Daniel Byman

Director, Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program
Daniel Byman

Daniel Byman is the director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He is also a professor at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and the foreign policy editor for Lawfare. He has served as a senior adviser to the Department of State on the International Security Advisory Board and held positions at the Brookings Institution, the RAND Corporation, 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 is a leading researcher and has written widely on a range of topics related to terrorism, insurgency, intelligence, social media, artificial intelligence, and the Middle East. He is the author of nine books, including Spreading Hate: The Global Rise of White Supremacist Terrorism (Oxford, 2022); Road Warriors: Foreign Fighters in the Armies of Jihad (Oxford, 2019); Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and the Global Jihadist Movement: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford, 2015); and A High Price: The Triumphs and Failures of Israeli Counterterrorism (Oxford, 2011). He is the author or coauthor of almost 200 academic and policy articles, monographs, and book chapters, as well as numerous opinion pieces in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and other leading journals. Dr. Byman is a graduate of Amherst College and received his PhD in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Spreading Hate

Spreading Hate

Spreading Hate: The Global Rise of White Supremacist Terrorism examines the evolution of the white power movement around the world, explaining its appeal and the threat it poses as well as many failures. In this sweeping, authoritative account, Daniel Byman traces the key moments in the white power movement's evolution in the United States and around the world and then details its many facets today. Using a wide range of sources, Byman explodes several myths about white power terrorism and exposes dangerous gaps in current policies.

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Audio Briefs

The Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire: Issues to Watch

An audio version of “⁠The Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire: Issues to Watch⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Daniel Byman. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Daniel Byman — April 8, 2026

Audio Briefs

The Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire: Issues to Watch

A fragile ceasefire masks a far more dangerous reality: Iran’s nuclear ambitions unresolved, Lebanon destabilized, terrorism risks rising, and a shadow war between Israel and Iran poised to reignite at any moment.

Commentary by Daniel Byman — April 8, 2026

Audio Briefs

Who Is Winning the Iran War?

An audio version of “⁠Who Is Winning the Iran War?⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Daniel Byman. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.  

Podcast Episode by Daniel Byman — April 2, 2026

Audio Briefs

Who Is Winning the Iran War?

The United States and Israel are devastating Iran's leadership and inflicting significant damage on Iran's already-weak military. Iran, however, is hitting back, and the biggest long-term costs to the United States are likely to be felt outside the Middle East.

Commentary by Daniel Byman — April 2, 2026

What Is Israel Trying to Accomplish in Lebanon?

Even as Israel and the United States fight in Lebanon, Israel is also in a major war with Hezbollah—a war designed to keep the group weak and off balance.

Commentary by Daniel Byman — March 19, 2026

State of Play

Would Regime Change Solve the Iran Challenge?

Jon Alterman, Daniel Byman, and Mona Yacoubian joined Will Todman on a live episode of State of Play.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman, Jon B. Alterman, Daniel Byman, and Mona Yacoubian — March 5, 2026

Photo: iLab/CSIS

Is Hezbollah Still a Threat?

Any U.S. successes against Iran can also help undermine Hezbollah. CSIS's Daniel Byman addresses key questions about Hezbollah's influence in Foreign Affairs.

Commentary by Daniel Byman — March 4, 2026