Formerly known as Intelligence Matters, the NatSec Matters podcast features former senior national security officials Michael Allen, Jeremy Bash, and Andrew Shapiro as they interview top leaders in national security, including intelligence officers, military leaders, and policymakers, on the most critical security challenges of our time. Their interviews offer insights into the world's most pressing problems and assess the effectiveness of U.S. policy responses. They also explore the biographies and careers of individuals who have devoted their lives to protecting our nation, offering listeners a rare glimpse into the inner workings of national security decision-making. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please email our team at bgs@bgsdc.com.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Iran's Uprising, Regime Survival, and the View from Tehran: Holly Dagres
#34 trending · Government
Michael is joined by Holly Dagres, the Libitzky Family Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and editor of The Iranist, for a unique look at the
Sep 16 40 min
Russian Resolve and Ukraine's 'Theory of Victory': Peter Rough
Michael is joined by Peter Rough, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute, to dissect the stalled diplomatic efforts to res
Michael is joined by Clay Seigle, Managing Director of Beacon Global Strategies' newly announced energy practice and former James R. Schlesinger Chair at CSIS, for an exp
Sep 2 30 min
Netanyahu's Next Test: Yaakov Katz
Michael is joined by Yaakov Katz, former Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post and author of While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Mid
Aug 27 52 min
From Hormuz to the Indo-Pacific: Richard Fontaine
Michael is joined by Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security and former National Security Council official, for a strategic tour of the world's mo
Aug 20 45 min
Confronting Iran's Demands & Washington's Dilemma: Richard Nephew
Michael is joined by Richard Nephew, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and former NSC Director for Iran, to discuss the unce
Aug 12 51 min
Moscow's Economic Fragility and Kyiv's Strategic Edge: Glenn Corn
Michael is joined by Glenn Corn, former CIA Chief of Station and foreign policy expert with over 34 years of experience across the U.S. intelligence, defense, and diploma
Aug 5 39 min
Churchill's Choices in Ukraine and What's Next in the Strait of Hormuz: Adm. Mark Montgomery
Michael is joined by Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (F
Jul 29 40 min
'The Nord Stream Conspiracy' - Sabotage, Spies, and the Baltic Sea Explosion: Bojan Pancevski
Michael is joined by Bojan Pancevski, Chief European Political Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, to discuss his new book, The Nord Stream Conspiracy: The Inside
Jul 22 47 min
Testing the Transatlantic Security Pact: Dr. Alina Polyakova & Peter Rough
Michael is joined by Dr. Alina Polyakova, President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, and Peter Rough, Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at t
Jul 15 58 min
The New Era of Global Espionage: Anthony Vinci
Michael speaks with Anthony Vinci, former career intelligence officer and the first Chief Technology Officer of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. They discuss
Jul 8 43 min
The Geopolitical Stakes of Frontier AI: Dr. Dr. Divyansh Kaushik
Special guest host Klon Kitchen, Managing Director for the Global Technology Policy Practice at Beacon Global Strategies, is joined by Dr. Divyansh Kaushik, machine learn
Jul 1 56 min
Deciphering the Iran Ceasefire: Amb. Jeffrey Feltman
Andrew Shapiro is joined by Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, whose distinguished diplomatic career includes serving as U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and A
Jun 24 43 min
Backyard Hegemony - Reasserting U.S. Influence in the Western Hemisphere: David Shedd
Michael is joined by David Shedd, former Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and a veteran intelligence officer, for a comprehensive look at the shifting g
Jun 17 50 min
'Leapfrogging' Diplomacy: Dr. Nadia Schadlow
Michael is joined by Dr. Nadia Schadlow, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy, to discuss the architecture of U.
Jun 10 53 min
The Price of Peace in Iran: Richard Nephew
Michael is joined by Richard Nephew, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University and former Director for Iran at the National Security Council, to examine the fragile
May 31 41 min
Reading Between the Lines - What's Hidden in the New Iran Agreement: Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs and Rich Goldberg
Michael is joined by Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, Senior Fellow and Director of the Keystone Defense Initiative at the Hudson Institute, and Rich Goldberg, Senior Advisor a
May 27 56 min
Operation Epic Fury 2?: Adm. Robert Harward
Michael Allen is joined by Admiral (Ret.) Robert "Bob" Harward, former Deputy Commander of CENTCOM and a retired Navy SEAL, for an intensely candid look at what he believ
May 20 1 h 01 min
Special Episode - The Political Firestorm at 10 Downing Street: Dr. Alan Mendoza
Michael is joined by Dr. Alan Mendoza, Chief Advisor for Global Affairs for the U.K.'s Reform Party, to explain the political firestorm engulfing Prime Minister Keir Star
May 15 52 min
Trump's Beijing Detour & China's Role in the Iran Endgame: Craig Singleton
Michael is joined by Craig Singleton, Senior Director of the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to preview the long-delayed summit between Presid
May 13 39 min
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Chart positions
Where NatSec Matters ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 20, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
Typically, and over the last couple of years of my listening, the show has offered a fair and reputable perspective on national security issues, foreign affairs, and global security policy. However, in early 2026, a shift became noticeable: the conversations around Venezuela and Iran revealed deep-seated neoconservative and borderline warhawk rhetoric between both host and guests. Leading up to the 28 February strikes in Iran, the host and some of the guests appeared to be salivating at the idea of war, including decapitation of the regime in Iran. I was saddened by this as a loyal listener; it seemed to mark a departure from nuanced discussions about national security policy and a pivot backward to conversations rooted in failed Bush/Cheney-era, over-the-horizon, and post-Cold War foreign policy.
Aabbccddeeffgg77231 · Mar 2026
The deep dives with all the guests makes it very enjoyable to learn about current events from people with exceptional knowledge who have spent years in their respective fields. Would be great to hear about more domestic security issues, but I enjoy the excellent coverage of multiple theaters of operation.
Chadillac253 · Jan 2026
This is a welcome addition to my podcast list…listening to old time radio intelligence reports on Vietnam doesn’t compare to this wonderful educational experience. Keep on rock and rolling Andy and mike!
Freedom is defended by intelligence professionals and important defensive preparedness. Y’all explore vast amounts of educational material that teens and adults need to listen too. Thanks to your advertisers for realizing this important podcast needs to be funded for the experience of intelligence and educational materials…you are noticed by listeners like myself.
hippie bippie · Nov 2024
Morell & his guests provide a wealth of info in an interesting fashion. Sometimes I wonder whether they slipped into the classified realm on some discussions. It is a great resource!
P4RSC · Jun 2024
I listened to Intelligence Matters for years, and it was a balanced, thoughtful podcast that explored the most pressing issues in national security and foreign policy. However, in the last few months, the tenor of the show has changed markedly. Things are notably more conservative and hawkish with respect to foreign policy. Although there are still some interesting discussions and debates, I find that there is simply too much credibility laundering and post hoc rationalization for the foreign policy actions of the current administration, presenting Trump as a bold thinker who dares to do what no president has done before, who apparently has some fictional overarching global strategy approach. There is too little discussion about the limitations of U.S. global power, insufficient attention to how current policy decisions and a new hostile stance towards long standing US allied may have lasting and long term consequences. This podcast now seems to rubber stamp the actions of the current administration, wrapped in a layer of pseudo-intellectualism. It seems farcical to think that our president could even comprehend, remain attentive to, or meaningfully engage in the level of detail discussed by interviewees here - to suggest that this is the lens through which he is making policy decisions is disingenuous at best.
Ryanstudent2 · Jun 2026
The podcast hosts and guests are fine for the topic, but timeliness and transparency are major opportunities. In fact, this podcast will post reruns of old episodes without any disclosure that it is a rerun in the title (or audio or description!). So, for example, you may listen to December’s rerun of an August episode with Craig Singleton and wonder why Craig keeps making forecasts about things in the past (“…through November”, “…this Fall”, etc.). Until a podcast successfully executes the basics, it hasn’t reached three stars. Happy to update the review as things improve.
Byrd Nick · Jan 2026
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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of NatSec Matters, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
