Mike Baker, a former CIA covert operations officer and co-founder of Diligence LLC, shares fascinating insights from his espionage experience. He discusses how the CIA's secrets can enhance persuasion and decision-making skills in business. Mike also highlights the looming geopolitical threats posed by China, especially regarding Taiwan and the use of TikTok to influence the West. Additionally, he delves into the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict and the importance of being aware of disinformation campaigns, emphasizing the urgency for societal preparedness.

Mike Baker, a former CIA covert operations officer and CEO of Portman Square Group, discusses the intricacies of current global events. He explores the polarized media landscape, the implications of political authenticity, and the challenges of voter ID laws. With humor, he contrasts his family dynamics against serious topics like Middle Eastern geopolitics and misinformation in today's society. The conversation also touches on critical political strategy, the influence of AI, and the evolving nature of communication amid an increasingly divisive public discourse.

Oregon's attempt to combat drug use through decriminalization took a dark turn, leading to challenges like increased drug use, lawlessness, and the need to revisit the law. The flawed implementation of Measure 110 in Oregon sparked debates about treatment efficacy and the balance between decriminalization and providing adequate resources.

Former CIA operative Mike Baker discusses disguises in special operations, AI's impact on music authenticity, navigating student activism, Israeli-Palestinian conflict complexities, political strategies, advanced military technologies, UFO sightings, and combating disinformation in a thought-provoking and insightful conversation.

Former CIA officer Mike Baker discusses national security threats, Google's AI flaws, CIA misconceptions, future warfare, 2024 election predictions, and AT&T outage mysteries. Topics include cybersecurity vulnerabilities, Bud Light marketing controversies, government secrecy, deepfake technology dangers, and Russia's declining birth rates. Border security concerns, societal safety net differences, public perceptions of armed forces, Churchill's motivations, and impacts of congressional term limits are also explored.

Former CIA agent Mike Baker discusses the recent assassination attempt on Trump, emphasizing security protocol breakdowns. They explore the challenges of security, analyze body language in high-pressure situations, and speculate on political implications. The discussion also covers the importance of police training, communication, and the impact of Secret Service augmentation.

Former CIA officer Mike Baker discusses the intelligence failure in the Israel conflict, the challenges of eliminating Hamas, and the impact on children in Gaza. They explore topics such as radicalization, forgiveness and revenge, personal safety, unemployment, border security, and the power of keeping your word. The speakers emphasize the importance of strength, respect, and economic development for finding solutions to conflicts.

This episode contains descriptions of violence. The death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, at the hands of officers in Memphis last month has intensified calls for fundamental reform in policing. Those calls were echoed yesterday by President Biden, who hosted Mr. Nichols’s parents at the State of the Union address.Today, we hear about a Times investigation into the special team of officers, known as the Scorpion unit, that is accused of killing Mr. Nichols.Guest: Mike Baker, the Seattle bureau chief and a national correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: For 14 months, officers from the high-profile Scorpion unit patrolled Memphis with an air of menace.City leaders had praised the Scorpion unit as a key strategy for fighting crime. Now they are trying to assess whether it was flawed from the start.The unit has been disbanded, but Memphis wasn’t the only city to turn to specialized police teams.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Former CIA officer Mike Baker discusses the complexities of the Middle East conflict, financial intricacies in conflict regions, geopolitical tensions with Iran, disinformation campaigns, benefits of sauna usage, personal health concerns, advocating for oneself in healthcare, Russia-Ukraine conflict complexities, legal battle over Mar-a-Lago, border security challenges, and the search for positivity in global conflicts.

Mike Baker, former CIA agent and security expert, discusses the role of the CIA, war exhaustion in Ukraine, and the impact of the Biden administration's leadership style on international relations. The podcast also delves into the freezing of funds in the Middle East, the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Canadian trucker protest, and perceptions of cultural differences.