The Rest Is Classified
Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations. Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist David McCloskey and veteran security correspondent Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events. From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, explore the world of double agents, classified missions, and the shadowy figures who operate in them.
Episodes
165. Why England Didn't Win the 1970 World Cup (Ep 2)
Could England have won the 1970 World Cup if their star goalkeeper, Gordon Banks, hadn't contracted food poisoning the day before the quarter-final? And could the CIA have had anything to do with England's 60 years of hurt?
David and Gordon are joined by journalist Gabriel Gatehouse to get to the bottom of whether the CIA poisoned England's World Cup ambitions.
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164. Did the CIA Poison England's World Cup Goalkeeper? (Ep 1)
Why did Gordon Banks pull out of the 1970 World Cup quarter-final against West Germany? And was the CIA to blame?
Listen as David and Gordon are joined by journalist Gabriel Gatehouse who has spent the past three years investigating whether the CIA poisoned England's star goalkeeper.
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Listen to Gabriel's full investigation, Foul Play: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podca
163. Argo: Smuggled Out of Khomeini's Iran (Ep 4)
Six American diplomats are about to walk through the Tehran airport with alias Canadian passports. But will they make it through? And how does the real Argo end?
As the story reaches its dramatic conclusion, David and Gordon look at what can be learnt from the 1979 plot to smuggle six American diplomats out of Iran.
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162. Argo: How the CIA Made a Movie That Never Existed (Ep 3)
Tony Mendez has just landed in revolutionary Tehran. Now he must teach six terrified diplomats to be a Hollywood film crew… in 72 hours.
Listen as David and Gordon reach the climax of their adventure into the true story behind Argo.
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Is Iran Recruiting Spies to Conduct Anti-Semitic Attacks?
Are groups linked to the Islamic Republic recruiting spies on Telegram to coordinate anti-semitic attacks in Europe? How are Jordanian people feeling about the war in Iran? And why is anti-western sentiment reaching new heights in the Middle East?
Listen as David McCloskey is joined by award-winning CNN International Correspondent Jomana Karadsheh, to discuss her latest reporting on how what ap
161. Argo: Six Fugitives in Revolutionary Tehran (Ep 2)
Six Americans are hiding out as Canadian houseguests in Tehran. To get them out, the CIA will invent a Hollywood film studio that does not exist.
In this episode, David and Gordon examine how the CIA worked with Hollywood to plan a daring escape from revolutionary Iran during the hostage crisis.
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160. Argo: The Secret Iranian Hostage Crisis (Ep 1)
One of the most audacious rescue operations the CIA has ever run. It begins with a mob at the gates of the US Embassy in Tehran, six diplomats slipping out a side door, and a man painting a wolf in a studio above his garage in rural Maryland.
Listen as David and Gordon tell the true story of Argo.
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159. Is NATO Prepared for a Russian Attack?
How worried are Baltic countries about the threat from Russia? Would the US protect its NATO allies from Putin? And what is happening on the Estonian border?
Last weekend, Gordon headed to the annual Lennart Meri security conference in Estonia to speak with experts from across the world about the security challenges the region is currently facing. Listen as he speaks with journalists, former pr
158. The Road to Iraq: George Bush's Unstoppable War (Ep 6)
Was Iraq WMD one of history’s biggest intelligence failures? Why couldn’t Saddam Hussein prove he has destroyed his weapons of mass destruction? And what is the legacy of the Iraq War in the Middle East?
Listen as David and Gordon conclude their investigation into Iraq WMD and analyse what has been learnt from the decision to go to war with Iraq.
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Why the Former Head of MI6 Has No Regrets About Iraq
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What is the biggest misunderstanding people have about Iraq? What was Tony Blair’s fatal mistake? And, was MI6 too close to Downing Street?
Listen as David and Gordon are joined by former head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, for a frank conversation about what we can - and cannot
157. The Road to Iraq: What the Spies Got Wrong (Ep 5)
Who was “Curveball”? Why did Colin Powell rely so heavily on flawed intelligence in his presentation to the UN? And how did this set the tone for the opposition to war?
As David and Gordon reach the penultimate episode in their series on Iraq WMD, they discuss how things could have gone so badly wrong.
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156. The Road to Iraq: Tony Blair's Campaign for War (Ep 4)
What was the difference between the so-called “dodgy dossier” and the real dossier prepared by Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell? Why did the US rush their vital National Intelligence Estimate? And why was the intelligence so weak?
Listen as David and Gordon explore how the US and UK sold the case for war in Iraq to the public.
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The CIA's Biggest Intelligence Failure with Michael Morrell
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How did intelligence biases shaped the final WMD assessment? What really happened with Colin Powell’s infamous UN speech? And, was Iraq the biggest intelligence failure in CIA history?
Listen as David and Gordon are joined by former acting CIA Director, Michael Morrell, to discuss
155. The Road to Iraq: How 9/11 Changed Everything (Ep 3)
How significant a role did 9/11 play in the decision to go to war in Iraq? And why did Tony Blair commit to standing by George W. Bush “no matter what”?
Listen as David and Gordon continue their series on Iraq WMD, charting the moment the West’s relationship with the Middle East changed, forever.
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154. The Road to Iraq: Saddam Hussein's Fatal Error (Ep 2)
Why did Saddam Hussein secretly destroy his weapons of mass destruction? When did the CIA start plotting against the Iraqi dictator? And did Hussein and Osama bin Laden ever meet?
In the second part of their series on Iraq WMD, David and Gordon chart how the mystery of Saddam Hussein’s weapons deepens.
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Alastair Campbell on the Iraq War
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What was the relationship between Downing Street and the intelligence services really like? Did the British get played by the Americans? And, what was the real reason for Iraq?
Listen as David and Gordon are joined by Alastair Campbell to set the record straight on what really hap
153. The Road to Iraq: Weapons of Mass Destruction (Ep 1)
How did Saddam Hussein become one of history’s most notorious dictators? How did the Iran-Iraq war begin? And what really happened to Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction?
Listen as David and Gordon begin their 6-part series on one of history’s biggest intelligence failures: Iraq WMD.
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152. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: Unmasking the Traitor (Ep 4)
What brought about Stakeknife’s downfall? How did the IRA react when they realised there was a spy at the very top of their organisation? And what was Operation Kenova, and how did it reveal the truth of the Stakeknife case?
In the final part of their journey into the infamous mole inside the IRA, David and Gordon delve into the fractious aftermath of Stakeknife’s exposure as a “tout”.
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151. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: From Spy to Executioner (Ep 3)
What happens when an agent has to commit horrific crimes whilst undercover? What did the British government know about Stakeknife’s crimes? And did the IRA suspect Scappaticci of being a double agent?
Listen as David and Gordon reach the height of Stakeknife’s power and explore the morality of a British agent committing murder undercover.
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Why Do Russian Spies Interfere in Global Politics?
What does a Russian interference campaign look like? What did Russian spies get up to in Hungary recently? And are Chinese spies the next threat to international politics?
Listen as David and Gordon are joined by novelist, screenwriter and journalist Tom Bradby, for this special bonus episode to discuss Russian interference in global politics and the murky world where politics and espionage int
150. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: How to Run a Killer (Ep 2)
How did the British security forces recruit agents during The Troubles? And how did the IRA try and hunt down those who had become informers?
In the second part of their series on the infamous Stakeknife, David and Gordon explore the murky underworld of informers and agents during The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
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149. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: The Truth Behind Stakeknife (Ep 1)
Who was the real man behind the infamous codename, “Stakeknife”? Why did he join the ranks of the IRA? And how did he become a spy for the British?
Listen as David and Gordon begin a four-part series delving into the true story behind the British state’s most valuable IRA mole during The Troubles.
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148. Can Europe Salvage its Relationship with Trump?
Is there anyone telling Trump, ‘No’? Is Trump’s use of power getting more unhinged? And should Europe have done more to open the Strait of Hormuz?
Listen back to David and Gordon live on YouTube with Washington Post columnist and author, David Ignatius, to discuss the latest on Trump’s war in the Middle East.
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147. Will Trump Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Programme? (Ep 2)
How do you actually destroy a nuclear programme? What would a US boots-on-the-ground raid inside Iran look like? And do David and Gordon think Trump will take Operation Epic Fury to the next level?
Listen as David and Gordon imagine what it would take to destroy Iran's nuclear programme.
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146. How the CIA Rescued a Pilot Inside Iran (Ep 1)
How involved were the CIA in the operation to rescue a US pilot stranded inside Iran? What does it take to "destroy" a nuclear programme? And what could Iran learn from North Korea?
Listen as David and Gordon discuss the intricacies of the recent mission to extract a downed US Weapons Officer inside Iran and delve into how this operation might help the US and Israel launch an attack on Iran's n
145. Black Hawk Down: What Osama bin Laden Learnt from Somalia (Ep 4)
What was the legacy of the Battle of Mogadishu? How did the fallout change the US presence in Somalia forever? And how did the experience in Somalia inspire Osama bin Laden’s acts of terror?
Listen as David and Gordon conclude their four-part series on the extraordinary events of Black Hawk Down.
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144. Black Hawk Down: The Bloodiest US Battle Since Vietnam (Ep 3)
How long will the Battle of Mogadishu last? Can the soldiers survive until daylight? And will the Rescue Team come in time to save the soldiers?
Listen as David and Gordon reach the climax of the story of Black Hawk Down.
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143. Black Hawk Down: Chaos in Mogadishu (Ep 2)
One Black Hawk is down. Americans are taking fire left, right and centre. And it feels like there’s no way out.
This is the true story of Black Hawk Down.
Listen as David and Gordon continue the story of the Battle of Mogadishu as it escalates beyond the plans of the generals back at the US base.
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142. Black Hawk Down: The True Story (Ep 1)
What really happened at the Battle of Mogadishu? How did an operation that should have taken an hour end up taking almost twenty-four? And what brought US troops into the conflict in the first place?
Listen as David and Gordon embark on telling the true story of one of the deadliest US operations since the Vietnam War.
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141. Trump’s Latin America Playbook: How the CIA Toppled a Regime (Ep 2)
How did the CIA mastermind one of the most audacious coups in world history? What does it take to remove a world leader? And what does the future hold for Latin America with Donald Trump now at the helm of US foreign policy?
Listen as David and Gordon recount the story of the 1954 Guatemalan coup and delve into whether Cuba will be the next state on Donald Trump's hit list.
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140. Trump’s Latin America Playbook: Before Venezuela, There Was Guatemala (Ep 1)
Is Cuba next on Trump's hit list? Why are the US so concerned by what's happening in their "backyard"? And what can we learn from the history of regime change in Latin America to help us understand the "Donroe Doctrine"?
Listen as David and Gordon delve inside the Guatemalan coup of 1954 and examine what Donald Trump has learnt from how the CIA plotted regime change in the agency's early years.
139. Trump vs Iran: Saddam Hussein and the Nuclear Bomb (Ep 2)
After 9/11 it looked as though a new path of diplomacy could be forged between Iran and the US, and then George Bush referred to the nation as part of the Axis of Evil. The years that followed were characterised by Iran-backed terror attacks, regional instability and an uncertain future.
But how did we get here?
Listen as David and Gordon are once again joined by historian and author Arash A
138. Trump vs Iran: The Road to Operation Epic Fury (Ep 1)
Why did the US and Israel launch strikes on Iran on 28 February? What is the secret history behind the conflict? And how did Ayatollah Khamenei seize power in 1979?
Listen as David and Gordon are joined by historian and author Arash Azizi to discuss the road to Operation Epic Fury and the long history that brought us to this point.
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137. How Russia Made Trump: MAGA Take The White House (Ep 6)
Was Putin behind the election of Trump in 2016? And were Hillary Clinton's emails really as “crooked” as they seemed?
As David and Gordon conclude their series on how Russia made Trump, they ask what the legacy of the active measures campaign has been and whether the aftermath has changed the world, forever.
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136. How Russia Made Trump: Putin’s Troll Factory (Ep 5)
Russian trolls are trying to influence the 2016 US election, but did Putin's keyboard warriors really propel Donald Trump into the White House?
In the penultimate episode in their series on how the Russians hacked the 2016 US presidential election, David and Gordon return to the sordid tale of Yevgeny Prigozhin: restaurateur and Russian troll farmer.
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135. Is The CIA Arming Kurdish Militias In Iran?
Former CIA analyst, David McCloskey, is joined by CNN's Chief International Correspondent, Clarissa Ward, live from the ground in northern Iraq as she breaks the story of a reported CIA operation to arm Kurdish militias to sow dissent in Iran.
Listen as David and Clarissa discuss what it's currently like operating in Iraq amidst the escalating conflict, what the US serves to gain from toppling
134. How Russia Made Trump: Was The Vote Rigged? (Ep 4)
Foreign spies are messing with the 2016 election. Private emails are being leaked. But what will Donald Trump say about it?
In their latest episode on the Russian active measures campaign to hijack the 2016 US presidential election, David and Gordon go deep into the story of how the Obama campaign reacted to a series of leaked emails, and why the Republicans chose not to get involved.
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133. How Russia Made Trump: Romanian Hackers, WikiLeaks, and Hillary’s Emails (Ep 3)
The Russians have hacked into the Democrats' servers and WikiLeaks are threatening to expose Hillary Clinton's emails. Is this the moment that triggers the downfall of the 2016 Clinton campaign?
Listen as David and Gordon explore how Julian Assange and his WikiLeaks team helped the Russian GRU and SVR expose the secrets of the Clinton campaign.
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132. What's Next For Iran?
Israel and the US have launched missiles at Iran and killed Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But what is actually happening on the ground? How did we get here? And what happens next?
Listen as David and Gordon shared the intelligence perspective on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, live on Sunday 1 March.
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Later today, we will also be sending out a round u
131. How Russia Made Trump: Stealing Washington’s Secrets (Ep 2)
Donald Trump is gaining ground in the 2016 presidential race, but what does his rise mean for Russian hackers desperate to take down Hillary Clinton?
In the second episode of our series on Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, David and Gordon delve inside the Russian active measures campaign to hack the campaigns of the Democratic and Republican candidates.
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130. How Russia Made Trump: Putin Hacks The 2016 Election (Ep 1)
Did Russia really interfere in the 2016 US presidential election? Did the election of Donald Trump benefit Vladimir Putin? And how did the scandal begin?
Listen as David and Gordon begin their exploration of the role of the Russians in the 2016 election and the dramatic rise of Donald Trump.
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129. Al Qaeda’s Deadliest Plot: Why You Can’t Bring Liquids On Planes (Ep 4)
Time is of the essence to stop the Al Qaeda plotters from taking down multiple airliners and MI5 are rushing to make arrests. But is there enough evidence to charge them with terror offences?
In the final episode of our series on the Liquid Bomb Plot, David and Gordon unpack the suspenseful moments before the plotters are arrested and how everything nearly went so wrong.
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128. Al Qaeda’s Deadliest Plot: CIA vs Pakistan (Ep 3)
The “Special Relationship” is under strain as MI5 and the CIA butt heads over how to stop an Al Qaeda cell in East London from committing the next 9/11. With the Americans visiting Pakistan and making risky unauthorised decisions, will the intelligence alliance survive?
Listen as David and Gordon take us to Islamabad in the latest episode of their series on the Liquid Bomb Plot, and try to unde
127. Was Epstein A Russian Spy?
Was convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein working undercover for the Kremlin? Did Putin recruit Epstein to harvest kompromat on his enemies? And what does this mean for global security going forward?
Listen as David McCloskey spoke LIVE to former CIA officer and foreign policy, intelligence, and national security expert John Sipher to discuss the ongoing intelligence developments coming out of
126. Al Qaeda’s Deadliest Plot: The Terror Attack That Never Happened (Ep 2)
MI5 have discovered a bomb making factory in East London, but how do they stop the Al Qaeda plotters from carrying out their terrifying plans?
In the second episode of their series on the Liquid Bomb Plot, David and Gordon share the inside story of how MI5 surveilled the extremist cell and “legally” broke into the bomb factory.
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125. Al Qaeda’s Deadliest Plot: How MI5 Stopped Another 9/11 (Ep 1)
In the aftermath of 9/11, while the world was still reeling from the deadliest terror attack on US soil, Al Qaeda were plotting an airline attack with ever graver consequences. This is the story of the Liquid Bomb Plot.
Listen as David and Gordon delve into the story of how MI5 foiled the plans of an extremist cell in East London.
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124. Kim Philby: Britain’s Most Notorious Traitor (Ep 4)
A Russian agent is trying to defect to Britain, but there’s only one person in his way: Kim Philby. Will the communist double agent at the heart of MI6 sell his comrade down the river to save himself, or spare his life at the risk of giving the game away?
As David and Gordon reach the end of their first foray into the infamous life and career of Kim Philby, they ask: can you ever feel sympathy
123. Kim Philby: Communist Double Agent In London (Ep 3)
Kim Philby’s moment in the sun has finally arrived: he has been recruited by MI6 and asked to join the anti-communist division. With access to intelligence beyond his wildest dreams, this is Philby’s chance to show the Russians what he’s made of.
Listen as David and Gordon continue their story on the rise of Kim Philby from war correspondent to one of the most important men in British intellige
122. Kim Philby: An Assassin In Spain (Ep 2)
Kim Philby has been recruited by the communists to spy on the growing fascist movement across Europe, but he can’t seem to penetrate the intelligence services. So, like all men with access to an old boys’ network in 20th century Britain, he asks a friend for a job.
In this episode, David and Gordon chart Philby’s rise as a war correspondent for The Times in London; eventually finding himself i
121. Kim Philby: Stalin’s Mole Inside MI6 (Ep 1)
Kim Philby has gone down in history as Britain’s most notorious double agent: spying for Stalin while running the MI6 counter-intelligence operation against him. But how did a quiet public school boy go on to change the course of the Cold War?
Listen as David and Gordon begin their four-part series on the rise of Kim Philby, from the son of an anti-colonial eccentric in India to one of the most
The Persian (Extract)
To coincide with the release of David's latest novel, The Persian, we have the book’s first chapter in audiobook form for you to enjoy.
Mixing suspense with strikingly cinematic action, David McCloskey takes readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel.
The Persian by David McCloskey, is OUT NOW in the UK.
Pre-order a signed edition via this link.
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120. Greenland Intelligence Scoop: Trump, Xi, and Putin's Battle for the Arctic
Why is Trump backing down on his plans to seize Greenland? Are the Russian's already spying in the Arctic? And should we be fearing Chinese influence in the icy north?
In this emergency podcast, David and Gordon delve into the intelligence story regarding Greenland and ask why Trump's forcefulness may be distracting us from the plans of China and Russia.
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Make someone
119. Inside Iran: Why Trump Didn’t Intervene (Ep 2)
What does history tell us about how a revolution is going to play out? What can intelligence agencies and political scientists working on Iran learn from Syria? And why didn’t Donald Trump follow through on his plan to militarily intervene in Iran?
Listen as David and Gordon look at the ongoing situation in Iran through the lens of intelligence analysts and ask what there is to be learnt from s
118. Inside Iran: Can You Predict A Revolution? (Ep 1)
How are intelligence agencies reacting to the recent protests in Iran? Is the regime on the edge of collapse? And is it ever possible to predict a revolution?
Listen as David and Gordon analyse the ongoing situation in Iran and look at what the mass uprising, and its suppression, means for intelligence agencies across the globe.
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117. Epstein Files Declassified: Mossad, Israel and Ghislaine Maxwell (Ep 2)
It has been alleged that Robert Maxwell, father of convicted child sex offender Ghislaine, had connections to the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad. Through these links, some have suggested that Maxwell recruited Jeffrey Epstein, who then also became an Israeli asset. While this has never been confirmed by Mossad, conspiracy theories are rife.
In their second episode on Epstein’s intelligenc
116. Epstein Files Declassified: Was He A Spy? (Ep 1)
Was disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein working undercover for an intelligence agency? And, if so, which one?
Listen as David and Gordon begin a two-part series on Epstein’s alleged espionage connections.
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Make someone a Declassified Club Member this year – go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intellig
Ex-CIA Officer On How The Cubans Failed Maduro in Venezuela
*Declassified Club exclusive: SUBSCRIBE to listen to the full series*
What does one of the CIA's leading experts on Venezuela think about the operation to capture President Maduro? What will history say about the decision to invade a sovereign nation? And how involved were the Cubans?
Listen as David and Gordon are joined by former CIA officer and Latin America Chief of Operation
115. Intelligence Scoop: Why Venezuela Isn’t About Oil (Ep 2)
President Trump is now “running Venezuela”, but how did we get to this point? Why would a US president want to control Latin America? And is it really all about drugs and oil?
Listen as David and Gordon explore the reasons behind Trump’s attack on Venezuela and try to understand why this Latin American country holds so much potential for the future of the global order.
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114. Intelligence Scoop: How Trump Captured Maduro in Venezuela (Ep 1)
What is actually happening between the US and Venezuela? Trump has captured President Maduro of Venezuela and extradited him to the US, but how was he able to pull off such a complex, and legally contentious, plot?
Listen as David and Gordon take a look inside the raid that brought down Maduro and share the intelligence scoop on why it was so successful.
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113. How To Protect Your Secrets: Is The Toaster Spying On You? (Ep 2)
Does China want to hack into your washing machine? What really is the dark web? And can you ever avoid being spied on in the 21st century?
Listen as David and Gordon are once again joined by the CIA's first Chief of Tradecraft and Operational Technology, Glenn Chafetz, to discuss the nuances of ubiquitous technical surveillance and how you can protect your data in the digital age.
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112. How To Protect Your Secrets: Inside China’s Technical Surveillance Playbook (Ep 1)
The world of surveillance has changed beyond recognition over the past 25 years with the advent of technology. From CCTV cameras to cookie tracking, it's not so easy to escape the long arm of the intelligence services in 2025.
David and Gordon are joined by the CIA's first Chief of Tradecraft and Operational Technology, Glenn Chafetz, to explore the ever-changing world of ubiquitous technical
111. The Man Behind The CIA: Shooting In The White House (Ep 2)
Bill Donovan has set himself up across an entire floor of the swanky London hotel, Claridge’s. From here he is now running international intelligence operations and laying plans for the future of espionage in the United States.
But, his arch nemesis, J. Edgar Hoover has an alternative vision for how these lofty ideas should play out. Listen as David and Gordon continue their tale of Wild Bill D
110. The Man Behind The CIA: Charming Mussolini and Stealing From MI6 (Ep 1)
“Wild” Bill Donovan laid the template for the formation of the modern CIA, but this wasn’t the way his life was supposed to turn out. A working class boy from Buffalo, Bill dreamt of something better for himself. These dreams took him to the trenches of Belgium and the beaches of Normandy, then to the halls of power themselves.
This is the story of the man behind the CIA. From decorated war he
109. Hunting Al-Qaeda: The CIA’s Deadliest Day (Ep 4)
Nine people dead. A severed head laying motionless in the rubble. Silence punctuated by screams. The moments after the 2009 Camp Chapman attack sound like something out of a horror film, but this was the devastating reality for those who trusted an Al Qaeda double agent to deliver on his promises.
In this episode, David and Gordon reach the climax of their series on one of the deadliest days in
108. Hunting Al-Qaeda: From Jihadist To Spy (Ep 3)
Jennifer Matthews was one of the most capable and formidable CIA analysts working in the Counter Terrorism Centre during the War on Terror. She was also underestimated by her male colleagues who doubted she had what it took to run one of the most dangerous stations in Afghanistan.
When Matthews took the post of CIA station chief at Camp Chapman, she knew the risks she faced. But, what she didn’
Introducing: The Rest Is Science
Forget what you think you know about reality. The Rest Is Science is a mind-bending new show from Goalhanger that tears down familiar ideas… time, randomness, beauty, it will reveal just how bizarre the world truly is.
Join Professor Hannah Fry and science creator Michael Stevens (aka Vsauce) twice a week to explore big, small and surprising questions as they deep dive into theories, concepts,
107. Hunting Al-Qaeda: The War On Terror (Ep 2)
In the years following 9/11, the US launched the War on Terror to root out the most dangerous Al Qaeda operatives across the Middle East. Their determination to avenge those who lost their lives in the 2001 attacks was unrelenting, and they were willing to go to any lengths to win, even if that meant putting their trust into a jihadist turned Jordanian agent.
In this episode, David and Gordon c
106. Hunting Al-Qaeda: Anatomy Of A Terrorist (Ep 1)
On 30 December 2009, an Al Qaeda terrorist detonated a bomb inside a CIA station in Afghanistan. This is the story of how a quiet doctor from Jordan became responsible for one of the deadliest days in CIA history.
Listen as David and Gordon chart the rise of Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi from a doctor working in a Palestinian refugee camp to one of Al Qaeda’s most prolific online voices.
105. The Chinese Spy Scandal: Mastering LinkedIn (Ep 2)
In 2017, former CIA officer Kevin Mallory was drowning in debt when a message landed in his LinkedIn inbox. A Chinese “headhunter” said he had consulting work. Mallory - fluent in Mandarin, seasoned in intelligence, and once trusted with some of America’s most sensitive secrets - replied.
In this episode, David and Gordon unpack how Chinese intelligence services used think-tank cover, tailored
104. The Chinese Spy Scandal: Breaching Westminster (Ep 1)
Earlier this month, MI5 issued a stark warning to Westminster: a “covert and calculated” Chinese espionage campaign was targeting parliament - and doing so at an industrial scale. Not with trench-coats and dead drops, but with something far more mundane: LinkedIn messages.
This week, Gordon and David look at two high-profile cases of alleged Chinese-backed spying in Britain. Those in the frame
The Rise Of Putin: Becoming President
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Vladimir Putin is on the cusp of becoming Russia's all-powerful leader, but how did a humble boy from St Petersburg reach such elite heights?
Listen as David and Gordon are once again joined by one of the world's leading experts on Russian organised crime, Mark Galeotti, to conclude their series on the rise of Put
103. Putin's Secret Army: The Coup That Almost Brought Down Russia (Ep 6)
Could this have been the day when Putin fell from power? In June 2023, Prigozhin marched on Moscow, threatening to bring Putin’s authoritarian regime to its knees.
In their final episode on the dramatic rise and fall of Yevgeny Prigozhin, David and Gordon take us back to the coup that almost toppled Putin and how the autocratic leader carried out the ultimate revenge.
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102. Putin's Secret Army: Criminals And Cannibals - Russia's War In Ukraine (Ep 5)
It’s 2022 and Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine. But, for Putin, all is not going to plan. Enter: Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner Group.
Listen as David and Gordon tell the story of the disastrous first few months of the war in Ukraine and how Prigozhin’s force of cannibals and sex offenders were fed to the trenches in a desperate attempt to stay in Putin’s orbit.
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The Rise Of Putin: Russian Organised Crime
*Declassified Club exclusive: SUBSCRIBE to listen to the full series*
Vladimir Putin has left Soviet East Germany and is now back in St Petersburg, dipping his toe in the world of organised crime.
Listen as David and Gordon are once again joined by one of the world's leading experts on Russian organised crime, Mark Galeotti, to explore the rise of Russia's authoritarian overlord.
101. Putin's Secret Army: Wagner's Control Of Africa (Ep 4)
From St Petersburg to the Central African Republic, Yevgeny Prigozhin and the infamous Wagner Group are extending their grip across the Global South and leaving death and destruction in their wake.
In this episode, David and Gordon explore how the Wagner Group became embedded in the African military landscape and how their influence pervades to this day.
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100. Putin's Secret Army: Fighting With Assad In Syria (Ep 3)
Prigozhin is now one of America’s most wanted but his star is only just on the rise. Realising Putin’s need for greater geopolitical power and influence, the Russian oligarch forms the Wagner Group, with the help of a neo-Nazi soldier.
Listen as David and Gordon chart the growth of one of the world’s most infamous mercenary groups as Prigozhin embeds himself in the Middle East, helping Preside
The Rise Of Putin: Joining The KGB
*Declassified Club exclusive: SUBSCRIBE to listen to the full series*
How did Vladimir Putin rise from a nobody in St Petersburg to the most powerful man in Russia? Did he always crave the power of public office? Or was this relentless determination beaten into him by the KGB?
Listen as David and Gordon are joined by one of the world's foremost experts on Russian organised crime, auth
99. Putin's Secret Army: Trump, Wagner And Russia (Ep 2)
How did Donald Trump win the 2016 US election? Was Russian interference really behind his unlikely success? And how does one man rock the electoral system of the world’s most powerful nation?
In the second instalment of their series on Yevgeny Prigozhin, David and Gordon delve into the murky story of how the Internet Research Agency interfered in the 2016 election and changed the course of hist
98. Putin’s Secret Army: The Rise Of Prigozhin (Ep 1)
From Putin’s chef to Putin’s butcher, this is the story of Prigozhin. A man on the brink of oligarchical power who flew a little too close to the sun…
Listen as David and Gordon begin a new series on the ill-fated life of the head of the infamous Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
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THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on st
97. Selling The World's Secrets: Why The Brits Won The Falklands War (Ep 2)
THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026: Buy your tickets HERE on Friday 7th November at 12pm GMT.
In the latter half of the twentieth century, the CIA and its German counterpart, the BND, were listening to the encrypted messages of at least 62 countries around the world. This intelligence was then passed to allies and used to win wars, depose leaders and influence the world order.
From sharing se
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