Explore every episode of the podcast SpyTalk
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Former US Envoy to Russia on Ukraine’s Bleak Future | 31 Aug 2024 | 00:51:10 | |
John Sullivan, the former U.S. ambassador to Moscow under Presidents Trump and Biden, worries that the Ukraine war could go on for "decades" and offers some candid views on his dealings with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Kabul Calamity Consequences | 23 Aug 2024 | 00:47:31 | |
Washington Post investigative reporter Craig Whitlock, author of “The Afghanistan Papers,” is Jeff Stein’s guest on the sad anniversary of the chaotic retreat. Craig Witlock Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| HOW THE NCIS FAILED BIG WITH FAT LEONARD | 31 May 2024 | 00:38:42 | |
Fat Leonard was “a maritime fixer who provided harbor protection, barges, cranes, food, fresh water, sewage collection, and anything else a nuclear powered aircraft carrier might need.” It’s absolutely astonishing how easily Leonard corrupted so many ranking Navy officers by providing them with prostitutes, booze, cash and airline tickets. Craig Whitlock Fat Leonard Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Ali Soufan on the Taliban’s Global Plans | 17 Aug 2021 | 00:25:44 | |
The celebrated former FBI special agent and counterterrorism specialist says the Taliban aspire to undermining the West’s “Roman Empire.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| SPYING ON MISSILES | 12 Aug 2021 | 00:41:57 | |
Jeanne Meserve talks with Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, about how the world learned of China’s startling new ICBM silos, and Jeff Stein talks with Asia expert Robert Manning about the challenges of spying on North Korea. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Spies vs. Spies | 05 Aug 2021 | 00:39:59 | |
An expert on Congressional probes tells Jeff Stein why investigators on the House Select Committee on Jan. 5 have to develop confidential sources deep inside DHS, DoD and the FBI. And retired Marine Corps Gen. Greg Newbold tells Jeanne Meserve that China's control of precious metals is a threat to US intelligence. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Going Deep | 29 Jul 2021 | 00:49:26 | |
The FBI is still coming up short on dealing with white violent extremists, former undercover special agent Mike German tells Jeff Stein. And Jeanne Meserve delves into a little known DIA medical intelligence unit. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Families of Spies | 22 Jul 2021 | 00:49:24 | |
A father & daughter have a monster TikTok hit talkIng about his intelligence career. Former CIA analyst Frank Snepp describes the heartbreak of Saigon and the agony of Kabul. And “Spooked” author Barry Meier addresses the NSO-Pegasus surveillance scandal. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Battling on All Fronts | 15 Jul 2021 | 00:54:16 | |
Former CIA counterintelligence chief James Olson tells Jeff Stein the CIA and FBI need to “resuscitate” double agent ops to penetrate enemy spy services, and Jeanne Meserve talks with former senior U.S. cybercrime official Chris Painter about the rash of ransomware attacks by REvil and other Russia-based malefactors. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Enemies Within and Without | 07 Jul 2021 | 00:45:04 | |
Former senior CIA officer Doug London talks with Jeff Stein about the present and future intelligence picture in chaotic Afghanistan. And Jeanne Meserve has a fascinating talk with former top DHS intel official and retired Brigadier General Francis X. Taylor about dealing with violent extremists in the military ranks. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Spies that Bind | 01 Jul 2021 | 00:54:35 | |
Nicholas Eftimiades, a top expert on Chinese espionage, tells Jeff Stein he doubts reports that Beijing’s top counterspy defected to the US—but that Beijing has “many” moles in U.S/ intelligence. And Jeanne Meserve talks with top former FBI national security official Jay Tabb about the challenges of dealing with home-grown American terrorists. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Cold War Capers | 24 Jun 2021 | 00:31:19 | |
Yes, there’s a real James Bond, and Jeanne Meserve chatted him up on the curses and blessings of having such a legendary moniker. And historian Audra Wolfe talks with Jeff Stein about the role of American scientists in the Cold War and beyond. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| ‘Everybody knows somebody’ | 16 Jun 2021 | 00:39:07 | |
Terrorism expert Gina Ligon tells Jeanne Meserve that the Biden administration’s initiative on domestic extremism represents a ‘sea change’ in policy but doesn’t address the root causes of populist violence. Israeli counterterrorism dramas do, an American ex-pat writer in Jerusalem tells Jeff Stein, because so many involved have served in spy units. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| US-ISRAELI SPY WARS | 17 May 2024 | 00:23:41 | |
There are friendly nations, but no friendly intelligence services, goes an old saw in the spy business. What that means in practicality is that we have close intelligence relationships with our allies, but in many cases, we also spy on each other, not entirely trusting what they’re telling us. In no place is this convoluted arrangement better exemplified than the security relationship between US and Israel, who have a long history of snooping on each other while closely working together on mutual targets, like Iran and its allied militias, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and now, Hamas in Gaza. Here to discuss that with me today is my old friend and colleague Jonathan Broder. He’s been in and out of the Middle East for decades, in particular Israel, whose struggles and wars he began covering many decades ago as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press and Chicago Tribune based in Tel Aviv. He’s also been a foreign policy editor and writer for Congressional Quarterly and Newsweek, and today we’re blessed to have him as a contributing editor at SpyTalk, where he’s written a number of shrewd pieces since the Hamas invasion of Israel last Oct. 7. Jonathan Broder
Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Meeting of the Minds | 11 Jun 2021 | 00:22:27 | |
Ahead of presidents Putin and Biden meeting in Geneva, a psychiatrist puts the leader of Russia on the couch. Dr. Kenneth Dekleva, who served in the US embassy in Moscow, joins co-host Jeanne Meserve for a special edition of SpyTalk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| That Was Then | 09 Jun 2021 | 00:47:12 | |
Chinese espionage poses a mortal threat to the US, former counterintelligence boss Bill Evanina tells Jeanne Meserve. And author Kai Bird talks with Jeff Stein about a clandestine plot with Iran by Reagan campaign manager and future CIA Director Bill Casey to deny Jimmy Carter re-election. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Cyber Counterpunch | 04 Jun 2021 | 00:13:15 | |
On this special edition of SpyTalk, co-host Jeanne Meserve speaks with William Evanina, former Director of the United States National Counterintelligence and Security Center about the recent spate of ransomware attacks. Evanina says President Biden should threaten to pull out of the upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that the US should demonstrate it is willing and able to shut down Russian infrastructure. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Gathering Storms | 02 Jun 2021 | 00:51:16 | |
Former top FBI domestic extremist specialist Tom O’Connor tells co-host Jeanne Meserve in a startling interview that he’s worried about another Timothy McVeigh plotting something big. And Jeff Stein talks with veteran intelligence reporter Bill Arkin about a vast Pentagon secret army combatting our enemies that no one’s heard about. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Spies in the Soup | 26 May 2021 | 00:57:02 | |
Jean Meserve talks with former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Juliette Kayyem about the mess in DHS’ intelligence shop, and Jeff Stein interviews Barry Meier about his new book, “Spooked: The Trump Dossier, Black Cube, and the Rise of Private Spies.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Panetta’s Regret | 19 May 2021 | 00:56:34 | |
Former CIA Director and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta was praised in a multitude of articles and broadcasts marking the 10th anniversary of the elimination of Osama Bin Laden earlier this month. But in an hour long interview with Jeff Stein, he described a major failing of US intelligence during his watch. Listen to it here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Has the CIA Lost Its Grip on the Middle East? | 19 May 2021 | 00:33:14 | |
CIA clandestine services veteran and longtime Middle East hand Marc Polymeropoulos tells Jeff Stein that the CIA no longer prizes regional expertise, instead opting for spy corps “generalists” who can be shifted from region to region. In this Special Edition of the SpyTalk podcast, Polymeropoulos laments the passing of Charlie Seidel, who he calls the CIA’s “last great Arabist.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Crisis and Confusion | 13 May 2021 | 01:00:52 | |
In the fourth edition of the SpyTalk podcast, former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen talks with co-host Jeanne Meserve about combatting “psychological warfare” disinformation attacks from Russia, China, Iran and even Venezuela, and former top CIA analyst Mathew Burrows tells her that US intelligence is so busy coping with immediate threats they “can’t see the forest for the trees.” Leading off the show, Jeff Stein talks with Janis Shinwari, an Afghan interpreter for US intelligence units, who says thousands of his comrades are terrified about being left behind and murdered by the Taliban when US forces leave in September. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Shots in the Dark | 05 May 2021 | 00:55:54 | |
Jeanne Meserve looks into the mysterious directed-energy attacks on officials in Washington with Mark Zaid, lawyer for CIA and State Department victims. Then Ronen Bergman, author of a groundbreaking book on Israeli assassination operations, talks with Jeff Stein about the effect of Mossad’s hits on Iran’s nuclear scientists and uranium facilities. Last but hardly least, Jeanne talks at length with technology venture capitalist Gilman Louie about his work with the CIA and the perils of losing the race on artificial intelligence to America’s adversaries. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Fire and Ice | 29 Apr 2021 | 00:57:03 | |
In this week’s edition of the SpyTalk podcast, Jeff Stein goes deep on the CIA’s looming eviction from Afghanistan with Lisa Curtis, a longtime former CIA, State Department and White House National Security Council expert on the region. And then co-host Jeanne Meserve conducts a lively interview with a former senior CIA and NSA analyst, Alma Katsu, about her new, post-government-service thriller, Red Widow, which features a gutsy female spy heroine. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Man Who Gets the Secrets | 03 May 2024 | 00:38:08 | |
Jason Leopold, a senior reporter with Bloomberg News, has literally been getting under the skin of government bureaucracies for decades. His weapon: The Freedom of Information Act, enacted by Congress in the mid-1960s because the feds, well, had an insidious propensity to bury embarrassing, or even illegal, acts under layers of official secrecy. Over the years the law has been strengthened—not that it’s stopped the government from continuing its bad behavior. That’s where Leopold, a multiple prize winning, much admired, relentless digger, comes in. The 55-year-old journalist is a legend for forcing the government to release explosive documents ranging from Hillary Clinton’s secret email server to CIA torture procedures to Donald Trump’s misrouting, should we say, of highly classified documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago. For his efforts, the FBI labeled him an “FOIA terrorist,” a moniker he cheerfully welcomes. May 1st marked the seventh anniversary of his most favorite FOIA triumph, the release of details on a threatening telephone call a person imitating a Mafia thug—all but certainly Trump—made to a lawyer representing investors going after Trump after the failure of his Atlantic City casino. It seemed like a good day to ring Jason up. Jason Leopold https://twitter.com/JasonLeopold https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/foia-files Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| A CIA Spy in Syria, and US Responses to Russian, Chinese and Other Adversary Hacking | 22 Apr 2021 | 00:54:16 | |
This week, in the debut edition of the SpyTalk podcast, co-host Jeff Stein talks to the Washington Post’s Joby Warrick about an extraordinary CIA operation in Syria, as told in his new book, Red Line. Jeff and co-host Jeanne Meserve also discuss the Biden administration’s recent expulsion of suspected Russian spies, then Jeanne talks with former NSA Director and Cyber Command chief Admiral Mike Rogers about Chinese, Russian and other hackers’ infiltration of U.S. computer networks. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Spy Talk - Trailer | 24 Mar 2021 | 00:04:33 | |
SpyTalk lives at the intersection of intelligence operations, foreign policy, homeland security and military strategy. Co-hosted by veteran national security journalist Jeff Stein and former star CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve, the podcast will feature exclusives by SpyTalk’s roster of longtime reporters, news and profiles of US and foreign spymasters and interviews with policymakers and expert authors. There’s nothing quite like it—a place for experts and lay persons alike, who enjoy national security scoops and insights by SpyTalk's subject matter experts. Coming this Spring. Spy Talk is a DSR Network production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Tipping Off Our Enemies to Terrorist Attacks | 19 Apr 2024 | 00:38:20 | |
Last month’s spectacular terrorist attack on a concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow, which left 144 people dead, was quickly followed by startling news that US intelligence had warned the Russians about the impending assault. When the Kremlin said the warnings hadn’t been specific, moreover, US officials pushed back, saying, in effect, “Oh yes they were,” and added details to its rejoinder. Likewise, it turned out that back in January, US intelligence had warned Iran about an impending Islamic State terrorist attack at a gathering to honor its fallen Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani, who had been killed by a US drone strike in Baghdad. The revelations that our spy services had actually warned two of our greatest mortal enemies astounded many people and triggered a lot of acidic commentary, confusion and the inevitable conspiracy theories on social media. Today’s guest, former CIA case officer and base chief Laura Thomas, who held a number of senior intelligence positions during her nearly 16 years of government service, says those actions followed a standard practice in American intelligence. It’s called “a duty to warn.” And she’s here to explain how that seemingly esoteric, even confounding, practice is not only a staple of the spy world—at least on the American side—but it has some espionage benefits as well. Laura Thomas
Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| More Havana Syndrome Questions | 05 Apr 2024 | 00:35:57 | |
New SpyTalk Contributing Editor Mike Isikoff pokes holes in 60 Minutes’ blockbuster story. Michael Isikoff Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack 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: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Spies and Sex: A History of Honeytraps | 23 Mar 2024 | 00:36:50 | |
Jeff talks with Henry Schlesinger, author of "Honey Trapped: Sex, Betrayal, and Weaponized Love." Henry Schlesinger
Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| A Life in CIA Trickery | 08 Mar 2024 | 00:38:59 | |
Jonna Mendez, former CIA chief of disguises, discusses her new book, “In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked.” Jonna Mendez Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack 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: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Russia, Russia, Russia | 26 Feb 2024 | 00:20:41 | |
Former top CIA ops official Dan Hoffman talks with Jeff about options on Putin. Daniel Hoffman Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack 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: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Taylor Swift Infowar Tutorial | 09 Feb 2024 | 00:40:04 | |
Former US Army “influence ops” specialist Paul Cobaugh talks with Jeff about combatting conspiracy mongering. More from Paul Cobaugh Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Red Cell Study on China Rise | 28 Jan 2024 | 00:38:56 | |
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 SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack 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: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Another 9/11-Style Attack in the Works? | 16 Aug 2024 | 00:33:17 | |
SOMEWHERE IN THE REMOTE MOUNTAINS of Pakistan’s southwest province of Balochistan, a shadowy, 29-year-old veteran of the Afghan Army is believed to be holed up, keenly conscious that the U.S. government has placed a $10 million bounty on his head. Read Michael Isikoff’s piece for the SpyTalk Substack https://www.spytalk.co/p/another-911-style-attack-in-the-works? Colin P. Clarke - The Soufan Group Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter: Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Green Berets and Covert Ops | 13 Jan 2024 | 00:30:03 | |
Former Special Forces and CIA case officer James Stejskal chats with Jeff Stein about Berlin, Russia and more.
More from our Guest: James Stejskal
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack 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: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The CIA in 2024 | 29 Dec 2023 | 00:42:20 | |
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
Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Chinese Military Hackers in Our Pipes | 15 Dec 2023 | 00:33:02 | |
The Washington Post’s Ellen Nakashima talks with Jeff about Beijing’s secret infiltration of US infrastructure. Ellen Nakashima https://twitter.com/nakashimae
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack 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: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Week in Spy Plots & Murder | 01 Dec 2023 | 00:32:30 | |
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 SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack 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: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| A Thriller in Ukraine | 17 Nov 2023 | 00:34:13 | |
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://www.washingtonpost.com/people/shane-harris/
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Target Moscow | 27 Oct 2023 | 00:32:48 | |
CIA Russia Hand John Sipher discusses spying and sabotage ops against Vladimir Putin. Follow John Sipher https://twitter.com/john_sipher
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack 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: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| THE CIA’S EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN | 13 Oct 2023 | 00:41:00 | |
Liza Mundy, author of “The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA,” is this week’s special guest. Follow Liza Mundy Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| A Life in the Wilderness of Mirrors | CBS News’ David Martin reflects on 40 years covering national security | 06 Oct 2023 | 00:36:07 | |
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: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Can Anyone Stop Cyber Terrorism? | 22 Sep 2023 | 00:32:47 | |
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. Rubrik a Multi-Cloud Data Control Company Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| A CIA EPITAPH ON 9/11 | 14 Sep 2023 | 00:31:26 | |
Jeff talks with retired former CIA Al Qaeda expert Cindy Storer
Cynthia Storer | Johns Hopkins Advanced Academic Programs
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: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| SPY FAMILY SHOCKERS | 09 Aug 2024 | 00:39:03 | |
This week, we’re going to take a look at the shock and disorientation the children of spies face when they learn that one, or both, of their parents are not who they say they are. Jeff’s guest, Johanna McCloy, didn’t know she was the daughter of an American spy until she was 15 years old. Johanna McCloy Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Sex, Lies and Women at the CIA | 25 Aug 2023 | 00:34:06 | |
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: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback, too. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| A CIA Family Drama | 11 Aug 2023 | 00:39:14 | |
Jeff talks with John Hadden, author of “Conversations with a Masked Man: My Father, the CIA, and Me." Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short
Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Oppenheimer’s Origin | 28 Jul 2023 | 00:43:04 | |
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: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| CIA-CHINA SPY WARS: Real and Imagined | 13 Jul 2023 | 00:32:12 | |
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: Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack Take our listener survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:
Follow SpyTalk on Twitter: Subscribe to SpyTalk on Substack
Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||