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NatSec Matters

NatSec Matters

By: Beacon Global Strategies LLC
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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.2025 Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Deciphering the Iran Ceasefire: Amb. Jeffrey Feltman
    Jun 24 2026

    Andrew Shapiro is joined by Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, whose distinguished diplomatic career includes serving as U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Amb. Feltman, now a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, discusses the fragile state of the U.S.–Iran ceasefire and progress toward talks for a long-term diplomatic agreement. He assesses Iran's core objectives, the strategic sidelining of Israel, and how Tehran's survival alters the calculus for Russia and China in global geopolitics. Amb. Feltman also maps out a "new normal" for the region defined by cliffhanging diplomatic extensions and localized proxy skirmishes rather than a definitive peace.

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    44 mins
  • Backyard Hegemony - Reasserting U.S. Influence in the Western Hemisphere: David Shedd
    Jun 17 2026

    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 geopolitical dynamics across Latin America. David discusses the structural collapse of Cuba and the outlook for U.S. intervention, the delicate execution of the administration's plan for Venezuela, and the profound strategic challenges posed by Chinese investments in the U.S. backyard. He also explores the sharp friction points surfacing within the U.S.–Mexico relationship and the reality of behind-the-scenes intelligence sharing.

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    51 mins
  • 'Leapfrogging' Diplomacy: Dr. Nadia Schadlow
    Jun 10 2026

    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.S. global power amid fast-moving crises in the Mideast, China, and Ukraine. Dr. Schadlow provides a compelling assessment of how the administration is utilizing a disruptive, iconoclastic approach to confront years of slow, multilateral processing and force rapid diplomatic end states.

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    53 mins
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