Defending Defense: America's National Security Strategy and our Defense Budget

November 2011

Past Event

Defending Defense: America's National Security Strategy and our Defense Budget

Past Event

Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters

November 09, 2011

November 2011

Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

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Speakers:

Kenneth Weinstein,

Hudson Institute President & CEO

Amy Kauffman,

Hudson Institute, Director of Congressional Relations

John Cornyn,

United States Senator (R-TX)

Hudson Institute hosted an address by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) on the importance of maintaining our defense budget to national security strategy. The Deficit Reduction "Super Committee" is expected to soon release recommendations on reducing the budget of the federal government. By cutting defense spending, we may be endangering our national security. Senator Cornyn will argue that the defense strategy should drive defense spending, not the other way around.

Senator Cornyn currently sits on the Senate Finance, Judiciary, Armed Services, and Budget Committees. He was first elected to the Senate in 2002 and previously served in Texas as a District Judge, a member of the Texas Supreme Court, and as Texas Attorney General.

April 2026

Virtual Event | Online Only

Voices Inside Iran: The Internal Dimension of Operation Epic Fury

Featured Speakers:

Zineb Riboua

Mariam Memarsadeghi

Samira Gharaee

April 2026

Virtual Event | Online Only

Voices Inside Iran: The Internal Dimension of Operation Epic Fury

Research Fellow Zineb Riboua will discuss how the war is reshaping Iranian society with Mariam Memarsadeghi, who researches civil society, democratic movements, and civic education inside Iran and Samira Gharaei, who reports on political developments and public sentiment across Iranian media.

Featured Speakers:

Zineb Riboua

Mariam Memarsadeghi

Samira Gharaee

Learn More

April 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the Future of Trade Policy

Featured Speakers:

Ambassador Jamieson Greer

Peter Rough

April 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the Future of Trade Policy

Please join Ambassador Greer for a fireside chat with Senior Fellow Peter Rough on the Trump administration’s first year back in office and what’s next for US trade policy.

Featured Speakers:

Ambassador Jamieson Greer

Peter Rough

Learn More

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Protecting US Communications: Strengthening Supply Chains and Countering Foreign Risk

Featured Speakers:

Adam Chan

Hunter Deeley

Alice Jou

Zenji Nakazawa

Thomas Sullivan

Moderators:

David Feith

Michael Sobolik

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Protecting US Communications: Strengthening Supply Chains and Countering Foreign Risk

Experts and policymakers will discuss how to close regulatory gaps, improve compliance, and build more resilient and trusted infrastructure.

Featured Speakers:

Adam Chan

Hunter Deeley

Alice Jou

Zenji Nakazawa

Thomas Sullivan

Moderators:

David Feith

Michael Sobolik

Learn More

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

New Evidence of China’s Forced Organ Harvesting and a Proposed US Response

Featured Speakers:

Nina Shea

Congressman Chris Smith

Ethan Gutmann

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

New Evidence of China’s Forced Organ Harvesting and a Proposed US Response

Join Nina Shea in a discussion with Ethan Gutmann and Congressman Chris Smith, the author of the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting bill.

Featured Speakers:

Nina Shea

Congressman Chris Smith

Ethan Gutmann

Learn More

A view of the damaged B1 bridge, a day after it was destroyed by an airstrike, on April 3, 2026 west of Tehran in Karaj, Iran. Iranian authorities said eight people were killed and almost 100 injured when the bridge, was bombed yesterday. The United States and Israel have continued their joint attack on Iran that began on February 28. Iran retaliated by firing waves of missiles and drones at Israel and U.S. allies in the region, while also effectively blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping rou

A view of the damaged B1 bridge, a day after it was destroyed by an airstrike, on April 3, 2026, in the west of Tehran in Karaj, Iran. (Getty Images)

All the Pieces Are Lining up for Regime Change in Iran

Zineb Riboua

Research Fellow, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East

Zineb Riboua

Commentary

Apr 3, 2026

Commentary

4 Min Read

Joel Rayburn, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, joined NTD to discuss President Donald Trump’s objectives and successes in the early days of Operation Epic Fury in light of the president’s expected address to the nation on Wednesday evening, and to assess the accomplishments of the operation. Rayburn says he doesn’t believe the Iranian regime can continue to suppress the people of Iran after being devastated on a military level and suffering such degradation of its leadership. He also discussed Secre

(Screenshot via NTD)

Trump Has to Force Strait of Hormuz Open

Joel Rayburn

Senior Fellow, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East

Joel Rayburn

In the Media

Apr 2, 2026

In the Media

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile during Operation Epic Fury, Mar. 21, 2026. (U.S. Navy Photo)

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner fires a Tomahawk land attack missile during Operation Epic Fury, March 21, 2026. (US Navy)

Eliminating Iran’s Nuclear Threat

Nikki R. Haley

Walter P. Stern Chair

Nikki R. Haley

In the Media

Apr 1, 2026

In the Media

Defending Defense: America's National Security Strategy and our Defense Budget

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