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Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs

Secrets & Spies

300 episodes

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode unpacks global events through the lens of intelligence and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and analysts. Tune in for balanced, critical perspectives that will expand your understanding of our uncertain world, deciphering the most enigmatic professions, ideologies, and organizations that shape the global landscape.

More about the show

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Our Hosts Host Chris Carr, driven by a teenage encounter with former KGB officer Oleg Gordievsky, brings a unique authenticity to the podcast. His deep-seated fascination with espionage is evident in his highly acclaimed short spy film The Dry Cleaner, available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime. Currently developing feature film and television scripts inspired by the podcast's themes, Chris aims to create realistic and compelling spy dramas.

Joining him is Matt Fulton, a novelist and screenwriter who draws inspiration from masters of the spy genre like John Le Carré, Tom Clancy, and Graham Greene. Author of the Active Measures series of globe-trotting geopolitical thrillers, Matt brings his decades of extensive research and narrative prowess to the podcast, offering listeners a front-row seat to the thrilling world of covert operations.

Episodes page 2 of 6

  1. Watching Putin's Shadow Fleet | Remy Osman

    · 58 min · S10 E23

    Remy Osman joins Chris to unpack the strange, high-stakes world of Putin’s “shadow fleet”—the tankers and ghost ships helping Russia move oil and dodge sanctions. Remy traces how he got into ship-spotting during…

  2. John le Carré and the Russian Mafia | Federico Varese

    · 1 h 09 min · S10 E22

    Criminologist Federico Varese joins Chris to talk John le Carré—David Cornwell—and what his fiction got right about power, corruption, and the criminal underside of the modern Russian state. Varese, a co-curator of…

  3. Myths and Realities of Russian Intelligence | John Sipher

    · 1 h 10 min · S10 E21

    Former senior CIA officer John Sipher joins Chris to break down what Western audiences get wrong about Russian intelligence—starting with what it’s actually like to operate inside one of the world’s most hostile…

  4. Espionage and Drug Trafficking: The Life of Harold Derber | David Tuch

    · 59 min · S10 E20

    David Tuch, author of The Wireless Operator, joins Chris to tell the stranger-than-fiction story of Harold Derber—a wartime wireless operator who later ran blockade-busting weapons to Israel before reinventing…

  5. The Fourth Intelligence Revolution | Anthony Vinci

    · 55 min · S10 E19

    Former chief technology officer of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Dr. Anthony Vinci, joins Matt to explain why intelligence has broken out of the classified world—and why everyday citizens are now on the…

  6. The Putin Factor Trump Keeps Ignoring | Dr. Taras Kuzio

    · 1 h 06 min · S10 E18

    In this episode, Chris speaks with Dr Taras Kuzio about the deeper forces shaping Russia’s war against Ukraine and the faltering U.S.-Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Kuzio explores Vladimir Putin’s obsession with history…

  7. DC Guard Tragedy, Ukraine’s ‘Final’ Offer, Venezuela, ISIS, and Russian Spy Pigeons | Espresso Martini

    · 1 h 43 min · S10 E17

    In our final Espresso Martini of the year, Chris and Matt reflect on the DC National Guard shooting, the alleged Afghan CIA-linked gunman, and what the case says about how America treats its wartime partners once the…

  8. Chasing Chi | Jim Gaylord

    · 1 h 15 min · S10 E16

    Former FBI Special Agent Jim Gaylord joins Matt to discuss Chasing Chi, his inside account of the multi-year hunt for Chi Mak, the low-key Southern California engineer at the center of a major Chinese spy ring inside…

  9. The Dogs of Mariupol | Tom Mutch

    · 1 h 07 min · S10 E15

    Chris is joined by journalist Tom Mutch to discuss The Dogs of Mariupol and the realities of reporting from Ukraine’s front lines. Tom shares what it takes to work inside an active war zone—from the decision to stay…

  10. The Man Who Sold Honours | Stephen Bates

    · 47 min · S10 E14

    Chris Carr sits down with author Stephen Bates to discuss The Man Who Sold Honours and the extraordinary life of Maundy Gregory—actor, fixer, conman and sometime MI5 asset at the heart of Britain’s original…

  11. How Digital Currency Impacts National Security | Yaya J. Fanusie

    · 57 min · S10 E13

    On today’s episode, Chris and former CIA analyst Yaya Jata Fanusie explore the evolution of digital currencies, focusing on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), Bitcoin, and the implications for national security…

  12. Podcast Update | No Espresso Martini this week

    · 1:03 · S10 E294

    Chris is under the weather this weekend, so in place of Espresso Martini we’re sharing his conversation with former CIA analyst Yaya Fanusie. They dig into the national security and geopolitical stakes of central bank…

  13. Europe’s Not Waiting for America | Shane Harris

    · 37 min · S10 E12

    Shane Harris joins Matt to discuss his recent piece in The Atlantic, “Europe Is Answering Putin’s Challenge.” From drone incursions over the Baltic to Trump’s transactional diplomacy, Shane unpacks how European leaders…

  14. Reality Winner on the Leak That Changed Her Life

    · 1 h 09 min · S10 E11

    In this special conversation, Chris speaks with Reality Winner — the former Air Force linguist and NSA contractor who leaked evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and served the longest prison…

  15. Gaza’s Fragile Peace, a UK Spy Trial Collapses, and How U.S. Research Fuels China’s Military | Espresso Martini

    · 1 h 06 min · S10 E10

    A fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the collapse of a UK spy trial, and a damning new report on China’s exploitation of U.S. defense research—Chris and Matt unpack a pivotal few weeks in global politics and intelligence. They…

  16. John le Carré's Tradecraft | Dr. Jessica Douthwaite

    · 47 min · S10 E9

    Chris speaks with historian Dr. Jessica Douthwaite, co-curator of John le Carré: Tradecraft at Oxford’s Bodleian Library. They explore how le Carré—born David Cornwell—approached his extensive research, the selection…

  17. The Grave Robber: Inside the FBI’s Art Crime Team and Its Most Unusual Case | Tim Carpenter

    · 1 h 04 min · S10 E8

    Former FBI agent Tim Carpenter led the Bureau’s Art Crime Team, chasing down everything from stolen masterworks to looted antiquities. In this conversation, he joins Chris to discuss his new book The Grave Robber, a…

  18. Race Against Terror | Jake Tapper

    · 50 min · S10 E7

    CNN’s Jake Tapper joins Matt to discuss his new book Race Against Terror, a gripping true story of the US hunt and prosecution of an al-Qaeda fighter named Spin Ghul. They trace the case’s origins in Italy and…

  19. Hegseth’s Lecture, an NYC SIM Farm Bust, Spies in a Shutdown, and MI6’s Silent Courier | Espresso Martini

    · 1 h 04 min · S10 E6

    This week, 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…

  20. Train Like a Spy with SpyQ | Gavin Stone & James Foster

    · 32 min · S10 E5

    On today's 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,…

  21. Syria After Assad | Aaron Zelin

    · 59 min · S10 E4

    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…

  22. Five Eyes Fractures, Israel’s Doha Strike, and Tradecraft for Civvies | Espresso Martini

    · 1 h 04 min · S10 E3

    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…

  23. Uncovering Germany’s Cold War Spy Missions | Florian Flade

    · 1 h 14 min · S10 E2

    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,…

  24. Britain’s Flag Fight, America’s Role in Post-War Ukraine, Gabbard’s Purge, and a New Zealand Spy Trial | Espresso Martini

    · 1 h 21 min · S10 E1

    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…

  25. S9 Ep66: How a Murder in Coal Country Toppled an American Dictator with Nicolo Majnoni

    · 55 min · S9 E66

    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…

  26. S9 Ep65: The Persuasion Game and How Influence Peddlers Target Democracy with Chad Lewis

    · 1 h 49 min · S9 E65

    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…

  27. S9 Ep64: China’s Long Arm: Uyghur Repression From Xinjiang to Washington with John Beck

    · 48 min · S9 E64

    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…

  28. S9 Ep63: How Global Finance Influences Geopolitics with Emmanuel Daniel

    · 58 min · S9 E63

    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…

  29. S9 Ep62: The Information Animal: Humans, Technology, and the Competition for Reality with Alicia Wanless

    · 1 h 21 min · S9 E62

    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…

  30. S9 Ep53: Terror Without a Cause: Nihilism, Youth, and the New Extremist Threat with Jacob Ware

    · 58 min · S9 E53

    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…

  31. S9 Ep60: QAnon and the Mainstreaming of Extremism with Mike Rothschild

    · 48 min · S9 E60

    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…

  32. S9 Ep61: Espresso Martini | Epstein Spy Rumors, Arctic Power Plays, and Trump’s Ukraine Reversal

    · 1 h 07 min · S9 E61

    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…

  33. Service Announcement: Chris and Matt on DogShirtTV. No Espresso Martini this week, and a QAnon episode instead

    · 1:29 · S1 E273

    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…

  34. S9 Ep59: The Mission: The CIA in the 21st Century with Tim Weiner

    · 1 h 03 min · S9 E59

    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…

  35. S9 Ep58: Iran’s Nuclear Future and Why Bombs Won’t Stop it with Joe Cirincione

    · 47 min · S9 E58

    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,…

  36. S9 Ep57: Espresso Martini | NATO Navigates Trump, Presidential War Powers, and Ukraine Under Strain

    · 1 h 14 min · S9 E57

    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…

  37. S9 Ep56: The Iran Intel and Tulsi Gabbard’s Future as DNI with Shane Harris

    · 50 min · S9 E56

    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…

  38. S9 Ep55: Espresso Martini | Operation Midnight Hammer, Trump’s Claims, and What Comes Next

    · 1 h 08 min · S9 E55

    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…

  39. S9 Ep54: Espresso Martini | Israel vs. Iran, Trump Wavers, and Moscow’s China Paranoia

    · 1 h 17 min · S9 E54

    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…

  40. S9 Ep52: Espresso Martini | Operation Spiderweb, CIA’s Star Wars Fan Site, and the Mystery of RAT55

    · 1 h 12 min · S9 E52

    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…

  41. S9 Ep51: The Rise of the Greek Far Right with Patrick Strickland

    · 59 min · S9 E51

    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…

  42. S9 Ep50: Pagan Extremism, Warrior Myths, and the Culture Wars of Russia and Ukraine with Ross Downing

    · 1 h 16 min · S9 E50

    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…

  43. S9 Ep49: Espresso Martini | India and Pakistan Pull Back, A Warning on Loyalty Over Expertise, and Trump’s Flying Palace

    · 1 h 01 min · S9 E49

    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…

  44. S9 Ep48: Putin’s Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group and Russia’s Collapse into Mercenary Chaos with Candace Rondeaux

    · 1 h 02 min · S9 E48

    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…

  45. S9 Ep47: Espresso Martini | Farage Surges, Allies Reject Trumpism, and Waltz’s Ouster

    · 1 h 22 min · S9 E47

    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…

  46. S9 Ep46: Surviving Corruption, Surveillance, and Cybercrime in Putin’s Russia with Bruce Talley

    · 1 h 48 min · S9 E46

    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…

  47. S9 Ep45: Espresso Martini | India Eyes Retaliation, a Mysterious Russian Satellite, and New Saudi Links to 9/11

    · 1 h 20 min · S9 E45

    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…

  48. S9 Ep44: Is Peace Possible for Ukraine? with Dr. Taras Kuzio

    · 59 min · S9 E44

    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,…

  49. S9 Ep43: Espresso Martini | Hegseth on the Ropes, Putin’s Diplomat Spy, and Listener Questions

    · 1 h 20 min · S9 E43

    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…

  50. S9 Ep42: Russia’s Shadow War Against NATO with Florian Flade

    · 1 h 12 min · S9 E42

    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…

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