Following an election, the president-elect considers who will fill top national security roles—advisors pivotal in shaping America’s global defense posture. But who will fill the roles of National Security Advisor, Secretary of Defense, and CIA Director, among other key positions, in the new Trump administration?
The Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University is hosting a panel discussion Thursday, November 14, at 7 p.m., that will explore possible candidates for those critical roles.
This timely media roundtable, called “New Term, New Challenges: National Security in the Trump Administration,” brings together prominent national security journalists to discuss the pressing issues and anticipated leadership changes in U.S. national security. It takes place in the Van Metre Hall auditorium at Mason Square in Arlington, Virginia.
The event is free and open to the public but registration is required at this website. A livestream will be broadcast on the Hayden Center YouTube channel at this page.
Inheriting complex challenges, the new administration’s national security leaders face ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Israel’s escalating conflict with Hamas and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine demand a strategic approach. The Indo-Pacific region poses additional challenges with a National Defense Commission report warning of China’s ambitions to potentially invade Taiwan by 2027.
The panelists will examine how the administration might respond, diplomatically and militarily, among other topics of discussion.
Panelists include:
Ken Dilanian: NBC News national security reporter and veteran of the Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, and other top publications, Dilanian brings extensive experience from Europe and the Middle East, including reporting from Iraq.
Amy Mackinnon: Foreign Policy’s award-winning intelligence reporter, with deep expertise in Eastern Europe. Mackinnon, a fluent Russian speaker, has received recognition for her investigative work in Russia.
Warren Strobel: An intelligence reporter at the Wall Street Journal, Strobel has traveled extensively with U.S. secretaries of state and is known for his critical reporting on the Iraq War buildup.
Hayden Center director Larry Pfeiffer, former White House senior director and CIA chief of staff, will moderate.