The National Interest
The National Interest is a non-profit online publication operated by the Center for the National Interest, providing free editorial coverage of defense, foreign policy, and US politics through themed blogs, podcasts, and feature articles to a global readership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The National Interest does
The National Interest is an online foreign policy and national security publication founded in 1985 by Owen Harries and Robert W. Tucker and currently operated as a non-profit by the Center for the National Interest. Headquartered at 1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 709 in Washington, DC, the publication distributes free editorial content to a global readership through a WordPress-based website, a portfolio of seven themed blogs (The Buzz, Energy World, Korea Watch, Middle East Watch, Silk Road Rivalries, Techland, US Politics), four podcast series (Divergences, In The National Interest, Russia Decoded, Three Questions), long-form feature articles, and eleven regional sections spanning Africa through South America. The platform reaches millions of readers monthly, supported by ~1.7M Facebook followers, ~120K X followers, and an email newsletter of approximately 20,000 subscribers.
The publication is funded through a combination of direct and programmatic advertising sales and tax-deductible charitable donations collected via PayPal, with no subscription or registration required for readers. Revenue is non-disclosed and the organization maintains a 501(c)(3)-style non-profit structure. Editorial leadership comprises Editor Jacob Heilbrunn and Publisher Paul J. Saunders (also President of the Center for the National Interest). Notable historical contributors and alumni include Henry Kissinger (late chairman), Irving Kristol (original publisher), Jeane Kirkpatrick, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Fareed Zakaria, and Francis Fukuyama, whose 1989 essay "The End of History?" appeared in the journal. At least one sponsored content relationship exists (Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power supports the Energy World blog), though editors retain sole editorial control over sponsored sections.
The National Interest firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The National Interest
- Legal name
- Center for the National Interest
- Website
- https://nationalinterest.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The National Interest is a non-profit online publication operated by the Center for the National Interest, providing free editorial coverage of defense, foreign policy, and US politics through themed blogs, podcasts, and feature articles to a global readership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The National Interest industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Foreign Policy Journalism
- NAICS
- Publishing Industries (513)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)
Keywords
Where The National Interest is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The National Interest business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Advertising: The publication generates revenue through direct advertising sales, programmatic advertising, and content syndication opportunities. They reach millions of readers monthly in the US and globally, providing valuable advertising opportunities to reach a large audience interested in national security and foreign policy topics.
- Donations and Support: As a non-profit organization owned by the Center for the National Interest, the publication accepts tax-deductible charitable donations from supporters. Donations help fund the free content provided to readers. The publication also encourages readers to support through social media sharing and following on platforms like Google Discover and MSN.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free access to all content |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
The National Interest product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The National Interest is an online publication that produces and distributes editorial content on American foreign policy, national security, defense, military affairs, and US politics. It operates seven themed blogs and four podcast series featuring expert analysis from academics, journalists, and practitioners, with all content provided free to readers.
Product overview
The National Interest is a media publication platform operated by the Center for the National Interest. The publication offers a portfolio of seven themed blogs (The Buzz, Energy World, Korea Watch, Middle East Watch, Silk Road Rivalries, Techland, and US Politics) providing coverage of defense, national security, foreign policy, and geopolitics. Additionally, it produces four podcast series (Divergences, In The National Interest, Russia Decoded, and Three Questions) featuring expert interviews and analysis on international affairs. The platform also publishes long-form feature articles and maintains regional content sections covering Africa, Antarctic, Arctic, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, Eurasia, Middle East, North America, Oceania, and South America. The publication operates on a non-profit model, providing all content free to readers without subscription or registration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Buzz: Blog covering geopolitics from the lens of national security and military affairs
- Energy World
- Korea Watch
- Middle East Watch
- Silk Road Rivalries
- Techland
- US Politics
- Divergences Podcast
- In The National Interest Podcast
- Russia Decoded Podcast
- Three Questions Podcast
Products and services
- The Buzz A blog covering military affairs, national security, geopolitics, and the war in Ukraine, featuring analysis of weapons platforms, military operations, and great power competition, targeted at defense-interested readers.
- Energy World A blog focused on global energy policy, covering oil and gas markets, nuclear energy, critical minerals, and the intersection of energy security with national security, for policy and energy professionals.
- Korea Watch A blog covering all matters related to the Korean peninsula, including North Korean nuclear development, US-DPRK relations, South Korean politics, and regional technological innovations.
- Middle East Watch A blog analyzing Middle Eastern geopolitics, Iran's nuclear program, regional conflicts, and America's role in the region for policy professionals and engaged readers.
- Silk Road Rivalries A blog examining the complex relationships between Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries with major external powers, focusing on trade corridors and geopolitical competition.
- Techland A blog exploring the intersection of technology and geopolitics, covering AI, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and great power competition in emerging technologies.
- US Politics A blog covering American political developments, Congress, presidential administration, elections, and their implications for foreign policy.
- Divergences Podcast A podcast series exploring Middle Eastern geopolitics and international affairs through expert interviews and analysis.
- In The National Interest Podcast A podcast examining American politics, history, and foreign policy, featuring interviews with academics, journalists, and practitioners.
- Russia Decoded Podcast A podcast co-hosted by Andy Kuchins and Chris Monday analyzing Russian state media narratives and Kremlin messaging through the weekly program Vesti Nedeli.
- Three Questions Podcast A podcast hosted by Paul Saunders featuring expert perspectives on security, trade, energy, and technology challenges facing major world powers.
- Feature Articles Long-form analytical articles ranging from 800 to 2,000 words covering defense, national security, foreign policy, and international affairs from a realist perspective, available free to all readers.
Companies that use The National Interest
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The National Interest technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
The National Interest partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The National Interest competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Foreign Affairs: Foreign Affairs is the flagship publication of the Council on Foreign Relations and the most direct competitor to The National Interest in the US foreign policy and national security space. Both publish long-form analysis, engage prominent scholars and practitioners, and serve overlapping policy professional audiences.
- Foreign Policy Magazine: Foreign Policy covers global affairs, international relations, and US foreign policy with a similar digital-first, analysis-driven model. It is one of the closest direct competitors in the foreign policy magazine segment, targeting the same engaged readership of policymakers, academics, and informed general readers.
- War on the Rocks: War on the Rocks is a digital publication focused on national security, defense policy, and international affairs, with a heavy podcast presence. It competes directly with The National Interest's blogs and podcast series for defense, military, and policy professional audiences.
- Defense One: Defense One delivers news and analysis on defense, national security, and foreign policy with a digital-first model. It competes directly for the same advertiser and policy audience segments, particularly for defense industry and government readership.
- The Diplomat: The Diplomat covers Asia-Pacific geopolitics, security, and international relations, with significant overlap in coverage areas like Korea Watch, Silk Road Rivalries, and Middle East Watch at The National Interest. Both serve policy professionals and informed general readers interested in regional geopolitics.
- The American Conservative: The American Conservative offers a realist, heterodox perspective on US foreign policy that closely parallels The National Interest's editorial tradition. Both publications engage in skepticism of liberal interventionism and target audiences interested in restraint-oriented foreign policy debates.
Emerging players
- Foreign Policy Research Institute: FPRI is a think tank that publishes analysis on foreign policy and national security, overlapping with the policy research and commentary mission of The National Interest. While structurally a think tank rather than a magazine, it competes for the same thought-leadership audience and contributor pool.
- RealClearPolitics: RealClearPolitics aggregates political commentary and foreign policy analysis, providing a platform for many of the same realist and heterodox voices that contribute to The National Interest. Both target politically engaged readers and serve as forums for debate on American foreign policy direction.
Broad incumbents
- Politico: Politico is a major digital political journalism outlet that covers US politics and foreign policy from a more mainstream perspective. While it has a much broader scope, it competes with The National Interest's US Politics blog for the same politically engaged readers and policy professional audience.
- The Atlantic: The Atlantic is a broad general-interest publication with significant foreign policy and national security coverage featuring high-profile contributors. While covering a much wider range of topics, it competes for the same premium advertising and engaged readership segments, particularly for long-form analysis pieces.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
The National Interest social profiles
Digital presenceThe National Interest financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The National Interest leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
The National Interest funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The National Interest M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The National Interest
What does The National Interest do?
The National Interest is an online publication that produces and distributes editorial content on American foreign policy, national security, defense, military affairs, and US politics. It operates seven themed blogs and four podcast series featuring expert analysis from academics, journalists, and practitioners, with all content provided free to readers.
Is The National Interest a public or private company?
The National Interest is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The National Interest founded?
The National Interest was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The National Interest based?
The National Interest is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does The National Interest make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are donations and Support.
Who are The National Interest's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy Magazine, War on the Rocks, Defense One, The Diplomat and The American Conservative. Emerging players are Foreign Policy Research Institute and RealClearPolitics. Broad incumbents are Politico and The Atlantic.
Does The National Interest have an API?
No public API is recorded for The National Interest.
What industry is The National Interest in?
The National Interest's product category is Foreign Policy Journalism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAO, News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines, with a secondary code of BPAHALAF, Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research. Its NAICS code is 513 and its SIC code is 2741.