SpyTalk

Episodes page 1 of 5

1. How 9/11 Changed America

   23 Oct 2026 · 1 h 05 min

   Janet Reitman’s The Inheritance is a portrait of 9/11’s devastating consequences, More from our guest: Janet Reitman https://x.com/janetreitman https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2193929/janet-reitman/…

2. Patel's Partisan Politics Imperils Lives (feat. Brian Driscoll)

   16 Oct 2026 · 47 min

   Brian Driscoll joins SpyTalk to discuss the circumstances of his dismissal from the FBI and how the Bureau’s current leadership is destroying the institution and making us less safe in the process. Driscoll was fired…

3. Chinese Dupe or Spy?

   9 Oct 2026 · 50 min

   CNBC’s Eamon Javers weaves a cautionary tale for US officials. More from Eamon Javers | https://www.cnbc.com/eamon-javers/ https://x.com/EamonJavers Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter | https://twitter.com/SpyTalker…

4. An Assassination on Embassy Row

   2 Oct 2026 · 56 min

   Investigative reporter John Dinges tells how Henry Kissinger failed to prevent Chile’s 1976 murder of Orlando Letelier in downtown D.C. More from John Dinges When Terrorists Struck in the Heart of Washington, D.C. |…

5. The Tech Bro Gods of War

   25 Sep 2026 · 55 min

   Sharon Weinberger on how Big Tech is fueling the future of war. Sharon Weinberger talks about her latest book Valley of Death How Big Tech Is Fueling the Future of War. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter |…

6. Terror’s New Faces

   18 Sep 2026 · 1 h 01 min

   A greater array of better-armed threats confronts the US than on 9/11. Terrorism and insurgency expert Bruce Hoffman joins the podcast to discuss the current state of Al-Qaeda and its affiliates in the world More…

7. 25 Years of Counterterrorism

   9 Sep 2026 · 1 h 11 min

   Peter Bergen on the triumphs and tragedies wrought by 9/11. More from our guest: https://www.peterbergen.com/ His latest book: All the Presidents' Wars Twenty-Five Years of America's War on Terror - Bookshop.org…

8. How to Recruit a Traitor

   4 Sep 2026 · 56 min

   Former CIA operations officer and member of CIA's Senior Intelligence Service (SIS-3) turned author, Jim Lawler joins Micheal to discuss real world espionage, spy recruitment, and his latest spy novel. The Traitor’s…

9. U.S. Adversaries Exploit Intel Failures

   28 Aug 2026 · 44 min

   Former CIA Chief Learning Officer Steve Hirsch tells how Russia, China, and Iran exploit the cracks in US intelligence. More From Stephen Hirsch | https://stephenhirsch.com/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter |…

10. The World's First Super-terrorist

    21 Aug 2026 · 53 min

    Joby Warrick joined SpyTalk to talk about “The Jackal: The Rise and Fall of Carlos, the World’s First Super-Terrorist.” Check out the book: The Jackal The Rise and Fall of Carlos, the World's First More from Joby…

11. Gunfight at the CIA Corral

    17 Aug 2026 · 52 min

    Political pressure on the spy agency is forcing people out, says former senior analyst Julia Curlee. More From Julia Curlee at | https://www.lawfaremedia.org/contributors/jcurlee Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter |…

12. Kash Patel’s Strange Trips

    7 Aug 2026 · 55 min

    Former FBI executive Lauren Anderson on the Director’s China, Russia outreaches. Lauren C. Anderson | https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurencandersonintl/ https://laurencanderson.substack.com/ Follow Jeff Stein on…

13. The Nord Stream Conspiracy

    31 Jul 2026 · 57 min

    Wall Street Journal reporter Bojan Pancevski unveils the astounding story of Ukraine’s sabotage of the Russian pipeline. Plus, Jeff and Michael discuss Jay Clayton, Todd Blanche, and more. Read Bojan’s book The Nord…

14. Who’s Running US Intelligence?

    24 Jul 2026 · 41 min

    Atlantic staff writer Shane Harris drills down on the changes roiling the ODNI and CIA. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter | https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter | https://twitter.com/isikoff…

15. Trumpworld’s Dystopian World of Terror

    18 Jul 2026 · 49 min

    Terrorism expert Colin Clarke fact-checks the administration’s claims on leftwing extremism and election security. More from our guest: Colin P. Clarke Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter | https://twitter.com/isikoff…

16. The Reporter and the China Trap

    3 Jul 2026 · 48 min

    Tom LoBianco answered an ad for a writer and then things went south. Tom LoBianco is a veteran national politics reporter and editor of 24sight News, the independent news site on Substack. 24sight's scoops have been…

17. War-Ender Weapons

    26 Jun 2026 · 1 h 00 min

    Seeing-eye bombs were supposed to limit civilian casualties. Jeffrey Stern, author of “The Warhead,” explains why they didn’t. Jeffrey Stern The Warhead https://www.jeffreyestern.com/books Follow Michael Isikoff |…

18. Trump's Hatchet Man Atop US Intelligence

    20 Jun 2026 · 51 min

    New York Times Intelligence Reporter Julian Barnes on the Rise of Bill Pulte. More from Julian Julian E. Barnes Writes about the American intelligence community, including the Central Intelligence Agency, the Office…

19. How Trump Broke the ODNI

    12 Jun 2026 · 1 h 01 min

    Former senior CIA analyst David Kanin on the crises in US intelligence. David Kanin is a retired CIA senior analyst and member of the Senior Intelligence Service. https://commonsensecoalition.net/about-csc/ Follow…

20. How a Terror Case Fizzled

    5 Jun 2026 · 56 min

    Former Gitmo prosecutor Michael Lebowitz takes us inside the nuclear plot that never was. Mike Lebowitz is one of America’s few war-crimes prosecutors with front-line counterterrorism experience. A former senior…

21. Pod Save Our National Security with Tommy Vietor

    29 May 2026 · 1 h 00 min

    Former Obama speechwriter Tommy Vietor talks about energizing Dems on vital US foreign policy issues. Tommy Vietor | https://x.com/TVietor08 | https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-the-world/ Follow Michael…

22. Is Havana Up For Grabs?

    22 May 2026 · 55 min

    Cuba intervention expert Peter Kornbluh joins SpyTalk to discuss Trump’s pressure campaign. Peter Kornbluh | National Security Archive Peter Kornbluh, Senior Analyst, has worked at the Archive since April 1986. He…

23. The Ultimate Intelligence Fiasco

    15 May 2026 · 1 h 03 min

    Ex-CIA operative Jerry Watson and journalist Bob Drogin tell the disastrous story of Curveball and its relevance to today’s war against Iran. The US invaded Iraq after the based on bogus intel. Much of that intel was…

24. Putin in Peril?

    8 May 2026 · 46 min

    Former CIA Russia hand Sean Wiswesser assesses Putin’s grip on his security services amid rumors of coups. Sean Wiswesser is a Russian intelligence and espionage expert, retired CIA senior ops officer, and author.…

25. JFK’s Fatal Mistake

    1 May 2026 · 1 h 04 min

    Veteran journalist Jack Cheevers takes another look at President Kennedy’s ambivalent role in the overthrow and assassination of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem. Check out Kennedy’ Coup by Jack Cheevers…

26. Deciphering the Iran War Talks

    23 Apr 2026 · 47 min

    A former Pakistani ambassador to the US says the more Trump bashes Iran, the more it will dig in. Husain Haqqani joins SpyTalk to discuss the state of diplomacy between Iran and the US. Follow Michael Isikoff on…

27. A Spy's Iran

    17 Apr 2026 · 1 h 00 min

    Former CIA Iran spy recruiter Mark Fowler says the “peace deal” is not the end of the war. He shares his analysis of the recent peace talks based on his understanding of how Iranians negotiate. For more of Mark…

28. Stone Age Tactics

    10 Apr 2026 · 58 min

    Former CENTCOM commander Gen. Joseph Votel says military leaders should refuse a Trump order to bomb Iran "back to the Stone Ages" Joseph Leonard Votel is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who was…

29. Scapegoats with Yossi Melman

    3 Apr 2026 · 46 min

    Trump and Netanyahu finger others for Iran war problems. SpyTalk speaks with Yossi Melman, an investigative journalist with The Jerusalem Post about issues USA and Israel have with the methods and objectives of the…

30. Eve of Destruction

    27 Mar 2026 · 51 min

    Former CIA operative and Senior DOD Official Mick Mulroy Details Trump’s Bad Options on Iran. https://www.loboinstitute.org/ Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow Karen Greenberg on…

31. Identity Crisis

    21 Mar 2026 · 51 min

    Acclaimed Iranian American writer Hooman Majd talks about the likely future of the Islamic Republic. Hooman Majd is an Iranian-born American journalist, author, and political commentator focused on Iranian affairs.…

32. Ballistic Diplomacy in Iran

    13 Mar 2026 · 55 min

    Ex-CIA op sees no end in sight for Iran conflict. "What you're now looking at is perpetual war," says Reuel Gerecht, former Iran target officer in SpyTalk interview. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter |…

33. Trump's Wars Raise Stakes For Taiwan

    5 Mar 2026 · 1 h 02 min

    Former top intel operative David Shedd says it's now "50-50" Xi will invade next year. David Shedd The Great Heist China’s Epic Campaign to Steal America’s Secrets Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:…

34. War Fever

    27 Feb 2026 · 58 min

    Trump, Iran at fateful crossroads, top Middle East expert Jon Alterman says on the SpyTalk podcast. Jon Alterman — https://www.csis.org/people/jon-b-alterman Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:…

35. Who Is on the DOJ's Secret "Domestic Terror" List

    21 Feb 2026 · 56 min

    Congressmember Mary Gay Scanlon speaks with SpyTalk's Michael Isikoff about the secretive government list of “domestic terrorist groups” Attorney General all but confirmed the existence of in her recent trip to The…

36. What’s Going on with Tulsi Gabbard?

    13 Feb 2026 · 50 min

    Former senior CIA official Larry Pfeiffer discusses the DNI’s strange behavior with SpyTalk hosts Jeff Stein, Michael Isikoff and Karen Greenberg. Larry Pfeiffer | https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrypfeiffer/ Follow…

37. The New Wizards of Espionage

    5 Feb 2026 · 51 min

    How A.I. is revolutionizing the spies’—and spy catchers’—toolkits. With ex-CIA officer Aaron Brown. Aaron Brown | https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-brown-lumbra/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter |…

38. Terror’s Comeback

    31 Jan 2026 · 43 min

    ISIS and other Afghan-based terror groups are growing stronger, a new UN report says. Expert Colin Clarke explains why. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter…

39. Battlefield Greenland

    23 Jan 2026 · 45 min

    Former senior Danish intelligence officer Jacob Kaarsbo talks about Trump’s murky designs on Greenland and NATO. https://jacobkaarsbo.substack.com/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter | https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow…

40. Will the Iranian Regime Survive?

    16 Jan 2026 · 51 min · Episode 192

    Two prominent Iranian-American journalists, Jason Rezaian of the Washington Post and Hooman Majd of NBC News, say the regime may be losing its grip. Jason Rezaian https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/jason-rezaian/…

41. Gulp of America

    9 Jan 2026 · 40 min · Episode 191

    CIA in Venezuela, Cuba and Beyond With Luis Rueda https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-rueda-b060a217/ and Peter Eisner https://substack.com/@petereisner Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker…

42. Her Grandfather Was a Nazi Spy

    2 Jan 2026 · 44 min · Episode 190

    Christine Kuehn talks about her shocking discovery in “Family of Spies" Family of Spies https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250344465/familyofspies/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow…

43. The House of Secrets

    19 Dec 2025 · 53 min · Episode 189

    Tom Blanton talks about 40 years of unearthing CIA plots at the National Security Archive. https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter…

44. Trump’s Antifa Fiction

    13 Dec 2025 · 54 min · Episode 188

    Top former national security official Josh Geltzer separates fake from real threats. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter https://x.com/KarenGreenberg3 Follow…

45. The Pipe Bomb Suspect—and More

    6 Dec 2025 · 58 min · Episode 187

    Ace investigative reporter Carol Leonnig talks about her latest scoop and new book on Trump’s DoJ, “Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department.” Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:…

46. Sidelining the FBI's Spy Hunters

    26 Nov 2025 · 47 min · Episode 186

    Investigative reporter Ron Kessler and retired former senior CIA officer John Sipher on the GOP plan to give Tulsi Gabbard control of neutralizing spies and terrorists. John Sipher https://www.thecipherbrief.com/…

47. Pushing Back on Lawless Venezuela Strikes

    21 Nov 2025 · 44 min · Episode 185

    Top Democrat Sen. Jack Reed calls Trump threats “off the wall...” Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter https://x.com/KarenGreenberg3 Follow Michael Isikoff on…

48. Has Trump Authorized Assassinations?

    14 Nov 2025 · 49 min · Episode 184

    Intelligence historians James Risen and Peter Kornbluh on Trump policies and Cold War excesses. More from James Risen https://www.theguardian.com/profile/james-risen More from Peter Kornbluh…

49. What’s the Covert Action Plan for Venezuela?

    7 Nov 2025 · 50 min · Episode 183

    Veteran war reporter and Latin America expert Doug Farah throws cold water on Trump’s campaign against Nicholas Maduro. Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalker Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter…

50. The CIA's Contrarian

    31 Oct 2025 · 1 h 11 min · Episode 182

    After spending years tracking Al Qaeda, former analyst Gina Bennett talks to SpyTalk about her storied career, her new spy novel and the rising threat of "politicized misogyny." Gina Bennett If Two of Them Are Dead…