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Sources & Methods

NPR
National Security
Donald Trump
Pentagon
Ukraine
Russia
Israel
Gaza
CIA
Venezuela
United States
US Military Operations
President Trump
Dick Cheney
Domestic Extremism
Republican Party
State Department
U.S. Military
National Guard
Qatar
Charlie Kirk

National security, unlocked. Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly and a team of NPR correspondents discuss the biggest national security news of the week. With decades of reporting from battlefields and the halls of power, they bring you inside the Pentagon, State Department, and intelligence community to help you understand America's shifting role in the world, and how events in faraway places m... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes39Founded7 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

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Artwork for Sources & Methods

Latest Episodes

President Trump has demanded, begged and threatened U.S.

allies to join the war in Iran.

But those allies aren’t exactly leaping in to help. Can

Trump finish the war he started – without them?

Host Mary Louise Kelly is joined by Arezou Rezvani, NPR... more

President Trump says there’s practically nothing left to target in Iran. Is the White House looking for an off ramp?

Host Mary Louise Kelly is joined this week by Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman, and Tel Aviv-based International Correspondent Dani... more

Poor planning, overly ambitious goals, not thinking through the aftermath. These are the parallels that Richard Haass sees between the 2003 U.S. invastion of Iraq and its current air campaign against Iran.

Haass was in charge of planning for the inv... more

The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is spilling out across the region. What are the goals? And how does it end?

Host Mary Louise Kelly talks with International Correspondent Aya Batrawy, based in Dubai, and Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, about the U.... more

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Recent Guests

Richard Haass
President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations; former State Department official
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: Is Iran another Iraq?
Aya Batrawy
NPR international correspondent
NPR
Episode: Iran’s fight for survival / The widening war / Trump’s nebulous goals
Daniel Estrin
NPR International Correspondent
NPR
Episode: Iran's supreme leader is killed. What happens now?
Greg Myre
National Security Correspondent
NPR
Episode: Drone warfare / Iran on the brink? / Ukraine four years on
Tom Bowman
Pentagon Correspondent
NPR
Episode: Drone warfare / Iran on the brink? / Ukraine four years on
María Corina Machado
Venezuelan opposition leader
Episode: Europe's post-Munich exhale / Machado on gifting Nobel to Trump
Haley Lu Richardson
Actress starring in the series Ponies
Peacock
Episode: 'Persons of no interest:' embassy wives become spies in new thriller
David Iserson
Co-creator and showrunner of Ponies
Peacock
Episode: 'Persons of no interest:' embassy wives become spies in new thriller
Seema Shaheen
Former senior Mossad official, now at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies
Institute for National Security Studies
Episode: Is the “president of peace” preparing for war?

Host

Mary Louise Kelly
Host of Sources & Methods

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 854 ratings
  • Most Insightful Global News Pod

    I listen to so many news podcasts daily, but Sources & Methods is nearly always far and away the most insightful on looking at global news on a deeper level. This is my go to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Boe Bidon
    United Statesa month ago
  • A great podcast that gives you information you don't hear anywhere else.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    econr6
    a month ago
  • Exceptional!

    Mary Louise Kelly leads superior discussions with other reporters & explains topics beyond the standard reporting. With a small reference from Spinal Tap, Mary Louise Kelly always takes it to 11.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TJ b4
    United Statesa month ago
  • One of my favorite new shows

    I regularly listen to politics and foreign policy pods, and the way that Mary Louise Kelly leverages her long standing relationships within the emissary community gives a rare insider viewpoint. Have loved each new episode!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Walkebb
    United States2 months ago
  • Outstanding show!

    It is now part of my list of trusted sources. Thank you NPR.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    AlfaBlue02
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Thoughtful, expert analysis of national security that goes beyond headlines.
Listeners appreciate accessibility of dense topics and credible sourcing.
Some listeners feel episodes occasionally become dense or lengthy, but many find the depth valuable.
The host and guests bring veteran reporting and clear context to complex issues.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#36
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#92
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#69
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#164
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#219
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#112
Australia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Iran’s fight for survival / The widening war / Trump’s nebulous goals
Q: Why is the US at war with Iran, and what has been stated as the rationale by the administration?
Officials have framed it as preventing Iran from threatening regional stability, stopping Iran's nuclear ambitions, and dismantling proxies, but host and guests highlight that the stated goals are muddled and there is no clear end state being communicated.
U.S. and Israel strike Iran. Here's what we know
Q: What do we know about Iran's response and the broader regional reactions?
The discussion covered Iran's broad missile response across the region, potential expansion via proxies like Hezbollah, and the regional security recalibration as neighboring states reassess their positions amid the flare-up.
U.S. and Israel strike Iran. Here's what we know
Q: What are the implications of hitting the Iranian leadership so early—does this signal a shift toward regime change or a limited objective?
Analysts discussed the possibility that the strikes aimed to disrupt leadership and deter further Iranian actions, while also considering the risk of escalation and the durability of any political outcomes in Iran.
U.S. and Israel strike Iran. Here's what we know
Q: Daniel, kick us off. Where were you? How did you learn in the wee hours of this morning that these strikes were underway?
Daniel described waking up to air-raid sirens, noting rapid, on-the-ground awareness of the strikes as they unfolded, and highlighted the immediacy of the situation in Israel.
Drone warfare / Iran on the brink? / Ukraine four years on
Q: What about Ukraine four years into the war—how is Kyiv adapting to drone warfare?
Ukraine has rapidly scaled its drone capabilities, moving from off-the-shelf drones to a robust domestic industry that fields hundreds (if not thousands) of small drones for surveillance and precision strikes, and they are training with the U.S. to integrate this into a broader battlefield strategy.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sources & Methods

What is Sources & Methods about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program centers on national security and global politics, delivering weekly analysis of the biggest security or diplomatic developments with on-the-ground reporting and expert context. Episodes typically feature NPR correspondents from Washington, foreign bureaus, and Pentagon or State Department analysts, with occasional interviews from power players in the NatSec world. Listeners can expect deep dives into strategic questions, military posture, diplomacy, and the intelligence landscape, often tying global events to implications for U.S. policy and everyday life. A standout strength is its ability to translate complex security topics into accessible, evidence-based conversations, frequently supported by OSINT notes and historical cont... more

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1. The NPR Politics Podcast
2. Consider This from NPR
3. Throughline
4. Up First from NPR
5. Planet Money

How many episodes of Sources & Methods are there?

Sources & Methods launched 7 months ago and published 39 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 Sources & Methods?

Recent guests on Sources & Methods include:

1. Richard Haass
2. Aya Batrawy
3. Daniel Estrin
4. Greg Myre
5. Tom Bowman
6. María Corina Machado
7. Haley Lu Richardson
8. David Iserson

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