The Long Game is a weekly national security podcast hosted by Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s National Security Advisor, and Jon Finer, his Principal Deputy—senior aides who sat in on the classified Presidential Daily Brief each morning and translated raw intelligence into policy advice. Each week, Jake and Jon will pull back the curtain on how power really works helping you make sense of the national security stories unfolding today.
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Israel Votes. What Changes?
#38 trending · News Commentary
Israelis are preparing to vote in their first election since the October 7 terrorist attacks. Barak Ravid, global affairs correspondent for Axios, joins Jake and Jon to d
Oct 22 1 h 14 min
A Diesel Deal With Russia, a Dilemma for NATO, Houthis Escalate Saudi Arabia Attacks
President Trump has struck a diesel deal with Russia as fuel prices squeeze Americans. But what does easing restrictions on Russian exports mean for Ukraine and for effor
Oct 15 1 h 16 min
How China Changed the Oil Market—and the Iran War
Javier Blas, Bloomberg Opinion’s energy and commodities columnist, joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to explain why the Iran war has produced an oil market few expected:
Oct 12 1 h 12 min
Anne Applebaum on the Grifters and Ideologues Reshaping US Foreign Policy
Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and staff writer at The Atlantic, joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to discuss how far-right ideology and private profit hav
Oct 1 1 h 03 min
The U.S.–China Relationship Is Moving in Two Directions
PHOTO CREDIT
China experts Jessica Chen Weiss, David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS, and Julian Gewirtz, fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center
Sep 24 1 h 07 min
U.S. Intelligence Under Assault and the High-Stakes AI Race With China
Julia Curlee, a former CIA analyst and acting senior director at the National Security Council, joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to explain why she believes America’s in
Sep 17 1 h 19 min
25 Years After 9/11: Admiral McRaven’s Warning for America
25 Years After 9/11: Admiral McRaven’s Warning for America
Retired Admiral William H. McRaven, former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and Joint Special Oper
Sep 10 1 h 07 min
Iran’s “Economic D-Day” and the US-Canada Rupture
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the U.S. is entering “the endgame” with Iran, launching what he calls an “economic D-Day.” Closer to home, U.S.-Canada trade talks h
Aug 27 1 h 07 min
Corruption in a Shameless Age (with Patrick Radden Keefe)
Acclaimed investigative journalist and New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to discuss his new book, London Falling.
They disc
Aug 6 1 h 07 min
Can Europe Defend Itself Without America? Radek Sikorski on NATO & Ukraine
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław “Radek” Sikorski joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to assess Europe’s security at a moment of growing strain in
Jul 30 1 h 01 min
Why Zelensky Fired His War Chiefs & Where Trump's Iran War Goes Next
Zelensky just fired his defense minister, his top general, and his prime minister in a single reshuffle — and thousands of Ukrainians poured into the streets. Jake Sulliv
Jul 23 53 min
Trump’s Election Playbook, Explained by Jocelyn Benson
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to discuss the security of the 2026 midterm elections — just a day before President Trump’s p
Jul 15 1 h 02 min
Heather Cox Richardson on Democracy, Alliances, and America's Future
Historian and author of the “Letters From An American” newsletter Heather Cox Richardson joined Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to discuss the historical roots of today's pol
Jul 9 36 min
America at 250: A Net Assessment (w/ Robert Kagan)
As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, how should Americans assess the country's strength, its democracy, and its role in the world?
Recorded live at the As
Jul 1 1 h 00 min
Timothy Snyder on Iran, Ukraine, and the Future of Freedom
Historian and “On Tyranny” author Timothy Snyder joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to discuss the Iran war and ceasefire negotiations, the state of the Russia-Ukraine con
Jun 24 28 min
Did America Lose the Iran War? (w/ Ambassador Wendy Sherman)
President Trump says the war with Iran is over. But what exactly did the United States agree to?
Ambassador Wendy Sherman, the lead U.S. negotiator of the 2015 Iran nucl
Jun 18 1 h 12 min
What the World Cup Reveals About Global Politics (w/ Franklin Foer)
As the World Cup kicks off, what can soccer tell us about the state of the world?
Franklin Foer, author of “How Soccer Explains the World,” joins the show to discuss why
Jun 12 48 min
Is Ukraine Now Winning the War Against Russia? (w/Michael Kofman)
More than four years into the Russia-Ukraine war, has the battlefield finally begun to shift?
Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer sit down with Michael Kofman, one of the leadin
Jun 4 1 h 09 min
Iran Talks and Trump’s Cuba Strategy w/Ricardo Zúñiga
President Trump is simultaneously pursuing peace talks with Iran while escalating U.S. military pressure in the region following recent strikes. Jake Sullivan and Jon Fin
May 28 1 h 11 min
America’s Cybersecurity Crisis Starts With Software (w/Jen Easterly)
President Trump is preparing to sign a major executive order on AI and cybersecurity at a moment of growing concern over cyber threats from China, Russia, Iran, and crimi
May 22 1 h 07 min
Chart trend
Position in the News Commentary chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#53#105JulAugSepOct
#4
all-time peak
21
days in the top 10 since Nov 2025
Chart positions
Where The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 25, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
Excellent conversations with very well informed and interesting people with multiple points of view. I learn so much from this show - valuable information on US policy and world affairs that is not covered anywhere else.
MyFolly · Oct 2026
Maybe not the “sexiest” podcast but that’s why I like it — no bloviating hosts and guests, just the straight dope. I dislike the whole personality thing — which hosts of podcasts (and their egos), even about serious political issues, often seem to get wrapped up in. (If Trump has taught us anything, isn’t it that the “cult” of personality is, like, a really stupid reason to like something, including podcasts?) So Jake and Jon, go on with your bad nerdy selves!
Elisabeth-Ann · Oct 2026
The Long Game has quickly become my favorite podcast. Every episode is an education. Jake & Jon are absolutely brilliant. Their thoughtful, articulate discussions and logical analysis of global affairs explain why they served as advisors to world leaders. I regurgitate what they say at family dinners to make myself sound smarter than I am.
j182749502 · Sep 2026
An excellent podcast discussing the current state of foreign affairs. The hosts have fantastic real-world insights based on their past experience as White House advisors. They have fantastic guests from across the political spectrum. It’s a treat to listen to a rational, sane analysis of current events in the world rather than the sensational or propaganda slop that’s served up on cable shows these days.
ElDiablo556 · Sep 2026
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
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About The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer on Reason.fm
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
