Episodes
Espresso Martini | Hegseth’s Lecture, an NYC SIM Farm Bust, Spies in a Shutdown, and MI6’s Silent Courier
On this week’s Espresso Martini, Chris and Matt break down Pete Hegseth’s speech at Quantico, where he and President Trump summoned 800 generals and admirals for what turned out to be a culture-war lecture on grooming standards and “wokenes…
Train Like a Spy with SpyQ
On todays special podcast, Chris is joined by Gavin Stone and James Foster to discuss “Spy-Q,” a tradecraft-for-civilians training event that turns elicitation, deception detection, influence, behavioural profiling, resilience, and memory t…
Syria After Assad with Aaron Zelin
Nearly a year after Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus, Syria is struggling to chart a path forward. This week, Matt is joined by Aaron Zelin of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who has just returned from a rare trip inside the cou…
Espresso Martini | Five Eyes Fractures, Israel’s Doha Strike, and Tradecraft for Civvies
In this week’s episode, Chris and Matt take another look at the political assault on the US intelligence community and its strain on Five Eyes, pushing partners to question sharing or holding information back, even as the core bonds endure …
Uncovering Germany’s Cold War Spy Missions with Florian Flade
On this week’s episode, investigative journalist Florian Flade joins Chris to uncover three little-known German intelligence operations from the Cold War and their aftermath: supporting the Mujahideen in Afghanistan, secretly buying Soviet …
Espresso Martini | Britain’s Flag Fight, America’s Role in Post-War Ukraine, Gabbard’s Purge, and a New Zealand Spy Trial
Flags are flying across Britain—but behind the bunting lurks a far-right campaign. Chris and Matt kick off Season 10 with a look at "Operation Raise the Colours," the extremist-led push to turn patriotism into intimidation. From there, they…
How a Murder in Coal Country Toppled an American Dictator with Nicolo Majnoni
In this episode, Matt speaks with Nicolo Majnoni, creator of The Shadow Kingdom podcast, about his new season investigating the murder of union reformer Jock Yablonski and the battle to reclaim America’s most powerful coal union from corrup…
The Persuasion Game and How Influence Peddlers Target Democracy with Chad Lewis
In this episode, Chris speaks with Chad Lewis, author of The Persuasion Game, about how foreign influence operations exploit Western political vulnerabilities. Chad discusses the rise of Kremlin-backed disinformation campaigns, the use of p…
China’s Long Arm: Uyghur Repression From Xinjiang to Washington with John Beck
Award-winning journalist John Beck joins Chris to discuss Those Who Should Be Seized Should Be Seized, his harrowing account of China’s campaign against Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and other Muslim minorities. Beck traces the lives of four peo…
How Global Finance Influences Geopolitics with Emmanuel Daniel
How does financial architecture shape the global order? Chris is joined by Emmanuel Daniel—author of The Great Transition and founder of TAB Global—for a sweeping look at how banking, capital markets, and emerging technologies are redefinin…
The Information Animal: Humans, Technology, and the Competition for Reality with Alicia Wanless
How do we make sense of truth in a world saturated with content? This week, Chris speaks with Alicia Wanless—director of the Information Environment Project at the Carnegie Endowment and author of The Information Animal—to explore how human…
Terror Without a Cause: Nihilism, Youth, and the New Extremist Threat with Jacob Ware
This week, Matt is joined by terrorism researcher Jacob Ware to unpack the rise of nihilistic violent extremism—attacks carried out by disaffected young men radicalized online without any clear political goal. They explore how social media …
QAnon and the Mainstreaming of Extremism with Mike Rothschild
Author and conspiracy researcher Mike Rothschild joins Chris to unpack the rise, evolution, and enduring influence of QAnon. They explore its blend of old and new conspiracies, its gamified social appeal, and the algorithmic fuel behind its…
Espresso Martini | Epstein Spy Rumors, Arctic Power Plays, and Trump’s Ukraine Reversal
The MAGA movement cracks as Trump’s name surfaces in the Epstein files and his administration fails to deliver the promised disclosures. We unpack the backlash, the conspiracies, and the lingering question of an intelligence connection to J…
Service Announcement: Chris and Matt on DogShirtTV. No Espresso Martini this week, and a QAnon episode instead
Hi eveyone. Chris & Matt will be on Benjamin Wittes & Alicia Wanless's YouTube show "Dog Shirt TV", talking about Secrets & Spies, its origins, our interest in espionage and our thoughts on Spy Fiction. You can watch the show here: https://…
The Mission: The CIA in the 21st Century with Tim Weiner
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tim Weiner joins Matt to discuss The Mission, his new history of the CIA in the 21st century. They explore the agency’s quiet successes and moral failings, from dismantling the AQ Khan network to abetting t…
Iran’s Nuclear Future and Why Bombs Won’t Stop it with Joe Cirincione
Matt is joined by nonproliferation expert Joe Cirincione to unpack what the recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran actually achieved—and what they didn’t. They discuss the extent of the damage to Iran’s nuclear program, why military action a…
Espresso Martini | NATO Navigates Trump, Presidential War Powers, and Ukraine Under Strain
This week, Matt and Chris break down the recent NATO summit, where Trump’s presence loomed large—even as the alliance bent over backwards to avoid a blow-up. Matt argues that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s cringe-worthy text to Trump m…
The Iran Intel and Tulsi Gabbard’s Future as DNI with Shane Harris
The U.S. just carried out its most significant strikes on Iran in 45 years. President Trump declared victory, but his intelligence agencies aren’t so sure. This week, Matt is joined by The Atlantic’s Shane Harris to unpack what we actually…
Espresso Martini | Operation Midnight Hammer, Trump’s Claims, and What Comes Next
This week, Chris and Matt return for an emergency deep dive on Operation Midnight Hammer, the largest US strike on Iran since 1979. They break down what the bombing raid and actually achieved, why initial White House claims of “obliterating…
Espresso Martini | Israel vs. Iran, Trump Wavers, and Moscow’s China Paranoia
This week, Chris and Matt dive into the war between Israel and Iran, now entering its second week, with President Trump weighing a direct US strike on Iran’s deeply buried Fordow nuclear facility. They unpack how the conflict began, Mossad’…
Espresso Martini | Operation Spiderweb, CIA’s Star Wars Fan Site, and the Mystery of RAT55
Ukraine’s audacious drone assault on Russian airbases, codenamed Operation Spiderweb, leads this week’s episode, as Chris and Matt break down how Kyiv may have just kneecapped Russia’s strategic bomber fleet in a single strike. They dig int…
The Rise of the Greek Far Right with Patrick Strickland
In this conversation, Patrick Strickland discusses his experiences as a conflict reporter, particularly focusing on the refugee crisis in Greece and the rise of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn. He shares insights into the socio-political lan…
Service Announcement | Chris is ill. No Espresso Martini this weekend.
Chris is feeling a bit under the weather, so unfortunately, there’s no Espresso Martini this weekend. However, on Wednesday, we’ll release his interview with journalist Patrick Strickland on the rise and fall of the Greek far-right. Then, e…
Pagan Extremism, Warrior Myths, and the Culture Wars of Russia and Ukraine with Ross Downing
Chris speaks with researcher and author Ross Downing about his book Germanic and Slavic Paganism: Security Threats and Resiliency. Ross, who works with a network of scholars and specialists focused on minority religions and extremism, explo…
Service Announcement | Next show Saturday 24th
There will be no show today. Our next show will be on Saturday 24th May, which will be an interview with Ross Downing, looking at Pagan Extremism, Warrior Myths, and the Culture Wars of Russia and Ukraine. Our next Espresso Martini will be…
Espresso Martini | India and Pakistan Pull Back, A Warning on Loyalty Over Expertise, and Trump’s Flying Palace
This week, Chris and Matt break down the uneasy truce reached between India and Pakistan after weeks of escalating violence, with the Trump administration stepping in late to help broker a ceasefire and avert a possible nuclear crisis. Then…
Putin’s Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group and Russia’s Collapse into Mercenary Chaos with Candace Rondeaux
Candace Rondeaux joins Chris to unpack the dark mythology and hard realities behind the Wagner Group, drawing from her investigative book Putin’s Sledgehammer. They explore Wagner’s roots in post-Soviet chaos, its fusion of state power and …
Espresso Martini | Farage Surges, Allies Reject Trumpism, and Waltz’s Ouster
In this week’s Espresso Martini, Chris and Matt dig into a wave of elections across the UK, Canada, and Australia, exploring what they signal for populist movements, center-left parties, and Trump-style politics beyond US borders. They brea…
Surviving Corruption, Surveillance, and Cybercrime in Putin’s Russia with Bruce Talley
Chris chats with Bruce Talley, a former Russia-based businessman who now helps foreign companies set up operations in Ukraine and matches investors with projects They explore the complex nature of doing business in Russia, including how it…
Espresso Martini | India Eyes Retaliation, a Mysterious Russian Satellite, and New Saudi Links to 9/11
This week, Chris and Matt unpack surging tensions between India and Pakistan following a devastating terror attack in Kashmir—will India retaliate, and could it spiral out of control? Then, new evidence links a Saudi national to 9/11, reign…
Is Peace Possible for Ukraine? with Dr. Taras Kuzio
This week, Chris is joined by Dr. Taras Kuzio for an on-the-ground look at Ukraine’s evolving war effort and the political battle over peace negotiations. Dr. Kuzio discusses daily life in Kyiv amid ongoing conflict, growing anger toward th…
Espresso Martini | Hegseth on the Ropes, Putin’s Diplomat Spy, and Listener Questions
This week, Chris and Matt unpack the deepening chaos at the Pentagon as Pete Hegseth’s tenure as secretary of defense continues to spiral. From more leaked strike plans on Signal to staff purges and his wife sitting in on sensitive meetings…
Russia’s Shadow War Against NATO with Florian Flade
Chris welcomes back national security journalist Florian Flade to unpack Russia’s shadow war against NATO. They examine Moscow’s escalating hybrid attacks across Europe—from sabotage and arson to drone incursions and attempted assassination…
Body Language and Lie Detection with Gavin Stone
Chris sits down with Gavin Stone—former covert operative, body language expert, and best-selling author—to explore the subtle science of reading people. They delve into the art of lie detection, psychological manipulation, and the power of …
God’s Banker and the Vatican’s Cold War Secrets with Nicolo Majnoni
This week, Matt speaks with Nicolo Majnoni, host of Shadow Kingdom, a gripping new investigative podcast from Crooked Media and Campside Media. The first season explores the mysterious June 1982 death of Roberto Calvi—known as “God’s Banker…
Espresso Martini | Trump’s Special Economic Operation, NSA Purge, and the FBI in Turmoil
Chris and Matt unpack the surreal ousting of top U.S. national security officials after far-right influencer Laura Loomer walked into the Oval Office with a hit list. They assess the fallout for cyber defenses, the politicization of the FBI…
Photographing Area 51 with Michał Rokita
Photographer and field researcher Michał Rokita joins Matt to discuss his rare and meticulous efforts to document one of the world’s most secretive military sites: Area 51. From hiking remote peaks in the Nevada desert to capturing panorami…
Espresso Martini | Signalgate with Shane Harris, Boeing’s F-47, and Remembering Oleg Gordievsky
The Atlantic’s Shane Harris joins Chris and Matt to unpack Signalgate, the extraordinary national security scandal where top Trump officials coordinated airstrikes over Signal and accidentally included a journalist in the group chat. They …
Sell Like a Spy: What Business Can Learn from Intelligence Officers with Jeremy Hurewitz
What can business leaders learn from spies? In this episode, Chris speaks with Jeremy Hurewitz, author of Sell Like a Spy, to explore how intelligence officers build trust, read people, and influence outcomes. Drawing on years spent working…