Rephonic
Artwork for Clearer Than Truth
China
Ukraine
Russia
Iran
United States
Middle East
NATO
Israel
Democratic Party
Hamas
Trump Administration
Donald Trump
Trump
U.S. Dollar
Saudi Arabia
Afghanistan
International Law
U.S. Foreign Relations
U.s.-China Relations
Joe Biden

The wisdom of former Secretary of State Dean Acheson inspires our podcast. It emphasizes clarity while examining the intricate global issues of today for a diverse audience. In a world where time is limited, this podcast aims to distill complex ideas into straightforward narratives, making them not just comprehensible but in Acheson’s words, “clearer than truth.” The podcast, much like other news-... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes64Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentScienceSocial Sciences

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Clearer Than Truth

Latest Episodes

Douglas Brunt is a New York Times bestselling author, and host of the podcast Dedicated. His latest book, The Lost Empire of Emanuel Nobel, uncovers the forgotten story of the Nobel family’s oil empire — a business that once rivaled Rockefeller’s Sta... more

YouTube

Ryan Crocker is one of the most distinguished diplomats in modern American history, serving as U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, and Kuwait over a decades-long diplomatic career at the center of U.S. foreign policy.

In ... more

YouTube

David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst and presidential briefer, now a bestselling author and co-host of the hit podcast The Rest Is Classified. He is the author of acclaimed spy novels including Damascus Station, Moscow X, and The Persian.

In this... more

YouTube

Kenneth Rogoff is a professor of international economics at Harvard University and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund. One of the world’s most influential economists, his work spans financial crises, central banking, and global... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Foreign Affairs Interview
The Foreign Affairs InterviewForeign Affairs Magazine
School of War
School of WarThe Free Press
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion

Recent Guests

Ryan Crocker
Former U.S. Ambassador
U.S. Department of State (ambassadorial roles)
Episode: Ryan Crocker - Former U.S. Ambassador
David McCloskey
Former CIA analyst and presidential briefer, author of Damascus Station, Moscow X, and The Persian; co-host of The Rest Is Classified
Author and podcaster
Episode: David McCloskey - Co-Host of The Rest is Classified
Ken Rogoff
Professor of International Economics, Harvard University
Harvard University
Episode: Kenneth Rogoff - Professor of International Economics at Harvard University
Robert Kaplan
Best-selling American author and geopolitical analyst
The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, The New York Times, National Interest
Episode: Robert Kaplan
Nataliya Gumenyuk
Prominent Ukrainian journalist, documentary filmmaker, and author; CEO/founder of Public Interest Journalism Lab; co-founder of The Reckoning Project, Ukraine Testifies
Public Interest Journalism Lab; The Reckoning Project, Ukraine Testifies
Episode: Nataliya Gumenyuk
Branko Milanović
Economist, former lead economist at the World Bank
World Bank (former)
Episode: Branko Milanović
Charles Kupchan
American scholar of international relations, Georgetown University professor
Georgetown University; Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: Charles Kupchan
Ram Charan
Business advisor and author
Episode: Ram Charan
Mohammed Soliman
Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute; Director at McLarty Associates; author of West Asia
Middle East Institute; McLarty Associates
Episode: Mohammed Soliman

Host

Nathan Kiker
Host of the show; appears across multiple episodes with background in geopolitical analysis.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 25 ratings
  • approachable without oversimplifing

    Just finished listening to the Clearer than Truth podcast and highly recommend it for anyone interested in national security and foreign policy.

    What sets this podcast apart is how it takes complex, often abstract topics and makes them approachable without oversimplifying. The hosts ask deeply insightful questions and give their expert guests enough room to explore ideas in meaningful depth. You come away not only understanding what policymakers are thinking—but why they think the way they do. more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Grahammarkiewicz
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Consistently strong guest diversity and rigorous analysis.
Clear, accessible complexity—topics explained without oversimplification.
High-quality insights into national security and foreign policy.
Guests are given space to explore ideas deeply and thoughtfully.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#197
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#228
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#28
Norway/Government
Apple Podcasts
#46
Russia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#140
United Arab Emirates/Government
Apple Podcasts
#219
Finland/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Kenneth Rogoff - Professor of International Economics at Harvard University
Q: What is the single most important step to preserve US financial leadership in the world?
Strengthen central bank independence to maintain credibility and control over monetary policy, which underpins trust in the US dollar globally.
Kenneth Rogoff - Professor of International Economics at Harvard University
Q: First, before we dive into specifics around your work, do you think the economy is worse than it's been in 75 years? And where is the economy today?
He cautions that measuring 'worse than 75 years' is tricky and depends on what metrics you compare, emphasizing that hard numbers for lower-middle-class experiences are not necessarily the worst in that timespan, and stress about AI and the future remains high.
David McCloskey - Co-Host of The Rest is Classified
Q: When the real world influences your fiction, like war breaking out after you finish a novel, how do you feel about that?
I don't try to predict events; I ground stories in current realities and acknowledge that geopolitics are moving targets, which can end up influencing public reception even after publication.
David McCloskey - Co-Host of The Rest is Classified
Q: As you move a project from novel to TV development, what non-negotiables do you hold onto, and what do you have to yield to Hollywood?
You protect yourself creatively by aligning with a production partner whose vision matches yours, and you acknowledge the reality that many decisions (showrunner, casting, writer's rooms) are outside the author's direct control.
David McCloskey - Co-Host of The Rest is Classified
Q: How do you think about each medium differently? What changes in your process in prepping for a podcast, in writing something like The Persian, to working on a TV show?
Story is the fundamental thread across all media; you must adapt structure to fit the medium, keeping the core narrative strong while simplifying plots for TV and maintaining coherence for podcast episodes.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Clearer Than Truth

What is Clearer Than Truth about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently covers high-stakes geopolitics, global economics, and security policy with a focus on how power shifts shape world events. Episodes frequently feature policymakers, academics, and seasoned analysts who unpack complex topics—ranging from U.S.–China competition and security dilemmas to regional power dynamics in the Middle East and Europe—into clear, actionable insights. A common thread is analyzing how policy choices, technology, and economics interact to influence national strategy, global markets, and international institutions. A standout aspect is the willingness to host provocative viewpoints from hawkish and realist perspectives, alongside historical context and rigorous background research, making it valuable... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Clearer Than Truth?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Clearer Than Truth. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Clearer Than Truth and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Clearer Than Truth get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Clearer Than Truth, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Clearer Than Truth?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Clearer Than Truth, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Clearer Than Truth have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Clearer Than Truth 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 Clearer Than Truth?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Clearer Than Truth:

1. The Foreign Affairs Interview
2. School of War
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. The Bulwark Podcast
5. Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

How many episodes of Clearer Than Truth are there?

Clearer Than Truth launched 2 years ago and published 64 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 Clearer Than Truth?

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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Clearer Than Truth?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Clearer Than Truth from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Clearer Than Truth?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Clearer Than Truth. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Clearer Than Truth?

Recent guests on Clearer Than Truth include:

1. Ryan Crocker
2. David McCloskey
3. Ken Rogoff
4. Robert Kaplan
5. Nataliya Gumenyuk
6. Branko Milanović
7. Charles Kupchan
8. Ram Charan

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days