Security Expert Juliet Kayyem on America's Greatest Threats
04/22/25 • 28 min
What's the number one threat to America today? According to national security expert Juliette Kayyem, it's not what you might expect. "Violence, or the threat of violence, as the accepted extension of our policy differences," she explains, pointing to a troubling shift in our political landscape where violence has become normalized and even state-authorized.
As former Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security under President Obama, Harvard lecturer, and CNN's go-to disaster expert, Kayyem brings unparalleled insight to today's most pressing security challenges. She delivers a masterclass in understanding the complex interplay between democracy, security, and power in our rapidly changing world.
Our conversation explores how billionaires like Elon Musk have accumulated unprecedented control over global communication systems, creating new kinds of national security vulnerabilities. "He controls information in a way that we've never seen before," Kayyem warns, highlighting how commercial interests now intersect with critical security functions traditionally managed by governments.
Perhaps most compelling is Kayyem's candid assessment of where Democrats have failed, particularly on immigration policy. "Democrats tend to convince themselves that border security is a mythology of Fox News," she says, explaining how this blindspot has consistently undermined progressive messaging with voters. Her refreshing honesty cuts through partisan talking points to offer a clear-eyed view of what effective homeland security truly requires: managing the secure flow of people, goods, and ideas rather than simply building walls.
Whether discussing the strategic failures of political messaging, the reality of cartels, or the path forward for rebuilding democratic norms, Kayyem's analysis is both sobering and surprisingly hopeful. Join us for this essential conversation about securing America's future in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter https://wwwJackHopkinsNow.com
What's the number one threat to America today? According to national security expert Juliette Kayyem, it's not what you might expect. "Violence, or the threat of violence, as the accepted extension of our policy differences," she explains, pointing to a troubling shift in our political landscape where violence has become normalized and even state-authorized.
As former Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security under President Obama, Harvard lecturer, and CNN's go-to disaster expert, Kayyem brings unparalleled insight to today's most pressing security challenges. She delivers a masterclass in understanding the complex interplay between democracy, security, and power in our rapidly changing world.
Our conversation explores how billionaires like Elon Musk have accumulated unprecedented control over global communication systems, creating new kinds of national security vulnerabilities. "He controls information in a way that we've never seen before," Kayyem warns, highlighting how commercial interests now intersect with critical security functions traditionally managed by governments.
Perhaps most compelling is Kayyem's candid assessment of where Democrats have failed, particularly on immigration policy. "Democrats tend to convince themselves that border security is a mythology of Fox News," she says, explaining how this blindspot has consistently undermined progressive messaging with voters. Her refreshing honesty cuts through partisan talking points to offer a clear-eyed view of what effective homeland security truly requires: managing the secure flow of people, goods, and ideas rather than simply building walls.
Whether discussing the strategic failures of political messaging, the reality of cartels, or the path forward for rebuilding democratic norms, Kayyem's analysis is both sobering and surprisingly hopeful. Join us for this essential conversation about securing America's future in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter https://wwwJackHopkinsNow.com
Previous Episode
Facing Forward: Michael Fanone's Survival, Testimony, and Fight for Democracy
Former DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone pulls no punches in this unflinching conversation about the January 6th Capitol attack and its profound impact on his life. With remarkable candor, Fanone takes us through the harrowing moments when he was beaten by the mob, suffered a traumatic brain injury, and experienced a heart attack—all while defending the seat of American democracy from insurrectionists.
"I thought I was going to die," Fanone reveals, describing the "most significant adrenaline dump" of his life that kept him "high as fuck" for a week following the attack. What makes his story particularly compelling is how his twenty-year career as a narcotics officer prepared him for adversity but couldn't fully prepare him for the magnitude of violence he faced that day. Even more disturbing was the realization that he nearly lost his life not just over politics, but over deliberate lies spread by Donald Trump.
The conversation examines the personal cost of speaking truth to power as Fanone details the institutional betrayal he experienced when his own police department opposed his congressional testimony. He shares how the Department of Justice's stance toward him "turned on a dime" after the political winds shifted, and how he now lives with constant death threats that affect not just him but his family.
Despite these challenges, Fanone remains refreshingly authentic—a gun owner and outdoorsman living in rural Virginia with his coon hounds, who turns "into a soccer dad" at 3:30 every day to pick up his kids. He offers unique perspectives on political leadership, arguing that America desperately needs authentic voices who speak from experience rather than poll-tested talking points.
Perhaps most powerful is Fanone's warning about the current state of American democracy and his belief that ordinary citizens, not politicians, will lead the resistance against authoritarianism. "It's going to be average guys and gals like me and you," he insists, calling on Americans to prioritize defending democracy before returning to other policy disagreements.
Whether discussing Trump's pardons, the 13-block walk rioters made to reach the Capitol, or his upcoming film project with Sean Penn, Fanone combines raw emotion with sharp analysis—offering a vital perspective on one of the most consequential events in recent American history.
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter https://wwwJackHopkinsNow.com
The Jack Hopkins Show Podcast - Security Expert Juliet Kayyem on America's Greatest Threats
Transcript
My guest in this episode is Juliette Kayyem . Juliette is a national leader in Homeland Security , crisis Management and Public Policy . She's currently a senior lecturer at Harvard's Kennedy School and a national security analyst for CNN , where she's been called their go-to expert for disasters . Her recent book , the Devil Never Sleeps , explores disaster preparedness and response . She
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