Pranay Vaddi: Inside the National Security Council, Policy and Arms Control

In this episode, Adam interviews Pranay Vaddi, who shares his experiences working at the National Security Council (NSC) and his insights into nuclear policy and arms control. Vaddi discusses the daily operations at the NSC, the challenges of elevating nuclear issues within the government, and the importance of collaboration among various agencies. He also reflects on the evolution of the NSC, the dynamics of working within the bureaucracy, and the demanding nature of the job. Vaddi emphasizes the need for future leaders to engage in discussions and share their ideas to address pressing national security challenges.

Pranay Vaddi is currently a Senior Nuclear Fellow in the Center for Nuclear Security Policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From May 2022 to January 2025, he served as Special Assistant to President Biden and Senior Director for Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation at the National Security Council. Prior to this, he served as a senior advisor in the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance at the Department of State, where coordinated the Department’s inputs for the Biden Nuclear Posture Review. Previously, he was a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where his research focused on U.S. nuclear posture, arms control policy, and Congress' role in arms control. He served for several years at the U.S. Department of State coordinating policy on the New START and INF treaties, and joined numerous arms control delegations. He has testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and before the congressional U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

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