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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

32:09

S10 Ep5: Train Like a Spy with SpyQ

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

2025/09/29

On todays 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, resilience, and memory techniques into practical tools you can actually use. Find out more information about SpyQ and register: https://www.spyq.co.uk/ Use this discount code for 10% off - SECRETS&SPIES10 Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for

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58:36

S10 Ep4: Syria After Assad with Aaron Zelin

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

2025/09/27

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 rare trip inside the country where he met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa. They unpack Sharaa’s unlikely rise from jihadist commander to head of state, the sectarian bloodshed testing his grip on power, Israel’s relentless strikes and regional pressure, and the uneasy standoff with

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64:02

S10 Ep3: Espresso Martini | Five Eyes Fractures,...

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

2025/09/20

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 the core bonds endure for now. Chris then previews “Spy-Q,” a tradecraft-for-civilians training event that turns elicitation, deception detection, influence, behavioral profiling, resilience, and memory techniques into practical tools you can actually use. Finally, they unpack Israel’s

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74:07

S10 Ep2: Uncovering Germany’s Cold War Spy Missions...

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

2025/09/13

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, secretly buying Soviet weapons from demoralized troops in East Germany, and covertly shipping GDR arms to Israel. Florian explains how these missions reflected Germany’s risk-taking intelligence culture, the close ties with allies like the CIA and Mossad, and the lessons they still

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81:23

S10 Ep1: Espresso Martini | Britain’s Flag Fight,...

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

2025/09/06

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 intimidation. From there, they move to Ukraine, where the US has signaled willingness to offer critical support to a potential European-led peacekeeping force, even as Trump hedges on a deal with Moscow. Next, Tulsi Gabbard ignites turmoil at the top of the intelligence community, revoking

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55:09

S9 Ep66: How a Murder in Coal Country Toppled an...

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

2025/08/30

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 coal union from corruption and violence. They explore how union boss Tony Boyle turned the United Mine Workers into a personal fiefdom, why Yablonski’s democratic challenge cost him his life, and how, in response, a band of young outsiders helped bring the system down. It’s a story of

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108:33

S9 Ep65: The Persuasion Game and How Influence...

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

2025/08/23

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 campaigns, the use of political operatives and lobbyists to bypass formal institutions using shadow diplomacy. The conversation explores how narratives are seeded, legitimized, and weaponized in US and UK politics, drawing on case studies involving Ukraine, authoritarian networks, and

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47:48

S9 Ep64: China’s Long Arm: Uyghur Repression From...

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

2025/08/16

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 the lives of four people—from re-education camps in Xinjiang to exile in Turkey, Kazakhstan, and the US—revealing how Beijing’s reach extends far beyond its borders through intimidation, surveillance, and coercion. They explore mass detention, forced labor, and the destruction of

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58:01

S9 Ep63: How Global Finance Influences Geopolitics...

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

2025/08/09

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 technologies are redefining geopolitics. They explore the evolution of the US dollar, the impact of digital currencies, and whether China can build a viable alternative to Western capital markets. Emmanuel explains how the US became a financial superpower, why tariffs may backfire, and how

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81:02

S9 Ep62: The Information Animal: Humans, Technology,...

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

2025/08/05

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 Animal—to explore how humans have always wrestled with information, long before the internet. They unpack the patterns that emerge when new technologies reshape how we communicate, why influence operations aren’t new, and how today’s information warfare fits into a much older story. From

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66:38

S9 Ep61: Epstein Spy Rumors, Arctic Power Plays, and...

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

2025/07/26

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 intelligence connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. Plus: a bizarre UK spy case involving Russia, a USB stick, and a bicycle seat; the Arctic emerges as a flashpoint for missile defense, climate competition, and great power rivalry; and Trump’s reversal clears the way for new weapons to

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47:38

S9 Ep60: QAnon and the Mainstreaming of Extremism...

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

2025/07/19

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 algorithmic fuel behind its viral spread. Mike explains how QAnon adapted across borders, embedded itself into mainstream politics, and fostered real-world violence—culminating in the January 6 Capitol attack. They also examine QAnon’s psychological grip, its creative and authoritarian

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1:29

Service Announcement: Chris & Matt on DogShirtTV, no...

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

2025/07/18

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 the show here: https://youtu.be/QVKAQf7p_Fs?si=TruFrM4-jsg0iQMqThere won't be an Espresso Martini this week and instead we will be sharing Chris's interview with author Mike Rothschild and discussing his research on QAnon. That will be released on Saturday 19th. Have a

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62:57

S9 Ep59: The Mission: The CIA in the 21st Century...

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

2025/07/12

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 network to abetting torture and losing its way in Iraq. Weiner recounts how the CIA reoriented after the 2016 Russian election interference, played a key role in supporting Ukraine, and tried to hold the line under Trump. Their conversation spans secret wars, agency leadership, and

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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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311 results

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