Tom Karako

Director, Missile Defense Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Tom Karako

Thomas Karako is the director of the Missile Defense Project and a senior fellow with the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he arrived in 2014. His research focuses on national security, missile defense, nuclear deterrence, and public law. In 2010–2011, he was an American Political Science Association congressional fellow, working with the professional staff of the House Armed Services Committee and the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces on U.S. strategic forces policy, nonproliferation, and NATO. Dr. Karako received his PhD from Claremont Graduate University and his BA from the University of Dallas.

Programs & Projects

Areas of Expertise

In the News

All Tom Karako Content

Filter by

1 - 10 of 130 results
The Truth of the Matter

All About the Missiles

CSIS’s director of the Missile Defense Project Tom Karako joins the podcast to talk about missile escalations in the Ukraine Russia war, plus how missiles are critical to the conflicts in the Middle East.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Tom Karako — December 2, 2024

CSIS the truth of the matter

Weapons in Space: A Virtual Book Talk with Dr. Aaron Bateman

Please join CSIS for a livestreamed conversation with Dr. Aaron Bateman moderated by Kari A. Bingen to discuss Dr. Bateman’s recent book, Weapons in Space: Technology, Politics, and the Rise and Fall of the Strategic Defense Initiative.

Event — August 28, 2024

The Defense of Guam

Please join the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) for our fifth Strategic Landpower Dialogue event, featuring Lieutenant General Robert Rasch and Brigadier General Frank Lozano. 

Event — July 30, 2024

Air and Missile Defense in the High North

The CSIS Missile Defense Project is hosting a half day conference on Arctic security and homeland cruise missile defense. The conference features a keynote discussion between Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Dr. Tom Karako, Director of the Missile Defense Project. The keynote discussion will be followed by a panel discussion featuring GEN (ret.) Charles Jacoby and other government officials. 

Event — July 11, 2024

MDA and the 2025 Budget

The CSIS Missile Defense Project will host an event featuring Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, Director, Missile Defense Agency. The discussion will explore the Agency's FY2025 programs, priorities, and budgets.

Event — June 6, 2024

Strategic Landpower Dialogue: A Conversation with GEN James Rainey

Please join the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) for our fourth Strategic Landpower Dialogue event, featuring General James Rainey, Commanding General, United States Army Futures Command. 

Event — June 3, 2024

Executive Education

Evolving Technologies: Innovation, Competition, and Change

This online, self-paced course focuses on the critical issues leaders must grasp as we move into a global environment increasingly reshaped by geopolitical and economic competition in high-tech manufacturing, biotechnology, security, and the unknowns of future innovation. Registration accepted on a rolling basis.

Course Date: April 8, 2024
Registration Closes: December 31, 2024

2024 Global Forecast: The China Challenge

In the first installment of the 2024 Global Forecast—A World Dividing—experts examine the myriad challenges facing U.S.-China relations in 2024, from Chinese military activity and economic coercion to competition for tech dominance and geopolitical standing.

Digital Report by Victor Cha, Gregory C. Allen, Scott Kennedy, Seth G. Jones, Kari A. Bingen, and Heather Williams, Tom Karako, Bonny Lin, Jude Blanchette, Charles Edel, Christopher B. Johnstone, Nicholas Szechenyi, Lily McElwee, Daniel F. Runde, Craig Cohen, Alex Kisling — January 25, 2024