Clearer Than Truth
Clearer Than Truth is a news and geopolitics podcast inspired by former Secretary of State Dean Acheson's emphasis on clarity. Hosted by Nathan Kiker and George Bogden, it distills complex global issues into straightforward narratives for a broad audience. Episodes appear every few weeks and examine breaking international events, controversial laws, and major geopolitical developments. The show features insights from experts around the world, aiming to make complicated topics comprehensible and concise.
Episodes
Michael McFaul | Former US Ambassador to Russia | Author of "Autocrats vs Democrats"
Ambassador Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia and author of Autocrats Versus Democrats, joins Clearer Than Truth to examine how Vladimir Putin transformed Russia’s relationship with the West and why the war in Ukraine remains so difficult to end. McFaul argues that Putin’s greatest fear is not NATO expansion but the spread of democracy, which threatens the legitimacy of his autocrati
Julius Krein | Founder and Editor-In-Chief of American Affairs
Julius Krein, founder and editor of American Affairs, joins Clearer Than Truth to examine why the United States has struggled to rebuild its industrial base even as the case for reindustrialization has entered the mainstream. Krein argues that tariffs alone cannot restore American productive capacity: the country needs strategic investment, skilled workers, coordinated supply chains, permitting re
Barbara Keys | Author of "Super K: The Making, Breaking, and Remaking of Henry Kissinger's Legacy"
Historian Barbara Keys joins Clearer Than Truth to examine the making, breaking, and remaking of Henry Kissinger’s legacy. Drawing on her book Super K: The Making, Breaking, and Remaking of Henry Kissinger’s Legacy, Keys explores how Kissinger cultivated journalists, managed his public image, used personal relationships and behind-the-scenes pressure to influence coverage, and maintained extraordi
Vali Nasr | Dean Emeritus of Johns Hopkins SAIS | Author of "Iran's Grand Strategy"
Vali Nasr joins Clearer Than Truth to explain why Americans often misunderstand the forces shaping the Middle East. Nasr argues that the region cannot be understood simply through religion, terrorism, or ancient sectarian divisions; instead, geopolitics, competition for power, contested borders, resources, and outside intervention are central to understanding its conflicts. He examines the evoluti
James M. Lindsay | Distinguished Senior Fellow | Council on Foreign Relations
James M. Lindsay joins Clearer Than Truth for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of American power and the international system the United States helped build. Lindsay is a longtime scholar of U.S. foreign policy and the policymaking process at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he previously served as senior vice president and director of studies and where he hosts The President&ap
Joby Warrick | Two-Time Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize | Author of "The Jackal"
Joby Warrick returns to Clearer Than Truth to discuss his new book, The Jackal: The Rise and Fall of Carlos the World's First Super-Terrorist. A two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The Washington Post, Warrick has spent decades reporting on terrorism, intelligence failures, and the conflicts shaping the modern Middle East. This time, he goes back to the 1970s to examine the extraor
Richard Overy | Fellow of the British Academy | Renowed Military Historian | Author of Why the Allies Won
Richard Overy is one of the world's leading historians of the Second World War and the history of warfare. In this episode of Clearer Than Truth, Overy draws on decades of research to examine one of the most enduring questions in international politics: why do leaders continue to choose war when history repeatedly demonstrates how difficult it is to control?The conversation begins with the da
Robert Zoellick | Former World Bank President
Robert Zoellick, former U.S. Trade Representative, Deputy Secretary of State, and President of the World Bank, joins Clearer Than Truth for a wide-ranging conversation about globalization, trade, American power, and the future of the international order.Zoellick argues that the backlash against globalization has become intertwined with a broader backlash against elites and established institutions
Declan Walsh | Pulitzer Prize Recipient | Chief Africa Correspondent, The New York Times
Africa is becoming increasingly central to the global order, yet many of its conflicts and political shifts remain overlooked in Western discourse. On this episode of Clearer Than Truth, Nathan speaks with Declan Walsh, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Chief Africa Correspondent for The New York Times, about the forces reshaping the continent.Walsh begins with the war in Sudan, a conflict who
H.W. Brands | Two-Time Pulitzer Prize Finalist | Preeminent Presidential Historian
Two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and acclaimed presidential historian H.W. Brands joins Clearer Than Truth to explore what history can teach us about American leadership, democracy, and the presidency.Brands discusses what separates great presidents from mediocre ones, arguing that the most important quality in a leader is good judgment—the ability to make wise decisions in circumstances where the
Arne Westad | Author of The Coming Storm, Preeminent Cold War Scholar
Arne Westad, one of the world’s leading historians of international history and the Cold War, joins Clearer Than Truth to examine the geopolitical forces reshaping the world.Westad argues that today’s rivalry between the United States and China should not simply be viewed as a new Cold War. Instead, he sees stronger parallels with the period before World War I—a time when a relatively stable inter
Mike Rogers | Former Commander of US Cyber Command | Former Director of the National Security Agency
Admiral Mike Rogers joins hosts Nathan Kiker and George Bogden to assess how cyber deterrence, disinformation, and rapid advances in AI are reshaping strategic competition. Rogers argues that the United States’ most consequential vulnerability is domestic: deep polarization that blocks consensus on hard problems—public debt, social programs, and technology governance—making solutions more costly t
Julian Zelizer | Professor of History at Princeton | CNN Political Analyst
Julian Zelizer joins Nathan Kiker and George Bogden to assess how polarization and party dynamics have reshaped U.S. governance—and why that matters for foreign policy, markets, and national security. He argues that political parties are indispensable institutions that organize interests and enable collective decision-making, but warns that key guardrails and leadership norms have eroded since the
Bojan Pancevski | Chief European Political Correspondent, The Wall Street Journal
Bojan Pancevski, Chief European Political Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal and author of The Nord Stream Conspiracy, unpacks the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines and its far‑reaching strategic consequences. The episode centers on attribution, tradecraft, and the emerging legal case in Germany—an unusually clear window into how a small clandestine team can generate outsized geopolitic
Benjamin Alarie | CEO of Blue J Legal and co-author of Superjustice: The Future of Law
Benjamin Alarie joins hosts Nathan Kiker and George Bogdan to examine how rapidly improving AI systems can strengthen the administration of law—starting with tax, where complexity, volume, and inconsistency have long constrained access to justice. Alarie argues that legal AI is transitioning from promise to performance, producing measurably more accurate and comprehensive research while enabling t
David Ignatius | Associate Editor, The Washington Post
David Ignatius assesses how a fragmenting international order is reshaping U.S. strategy, allied cohesion, and day‑to‑day security. He argues the Middle East is settling into a harder-edged equilibrium: Iran’s hardliners have gained leverage despite battlefield setbacks to Tehran’s proxies; the Strait of Hormuz will likely reopen on Iran’s terms; and Turkey’s assertiveness is now a central strateg
Brad Thor | NYT Bestselling Author of Choke Point
Brad Thor returns to the show to discuss his latest thriller, Choke Point, a geopolitical suspense novel that explores one of the most consequential strategic questions of the 21st century: what happens if China gains control over the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.A #1 New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Scott Harvath series, Thor explains how real-world concerns
Dr. Michael Auslin – Stanford Hoover Institution Fellow & Author of National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America
Dr. Michael Auslin, historian, Hoover Institution fellow, and author of National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America, joins the show to explore the remarkable journey of America's founding document as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.In this conversation, Auslin explains why the Declaration of Independence was originally viewed as a practical wartime necessit
Mark Galeotti - Author of over 25 books on Russia; Director of Mayak Intelligence
Mark Galeotti is one of the world’s foremost experts on Russia, an honorary professor at University College London, director of Mayak Intelligence, and author of more than 30 books on Russian history, intelligence, and organized crime. His latest work, Forged in War, explores the military history of Russia from its origins to the present day.In this episode, Galeotti explains why Vladimir Putin’s
Douglas Brunt - New York Times Best-Selling Author
Douglas Brunt is a New York Times bestselling author, and host of the podcast Dedicated. His latest book, The Lost Empire of Emanuel Nobel, uncovers the forgotten story of the Nobel family’s oil empire — a business that once rivaled Rockefeller’s Standard Oil before being erased from history by the Soviet regime.In this episode, Brunt explores the rise of Emanuel Nobel, nephew of Alfred Nobel, and
Ryan Crocker - Former U.S. Ambassador
Ryan Crocker is one of the most distinguished diplomats in modern American history, serving as U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, and Kuwait over a decades-long diplomatic career at the center of U.S. foreign policy.In this episode, Ambassador Crocker argues that the world is passing through a dangerous geopolitical “hinge point” — one marked by growing instability in
David McCloskey - Co-Host of The Rest is Classified
David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst and presidential briefer, now a bestselling author and co-host of the hit podcast The Rest Is Classified. He is the author of acclaimed spy novels including Damascus Station, Moscow X, and The Persian.In this episode, McCloskey pulls back the curtain on the world of intelligence—explaining why people are so fascinated by espionage and how secret operations c
Kenneth Rogoff - Professor of International Economics at Harvard University
Kenneth Rogoff is a professor of international economics at Harvard University and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund. One of the world’s most influential economists, his work spans financial crises, central banking, and global currency systems. His latest book, Our Dollar, Your Problem, examines the future of U.S. financial dominance.In this episode, Rogoff explains why the
Robert Kaplan | Preeminent Geopolitical Analyst & Author
Robert Kaplan is a bestselling author and geopolitical analyst, known for works like The Revenge of Geography. A longtime foreign affairs correspondent for The Atlantic, he has also advised the Pentagon and served as a leading voice in strategic analysis for decades.In this episode, Kaplan explains how geography and human behavior together shape global conflict—from the Strait of Hormuz to Taiwan.
Nataliya Gumenyuk | CEO & Founder of the Public Interest Journalism Lab (PIJL)
Nataliya Gumenyuk is a Ukrainian journalist, documentary filmmaker, and CEO & founder of the Public Interest Journalism Lab, as well as co-founder of The Reckoning Project. She is one of the leading voices documenting war crimes and pursuing international justice in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine.In this episode, Gumenyuk explains why the war in Ukraine must be understood not just as a
Branko Milanović | Former Lead Economist at the World Bank
Branko Milanović is one of the world’s leading economists and a former lead economist at the World Bank. Known for his groundbreaking work on global inequality, Milanović has spent decades analyzing how wealth and power shift across countries and individuals.In this episode, Milanović argues that the era of neoliberal globalization is over—and is being replaced by what he calls “national liberalis
Charles Kupchan | Senior Fellow and Director of European Studies
Charles Kupchan is a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He previously served on the National Security Council under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, helping shape U.S. policy toward Europe.In this episode, Kupchan explains his concept of “liberal realism” and why he believes the world is entering a new geopo
Ram Charan | Author of China's 90% Model
Ram Charan is a world-renowned business advisor, speaker, and author who has spent decades coaching top CEOs and boards across the globe. He is the author of more than 30 books, including the bestseller Execution, and his latest, China’s 90% Model, argues that Beijing is pursuing a strategy of total industrial dominance.In this episode, Charan outlines his controversial thesis that China’s goal is
Mohammed Soliman | Senior Fellow at The Middle East Institute | Director at McLarty Associates
Mohammed Soliman is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, director at McLarty Associates, and a nonresident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He is also the author of West Asia: A New Grand Strategy for the Middle East.In this episode, Soliman argues that policymakers should stop thinking about the region as the “Middle East” and instead understand it as West Asia—a s
Ravi Agrawal | Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Policy
Ravi Agrawal is the Editor-in-Chief of Foreign Policy and the host of FP Live. In this conversation, he discusses the implications of a new Middle East conflict and what it reveals about America’s evolving role in the global order.Agrawal explains the concept of a “world minus one”—a moment of transition where the United States appears to be stepping back from the international system it helped bu
Benjamin Nathans | Pulitzer Prize Winning Author, To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause
Benjamin Nathans is a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement, an acclaimed work that explores the individuals and ideas behind resistance to Soviet authoritarianism. Nathans’s research focuses on Russian and Soviet history, political dissent, and the
Yukon Huang | Carnegie Endowment | Former World Bank Director: China, Russia
Yukon Huang is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a leading authority on China’s economy and global financial relations. He previously served as the World Bank’s Country Director for China and Russia, giving him firsthand insight into the economic transformations of two major global powers. Huang’s work focuses on China’s growth model, U.S.–China tensions, and th
Edward Luce | Financial Times Chief US Commentator & Columnist | Author of Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America's Great Power Prophet
Edward Luce is the chief U.S. commentator and columnist for the Financial Times, where he covers American politics, foreign policy, and global power shifts. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America’s Great Power Prophet, a definitive biography of one of the most influential strategic thinkers of the Cold War era. Luce is widely respected
Brad Thor | New York Times Bestselling Author | Author of Cold Zero with Ward Larsen
Brad Thor is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the most prominent voices in the modern thriller genre. Best known for his long-running Scot Harvath series, Thor’s novels explore terrorism, intelligence, and global security with meticulous research and real-world insight. His latest work, Cold Zero, co-authored with Ward Larsen, continues his tradition of high-stakes storytelling gr
Jeffrey Sachs | Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University
Jeffrey Sachs is an economist, university professor, and influential author known for his work in sustainable development. He is the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and the President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. His notable roles at the United Nations include serving as a Special Advisor to three different UN Secretaries-General: Ko
Dmitri Alperovitch | Author, The World on the Brink | Co-Founder: Crowdstrike
Dmitri Alperovitch is a cybersecurity expert, entrepreneur, and author of The World on the Brink: How the Hybrid World War Threatens Our Future. He is the co-founder and former CTO of CrowdStrike, a global leader in cyber threat intelligence and defense, and currently serves in senior advisory roles shaping how governments and organizations respond to digital conflict and nation-state cyber operat
Peter Pomerantsev | Best-Selling Author - Nothing is True and Everything is Possible
Peter Pomerantsev is a best-selling author, journalist, and leading expert on propaganda, disinformation, and modern information warfare. He is the author of Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible and This Is Not Propaganda, widely regarded as essential books for understanding how authoritarian regimes manipulate media and reality itself. Pomerantsev has advised governments and institutions on
Nicolas Niarchos | Author, The Elements of Power Writer, The New Yorker
Nicolas Niarchos is a staff writer at The New Yorker covering foreign affairs, geopolitics, and global power dynamics. He’s the author of The Elements of Power: Gadgets, Guns, and the Struggle for a New Global Order, a deeply researched book that explores how control over critical elements like rare minerals, weapons, and technology shapes international politics. Niarchos’s work brings sharp insig
Stephen Walt | Columnist | Foreign Policy Professor, Harvard Kennedy School
Stephen M. Walt is a renowned columnist for Foreign Policy and the Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School. A leading scholar in foreign policy theory and U.S. grand strategy, Walt is best known for his work on realism, alliance politics, and international security. His influential books include The Origins of Alliances, Taming American Power, The
Tim Bouverie | Author, Appeasing Hitler, Allies at War
Tim Bouverie is a British historian, journalist, and bestselling author specializing in World War II and modern European history. His acclaimed debut, Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War, explores the diplomatic failures that paved the way for conflict, and his latest book, Allies at War, examines the fractious wartime relationship between Britain and the United States. A
Yaakov Katz | Former Editor-in-Chief , Jerusalem Post
Yaakov Katz is an Israeli-American author, journalist, and senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute in Jerusalem. He served as editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post from 2016 to 2023 and continues to write a popular weekly column while appearing regularly as an analyst on CNN and the BBC. Katz is the author of Shadow Strike: Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Pow
Max Boot | The Washington Post | The Council on Foreign Relations
Max Boot is a senior columnist for The Washington Post and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. A leading voice on U.S. foreign policy, national security, and military history, he has advised senior policymakers and served as a defense analyst for multiple administrations. Boot is also the author of several acclaimed books, including The Road Not Taken, Invisible Armies, and War Ma
Ilan Berman | Senior Vice President, American Foreign Policy | Author of "The New Imperialists"
Ilan Berman is Senior Vice President of American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC) in Washington, D.C., and a leading expert on security issues in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Russia. He has consulted for the CIA and U.S. Defense and State Departments, and advised congressional offices on foreign policy and national security. Berman is also an adjunct professor at the Institute of World Politics
Edward Fishman | Author of Chokepoints
Edward Fishman is a leading scholar of economic statecraft and a former U.S. diplomat who helped design sanctions policies at the State Department and Treasury. He is currently a Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and also teaches at its Center on Global Energy Policy. His book Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare (2025
Barry Posen | Director Emeritus | MIT Security Studies Program
Barry R. Posen is the Ford International Professor of Political Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Director Emeritus of its MIT Security Studies Program. A leading scholar in grand strategy and defense policy, his influential works include Restraint: A New Foundation for U.S. Grand Strategy and The Sources of Military Doctrine. Posen continues to shape debates on global power shi
Scott Kennedy | CSIS | Chair in Chinese Economics
Scott Kennedy is Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). A leading authority on Chinese economic policy and U.S.–China commercial relations, he has traveled to China for nearly four decades and focuses on China’s industrial policy, tech innovation, and global economic governance. His publications include The B
Don Bentley | Author of "Denied Access"
Don Bentley is a bestselling American thriller author and former FBI Special Agent, SWAT team member, and U.S. Army Apache helicopter pilot. He currently continues the legacy of Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series, with his newest novel Denied Access, which takes fans back to Rapp’s early days as he battles threats to the CIA and a lover in peril. Bentley’s diverse writing portfolio also includes the
Jake Tapper | CNN Anchor | Author of "Race Against Terror
Jake Tapper is a prominent CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent, and the author of Race Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War. His book uncovers the high-stakes global hunt to prosecute an al Qaeda operative who surrendered during the Arab Spring and sheds light on the challenges of delivering justice in the War on Terror. Tapper is also known for his p
Jack Carr | Former Navy Seal | Author: The Terminal List, Cry Havoc, Targeted Beirut
Jack Carr is a former U.S. Navy SEAL turned bestselling author known for his high-octane military thrillers. He burst onto the scene with The Terminal List, which was adapted into a Prime Video series, and has since written several more in the Reece series including Red Sky Mourning and Cry Havoc. In addition to fiction, he’s the author of Targeted: Beirut, a nonfiction work exploring the 1983 Bei
Karen House | Former Managing Editor, Wall Street Journal | Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize | Author of "The Man Who Would Be King"
Karen Elliott House is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and former managing editor, publisher, and international editor at The Wall Street Journal with over four decades of experience covering Saudi Arabia. Her latest book, The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia (2025), draws on exclusive interviews with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and offers
Oona Hathaway | Professor of International Law at Yale Law | President of the American Society of International Law
Oona A. Hathaway is the Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law at Yale Law School and President-Elect of the American Society of International Law (ASIL), beginning her presidency in 2026. She also holds appointments at Yale’s Department of Political Science and the MacMillan Center, and directs the Center for Global Legal Challenges. A leading scholar of international
Paul Poast | World Politics Review | University of Chicago
Paul Poast is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago, where he also serves as Deputy Dean for Doctoral Education and directs the Summer Institute for Social Research Methods. He’s a nonresident senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and a foreign affairs columnist for World Politics Review. His research cove
Ryan Hass | Director of the Brookings Institution's | Former Director for China, National Security Council
Ryan Hass is an American foreign policy analyst and diplomat currently serving as the director of the John L. Thornton China Center and the Chen-Fu and Cecilia Yen Koo Chair in Taiwan Studies at the Brookings Institution. A former U.S. diplomat, he held senior roles including Director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolian Affairs at the National Security Council during the Obama administration, and ser
Einat Wilf | Former Member of Knesset | Author of "The War of Return"
Einat Wilf is an Israeli intellectual, author, and former Knesset member (2010–2013), known for her insightful work on Zionism, Israeli education, and foreign policy. She has held roles as an intelligence officer in the IDF, foreign policy adviser to Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, and strategic consultant at McKinsey & Company. A Harvard (BA), INSEAD (MBA), and Cambridge (PhD) alumnus, Wilf
Jon Lee Anderson | Staff Writer, The New Yorker | Author of "To Lose a War" and "Che Guevara, A Revolutionary Life"
Jon Lee Anderson is an acclaimed biographer, investigative reporter, and war correspondent currently writing for The New Yorker, where he has been a staff writer since 1998. Over his distinguished career, he’s reported from conflicts across the globe—including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, Liberia, Angola, Mali, and more—and contributed to major outlets like The New York Times, Harper’s, Life
Graham Markiewicz | National Security Attorney
Graham Markiewicz is the Executive Director of the Security and Democracy Forum and a seasoned national security policy advisor. He served as defense policy adviser for U.S. Senate, deployed twice to Afghanistan as an infantry officer, and previously held staff roles on Capitol Hill. A graduate of West Point and Boston College Law School, he combines military experience, legal expertise, and publi
Demkó Attila | Hungarian Security Expert
Demkó Attila is a Hungarian security policy expert, former diplomat, and historian based in Budapest. He holds a PhD in history and political theory from Eötvös Loránd University and has trained at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and the Manfred Wörner Foundation. From 1999 to 2018, he served in senior roles in Hungary’s Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence—including leadi
Yaroslav Trofimov | Wall Street Journal, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Author of Our Enemies Will Vanish and No Country for Love
Yaroslav Trofimov is the Chief Foreign‑Affairs Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, reporting on global conflicts since 1999. Born in Kyiv, he has spent much of the past three years on the frontlines of the Russian‑Ukraine war and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his coverage in both 2022 and 2023. His recent nonfiction, Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Ind
Dana Stroul | Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East
Dana Stroul is Director of Research and Shelly & Michael Kassen Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a role she assumed in February 2024. From 2021 to 2023, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, leading U.S. defense policy amid crises like the Israel–Hamas War and Iran’s regional actions. Prior roles include senior staff on the Sena
Eliot A. Cohen | American Political Scientist | Former Counselor in the United States Department of State
Eliot A. Cohen is a leading authority in international security and strategic affairs. He holds the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at CSIS and is Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins SAIS, where he served as dean from 2019 to 2021. Previously, he was Counselor of the U.S. State Department under Secretary Condoleezza Rice (2007–2009), advising on Iraq, Afghanistan, and Russia. A prolific author,
Judy Woodruff | Former Anchor and Managing Editor PBS Newshour
Judy Woodruff is a veteran broadcast journalist with a career spanning over five decades. She served as the anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour from 2013 to 2022, becoming the sole anchor following the passing of co-anchor Gwen Ifill in 2016. Woodruff has covered every U.S. presidential election and convention since 1976 and has held prominent roles at NBC, CNN, and PBS. She is renowned for
Arash Azizi | Writer & Historian
Arash Azizi is an Iranian writer, historian, and journalist whose work explores the intersections of politics, culture, and society in Iran and the broader Middle East. His latest book, What Iranians Want: Women, Life, Freedom, delves into the aspirations and struggles of Iranians seeking a normal life under a repressive regime. Azizi's insightful analysis sheds light on various forms of acti
James M. Scott
James M. Scott is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author renowned for his compelling narratives on military history. His latest book, Targeted: Beirut, co-authored with Jack Carr, delves into the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon, offering a meticulously researched account based on survivor interviews, military records, and personal documents . Scott's previous
Philip Zelikow
Philip Zelikow is an American diplomat, historian, and academic, best known for serving as executive director of the 9/11 Commission. He was Counselor of the U.S. State Department under Secretary Condoleezza Rice and has held senior academic roles at the University of Virginia and Stanford’s Hoover Institution. Zelikow’s work spans diplomacy, national security, and the writing of history, with a f
Chris Whipple
Chris Whipple is a renowned journalist and author, best known for his in-depth analyses of American political institutions. His latest book, Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History, offers a detailed account of the 2024 presidential election, providing insider perspectives on the campaigns of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump. Whipple&apos
Ben Hodges
Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe (2014–2017), is a Senior Advisor to Human Rights First and NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics. He co-authored Future War and the Defence of Europe and frequently provides analysis on European security matters in international media.Support the show
Terry McAuliffe
Terry McAuliffe is a seasoned political leader and businessman who served as the 72nd Governor of Virginia. A former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, he has been a key figure in national and state politics, focusing on economic growth, job creation, and education.4oSupport the show
Dr. Andrew A. Michta
Dr. Andrew A. Michta is a Senior Fellow at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council and term life member at the Council on Foreign Relations.Support the show
Rupert Wainwright & David Dodson
In a special episode of Clearer Than Truth, Nathan is joined by Grammy winner Rupert Wainwright (Stigmata, The Fog) and filmmaker David Dodson to discuss their latest collaboration - HEROES UKRAINEMake sure to check out Rupert and David's incredible music video here - https://youtu.be/M5SOkb7M2HoSupport the show
Saleha Mohsin
Saleha Mohsin is the author of PAPER SOLDIERS, a compelling exploration of financial power and politics. As a Senior Washington Correspondent for Bloomberg News, she covers the intersection of economics and policy, bringing clarity to complex global financial systems. Saleha is also the host of The Big Take DC podcast, where she interviews key decision-makers and thought leaders shaping the nation
Joshua Landis
Joshua M. Landis is an American academic and leading expert on the Middle East, with a particular focus on Syria. He directs the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma and has been the author of the blog Syria Comment since 2004.Support the show
Kelley Currie
Kelley Currie is an American human rights lawyer and former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues (2020–2021). She has served as the U.S. Representative to the U.N. Economic and Social Council and Acting Deputy U.S. Representative to the U.N. A former senior fellow at the Project 2049 Institute, Currie has held senior roles in the U.S. State Department and various human rights organiz
Joby Warrick
Joby Warrick is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author who has been a member of The Washington Post’s National staff since 1996. Specializing in Middle East issues, terrorism, and weapons proliferation, Warrick has authored three acclaimed nonfiction books, including Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and America's Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World and Black Flags
Tom Gardner
Tom Gardner is The Economist’s Africa correspondent, based in Nairobi. With nearly a decade of experience, including time in Addis Ababa during the 2020-22 Tigray war, his reporting on Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa has appeared in The Guardian, Foreign Policy, and The Atlantic. His first book, The Abiy Project: God, Power and War in the New Ethiopia, was published in 2024.Support the show
James Barnett
James Barnett is a research fellow at the Hudson Institute, specializing in conflict, terrorism, and geopolitics in Africa. With extensive fieldwork experience in conflict zones, he has conducted research in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Ukraine.Support the show
Michael J. Williams
Michael John Williams is associate professor of international affairs and director of international relations graduate programs at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He specializes in international security, NATO, and European-Russian relations. Trained at the London School of Economics, he brings an interdisciplinary approach to examining society-military
2024 Election Results w/Matthew Klein
Matthew Klein is a returning guest and analyst at The Cook Political Report. He’s back to discuss the results of the 2024 election, offering nonpartisan insights into U.S. House and gubernatorial outcomes.Support the show
Matthew Klein
Matthew Klein is an analyst at The Cook Political Report, where he collaborates with editors to provide nonpartisan insights on U.S. House and gubernatorial elections. On election nights, he manages the publication's social media updates and oversees key site features like the House Open Seats Chart. Originally from Maryland, Matthew holds a B.A. in Political Science from Emory University, wh
Drew Petrimoulx
Drew Petrimoulx is an award-winning filmmaker, video producer, journalist, and Show Host for The Hill. Based in Washington, DC, he co-founded Framed Up Productions, where he helps clients craft compelling stories that connect with target audiences. His work spans every stage of production, from development to editing, and he frequently collaborates with major TV networks to report on key U.S. and
Michael Lind
Michael Lind is a historian, author, and scholar specializing in U.S. political and economic history, democratic nationalism, and foreign policy. His notable books include The Next American Nation, Land of Promise, and The New Class War. A fifth-generation Texan, Lind has taught at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Texas, where he is now a Professor of Practice at the Lyndon B. Johnson
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