One Decision

Join Times Radio Political Editor Kate McCann and former CIA Director Leon Panetta as they dissect the fallout from Donald Trump's unexpected re-election. McCann shares insights on Washington and European reactions, highlighting political shifts, especially in the UK. Panetta provides a deep dive into the implications for U.S. foreign policy, touching on the potential isolationist trends and the delicate balance in international relations, particularly with Ukraine and China. It's a riveting exploration of a changing global landscape.

Next week, American voters will decide who will become the next President of the United States: former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. In this week's episode, One Decision’s Christina Ruffini speaks to Vivian Salama, Wall Street Journal's national politics reporter, to see what she's watching ahead of the election. Later, Christina sits down with her co-host, former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director Leon Panetta, to discuss what the world can expect following the election, the candidates’ foreign policy plans, potential Cabinet members, and how a new administration— whether Trump or Harris—could influence Western alliances.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out a previous episode of One Decision with former National Security Advisor John Bolton, which features our other spymaster, former head of Britain's MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove.

This week, host Christina Ruffini and One Decision's resident spymaster, Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, discuss former President Donald Trump's recent complaint accusing United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour Party of election interference in support of Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential campaign. They also talk about the Israeli intelligence that led to the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Russia's potential interference in Moldova's recent election to join the European Union. Later, Sir Richard and Christina sit down with Icelandic Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to talk about Iceland's strategic importance amid concerns over increased cooperation from Russia and China in the Arctic. 

In this week's episode, One Decision's Julia Macfarlane and Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of Britain's MI6, sit down with Sir Michael Fallon, the former United Kingdom Defence Minister. They discuss how today's global conflicts mirror those from ten years ago when Sir Fallon oversaw British defense during the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as Russia's invasion and subsequent annexation of Crimea. Sir Michael, who served under Prime Minister Theresa May, told One Decision that it is not "morally right" for Russian tourists to travel across Europe and supports a travel ban so the middle class can feel the impact of Vladimir Putin's war. They also talk about the dangers of military underspending and the growing threat of social media disinformation.

This week, One Decision’s Christina Ruffini sits down with former CIA director and former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to discuss legendary Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward’s upcoming book, War, and the book’s revelations about the rocky relationship between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with former President Donald Trump’s ongoing calls with Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin. Later in the conversation, Admiral William McRaven joins to talk about Ukrainian foreign military aid, and the behind-the-scenes story of the covert operation he and Secretary Panetta led that killed Osama bin Laden.

This week, One Decision's Sir Richard Dearlove returns to the host seat to interview fellow spymaster and co-host, former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director Leon Panetta, on the growing crisis in the Middle East following Iran's missile attack against Israel. They discuss the implications of Israel's response, Iran's fragile state and influence in the region, and the role of America's next president in navigating these global crises. Plus, Sir Richard and Secretary Panetta talk about the possible intelligence methods used in the Israeli operation that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

In this bonus episode, One Decision's Christina Ruffini sits down with the Czech Republic's Foreign Minister, Jan Lipavsky, and Poland's Ambassador to the United Nations, Krzysztof Szczerski, in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly. They discuss Russia's military threat in Eastern Europe, the strain of illegal migration, international support for Ukraine, and the role of multilateralism in a changing world.

During the high-level week at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, world leaders are gathering to discuss a world in crisis. One Decision's Christina Ruffini spoke with the Philippines’ Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Taiwan’s Representative to the United States, Alexander Yui. They discussed the escalating threats across the Pacific region and the concerns about the reliability of the United States as an ally. Stay tuned to the One Decision feed for more interviews with world leaders from UNGA.

One Decision's resident spymaster, former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove, and journalist Kasia Madera break down how Israeli intelligence orchestrated an exploding pager attack against Hezbollah in Lebanon and how Tehran may respond. They also discuss the recent second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Plus, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Anne Applebaum joins Richard and Kasia to discuss the future of democracy in the face of growing autocracies in Iran, China, and Venezuela and how financial interests drive autocratic success. They also explore the recent growth of populism in Germany and Ukraine's corruption in the face of Russia's invasion.

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe joins journalist Kasia Madera and One Decision's resident spymaster, former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove, to discuss efforts by foreign actors such as Russia, China, and Iran to influence American elections, recent warnings from intelligence officials about potential terror attacks, Donald Trump's relationship with Vladimir Putin and what a Trump election win—or loss could mean for the United States. Andrew and Sir Richard also talk about their connection with John O'Neill, an FBI counterterrorism expert who later became the head of security at the World Trade Center in New York. He tragically died in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack when the South Tower collapsed.