Jonna Mendez, former CIA chief of disguises, discusses her new book, “In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked.” Jonna Mendez In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked https://www.amazon.com/True-Face-Womans-Life-Unmasked/dp/154170312X Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.pod...
Mar 08, 2024•39 min•Ep. 105
Former top CIA ops official Dan Hoffman talks with Jeff about options on Putin. Daniel Hoffman https://twitter.com/danielhoffmanDC Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Fo...
Feb 26, 2024•21 min•Ep. 104
Former US Army “influence ops” specialist Paul Cobaugh talks with Jeff about combatting conspiracy mongering. More from Paul Cobaugh https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-cobaugh-5253b335/ truthaboutthreats.com/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter https://x.com/KarenGreenberg3 Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spyta...
Feb 09, 2024•40 min•Ep. 103
Former CIA officials Kristin Wood and Martin Petersen built a Red Cell project on The Cipher Brief to challenge experts to explore how China came to supplant the US by 2041. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein o...
Jan 28, 2024•39 min•Ep. 102
Former Special Forces and CIA case officer James Stejskal chats with Jeff Stein about Berlin, Russia and more. More from our Guest: James Stejskal https://www.amazon.com/stores/James-Stejskal/author/B00NXOQG4Y?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us fe...
Jan 13, 2024•30 min•Ep. 101
Former senior CIA officer Glenn Corn talks with Jeff Stein about the agency’s new generation and its challenges in the Middle East, Russia, and Ukraine in 2024. More from our Guest: Glenn Corn https://www.thecipherbrief.com/experts/glenn-corn Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter https://x.com/KarenGreenberg3 Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to S...
Dec 29, 2023•42 min•Ep. 100
The Washington Post’s Ellen Nakashima talks with Jeff about Beijing’s secret infiltration of US infrastructure. Ellen Nakashima https://twitter.com/nakashimae Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: http...
Dec 15, 2023•33 min•Ep. 99
Former CIA ops officer Douglas London joins Jeff to discuss spooky events from Gaza to Moscow, Kyiv & beyond. Doug London https://twitter.com/douglaslondon5 Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: ht...
Dec 01, 2023•33 min•Ep. 98
The Washington Post’s Shane Harris joins Jeff to discuss his scoop on Ukraine’s murky op to sabotage the Nordstream-2 pipeline. Follow Shane Harris https://twitter.com/shaneharris https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/shane-harris/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.as...
Nov 17, 2023•34 min•Ep. 97
CIA Russia Hand John Sipher discusses spying and sabotage ops against Vladimir Putin. Follow John Sipher https://twitter.com/john_sipher Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTal...
Oct 27, 2023•33 min•Ep. 96
Liza Mundy, author of “The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA,” is this week’s special guest. Follow Liza Mundy Liza Mundy (@lizamundy) / Twitter Pre-Order “THE SISTERHOOD” out 10/17 https://www.lizamundy.com/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey....
Oct 13, 2023•41 min•Ep. 95
This week, Jeff talks with award-winning journalist and groundbreaking author of “Wilderness of Mirrors,” National Security Correspondent for CBS, David Martin. David C. Martin (@CBSDavidMartin) / Twitter X Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7...
Oct 06, 2023•36 min•Ep. 94
This week Jeff talks cybersecurity with Michael Mestrovich, the former director of the CIA’s Technical Services Office; former Principal Deputy Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Department of State, and current Chief Information Security Officer at Rubrik. Michael Mestrovich | LinkedIn Rubrik Leadership Rubrik a Multi-Cloud Data Control Company Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack...
Sep 22, 2023•33 min•Ep. 93
Jeff talks with retired former CIA Al Qaeda expert Cindy Storer Cynthia Storer | Johns Hopkins Advanced Academic Programs Cynthia Storer | UTEP Pre-Order the book Jeff mentioned The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA - Kindle edition by Liza Mundy Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. h...
Sep 14, 2023•31 min•Ep. 92
Jeff talks with CIA operations veteran Laura Thomas about the gains and losses for women at the spy agency. Follow Laura Thomas On Twitter - Laura Thomas (@laurae_thomas) Substack The Action Line Read Laura’s piece Espionage is a Man's World - by Laura Thomas Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. http:...
Aug 25, 2023•34 min•Ep. 91
Jeff talks with John Hadden, author of “Conversations with a Masked Man: My Father, the CIA, and Me." https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter https://x.com/KarenGreenberg3 Follow Michael Isikoff on Tw...
Aug 11, 2023•39 min•Ep. 90
Jeff Stein talks with Kai Bird, co-author of “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.” Follow Kai Bird https://twitter.com/Kaibird123 “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer” https://www.kaibird.com/book/book_details/1 Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtra...
Jul 28, 2023•43 min•Ep. 89
David Ignatius talks about his new thriller “The Tao of Deception.” Follow David Ignatius https://twitter.com/IgnatiusPost Read “The Tao of Deception” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2023/tao-of-deception-david-ignatius/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQ...
Jul 13, 2023•32 min•Ep. 88
Jeff talks with top former CIA Russia hand John Sipher about spy agency ops and Moscow’s leadership crisis. Follow John Sipher on Twitter: https://twitter.com/john_sipher Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Spy...
Jun 30, 2023•40 min•Ep. 87
Jeff talks with Calder Walton, author of “Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West.” Calder Walton https://twitter.com/calder_walton Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West https://www.amazon.com/Spies-Epic-Intelligence-Between-East-ebook/dp/B0BHTMFTLS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2MI0 Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey...
Jun 02, 2023•44 min•Ep. 86
Journalist James Risen speaks with Jeff Stein about his new book on Sen. Frank Church’s unprecedented investigation of CIA misdeeds, from assassination plots to LSD mind-control experiments to spying on Americans. James Risen https://twitter.com/JamesRisen1 The Last Honest Man https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/james-risen/the-last-honest-man-senator/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk o...
May 17, 2023•46 min•Ep. 85
Former CIA and DoD Chinese espionage expert Nicholas Eftimiades talks with Jeff about Beijing’s newly aggressive covert campaigns against pro-democracy activists in the US. Nick Eftimiades https://twitter.com/neftimiades https://www.linkedin.com/in/eftimiades/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.a...
Apr 20, 2023•36 min•Ep. 84
Legendary retired CIA officer Jim Lawler talks with Jeff about the massive leak of highly classified Pentagon documents. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter https://x...
Apr 14, 2023•31 min•Ep. 83
Law enforcement and extremist reporter Ali Winston says the FBI is getting better, but radicals are metastasizing. Ali Winston https://twitter.com/awinston Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow K...
Apr 04, 2023•37 min•Ep. 82
David Cenciotti, founding editor of The Aviationist, speaks with SpyTalk about the collision of a Russian warplane and a US MQ-9 reconnaissance drone and news that Poland is transferring four MiG-29s to Ukraine. Our Guest: David Cenciotti https://twitter.com/cencio4 The Aviationist https://twitter.com/TheAviationist https://theaviationist.com/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https...
Mar 17, 2023•31 min•Ep. 81
Political scientist, author, and senior aide to the chair of the Church Committee Loch Johnson joins Jeff to talk about oversight of intel agencies; the political weaponization of intel; and more. Loch Johnson https://www.amazon.com/Third-Option-Covert-American-Foreign/dp/0197604412/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1677258335&refinements=p_27%3ALoch+K.+Johnson&s=books&sr=1-2 Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to...
Feb 25, 2023•39 min•Ep. 80
The McGonigal scandal is just another chapter in a pathetic history of outrageous security lapses at the FBI, CIA and NSA, says investigative reporter James Bamford, author of SPYFAIL: Foreign Spies, Moles, Saboteurs, and the Collapse of America’s Counterintelligence . Follow our guest: James Bamford https://mobile.twitter.com/washauthor Spy Fail https://www.amazon.com/Spyfail-Saboteurs-Collapse-Americas-Counterintelligence/dp/1538741156/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1673890947&...
Feb 03, 2023•42 min•Ep. 79
Former top CIA officer James Lawler says the manipulation practiced by agent handlers could be described as sociopathic. We talk about that and his latest thriller. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter https://x.com/KarenGreenberg3 Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spy Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/ Take our listener survey where you ...
Jan 20, 2023•37 min•Ep. 78
In part two of his interview with SpyTalk former DHS "border czar" Alan Bersin discusses with Jeanne Meserve obstacles to securing the southern border against human smugglers and traffickers. Alan Bersin https://twitter.com/AlanBersin https://twitter.com/TheWilsonCenter https://twitter.com/BelferCenter Follow Jeanne Meserve on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanneMeserve https://www.jeannemeserve.com/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://tw...
Sep 08, 2022•25 min•Ep. 77
Former DHS "border czar" @AlanBersin talks with @JeanneMeserve about how poor intelligence sharing is hampering the fight against transnational criminal organizations, and how new technologies could help conquer the problem. Follow Alan Bersin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlanBersin Follow Jeanne Meserve on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanneMeserve https://www.jeannemeserve.com/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_sp...
Sep 01, 2022•34 min•Ep. 76
