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Sources & Methods

NPR
Iran
United States
Ukraine
Venezuela
National Security
Israel
Donald Trump
Pentagon
CIA
Trump Administration
Russia
China
NATO
Gaza
Espionage
Nicolás Maduro
Drug Trafficking
Europe
Trump
U.S. Foreign Policy

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 weeklyEpisodes63Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

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Latest Episodes

The world’s attention is once again on the Strait of Hormuz, as the U.S. and Iran have resumed strikes and their shaky ceasefire broke.

Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with two show regulars, NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR National Secu... more

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President Trump and NATO allies met in Turkey this week, in a summit where European countries were anxious about appeasing the U.S. president.

Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR Istanbul Correspondent Ha... more

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Four years in and Ukraine is still giving Russia a run for its money. Four months in and Iran shows no sign of bowing to U.S. demands. 

What do Russia’s fight with Ukraine and the U.S. war with Iran tell us about the limits of military might?

Host ... more

YouTube

This September marks 25 years since terrorists hijacked planes and steered them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. They steered a third plane into the Pentagon. A fourth was headed for the U.S. Capitol, but crashed into a field in Pennsy... more

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Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Condoleezza Rice
Former Secretary of State, contributor in OSINT segment
Aspen conference participant
Episode: Hormuz blockade / Trump’s mixed messages / Who is Jay Clayton?
Hadeel Al-Shalchi
NPR Istanbul correspondent covering NATO; guest on NATO segment
NPR
Episode: Iran ceasefire over? / NATO drama / Khamenei funeral
Joanna Kakissis
NPR Ukraine correspondent
NPR
Episode: Ukraine latest / Limits of military might / Can major powers regain dominance?
Alberto Gonzales
Former White House Counsel and Attorney General
U.S. government
Episode: How far should the government go to protect America?
Jeh Johnson
Former Secretary of Homeland Security and General Counsel of the Defense Department
U.S. government
Episode: How far should the government go to protect America?
Lauren Frayer
London correspondent
BBC
Episode: Starmer’s successor / Reset on UK-US relationship? / Strait latest
Kat Lonsdorf
NPR reporter making her debut on Sources & Methods
NPR
Episode: Hegseth blocks promotions / National Guard surge / Downed Apache
Yeganeh Torbati
Iran correspondent for the New York Times; co-author of Stolen Revolution
New York Times
Episode: The broken promises of the 1979 Iranian Revolution
Jake Sullivan
Former National Security Advisor, Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at Harvard Kennedy School
Harvard Kennedy School
Episode: Jake Sullivan: 'Hard to see' what U.S. has gained in Iran

Hosts

Mary Louise Kelly
Lead host; NPR national security correspondent with decades of reporting from conflict zones and power centers; guides discussion and introduces segments
Greg Myre
NPR National Security Correspondent; co-host on many episodes; provides newsroom expertise and on-the-ground context

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1k ratings
  • Big fan of the new angle

    I’ve always appreciated NPRs mostly objective reporting (sometimes too Isr*** pro-biased) but this is a great new perspective that I like a lot.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Md713
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great

    Bugs in the most recent Thursday episode though. Repeats at parts

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wallywonka0188
    United States2 months ago
  • Can’t miss weekly podcast

    As a contextual person, I appreciate the manner and way information is presented. Love the show!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CarlyL98
    United States2 months ago
  • More!

    Wish it came out more than weekly (plus the bonus npr+ podcasts I LOVE)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Whitpmo
    United States2 months ago
  • Always solid reporting from npr, particularly good jake Sullivan interview

    Podcast Addict
    5
    nickl1
    2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some criticism notes pacing or perceived repetition on topical news items.
Several reviews highlight the host's depth and journalistic integrity.
Listeners praise the show for thorough, context-rich security analysis and credible guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#77
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#229
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#187
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#227
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#222
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#29
Japan/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The broken promises of the 1979 Iranian Revolution
Q: How did you approach gathering stories from six Iranians with diverse views?
We deliberately sought a range of voices, including supporters and opponents, and conducted interviews in Persian over years to build trust and safety for participants to share their experiences.
Jake Sullivan: 'Hard to see' what U.S. has gained in Iran
Q: In 2021, you said you were briefed that Iran had no nuclear capability. How has that belief shifted since, and how does it affect current negotiations?
The position has evolved from whether Iran has decided to build a bomb to whether they have the capability and the leverage to deter the United States; while the intelligence community suggested they hadn't formally decided to build a bomb, they have pursued enrichment and other capabilities that could enable a future breakout, which changes the calculation for negotiations and deterrence.
2084: A cautionary tale about the future of war and a changing planet
Q: What is this one alerting and warning about?
2084 projects the great geopolitical challenges as the globe changes, with AI, distributed operations, and evolving geography shaping future conflicts and national resilience, presented through a character-driven narrative.
2084: A cautionary tale about the future of war and a changing planet
Q: So, again, your first book was 2034. Then you skipped ahead 20 years to 2054. So my first question, and I'll steer this to you, Admiral, what happened to 2074?
The authors describe how the trilogy uses these years as deliberate waypoints to explore evolving defense challenges, and to show how alliances and technology shift, while staying anchored in the unchangeability of war and in human resilience.
James Wolff was a spy. Now, he's writing about them
Q: What do you see as next for you after this book, especially regarding the overlap between spies, journalism, and media?
The author envisions exploring the crossover between spy agencies and media, including how agencies use public-facing channels like social media and PR strategies, which could become a focus for future work.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sources & Methods

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

The show provides in-depth analysis of national security and global affairs, anchored by a seasoned host and a rotating panel of NPR correspondents and expert guests. Episodes typically blend current events with historical context, featuring open-source intelligence notes, frontline reporting, and interviews with former officials and subject-matter authorities. The format often ties knotty policy decisions to real-world impacts, from the Pentagon and State Department to intelligence communities and diplomacy, with occasional human-interest or literary angles. Noteworthy is the strong emphasis on OSINT, multi-source corroboration, and a clear, evidence-based approach that appeals to professionals who want a rigorous read on geopolitics and s... more

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1. The NPR Politics Podcast
2. Consider This from NPR
3. Trump's Terms
4. Throughline
5. Up First from NPR

How many episodes of Sources & Methods are there?

Sources & Methods launched a year ago and published 63 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. Condoleezza Rice
2. Hadeel Al-Shalchi
3. Joanna Kakissis
4. Alberto Gonzales
5. Jeh Johnson
6. Lauren Frayer
7. Kat Lonsdorf
8. Yeganeh Torbati

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