Michael V. Hayden Center

The center retains a number of scholars for publications, debates, and public forums including intelligence and foreign policy professionals, journalists, and politicians. The events are frequently broadcast nationally on the C-SPAN Network, and soundbytes and quotes from discussions have appeared frequently in national media outlets.[4] Previous speakers and hosts have included a range of federal agency leaders, including former Directors of Central Intelligence Gates, Woolsey, Deutch, Tenet, McLaughlin, and Goss, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper as well as former Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency Hayden, Morell, Petraeus, and Brennan.[5][6][7][8][9]

MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace interviewing James Clapper, Mike Rogers, Philip Mudd, and Michael Hayden at the Hayden Center

From the National Security Agency, former Director Michael Rogers and former General Counsel Glenn Gerstell have joined the center on occasion. From the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, former Director Robert Cardillo, from the FBI, former acting Director Andrew McCabe, as well as former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Susan M. Gordon, former Assistant Attorney General for DOJ OLC Jack Goldsmith, and former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Intelligence and Analysis Leslie Ireland.[10][11][5][6][7][8][12]

During seminars on legislative oversight and the role of Congress in intelligence, a variety of current and former members of the Congressional intelligence committees have appeared, including sitting Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) Senator Mark Warner, former members Saxby Chambliss and Bill Nelson and former House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) members Jane Harman and Mike Rogers.[13][14]

Several senior military officers have also appeared at the Center, including NATO Supreme Allied Commander Wesley Clark and Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Admiral Bill McRaven.[15]

Senior members of the foreign affairs press have also attended the center, sometimes interviewing other guests. Journalists who have joined the Center in the past have included NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell, CBS News Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent Margaret Brennan, MSNBC Senior Political Analyst Nicolle Wallace, CBS News National Security Correspondent Olivia Gazis, Washington Post Intelligence Columnist David Ignatius, and Washington Post National Security Editor Peter Finn.[10] Several events have also been hosted by The National Press Club.[10][11]

The center has cohosted events with Lawfare on the subject of the President's Daily Briefing.[16] Its also hosted live tapings of CBS News' Intelligence Matters Podcast which is hosted by senior fellow Michael Morell.[17]

The Hayden Center is part of an academic incubator program with The Cipher Brief, an intelligence and national security tradepaper founded by former CNN Intelligence Correspondent Suzanne Kelly, where the Center's students are occasionally published in the publication's periodicals.[18]

In 2018 founder Michael Hayden was hospitalized for a stroke shortly after a highly publicized online row with President Trump over criticism of the administration by former intelligence officials who retained Top Secret security clearances in retirement.[19] The incident culminated in President Trump stripping former CIA Director John Brennan of his clearance, reportedly at the time considering doing the same to Hayden.[20][21] The Hayden Center put out a statement on behalf of the Hayden family which was carried in the context of the clearance fight by many national outlets.[22][23][24]

The Director of the Center is Larry Pfeiffer, who served as director of the White House Situation Room during the Obama Administration and previously as Chief of Staff of the Central Intelligence Agency under Director Michael Hayden.[25]

• Michael Morell, Senior Fellow and former Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.[26]
• David Priess, Senior Fellow and former presidential daily briefer at the CIA.[27]

• Ellen Laipson, Former CEO of The Stimson Center.[28]
• Robert Deitz, Former general counsel to the director of the CIA, NSA, and NGA.[28]
• Gregory Koblentz, International Weapons of Mass Destruction expert.[28]
• Colin Dueck, Foreign policy fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.[28]
• Michael Hunzeker, Assistant director of the George Mason University Center for Security Policy Studies.[28]
• Ming Wan, Associate dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government, and professor of East Asian political economy.[28]
• Stuart Malawer, Professor of law and national security.[28]
• Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, Professor of comparative politics and US–Mexico policy.[28]
• Jeremy Mayer, Former State Department instructor and professor of government.[28]
• James Pfiffner, Professor emeritus of American government.[28]
• D Matthew Scherer, Professor of political theory and Constitutional law.[28]
• Bonnie Stabile, Professor of public policy, gender and health policy.[28]

The Center also has an undisclosed Board of Advisors composed of non-academic "intelligence, national security, legal, corporate, and international security" communities who guide strategy.[1]