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.

Programs & Projects

Areas of Expertise

The American Edge Cover

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.”

Buy Book

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

In the News 8 of 388 results

Show More

All Seth G. Jones Content

Filter by

1 - 10 of 284 results
The Last Line of Defense

Trump vs. Xi: Who Won?

In this episode, Seth talks with RAND's Jude Blanchette about the outcome of the Trump-Xi meeting and China's defense strategy moving forward.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones — November 5, 2025

The Last Line of Defence
The Last Line of Defense

Introducing The Last Line of Defense

In this era of uncertainty, knowledge is power. Hosted by Dr. Seth G. Jones, The Last Line of Defense offers clear and insightful analysis on the latest national security news.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones — October 29, 2025

The Last Line of Defence

Improving U.S. Cooperation with Allies and Partners

To make the most of its vast network of allies and partners, the United States must understand the barriers inhibiting U.S.-allied cooperation and devise ways to overcome them.

Report by Daniel Byman, Alexander Palmer, Audrey Aldisert, Henry H. Carroll, Cynthia R. Cook, Chris H. Park, and Seth G. Jones — October 14, 2025

Congressional Perspectives on Maritime Security

Please join the CSIS Defense and Security Department (DSD) and the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) for a Maritime Security Dialogue event featuring Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT).

Event — October 7, 2025

Audio Briefs

Adversaries and the Future of Competition

An audio version of “⁠Adversaries and the Future of Competition⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Seth G. Jones. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones — September 16, 2025

Audio Briefs

Adversaries and the Future of Competition

China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea have increased security cooperation in arms sales, military exercises, and the industrial base, though there are limits. Bilateral cooperation is likely to increase in the future, which has major implications for the future of warfare.

Commentary by Seth G. Jones — September 16, 2025