
SpyTalk
SpyTalk lives at the intersection of intelligence operations, foreign policy, homeland security, and military strategy. Hosted by veteran national security journalist Jeff Stein, the podcast features exclusives by SpyTalk’s roster of longtime reporters, news and profiles of US and foreign spymasters, and interviews with policymakers and expert authors. There’s nothing quite like it—a place for experts and laypersons alike, who enjoy national security scoops and insights by SpyTalk's subject matter experts.
For more SpyTalk go to: https://www.spytalk.co/
Latest episodes

Jan 13, 2022 • 49min
How Foreign Spies Infiltrate US Police—and more
Former top FBI counterspy Frank Figliuzzi and RAND Corp expert Scott Harold discuss foreign agents infiltrating US police, tracking China's Uighur genocide, and the need for awareness and education among officers. They highlight specific cases, methods of recruitment, and the role of the FBI. The podcast also explores the research on concentration camps in Xinjiang, China's treatment of the Uighurs, surveillance efforts, and the importance of preserving Uighur history.

Jan 6, 2022 • 54min
Shape Changes: Right-Wing Extremists and the US-Russia Cold War
Jared Holt and Joe Weisberg discuss right-wing extremism, evolving threats to American democracy, and Weisberg's journey from Cold Warrior to advocate for ending conflict with Russia. They also explore the complexity of US-Russia relations and the situation in Ukraine.

Dec 30, 2021 • 47min
Possible Incursions and Future Insurrections
Jonathan Broder and Major General (ret) Paul Eaton discuss Russia, Ukraine, NATO, and the US military's belief in the Big Lie. Topics include potential coup after the next election, Russian troops in Ukraine, Russia's concerns about Germany's reunification and NATO, war weariness in the US, the possibility of an independent European army, implications of Russian invasion in Ukraine, freedom of speech in the US military, and the importance of loyalty in the military.

Dec 23, 2021 • 1h 6min
Military Spies and Military Subversives
Former DIA deputy director Doug Wise discusses US military intelligence in Ukraine and WRC-TV investigative reporter Scott MacFarlane provides updates on the January 6th probes. They cover issues such as the involvement of military intelligence in localized conflicts, the ongoing investigation into the Capitol attack, and the concerning trend of intelligence professionals aligning with extremist groups.

Dec 16, 2021 • 1h 2min
Smashed Plots and Then Some
Former CIA counterterrorism analyst Aki Peritz discusses a foiled terror plot in London and the cooperation between the US and Britain. Anna Puglisi and Michael German talk about the unfair targeting of scholars with ties to China by the FBI. The podcast covers topics such as the challenges in measuring the effectiveness of airport security, the evolution of terrorist tactics, and close calls in national security.

Dec 9, 2021 • 44min
Warm Water, Cold Threats
Retired NCIS senior agent Mark Fallon discusses censorship of his exposés on Guantánamo & torture with Jeff Stein, and distinguished Jamaican futurist Anthony Clayton lays out a scenario for terrorist attacks in the Caribbean. Topics include security threats from the Caribbean, overclassification in the intelligence community, Hezbollah's operations in Venezuela, Chinese investment in the region, and US intelligence cooperation with Caribbean nations.

Dec 2, 2021 • 48min
Connecting All the Dots
Hoover Institution cybersecurity expert Amy Zegart talks with Jeanne Meserve about the urgent need for US spy agencies to better exploit open source intelligence, and ‘Mindhunter’ coauthor Mark Olshaker discusses with Jeff Stein how two sex predators in the CIA got away with it.Follow:Amy Zegarthttps://twitter.com/amyzegarthttps://www.hoover.org/profiles/amy-zegartTake our listener survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortSubscribe to SpyTalk on Substackhttps://www.spytalk.co/Follow Jeanne Meserve on Twitter:https://twitter.com/JeanneMeservehttps://www.jeannemeserve.com/Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spy
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Nov 25, 2021 • 47min
Hiding In Plain Sight
Garrett Graff, author discusses top secret search for Al Qaeda nuclear bomb. CIA's former chief of disguises talks about her greatest capers. Topics include disguise techniques, use of miniature cameras in espionage, working in the Office of Technical Service, challenging making of 'Argo', capabilities of the Nest Team, and the Dragonfire story.

Nov 18, 2021 • 54min
SLINKING AROUND
Former senior CIA officer discusses deep cover ops in the digital age, while an extremism expert explores QAnon as a national security threat. They also discuss the challenges of espionage in the digital age, the impact of technology on espionage activities, and the appeal of QAnon to intelligence officials.

Nov 11, 2021 • 40min
Assassins and Infiltrators
JFK assassination expert discusses Biden's suppression of documents; Former FBI agent talks about extremist inroads in law enforcement; Challenges in identifying and addressing extremism; Problem of rehiring fired officers; Infiltration of white extremists in police forces