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Background Briefing with Ian Masters

Ian Masters
Donald Trump
CPAC
Russia
Gaza
Ukraine
Christian Nationalism
Supreme Court
Democracy
Joe Biden
Fascism
Christian Theocracy
Israel
U.S. Politics
Alexei Navalny
Putin
Russian Intelligence
Gaza War
Ukraine Aid
Government Shutdown
Vladimir Putin

Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, expert guests, policymakers, and critics offering analysis and insight on national security, foreign and domestic policy, political, cultural, and social issues. backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.co... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes606Founded11 years ago
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News

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Artwork for Background Briefing

Latest Episodes

A Dangerous and Demented Trump Calls For the Execution of Democratic Senators and Congressmen and Women Who Are Military and Intelligence Veterans | In the Service of His Billionaire Tech Bro Buddies, Trump Doubles Down on Stopping States From Regula... more

YouTube

A Weakened Trump As a Split in MAGA Emerges With Tucker Carlson and J.D. Vance Jockeying to Succeed America's Most Corrupt and Disastrous President | Trump's Plan to Gut the Department of Education That Only Congress Has the Legal Right to Do | Trump... more

YouTube

The Loophole in the Epstein Files Bill Passed by the House Today 427 to 1 That Allows Trump to Classify What He Does Not Want the Public to See | The Former Pariah's Lavish White House Welcome With Trump Dismissing MBS's Murder and Dismemberment of a... more

YouTube

The Cast of Characters Feeding the Bogus and Delusional Intel Trump is Using to Justify a War With Venezuela | Apparent Russian Sabotage of Poland's Rail Link to Ukraine | As They Throw Money at the Pentagon, When Will Our Politicians Address the Gun... more

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Recent Guests

Faiza Patel
Senior Director of the Brennan Center's Liberty and National Security Program, expert on government surveillance and civil rights.
Brennan Center for Justice
Episode: November 16, 2025 - Daniel Boguslaw | Faiza Patel | Aaron Regunberg
Daniel Boguslaw
Investigative reporter based in Washington, DC, covering corporate corruption and other critical political issues.
The Intercept, The New Republic, The American Prospect
Episode: November 16, 2025 - Daniel Boguslaw | Faiza Patel | Aaron Regunberg
Aaron Regunberg
Contributing editor at The New Republic, climate lawyer, and progressive organizer.
Public Citizen
Episode: November 16, 2025 - Daniel Boguslaw | Faiza Patel | Aaron Regunberg
Matthew Petti
Assistant editor at Reason magazine, focused on U.S. national security policy.
Reason Magazine
Episode: November 13, 2025 - Matthew Petti | Louise Shelley | Christopher Prebble
Dr. Louise Shelley
Founding director of the Center on Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption at George Mason University.
George Mason University
Episode: November 13, 2025 - Matthew Petti | Louise Shelley | Christopher Prebble
Christopher Prebble
Senior Fellow and Director of the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center.
Stimson Center
Episode: November 13, 2025 - Matthew Petti | Louise Shelley | Christopher Prebble
John Sweeney
A writer and reporter who spent 17 years at the BBC with Panorama and Newsnight.
Hunting Ghislain podcast
Episode: November 11, 2025 - John Sweeney | Michael Mann | Olga Lautman
Michael Mann
Presidential Distinguished Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media.
University of Pennsylvania
Episode: November 11, 2025 - John Sweeney | Michael Mann | Olga Lautman
Joshua Landis
Sandra Mackey Chair and Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.
University of Oklahoma
Episode: November 10, 2025 - Jeet Heer | Joshua Landis | Jennifer Kavanagh

Host

Ian Masters
Host of a news analysis series, bringing expert insights into national and international issues.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 756 ratings
  • Appreciate you and your guests

    Please can you speak to the US accepting Afrikaners

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Melissa J83
    United States6 months ago
  • Ian Masters's Background Briefing: A show that stands apart from any other.

    As essential as any other number one news and analysis resource, this program remains at the very top of my list. A part of my daily routine, I credit Mr Masters with providing us with a detailed picture of our current affairs through a, almost daily, series of wildly diverse and highly credentialed guest interviews. I could never thank the staff of Background Briefing enough for taking me through this very difficult decade. If I ever hit the jackpot, you will know it. thank you for all of your ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    The Railer
    United States6 months ago
  • Often the guests have very on point analysis and commentary. This can't be said of all guests. Some seem as clueless as the relatively uninformed may be. Many are also cagey, unwilling to state ugly realities, unlike Ian.

    This is definitely a podcast for the left leaning given Ian's tendency to insert his own left leaning opinions into discussion. So some right wingers and "centrists" may not like it. However, Ian still has excellent editorial standards (like keeping to the facts) nonetheless.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    mindful86
    7 months ago
  • Good guests, I wish Ian did more interviewing and less pushing his own thesis.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    curmudgeon
    9 months ago
  • Excellent guests and interesting takes

    One of my favorite pods…Ian brings the most intelligent guests to share their perspectives. Grateful for this during these very challenging times!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    hzbshsndh
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some appreciate the blend of political critique and informative discourse, while others express concerns over perceived biases.
The host's ability to engage with guests and foster discussions on complex issues is highlighted positively by the audience.
Listeners praise the in-depth analysis and diverse array of expert guests, finding it essential for understanding current events.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#234
Poland/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

November 12, 2025 - Nina Burleigh | Fred Turner | Jonathan Guyer
Q: Jonathan, what were the significant findings of your recent poll on Trump's foreign policy?
The poll shows a stark partisan divide in how Americans perceive Trump's foreign policy, especially regarding Israel and military operations.
November 12, 2025 - Nina Burleigh | Fred Turner | Jonathan Guyer
Q: Fred, how are tech ideologies reflected in the moving of Silicon Valley to Texas?
Tech giants are blending neoliberal economics with Christian nationalism as they relocate to Texas.
November 12, 2025 - Nina Burleigh | Fred Turner | Jonathan Guyer
Q: Nina, what do you make of what's happening today with the House Oversight Committee and the Epstein files?
The House Oversight Committee is releasing incriminating emails that show Trump's connection to Epstein and Maxwell.
November 13, 2025 - Matthew Petti | Louise Shelley | Christopher Prebble
Q: Why does Trump want to make a security deal with Saudi Arabia?
Prebble discusses Trump's penchant for deals and potential business interests motivating the administration's deeper relations with Saudi Arabia.
November 13, 2025 - Matthew Petti | Louise Shelley | Christopher Prebble
Q: What is going on with the corruption scandals in Ukraine?
Shelley outlines the ties between Zelensky's former associate and high-level corruption affecting Ukraine's energy sector.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Background Briefing

What is Background Briefing about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Utilizing a robust mix of expert guests and critical analysis, the content often focuses on pressing political, social, and economic issues both domestically and internationally. Key topics frequently include the implications of the Trump administration's policies, critiques of media practices, international relations, and the intertwining of technology with modern political discourse. With an emphasis on providing thoughtful insights, the discussions aim to promote understanding of complex and often controversial subjects, presenting a range of voices from various fields such as economics, law, and political advocacy. This podcast appears to be particularly suited for listeners seeking in-depth discussions that challenge mainstream narrati... more

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How many listeners does Background Briefing get?

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How many subscribers and views does Background Briefing have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Background Briefing has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Background Briefing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Background Briefing:

1. Ralph Nader Radio Hour
2. The Hartmann Report
3. The DSR Network
4. Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff
5. CounterSpin

How many episodes of Background Briefing are there?

Background Briefing launched 11 years ago and published 606 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Background Briefing?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Background Briefing?

Recent guests on Background Briefing include:

1. Faiza Patel
2. Daniel Boguslaw
3. Aaron Regunberg
4. Matthew Petti
5. Dr. Louise Shelley
6. Christopher Prebble
7. John Sweeney
8. Michael Mann

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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