Sources & Methods

Latest episodes

Showing 8 · updated from the feed

How Sept. 11 reshaped national security

It’s been 25 years since al-Qaida attacked the United States by hijacking airplanes and crashing them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, with a fourth plane cr

Sep 9
1 h 01 min

Trump's oil deal / A year of boat strikes / Could Iran become a forever war?

The U.S. military is blowing up boats again. And it is taking a stake in the Venezuelan oil business. What is the administration trying to achieve in the Western Hemisphe

Sep 3
26 min

Six months of Iran war / Gains and losses / CIA Chief in Moscow

It’s been six months since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran. Is anyone winning? On the one-year anniversary of this podcast, Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with

Aug 27
33 min

South Korea military drills / Pivot to Asia? / USS Lincoln

This week, President Trump ordered that annual military drills between the U.S. and South Korea be scaled back. He also said he’d like to meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong

Aug 20
28 min

Trump’s AF1 ruse / Military at the polls? / Civilian casualties abroad

A president is stashed away in a catering truck -- a ruse to escape a threat from Iran. The White House press corps was clueless. Who else remained in the dark and how

Aug 13
30 min

Did Iran hack U.S. water systems? / Cyberwarfare abroad / Ukraine’s air defense gap

In the past week, seven U.S. states have reported cyberattacks on their water facilities. Some in the cybersecurity industry suspect Iran was responsible. Is this a new

Aug 6
33 min

A trip to the world’s frayed edges with Hannah Lucinda Smith’s 'Hinterlands'

A new book makes the case that if we look closely at hidden conflicts unfolding around the globe, we can glimpse a new world order taking shape. The book is called Hinte

Aug 4
26 min

Introducing Sources & Methods

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

Aug 25 2025
1 min

Chart trend

Position in the Politics chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#69#136JunJulAugSep

#3

all-time peak

10

days in the top 3 since Aug 2025

Chart positions

Where Sources & Methods ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 15, 2026).

#104 ▼ 14 News US

#35 ▼ 2 Politics US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

As someone who knows very little abut a lot of things, adding this show to my Podcast arsenal keeps me learning about National Security. I recommend this new podcast to anyone interested in NPR or keeping up with America’s current affairs. The topics thus far have intersected mostly with politics, information technology, security and intel both domestic and abroad. Please listen and subscribe so we can keep this show on the air!

jrsmith817 · Oct 2025

My new favorite podcast from NPR. Mary Louise Kelly has been one of my go to reporters on anything foreign policy for years. When I heard she created a podcast I didn’t hesitate to listen. I have enjoyed not only the news worth coverage but the insights into the process of reporting these stories. Keep it up!

Mwaite08 · Oct 2025

Up first and the politics podcast are my main drawer to NPR. I’m less into the more specialized content. This is now part of my news trilogy from NPR, and it’s a must listen. The politics podcast covers the domestic stuff so well, and this is finally a great podcast that focus is more on the world and security issues. Like NPR and Tom Clancy had a baby.

Terry212am · Oct 2025

This show combines one of the best NPR hosts with some of the best NPR reporters to give a high quality deep dive into some top international relations issues of the week. It is well researched, high quality journalism. Mary Louise sets a tone of genuine curiosity that makes the listener eager to learn. I really enjoy this show!

Erabs · Oct 2025

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.