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FDD Morning Brief

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

The FDD Morning Brief provides timely situational updates on contemporary events. Start your Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 8:30am (ET) with digestible analysis and the headlines our experts are watching. The FDD Morning Brief can be streamed on YouTube, X, and is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

PublishesDailyEpisodes388Founded3 years ago
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Latest Episodes

Headlines:

• The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned seven companies and individuals that are part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapons procurement network. 

• Iran instructed the Houthis in Yemen to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the... more

Headlines:

• The regime in Iran publicly hanged two people accused of membership to the Islamic State. Yes, you got that right. The world’s most prolific state sponsor of terrorism is punishing, uh, terrorists.

• President Donald Trump hosted Iraqi ... more

Headlines:

• Sad news on Sunday morning. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina passed away following a brief illness after returning from a trip to Ukraine.

• Iraqi prime minister Ali al-Zaidi is due in Washington today for high level talks with ... more

FDD Senior Fellow Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with documentary filmmaker and "Operation Arnon" producer Hannah Puder.

Learn more at: fdd.... more

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Recent Guests

Max Miller
Congressman, Marine Corps veteran, member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
U.S. House of Representatives, Ohio's 7th District
Episode: What Washington left on the negotiating table | feat. Rep. Max Miller (R-OH)
Haviv Rettig Gur
Times of Israel contributor; Free Press contributor; host of the Ask Haviv Anything podcast
Times of Israel
Episode: The Iran ceasefire fallacy | feat. Haviv Rettig Gur
Bradley Bowman
Director of FDD Center on Military and Political Power, CMPP; former national security advisor to Senate committees
FDD
Episode: Is this a done deal? | feat. Miad Maleki, Ahmad Sharawi, and Bradley Bowman
Natalie Ecanow
FDD Senior Research Analyst and guest on the episode
Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
Episode: Qatar's $400 billion grip on America | feat. Natalie Ecanow
Simone Rodan-Benzaquen
Senior envoy for Europe at FDD; former managing director of the American Jewish Committee in Europe
FDD
Episode: Where does Europe stand on Iran? | feat. Simone Rodan-Benzaquen
Moj Mahdara
Iranian-American activist based in LA; Kinship Partners founder
Kinship Partners
Episode: The deal that dooms the Iranian people | feat. Moj Mahdara
Joseph Zacks
Former CIA counter-terrorism leader; CEO of Aardwolf Global Solutions; CBS contributor; adjunct fellow at FDD
Aardwolf Global Solutions; CBS; FDD
Episode: The unfinished war on terror | feat. Joseph Zacks
Jacki Alexander
CEO of HonestReporting, US and Israel-based nonprofit
HonestReporting
Episode: The anti-Israel propaganda pipeline feeding mainstream media | feat. Jacki Alexander
Dan Swift
Senior Research Analyst at the Center on Economic and Financial Power, FDD
Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
Episode: Hezbollah's West Africa money trail | feat. Daniel Swift

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 166 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 States8 months ago
  • Audio

    Audio is terrible!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Not Murphy!
    United States9 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 States9 months ago
  • May

    Love Cliff May and thank him for creating the FDD.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gnome chopper
    United States9 months 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.

Is this a done deal? | feat. Miad Maleki, Ahmad Sharawi, and Bradley Bowman
Q: What would it mean for Hezbollah if Israel were pressured to withdraw from southern Lebanon as part of a deal?
It would empower Hezbollah, threaten long-standing efforts to disarm or restrain the group, and risk a reversion to pre-October 7 dynamics with increased regional instability.
Is this a done deal? | feat. Miad Maleki, Ahmad Sharawi, and Bradley Bowman
Q: How might a 60-day oil license affect sanction enforcement and regional dynamics?
A 60-day license could reassure partner states but complicate Treasury enforcement by obscuring traceability of shipments, potentially reducing enforcement leverage and benefitting Iran financially.
Is this a done deal? | feat. Miad Maleki, Ahmad Sharawi, and Bradley Bowman
Q: What are the potential implications if Iran gains access to frozen funds or reconstruction money?
Access to funds could allow Iran to support its IRGC and proxies, potentially undermining sanctions, while any such relief would require heavy sanctions waivers and would be difficult to implement and enforce quickly.
Is this a done deal? | feat. Miad Maleki, Ahmad Sharawi, and Bradley Bowman
Q: What are the main concerns about the credibility of Mare News as a source for the leaked deal details?
They discuss Mare News as an Iranian intelligence-linked outlet and consider the risk that the 14 points could be distorted or propaganda; the credibility of the source is questioned while acknowledging it could also reflect genuine signals or messaging.
How the IRGC engineered its own survival | feat. Rafaela Siewert
Q: What does Cala Walsh's case tell us about the regime's information strategies and why Western audiences respond to it?
The discussion highlights how Cala Walsh's youth, background, and messaging fit into a broader PR campaign that reframes the regime as a victim and the U.S./Israel as aggressors, shaping discourse on campuses and social media.

Audience Metrics

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

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Gender Skew
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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. Ask Haviv Anything
3. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
4. Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas
5. What Matters Now

How many episodes of FDD Morning Brief are there?

FDD Morning Brief launched 3 years ago and published 388 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. Max Miller
2. Haviv Rettig Gur
3. Bradley Bowman
4. Natalie Ecanow
5. Simone Rodan-Benzaquen
6. Moj Mahdara
7. Joseph Zacks
8. Jacki Alexander

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