebel militia now controls one of the world’s most strategic mineral frontiers. In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Elisa speaks with journalist Timothy McLaughlin about the Kachin Independence Army’s takeover of the Pangwa region—rich in rare earth minerals vital to wind turbines, electric vehicles, and advanced military systems. Bordering China, this contested...

In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Elisa continues her conversation with Tyler O’Connor, Partner at Crowell & Moring and former Energy Counsel to the House Energy & Commerce Committee, to explore the evolving role of the National Defense Authorization Act. Together, they break down how the NDAA is expanding the Department of Energy’s reach, creating new incentives for industrial decarboni...

A new wave of energy legislation is changing the incentives–and the direction–of U.S. energy policy. In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Elisa sits down with Tyler O’Connor, Partner at Crowell & Moring and former Energy Counsel to the House Energy & Commerce Committee, to unpack the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill.” They discuss how the legislation rolls back key clean energy tax c...

This week, Elisa is joined by John A. Lauder—former CIA official, arms control negotiator, and current Senior Fellow at the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control—to examine the tension between nuclear innovation and nonproliferation. From the postwar promise of Atoms for Peace to today’s AI-fueled energy demands, they unpack the rising interest in small reactors, mounting concerns within the n...