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Artwork for American Diplomat
United States
Donald Trump
Trump Administration
Venezuela
Diplomacy
Arizona State University
Russia
China
Ukraine
Democracy
U.S. Foreign Service
Foreign Service
Disinformation
Iran
Cuba
Israel
Gaza
Tariffs
Mexico
Carnegie Corporation Of New York

American Diplomat goes behind the scenes to hear real stories from diplomats who lived newsworthy events overseas. Experience the Cuban revolution, Central American insurgencies, the end of apartheid and more through the eyes of those who were there. A project of Arizona State University.

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Artwork for American Diplomat

Latest Episodes

Why is Romania so important for US interests? Hint: The Black Sea, and a very long border with Ukraine. Amb. Kathy Kavalec shares insights on this often overlooked but strategically powerful US alliance.

How does empathy help create a more peaceful world, whether we are a first-year diplomat or Secretary of State? Amb. Kathy Kavalec (one of Dan's besties from way back) shares the diplomatic impacts of personal experience. Part one of two.

Public Diplomacy – Journalists have tough questions. What if you just don't have the answers? How do you prepare? Get inside the machinery with former State Department spokesperson Amb. Mark Toner and learn the policy impacts of the words we use.

Gotcha, right? Or, "Click before it's too late!" Or even, "Hey, kid. You're pretty good at this. Want a real gun?" Career public diplomacy officer Karl Stoltz tells the truth about "FIMI" – deep fakes, false personas, trolls, bots – lies that aim to ... more

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Recent Guests

Kathy Kavalec
Ambassador (former U.S. diplomat, ambassador to Romania)
U.S. Department of State
Episode: My Romance With Romania
Mark Toner
Former Foreign Service Officer; long-time spokesperson for the State Department
U.S. Department of State
Episode: Crisis Du Jour
Karl Stoltz
Career Foreign Service Officer; public diplomacy veteran
Public Diplomacy Council of America
Episode: What They Don't Want You to Know
Donald Lu
Career Foreign Service Officer; former Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs
U.S. Department of State
Episode: Y2K to H1B?
Karen Gibson
Lieutenant General with 33 years in military intelligence; former Deputy Director of National Intelligence; former Director of Intelligence at US Central Command
Former U.S. military intelligence leadership
Episode: Politics by Other Means?
Todd Robinson
Former Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
U.S. Department of State
Episode: Persona No Deseada
Chris Milligan
Former USAID official, highest-ranking career official and counselor to USAID
USAID
Episode: "This Golden Land"
Nicholas Enrich
Acting Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID at the time
USAID
Episode: USAID: Into The Wood Chipper
Judy Reinke
Ambassador, former Deputy Director General of the US Foreign Commercial Service
U.S. Department of Commerce / Foreign Commercial Service
Episode: The Case of the Powdered Orange Drink

Hosts

Dan Rosenblum
Host of the show with extensive background in American Diplomat and related ASU projects.
Laura Bennett
Co-host and host with a focus on diplomacy storytelling, often guiding interviews.
Pete Romero
Host of The Diplomat's Lounge segment, brings practical diplomacy perspectives.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 388 ratings
  • Great and insightful!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Victor A.
    3 months ago
  • Watch your language

    Dirty language and curse words in the December 18 episode — should have had an explicit language warning. As a professional podcast I expected better from the hosts and editor /producer.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Sarita7981
    United States7 months ago
  • Getting dull…

    The podcast is starting to get a little dull and more partisan political focused. I now put off listening in favor of more relevant, less partisan and more timely episodes about current foreign affairs issues. Maybe time for some new (guest) hosts to mix things up a little.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Sarita7981
    United States9 months ago
  • Lost its way…

    I used to really love this podcast and enjoyed hearing the “war stories” from our foreign service professionals. Unfortunately, this show has become yet another political program. This program used to rise above it all. It would be well served to return to that.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Yes, it's me.
    United Statesa year ago
  • Love this podcast

    Most unique podcast with colorful insights into the lives of foreign service officers. Love the banter and tone of the episodes- I’ve learned so much about the inner workings of foreign service and intelligence.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Samj246
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A recurring critique centers on host interruptions and pacing
Positive sentiment about deep, insider diplomat stories and mentorship
Guests and topics are generally praised for breadth and relevance
Some listeners feel the format can be repetitive or partisan

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Crisis Du Jour
Q: What was it like dealing with journalists on a daily basis?
Journalists provided a constant push to get to the heart of the matter, and while you couldn't reveal everything, building rapport with reporters and understanding their priorities helped tailor messages that were accurate and useful, even if you couldn't always say everything.
Diplomacy is Empathy
Q: Tell us about the childhood experience in Guatemala and how it shaped your later career.
That formative period taught me the importance of language and belonging, showing me early on how being understood—or not—can influence how people relate to you, which ultimately steered me toward learning languages and pursuing diplomacy as a way to bridge cultures.
What They Don't Want You to Know
Q: How has the Global Engagement Center evolved and what happened to it?
The GEC started in 2017 to monitor hostile state messaging and counter it; it was abolished later, with the ongoing challenge of maintaining attention on online disinformation without a dedicated department.
What They Don't Want You to Know
Q: So what are some of the ingredients that really work in countering FEMI?
A two-part approach works: build trust through logos and ethos while using limited, targeted pre-bunking and promoting independent journalism to verify and counter misinformation.
What They Don't Want You to Know
Q: And is that definition a good one?
Karl suggests the official definition is a useful framework but may obscure the broader reality, which includes engaging with public audiences, exchanges, and cultural programs to connect US values with people worldwide.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About American Diplomat

What is American Diplomat about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program offers insider-facing conversations with veteran diplomats and policymakers, often centering on real-world crises, diplomacy strategy, and the inner workings of U.S. foreign policy. Episodes frequently explore how diplomacy, aid, and international institutions intersect with current events—from humanitarian missions and Western Hemisphere policy to Europe's democratic trajectory and Middle East dynamics. A notable strength is its blend of firsthand career stories with expert analysis, yielding practical lessons for aspiring diplomats and policymakers alike while highlighting mentorship and career pathways within the Foreign Service and related fields.

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These podcasts share a similar audience with American Diplomat:

1. The President’s Inbox
2. Sources & Methods
3. Throughline
4. SpyTalk
5. This is Gavin Newsom

How many episodes of American Diplomat are there?

American Diplomat launched 9 years ago and published 472 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on American Diplomat?

Recent guests on American Diplomat include:

1. Kathy Kavalec
2. Mark Toner
3. Karl Stoltz
4. Donald Lu
5. Karen Gibson
6. Todd Robinson
7. Chris Milligan
8. Nicholas Enrich

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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