What Happened to al-Qaeda?
Twenty-five years after 9/11, analysts can’t decide if the terrorist organization is all but defunct or more threatening than ever.
National Security
The Atlantic’s coverage of national security, military intelligence, global conflict, and more
Newsletter
National Security
Our writers make sense of America’s place in the world, reporting on rising authoritarianism, military technology, and geopolitical conflicts.
Subject to The Atlantic's Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions
The Danger of Trump’s Anti-Communist Rhetoric
The Trump administration would like you to worry like it’s 1979.
This May Be Trump’s Biggest Error in the Iran War
Success requires knowing what motivates your enemy.
A Tragedy in Iran Might Persuade Hegseth to Change Course
The Pentagon is rethinking how it wages war after the Iran school strike.
Zelensky Asked Trump for a Favor From Elon Musk
Ukraine wants to start using Musk’s Starlink to target ballistic-missile launchers inside Russia.
Inside the Feud Over Ukraine’s Drone Success
The fall of Ukraine’s top general, Oleksandr Syrsky, leaves younger officers to finish the reforms that he resisted.
A Planeload of Informants
The United States is intensifying its hunt for narcos within the Mexican government. Is this all prelude to an attack?
The Art of the Giveaway
The Trump administration is giving Saudi Arabia exactly what it wants. For what?
The Top Gun: Maverick Theory of Pete Hegseth
Like Tom Cruise in the movie, the defense secretary appears stuck in his past.
War by Any Other Name
No classified briefings, no press conferences, no acknowledgment that the conflict with Iran is back on