Rephonic
Artwork for State of Play
China
United States
Russia
Iran
North Korea
Ukraine
Japan
India
Trump Administration
China-India Relations
US Foreign Policy
Trump's Asia Trip
Economic Coercion
Cuba
Tariffs
Southeast Asia
Israel
BRICS Plus
Us-China Relations
Liberal International Order

The world order has been disrupted, and a new international system is emerging. Hosted by Will Todman, State of Play unpacks the biggest geopolitical developments of the week. Every episode brings together CSIS’s leading regional experts to explore how global power is shifting, how allies and adversaries are responding, and what it all means for the future of international order. State of Play is ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes47Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Government

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for State of Play

Latest Episodes

A recent opinion poll found that Filipinos have the most positive view of President Trump of any of the 36 countries surveyed. On the sidelines of the Manila Strategy Forum, Amb. John Negroponte and Greg Poling join Will to assess the strength of the... more

When faced with President Trump’s economic pressure, most U.S. allies have fallen into line. Canada bucked the trend and stood firm. This week, Will talks with Chris Hernandez-Roy and Diego Marroquin Bitar to discuss if Canada can withstand U.S. pres... more

YouTube

Cyberattacks targeting water and wastewater utilities have been reported in at least a dozen states across the United States since late July. Although there has been no widespread contamination or immediate threat to public drinking water, it is a se... more

YouTube

President Trump is ramping up economic pressure on Cuba and has instructed U.S. intelligence agencies to find a new leader who could work with the United States – like Delcy Rodriguez in Venezuela. Christopher Hernandez Roy and William LeoGrande join... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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.

The Asia Chessboard
The Asia ChessboardCenter for Strategic and International Studies
Pekingology
PekingologyCenter for Strategic and International Studies
Russian Roulette
Russian RouletteCenter for Strategic and International Studies
ChinaPower
ChinaPowerCSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Trade Guys
The Trade GuysCSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Recent Guests

John Negroponte
Ambassador, former Director of National Intelligence, former Deputy Secretary of State
US Philippines Society
Episode: Is the U.S.-Philippines Alliance Really at a Historic High?
Greg Poling
Director of the Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
CSIS
Episode: Is the U.S.-Philippines Alliance Really at a Historic High?
Chris Hernandez-Roy
Acting Director and Senior Fellow, Americas program
CSIS
Episode: Will Trump’s Pressure on Canada Break the USMCA?
Diego Marroquin Bitar
Fellow in the Americas program focusing on USMCA
CSIS
Episode: Will Trump’s Pressure on Canada Break the USMCA?
Caitlin Welsh
Director of the Food and Water Security Program, Global Development Department
CSIS
Episode: Did Iran Attack U.S. Water Systems?
Lauryn Williams
Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Strategic Technologies Program
CSIS
Episode: Did Iran Attack U.S. Water Systems?
Nikita Shah
Senior Fellow, Intelligence, National Security and Technology Program
CSIS
Episode: Did Iran Attack U.S. Water Systems?
William LeoGrande
Professor of Government and Dean Emeritus at the School of Public Affairs, American University
American University
Episode: Is Cuba Nearing an Inflection Point?
Dr. Charles Edel
Australia Chair and Senior Advisor, CSIS
CSIS
Episode: How Should the U.S. Counter China in the Pacific?

Host

Will Todman
Host of State of Play

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 27 ratings
  • Good Show

    I enjoy Mr. Todman and I enjoy this show. Relevant topics are covered and Mr. Todman’s facilitation style brings about unique conversations with experts who add value. The summary that Mr. Todman does towards the end of each episode is genius… the “who’s up and who’s down this week” question is nauseatingly ridiculous and lowers the podcast a bit.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RJG179
    United States4 months ago
  • Why so negative

    Your last show discussing the war with Iran had an entirely negative outlook. War is always uncertain except for your so called experts who know it can’t work out for the better.

    I think they all suffer TDS. They remind me of the Israel reporter who when asked what a win in the October 7th war might like replied than anything in which Bibi loses would be a win.

    I think your experts look at this war similarly. They are hoping that they can blame Trump for a loss and so only focus on that outc... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    This Ken
    United States6 months ago
  • Fair and balanced

    I found the podcast to be very fair minded and balanced … please keep future episodes on the same path … job well done!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RRIG666
    United Statesa year ago
  • 5 stars!

    Will Todman brings such a wealth of knowledge to each episode and proves to be an incredibly capable moderator, drawing on the expertise of his guests to craft an informative and comprehensive episode every time. 10/10!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    IR Student !!
    United Statesa year ago
  • Promising

    I’ve been looking for a show that will dive into the changing balance of power and this has been great so far. It looks like it’ll strike a helpful balance between covering the latest developments and zooming out for the bigger geopolitical picture.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    FormerArabist
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

The host steers conversations with a clear command, delivering insightful, expert-driven takes.
The host's facilitation style is praised for drawing out valuable perspectives from guests.
Listeners appreciate balanced, rigorous analysis from a CSIS-centered panel.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#192
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#70
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#38
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#113
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#120
France/Government
Apple Podcasts
#142
Germany/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Will Trump’s Pressure on Canada Break the USMCA?
Q: Is the USMCA dead or is there a deal to be salvaged?
The agreement remains on paper and could survive, but with significant holes and political pressure, especially from the U.S. side; Canada and Mexico still seek a path forward, but the U.S. has shown willingness to break or alter different components, suggesting a fragile, prolonged fight rather than a clean resolution.
Will Trump’s Pressure on Canada Break the USMCA?
Q: So, Diego, can I ask you to give us a brief rundown of what USMCA is and where things stand right now?
USMCA is the three-country North American production framework replacing NAFTA, with tighter rules and a built-in six-year review. The U.S. signaled changes and paused formal extension, pushing negotiations into bilateral talks (U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada) while Canada and Mexico steer different paths; the overall framework remains in force but uncertainty dominates.
How Should the United States Counter the CRINK Axis?
Q: What is the best immediate lever for the U.S. to counter Crink's influence, particularly regarding dependencies on China?
Prioritize strengthening critical dependencies (rare earths, semiconductors), diversify supply chains (francsourcing), and expand sanctions enforcement and multilateral coordination to close loopholes.
How Should the United States Counter the CRINK Axis?
Q: Is this Crink grouping an alliance or axis, and what distinguishes it from a formal alliance?
It is not a traditional alliance; there are bilateral networks and parallel actions that create a coordinated, but non-elite, alignment with real challenges for the U.S. and partners.
What Can Negotiations Between Lebanon and Israel Achieve?
Q: What is the Trump administration hoping to get out of these talks?
A diplomatic win and progress toward normalizing ties in the region, leveraging the Lebanon-Israel talks as part of a broader effort to expand influence and showcase leadership in the Middle East.

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 State of Play

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

This program consistently brings together leading CSIS regional experts to unpack major geopolitical developments of the week, with a focus on how shifts in power affect allies, adversaries, and the future international order. Episodes frequently cover topics like great-power competition, sanctions regimes, regional conflicts, and diplomacy dynamics, often linking them to concrete policy implications for decision-makers and businesses operating in geopolitically sensitive sectors. A notable strength is the host's ability to steer technical expertise into accessible, perspective-rich conversations, making it useful for listeners who want timely, policy-relevant analysis and potential implications for strategy, risk, and public affairs. The f... more

Where can I find podcast stats for State of Play?

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

How many listeners does State of Play get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for State of Play, 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 State of Play?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for State of Play, 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 State of Play have?

To see how many followers or subscribers State of Play 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 State of Play?

These podcasts share a similar audience with State of Play:

1. The Asia Chessboard
2. Pekingology
3. Russian Roulette
4. ChinaPower
5. The Trade Guys

How many episodes of State of Play are there?

State of Play launched a year ago and published 47 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 State of Play?

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 State of Play?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for State of Play 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 State of Play?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of State of Play. 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 State of Play?

Recent guests on State of Play include:

1. John Negroponte
2. Greg Poling
3. Chris Hernandez-Roy
4. Diego Marroquin Bitar
5. Caitlin Welsh
6. Lauryn Williams
7. Nikita Shah
8. William LeoGrande

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