Last month’s spectacular terrorist attack on a concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow, which left 144 people dead, was quickly followed by startling news that US intelligence had warned the Russians about the impending assault. When the Kreml

More Havana Syndrome Questions

25 days ago 35m 57s

New SpyTalk Contributing Editor Mike Isikoff pokes holes in 60 Minutes’ blockbuster story.Michael Isikoffhttps://twitter.com/IsikoffFollow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spy

Spies and Sex: A History of Honeytraps

Mar 23rd, 2024 36m 50s

Jeff talks with Henry Schlesinger, author of "Honey Trapped: Sex, Betrayal, and Weaponized Love."Henry SchlesingerHoney Trapped: Sex, Betrayal, and Weaponized Lovehttps://a.co/d/cwXy65Z Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalk

A Life in CIA Trickery

Mar 8th, 2024 38m 59s

Jonna Mendez, former CIA chief of disguises, discusses her new book, “In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked.”Jonna MendezIn True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmaskedhttps://www.amazon.com/True-Face-Womans-Life-Unmasked/dp/15417

Russia, Russia, Russia

Feb 26th, 2024 20m 41s

Former top CIA ops official Dan Hoffman talks with Jeff about options on Putin.Daniel Hoffmanhttps://twitter.com/danielhoffmanDCFollow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spySubs

The Taylor Swift Infowar Tutorial

Feb 9th, 2024 40m 4s

Former US Army “influence ops” specialist Paul Cobaugh talks with Jeff about combatting conspiracy mongering. More from Paul Cobaughhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-cobaugh-5253b335/truthaboutthreats.com/Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://tw

Red Cell Study on China Rise

Jan 28th, 2024 38m 56s

Former CIA officials Kristin Wood and Martin Petersen built a Red Cell project on The Cipher Brief to challenge experts to explore how China came to supplant the US by 2041.Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTal

Green Berets and Covert Ops

Jan 13th, 2024 30m 3s

Former Special Forces and CIA case officer James Stejskal chats with Jeff Stein about Berlin, Russia and more. More from our Guest:James Stejskal https://www.amazon.com/stores/James-Stejskal/author/B00NXOQG4Y?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&sh

The CIA in 2024

Dec 29th, 2023 42m 20s

Former senior CIA officer Glenn Corn talks with Jeff Stein about the agency’s new generation and its challenges in the Middle East, Russia, and Ukraine in 2024.More from our Guest:Glenn Cornhttps://www.thecipherbrief.com/experts/glenn-corn Fo

Chinese Military Hackers in Our Pipes

Dec 15th, 2023 33m 2s

The Washington Post’s Ellen Nakashima talks with Jeff about Beijing’s secret infiltration of US infrastructure.Ellen Nakashimahttps://twitter.com/nakashimaeFollow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter:http

The Week in Spy Plots & Murder

Dec 1st, 2023 32m 30s

Former CIA ops officer Douglas London joins Jeff to discuss spooky events from Gaza to Moscow, Kyiv & beyond. Doug Londonhttps://twitter.com/douglaslondon5Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter:https

A Thriller in Ukraine

Nov 17th, 2023 34m 13s

The Washington Post’s Shane Harris joins Jeff to discuss his scoop on Ukraine’s murky op to sabotage the Nordstream-2 pipeline. Follow Shane Harrishttps://twitter.com/shaneharrishttps://www.washingtonpost.com/people/shane-harris/Follow Jeff Ste

Target Moscow

Oct 27th, 2023 32m 48s

CIA Russia Hand John Sipher discusses spying and sabotage ops against Vladimir Putin.Follow John Sipherhttps://twitter.com/john_sipherFollow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_s

THE CIA’S EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

Oct 13th, 2023 41m

Liza Mundy, author of “The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA,” is this week’s special guest.Follow Liza MundyLiza Mundy (@lizamundy) / TwitterPre-Order “THE SISTERHOOD” out 10/17https://www.lizamundy.com/Follow Jeff Stein on Tw

A Life in the Wilderness of Mirrors | CBS News’ David Martin reflects on 40 years covering national security

Oct 6th, 2023 36m 7s

This week, Jeff talks with award-winning journalist and groundbreaking author of “Wilderness of Mirrors,” National Security Correspondent for CBS, David Martin.David C. Martin (@CBSDavidMartin) / Twitter XFollow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://tw

Can Anyone Stop Cyber Terrorism?

Sep 22nd, 2023 32m 47s

This week Jeff talks cybersecurity with Michael Mestrovich, the former director of the CIA’s Technical Services Office; former Principal Deputy Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Department of State, and current Chief Information Security O

A CIA EPITAPH ON 9/11

Sep 14th, 2023 31m 26s

Jeff talks with retired former CIA Al Qaeda expert Cindy Storer Cynthia Storer | Johns Hopkins Advanced Academic ProgramsCynthia Storer | UTEP Pre-Order the book Jeff mentionedThe Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA - Kindle edit

Sex, Lies and Women at the CIA

Aug 25th, 2023 34m 6s

Jeff talks with CIA operations veteran Laura Thomas about the gains and losses for women at the spy agency.Follow Laura ThomasOn Twitter - Laura Thomas (@laurae_thomas) Substack The Action LineRead Laura’s piece Espionage is a Man's World - by

A CIA Family Drama

Aug 11th, 2023 39m 14s

Jeff talks with John Hadden, author of “Conversations with a Masked Man: My Father, the CIA, and Me." https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spySubscribe to SpyTalk on Substackhttps://www.spytalk.co/Take

Oppenheimer’s Origin

Jul 28th, 2023 43m 4s

Jeff Stein talks with Kai Bird, co-author of “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.”Follow Kai Birdhttps://twitter.com/Kaibird123“American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer”https://www

CIA-CHINA SPY WARS: Real and Imagined

Jul 13th, 2023 32m 12s

David Ignatius talks about his new thriller “The Tao of Deception.”Follow David Ignatiushttps://twitter.com/IgnatiusPostRead “The Tao of Deception”https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2023/tao-of-deception-david-ignatius/Follow J

CIA’s RUSSIA CHALLENGE

Jun 30th, 2023 40m 19s

Jeff talks with top former CIA Russia hand John Sipher about spy agency ops and Moscow’s leadership crisis. Follow John Sipher on Twitter:https://twitter.com/john_sipher Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk o

The Forever Spies

Jun 2nd, 2023 44m 15s

Jeff talks with Calder Walton, author of “Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West.”Calder Waltonhttps://twitter.com/calder_waltonSpies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and Westhttps://www.amazon.com/Spies-Epic-Intelligence

The Senator Who Roped the CIA

May 17th, 2023 45m 42s

Journalist James Risen speaks with Jeff Stein about his new book on Sen. Frank Church’s unprecedented investigation of CIA misdeeds, from assassination plots to LSD mind-control experiments to spying on Americans. James Risenhttps://twitter.com

Behind the Bust of China’s Brash New York Spy Base

Apr 20th, 2023 36m 10s

Former CIA and DoD Chinese espionage expert Nicholas Eftimiades talks with Jeff about Beijing’s newly aggressive covert campaigns against pro-democracy activists in the US.Nick Eftimiadeshttps://twitter.com/neftimiadeshttps://www.linkedin.com/i