Podcasts · Government · News
NatSec Matters
Beacon Global Strategies LLC
165 episodes
Formerly known as Intelligence Matters, the NatSec Matters podcast features former senior national security officials Michael Allen, Jeremy Bash, and Andrew Shapiro as they interview top leaders in national security, including intelligence officers, military leaders, and policymakers, on the most critical security challenges of our time. Their interviews offer insights into the world's most pressing problems and assess the effectiveness of U.S. policy responses. They also explore the biographies and careers of individuals who have devoted their lives to protecting our nation, offering listeners a rare glimpse into the inner workings of national security decision-making. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please email our team at bgs@bgsdc.com.
Episodes page 1 of 4
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Israel at the Ballot Box: Yaakov Katz
Former Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz returns to the podcast to preview Israel's upcoming elections and examine how the post–October 7 security consensus shapes the race. Yaakov dispels the belief that…
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Yemen's Reignited War: Dr. April Longley Alley
Michael is joined by Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute Dr. April Longley Alley to explain the sudden return to full-scale war in Yemen following a lightning Houthi offensive that seized the strategic Bab…
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Trump & Xi - Managing the Mirage: Ann E. Kowalewski
Michael is joined by Ann E. Kowalewski, Vice President at Beacon Global Strategies and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security, to discuss the outcomes and regional fallout of the latest summit between…
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The Hormuz Standoff, Military Readiness, and the Axis of Aggressors: Adm. Mark Montgomery & Norman Roule
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and former senior CIA officer Norman Roule join Michael to assess the maritime blockade of Iran and rising friction in the Strait of Hormuz . They analyze how unprecedented economic…
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Iran's Uprising, Regime Survival, and the View from Tehran: Holly Dagres
Michael is joined by Holly Dagres, the Libitzky Family Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and editor of The Iranist, for a unique look at the internal dynamics shaping Iran amid ongoing war…
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Russian Resolve and Ukraine's 'Theory of Victory': Peter Rough
Michael is joined by Peter Rough, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute, to dissect the stalled diplomatic efforts to resolve the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the…
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'Economic D-Day' & Refining Realities: Clay Seigle
Michael is joined by Clay Seigle, Managing Director of Beacon Global Strategies' newly announced energy practice and former James R. Schlesinger Chair at CSIS, for an expert briefing on volatile global energy markets.…
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Netanyahu's Next Test: Yaakov Katz
Michael is joined by Yaakov Katz, former Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post and author of While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East, for an assessment of the Israeli…
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From Hormuz to the Indo-Pacific: Richard Fontaine
Michael is joined by Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security and former National Security Council official, for a strategic tour of the world's most urgent flashpoints. Richard explores the…
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Confronting Iran's Demands & Washington's Dilemma: Richard Nephew
Michael is joined by Richard Nephew, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and former NSC Director for Iran, to discuss the uncertain and deteriorating situation in the Persian…
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Moscow's Economic Fragility and Kyiv's Strategic Edge: Glenn Corn
Michael is joined by Glenn Corn, former CIA Chief of Station and foreign policy expert with over 34 years of experience across the U.S. intelligence, defense, and diplomatic communities. Returning from his latest trip…
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Churchill's Choices in Ukraine and What's Next in the Strait of Hormuz: Adm. Mark Montgomery
Michael is joined by Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), who just concluded his seventh trip to…
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'The Nord Stream Conspiracy' - Sabotage, Spies, and the Baltic Sea Explosion: Bojan Pancevski
Michael is joined by Bojan Pancevski, Chief European Political Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, to discuss his new book, The Nord Stream Conspiracy: The Inside Story of the Explosions That Shook the World.…
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Testing the Transatlantic Security Pact: Dr. Alina Polyakova & Peter Rough
Michael is joined by Dr. Alina Polyakova, President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, and Peter Rough, Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute, to discuss how the recent…
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The New Era of Global Espionage: Anthony Vinci
Michael speaks with Anthony Vinci, former career intelligence officer and the first Chief Technology Officer of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. They discuss Anthony's new book, "The Fourth Intelligence…
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The Geopolitical Stakes of Frontier AI: Dr. Dr. Divyansh Kaushik
Special guest host Klon Kitchen, Managing Director for the Global Technology Policy Practice at Beacon Global Strategies, is joined by Dr. Divyansh Kaushik, machine learning expert and BGS Vice President, to analyze…
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Deciphering the Iran Ceasefire: Amb. Jeffrey Feltman
Andrew Shapiro is joined by Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, whose distinguished diplomatic career includes serving as U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern…
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Backyard Hegemony - Reasserting U.S. Influence in the Western Hemisphere: David Shedd
Michael is joined by David Shedd, former Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and a veteran intelligence officer, for a comprehensive look at the shifting geopolitical dynamics across Latin America. David…
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'Leapfrogging' Diplomacy: Dr. Nadia Schadlow
Michael is joined by Dr. Nadia Schadlow, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy, to discuss the architecture of U.S. global power amid fast-moving crises in the…
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The Price of Peace in Iran: Richard Nephew
Michael is joined by Richard Nephew, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University and former Director for Iran at the National Security Council, to examine the fragile state of the U.S.–Iran ceasefire and the looming…
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Reading Between the Lines - What's Hidden in the New Iran Agreement: Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs and Rich Goldberg
Michael is joined by Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, Senior Fellow and Director of the Keystone Defense Initiative at the Hudson Institute, and Rich Goldberg, Senior Advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to…
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Operation Epic Fury 2?: Adm. Robert Harward
Michael Allen is joined by Admiral (Ret.) Robert "Bob" Harward, former Deputy Commander of CENTCOM and a retired Navy SEAL, for an intensely candid look at what he believes the ultimate end state of the Iran conflict…
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Special Episode - The Political Firestorm at 10 Downing Street: Dr. Alan Mendoza
Michael is joined by Dr. Alan Mendoza, Chief Advisor for Global Affairs for the U.K.'s Reform Party, to explain the political firestorm engulfing Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party. Dr. Mendoza provides…
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Trump's Beijing Detour & China's Role in the Iran Endgame: Craig Singleton
Michael is joined by Craig Singleton, Senior Director of the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to preview the long-delayed summit between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this…
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The Hormuz Hotline: Eddie Fishman
Michael is joined by Eddie Fishman, Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomics at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former State Department sanctions expert, to discuss the Trump administration's…
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Blockade Brinkmanship: Richard Fontaine
Michael welcomes Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, to evaluate the sustainability of the US economic blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and the realistic prospects for a nuclear…
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The Iranian 'Escalation Trap': Gen. Joseph Votel
Michael is joined by Gen. (Ret.) Joseph Votel, former CENTCOM Commander, to examine the high-pressure maneuvering between Washington and Tehran amid the recently extended Mideast ceasefire. Gen. Votel warns of a…
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The Deal-Maker's Dilemma: Richard Nephew
Former NSC Director for Iran Richard Nephew returns to NatSec Matters to discuss the tactical and economic shifts in the Mideast conflict. Richard, a senior research scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global…
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The New Status Quo in the Strait of Hormuz: Roger Zakheim & Rich Goldberg
Michael is joined by Roger Zakheim, Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, and Rich Goldberg, Senior Advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to discuss the high-stakes blockade…
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President Trump's Latest Ultimatum to Iran: Adm. Chris Grady
Michael sits down with Admiral (Ret.) Chris Grady, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to break down the tactical evolution of the Iran conflict following President Trump's recent address to the nation.…
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Emergency Podcast - Decoding the President's Iran Address: Matt Kroenig
In this special episode, Michael discusses President Trump's primetime address to the nation on the Iran war with Matt Kroenig, Vice President for Geostrategy at the Atlantic Council. Matt offers his reaction to the…
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Ukraine's Persistence, Baltic 'Gray Zone' Attacks & Russia's Weak Spots: Mark Montgomery
Michael speaks with Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, following his recent trip to Ukraine. Admiral Montgomery explores the warfare strategies currently…
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Off-Ramp or Escalator - The Iranian Regime's Final Act?: Dr. Seth Jones
Michael speaks with Dr. Seth Jones, president of CSIS's Defense and Security Department, to analyze a critical moment in the Iran conflict: are we headed for a diplomatic off-ramp or a rapid escalation toward regime…
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Israel's Strategic Reset: Yaakov Katz
Michael speaks with Yaakov Katz, former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post and author of "While Israel Slept", about the profound shift in the Israeli perspective as the focus of the war moves from regional proxies…
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The Hormuz Pressure Cooker and Oil Price Roulette: Clay Seigle & Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery
In this special episode, Michael zeroes in on the potential for a collapse in global energy security amid the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. First, he speaks with Clay Seigle, a senior energy security fellow at CSIS, about…
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Searching for Cracks in Iran's Core: Michael Doran
Michael speaks with Michael Doran, Director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East and a former senior director in the National Security Council, about the outlook for U.S.-Israeli…
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The CENTCOM Playbook for Iran?: Gen. Joseph Votel
Michael discusses the rapidly developing conflict in the Middle East with General Joseph Votel, former commander of CENTCOM and U.S. Special Operations Command. General Votel analyzes the strategic implications of Iran…
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Chaos & Control in Iran: Amb. Jeffrey Feltman
Michael Allen discusses Iran's new Supreme Leader with Jeffrey Feltman, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and former UN Under-Secretary-General. Feltman examines the sudden rise of Mojtaba Khamenei…
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Exclusive - The Iranian End Game: Richard Nephew
In an exclusive conversation, Michael talks to former National Security Council Director for Iran Richard Nephew about the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and the regime's response. Richard, a fellow at the…
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Special Episode - The Battle for the Middle East: Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery
Michael joins Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies to discuss the U.S.-Israel combined attacks on Iran. RADM Montgomery, an expert in U.S. national security, explores the…
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Eliminating 'El Mencho' & Re-Engineering the Americas: Dr. Ryan Berg
Michael speaks with Dr. Ryan Berg, Director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about the violent fallout from the Mexican army's deadly operation against drug kingpin "El…
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Red Sea Rivalries - The Proxy War for Sudan and the Geopolitical Interests in East Africa: Josh Meservey
Michael speaks with Josh Meservey, a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and one of the nation's leading experts on African geopolitics and counterterrorism. Josh discusses the high-stakes Sudanese Civil War, its…
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The Lurking Escalation with Iran & the Future of the Mideast: Tamir Hayman
Michael speaks with the former Chief of the IDF Intelligence Directorate Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman about the increasing likelihood of military action against Iran's missile program. Gen. Hayman—who serves as…
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US-Iran Summit - Taming Mideast Volatility: Gregory Brew
Michael speaks with Gregory Brew, Senior Analyst at the Eurasia Group and country analyst for Iran, about the high-stakes decision facing the Islamic Republic: "strikes or talks." Greg analyzes the upcoming diplomatic…
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The Iranian Regime's Long Goodbye: Richard Goldberg
Michael speaks with Richard Goldberg, a Senior Advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former Director for Countering Iranian WMD at the National Security Council. Rich provides a masterclass on the…
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The Future of the Iranian Regime: Jeffrey Feltman
Michael speaks with former Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman about the precarious state of the Islamic Republic of Iran following the latest wave of mass protests there. Jeff analyzes the regime's use of brutality, coercion,…
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Venezuela After Maduro - U.S. Intervention, Cartels, and the Road Ahead: Dr. Ryan Berg
Michael Allen speaks with Dr. Ryan Berg, Director of the Americas Program and Head of the Future of Venezuela Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), about the stunning aftermath of the…
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Venezuela with David Shedd & One Million Downloads
In this special episode marking one million downloads for the podcast, Jeremy Bash speaks with David Shedd, former acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, about the "breathtaking" US military operation in…
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The Race to Control Global Tech: Craig Singleton
Michael speaks with Craig Singleton, China Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, about the new frontiers of the US-China tech competition. Craig explains China's…
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Israel's Intelligence Breakdowns: Yaakov Katz
Michael speaks with Yaakov Katz, former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post and author of the new book While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East. Yaakov discusses how the…
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