Secrets and Spies Podcast: Current Affairs | Geopolitics | Intelligence

How do we make sense of truth in a world saturated with content? This week, Chris speaks with Alicia Wanless—director of the Information Environment Project at the Carnegie Endowment and author of The Information Animal—to explore how humans have always wrestled with information, long before the internet. They unpack the patterns that emerge when new technologies reshape how we communicate, why influence operations aren’t new, and how today’s information warfare fits into a much older story. From ancient Athens to spam, and social media to national security, Wanless explains why understanding ourselves as “information animals” is key to confronting the chaos of the digital age. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. Find more about Alicia on her website and blog: https://lageneralista.com [https://lageneralista.com] Find more about the Carnegie Endowment’s Information Project: https://carnegieendowment.org/projects/information-environment-project [https://carnegieendowment.org/projects/information-environment-project] Follow Alicia on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/lageneralista.ca [https://bsky.app/profile/lageneralista.ca] Order The Information Animal: https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/05/the-information-animal-humans-technology-and-the-competition-for-reality [https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/05/the-information-animal-humans-technology-and-the-competition-for-reality] Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3083cd [https://pod.fo/e/3083cd] YouTube: https://youtu.be/7nsXSlXoiBU [https://youtu.be/7nsXSlXoiBU] SUPPORT SECRETS AND SPIES Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com] CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Photo by Alicja Nowakowska/iStock Secrets and Spies is a spy podcast that sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

This week, Matt is joined by terrorism researcher Jacob Ware to unpack the rise of nihilistic violent extremism—attacks carried out by disaffected young men radicalized online without any clear political goal. They explore how social media fuels this chaotic new threat, why the FBI created a new classification for it, and what makes networks like 764 and the Order of Nine Angles so dangerous. Then, they turn to the recent string of violent antisemitic attacks in the US and what they reveal about the blurred lines between far-left, far-right, and jihadist extremism. It’s a disturbing look at the future of terrorism, and what it means when violence itself becomes the ideology. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. Get Jacob’s book, God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America: https://www.cfr.org/book/god-guns-and-sedition [https://www.cfr.org/book/god-guns-and-sedition] https://www.amazon.com/God-Guns-Sedition-Far-Right-Terrorism/dp/0231211228 [https://www.amazon.com/God-Guns-Sedition-Far-Right-Terrorism/dp/0231211228] Jacob’s work for the Council on Foreign Relations: https://www.cfr.org/expert/jacob-ware [https://www.cfr.org/expert/jacob-ware] Jacob’s work for Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/contributors/jware [https://www.lawfaremedia.org/contributors/jware] Follow Jacob on Bluesky & Twitter/X: https://bsky.app/profile/jacobware.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/jacobware.bsky.social] https://x.com/Jacob_A_Ware [https://x.com/Jacob_A_Ware] REPORTING DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE "Nihilistic Violent Extremism: A Valuable Stride Forward in American Counterterrorism" by Jacob Ware | Just Security: https://www.justsecurity.org/113463/nihilistic-violent-extremism-american-counterterrorism/ [https://www.justsecurity.org/113463/nihilistic-violent-extremism-american-counterterrorism/] "Killing for Nothing: The Bizarre Logic of the Palm Springs Bomber" by Luke Baumgartner | Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/killing-for-nothing--the-bizarre-logic-of-the-palm-springs-bomber [https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/killing-for-nothing--the-bizarre-logic-of-the-palm-springs-bomber] "Order of Nine Angles" by Nick Lowles | Hope Not Hate: https://hopenothate.org.uk/2019/02/16/state-of-hate-2019-order-of-nine-angles/ [https://hopenothate.org.uk/2019/02/16/state-of-hate-2019-order-of-nine-angles/] "The Rise of Antisemitism and Political Violence in the U.S." by Callum Sutherland | Time Magazine: https://time.com/7287941/rise-of-antisemitism-political-violence-in-united-states/ [https://time.com/7287941/rise-of-antisemitism-political-violence-in-united-states/] "Court papers say suspect in embassy killings declared, ‘I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza’" by Eric Tucker, Michael Kunzelman, and Alanna Durkin Richer | Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-10307b3b1a2a337e76730736b12ebbcb [https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-10307b3b1a2a337e76730736b12ebbcb] SUPPORT SECRETS AND SPIES Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com] CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Author and conspiracy researcher Mike Rothschild joins Chris to unpack the rise, evolution, and enduring influence of QAnon. They explore its blend of old and new conspiracies, its gamified social appeal, and the algorithmic fuel behind its viral spread. Mike explains how QAnon adapted across borders, embedded itself into mainstream politics, and fostered real-world violence—culminating in the January 6 Capitol attack. They also examine QAnon’s psychological grip, its creative and authoritarian appeal, and how families and societies can respond. Plus, COVID’s role in supercharging conspiracies, why Russia’s role may be overstated, and the challenges of countering disinformation in the age of social media. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. Order The Storm Is Upon Us from Penguin and Hachette: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676746/the-storm-is-upon-us-by-mike-rothschild/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676746/the-storm-is-upon-us-by-mike-rothschild/] https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/mike-rothschild/the-storm-is-upon-us/9781800960459/ [https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/mike-rothschild/the-storm-is-upon-us/9781800960459/] Learn more about Mike and his work: https://themikerothschild.com [https://themikerothschild.com/] Follow Mike on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rothschildmd.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/rothschildmd.bsky.social]Follow Mike on Twitter/X: https://x.com/rothschildmd [https://x.com/rothschildmd] PLEASE SHARE THIS EPISODE USING THESE LINKS Audio: https://pod.fo/e/2fea53 [https://pod.fo/e/2fea53] YouTube: https://youtu.be/xnrXBtzdpWc [https://youtu.be/xnrXBtzdpWc] SUPPORT SECRETS AND SPIES Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com] CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Photos by Win McNamee, Brent Stirton & Stephanie Keith/Getty & Terica Adkins Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

The MAGA movement cracks as Trump’s name surfaces in the Epstein files and his administration fails to deliver the promised disclosures. We unpack the backlash, the conspiracies, and the lingering question of an intelligence connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. Plus: a bizarre UK spy case involving Russia, a USB stick, and a bicycle seat; the Arctic emerges as a flashpoint for missile defense, climate competition, and great power rivalry; and Trump’s reversal clears the way for new weapons to reach Ukraine—just not from the US directly. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. PLEASE SHARE THIS EPISODE USING THESE LINKS Audio: https://pod.fo/e/302d13 [https://pod.fo/e/302d13] YouTube: https://youtu.be/RnuC7wNNYiM [https://youtu.be/RnuC7wNNYiM] ARTICLES DISCUSSED IN TODAY’S EPISODE "Justice Department Told Trump in May That His Name Is Among Many in the Epstein Files" by Sadie Gurman, Annie Linskey, Josh Dawsey & Alex Leary | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038 [https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038] "Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and the Three Conspiracy-Theory Theories" by Jon Allsop | The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/news/fault-lines/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-and-three-conspiracy-theory-theories [https://www.newyorker.com/news/fault-lines/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-and-three-conspiracy-theory-theories] "Epstein, Maxwell, and the Intelligence Question We’re Not Asking" by Frank Snepp | Frank Snepp 360 Substack: https://snepp.substack.com/p/epstein-maxwell-and-the-intelligence [https://snepp.substack.com/p/epstein-maxwell-and-the-intelligence] "The struggle for control of the Arctic is accelerating - and riskier than ever" by Gordon Corera | BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-f92bc043-3893-4688-8937-fd9cad8b0d5b [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-f92bc043-3893-4688-8937-fd9cad8b0d5b] "British man guilty of trying to spy for Russia" by Lewis Adams | BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyn0ygwd7jo [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyn0ygwd7jo] "Ukraine Will Get US Weapons in a New Way. Here’s What We Know." by Lara Jakes | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/world/europe/ukraine-weapons-us-nato.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/world/europe/ukraine-weapons-us-nato.html] "Trump Sends Weapons to Ukraine: By the Numbers" by Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park | Center for Strategic & International Studies: https://www.csis.org/analysis/trump-sends-weapons-ukraine-numbers [https://www.csis.org/analysis/trump-sends-weapons-ukraine-numbers] WHAT ELSE WE’RE READING THIS WEEK "Anti-Woke Dad Who Fled With Family to Russia Sent to War Zone" by Josh Fiallo | The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/texan-moved-fam-to-russia-to-flee-wokenow-hes-headed-to-ukraine-front-line/ [https://www.thedailybeast.com/texan-moved-fam-to-russia-to-flee-wokenow-hes-headed-to-ukraine-front-line/] "New U.S. assessment finds American strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites" by Gordon Lubold, Courtney Kube, Julie Tsirkin, Katherine Doyle, Dan De Luce & Carol E. Lee | NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/new-us-assessment-finds-american-strikes-destroyed-only-one-three-iran-rcna218761 [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/new-us-assessment-finds-american-strikes-destroyed-only-one-three-iran-rcna218761] "It’s hunting season in orbit as Russia’s killer satellites mystify skywatchers" by Stephen Clark | Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/its-hunting-season-in-orbit-as-russias-killer-satellites-mystify-skywatchers/ [https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/its-hunting-season-in-orbit-as-russias-killer-satellites-mystify-skywatchers/] "'Sparring in space' – BBC gains rare access to US base tracking global missile strikes" by Jonathan Beale | BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8k2nd7e9no [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8k2nd7e9no] "Trump’s War on the ‘Deep State’ Comes for the Dogs" by Shane Harris | The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/07/james-clapper-cia-dog-trump/683575/ [https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/07/james-clapper-cia-dog-trump/683575/] "USAF Denies It Refueled Israel’s Fighters During War With Iran" by Tyler Rogoway | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/air/u-s-denies-it-provided-aerial-tanker-support-for-israels-war-against-iran [https://www.twz.com/air/u-s-denies-it-provided-aerial-tanker-support-for-israels-war-against-iran] SUPPORT SECRETS AND SPIES Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com] CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Photos by Davidoff Studios Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Hi eveyone. Chris & Matt will be on Benjamin Wittes & Alicia Wanless's YouTube show "Dog Shirt TV", talking about Secrets & Spies, its origins, our interest in espionage and our thoughts on Spy Fiction. You can watch the show here: https://youtu.be/QVKAQf7p_Fs?si=TruFrM4-jsg0iQMq [https://youtu.be/QVKAQf7p_Fs?si=TruFrM4-jsg0iQMq] There won't be an Espresso Martini this week and instead we will be sharing Chris's interview with author Mike Rothschild and discussing his research on QAnon. That will be released on Saturday 19th. Have a great weekend All the best Chris & Matt