Podcast
Target USA Podcast by WTOP
Hosted by WTOP | Hubbard Radio · EN
Whether its terrorists, anarchists, cyber criminals or nation states, America has a target on its back. WTOP National Security Correspondent J.J. Green investigates the threats facing the U.S., the people behind them, the agencies fighting them and their impact on Americans.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
530 | DEAL OR THE DELUSION? Inside Trump's Struggle to End the Iran War
2d ago00:16:20Tap to summarizeThe military operation was a success. The strategy may have been a failure. In this episode, Gordon Gray is the Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, examines how the Trump administration may have underestimated Tehran, why negotiations continue to stall, and whether the White House is now looking for a face-saving exit rather than a decisive victory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →529 | Putin’s Pressure Point — Estonia Says Russia Is Weaker Than It Looks
1w ago00:23:40Tap to summarizeIn this explosive episode, Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna delivers a stark warning about Russia’s growing instability and the escalating battle over the Baltic Sea. He explains how Moscow accidentally exposed its direct ties to the shadow fleet used to evade sanctions, why Russia is reacting “painfully” to Ukrainian deep strikes, and why Putin may now be more vulnerable than at any point since the war began. Tsahkna also discusses NATO, the weakening Russian economy, rising tensions inside the Kremlin, disinformation operations targeting the Baltics, and why Europe believes strategic patience, not rushed negotiations, is the key to ending the war.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →528 | The US War With Iran: A Conflict With No Clear Winner
3w ago00:17:21Tap to summarizeWhere does the US war with Iran stand? One day there's talk of peace; the next they are shooting at each other. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's former Ambassador to the US and a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, says there is no clear winner, and that may never change.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →527 | Inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting: America's New Threat Environment
4w ago00:20:34Tap to summarizeA rare insider look at the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting. Former Secret Service Deputy Director A.T. Smith explains how the attack unfolded. He breaks down the security response, failures, and lessons learned. And he warns America is entering a far more dangerous political era.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →526 | The War in Iran: A Stalemate is unfolding
Apr 3000:23:58Tap to summarizeGrant Rumley, Meisel Family Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute, and Nick Redman, Director of Analysis at Oxford Analytica from Dow Jones explain why the negotiations appear to have slowed almost as much as the shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →525 | The U.S.–Iran Crisis, the Hormuz Blockade, and Donald Trump's fight with the Pope
Apr 1600:24:24Tap to summarizeThe U.S.–Iran crisis has entered a volatile new phase—and the stakes are rising fast.In this episode, Ambassador Gordon Gray, veteran diplomat and the Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, breaks down the reality behind the rhetoric: from President Donald Trump’s inflammatory messaging to the strategic consequences unfolding in the Persian Gulf.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →524 | Civilization on the Brink? Trump’s Threat, the Stepdown, and the New Geometry of Power
Apr 900:28:21Tap to summarizeIn one of the most volatile stretches of the Iran conflict, a warning came from President Donald Trump that “a whole civilization will die” if escalation continued, followed by a sudden stepdown into a cease-fire framework.In this episode, we sit down with Ambassador Gordon Gray, Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Affairs at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, to unpack how we got there.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →523 | The War in Iran: Power, Pressure, and the New Global Order
Apr 200:17:14Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Ambassador Gordon Gray, the Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, delivers a clear-eyed assessment of the rapidly evolving global security landscape. Drawing on deep experience inside the national security apparatus, Gray analyzes the convergence of geopolitical flashpoints, strategic competition with adversaries, and the internal pressures shaping U.S. decision-making.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →522 | Winning the Battle, Losing the War: Inside the Iran Conflict’s Strategic Failure
Mar 2600:17:04Tap to summarizeThe United States and Israel have devastated Iran’s military capabilities—crippling its air defenses, missile systems, and leadership ranks.But the bigger picture tells a different story.In this episode, Dana Stroul, Research Director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explains how Iran is using asymmetric tactics to disrupt global energy flows, pressure the economy, and hold strategic leverage—even after major battlefield losses.The result: tactical success for the U.S., but no clear strategic win.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →521 | The Expanding War: How One Conflict Is Rewiring Global Security
Mar 1900:24:04Tap to summarizeThe Iran war has crossed a critical threshold. What began as a military campaign is now expanding across leadership structures, regional boundaries, domestic security systems, and global power competition.In this episode, we break down the most important developments from the war, including Israel’s targeting of Iran’s leadership, Iran’s widening retaliation, and the growing impact on global systems like shipping and energy. Retired General Ben Hodges, former Commander of U.S. Army Europe, and Dr. Nick Redman, Director of Analysis and Editor-in-Chief at Oxford Analytica from Dow Jones. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →