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
Tariffs
Southeast Asia
Israel
BRICS Plus
Us-China Relations
Liberal International Order
South Korea

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes40Foundeda year ago
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Government

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Artwork for State of Play

Latest Episodes

The G7 Summit may have defied expectations. President Trump stayed until the end, there were no big bust-ups, and lots of joint policy statements. Victor Cha, Kristi Govella, Phil Luck, and Caitlin Welsh join Will to assess how meaningful the outcome... more

YouTube

The United States and Iran announced a framework deal that includes a 60-day ceasefire and reopens the Strait of Hormuz. CSIS Middle East Program experts Mona Yacoubian, Michael Ratney, Paul Salem, and Susan Ziadeh assess the winners and losers of th... more

YouTube

The recent Xi–Kim summit has further strengthened ties between China and North Korea, with potential implications for the broader dynamics among the CRINK countries and regional security.

Dr. Victor Cha, Igor Khrestin, Joseph Kim, and Dr. Maria Sneg... more

YouTube

Four years into the war, Ukraine may finally have the upper hand. Will speaks with Max Bergmann and Maria Snegovaya about their recent trip to Kyiv, Ukraine's key advantages, Russia's challenges, and if the shifting balance of power means the war may... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Kristi Govella
Senior advisor and Japan chair
CSIS
Episode: Was the G7 Summit in France a Success?
Phil Luck
Director of the Economics Program and Shoal chair
CSIS
Episode: Was the G7 Summit in France a Success?
Susan Ziadeh
Senior Advisor in the Middle East Program
CSIS Middle East Program
Episode: Trump's Iran Deal: What Comes Next?
Michael Ratney
Senior Advisor in the Middle East Program
CSIS Middle East Program
Episode: Trump's Iran Deal: What Comes Next?
Igor Khrestin
Senior Advisor in Global Policy
George W. Bush Institute
Episode: How Should the United States Counter the CRINK Axis?
Joseph Kim
Program Manager in Global Policy
George W. Bush Institute
Episode: How Should the United States Counter the CRINK Axis?
Tom Christensen
Professor at Columbia University; Pritzker Chair at CSIS
CSIS/Columbia University
Episode: Is Something Big About to Happen with North Korea?
Paul Salem
Senior associate with the Middle East program; former CEO/president of the Middle East Institute; founder/director of Carnegie Middle East Center and Lebanese Center for Policy Studies
Middle East program, CSIS (invited guest)
Episode: What Can Negotiations Between Lebanon and Israel Achieve?
Edgard Kagan
Ambassador, Freeman Chair in China Studies; former US Ambassador to Malaysia; Senior Advisor
CSIS
Episode: What did the Trump-Xi Summit Achieve?

Host

Will Todman
Host of State of Play

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 12 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 Statesa month 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 States4 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 States10 months 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.

Balanced and fair-minded discussion that draws on expert guests.
Conversations are digestible yet deeply informed, with a strong analytical throughline.
Listeners appreciate the practical takeaways and big-picture context the show provides.
Host excels at drawing out insights from diverse panelists.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#112
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#122
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#178
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#36
France/Government
Apple Podcasts
#40
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#44
Germany/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
What Can Negotiations Between Lebanon and Israel Achieve?
Q: What do you think negotiations between Lebanon and Israel can actually achieve?
A pathway to long-term stability and eventual peace, with the potential to reduce immediate violence and set the stage for governance reforms and security arrangements, though real progress hinges on Hezbollah's role and regional backing.
Has the Iran war upended U.S.-China negotiations?
Q: Has the Iran War Upended US-China Negotiations?
The panel argues that while there are important shifts and leverage changes, the negotiations have not been upended; the framework remains and the May talks might be more detailed but not a radically different outcome.

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?

A weekly geopolitics program that brings together CSIS experts and regional specialists to unpack major global developments. Episodes frequently center on U.S.–China dynamics, Iran and the Middle East, European security, and energy and economic security, with deep dives into policy implications, alliance behavior, and long-term shifts in the world order. The format tends to pair a seasoned host with a rotating panel of subject-matter authorities to translate complex geopolitics into actionable takeaways for policymakers, investors, and corporate strategists. A notable strength is the access to widely respected CSIS analysts and the ability to connect broad macro-trends to concrete policy options and strategic decisions. Potential listeners ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to State of Play?

These podcasts share a similar audience with State of Play:

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

How many episodes of State of Play are there?

State of Play launched a year ago and published 40 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. Kristi Govella
2. Phil Luck
3. Susan Ziadeh
4. Michael Ratney
5. Igor Khrestin
6. Joseph Kim
7. Tom Christensen
8. Paul Salem

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.

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