Rephonic
Artwork for NatSec Matters
Iran
China
Russia
United States
Ukraine
Israel
National Security
CIA
NATO
Venezuela
Artificial Intelligence
North Korea
Middle East
Taiwan
Syria
Hezbollah
Turkey
Cybersecurity
Trump Administration
Al-Qaeda

Formerly known as Intelligence Matters, the NatSec Matters podcast features former senior national security officials Michael Allen, Jeremy Bash, and Andrew Shapiro as they interview top leaders in national security, including intelligence officers, military leaders, and policymakers, on the most critical security challenges of our time. Their interviews offer insights into the world's most pressi... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes143Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for NatSec Matters

Latest Episodes

Michael is joined by Dr. Alan Mendoza, Chief Advisor for Global Affairs for the U.K.'s Reform Party, to explain the political firestorm engulfing Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party. Dr. Mendoza provides an insider's look at the mounting... more

Michael is joined by Craig Singleton, Senior Director of the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to preview the long-delayed summit between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week. With the war in Iran looming ... more

Michael is joined by Eddie Fishman, Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomics at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former State Department sanctions expert, to discuss the Trump administration's shift toward a "last-ditch" dip... more

Michael welcomes Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, to evaluate the sustainability of the US economic blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and the realistic prospects for a nuclear breakthrough with Iran. Richard provides a ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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.

Irregular Warfare Podcast
Irregular Warfare PodcastIrregular Warfare Initiative
Global Security Briefing
Global Security BriefingThe Royal United Services Institute
School of War
School of WarThe Free Press
The President’s Inbox
The President’s InboxCouncil on Foreign Relations

Recent Guests

Eddie Fishman
Senior Fellow and Director of the Maurice Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: The Hormuz Hotline: Eddie Fishman
Richard Fontaine
CEO of the Center for a New American Security
Center for a New American Security
Episode: Blockade Brinkmanship: Richard Fontaine
Roger Zakheim
President and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Foundation
Ronald Reagan Foundation
Episode: The New Status Quo in the Strait of Hormuz: Roger Zakheim & Rich Goldberg
Rich Goldberg
President of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Episode: The New Status Quo in the Strait of Hormuz: Roger Zakheim & Rich Goldberg
Chris Grady
Admiral, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
US Navy
Episode: President Trump's Latest Ultimatum to Iran: Adm. Chris Grady
Matt Kroenig
Vice President for Geostrategy and Senior Director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council
Atlantic Council
Episode: Emergency Podcast - Decoding the President's Iran Address: Matt Kroenig
Seth Jones
President of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Episode: Off-Ramp or Escalator - The Iranian Regime's Final Act?: Dr. Seth Jones
Clay Seigle
Analyst focusing on energy and security implications
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Episode: The Hormuz Pressure Cooker and Oil Price Roulette: Clay Seigle & Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery
Michael Doran
Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East
Hudson Institute
Episode: Searching for Cracks in Iran's Core: Michael Doran

Host

Michael Allen
Host of NatSec Matters, Beacon Global Strategies

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 471 ratings
  • Propoganda

    This is not informed, balanced analysis, but simply ultra right wing rants, ignoring the inconvenient facts and complexities within this important area. I’m sure it will appeal to the MAGA core but there are far more informative pods out there for the discerning listener.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Dirty-Dan!
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Bias Creeping in Early 2026

    Typically, and over the last couple of years of my listening, the show has offered a fair and reputable perspective on national security issues, foreign affairs, and global security policy. However, in early 2026, a shift became noticeable: the conversations around Venezuela and Iran revealed deep-seated neoconservative and borderline warhawk rhetoric between both host and guests. Leading up to the 28 February strikes in Iran, the host and some of the guests appeared to be salivating at the idea... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Aabbccddeeffgg77231
    United States2 months ago
  • Excellent podcast on current events with insights you don’t typically hear

    The deep dives with all the guests makes it very enjoyable to learn about current events from people with exceptional knowledge who have spent years in their respective fields. Would be great to hear about more domestic security issues, but I enjoy the excellent coverage of multiple theaters of operation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chadillac253
    United States4 months ago
  • Unlabeled reruns hold it back

    The podcast hosts and guests are fine for the topic, but timeliness and transparency are major opportunities. In fact, this podcast will post reruns of old episodes without any disclosure that it is a rerun in the title (or audio or description!). So, for example, you may listen to December’s rerun of an August episode with Craig Singleton and wonder why Craig keeps making forecasts about things in the past (“…through November”, “…this Fall”, etc.). Until a podcast successfully executes the bas... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Byrd Nick
    United States4 months ago
  • What a joke

    Surely they can’t be serious? Very entertaining though, fun to hear the excuses, justifications and contradictions they come up with. Not sure I’d want to hire those dudes to advise my business though :D

    Lots of hot air and conspiracies, it’s those evil Marxists pulling the strings behind the scenes :D

    Also, describing the current more liberal drug policies in Latin America as “failures” is a bit hypocritical without examining decades of hardline and military/police efforts, which have led us to... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Fredomator
    Hong Kong7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise high-quality, thought-provoking analysis and access to experts.
Episodes are seen as credible and informative by many, with strong praise for guest expertise.
Some criticisms note timeliness and transparency issues with reruns.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#22
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#19
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#48
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#32
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#45
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#57
Germany/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Deal-Maker's Dilemma: Richard Nephew
Q: What are the viable options for handling HEU—raid, diplomacy, or something else?
Options include a high-risk raid with feasibility concerns and potential escalation, continued satellite surveillance, or pursuing a diplomatic arrangement to downblend or relocate HEU, with each path carrying different political and strategic costs.
The Deal-Maker's Dilemma: Richard Nephew
Q: Where do you see the HEU situation, particularly regarding the missing HEU and the Isfahan tunnel complex?
Most HEU is likely in the Esfahan tunnel complex, which is difficult to access militarily; the missing HEU remains a question with some evidence pointing to a narrow corridor, suggesting risk and uncertainty in reconstitution or shielding.
The Deal-Maker's Dilemma: Richard Nephew
Q: What grade would you give the overall military campaign so far, and how does it relate to the stated objectives?
The campaign has shown tactical sophistication and significant attritional effects, particularly against the IRGC, but it remains ambiguous whether the strategies fully align with the original political and strategic goals, especially regarding long-term outcomes and the nuclear issue.
The New Status Quo in the Strait of Hormuz: Roger Zakheim & Rich Goldberg
Q: Rich, why don't you start?
Rich explains the framing of the blockade around Iranian ports, the need to focus on the choke points, and how the markets perceive the risk as the mission progresses, while underscoring the importance of safe sea lanes for commercial shipping.
The Hormuz Pressure Cooker and Oil Price Roulette: Clay Seigle & Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery
Q: From a policy perspective, what options does the United States have to address higher oil prices beyond restoring oil through the Straits?
The panel outlines using reserves releases, waiving some regulations to improve fuel manufacturing efficiency, reinvigorating reinsurance confidence, and pursuing clear, credible signals to deter disruption—though none of these substitutes fully replace the Gulf's role in global exports.

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 NatSec Matters

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

NatSec Matters presents high-level conversations with former senior national security officials and policy leaders. Episodes center on contemporary security challenges, geopolitics, and US policy responses, featuring insider perspectives on Iran, Russia, China, Latin America, and regional crises. The show stands out for its access to practitioners and policymakers, offering pragmatic impact-focused analysis and scenario planning, often with a sharp emphasis on U.S. strategy, deterrence, and defense posture. Potential sponsors and guests can expect a rigorous, policy-driven audience interested in defense, intelligence, diplomacy, and national security strategy.

Where can I find podcast stats for NatSec Matters?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for NatSec Matters. 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 NatSec Matters and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does NatSec Matters get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for NatSec Matters, 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 NatSec Matters?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for NatSec Matters, 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 NatSec Matters have?

To see how many followers or subscribers NatSec Matters 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 NatSec Matters?

These podcasts share a similar audience with NatSec Matters:

1. Irregular Warfare Podcast
2. Global Security Briefing
3. School of War
4. War on the Rocks
5. The President’s Inbox

How many episodes of NatSec Matters are there?

NatSec Matters launched 3 years ago and published 143 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 NatSec Matters?

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 NatSec Matters?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for NatSec Matters 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 NatSec Matters?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of NatSec Matters. 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 NatSec Matters?

Recent guests on NatSec Matters include:

1. Eddie Fishman
2. Richard Fontaine
3. Roger Zakheim
4. Rich Goldberg
5. Chris Grady
6. Matt Kroenig
7. Seth Jones
8. Clay Seigle

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