On today’s episode, Andy sits down with Michael Schwirtz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and national security reporter for The New York Times. They discuss a recent investigation that uncovered a Russian “spy factory” in Brazil, where spies created credible long-term identities under the Illegals program. These operatives are trained to conduct deep-cover missions targeting countries including the U.S. Schwirtz also explains the challenges intelligence agencies face with modern technology,...
Aug 13, 2025•59 min
On this week’s episode of Change Agents, Andy speaks with journalist Max Read about the evolution of rationalism and the emergence of the Zizians, a splinter group with radical beliefs. The conversation explores the origins of the group, the role of its central figure Ziz, and the intersection of technology, ideology, and identity. They also examine the dynamics of online communities, the influence of militant veganism within the group, and what the rise of the Zizians suggests about the broader...
Aug 06, 2025•55 min
On this week's episode, Andy talks with Glenn Chafetz, former CIA analyst and expert on strategic culture and national security. They discuss the evolution of nuclear weapons policy, the role of trust and treaties in international relations, and how changing global alliances are affecting stability. Glenn draws on his experience to provide context on nuclear proliferation and its implications for the future of global security. Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use ...
Jul 30, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 45
On today’s episode, Andy speaks with national security expert Nicholas Eftimiades about the recent arrest of two Chinese nationals charged with acting as unregistered agents of China’s Ministry of State Security. The pair allegedly targeted U.S. Navy personnel and gathered intelligence on military sites across multiple states. Drawing from decades of experience in the CIA, DIA, and State Department, Eftimiades explains how China’s intelligence operations function, why the U.S. military is a key ...
Jul 23, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 44
On today’s episode, Andy talks with Cory Gautereaux—Army veteran and founder of The G.O.A.T. Initiative—about what he’s uncovered along remote sections of the southern border. From finding discarded passports from countries like China and Venezuela, to accessing a smuggler’s Chinese phone, to identifying stretches of the border that remain completely unguarded, Cory shares raw details from the ground. To find out more about the GOAT Initiative, visit: https://thegoatinitiative.org/ Change Agents...
Jul 16, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 43
On this week's episode, Andy sits down with Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a leading expert on Iran sanctions and U.S. foreign policy. Dubowitz has advised multiple U.S. administrations and lawmakers on strategies to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional activities. The conversation covers the evolution of U.S.-Iran relations, the effectiveness and limitations of sanctions, and the impact of domestic political divisions on international strategy. Dubo...
Jul 09, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 42
This episode originally aired on January 3, 2024. On today's episode, Andy sits down with Nick Bryant, an investigative journalist, podcaster, author, and expert on human trafficking who is credited with helping to expose the widespread abuse of Jeffrey Epstein and his criminal associates. He is also the author of the book The Franklin Scandal: A Story of Powerbrokers Child Abuse & Betrayal. His new book, The Truth About Watergate: A Tale of Extraordinary Lies and Liars , will be released on...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 3 min
On today's episode, Lou Ferrante—former mobster turned author and speaker—joins Andy to unpack his remarkable transformation from a life of organized crime to one of personal growth and social insight. Lou shares raw and unfiltered stories from his early years in the mafia, revealing the inner workings of criminal networks, the code of loyalty that binds them, and how evolving technology is reshaping the criminal landscape. Lou is best known as the host of Inside the Gangsters’ Code on Discovery...
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 8 min
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with former CIA analyst Michael Shurkin to explore the agency’s post-9/11 focus on Africa and the emergence of jihadist movements in the Sahel. They unpack the rise of Al-Qaeda–linked groups in Mali, the regional dynamics that fueled instability, and how external actors like France and Russia shaped the conflict. The conversation highlights the day-to-day realities of intelligence work, the strategic blind spots of U.S. foreign policy, and why what’s happening ...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 40
On today's episode, Andy is joined by Bill Roggio—senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of The Long War Journal—for a wide-ranging conversation on national security, starting with the complexities of firearm ownership in the U.S. and shifting into an in-depth analysis of the global jihadist threat. They trace the evolution of groups like the Taliban and al-Qaeda, examining how these networks have resurged in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The di...
Jun 18, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 39
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with geopolitical strategist and author Peter Zeihan, founder of Zeihan on Geopolitics. They discuss Taiwan’s role in the global semiconductor supply chain and its relationship with China. The conversation covers the challenges the U.S. faces in reshoring manufacturing, China’s demographic trends, and the potential consequences of a military conflict over Taiwan. They also address issues related to AI development, global food security, and the need for investme...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 38
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with Brandon Fugal, chairman of Colliers International in Utah and owner of Skinwalker Ranch. They discuss his transition from real estate to leading scientific investigations at the ranch, the site's unusual history, its former owner Robert Bigelow, and the ongoing research into unexplained phenomena. The conversation also covers government secrecy around UFOs and the broader implications for science and society. Watch Season 6 of “The Secret of Skinwalker Ran...
Jun 04, 2025•49 min
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with former CIA officer John Kiriakou to discuss his path into the Agency, the unconventional recruitment process, and his firsthand experience with enhanced interrogation and rendition operations. Kiriakou shares the moral and ethical dilemmas he faced, what ultimately led him to speak out, and the personal consequences of becoming a whistleblower. The conversation also explores the political environment during the Bush administration, the evolution of U.S. co...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 36
In this episode of Change Agents , journalist Iona Craig shares her experience reporting from Yemen, one of the world’s most complex and dangerous conflict zones. With over a decade covering the Middle East, Iona offers firsthand insight into the origins and dynamics of the Houthi movement, the challenges of war reporting, and the impact of U.S. involvement in the conflict. She discusses the cultural and political nuances often overlooked in international coverage and advocates for locally led s...
May 21, 2025•51 min
On today's episode, Andy welcomes back investigative journalist Nick Bryant to examine the government’s refusal to release key information in the Jeffrey Epstein case. They discuss the broader implications of sealed files, political blackmail, and institutional silence, as well as the media’s selective coverage of the story. Bryant highlights the alarming scale of trafficking in the United States and shares the story of Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most well-known victims. Today, he serves...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 34
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with retired Green Beret and former Lieutenant Colonel Scott Mann, who served over 20 years in Army Special Forces conducting missions across Afghanistan, Iraq, and Latin America. After retiring, Scott founded The Hero’s Journey and became a leading advocate for veterans’ transition through storytelling. He and Andy discuss the origins of Operation Pineapple Express, a grassroots effort led by veterans to evacuate Afghan allies when official channels failed. Th...
May 07, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 33
On today’s episode, Andy is joined by Mike Rowe, television host, narrator, and founder of the Mike RoweWORKS Foundation. Best known for his show Dirty Jobs , Mike has spent years spotlighting the essential workers who keep the country running and advocating for the skilled trades through scholarships and public outreach. In this conversation, Mike talks about the growing labor shortage in America and the cultural shift that led to the decline in respect for hands-on work. He and Andy explore ho...
Apr 30, 2025•49 min•Season 3Ep. 32
On the finale of Black Project, a surprise visit from a CIA agent and an aerospace executive sets a Stanford professor on an unexpected journey. What begins as a cryptic request quickly draws one of the world’s leading scientists into the covert world of crash retrieval operations—and onto the trail of a possible UFO crash site. Change Agents: Black Project is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ Learn more...
Apr 29, 2025•30 min
On today's episode, Andy sits down with Sarah Adams, a former CIA targeter, to discuss her journey from academia to the frontlines of counterterrorism. They unpack the complexities of intelligence work, the shifting dynamics of the Syrian conflict, and the influence of Iran and Russia in destabilizing the region. Sarah shares an unfiltered view on the current failures in intelligence gathering, the resurgence of terrorist threats like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and the critical role local law enforcemen...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 31
On the third episode of Black Project, the mysterious world of special access programs is uncovered, shedding light on the covert work being done by entities like Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division, DARPA, and aerospace contractors. With questions mounting, the discussion turns to whether these organizations have developed UFO technology, and what might be hidden within these top-secret projects. Change Agents: Black Project is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLA...
Apr 22, 2025•28 min
On today’s episode, Andy welcomes back investigative journalists Nathan Paul Southern and Lindsey Kennedy for a follow-up conversation on the rise of scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Nathan and Lindsey, involved with The Eyewitness Project , expose how these criminal networks exploit vulnerable people, launder money through legitimate industries like sports sponsorships, and use technology—including AI—to evolve their tactics. Together, they break down the global web of organized crime and corr...
Apr 16, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 30
On the second episode of Black Project, strange and unexplainable encounters with mysterious orbs are explored, with reports coming from fighter pilots, Navy sailors, and backcountry hikers. These orbs, first seen in the combat zones of World War II, have now sparked growing interest among some of the most powerful members of Congress. The stories surrounding these phenomena raise questions that continue to captivate those in both military and political circles. Change Agents: Black Project is a...
Apr 15, 2025•33 min
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with Thomas Drake—a former senior executive at the NSA, Air Force veteran, software expert, whistleblower. While at the NSA, Drake exposed serious issues including multi-billion-dollar fraud, intelligence failures, and a secret post-9/11 mass surveillance program. He supported the use of ThinThread , a cost-effective and privacy-protecting tool, but it was rejected in favor of Trailblazer —a more expensive program lacking privacy safeguards. In 2005, Drake anon...
Apr 09, 2025•50 min•Season 3Ep. 29
On the debut episode of Black Project, the untold story of the military’s secret pursuit of anti-gravitic craft is revealed. From the mysterious death of a Nazi weapons expert, to strange comments from aerospace executives, and the disappearance of a scientist on the brink of a groundbreaking discovery—this episode uncovers the high-stakes world of hidden programs and covert experiments. Are these technologies the result of extraterrestrial encounters, or are they the product of classified black...
Apr 08, 2025•35 min
What's behind the UAP phenomenon, drone incursions, and UFO sightings? On the new Change Agents special four-episode docuseries Black Project, we talk with insiders, whistleblowers, and experts about special access programs, secretive aerospace industry breakthroughs, research into anti-gravity, and more. What if the technology isn't from another planet? What if it's ours? Black Project, hosted by Andy Stumpf, an IRONCLAD Original. Coming soon ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
Apr 03, 2025•4 min
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with Annie Jacobsen, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and bestselling author known for her investigative work on government secrecy, military history, and national security. They dive into the stark realities of nuclear war, the differences between atomic and thermonuclear weapons, and the consequences of nuclear escalation. Jacobsen shares her research methods, insights on government transparency, and what she’s learned from those responsible for nuclear stewardship....
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 28
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with Scott Payne, a former FBI agent who went undercover to infiltrate The Base, a neo-Nazi extremist group. Scott shares how he gained the trust of members, the group's structure and recruitment methods, and the challenges of maintaining his cover in a highly suspicious environment. He also discusses The Base’s ideology, its use of digital platforms for communication and propaganda, and the intelligence gathered during his operation. To learn more about Scott'...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 27
On today's episode, Andy sits down with Ryan McBeth, a former U.S. Army infantryman for 20 years, specializing in anti-armor and heavy weapons. After his military service, he transitioned into software development, working on C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) systems for Accenture Federal Services. They discuss how U.S. military strategies must evolve to adapt to shifting global dynamics, including a more aggressive stance in the ...
Mar 19, 2025•53 min•Season 3Ep. 26
On today’s episode, Andy sits down investigative reporter based in Mexico, Katarina Szulc to discuss the entrenched presence of cartels in Mexico and their growing influence beyond its borders. With firsthand reporting from the front lines in both Mexico and Canada, she exposes how these criminal organizations have embedded themselves in daily life, corrupted institutions, and expanded into a powerful international network. Change Agents is an IRONCLAD ORIGINAL Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use cod...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 4 min
On today’s episode, Andy sits down with ethical hacker Ryan Montgomery. Ryan is the founder of Montgomery Cybersecurity, a company focused on protecting individuals and organizations from online threats, and works with law enforcement agencies to track and expose online predators targeting children. Ryan also serves as a consultant for various tech companies, helping them strengthen their security systems. Through his work, he educates parents on the dangers of online exploitation and provides a...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 24
