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 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.”

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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

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

Russia’s Grinding War in Ukraine

Despite claims of success in Ukraine, new CSIS data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains, with over 1.2 million casualties. Russia is also in decline as a major economic power with slow growth, weak productivity, and declining manufacturing.

Brief by Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe — January 27, 2026

The Last Line of Defense

Inside Iran's Security Apparatus: How Stable is the Regime?

Host Seth Jones speaks with Norman Roule, who served as the national intelligence manager for Iran at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from November 2008 until September 2017.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones and Norman T. Roule — January 21, 2026

The Last Line of Defence
The Last Line of Defense

Maduro is Gone. Now What in Venezuela?

Seth Jones speaks with Dr. Ryan Berg about Venezuela’s political landscape in the post-Maduro era, examining U.S. policy goals, shifting power structures, and what’s at stake for the country’s new president, Delcy Rodríguez.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones and Ryan C. Berg — January 7, 2026

The Last Line of Defence
The Last Line of Defense

Which Military Shocks Defined 2025 — and What's Next in 2026?

Host Seth Jones sits down with Kari Bingen to look back at major defense and military shocks of 2025, including Russia’s poor performance, Operation Midnight Hammer, and China’s military parade, among others.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones and Kari A. Bingen — December 17, 2025

The Last Line of Defence

China’s Campaign to Steal America’s Secrets: A Talk with David R. Shedd

Please join Dr. Seth G. Jones for a discussion with David R. Shedd, former Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), on how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has carried out one of the largest-scale thefts of intellectual property, technology, and data in history.

Event — December 16, 2025