Sources & Methods

Tom Bowman, NPR Pentagon correspondent with decades covering the U.S. military, gives on-the-ground analysis of troop movements and naval strategy. He discusses thousands of troops headed to the Middle East. He outlines options for seizing strategic islands, clearing the Strait of Hormuz, and the logistical and diplomatic hurdles involved.

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.orgNPR+ 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/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Katrina Manson, Bloomberg reporter and author of Project Maven, explores the Pentagon’s secret push to field AI in warfare. She recounts Project Maven’s origins, early technical stumbles and life-saving successes. She examines culture clashes inside the military, the ethics fights including tech worker protests, and how AI is reshaping targeting and escalation risks.

Greg Myre, NPR national security correspondent, explains the strategic importance of Kharg Island and Strait of Hormuz. Arezou Rezvani, NPR reporter in Erbil, shares on-the-ground scenes from Iran’s border, surveillance challenges, and interviews with escapees. They discuss pressures on allies to secure shipping lanes, asymmetric threats like drones and fast boats, and possible endgames for the conflict.

Daniel Estrin, Tel Aviv-based international reporter offering on-the-ground Middle East perspective. Tom Bowman, long-time Pentagon correspondent with deep defense and battlefield experience. They talk about drones and satellite tech reshaping strikes. They explore cyber, AI and deception tactics, wartime censorship and reporting limits. They compare U.S. and Israeli endgame goals and political influences.

A deep dive into how journalists and intelligence professionals learn what they know. Short segments explain reporting from the Pentagon, State Department, CIA, and global bureaus. The conversation highlights tradecraft, on-the-ground reporting from conflict zones, and the weekly beats that track America’s security role.