National Security Law Today

<p>As tensions rise and the United States surges military assets into the Middle East, a critical question emerges: what happens to a nuclear program if a government collapses? This week, Elisa sits down with David Albright, founder of the Institute for Science and International Security, to assess the risks surrounding Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the consequences of regime instability. Drawing on historical precedent and insights from his recent op-ed, they examine what sites must be secured, why advance planning is essential, and whether the U.S. and its allies are prepared to prevent sensitive nuclear material from falling into the wrong hands.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://isis-online.org/about/staff/albright/">David Albright</a> is founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, D.C</p><p>EVENT: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://events.americanbar.org/event/dba939e3-d0ee-472c-8c29-751e10a92995/summary">Register</a> for our in-person luncheon on March 5 in Washington, D.C., featuring journalist Jason Rezaian and attorney David Bowker on hostage diplomacy and the wrongful detention of Americans overseas. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q8qm9FyS3_UFLf6doFymQERtBKJcF_yS/view?usp=sharing">View the full program here.</a></p><p><em>References:</em></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-nuclear-threat-after-tehran-falls-7d66aa47?st=nAo71y&amp;reflink=article_gmail_share">Albright, David, and Andrea Stricker. “<em>The Nuclear Threat After Tehran Falls</em>.” <em>The Wall Street Journal</em>, 2 Feb. 2026.</a></p>

<p>This week, we revisit a foundational conversation on the Insurrection Act, originally recorded in June 2020 with William Banks and Harvey Rishikof. Together, they trace the Act’s history, unpack the scope of presidential authority it confers, explain how it may be invoked, and examine the constitutional principles that should guide its use.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://securitypolicylaw.syr.edu/about_the_institute_for_security_policy_and_law/people/staff-2/william-c-banks/?_gl=1*u4himc*_ga*MjIyNjI4NTY2LjE2NjE1NDIxNjk.*_ga_QT13NN6N9S*MTY2MTU0MjE2OS4xLjAuMTY2MTU0MjE2OS42MC4wLjA">William Banks</a> is former Chair of the Standing Committee on Law and National Security </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hfvc5pwGcdjhAiEArPMzEdBtJDAmBwnh/view">Harvey Rishikof</a> is Senior Counselor of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security</p><p>EVENT: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://events.americanbar.org/event/dba939e3-d0ee-472c-8c29-751e10a92995/summary">Register</a> for our in-person luncheon on March 5 in Washington, D.C., featuring journalist Jason Rezaian and attorney David Bowker on hostage diplomacy and the wrongful detention of Americans overseas. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q8qm9FyS3_UFLf6doFymQERtBKJcF_yS/view?usp=sharing">View the full program here.</a></p><p><em>References:</em></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title10/subtitleA/part1/chapter13&amp;edition=prelim">The Insurrection Act</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1385">Posse Comitatus Act</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674736740">Banks, William C., and Stephen Dycus. <em>Soldiers on the Home Front: The Domestic Role of the American Military</em>. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2016.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nationalsecurity.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/02-Banks-V13-8-18-09.pdf">Banks, William C. <em>“Providing ‘Supplemental Security’–The Insurrection Act and the Military Role in Responding to Domestic Crises.”</em> Journal of National Security Law &amp; Policy, vol. 3, Dec. 15, 2009</a></li></ul>

<p>In this News Roundup, Elisa unpacks the latest AI-driven developments making headlines—from Chinese financing across U.S. energy and data infrastructure to emerging battlefield AI systems and early research raising concerns about AI-generated pathogens. She also examines evolving strategies for powering data centers, the strategic implications of a potential SpaceX–xAI alignment, and how Anthropic’s latest model signals a new phase in the global AI race.</p><p>EVENT: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://events.americanbar.org/event/dba939e3-d0ee-472c-8c29-751e10a92995/summary">Register</a> for our in-person luncheon on March 5 in Washington, D.C., featuring journalist Jason Rezaian and attorney David Bowker on hostage diplomacy and the wrongful detention of Americans overseas. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q8qm9FyS3_UFLf6doFymQERtBKJcF_yS/view?usp=sharing">View the full program here.</a></p><p><em>References:</em></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000476968477">NSLT Ep. 127, <em>The Insurrection Act Today with William Banks and Harvey Rishikof</em></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.aiddata.org/publications/chasing-china">Parks, B. C., Zhang, S., Escobar, B., Walsh, K., Fedorochko, R., Vlasto, L., et al. (2025). <em>Chasing China: Learning to Play by Beijing’s Global Lending Rules</em>. Williamsburg, VA: AidData at William &amp; Mary</a></li></ul>

<p>America’s relationship with Venezuela has long been shaped by power, politics, and law, often in uneasy combinations. This week, Elisa Poteat is joined by Brian Egan, partner at Skadden and former State Department Legal Adviser, to examine the legal foundations of U.S. engagement with Venezuela, from maritime interdictions and sanctions to questions of war powers and executive authority. Drawing on history, international law, and recent developments, they explore how past interventions continue to shape today’s national security decisions and what lawyers should be watching for next.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.skadden.com/Professionals/E/Egan-Brian">Brian Egan</a> is a Partner in National Security, CFIUS, and International Trade at Skadden</p><p><em>References:</em></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://events.americanbar.org/event/dba939e3-d0ee-472c-8c29-751e10a92995/summary">EVENT: Join us for our upcoming luncheon, <em>Hostage Diplomacy and the Rule of Law: The Wrongful Detention of American Citizens</em>, on March 5 at the Army Navy Club in Washington, D.C</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.incb.org/incb/en/precursors/1988-convention.html">UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf">UN Convention on the Law of the Sea</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title46/subtitle7/chapter705&amp;edition=prelim">The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text">UN Charter Full Text</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/98/text/is">S.J.Res.98 - A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/93rd-congress/house-joint-resolution/542">The War Powers Resolution</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-approves-possible-sale-equipment-services-shift-peruvian-naval-base-2026-01-16/">Reuters. “US Approves Possible Sale of Equipment, Services to Shift Peruvian Naval Base.” <em>Reuters</em>, 15 Jan. 2026</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://africacenter.org/spotlight/china-port-development-africa/">Nantulya, Paul. "Mapping China’s Strategic Port Development in Africa." <em>Africa Center for Strategic Studies</em>, 10 Mar. 2025</a></li></ul>

<p>As AI becomes central to national security, alignment itself may introduce new risks. This week, Elisa Poteat is joined by Dr. Michael Vaiana, Research Director at AE Studio, to examine how AI alignment, model testing, and system integration shape both defensive and offensive security capabilities. Together, they explore red teaming, data poisoning, under-researched risks, and what policymakers need to understand about how AI systems behave when deployed at scale.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13X5iO_5dEDlpkS382tD8rCQCpzCWPPmo/view?usp=sharing">Dr. Michael Vaiana</a>is a Research Director at AE Studio</p><p></p><p><em>References:</em></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/ilya-sutskever-were-moving-from-the-age-of-scaling/id1516093381?i=1000738363711">The Dwarkesh Podcast: <em>Ilya Sutskever – We're moving from the age of scaling to the age of research</em>. Nov. 25 2025.</a></p>