The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer
Vox Media Podcast Network
The Long Game is a weekly national security podcast hosted by Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s National Security Advisor, and Jon Finer, his Principal Deputy—senior aides who sat in on the classified Presidential Daily Brief each morning and translated raw intelligence into policy advice. Each week, Jake and Jon will pull back the curtain on how power really works helping you make sense of the national security stories unfolding today.
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes
Mentioned books
46 snips
Apr 9, 2026 • 1h 13min
Iran Ceasefire Explained: Winners, Losers, and What Comes Next
A fast-paced breakdown of the U.S.–Iran ceasefire, how Pakistan unexpectedly mediated, and what the deal actually covers. Short takes on Iran’s newfound ability to control the Strait of Hormuz and monetize shipping. Discussion of looming talks over nuclear material and the war’s effects on deterrence, military readiness, and global alignments. Listeners get mailbag questions on targeted killings, Russia’s power, and Cuba’s future.
29 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 1h 14min
Trump's Iran Speech & Debating the Deal
They parse a primetime presidential speech on the war with Iran and flag its mixed messages. They debate whether diplomacy or military pressure could end the conflict. They roleplay rival strategies: one urging Iran to cut a deal, the other arguing to stand firm and exploit U.S. pain. They map practical mediation options and confidence-building measures.
17 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 1h 3min
"Chasing the Dragon" In Iran (with Sen. Ruben Gallego)
Ruben Gallego, U.S. Senator from Arizona and Marine Corps Iraq veteran, reflects on battlefield experience that shaped his politics. He warns against repeating past mistakes and discusses Congress giving up war powers. Short takes cover escalation dynamics, what "limited" operations against Iran could entail, and political pressures shaping any military path forward.
21 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 1h 18min
The Iran War Energy Crisis Is Here (with Helima Croft)
Helima Croft, Head of Global Commodity Strategy at RBC and former CIA economic analyst, breaks down the Iran-driven energy shock. She explains the Strait of Hormuz logjam, why markets misread the risk, and why U.S. supply cannot quickly plug the gap. Short-term LNG outages, global winners and losers, and the hard policy choices on reopening vital routes are also explored.
44 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 1h 12min
America Doesn’t Understand Iran And It Shows (with Danny Citrinowicz)
Danny Citrinowicz, former IDF intelligence officer and top Iran analyst, gives a strategic read on Iran after Khamenei’s death. He assesses nuclear risks, argues U.S. and Israeli aims may be diverging, and maps probable escalation paths from proxies to infrastructure attacks. A tense Red Team/Blue Team debate considers a risky plan to seize enriched uranium in Isfahan.
27 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 12min
Iran After Khamenei & Pentagon vs. Anthropic (with Karim Sadjadpour)
Karim Sadjadpour, Iran expert and Carnegie senior fellow, offers crisp analysis of Iran after Khamenei's death. He maps possible regime trajectories, who might wield power next, and how ordinary Iranians are reacting. They also tackle the Pentagon‑Anthropic standoff, exploring supply‑chain risk, legal questions, and what it means for AI and national security.
34 snips
Feb 28, 2026 • 23min
The Iran Strikes Explained - Live
A live breakdown of U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran and Iran’s regional retaliation. They probe whether a clear end game exists and if an imminent threat justified military action. The conversation raises questions about Congressional approval, Iran’s remaining capabilities, risks to oil shipping, and potential long-term regional fallout.
9 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 1h 15min
Mexico, Iran, Anthropic and the SOTU Signals
They break down the foreign policy signals in the State of the Union and why China was downplayed. They debate the case against U.S. military strikes on Iran and the risks of Iranian retaliation. They track violence and political fallout after the killing of cartel leader El Mencho in Mexico. They unpack the Pentagon’s standoff with Anthropic over AI limits, surveillance, and autonomous weapons.
79 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 1h 7min
AI With a Western Soul (with Tyler Cowen)
Tyler Cowen, economist and public intellectual known for wide-ranging takes, joins to survey geopolitics, AI, and supply chains. He weighs U.S.-China stalemate risks and which parts of China really matter. He probes how AI adoption and Western-skewed training data shape future institutions. He also flags overlooked material limits like sand and even assigns a nonzero chance to alien probes.
Feb 13, 2026 • 1h 6min
Rage in Tehran, Lasers in Texas
Yeganeh Torbati, Iran reporter for The Washington Post, Reuters, and ProPublica. She sketches Iran at a crossroads, the regime’s coercive reach, and what diplomacy versus military action could mean. She also breaks down a weird El Paso airspace shutdown tied to Pentagon laser tests, suspected cartel drones, and interagency confusion.
