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Firewall with Bradley Tusk

Firewall
New York City
Donald Trump
Mobile Voting
Mental Health
Eric Adams
Public Safety
Artificial Intelligence
Trump
Social Media
Andrew Cuomo
Politics
Democratic Party
Zohran Mamdani
Affordable Housing
Kamala Harris
Venture Capital
Joe Biden
Happiness
New York
Cannabis

Politics, technology and the pursuit of happiness. Twice a week, Bradley Tusk, New York-based political strategist and venture investor, covers the collision between new ideas and the real world. His operating thesis is that you can't understand tech today without understanding politics, too. Recorded at P&T Knitwear, his bookstore / podcast studio, 180 Orchard Street, New York City.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes309Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessNewsNews Commentary

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Artwork for Firewall

Latest Episodes

There is an obvious reason men have drifted to the right, says Justin Cohen: Nobody on the left wants to hear from them. The co-founder of Dads for All joins Bradley to discuss how social isolation, economic anxiety, and political polarization have c... more

Because that's what Bradley argues retail investors will be banking on if they buy OpenAI stock if it goes public as early as this fall. Taking a careful walk through the numbers, he set it up as a classic conflict between math and mythology. Does a ... more

If government is one of the best career moves a young person can make right now, why does nobody seem to know it? Caitlin Lewis, Executive Director of Work for America, joins Bradley to extol the benefits of working for state and local governments. T... more

What are the ingredients of a healthy life? Bradley discusses the major changes he made after turning 50, including protein shakes, testosterone therapy, sleep apnea mouth guards, a stay this summer at the Hoffman Institute in the Canadian Rockies an... more

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Recent Guests

Caitlin Lewis
Runs Work for America, focused on local and state government talent
Work for America
Episode: How to Find a Meaningful Job
Manoush Zomorodi
Author of The Body Electric, The Hidden Health Cost of the Digital Age
Author, The Body Electric
Episode: Hear Your Body Talk
Shontell Plummer
Partner at Tusk Strategies; expert on New York government and politics
Tusk Strategies
Episode: What Good is a State?
Judah Taub
Managing Partner at Hetz Ventures, cybersecurity investor
Hetz Ventures
Episode: Get Unstuck
Megan Collins
Colleague and debate participant
Episode: California's Billionaire Tax Is a Very Bad Idea
Josh Mohrer
Co-founder of Smith & Moses; former Uber NY executive
Smith & Moses
Episode: What If Albany Suddenly Made Sense?
Matt Wing
Co-founder of Smith & Moses; political/tech operator
Smith & Moses
Episode: What If Albany Suddenly Made Sense?
Bob Greenlee
Partner at Tusk Ventures
Tusk Ventures
Episode: How to Think About Regulating AI
Ed Manzi
Founder of Unmuted, group focused on bringing politically curious New Yorkers together in person to discuss issues
Unmuted
Episode: Learning to Talk Again

Hosts

Bradley Tusk
Host of Firewall with Bradley Tusk; political strategist and venture investor with focus on tech-policy interfaces
Hugo Lindgren
Producer and co-host; longtime media professional

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 147 ratings
  • A+ podcast

    I always look forward to hearing Bradley and Hugo’s discussions about tech, politics, and life. There are many pods out there that successfully break down issues and current events in a variety of ways. But I think that taking time to view the world through the lens of a technologist and political strategist is especially useful. And Bradley does it with a dose of humor and humility. For that reason, I recommend everyone move this pod to the top of their priority list.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Drewgonzales91
    United States5 months ago
  • Great Pod. Keeps me in the know

    I enjoy this podcast immensely. I started my work career in NYC. Among other benefits, the pod is a great way for me to stay informed about NYC in a way that is deeper than what is reported nationally. Additionally, through Bradley’s guests and his recommendations , I feel much more in the know. Tusk has a good substack as well. The pod has a great return on time spent listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    phillyweather
    United States5 months ago
  • Consistently look forward to this podcast release.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    M
    5 months ago
  • When I want quality journalism I know I can rely on Fire wall.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Annoianoid
    2 years ago
  • Great podcast!

    One of my favorite podcasts. Always a great perspective on current events, politics, tech, books and NYC.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jay A. Dubs
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the nuanced take on tech/policy intersections and the host's practical approach to strategy.
The show is praised for balance and depth, though some listeners want tighter sound quality and more structured questions.
Guests are consistently high-caliber, offering informed perspectives across politics, tech, and business.
Audience often cites learnings valuable for branding, political campaigns, and tech entrepreneurship.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to Find a Meaningful Job
Q: What is Work for America trying to achieve, and how does it work in practice?
Work for America aims to connect talent with local government jobs, modernize the hiring process to reduce time to hire, and tell a new, nonpartisan narrative about public service to attract people to government careers. They operate a talent marketplace (Civic Match) and offer playbooks and accelerators to speed hiring and improve government operations.
Crypto in a Collared Shirt
Q: How might regulation evolve for digital assets at federal and state levels?
Regulators are expected to enact rulemaking and clarify roles (with the CFTC taking a lead on many crypto issues while both SEC and state regulators retain authority); the Genius and Clarity Acts are central to shaping this landscape.
Crypto in a Collared Shirt
Q: What is a stable coin and why is it important for institutions?
A stable coin is a crypto token pegged to stable real-world assets like US Treasuries, providing predictable value, faster settlement, and a bridge for institutions to adopt blockchain-based payments and cross-border transactions.
Crypto in a Collared Shirt
Q: What moves the price of Bitcoin and why is the decoupling happening?
Price is increasingly driven by liquidity, new financial products, and market participation rather than traditional fundamentals, leading to a decoupling where crypto tech and real-world use cases advance independently of Bitcoin price swings.
The Left Broke America. Can It Be Fixed?
Q: So one would be a lack of cohesiveness and social norms that encourage and allow us to treat each other with respect and decency, follow the basic rule to make society function well, and have some level of trust and faith in our institutions.
A macro solution set focusing on rebuilding social bonds through shared responsibilities like mandatory service, coupled with policy tools (basic income, mobile voting) to realign political incentives toward the middle, while emphasizing practical governance over division.

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 Firewall

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

A show that threads politics, technology, and business insights through a NYC lens, often exploring how policy shapes tech, startups, and governance. Episodes mix sharp policy debate with practical industry perspectives, featuring guests from venture, government, and media, plus thoughtful takes on AI, regulation, and urban policy. Noteworthy is the host's knack for balancing analytical rigor with accessible storytelling, and the presence of frequent, high-profile guests who bridge tech strategy and public affairs. This cadence and scope make it valuable for listeners who want real-world context on how policy and innovation collide—and for potential guests or sponsors seeking a politically savvy tech audience.

Where can I find podcast stats for Firewall?

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How many listeners does Firewall get?

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What are the audience demographics for Firewall?

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How many subscribers and views does Firewall have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Firewall 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 Firewall?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Firewall:

1. FAQ NYC
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. Lost Debate
4. Andrew Yang Podcast
5. The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

How many episodes of Firewall are there?

Firewall launched 9 years ago and published 309 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 Firewall?

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 Firewall?

Recent guests on Firewall include:

1. Caitlin Lewis
2. Manoush Zomorodi
3. Shontell Plummer
4. Judah Taub
5. Megan Collins
6. Josh Mohrer
7. Matt Wing
8. Bob Greenlee

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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