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The Foreign Affairs Interview

Foreign Affairs Magazine
China
United States
Russia
Ukraine
Donald Trump
Iran
Taiwan
Trump Administration
Hamas
Israel
Middle East
Xi Jinping
Gaza
NATO
Artificial Intelligence
United States Foreign Policy
Ukraine War
National Security
Hezbollah
International Order

Foreign Affairs invites you to join its editor, Daniel Kurtz-Phelan, as he talks to influential thinkers and policymakers about the forces shaping the world. Whether the topic is the war in Ukraine, the United States’ competition with China, or the future of globalization, Foreign Affairs’ weekly podcast offers the kind of authoritative commentary and analysis that you can find in the magazine and... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsNews Commentary

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Latest Episodes

The Democrats’ sweeping victory in the midterm elections this week marks not only the start of a new phase for Donald Trump’s foreign policy. It also kicks off a more intensive discussion among both Democrats and Republicans about the future of Ameri... more

YouTube

William McRaven spent four decades in the U.S. military as a Navy SEAL, a four-star admiral, and head of U.S. Special Operations Command. He led the 2003 operation that captured Saddam Hussein and oversaw the 2011 operation that killed Osama bin Lade... more

YouTube

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing his biggest challenge since taking office in 2014. But in an essay in Foreign Affairs, Pratap Bhanu Mehta argues that the youth protests that have swept New Delhi don’t just pose a test for Modi’s authori... more

YouTube

Nearly eight months since it began, the war in Iran has settled into a grim stalemate. Two essays in the new issue of Foreign Affairs consider just how long this stalemate could continue—and what decision-makers in Tehran think they can achieve in th... more

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Recent Guests

Kori Schake
Director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute; former State Department and National Security Council official
American Enterprise Institute
Episode: The Coming Battles Over American Foreign Policy: A Conversation With Kori Schake and Thomas Wright
Thomas Wright
Senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former senior director for strategic planning at the National Security Council
Brookings Institution
Episode: The Coming Battles Over American Foreign Policy: A Conversation With Kori Schake and Thomas Wright
William McRaven
Retired Navy SEAL, four-star admiral, and former head of U.S. Special Operations Command
University of Texas LBJ School
Episode: A Warrior’s View of Why War Fails: A Conversation With William McRaven
Pratap Bhanu Mehta
Analyst of Indian politics and University Lecturer at Princeton University
Princeton University
Episode: What India’s Protests Reveal About the Future of Liberalism: A Conversation With Pratap Bhanu Mehta
Ali Vaez
Director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group
International Crisis Group
Episode: Iran’s Long War: A Conversation With Ali Vaez and Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar
Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar
Associate professor at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Episode: Iran’s Long War: A Conversation With Ali Vaez and Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar
Julianne Smith
Former US ambassador to NATO
Diplomatic Service / NATO
Episode: Russia’s Widening War on Europe: A Conversation With Julianne Smith
Kyle Chan
A fellow at the Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
Episode: What America and China Fear Most About AI: A Conversation with Kyle Chan and Helen Toner
Helen Toner
Executive director of Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology
Georgetown University
Episode: What America and China Fear Most About AI: A Conversation with Kyle Chan and Helen Toner

Host

Daniel Kurtz-Phelan
Edited and hosted interviews; long-time editor of Foreign Affairs; primary host.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.7k ratings
  • Questions of bias

    I usually look forward to the podcast as a means of keeping abreast of matters of international interest. I had assumed that it was a relatively unbiased, more-journalism-than-opinion forum. That is until I listened to the latest on the “student protests in India”. Both the interviewer and interviewee are the very definition of “elites” with inherited dynastic social capital, with longstanding family affiliation to the political opposition in India. There was no acknowledgment of this affiliatio... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Whateverisnottaken
    United Kingdom20 days ago
  • Long Form News

    This is the type of articles that one would hope to get in the news. Sometimes commentary, but measured opinions with greater depth of detail than one gets from news these days.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AuricAuricles
    United States2 months ago
  • Great show!

    I look forward to Thursdays with a new show. They are informative and intellectually stimulating. Keep up the great work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rtchicago
    United States2 months ago
  • Used to be good, but...

    This show stopped covering a diverse range of topics and opinions; now each week is a variation of "Exclusive: 70 year-old expert shares why Trump is a big dumb-dumb!"

    Like yeah, I get it, but what else is new?

    Also, why would you bring Fiona Hill on to discuss Russia and Putin? She's like the least credible and least well-informed so-called expert in the field.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Nanda Farai
    Canada4 months ago
  • Great Show

    I listen to this every week. This is one of the bests ways to keep up with the crazy world we are forced to live in. The people who are guests on the excellent show. I highly recommend this show if you want to keep up with the insanity and make sense (if that’s even possible) these days.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sahoenig369
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Feedback consistently notes high production quality and substantive discourse.
A subset feels the content is too US-centric or biased toward particular viewpoints.
Several listeners highlight the host's interviewing craft and depth of knowledge.
Some reviews criticize perceived bias and selectivity in topics or guests.
Listeners praise rigorous, expert analysis and high-level guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#133
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#103
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#119
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#70
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#100
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#137
France/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Coming Battles Over American Foreign Policy: A Conversation With Kori Schake and Thomas Wright
Q: What can Democrats do, and what do you think they should do with that power?
Thomas Wright says a Democratic Congress could scrutinize appointments, hold hearings, shape appropriations, pursue investigations, and potentially support Ukraine or strengthen export controls. He cautions that these measures may have limited but meaningful effects on executive policy.
The Coming Battles Over American Foreign Policy: A Conversation With Kori Schake and Thomas Wright
Q: JD Vance said the Iran war is to blame for Republican losses. What's your analysis of that point, and what do you make of Vance putting it so bluntly the day after the election?
Kori Schake says the war worsened affordability concerns but did not cause them; tariffs and other administration policies also contributed. She sees Vance positioning himself as supportive of Trump's base while distancing himself from the president's policy decisions.
A Warrior’s View of Why War Fails: A Conversation With William McRaven
Q: What is your framework for thinking through whether the use of force and military risk is worth it?
McRaven says leaders should consider whether the cause is worth the lives of service members, assess the country's values and moral standing, and evaluate whether military action is the best way to achieve the goal.
A Warrior’s View of Why War Fails: A Conversation With William McRaven
Q: If you had been a senior military leader advising President Trump before the February 28 strikes on Iran, what would you have told him?
McRaven says he understands the appeal of regime change but would have warned that replacing Iran's regime would be difficult, bombing alone could not secure victory, and Iran could mine and close the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Long War: A Conversation With Ali Vaez and Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar
Q: Do you think there is a chance that America's actions right now could push the public past the breaking point to a point where the regime would start to be concerned that it will lose too much support and that bad things could happen to the government?
Tabaar says public reaction depends partly on whether Iranians see the United States or the Iranian government as the aggressor. He notes existing frustration with the regime and says an unjustified Iranian escalation could provoke domestic backlash, while informal economic networks may partly cushion hardship.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Foreign Affairs Interview

What is The Foreign Affairs Interview about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on global affairs, foreign policy, and strategic policy analysis, featuring interviews with leading policymakers, scholars, and industry experts. Topics frequently span U.S.–China competition, global governance, defense and alliance dynamics, regional conflicts, and the implications of emerging technologies like AI and cybersecurity for national security. Noteworthy is the reliance on high-level, data-driven analysis and historical context, paired with practical governance and policy recommendations aimed at decision-makers in government, industry, and academia. Listeners are likely seeking nuanced, nonpartisan expertise from seasoned practitioners and scholars, with an emphasis on global stability, governance frameworks, ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Foreign Affairs Interview?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Foreign Affairs Interview:

1. Foreign Policy Live
2. The President’s Inbox
3. Pekingology
4. Global Security Briefing
5. War on the Rocks

How many episodes of The Foreign Affairs Interview are there?

The Foreign Affairs Interview launched 5 years ago and published 100 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 The Foreign Affairs Interview?

Recent guests on The Foreign Affairs Interview include:

1. Kori Schake
2. Thomas Wright
3. William McRaven
4. Pratap Bhanu Mehta
5. Ali Vaez
6. Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar
7. Julianne Smith
8. Kyle Chan

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