Seth G. Jones

President, Defense and Security Department; Harold Brown Chair
Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones is president of the Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He focuses on defense strategy, military operations, the defense industrial base, and irregular warfare. He leads a bipartisan team of over 150 resident and non-resident staff that conduct policy-relevant research and analysis on defense and national security issues. Dr. Jones currently serves as a Commissioner on the Congressionally established Afghanistan War Commission. He also teaches at the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

Prior to CSIS, Dr. Jones was director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. Before that, he served in several positions in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and U.S. Special Operations Command. He served as representative for the commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations. He was also a plans officer and adviser to the commanding general, U.S. Special Operations Forces, in Afghanistan (Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan). Dr. Jones served on a congressionally mandated panel that reviewed the FBI’s implementation of counterterrorism recommendations contained in the 9/11 Commission Report. He is author of The American Edge: The Military Tech Nexus and the Sources of Great Power Dominance (Oxford, 2025), Three Dangerous Men: Russia, China, Iran, and the Rise of Irregular Warfare (W.W. Norton, 2021), A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in Poland (W.W. Norton, 2018), Waging Insurgent Warfare: Lessons from the Vietcong to the Islamic State (Oxford University Press, 2016), Hunting in the Shadows: The Pursuit of al Qa'ida since 9/11 (W.W. Norton, 2012), and In the Graveyard of Empires: America’s War in Afghanistan (W.W. Norton, 2009). Dr. Jones has published articles in a range of journals, including Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and International Security, and news outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. He is a graduate of Bowdoin College and received his MA and PhD from the University of Chicago.

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The American Edge

In his most recent book, The American Edge, Seth G. Jones examines the defense industrial bases of the great powers over the last century. The book explains how the industrial bases of the great powers—especially the United States—have risen, fallen, and evolved relative to each other from Imperial Germany and Japan during World War II, to the United States and Soviet Union during the Cold War, to the recent rise of China. The book argues that the U.S. defense industrial base is unprepared for today’s international landscape, especially with China’s industrial base operating on a wartime footing and, in some areas, outpacing the United States. But there is good news. The U.S. private sector is innovative and has enormous production capacity, and the United States has a history of revitalizing its defense sector in the face of external threats. But it will take urgency, a commitment to spend money on production capacity, and a willingness to cut back on excessive regulations to rebuild the United States’ “arsenal of democracy.”

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Featured Podcast

Photo: CSIS

Photo: CSIS

The Last Line of Defense

In this era of uncertainty, knowledge is power. Hosted by Dr. Seth G. Jones, The Last Line of Defense breaks down and analyzes the latest national security news. Each episode provides practical solutions to the toughest national security questions—from war and peace around the world to the role of emerging technology in defense. Produced by Marla Hiller.

Podcast Series by Seth G. Jones

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The Last Line of Defense

Tehran’s Calculus: Iran’s Strategy Amidst the Storm

Host Seth Jones speaks with Ambassador Ryan Crocker to unpack Iran’s complex political landscape, regional power dynamics, and the role of U.S. allies as the conflict unfolds.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones — April 1, 2026

The Last Line of Defence
The Last Line of Defense

Beyond the Air War: What Are the Global Risks of the Iran Conflict?

Host Seth Jones sits down with General David H. Petraeus, retired U.S. Army general and former director of the CIA, to discuss the latest developments in Iran, including ongoing military operations and the escalating challenge of countering drone and missile threats.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones — March 10, 2026

The Last Line of Defence

Russia-Ukraine War in 10 Charts

Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has reshaped European security, global markets, and the balance of power. These 10 charts break down the battlefield, economic strain, military aid shifts, reconstruction costs, and what comes next.

Commentary by CSIS Scholars — February 24, 2026

The Last Line of Defense

Why Putin’s "Inevitable" Victory in Ukraine is a Myth

Host Seth Jones speaks with Kate Bachelder Odell of The Wall Street Journal about the state of Russia’s war in Ukraine as it nears its fifth year.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones — February 18, 2026

The Last Line of Defence
The Last Line of Defense

Locked and Loaded: What Are U.S. Military Options for Iran?

Host Seth Jones sits down with retired Admiral Sandy Winnefeld, the ninth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to discuss the latest developments involving Iran.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones — February 4, 2026

The Last Line of Defence

Securing Critical Mineral Supply: A Government–Industry Dialogue

Join the CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program virtually for public sessions on financing, investment conditions, supply-chain resilience, and public–private coordination, as part of "Securing Critical Mineral Supply: A Government–Industry Dialogue."

Event — February 3, 2026