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Sources & Methods

NPR 6 Episodes Oct 15, 2026

National security, unlocked. Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly and a team of NPR correspondents discuss the biggest national security news of the week. With decades of reporting from battlefields and the halls of power, they bring you inside the Pentagon, State Department, and intelligence community to help you understand America's shifting role in the world, and how events in faraway places matter here at home. Additional episodes feature interviews with power players from the NatSec world -- current and former military officials, intelligence experts, diplomatic leaders, and more.

Episodes

Key comms cut-off in Ukraine / Zelenskyy sit-down / Russian diesel Oct 15, 2026 1819 A crucial military communication system was disrupted in Ukraine this week, as Russian attacks pounded energy sites.Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR Ukraine Correspondent Joanna Kakissis about what’s happening in Kyiv, and her long-awaited interview with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre joined too, to explain President Trump’s announcement of an en

German spymaster / U.K. drone fears / Musk on Pentagon project? Oct 8, 2026 1650 A German spy chief is arrested for treasonous espionage. What exactly is he accused of doing? Also, two tech billionaires are leading the Pentagon’s future of war project. Is that a problem? NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Esme Nicholson in Berlin about the case against August Hanning, and with NPR's Tom Bowman about how bases housing U.S. troops around the world could be vulnerable to drones.

Iraq withdrawal / America's Mideast footprint / Hegseth's Pentagon overhaul Oct 1, 2026 1891 For the second time since the 2003 invasion, the last American troops have left Iraq.Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR International Correspondent Jane Arraf who is in Baghdad to see how Iraqis are greeting the moment. And NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman explains how this withdrawal and the ongoing war with Iran are changing the U.S. footprint in the region. He also discusses Defense Se

Europe on edge from threats of Russia's growing escalation. Can NATO defend itself? Sep 29, 2026 3478 Russia threatens attacks beyond Ukraine's border and rattles Europe. Is it ready?This month Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned about intelligence assessments suggesting that Russia is planning drone and missile strikes against countries that support Ukraine, including Poland and Romania. How serious is that threat? And if that happens, is NATO ready to defend itself? Would the U.S. honor its

Trump harangues the U.N. / Xi in D.C. / White House press ban fallout Sep 24, 2026 1487 President Trump used his speech at the United Nations General Assembly to attack the principles the organization is built on. Does the U.N. stand a chance in a new era of great power rivalry?Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR Diplomatic Correspondent Michele Kelemen about what happened this week when leaders from around the world came to New York at a precarious moment for the U.N. And NPR Whi

Introducing Sources & Methods Aug 25, 2025 110 National security, unlocked. Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly and a team of NPR correspondents discuss the biggest national security news of the week. With decades of reporting from battlefields and the halls of power, they bring you inside the Pentagon, State Department, and intelligence community to help you understand America's shifting role in the world, and how events in faraway places m

Sources & Methods

Episodes

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