The Steady State

Sentinel

New episodes drop every Tuesday!

The Steady State Sentinel is produced by The Steady State, a community of former national security professionals who spent their careers safeguarding the United States at home and abroad. Today, we continue that mission by staying true to our oaths to defend the Constitution, uphold democracy, and protect national security. Each episode features expert hosts in conversation with accomplished guests whose experience sheds light on the crises and challenges facing the nation.

Our Latest Episode

ELECTION SPECIAL: America Has Disarmed Against Disinformation — Just Before the Midterms

From online harassment to foreign interference, the fight to protect American democracy is entering dangerous territory.

With the November 3 midterm elections approaching, what happens when the United States dismantles its defenses against disinformation just as the threats intensify? On this episode of The Steady State Sentinel, host Lauren Anderson is joined by disinformation expert Nina Jankowicz, co-founder and CEO of the American Sunlight Project, to examine the growing threats posed by foreign influence operations, political manipulation, and attacks on the institutions responsible for protecting American democracy. Drawing on her experience studying Russian propaganda and serving in the federal government, Jankowicz explains why she believes the Trump administration’s rollback of counter-disinformation programs has left the United States increasingly vulnerable to foreign adversaries and domestic manipulation.

The conversation also takes a deeply personal turn as Jankowicz recounts the harassment, threats, and intimidation she experienced after being appointed to lead the Department of Homeland Security’s Disinformation Governance Board. She and Anderson explore how political intimidation silences researchers and public servants, the erosion of democratic norms, and the dangerous relationship between inflammatory rhetoric and political violence. As Americans prepare to vote, Jankowicz offers practical advice for recognizing disinformation, navigating online manipulation, and engaging constructively with those who hold different beliefs. At its heart, this episode asks a critical question: What happens to a democracy when people are afraid to speak the truth?

About Our Guest

Nina Jankowicz is an internationally recognized expert on disinformation, democracy, and online harassment, and the co-founder and CEO of the American Sunlight Project, a nonprofit dedicated to combating disinformation and defending freedom of expression. She previously served in the Department of Homeland Security, where she was appointed to lead the Disinformation Governance Board, and has worked with the National Democratic Institute and the Wilson Center on democracy, foreign influence, and information security. Jankowicz is the author of How to Lose the Information War and How to Be a Woman Online, and was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in AI. She also hosts DISARMED, a podcast examining the dismantling of America’s defenses against disinformation and the consequences for democratic institutions and national security.

Meet Our Hosts

Lauren Anderson is a former FBI national security executive who spent nearly three decades running toward the crises most people run from. An Advisor to the U.S. Comptroller General and the U.S. Army, she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relatio

Lauren Anderson is a former FBI national security executive who spent nearly three decades running toward the crises most people run from. An Advisor to the U.S. Comptroller General and the U.S. Army, she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and The Steady State. She writes What We Choose to Defend, exploring the intersection of trust, security, conscience, and the rule of law.

Bree Fram is an astronautical engineer and retired U.S. Space Force colonel who served 23 years before being forced out by the Trump administration, including Pentagon assignments in space policy and national security planning. She has published thre

Bree Fram is an astronautical engineer and retired U.S. Space Force colonel who served 23 years before being forced out by the Trump administration, including Pentagon assignments in space policy and national security planning. She has published three books and is a former congressional candidate. She is a member of The Steady State.

James Lawler served for 25 years as a CIA operations officer in various international posts and as Chief of the Counterproliferation Division's Special Activities Unit. He was a member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service from 1998 to 2005. Lawle

James Lawler served for 25 years as a CIA operations officer in various international posts and as Chief of the Counterproliferation Division's Special Activities Unit. He was a member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service from 1998 to 2005. Lawler was a specialist in the recruitment of foreign spies, and he spent over half of his CIA career battling the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including serving as chief of the A.Q. Khan Nuclear Takedown Team, which resulted in the disruption of the most dangerous nuclear weapons network in history.

John Sipher worked for the CIA’s clandestine service for 28 years. He is now a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a co-founder of Spycraft Entertainment. John served multiple overseas tours as Chief of Station and Deputy Chief of S

John Sipher worked for the CIA’s clandestine service for 28 years. He is now a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a co-founder of Spycraft Entertainment. John served multiple overseas tours as Chief of Station and Deputy Chief of Station in Europe, Asia, and in high-threat environments. He is the recipient of CIA’s Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal.

Peter Mina is the founder of the Mina firm, a civil rights and federal employment law firm in Washington, D.C., and a former Deputy Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security, where he worked to integrate civi

Peter Mina is the founder of the Mina firm, a civil rights and federal employment law firm in Washington, D.C., and a former Deputy Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security, where he worked to integrate civil rights and civil liberties protections into the department's national security programs.