
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
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 606 | Founded | 12 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | News | |||

The Global Impact of the Trump/Netanyahu War on Iran as Energy Prices Shoot Through the Roof | A Former DIA Intelligence Officer on the Folly of Sending Marines Into the Gulf | Trump is Being Played at We Deplete Expensive Weapons on Cheap Iranian Dr... more
The Organizer of an International Humanitarian Flotilla Delivering Aid to the Desperate and Starving People of Cuba | Possible Scenarios to End the US/Israeli War on Iran and a More Likely Escalation of Attacks on Oil and Gas Terminals and Storage Fa... more
Today's Blowback and the Historical Record of US Meddling in Iran | The Intensifying War Between Afghanistan's Taliba And Their Former Sponsor Pakistan | Trump's Claim He will Have "The Honor of Taking Cuba" Which is Likely to Fall in a Matter of Wee... more
Although the US Navy Won't Go Into the Gulf, Trump is Demanding Other Navies Escort Tankers Through the Strait of Hormuz | Iran's Strategic Plans For a Long War With Layers of Redundancy in the Ranks of Leadership | The Crackup on the Right Against T... more
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The discussion with Prof. Sean Wilentz on 10/26/25 distills perfectly the monstrosity we are dealing with in very clear terms and the more people who understand it, the better we will be able to overcome this moment in history.
Please can you speak to the US accepting Afrikaners
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
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.
Good guests, I wish Ian did more interviewing and less pushing his own thesis.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.









Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
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Background Briefing offers in-depth, high-signal interviews with policy experts, journalists, and former officials to dissect complex national security, foreign policy, and domestic political issues. Recent episodes skew toward US foreign policy in the Middle East and Eurasia, with on-the-ground reporting from Iran and rigorous geopolitical analysis from scholars and former officials. A standout trait is the willingness to host a broad range of perspectives—from academic policy analysis to frontline reporting and insider security briefings—often probing the practical implications of leadership decisions and the costs of ongoing conflict. Listeners can expect thoughtful, data-driven conversations that aim to illuminate undercovered angles be... more
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1. Know Your Enemy
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4. Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast
5. On the Media
Background Briefing launched 12 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.
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Recent guests on Background Briefing include:
1. Steven Simon
2. David Adler
3. Justin Levitt
4. Karen Hao
5. Sheldon Whitehouse
6. Jennifer Kavanaugh
7. Oona Hathaway
8. Kian Tajbakhsh
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.