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PODCAST

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

Secrets & Spies

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

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All Episodes

47:04

S9 Ep58: Iran’s Nuclear Future and Why Bombs Won’t...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/07/09

Matt is joined by nonproliferation expert Joe Cirincione to unpack what the recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran actually achieved—and what they didn’t. They discuss the extent of the damage to Iran’s nuclear program, why military action alone can’t stop a country from getting the bomb, and what a viable diplomatic path forward might look like. Joe breaks down the technical realities of uranium enrichment and covert weapons development, explores whether Iran now has the intent as well as the

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73:45

S9 Ep57: Espresso Martini | NATO Navigates Trump,...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/07/05

This week, Matt and Chris break down the recent NATO summit, where Trump’s presence loomed large—even as the alliance bent over backwards to avoid a blow-up. Matt argues that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s cringe-worthy text to Trump might’ve been politically shrewd, and the guys dive into Europe’s growing defense commitments, defense-industrial capacity, and public skepticism over military spending. Then, they take a hard look at presidential war powers in the wake of Trump’s strikes on Iran,

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49:32

S9 Ep56: The Iran Intel and Tulsi Gabbard’s Future as...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/07/02

The U.S. has just carried out its most significant strikes on Iran in 45 years. President Trump declared victory, but his own intelligence agencies aren’t so sure. This week, Matt is joined by The Atlantic’s Shane Harris to unpack what we actually know about the strikes’ effectiveness, the fractured intel picture behind them, and how DNI Tulsi Gabbard has navigated the fallout. They discuss her eroding influence, the internal backlash to her public testimony, and what her tenure reveals about the

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68:14

S9 Ep55: Espresso Martini | Operation Midnight...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/06/28

This week, Chris and Matt return for an emergency deep dive on Operation Midnight Hammer, the largest US strike on Iran since 1979. They break down what the bombing raid and actually achieved, why initial White House claims of “obliterating” Iran’s nuclear program don’t hold up to scrutiny, and what the intelligence community’s more cautious battle damage assessments reveal. They also unpack the legal debate around preemptive strikes, Israel’s unfinished campaign against Iran, and the risk of a new

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76:30

S9 Ep54: Espresso Martini | Israel vs. Iran, Trump...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/06/21

This week, Chris and Matt dive into the war between Israel and Iran, now entering its second week, with President Trump weighing a direct US strike on Iran’s deeply buried Fordow nuclear facility. They unpack how the conflict began, Mossad’s covert sabotage campaign, the mounting civilian toll, and the split between Israeli and US intelligence over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. They also explore how Trump’s political coalition is fracturing over potential US military involvement, whether the Iranian

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58:21

S9 Ep53: Terror Without a Cause: Nihilism, Youth, and...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/06/14

This week, Matt is joined by terrorism researcher Jacob Ware to unpack the rise of nihilistic violent extremism—attacks carried out by disaffected young men radicalized online without any clear political goal. They explore how social media fuels this chaotic new threat, why the FBI created a new classification for it, and what makes networks like 764 and the Order of Nine Angles so dangerous. Then, they turn to the recent string of violent antisemitic attacks in the US and what they reveal about the

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72:05

S9 Ep52: Espresso Martini | Operation Spiderweb,...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/06/07

Ukraine’s audacious drone assault on Russian airbases, codenamed Operation Spiderweb, leads this week’s episode, as Chris and Matt break down how Kyiv may have just kneecapped Russia’s strategic bomber fleet in a single strike. They dig into what it means for Russia’s nuclear deterrent, the future of force protection, and the broader trajectory of the war. Then, a Star Wars fan site turns out to be a front for CIA covert communications. Matt unpacks how it worked, why it failed, and the lives it may

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59:00

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

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/06/04

In this conversation, Patrick Strickland discusses his experiences as a conflict reporter, particularly focusing on the refugee crisis in Greece and the rise of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn. He shares insights into the socio-political landscape that allowed Golden Dawn to thrive, their violent tactics, and their connections with international far-right movements. Strickland emphasizes the importance of understanding these dynamics in the context of global far-right trends and the ongoing

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0:46

S9 Ep51: Service Announcement | Chris is ill. No...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/05/31

Chris is feeling a bit under the weather, so unfortunately, there’s no Espresso Martini this weekend. However, on Wednesday, we’ll release his interview with journalist Patrick Strickland on the rise and fall of the Greek far-right. Then, either the following Saturday or Wednesday, Matt will welcome back Jacob Ware to discuss his recent article for Just Security on "nihilistic violent extremism" and the awful attack on two Israeli embassy staffers in DC. Please keep an eye out for those. Apologies

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75:48

S9 Ep50: Pagan Extremism, Warrior Myths, and the...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/05/24

Chris speaks with researcher and author Ross Downing about his book Germanic and Slavic Paganism: Security Threats and Resiliency. Ross, who works with a network of scholars and specialists focused on minority religions and extremism, explores how modern pagan traditions, particularly those rooted in Germanic and Slavic identity, are increasingly weaponized by extremist movements on both sides of the Ukraine War. From the myth of the warrior ideal to the role of neo-paganism in Russian special

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1:53

Service announcement - Next show Saturday 24th

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/05/21

There will be no show today. Our next show will be on Saturday 24th May, which will be an interview with Ross Downing, looking at Pagan Extremism, Warrior Myths, and the Culture Wars of Russia and Ukraine.Our next Espresso Martini will be on Saturday 31st May. Please send us your listener questions by Wednesday 28th May. Please send us an email to secretsandspiespodcast@gmail.com or DM us on our social channels. In your message, please include: Question or Topic with a relevant news or

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61:28

S9 Ep49: Espresso Martini | India and Pakistan Pull...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/05/17

This week, Chris and Matt break down the uneasy truce reached between India and Pakistan after weeks of escalating violence, with the Trump administration stepping in late to help broker a ceasefire and avert a possible nuclear crisis. Then, former NSA and CIA director Gen. Michael Hayden issues a stark warning about the dangers of personal loyalty tests in national security—raising concerns about competence, dissent, and decision-making at the highest levels. Finally, the guys examine President

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62:16

S9 Ep48: Putin’s Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group and...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/05/14

Candace Rondeaux joins Chris to unpack the dark mythology and hard realities behind the Wagner Group, drawing from her investigative book Putin’s Sledgehammer. They explore Wagner’s roots in post-Soviet chaos, its fusion of state power and criminal underworlds, and its critical role in Russia’s foreign policy ambitions from Syria to Africa to Ukraine. Candace explains how Wagner became a key tool for circumventing sanctions, selling arms, spreading disinformation, and exporting Russia’s influence

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81:37

S9 Ep47: Espresso Martini | Farage Surges, Allies...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/05/10

In this week’s Espresso Martini, Chris and Matt dig into a wave of elections across the UK, Canada, and Australia, exploring what they signal for populist movements, center-left parties, and Trump-style politics beyond US borders. They break down the rise of Reform UK, growing concerns over Nigel Farage’s influence, and why British voters seem caught in a cycle of backlash politics. Then, a pair of liberal wins in Canada and Australia suggest that even the faintest whiff of Trumpism remains a

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108:06

S9 Ep46: Surviving Corruption, Surveillance, and...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/05/07

Chris chats with Bruce Talley, a former Russia-based businessman who now helps foreign companies set up operations in Ukraine and matches investors with projectsThey explore the complex nature of doing business in Russia, including how it’s changed since the 1990s, the red flags Talley missed, and the moment he realized the system was irredeemably corrupt. He shares what it’s like to be surveilled by the FSB, the limits of Western legal remedies, and how Russia’s criminal networks evolved into

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79:33

S9 Ep45: Espresso Martini | India Eyes Retaliation, a...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/05/03

This week, Chris and Matt unpack surging tensions between India and Pakistan following a devastating terror attack in Kashmir—will India retaliate, and could it spiral out of control? Then, new evidence links a Saudi national to 9/11, reigniting old questions about the kingdom’s role in the plot and whether a reckoning is overdue. They also explore a malfunctioning Russian military satellite, possibly a testbed for a space-based nuclear weapons program, and what it means for Starlink and future

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59:12

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

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/04/30

This week, Chris is joined by Dr. Taras Kuzio for an on-the-ground look at Ukraine’s evolving war effort and the political battle over peace negotiations. Dr. Kuzio discusses daily life in Kyiv amid ongoing conflict, growing anger toward the Trump administration’s approach, and why Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine risks emboldening Russia and destabilizing Europe. They explore myths about Russia’s military power, the tightening Russia-China-North Korea axis, NATO’s future divisions, and

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80:06

S9 Ep43: Espresso Martini | Hegseth on the Ropes,...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/04/26

This week, Chris and Matt unpack the deepening chaos at the Pentagon as Pete Hegseth’s tenure as secretary of defense continues to spiral. From more leaked strike plans on Signal to staff purges and his wife sitting in on sensitive meetings, the dysfunction is reaching new lows. Then, a little-known Russian spymaster emerges as a key player in Ukraine peace talks, just as far-right ideologues inside Russia insist on total victory at any cost. Plus, listener questions on Europe’s military

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72:27

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

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/04/23

Chris welcomes back national security journalist Florian Flade to unpack Russia’s shadow war against NATO. They examine Moscow’s escalating hybrid attacks across Europe—from sabotage and arson to drone incursions and attempted assassinations—and how Russia recruits low-level agents via Telegram and even AI-driven chatbots. Florian details arson plots, suspicious drone activity near critical infrastructure, infiltration of the German Navy, and a parcel bomb campaign stretching from Lithuania to the

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61:35

S9 Ep41: Body Language and Lie Detection with Gavin...

Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues... ·

2025/04/19

Chris sits down with Gavin Stone—former covert operative, body language expert, and best-selling author—to explore the subtle science of reading people. They delve into the art of lie detection, psychological manipulation, and the power of nonverbal cues in high-risk environments. Drawing on two decades of frontline HUMINT experience, Gavin shares insights from a career spent tracking threats, training operatives, and mastering deception detection. From surveillance tradecraft to the fine line

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297 results

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