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Joseph R. DeTrani

Joseph R. DeTrani is a former Associate Director of National Intelligence and former member of the Senior Intelligence Service of the CIA. He served as special envoy for the Six-Party Talks with North Korea from 2003 to 2006 and as director of the National Counterproliferation Center. He regularly contributes columns to The Washington Times as part of the paper's Threat Status initiative.

Columns by Joseph R. DeTrani

Is democracy possible in Iran?

The Iranian people are saying they want new leadership.

January 6, 2026

Dangers of a Russia-aligned nuclear North Korea

On Christmas Day, North Korea announced that leader Kim Jong Un had inspected construction of a 8,700-ton-class, nuclear-propelled submarine -- a crucial step in the country's nuclear armament.

December 30, 2025

Pope Leo’s World Day of Peace: Opportunity to put words into action

On Jan. 1, 2026, in his planned first message for the 59th World Day of Peace, Pope Leo XIV will reflect on peace, justice and global harmony.

December 23, 2025

A bold National Security Strategy

Out with a "rules-based international order" and in with "U.S. core national interests," according to the U.S. National Security Strategy of 2025.

December 17, 2025

Cuban missile crisis lessons forgotten as nuclear arms race spreads across world

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened that Russia might use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or territory is threatened, as it enters the fourth year in its war of aggression in Ukraine.

December 10, 2025

America’s foreign policy complacency allowed dangerous Russia-North Korea alliance

South Korea's Korea Institute for Defense Analysis recently stated publicly that we underestimated North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

December 2, 2025

An emboldened Vladimir Putin

President Trump's 28-point peace plan is a humanitarian attempt to halt the killing and destruction in Ukraine, although Russia's Vladimir Putin may view the peace plan as an appeasement attempt.

November 24, 2025

The plight of democracy in Myanmar

After decades of military rule in Myanmar, free and fair general elections were permitted in 2015 and the National League for Democracy and its leader, Aung San Su Kyi, won by a landslide.

November 19, 2025

Fix immigration policy to rid the U.S. of enemies

Zohran Mamdani, a Ugandan-born New York State Assembly member, was recently elected mayor of New York City, the largest metropolis in the U.S.

November 11, 2025

Trump strengthens deterrence in East Asia

President Trump's meetings in East Asia last week did more to enhance our relationship with a few allies and partners in the region than the past 15 years of talking about a "pivot to Asia" combined.

November 5, 2025

Is China’s military loyal to Xi?

The Fourth Plenum of the Chinese Communist Party last week included a purge of China's senior military leaders.

October 30, 2025

Illicit drugs are killing Americans

It is the responsibility of the U.S. government to ensure that illicit drugs do not enter the U.S.

October 21, 2025

Emboldened Kim Jong-un ready for a deal

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is ready to do business with President Trump.

October 15, 2025

A challenging year for the United Nations

The 80th ordinary session of the United Nations will end on Sept. 8, 2026.

September 30, 2025

Trump talking to Kim Jong-un

North Korea's Kim Jong-un publicly announced over the weekend that he is prepared to meet with President Trump.

September 24, 2025

China is forgetting its history with Russia

Significant news and photo coverage have been given to meetings in the past month between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.

September 16, 2025

U.S.-North Korea talks must resume to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond

The recent summit of President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung further solidified a special relationship.

September 9, 2025

South Korea: An indispensable ally

South Korea's allied relationship with the U.S. since the July 27, 1953, Korean Armistice Agreement has brought peace and stability to the Korean Peninsula and to Northeast Asia.

August 22, 2025

U.S.-South Korea Summit: A special relationship

In December 1952, President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower visited South Korea, during the brutal war with North Korea, for the first presidential summit of the leaders of our two countries.

August 22, 2025