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The General & the Journalist

The Times
Russia
Ukraine
NATO
China
Iran
Donald Trump
United States
United Kingdom
Gaza
Israel
North Korea
Vladimir Putin
Taiwan
Ukrainian Children Abducted By Russia
People's Liberation Army
Undersea Cables
European Union
War In Ukraine
India
Hamas

How wars start, how they are won and what they leave behind them.

General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton Dunn first met in a war zone. Drawing on their real-life experience of armed conflict, they bring you the latest from Ukraine, Gaza and the dozens of other bitter struggles being fought across our increasingly divided planet.

From interviews with key people on the frontlines of modern warfa... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes52Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsNews CommentaryPolitics

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Latest Episodes

As America finds itself in a trapped quagmire of its own making, dragging its reputation and the world economy down with it. Patrick and Tom are joined by the former deputy assistant to President Trump, Fiona Hill, to chew over the lessons thrown up ... more

From Russia's nuclear threat to satellites, the prospect of a permanent lunar station, and the hopes of Artemis, Patrick and Tom could barely contain their space-geek excitement at speaking with General Whiting, head of US Space Command.

'There cann... more

Having first demanded that Iran 'open the fucking strait', President Trump followed up with a post vowing 'an entire civilisation will die tonight' if it did not do so. 

But could any such order ever be legal, and would the American military even ag... more

For their Easter special, Tom and Patrick turn the entire show over to you. They answer as many listener questions as possible that have landed in the General & Journalist inbox since Christmas. Among them: whether Europe could defend itself in the e... more

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Recent Guests

John Nichol
Former RAF Tornado navigator, author
Retired Royal Air Force
Episode: A rescue mission behind enemy lines, f-bomb tweets and 'a whole civilisation will die'
Mark Galeotti
Russia Watcher Extraordinaire, Kremlinologist
The Times; Moscow Shadows (blog and podcast)
Episode: Fear and loathing in Moscow - ⁠Putin, Iran and a coup?
Peter Frankopan
Historian and author of Silk Roads, expert on history and geopolitics
Historian, Oxford/academic circles
Episode: 'As big as the Berlin Wall and 9/11', Peter Frankopan on the Iran war
Sir Simon Gass
Former UK ambassador to Tehran; disarmament talks participant; JIC chair
UK Government / Joint Intelligence Committee
Episode: What is Trump's off-ramp for Iran?
James Sandy Winnefeld
Retired Admiral, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2011-2015)
U.S. Navy
Episode: How does America win a war with Iran?
Al Carns
Minister of State for the Armed Forces, decorated war hero and former Royal Marines Commando
UK Government
Episode: ‘War with Russia in three years’, UK defence minister and ex-marine
Elisabeth Braw
Senior fellow at the Atlantic Council focusing on grey zone and hybrid threats, and member of the UK's National Preparedness Commission.
Atlantic Council
Episode: Reservists: your country needs YOU!
Peter Apps
Serves as a reservist while being a long-standing defense journalist and commentator with Reuters.
Reuters
Episode: Reservists: your country needs YOU!
Hooman Majd
An Iranian exile and acclaimed author, cousin of former president Muhammad Khatami.
Episode: Iran: Should Trump intervene, and how?

Host

Tom Newton Dunn
Co-host and journalist, providing a journalistic perspective on military and geopolitical affairs.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 185 ratings
  • Only ‘can’t miss’ podcast

    Superb discussions about the most critical issues of the age.

    Please offer a paid for ad free version.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cato_46
    United Kingdom17 days ago
  • Great insight, great guests

    Outstanding guests offer already interesting insight into current geopolitics, and the great rapport between Tom and Patrick makes for great listening. Particularly enjoyed the recent discussion with Peter Frankopan, and would love to see more guests like him on the show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    deckley
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • The show

    Brilliant at last some sense and straight talking at the moment the lunatics are running the asylum

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Morphine!’
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Pro Trump Propaganda

    I really enjoy a lot of what these two discuss, but do find them to be very pro Trump and struggle with that. With today’s guest being a US general that’s friends with Trump I’ll likely drop this one which is a shame. The Times is going far too right wing for me. They had Farage on PMQs yesterday too which is unforgivable. This poison should not be given a platform to spread their lies and hate.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nathan C UK
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • A must listen

    All politicians, particularly those in Government should listen to this pod. It perfectly explains the need to spend more on defence and provides a great perspective on world events from a former head of the army and well informed journalist. We ignore the messages from this pod and the lessons of history at our peril.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nfnjxjsjcjd
    United Kingdom4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The combination of a journalist and military expert is seen as a strong point of the content.
Some audience members are concerned about perceived political biases in the discussions.
Listeners appreciate the in-depth analysis of military and political topics.
The format is praised for balancing expert insights with public engagement on security issues.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#28
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#55
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#204
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#238
France/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#246
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#69
Saudi Arabia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A rescue mission behind enemy lines, f-bomb tweets and 'a whole civilisation will die'
Q: What does it take to justify a large-scale rescue operation like the Dude 44 mission, and what are the trade-offs involved?
The guests describe a risk-reward calculus where saving one life can be seen as maintaining broader military legitimacy and public support, even at great cost, but with acknowledged uncertainties about outcomes and divided opinions among policymakers and the public.
A rescue mission behind enemy lines, f-bomb tweets and 'a whole civilisation will die'
Q: After the break, what does Trump's threat to wipe out an entire civilization mean for American leadership in the world?
It signals a potential shift in how allies perceive U.S. restraint and moral authority, complicating alliance cohesion and raising questions about legality and proportionality in wartime planning.
Q&A: From Xi's PLA purges to Trump's Nato threats, your biggest questions answered
Q: This question has been sent to us by Aaron... Does President Xi's purges raise the risk of miscalculation and underplay the speed and lethality of a US-led response in a Taiwan scenario?
They discuss how purges can shorten chain-of-command and reduce readiness, potentially delaying China's planned timelines while increasing internal consolidation, yet caution that miscalculation could still occur if the U.S. response is perceived as weakening deterrence.
Q&A: From Xi's PLA purges to Trump's Nato threats, your biggest questions answered
Q: And his question really is about the cost to Europe's two nuclear powers, France and the UK, that both provide a nuclear deterrent that actually benefits the whole of Western Europe.
They explain that there has not historically been a direct “nuclear umbrella bill” to Western European states; instead, deterrence operates through alliance commitments, with Macron proposing broader European nuclear umbrella concepts but without formal cost-sharing agreements yet.
Q&A: From Xi's PLA purges to Trump's Nato threats, your biggest questions answered
Q: Hi Patrick, hi Tom. In view of the urgency of the matter on the global scale, why hasn't the government considered a one-off ring-fence defence tax scaled by income bracket?
They express broad support for increased defence funding but caution that political will, public buy-in, and fair distribution are essential; a simple one-off tax would need careful design and public justification.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The General & the Journalist

What is The General & the Journalist about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content centers around warfare, military strategy, and geopolitical issues, particularly focusing on contemporary conflicts involving Ukraine and the Middle East. The hosts, drawing on their military and journalistic backgrounds, explore the complexities of war, including the role of reservists, national defense concerns, and NATO's strategies. They also discuss the implications of political decisions on military action and highlight the importance of public comprehension of security issues. The combination of firsthand military insights and journalistic analysis provides listeners with a unique perspective on the rapidly changing landscape of global conflict.

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Which podcasts are similar to The General & the Journalist?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The General & the Journalist:

1. The Rest Is Politics
2. The State of It
3. Political Currency
4. The Rest Is Politics: Leading
5. Politics Unpacked

How many episodes of The General & the Journalist are there?

The General & the Journalist launched a year ago and published 52 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 General & the Journalist?

Recent guests on The General & the Journalist include:

1. John Nichol
2. Mark Galeotti
3. Peter Frankopan
4. Sir Simon Gass
5. James Sandy Winnefeld
6. Al Carns
7. Elisabeth Braw
8. Peter Apps

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