Sources & Methods

President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu started the war with Iran together, but they have different ideas for how to end it. Host Scott Detrow steps in for Mary Louise Kelly again this week. He speaks with NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre and NPR White House Correspondent Franco Ordoñez about the current friction between the two leaders, and where pain points have come up in the past. Also, where the elusive deal with Iran stands. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2026

There's a country that was once rooted in a movement around social justice and political freedom. That country? It's Iran in 1979 during the revolution. The path from 1979, with the toppling of a monarch, through the decades of oppression and economic turmoil that followed, to this current moment, is mapped out in the book: “Stolen Revolution: Betrayal and Hope in Modern Iran.” Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with reporter and co-author Yeganeh Torbati about her new book, which follows six ordinary Iranians who -- through their lived experiences -- provide rare insight into the hopes and fears of people living from the revolution through decades of turmoil. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

Jake Sullivan, former National Security Advisor under President Biden, says it's hard to see what the United States gains in the war with Iran.  He spoke with host Mary Louise Kelly before a live audience at the 2026 WBUR Festival last week for a wide-ranging conversation that included China, Ukraine, Greenland, Cuba, Afghanistan and of course, Iran. "In the weeks leading up to the start of the bombing, they were putting proposals on the table that actually look more forward leaning than what we're seeing now in some ways. And the Strait of Hormuz was open," he said. "Now, today, the Strait of Hormuz is closed. The nuclear deal seems to be getting further away, not closer." Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that there's been "some progress" in current negotiations with Iran. But both sides exchanged fire this week, so what gives? Today, host Scott Detrow steps in for Mary Louise Kelly. He speaks with NPR International Correspondent Aya Batrawy and NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman about whether these diplomatic efforts can finally break the impasse between the two countries, and why a nuclear deal with Iran feels like déjà vu.   Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2026

The attack at a mosque in San Diego underscores larger problems: the rise of far right extremism and the rise of Islamophobia. But a new White House document on rising threats make no mention of right-wing extremist groups. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre and NPR Domestic Extremism Correspondent Odette Yousef about what radicalized the two teens involved in the San Diego attack. They also look into the latest version of the United States Counterterrorism Strategy, which does not list far-right extremism as a threat to Americans. Plus, an update on Iran and Cuba. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2026

President Trump visits Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time since 2017. What’s changed? And what does each man want from this meeting? Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR White House Correspondent Franco Ordoñez and NPR China Correspondent Jennifer Pak about Trump's big summit with Chinese leaders in Beijing and how the U.S.-China relationship has evolved since their last meeting.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

Laser weapons, advanced drone warfare, and nation states around the globe redefined by climate change: this is the world in 2084, envisioned by authors Jim Stavridis and Elliot Ackerman. Both are veterans -- Ackerman, a former Marine, did five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan; Stavridis is a retired four-star admiral and a former supreme allied commander of NATO. Their novel 2084 is the third in a trilogy. They compare their work to cold war fiction like Dr. Strangelove -- stories that imagined disasters specifically so society would work to avoid them. In this episode, they unpack what dangers they see on the distant horizon.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2026

We unpack a week of whiplash in the Iran war, with the President quickly calling off an effort to take control of the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress on talks. But a blockade remains.  Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and Moscow correspondent Charles Maynes discuss the shifting messages and what's happening diplomatically behind the scenes. Plus -- why ceasefires between Moscow and Kiev fell apart, and how modern warfare and prior assumptions have made it possible for countries like Iran and Ukraine to take on larger, more powerful adversaries in the U.S. and Russia.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2026

Saturday’s attack at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner was the third assassination attempt on President Trump. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre and NPR Justice Correspondent Ryan Lucas about what the attack says about the state of political violence in the U.S. and the debate over whether the Secret Service was ready to protect Trump and those around him.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2026

The ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. has been extended, but the Strait of Hormuz is still closed and there’s still no deal on Iran’s nuclear program. Does President Trump know how to get the U.S. out of this conflict? Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with National Security Correspondent Greg Myre and White House Correspondent Franco Ordoñez. They discuss how the conflict with Iran is at a standstill as Trump struggles to make a deal. Meanwhile, what is life like for Iranians? Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2026

President Trump is threatening NATO — again. NATO — is bracing for divorce. Can the transatlantic relationship be saved?  Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR National Security correspondent Greg Myre and NPR International Correspondent Rob Schmitz about how the war with Iran is affecting the U.S. alliance with Europe. Rob also opens his reporter's notebook and shares what it was like covering Hungary's historic election that ousted the longest-serving leader in the European Union, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2026

There’s keeping a low profile and then there’s author James Wolff. Not his real name. It's a pseudonym.  James Wolff had a career as a British intelligence officer. Now, he writes about them. His latest espionage novel is called Spies and Other Gods and it's chock full of spies, people pretending to be spies, secret operations and deceit.  Host Mary Louise Kelly spoke with James Wolff about writing fiction as an ex-spy and when the truth can be stranger — and more tangled — than fiction.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 13 April 2026

At the 11th-hour, with President Trump’s self-imposed deadline looming, the United States and Iran entered into a truce.  Will it hold? Is the war over? What’s the way ahead? Host Mary Louise Kelly, NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR International Correspondent Daniel Estrin walk through where things stand from the point of view of each of the major stakeholders: the United States, Israel, Lebanon and Iran.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2026

More than 30 days after President Trump launched a war against Iran, he addressed the American people in a primetime address and finally made a case for the war.  Host Mary Louise Kelly, NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre discuss the Trump's vision for the next phase of the war and the many questions left unanswered.   Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2026

We unpack the latest on Iran, Lebanon, troop movements in the region, and Iranian counterattacks. Then, Mary Louise Kelly and Greg Myre answer your questions about the latest news and their work on the national security beat, with a live Zoom audience of NPR supporters.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2026

The Pentagon is sending thousands of U.S. troops to the Middle East. Is this an escalation or a warning? Host Mary Louise Kelly, NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and International Correspondent Aya Batrawy break down the latest about the war in Iran, including the prospects for an off-ramp. Join us next week on Tuesday, March 31 for a live virtual event with Mary Louise and National Security Correspondent Greg Myre. They’ll discuss the latest developments in Iran and answer your questions about the news of the day, covering the intelligence community and more. NPR+ supporters have already been invited via email.  To join them, sign up for NPR+ today at plus.npr.org and watch your email for an invitation soon. NPR+ supporters also hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2026

Europe has come to grips with a new reality, ushered in by the Trump administration: Europe needs to commit more resources to its own security. That's according to Sweden's Chief of Defense, General Michael Claesson. In this sit-down with Mary Louise Kelly, Claesson unpacks the NATO alliance from a European military perspective -- and also weighs in on the wars in Ukraine and Iran.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2026

Project Maven, a secretive decade-long Pentagon campaign to deliver the U.S. into an age of AI warfare, is the subject of a new book by Bloomberg reporter Katrina Manson. Manson speaks with Mary Louise Kelly.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 23 March 2026

President Trump has demanded, begged and threatened U.S. allies to join the war in Iran. But those allies aren’t exactly leaping in to help. Can Trump finish the war he started – without them? Host Mary Louise Kelly is joined by Arezou Rezvani, NPR’s correspondent currently in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Rezvani opened up her reporter’s notebook to share what it’s like covering Iran from outside the country. NPR’s national security correspondent Greg Myre joined them to talk about the importance of Kharg Island, Iran's oil export hub on the Persian Gulf, and what path President Trump might take to end the conflict. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2026

President Trump says there’s practically nothing left to target in Iran. Is the White House looking for an off ramp? Host Mary Louise Kelly is joined this week by Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman, and Tel Aviv-based International Correspondent Daniel Estrin. They discuss how drone and satellite technology is coming into play in the war in Iran, the limited communication from U.S. and Israeli militaries about the war's progress and the divergent goals of the two countries. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2026

Poor planning, overly ambitious goals, not thinking through the aftermath. These are the parallels that Richard Haass sees between the 2003 U.S. invastion of Iraq and its current air campaign against Iran. Haass was in charge of planning for the invasion as a top official in the State Department. He was a voice of dissent within the administration. Now he's president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations and author of the Home & Away newsletter. He talks to Host Mary Louise Kelly about the Trump administration's foreign policy and national security apparatus and where he sees it falling short on Iran. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 9 March 2026

The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is spilling out across the region. What are the goals? And how does it end? Host Mary Louise Kelly talks with International Correspondent Aya Batrawy, based in Dubai, and Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, about the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Six days of war have turned the middle east upside down, and it's still not clear how the U.S. will determine when its objectives have been accomplished. Recommended Iran reading: Blackwave by Kim Ghattas All the Shah’s Men by Stephen Kinzer Prisoner by Jason Rezaian Persian Mirrors by Elaine Sciolino Listener spy novel recommendation:  Pariah by Dan Fesperman Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2026

President Trump says Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead.  This comes after Israel and the United States launched missile attacks across Iran targeting the country's top leadership. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes in several countries in the Gulf region. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR national security correspondent Greg Myre and NPR international correspondent Daniel Estrin about what this means for the Iranian regime and what might come next. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2026

Overnight, the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. The strikes targeted Iran’s top leaders, Supreme Leader Khamanei and President Masoud Pezeshkian — trying to kill them, according to a person briefed on Israel’s operation who spoke to NPR. Iran has responded by lobbing missiles at Israel and other countries in the region that host U.S. troops.Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Greg Myre, NPR national security correspondent, and Daniel Estrin, NPR international correspondent based in Tel Aviv, about what they know and what could come next. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2026

The seas of the Middle East are bristling with American warships and airpower trained on Iran. What does President Trump have in mind for them? Host Mary Louise Kelly talks with National Security Correspondent Greg Myre and Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman about Trump's aims in nuclear negotiations with Iran and the risks of military action.And four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a look at the many obstacles to peace and how Ukraine has pioneered a scrappy, improvised way of fighting, built around inexpensive drones.Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org. NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2026

Did China conduct secret nuclear tests? The United States thinks so.  Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR China correspondent Jennifer Pak about China's nuclear arsenal and U.S. claims of an illicit Chinese nuclear test conducted in 2020. They also check in on other national security topics swirling this week: Board of Peace inaugural meeting, Iran and Ukraine. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2026

If you heard our show last week you know we were at the Munich Security Conference – a gathering in Germany where world leaders, security experts and defense officials meet yearly to take the temperature of the global order. This is a special follow-up episode to share some of what we learned there.  Host Mary Louise Kelly spoke with Michael Froman, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s keynote address. She also hosted a conversation with María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader, in front of a live audience at the Munich Security Conference. Machado was on Zoom from an undisclosed location in the United States. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2026

“The world has entered a period of wrecking-ball politics,” begins the Munich Security Report, released as the world’s security establishment gathers in Germany. Host Mary Louise Kelly is on the ground at the Munich Security Conference, as is Berlin Correspondent Rob Schmitz. Together with National Security Correspondent Greg Myre, they check in on Europe’s effort to bolster its own defenses, as the U.S. pulls back. Rob explains Germany’s right-wing populist AfD party’s political ascendence and its goals for security policy. And Greg walks through what Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was doing at a Fulton County, Ga. elections hub during an FBI search.Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2026

Two American women -- living in Cold War-era Moscow, with husbands in the CIA -- suddenly become undercover agents themselves. That's the set-up for PONIES, a new spy thriller now available on Peacock. Mary Louise Kelly speaks with star Haley Lu Richardson and showrunner David Iserson about the show, the research behind it, and what makes a good spy.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2026

President Trump says he’ll act against Iran “with speed and violence,” if he doesn’t get a deal to rein in Iran’s nuclear program. Host Mary Louise Kelly talks with National Security Corresponent Greg Myre and Science and Security Correspondent Geoff Brumfiel about how, after a month of turmoil, the US and Iran seem to have arrived at talks over Tehran's nuclear capabilities. And they'll unpack how much more dangerous the world is after the expiration of the last U.S.-Russia nuclear weapons treaty. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 5 February 2026

Last week, President Trump was announcing a Board of Peace for Gaza. This week, he’s threatening war against Iran. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR’s national security correspondent Greg Myre and NPR’s Tel Aviv-based correspondent Daniel Estrin about war, peace and the Middle East. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org. NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. A previous version of this episode incorrectly contained audio of a news broadcast when discussing comments by Ali Shamkhani, counselor to Iran's supreme leader. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2026

For weeks, President Trump has made plain he wants the United States to own the Arctic island. Then on Wednesday, he appeared to back down, and announced a “framework” of a deal.  Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with reporter Willem Marx in Davos and NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman about the deal and how this could signal a new world order.Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2026

It’s day 19 of turmoil in Iran. President Trump continues to weigh military action against the regime. Host Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with NPR national security correspondents Greg Myre and Quil Lawrence about Iran, oil and Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Southern Command.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 15 January 2026

One week ago, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was leading the country. Now, he’s sitting inside a detention center in Brooklyn. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR international correspondent Carrie Kahn in Bogotá about what she’s hearing from Venezuelans, and NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman about the Trump administration’s plans for the country. Bowman also shares his reporting that the Pentagon will review the role of women in ground combat units. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org. NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 8 January 2026

After months of threats, warnings and seizing of alleged drug boats – tensions between the United States and Venezuela have now come to this: the arrest of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. Now, President Trump says the United States is “running the country.” In this special episode of Sources & Methods, host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with national security correspondent Greg Myre, Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, international correspondent Carrie Kahn and Rep. Adam Smith about the latest from Venezuela. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 4 January 2026

What's more thrilling than a great... thriller? As national security buffs, we have thoughts. Host Mary Louise Kelly chats with national security correspondent Greg Myre and books and culture reporter Andrew Limbong about some of their favorite books and authors in the world of espionage fiction. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 29 December 2025

Virginia governor-elect Abigail Spanberger will be the first woman and the first former CIA officer to lead the commonwealth. Host Mary Louise Kelly talks to Spanberger about her unconventional career path that took her from Langley to D.C. and now to Richmond, and how some of her skills from gathering intelligence come in handy in politics.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 22 December 2025

The terrorist group has been linked to the mass shooting in Australia and a deadly attack in Syria. What do these two attacks reveal about the group's strength? Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and Middle East correspondent Jane Arraf about how the Islamic State has adapted in a post-caliphate world and what American forces are doing in Syria. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2025

In recent days, President Trump has called European leaders “weak," Biden-era aid to Ukraine “stupid" and Russia “strong.” It’s a radical shift in how the United States views its closest ally. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with national security correspondent Greg Myre and Paris correspondent Eleanor Beardsley about where the transatlantic alliance goes from here. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Please let us know what you think of our show and how we can make it better by filling out this quick survey. As a token of our appreciation, three respondents will be randomly selected to receive a $25 gift card. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 11 December 2025

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth was already facing questions for his role in the September 2 strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. Then on Thursday, a Pentagon report dropped that says he risked a United States bombing mission in Yemen when he shared classified plans on Signal. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and national security correspondent Quil Lawrence about the controversies Hegseth keeps finding himself in.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 4 December 2025

Ideology is the enemy of intelligence, says Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Tim Weiner. His recent book, a history of the modern CIA, is called The Mission: The CIA in the 21st Century. A version of this interview previously aired on NPR's All Things Considered. We're off the rest of the week and back with a regular Thursday episode on December 4.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 24 November 2025

National security, unlocked. Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly and a team of NPR correspondents discuss the biggest national security news of the week.  With decades of reporting from battlefields and the halls of power, they bring you inside the Pentagon, State Department, and intelligence community to help you understand America's shifting role in the world, and how events in faraway places matter here at home. Additional episodes feature interviews with power players from the NatSec world -- current and former military officials, intelligence experts, diplomatic leaders, and more.  Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org.  NPR+ supporters hear every episode sponsor-free and can access our complete archive. Learn more and support public media at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transcribed - Published: 25 August 2025