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.

David Albright is founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, D.C

EVENT: Register 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. View the full program here.

References:

Albright, David, and Andrea Stricker. “The Nuclear Threat After Tehran Falls.” The Wall Street Journal, 2 Feb. 2026.

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.

William Banks is former Chair of the Standing Committee on Law and National Security

Harvey Rishikof is Senior Counselor of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security

EVENT: Register 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. View the full program here.

References:

• The Insurrection Act
• Posse Comitatus Act
• Banks, William C., and Stephen Dycus. Soldiers on the Home Front: The Domestic Role of the American Military. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2016.
• Banks, William C. “Providing ‘Supplemental Security’–The Insurrection Act and the Military Role in Responding to Domestic Crises.” Journal of National Security Law & Policy, vol. 3, Dec. 15, 2009

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.

EVENT: Register 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. View the full program here.

References:

• NSLT Ep. 127, The Insurrection Act Today with William Banks and Harvey Rishikof
• Parks, B. C., Zhang, S., Escobar, B., Walsh, K., Fedorochko, R., Vlasto, L., et al. (2025). Chasing China: Learning to Play by Beijing’s Global Lending Rules. Williamsburg, VA: AidData at William & Mary