NatSec Matters
by Beacon Global Strategies LLC
Special Episode - Israel's Post-Election Calculus: Yaakov Katz
About this podcast
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 [email protected].
Episodes
The newest 20 of 167 episodes
- Special Episode - Israel's Post-Election Calculus: Yaakov Katz · 51 min · Season 1 Episode 168Former Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief Yaakov Katz returns to NatSec Matters to break down the surprise results of the Israeli elections, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's…
- Unrest, Indecision & Agita in Europe: Nico Lange · 53 min · Season 1 Episode 167Michael is joined by European defense expert Nico Lange to analyze the state of European politics, troubled transatlantic relations, and the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran. Nico—a…
- Israel at the Ballot Box: Yaakov Katz · 40 min · Season 1 Episode 151Former Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz returns to the podcast to preview Israel's upcoming elections and examine how the post–October 7 security consensus shapes the…
- Yemen's Reignited War: Dr. April Longley Alley · 52 min · Season 1 Episode 165Michael is joined by Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute Dr. April Longley Alley to explain the sudden return to full-scale war in Yemen following a lightning Houthi…
- Trump & Xi - Managing the Mirage: Ann E. Kowalewski · 45 min · Season 1 Episode 164Michael is joined by Ann E. Kowalewski, Vice President at Beacon Global Strategies and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security, to discuss the outcomes and…
- The Hormuz Standoff, Military Readiness, and the Axis of Aggressors: Adm. Mark Montgomery & Norman Roule · 1 h 2 min · Season 1 Episode 163Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and former senior CIA officer Norman Roule join Michael to assess the maritime blockade of Iran and rising friction in the Strait of Hormuz…
- Iran's Uprising, Regime Survival, and the View from Tehran: Holly Dagres · 41 min · Season 1 Episode 162Michael is joined by Holly Dagres, the Libitzky Family Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and editor of The Iranist, for a unique look at the internal…
- Russian Resolve and Ukraine's 'Theory of Victory': Peter Rough · 44 min · Season 1 Episode 161Michael is joined by Peter Rough, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute, to dissect the stalled diplomatic efforts to resolve the…
- 'Economic D-Day' & Refining Realities: Clay Seigle · 30 min · Season 1 Episode 160Michael is joined by Clay Seigle, Managing Director of Beacon Global Strategies' newly announced energy practice and former James R. Schlesinger Chair at CSIS, for an expert…
- Netanyahu's Next Test: Yaakov Katz · 52 min · Season 1 Episode 158Michael is joined by Yaakov Katz, former Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post and author of While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle…
- From Hormuz to the Indo-Pacific: Richard Fontaine · 46 min · Season 1 Episode 158Michael is joined by Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security and former National Security Council official, for a strategic tour of the world's most…
- Confronting Iran's Demands & Washington's Dilemma: Richard Nephew · 52 min · Season 1 Episode 157Michael is joined by Richard Nephew, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and former NSC Director for Iran, to discuss the uncertain…
- Moscow's Economic Fragility and Kyiv's Strategic Edge: Glenn Corn · 39 min · Season 1 Episode 154Michael is joined by Glenn Corn, former CIA Chief of Station and foreign policy expert with over 34 years of experience across the U.S. intelligence, defense, and diplomatic…
- Churchill's Choices in Ukraine and What's Next in the Strait of Hormuz: Adm. Mark Montgomery · 41 min · Season 1 Episode 155Michael is joined by Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), who…
- 'The Nord Stream Conspiracy' - Sabotage, Spies, and the Baltic Sea Explosion: Bojan Pancevski · 47 min · Season 1 Episode 154Michael is joined by Bojan Pancevski, Chief European Political Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, to discuss his new book, The Nord Stream Conspiracy: The Inside Story of…
- Testing the Transatlantic Security Pact: Dr. Alina Polyakova & Peter Rough · 59 min · Season 1 Episode 153Michael is joined by Dr. Alina Polyakova, President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, and Peter Rough, Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the…
- The New Era of Global Espionage: Anthony Vinci · 44 min · Season 1 Episode 152Michael speaks with Anthony Vinci, former career intelligence officer and the first Chief Technology Officer of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. They discuss…
- The Geopolitical Stakes of Frontier AI: Dr. Dr. Divyansh Kaushik · 56 min · Season 1 Episode 151Special guest host Klon Kitchen, Managing Director for the Global Technology Policy Practice at Beacon Global Strategies, is joined by Dr. Divyansh Kaushik, machine learning…
- Deciphering the Iran Ceasefire: Amb. Jeffrey Feltman · 44 min · Season 1 Episode 150Andrew Shapiro is joined by Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, whose distinguished diplomatic career includes serving as U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Assistant…
- Backyard Hegemony - Reasserting U.S. Influence in the Western Hemisphere: David Shedd · 51 min · Season 1 Episode 149Michael 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…







