Podcast
FDD Morning Brief
Hosted by FDD · EN
The FDD Morning Brief provides timely situational updates on contemporary events. Start your Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 8:30am (ET) with digestible analysis and the headlines our experts are watching. The FDD Morning Brief can be streamed on YouTube, X, and is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
68episodes
Episodes
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The rise of the Axis of Aggressors | feat. Bradley Bowman
1w ago00:27:23Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Two more Iranian nationals have been executed by the regime for allegedly spying on behalf of Israel.Reports are swirling in the region that the Saudis may need to go back to military operations against the Houthis in Yemen. If the Strait of Hormuz doesn’t open, the Brits could experience a serious recession in 2027.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Iran's conflict calculus | feat. Norman Roule
2w ago00:21:26Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Last night President Trump announced that Hamas had agreed to give up its weapons and hand over power in Gaza to the newly established National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (or NCAG).U.S. officials say multiple U.N. relief agencies continue to stonewall a U.S. probe into their ties to Hamas, withholding key documents and other information that could reveal their employees as affiliates of the terror group.--FDD Senior Advisor Richard Goldberg fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with Norman Roule, former national intelligence manager for Iran at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and current non-resident senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
Transcribe →America's next strategic test | feat. LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster
2w ago00:27:57Tap to summarizeBradley Bowman, senior director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP), fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with CMPP Chairman LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Defusing Iran's nuclear ambitions | feat. Richard Goldberg
2w ago00:26:35Tap to summarizeFDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Advisor Richard Goldberg.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Digging into Pickaxe Mountain | feat. Ilan Berman
3w ago00:28:12Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Greece is planning to buy a multi-layer air defense system, drones, and other military aircraft from Israel. Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs is pushing to shutter the Turkish Consulate in Jerusalem.Iranian strikes on CIA facilities in the Gulf has intel folks wondering: is Russia helping the Islamic Republic target American facilities? A congressional letter landed on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s desk this week. The topic: Malaysia.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Ilan Berman, senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council.Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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The MidEast view from Capitol Hill | feat. Alexandria Paolozzi Moore
3w ago00:27:02Tap to summarizeHeadlines:The Lebanese Armed Forces started deploying troops to areas in south Lebanon formerly held by the IDF.The Iran-backed Houthis sent an email blast to shipping companies warning them not to load or offload cargo at Saudi ports.Hamas announced the election of Khalil al-Hayya as its new leader, replacing the late Yahya Sinwar who was killed back in October 2024.The Wall Street Journal reports that Saudi Arabia has been granted approval by Donald Trump to begin operating a civilian nuclear reactor. --FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Alexandria Paolozzi Moore, senior director of government relations at FDD Action.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Testing the waters of Hormuz | feat. Behnam Ben Taleblu
3w ago00:28:13Tap to summarizeHeadlines:The Israelis were forced to activate their air defenses on Saturday night as an Iranian missile hurtled toward Aqaba, the southern Jordanian city that is nestled right next to the Israeli city of Eilat.Two Iranians were hanged over the weekend for anti-government protests and activities. The Wall Street Journal reports that the ceasefire between the Islamic Republic and the United States enabled the regime to get a bunch of its oil out onto the open market. --FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Iran Program Senior Director Behnam Ben Taleblu.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Britain's belated reckoning with the IRGC | feat. Robin Simcox
4w ago00:28:30Tap to summarizeHeadlines:The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned seven companies and individuals that are part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapons procurement network. Iran instructed the Houthis in Yemen to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the U.S. strikes Iranian power infrastructure.Syrian authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle arms from Iraq through Syria and onward to Hezbollah in Lebanon. President Trump announced the release of a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen from the Islamic Republic almost two years after she was detained. --FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with former UK Commissioner for Countering Extremism Robin Simcox.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Lebanon's Sisyphean struggle with Hezbollah | feat. Hagar Chemali
4w ago00:28:45Tap to summarizeHeadlines:The regime in Iran publicly hanged two people accused of membership to the Islamic State. Yes, you got that right. The world’s most prolific state sponsor of terrorism is punishing, uh, terrorists.President Donald Trump hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House yesterday. Lebanon and Israel have resumed talks over in Rome. This is the sixth round of direct talks, but the first since the two sides signed a framework agreement last month.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with foreign policy expert and "Oh My World!" host Hagar Chemali.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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The fire that barely ceased | feat. Miad Maleki
Jul 1300:27:13Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Sad news on Sunday morning. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina passed away following a brief illness after returning from a trip to Ukraine.Iraqi prime minister Ali al-Zaidi is due in Washington today for high level talks with the Trump Administration.Channel 12 in Israel released the contents of a handwritten letter penned in 2022 by none other than Yahya Sinwar.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Fellow Miad Maleki.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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