• S9 Ep63: How Global Finance Influences Geopolitics with Emmanuel Daniel
    Aug 9 2025
    How does financial architecture shape the global order? Chris is joined by Emmanuel Daniel—author of The Great Transition and founder of TAB Global—for a sweeping look at how banking, capital markets, and emerging technologies are redefining geopolitics. They explore the evolution of the US dollar, the impact of digital currencies, and whether China can build a viable alternative to Western capital markets. Emmanuel explains how the US became a financial superpower, why tariffs may backfire, and how AI and blockchain are transforming both power and inequality. Plus: why the next dominant players may not be large states at all.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs.

    Find more about Emmanuel on his website: https://www.emmanueldaniel.com
    Follow Emmanuel on Twitter/X: https://x.com/#!/EmmanuelDaniel


    Join Chris on a one-day Podcast Course:
    Podcast Workshop Monday 22nd September 10am - 5pm @ The Guildford Institute:
    https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1477046087609?aff=oddtdtcreator

    Please share the episode:
    Audio: https://pod.fo/e/30e0a0
    Video: https://youtu.be/AF_LsbqpN9c

    Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
    Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996
    Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg
    For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com

    Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies
    Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies
    Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

    Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:
    https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social
    https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net

    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird

    Secrets and Spies is a spy podcast that sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
    Más Menos
    58 m
  • S9 Ep62: The Information Animal: Humans, Technology, and the Competition for Reality with Alicia Wanless
    Aug 5 2025
    How do we make sense of truth in a world saturated with content? This week, Chris speaks with Alicia Wanless—director of the Information Environment Project at the Carnegie Endowment and author of The Information Animal—to explore how humans have always wrestled with information, long before the internet. They unpack the patterns that emerge when new technologies reshape how we communicate, why influence operations aren’t new, and how today’s information warfare fits into a much older story. From ancient Athens to spam, and social media to national security, Wanless explains why understanding ourselves as “information animals” is key to confronting the chaos of the digital age.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs.

    Find more about Alicia on her website and blog: https://lageneralista.com
    Find more about the Carnegie Endowment’s Information Project: https://carnegieendowment.org/projects/information-environment-project

    Follow Alicia on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/lageneralista.ca

    Order The Information Animal: https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/05/the-information-animal-humans-technology-and-the-competition-for-reality

    Please share this episode using these links
    Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3083cd
    YouTube: https://youtu.be/7nsXSlXoiBU

    Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
    Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996
    Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg
    For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com

    Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies
    Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies
    Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

    Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:
    https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social
    https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net

    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photo by Alicja Nowakowska/iStock

    Secrets and Spies is a spy podcast that sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
    Más Menos
    1 h y 21 m
  • S9 Ep53: Terror Without a Cause: Nihilism, Youth, and the New Extremist Threat with Jacob Ware
    Jul 30 2025
    This week, Matt is joined by terrorism researcher Jacob Ware to unpack the rise of nihilistic violent extremism—attacks carried out by disaffected young men radicalized online without any clear political goal. They explore how social media fuels this chaotic new threat, why the FBI created a new classification for it, and what makes networks like 764 and the Order of Nine Angles so dangerous. Then, they turn to the recent string of violent antisemitic attacks in the US and what they reveal about the blurred lines between far-left, far-right, and jihadist extremism. It’s a disturbing look at the future of terrorism, and what it means when violence itself becomes the ideology. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. Get Jacob’s book, God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America: https://www.cfr.org/book/god-guns-and-sedition https://www.amazon.com/God-Guns-Sedition-Far-Right-Terrorism/dp/0231211228 Jacob’s work for the Council on Foreign Relations: https://www.cfr.org/expert/jacob-ware Jacob’s work for Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/contributors/jware Follow Jacob on Bluesky & Twitter/X: https://bsky.app/profile/jacobware.bsky.social https://x.com/Jacob_A_Ware Reporting discussed in the episode "Nihilistic Violent Extremism: A Valuable Stride Forward in American Counterterrorism" by Jacob Ware | Just Security: https://www.justsecurity.org/113463/nihilistic-violent-extremism-american-counterterrorism/ "Killing for Nothing: The Bizarre Logic of the Palm Springs Bomber" by Luke Baumgartner | Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/killing-for-nothing--the-bizarre-logic-of-the-palm-springs-bomber "Order of Nine Angles" by Nick Lowles | Hope Not Hate: https://hopenothate.org.uk/2019/02/16/state-of-hate-2019-order-of-nine-angles/ "The Rise of Antisemitism and Political Violence in the U.S." by Callum Sutherland | Time Magazine: https://time.com/7287941/rise-of-antisemitism-political-violence-in-united-states/ "Court papers say suspect in embassy killings declared, ‘I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza’" by Eric Tucker, Michael Kunzelman, and Alanna Durkin Richer | Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-10307b3b1a2a337e76730736b12ebbcb Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
    Más Menos
    58 m
  • S9 Ep60: QAnon and the Mainstreaming of Extremism with Mike Rothschild
    Jul 30 2025
    Author and conspiracy researcher Mike Rothschild joins Chris to unpack the rise, evolution, and enduring influence of QAnon. They explore its blend of old and new conspiracies, its gamified social appeal, and the algorithmic fuel behind its viral spread. Mike explains how QAnon adapted across borders, embedded itself into mainstream politics, and fostered real-world violence—culminating in the January 6 Capitol attack. They also examine QAnon’s psychological grip, its creative and authoritarian appeal, and how families and societies can respond. Plus, COVID’s role in supercharging conspiracies, why Russia’s role may be overstated, and the challenges of countering disinformation in the age of social media.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs.

    Order The Storm Is Upon Us from Penguin and Hachette:
    https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676746/the-storm-is-upon-us-by-mike-rothschild/
    https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/mike-rothschild/the-storm-is-upon-us/9781800960459/

    Learn more about Mike and his work: https://themikerothschild.com

    Follow Mike on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rothschildmd.bsky.social
    Follow Mike on Twitter/X: https://x.com/rothschildmd

    Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/2fea53
    YouTube: https://youtu.be/xnrXBtzdpWc

    Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
    Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996
    Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg
    For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com

    Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies
    Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies
    Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

    Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:
    https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social
    https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net

    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photos by Win McNamee, Brent Stirton & Stephanie Keith/Getty & Terica Adkins

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
    Más Menos
    48 m
  • S9 Ep61: Epstein Spy Rumors, Arctic Power Plays, and Trump’s Ukraine Reversal | Espresso Martini
    Jul 26 2025
    The MAGA movement cracks as Trump’s name surfaces in the Epstein files and his administration fails to deliver the promised disclosures. We unpack the backlash, the conspiracies, and the lingering question of an intelligence connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. Plus: a bizarre UK spy case involving Russia, a USB stick, and a bicycle seat; the Arctic emerges as a flashpoint for missile defense, climate competition, and great power rivalry; and Trump’s reversal clears the way for new weapons to reach Ukraine—just not from the US directly. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/302d13 YouTube: https://youtu.be/RnuC7wNNYiM Articles discussed in today’s episode "Justice Department Told Trump in May That His Name Is Among Many in the Epstein Files" by Sadie Gurman, Annie Linskey, Josh Dawsey & Alex Leary | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038 "Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and the Three Conspiracy-Theory Theories" by Jon Allsop | The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/news/fault-lines/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-and-three-conspiracy-theory-theories "Epstein, Maxwell, and the Intelligence Question We’re Not Asking" by Frank Snepp | Frank Snepp 360 Substack: https://snepp.substack.com/p/epstein-maxwell-and-the-intelligence "The struggle for control of the Arctic is accelerating - and riskier than ever" by Gordon Corera | BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-f92bc043-3893-4688-8937-fd9cad8b0d5b "British man guilty of trying to spy for Russia" by Lewis Adams | BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyn0ygwd7jo "Ukraine Will Get US Weapons in a New Way. Here’s What We Know." by Lara Jakes | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/world/europe/ukraine-weapons-us-nato.html "Trump Sends Weapons to Ukraine: By the Numbers" by Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park | Center for Strategic & International Studies: https://www.csis.org/analysis/trump-sends-weapons-ukraine-numbers What else we’re reading this week "Anti-Woke Dad Who Fled With Family to Russia Sent to War Zone" by Josh Fiallo | The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/texan-moved-fam-to-russia-to-flee-wokenow-hes-headed-to-ukraine-front-line/ "New U.S. assessment finds American strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites" by Gordon Lubold, Courtney Kube, Julie Tsirkin, Katherine Doyle, Dan De Luce & Carol E. Lee | NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/new-us-assessment-finds-american-strikes-destroyed-only-one-three-iran-rcna218761 "It’s hunting season in orbit as Russia’s killer satellites mystify skywatchers" by Stephen Clark | Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/its-hunting-season-in-orbit-as-russias-killer-satellites-mystify-skywatchers/ "'Sparring in space' – BBC gains rare access to US base tracking global missile strikes" by Jonathan Beale | BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8k2nd7e9no "Trump’s War on the ‘Deep State’ Comes for the Dogs" by Shane Harris | The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/07/james-clapper-cia-dog-trump/683575/ "USAF Denies It Refueled Israel’s Fighters During War With Iran" by Tyler Rogoway | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/air/u-s-denies-it-provided-aerial-tanker-support-for-israels-war-against-iran Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Photos by Davidoff Studios Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
    Más Menos
    1 h y 7 m
  • Service Announcement: Chris and Matt on DogShirtTV. No Espresso Martini this week, and a QAnon episode instead
    Jul 18 2025
    Hi eveyone. Chris & Matt will be on Benjamin Wittes & Alicia Wanless's YouTube show "Dog Shirt TV", talking about Secrets & Spies, its origins, our interest in espionage and our thoughts on Spy Fiction. You can watch the show here: https://youtu.be/QVKAQf7p_Fs?si=TruFrM4-jsg0iQMq

    There won't be an Espresso Martini this week and instead we will be sharing Chris's interview with author Mike Rothschild and discussing his research on QAnon. That will be released on Saturday 19th.

    Have a great weekend

    All the best
    Chris & Matt
    Más Menos
    1 m
  • S9 Ep59: The Mission: The CIA in the 21st Century with Tim Weiner
    Jul 12 2025
    Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tim Weiner joins Matt to discuss The Mission, his new history of the CIA in the 21st century. They explore the agency’s quiet successes and moral failings, from dismantling the AQ Khan network to abetting torture and losing its way in Iraq. Weiner recounts how the CIA reoriented after the 2016 Russian election interference, played a key role in supporting Ukraine, and tried to hold the line under Trump. Their conversation spans secret wars, agency leadership, and whether America’s intelligence services can still defend democracy when democracy itself is under threat.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs.

    More about The Mission: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-mission-tim-weiner

    Order The Mission from Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mission-the-cia-in-the-21st-century-tim-weiner/22062129

    Follow Tim on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tim-weiner.bsky.social

    Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/2fa57b
    YouTube: https://youtu.be/pFMaXhPcNO8

    Reviews of The Mission "The Mission by Tim Weiner review – unmasking the CIA" by John Simpson | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jul/10/the-mission-by-tim-weiner-review-unmasking-the-cia

    "The Mission" by Publishers Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780063270183

    "Mission Madness" by Loch K. Johnson | Spytalk: https://www.spytalk.co/p/mission-madness

    Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
    Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996
    Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg
    For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com

    Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies
    Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies
    Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

    Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:
    https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social
    https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net

    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photos by Harper Collins, Jessica Doyle & CIA

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
    Más Menos
    1 h y 3 m
  • S9 Ep58: Iran’s Nuclear Future and Why Bombs Won’t Stop it with Joe Cirincione
    Jul 9 2025
    Matt is joined by nonproliferation expert Joe Cirincione to unpack what the recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran actually achieved—and what they didn’t. They discuss the extent of the damage to Iran’s nuclear program, why military action alone can’t stop a country from getting the bomb, and what a viable diplomatic path forward might look like. Joe breaks down the technical realities of uranium enrichment and covert weapons development, explores whether Iran now has the intent as well as the capability to build a nuclear weapon, and explains how this crisis risks pushing the world back toward nuclear anarchy. They also consider what future proliferators might be learning from the Iran case, and what comes next for the global arms control regime. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. Follow Joe on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/joecirin.bsky.social Follow Joe’s Substack: https://joecirincione.substack.com Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/2f82e0 YouTube: https://youtu.be/IFJAPL9dg4A Additional reading for the episode "Iran and the Changing Character of the Nonproliferation Regime" by Joseph Rodgers | Center for Strategic & International Studies: https://www.csis.org/analysis/iran-and-changing-character-nonproliferation-regime "Disruption or Dismantlement: Diverging Assessments of Iran Nuclear Strikes" by Bailey Schiff | CSIS Next-Generation Nuclear Network: https://nuclearnetwork.csis.org/disruption-or-dismantlement-diverging-assessments-of-iran-nuclear-strikes/ "Post-Attack Assessment of the First 12 Days of Israeli and US Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities" by David Albright, Spencer Faragasso, and the Good ISIS Team | Institute for Science & International Security: https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/post-attack-assessment-of-the-first-12-days-of-israeli-strikes-on-iranian-nuclear-facilities "Going for the Bomb: Part I, Pathways and Timelines" by David Albright | Institute for Science & International Security: https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/going-for-the-bomb-part-i-pathways-and-timelines "Going for the Bomb: Part II, Tasks to Make a Crude Nuclear Weapon" by David Albright and Andrea Stricker | Institute for Science & International Security: https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/going-for-the-bomb-part-ii-tasks-to-make-a-crude-nuclear-weapon "Iran Suspends Cooperation With UN Nuclear Watchdog" by Erika Solomon and Sanam Mahoozi | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-iaea.html "Pentagon Says US Strike Delayed Iran’s Nuclear Program by Up to Two Years" by Lara Seligman and Michael R. Gordon | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/pentagon-says-u-s-strike-delayed-irans-nuclear-program-by-up-to-two-years-8d51eb81 "What Is the Iran Nuclear Deal?" by Kali Robinson | Council on Foreign Relations: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-iran-nuclear-deal Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Photos by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto & Hossein Beris/Middle East Images Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
    Más Menos
    47 m