President Trump says his intelligence director is “not loyal” and may want to fire him. Trump administration officials pushed a plan to sell nuclear power plants to Saudi Arabia. And hackers hit Australian political parties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 20, 2019•55 min•Ep. 202
Is Robert Mueller nearing the end of his Russia probe? The administration moves to block Chinese telecom giant Huawei. And you too can have your own private Mossad! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 14, 2019•51 min•Ep. 201
President Trump delivers his second State of the Union address. Meanwhile, prosecutors send a subpoena to Trump’s inaugural committee. And the president is feuding with his intelligence chiefs—again. Also, Ben wants to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 06, 2019•54 min•Ep. 200
Roger Stone is indicted in the Mueller probe. Venezuela teeters on the brink of economic and political collapse. And American hackers help the UAE build a cyber army. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 31, 2019•56 min•Ep. 199
BuzzFeed drops a bomb that turns out to be more of a dud. Or is it? The president’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, could be doing more harm than good for his client. And Congress takes aim at the administration’s Russia-friendly policies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 24, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 198
Senators question attorney general-nominee Bill Barr over the Mueller probe. Two new stories shed more light on President Trump’s troubling relationship with Russia. And the president contemplated pulling out of NATO. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 17, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 197
President Trump takes his pitch for border security to the American people in an Oval Office address. John Bolton and Mike Pompeo are on the road doing high stakes diplomacy, but do they actually speak for the president? And the latest in L’Affaire Russe—a Russian lawyer gets indicted and Paul Manafort was sharing polling data with his “Russian brain.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 10, 2019•58 min•Ep. 196
How will a new Cabinet, and a new Congress, face the major national security challenges of 2019? An American businessman is arrested in Russia and charged with espionage. And Sen. Elizabeth Warren is exploring a run for the White House. We’ll take a look at her foreign policy proposals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 03, 2019•59 min•Ep. 195
The future of Brexit is...anyone’s guess. A sealed subpoena and a courtroom smackdown: The latest on L’Affaire Russe. And the U.S. announces it’s withdrawing troops from Syria. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 20, 2018•56 min•Ep. 194
There have been big moves in the Russia investigation. We'll put this week’s pieces together. U.S. tensions with China escalate following the arrest of a senior Chinese telecom executive. And the Saudi crown prince has duped White House adviser Jared Kushner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 13, 2018•59 min•Ep. 193
Robert Mueller says that Michael Flynn has cooperated extensively in multiple investigations, including about Russian interference in the election. A new guilty plea from Michael Cohen changes our understanding of Trump’s ties to Russia. And is Israel getting ready for a war or just an election? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 06, 2018•56 min•Ep. 192
Paul Manafort heads to sentencing amid revelations that he has lied to the special counsel, cooperated with Trump’s legal team, and may have met with Julian Assange. The president stands by Saudi Arabia and its crown prince whom the CIA says ordered the murder of a journalist. And President Trump heads off to meet with world leaders at the G20 Summit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 29, 2018•56 min•Ep. 191
Battle lines are drawn over Matthew Whitaker’s appointment as acting attorney general. President Trump, stung by election losses, picks fights with America’s closest allies. And is North Korea deceiving the U.S. in nuclear weapons negotiations? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 15, 2018•53 min•Ep. 190
President Trump asks for Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ resignation. And Democrats retake the House, while Republicans expand their majority in the Senate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 08, 2018•48 min•Ep. 189
Attempted bombings and a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue once again force us to confront domestic terrorism. Top U.S. officials call for a ceasefire and peace talks in Yemen. And a bizarre and apparently fake attempt to spear Special Counsel Robert Mueller prompts an FBI investigation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 01, 2018•54 min•Ep. 188
Possible package bombs are sent to prominent Democratic political figures and Trump administration critics. And we’ll wrap up the Russia story so far and ask what it means for the midterm elections. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 25, 2018•53 min•Ep. 187
The disappearance of a Washington Post journalist becomes a foreign policy crisis for the Trump administration. U.S. and European intelligence officials say Iran may be planning attacks in Europe. And the U.S. embraces a major expansion in foreign aid to counter China’s growing influence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 18, 2018•49 min•Ep. 186
A prominent journalist and critic of the Saudi regime goes missing in Istanbul. Nikki Haley says she’s resigning as the U.N. ambassador. And tech companies push back against a story about a massive hardware hack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 11, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 185
The Trump administration accuses China of a massive propaganda campaign in the United States. Facebook suffers a serious hack that exposes 50 million users. And, all laughing aside, what do we make of the administration's performance at the U.N. General Assembly? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 04, 2018•57 min•Ep. 184
Will Rod Rosenstein remain as the deputy attorney general, and what does that mean for the Russia probe he oversees? Tensions hit a fever pitch with China amid an escalating trade war. And the president addresses the U.N. General Assembly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 26, 2018•55 min•Ep. 183
Paul Manafort pleads guilty and agrees to cooperate in the Russia investigation, and Mike Flynn gets a sentencing date. The Justice Department tells two Chinese media companies to register as foreign agents. And Trump declassifies more material about the surveillance of one of his campaign advisers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 21, 2018•57 min•Ep. 182
John Bolton comes out swinging in his first major speech as national security adviser. Is Russia behind a mysterious string of illnesses at U.S. diplomatic facilities? And Trump administration officials met with coup plotters in Venezuela. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 13, 2018•53 min•Ep. 181
A bombshell new book shows the Trump presidency on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The US pulls funding for a Palestinian relief agency. And the president lashed out again at the attorney general and the Justice Department. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 06, 2018•57 min•Ep. 180
A former NSA contractor receives a stiff prison sentence for giving classified information to journalists. Nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea hit big roadblocks. And the administration backs off its plan to cut billions of dollars in foreign aid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 30, 2018•53 min•Ep. 179
The gang breaks down one helluva day. Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort, and what it means for the president. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 23, 2018•55 min•Ep. 178
This week: The 'Frenzied Commentary' Edition! We talk about what Paul Manafort's fraud trial tells us, and doesn't tell us, about l'Affaire Russe; the tussle between executive and legislative authority in the new National Defense Authorization Act; and the end of Peter Strzok's FBI career. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 16, 2018•48 min•Ep. 177
With Shane and Susan away, Ben and Tamara are joined by Quinta Jurecic and Shannon Togawa Mercer to answer the questions you submitted on Twitter! It’s a potpourri of NatSec analysis, with a dollop of humor, and a soupçon of Scotch! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 09, 2018•44 min•Ep. 176
The National Security Council has a (very brief) meeting on election security. The TSA has been quietly tracking air travelers for years. And President Trump says he’s willing to meet Iran’s president without conditions. Plus: Predictions! Who will Robert Mueller indict next? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 02, 2018•56 min•Ep. 175
President Trump has one of the most tumultuous, and possible disastrous, weeks of his presidency. The president then lashes out at his political enemies in unprecedented ways. And the Justice Department releases, for the first time ever, a warrant application to the secretive FISA Court. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 25, 2018•52 min•Ep. 174
President Trump picks Judge Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. What are his national security views? Trump blasts NATO allies ahead of a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. And migrant families are being reunited with their children, but the process has been painful. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 12, 2018•50 min•Ep. 173