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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes51Foundeda year ago
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Government

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Artwork for State of Play

Latest Episodes

U.S. and European leaders have accused Russia of stepping up sabotage, drone incursions, and cyberattacks in Europe, and some warn that Russia will test NATO's article 5 resolve by striking European states with drones or missiles. This week, Max Berg... more

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Last weekend, the Houthis conducted their deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia for over a decade. Amb. Michael Ratney and new CSIS senior fellow Allison Minor join Will to discuss how we got to this point, whether Saudi Arabia is more likely to escalate ... more

YouTube

Fighting has broken out between the Ethiopian government and an alliance of 7 opposition groups. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Egypt, and Sudan of backing the rebel alliance, though officials from all three governments have denied this. This week, Aa... more

YouTube

The summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping could cover a range of issues to potentially include trade, investment, AI, the war with Iran, and Taiwan. The morning after the summit, CSIS’s leading China experts will provide a rapid assessment of it... more

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Recent Guests

Daniel Byman
Director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats and Terrorism program at CSIS
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Episode: How Serious is Russia's Threat to Europe?
Max Bergmann
Director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia program at CSIS
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Episode: How Serious is Russia's Threat to Europe?
Michael Ratney
Former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and non-resident senior advisor in the CSIS Middle East Program
CSIS
Episode: After Houthi Attacks, What Options Does Saudi Arabia Have?
Allison Minor
CSIS senior fellow and former deputy special envoy to Yemen
CSIS
Episode: After Houthi Attacks, What Options Does Saudi Arabia Have?
Aaron Stanley
Resident Horn of Africa expert, Deputy Director of the Africa Programme at CSIS
CSIS
Episode: Could Fighting in Ethiopia Spark Regional War in the Horn of Africa?
Yonas Ashine Demisse
Senior Fellow at the Africa Institute and Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Addis Ababa University
Africa Institute; Addis Ababa University
Episode: Could Fighting in Ethiopia Spark Regional War in the Horn of Africa?
Edgard Kagan
Ambassador, Senior Advisor and Freeman Chair in China Studies
CSIS
Episode: What Did Trump and Xi Agree to at the White House?
Tom Christensen
Professor at Columbia University and Pritzker Chair, CSIS
CSIS
Episode: What Did Trump and Xi Agree to at the White House?
Bonny Lin
Senior Advisor and Director of the China Power Project
CSIS
Episode: What Did Trump and Xi Agree to at the White House?

Host

Will Todman
Host of State of Play

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 28 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 States5 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 States8 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.

Recurring feedback highlights the show's ability to translate geopolitics into actionable insights.
Some episodes draw constructive criticism about tone when covering highly contentious topics.
Guests are often praised for delivering expert context and real-world implications in concise formats.
Listeners appreciate the host's facilitation and the depth brought by panelists.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#70
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#129
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#191
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#12
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#41
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#220
France/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Serious is Russia's Threat to Europe?
Q: How do you see the US response so far, and then what would you like to see from the US response going forward?
Max Bergmann says he sees little effective U.S. response and argues the United States should help coordinate European intelligence and clearly communicate consequences for Russian attacks. Daniel Byman says the United States should make clear that it will continue supporting Ukraine and impose a price on Russia's actions.
How Serious is Russia's Threat to Europe?
Q: So how are Russia's tactics evolving when it comes to the hybrid warfare and are they really evolving? Or is this similar tactics that we've seen for some time that they're just keeping going at?
Daniel Byman says Russia has long used cyberattacks, sabotage, election interference, disinformation, threats to critical infrastructure, and migration to deepen social divisions. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the scale and risk of these operations have increased.
After Houthi Attacks, What Options Does Saudi Arabia Have?
Q: What options does Saudi Arabia have? Which option do you think is most likely in the short term?
Michael Ratney expects more Saudi airstrikes and military pressure in the near term, followed by attempts to find an off-ramp. Allison Minor warns that escalation could spread to ports, oil infrastructure, and the battlefield in Yemen.
After Houthi Attacks, What Options Does Saudi Arabia Have?
Q: Why do you think the Houthis have chosen to escalate their attacks against Saudi Arabia at this point?
Allison Minor says the Houthis have their own agenda, want to exploit Saudi vulnerabilities, and may see the current regional conflict as an opportunity to strengthen their position and demands.
Could Fighting in Ethiopia Spark Regional War in the Horn of Africa?
Q: What is the state of play in the region right now, and how does geopolitics influence this?
Geopolitical realignments, Nile and Red Sea dynamics, and involvement from Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, and Gulf powers shape both the conflict and potential peace efforts, with external actors pursuing national interests in a broader multipolar competition.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About State of Play

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

Geopolitics-focused discussions with a consistent host that draws on CSIS regional and policy expertise. Episodes typically feature a mix of senior CSIS analysts and policy researchers, analyzing current flashpoints such as U.S.–China relations, alliance dynamics, cyber and infrastructure security, and regional security in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific. A recurring strength is translating complex geopolitics into accessible, strategic takeaways, often balancing hard security issues with economic and diplomatic implications. Notable is a track record of deep dives with subject-matter experts, plus on-site and cross-institution conversations that illuminate how power overlaps at the governmental, business, and alliance levels.... more

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Which podcasts are similar to State of Play?

These podcasts share a similar audience with State of Play:

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

How many episodes of State of Play are there?

State of Play launched a year ago and published 51 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 State of Play?

Recent guests on State of Play include:

1. Daniel Byman
2. Max Bergmann
3. Michael Ratney
4. Allison Minor
5. Aaron Stanley
6. Yonas Ashine Demisse
7. Edgard Kagan
8. Tom Christensen

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