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PODCAST

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon

Sue Gordon & Eric Koepp

Welcome to “Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon” — the national security podcast that provides you an elemental understanding of the world as it is, not how you prefer it to be.Each week, Eric — a former Marine, father, and entrepreneur — sits down with the Honorable Sue Gordon, the nation’s former top career intelligence officer. Together, they break down the headlines shaping our world and ask what they really mean for citizens, leaders, and institutions.From armed

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All Episodes

29:37

Ep. 24 The National Security Trump Card: Ukraine,...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/12/30

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric discuss Ukraine’s latest turn: President Zelensky takes his pitch for peace to Mar-a-Lago as Russia sustains heavy strikes. They unpack what would actually signal progress: whether battlefield activity slows in a way that suggests a real path to peace rather than leverage and messaging.Next, they move north to Greenland to draw a sharp distinction between owning terrain and achieving security outcomes, arguing that strategy is built through

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8:47

Ep. 23 Bonus: You Can't Surge Trust in a Crisis

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/12/26

In this special edition of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric examine public health policy as national security. Beginning with HHS’s termination of pediatric health grants, they map the downstream consequences of politicized funding: diminished institutional trust, fragmented preparedness, and greater vulnerability ahead of the next crisis.Questioning science isn’t the problem— questioning science is the nature of science. Recorded on December 22, 2025, this segment originally appeared in the

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41:19

Ep. 23 Ukraine, the NDAA, and Fusion Hype — and Why...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/12/23

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric start with Europe’s move to fund Ukraine through 2026–2027 and unpack what that signals (and what it doesn’t): real staying power, internal fractures, the role of Russian propaganda, and visible public disagreements in intelligence assessments about Putin’s intentions.Next, they turn to the NDAA and use it as a lens on how national security actually gets built. Combatant Command reorganizations and new-domain priorities matter far less than

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54:33

Ep. 22 Transparency by Design: DOE’s Genesis Mission,...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/12/17

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric track Transparency by Design; how you build trust in national security by setting clear outcomes instead of picking winners. They start with DOE’s Genesis Mission, a national push to use AI and advanced computing to supercharge U.S. science through DOE's 17 national labs, while warning against “integration theater” and calling for real governance and talent to match the ambition.Next, they hit the market front: Nvidia’s H200 exports to

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59:29

Ep. 21 Dominance Playbook: National Security...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/12/09

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric crack open the 2025 National Security Strategy. They start by explaining what a National Security Strategy is supposed to do—define outcomes, not micromanage actions—and what it means when a strategy leans hard into “America First” rhetoric while saying almost nothing about education, health, and the human capital that underpins national power. They walk through the Trump Corollary of the Monroe Doctrine and the Western Hemisphere, the choice

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6:27

Ep 20 Bonus: Retribution Politics: When Dissent...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/12/06

In this special edition of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric explore the troubling rise of retribution politics in America. Prompted by a Reuters investigation into over 470 individuals and institutions allegedly targeted by the Trump administration, they examine what happens when government power is used to punish dissent—from prosecutors and journalists to universities and companies.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Ui Bonus Episode00:57 Sue's Perspective on Retribution02:15 Government

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48:50

Ep. 20 Trust and Consequences: Afghan Allies,...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/12/02

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric look at the price of trust—starting with an Afghan ally accused of murdering a West Virginia National Guard member near the White House and the administration’s response: freezing asylum and visa decisions for Afghan allies. They unpack what it means to run a “nation of immigrants” on fear instead of evidence, then turn to Ukraine back-channels and Venezuela’s shadow war to ask what happens when unelected power brokers and intellectual

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57:54

Ep. 19 Substitution or Sovereignty? China’s Capital,...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/11/25

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric trace how seemingly ordinary deals can reshape American security, starting with a Chinese-linked insurance acquisition that offers a window into the “holy grail” of intelligence—intent. Some foreign capital is about substitution, not partnership. From there, they turn to energy in the AI era, using the federal loan to restart Three Mile Island as a case study in government use. They examine the tug-of-war between state and federal authority,

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49:48

Ep. 18 Leaky Systems: Agentic AI Hack, Dams and...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/11/19

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric break down a new milestone in AI operations: an agentic hack using Claude that orchestrates tools together. They explain what’s actually new about the attack, why intent plus AI scale is the real risk, and how governments, companies, media, and citizens should think about Who’s Responsible in this next phase. From there, they turn to water security as national security—tracing a line from Iran’s dams to the Colorado River, the Ogallala

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45:46

Ep. 17 Steppe Signals: Kazakhstan’s Uranium, Europe’s...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/11/11

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric discuss U.S. global influence on display as a C5+1 White House celebration, a former al-Qaeda–linked Syrian leader visits, and the State Department expresses irritation as the EU grabs first-mover ground in standards—from a draft Space Act to AI policy. They weigh the case for an AI bubble and the benefits of natural down-selection versus the risks of chilling real adoption. Plus: post-election signals, pragmatic U.S.–Syria engagement, and a

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41:04

Ep. 16 Critical Mass: Nuclear Testing, Power for the...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/11/05

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric discuss the significance of local elections around the country. They delve into the U.S. government’s approach to decommissioned nuclear warheads, current discussions about resuming nuclear testing, and key takeaways from President Trump’s diplomatic tour in Asia. They also examine a high-profile insider-threat case involving a defense contractor and close with What We’re Watching for the week ahead: Supreme Court action on tariffs, a

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45:19

Ep. 15 Speed Is the Advantage: Army Acquisitions, the...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/10/28

We’re back! In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric put speed at the center of national power—why getting tech from contract to combat faster is the 2025 advantage, how to measure success in Ukraine beyond headlines, and what AUKUS and Australia’s rare-earth capacity mean for resilient national security. Plus: what to realistically expect from upcoming Asia travel—watch South Korea—and a tease of the emerging “time-service” cyber risk (“time is the new oil”) that we’ll unpack in a

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49:53

Ep. 14 Quantum Is Closing In, Data Everywhere, &...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/10/14

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric put quantum computing on the table—what quantum computers are, why “harvest-now, decrypt-later” raises the stakes for your data, and what a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) world will look like. Plus: China’s threats to restrict rare-earth exports, partnership opportunities in AI-enabled open-source intelligence (OSINT), and the implications of the well deserved Nobel Peace Prize recognition for María Corina Machado of Venezuela.Programming

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50:48

Ep. 13 The War Department’s Misfire

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/10/07

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric unpack Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s fiery Quantico address—why it was a tactical speech to a strategic audience, how it missed the mission, and what its message signals for women and talent across the country. They examine the tension between unity and conformity, leadership and loyalty, and the risk of mistaking discipline for devotion. Plus: SWIFT moves onto blockchain, Beijing’s use of organized crime to expand influence in Taiwan,

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46:05

Ep. 12 Shutdowns Aren’t a Light Switch: SIM Farms,...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/09/30

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric discuss President Erdoğan’s visit to the White House and analyze Turkey, a necessary NATO ally, through Umberto Eco’s ‘ur-fascism’ lens. They examine the SIM farm operating near the U.N. and how cybercriminals are shifting from endpoints to the telecom infrastructure layer. Plus: quick updates on the real-world impacts of a U.S. government shutdown, former FBI Director James Comey’s indictment, the TikTok executive order, and a diplomat...

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68:31

Ep. 11 Digital Assets 101: Stablecoins to Sovereign...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/09/23

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric sit down with Hon. Shannon Corless, former Assistant Secretary for Treasury’s Office of Intelligence & Analysis, to map how finance, technology, and national security now operate as one system. She starts with a clear Blockchain/Digital Assets 101 and why on-chain transparency can aid law enforcement even as anonymity muddies attribution. Then they examine stablecoins and 401(k)s, diversification, and the case for real consume...

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53:38

Ep. 10: Ghost Shark AI, Police-State Tech, and the...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/09/17

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric dive into autonomous defense at sea, surveillance tech exported by U.S. firms, and the leadership needed when crises hit. After a quick scan of the geopolitical hotspots. They unpack Australia’s Ghost Shark program and what undersea autonomy means for allied procurement and deterrence, then ask who is responsible when American technology enables a surveillance state abroad. Finally, they turn to personnel and accountability inside the US

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51:55

Ep. 09 Congressional Oversight Limited, Caribbean...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/09/10

Congressional oversight under pressure. Stablecoins meet statecraft. Caribbean motives, city security, and the homefront of national resilience.In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric draw a through-line on oversight: from the Trump family’s WLFI stablecoin push, to a U.S. buildup and lethal strike off Venezuela—and whether “counter-narcotics” masks regime pressure—to an NGA visit by Sen. Mark Warner derailed by online agitation, raising real costs for mission and workforce trust

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47:46

Ep. 08 Cyber to Cornfields: Community and Trust in...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/09/02

In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric connect three fronts of resilience: cybersecurity on the home front, the governance of biometrics, and the future of American agriculture. They unpack the reduced capacity of coordinated cyber communication, what policy looks like for biometric data and the claims of disinformation in Greenland. Then they head to the Heartland: shrinking farm counts, tighter margins, and how ownership—foreign buyers, institutional capital, and co-ops—sh...

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53:58

Ep. 07 IC Integrity, Intel Equity & Ukraine’s Stolen...

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence... ·

2025/08/26

We’re all ears…let us know what would make Ui better!In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric highlight the national security issues of intelligence community downsizing, state equity in critical chips, and the return of Ukraine’s abducted children. Along the way, they explore whether proposed changes to the ODNI threaten its value, the risks inherent in aligning industrial policy and market forces, and why the return of Ukraine’s children must be a non-negotiable in any

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