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FDD Morning Brief

FDD
Iran
Israel
Hamas
Gaza
United States
Hezbollah
Middle East
Turkey
Qatar
Syria
Lebanon
Middle East Conflict
Saudi Arabia
China
Donald Trump
United Nations
Muslim Brotherhood
Trump Administration
Russia
Nuclear Weapons

The Middle East never stops moving. Neither does the FDD Morning Brief.

Three mornings a week, FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer cuts through the noise with the experts who have spent their careers studying, shaping, and living the region’s most consequential moments. All before your morning coffee gets cold.

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Latest Episodes

Headlines:

• China blasted the United States after the Trump administration rolled out Operation Economic Outcast, its new pressure campaign to completely isolate Iran from the global economy. 

• Let’s stick with Iran, shall we? Iran and Oman are co... more

Headlines:

• Some mixed messages out of Iran’s rump regime. We’ve got President Masoud Pezeshkian saying that a new MOU is the best way out of the war. He warned that the country’s economy is in a downward spiral. And he’s not wrong. 

• Reports over... more

Headlines:

• The Trump Administration sanctioned the International Criminal Court’s president and top lawyer over their egregious, corrupt, politicized conduct.

• The United Arab Emirates suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran afte... more

Headlines:

• The U.S. and Israel have agreed to establish two Gaza working groups: one related to Hamas disarmament and the other to public health in the Strip. 

• Russia is reportedly replenishing Iran’s munition stockpiles by shipping drone parts,... more

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Recent Guests

Shira Efron
RAND's distinguished chair for Israel policy
RAND Corporation
Episode: War and the Board of Peace | feat. Shira Efron
Daniel Chamovitz
President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Episode: A university blooms in wartime Israel | feat. Daniel Chamowitz
Laura Kelly
Foreign policy reporter for The Hill who covers how events on Capitol Hill ripple outward
The Hill
Episode: Congress' MidEast mindset | feat. Laura Kelly
Norman Roule
Former US National Intelligence Manager for Iran; consultant on Gulf security and energy issues
Former CIA and Office of the DNI
Episode: Iran's conflict calculus | feat. Norman Roule
Richard Goldberg
Senior advisor at FDD; former government official and policy expert on Iran, energy, and security
FDD
Episode: Defusing Iran's nuclear ambitions | feat. Richard Goldberg
Alexandria Paolozzi Moore
Staff at FDD Action with a front-row seat on Capitol Hill
FDD Action
Episode: The MidEast view from Capitol Hill | feat. Alexandria Paolozzi Moore
Robin Simcox
Counterterrorism expert; UK King's College London fellow; former UK counter-extremism commissioner
King's College London; former UK Home Office counter-extremism commissioner
Episode: Britain's belated reckoning with the IRGC | feat. Robin Simcox
Hagar Chemali
Lebanon expert and satirist
Columbia University; Atlantic Council (non-resident senior fellow)
Episode: Lebanon's Sisyphean struggle with Hezbollah | feat. Hagar Chemali
Hannah Puder
Filmmaker and director of Operation Arnon documentary
Episode: Inside Israel's Operation Arnon | feat. Hannah Puder

Hosts

Jonathan Schanzer
Host of the show; senior analyst with a focus on Middle East geopolitics and U.S. policy.
Natalie Ecanow
Co-host/segment host with episode-by-episode guest coordination and segment hosting.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 168 ratings
  • Clarity

    FDD is by far the most important foreign policy think tank in DC. They are unapologetically honest and fair. Listening to one of their podcasts is like taking an hour long master class on the issues. None of the dog whistle antisemitism at the Heritage Foundation. None of the whitewashing of Qatari and Turkish meddling in American politics. Love this group.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dr, L
    United States9 months ago
  • Audio

    Audio is terrible!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Not Murphy!
    United States10 months ago
  • Great content, but…

    You’ve gotta work on the sound quality. It sounds like you’re and your mother‘s basement. Sorry, but it’s really hard to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    tipzipzee
    United States10 months ago
  • May

    Love Cliff May and thank him for creating the FDD.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gnome chopper
    United Statesa year ago
  • Awesome interview

    Great insight into UN disfunction across the world.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    wellgaveitatry
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Sound quality has been a common complaint, with calls for improved production quality.
The show's depth on Middle East geopolitics and sanctions is frequently highlighted as a differentiator.
Listeners praise crisp, well-reasoned policy analysis and expert guests.
Guests and host deliver strong, evidence-based discussions, with occasional passionate takes on geopolitical issues.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Syria's Russian reconstruction | feat. Anna Borshchevskaya
Q: We don't cover the Ukraine-Russia war as much as we should. Can you give us just like a one-minute rundown? Who's winning? Who's up? Who's down?
Anna explains that Ukrainians have had notable success targeting Russian energy infrastructure, but a decisive outcome is not yet in sight; both sides remain capable of pushing operations, and Western support will be crucial to tilt the balance in Ukraine's favor.
Toppling Tehran | feat. Emily Schrader
Q: How is this war playing out from your perspective?
Emily described a complex situation where outcomes are mixed: the Iranian people are suffering economically and politically, while leadership in Tehran shows resilience; the U.S. and Israel have divergent roles, with a need for careful public messaging and strategic actions that avoid simple wins, recognizing that the war's trajectory depends on internal dynamics and external pressures.
A university blooms in wartime Israel | feat. Daniel Chamowitz
Q: The issue of reservists getting pulled out of university and the continuity challenges that poses—how did the university handle that?
He describes 7,000 students in reserve at peak, the commitment to not leave reservists behind, and programs that allowed retaking courses and even duplicating semesters to maintain continuity.
A university blooms in wartime Israel | feat. Daniel Chamowitz
Q: So tell me, how did you get from there to the Negev?
Chamovitz explains that growing up in Aliquippa and his Jewish Zionist background shaped his perspective, and moving to Israel through education and opportunity led him to lead Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba, anchoring development in the Negev.
The impact of the Mecca pact | feat. Steven Cook
Q: Explain what the Saudi-Turkish-Pakistan defense pact signals about regional security arrangements.
Cook suggests the pact is more a strategic signaling move than a proven military alliance, highlighting that Saudi Arabia is trying to hedge by engaging with other partners while U.S. influence appears frayed; the arrangement may be more about deterring rivals and testing new alignments than a fully functional coalition.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About FDD Morning Brief

What is FDD Morning Brief about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show delivers timely, data-driven analysis of geopolitical flashpoints, with a strong focus on Middle East dynamics, U.S. policy, and energy security. Episodes commonly dissect how Iran, Israel, Hezbollah, and other regional actors interact with global powers, often pairing policy analysis with practical takeaways on diplomacy, sanctions, and military considerations. A distinctive thread is rigorous, often hawkish-leaning commentary from seasoned think-tank guests and policy experts, alongside in-depth conversations that translate complex international developments into actionable insights for decision-makers, sponsors, and media professionals. The format frequently combines host-led briefings with expert interviews, highlighting real-... more

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Which podcasts are similar to FDD Morning Brief?

These podcasts share a similar audience with FDD Morning Brief:

1. Ark News Daily
2. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
3. The Iran Breakdown with Mark Dubowitz
4. Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas
5. Ask Haviv Anything

How many episodes of FDD Morning Brief are there?

FDD Morning Brief launched 3 years ago and published 405 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 FDD Morning Brief?

Recent guests on FDD Morning Brief include:

1. Shira Efron
2. Daniel Chamovitz
3. Laura Kelly
4. Norman Roule
5. Richard Goldberg
6. Alexandria Paolozzi Moore
7. Robin Simcox
8. Hagar Chemali

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