Best FDD Podcasts (2026)

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Is Iran next in line after Venezuela? | feat. Carine Hajjar 27:48

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9h ago27:48

27:48

HEADLINE 1: Five years after the Abraham Accords, Israel and Morocco are still going strong. HEADLINE 2: Over in Paris, Syria and Israel resumed security talks. And it looks like they might have made a breakthrough. HEADLINE 3: Gidon Saar has landed in Somaliland. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analys…

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Special Edition: Happy FDD Season 14:53

21d ago14:53

14:53

A checklist to remove clutter, save the important, and improve content integrity.By Bryan Garner

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Franchising 101 - Consistency and Positivity: Navigating the Franchise Industry in 2026 - Episode 275 42:24

20m ago42:24

42:24

⭐ INTERESTED IN FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP? Schedule a call with one of our coaches today! https://www.francoach.net/ 🎙️ Episode 275 - In this episode of the Franchising 101 Podcast, host Tim Parmeter, founder and CEO of FranCoach, sits down with Danielle Wright to share their visions and goals for 2026. Together, they dive into why consistency and positi…

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Nicolás and Cilia Take Manhattan 33:14

4h ago33:14

33:14

In a lightning-fast U.S. military raid, Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured in Caracas, arrested, and transported to the United States, sending shockwaves across Latin America and far beyond. Bill is joined by Sam Ben-Ur to unpack the raid and the intelligence behind it, what comes next when the dictator is gone, but the regime re…

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Venezuela's inflection point | feat. RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery 25:32

23h ago25:32

25:32

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI). Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbriefBy FDD

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Recognizing Somaliland 49:59

3d ago49:59

49:59

For more than three decades, Somaliland has functioned as a free, independent, Muslim, pro-peace, anti-Islamist republic on the Horn of Africa. Now, Israel has formally recognized it as a sovereign state. Somaliland’s bad neighbor, Somalia, and other Islamist regimes are furious. Britain also insists the people of Somaliland have no right to decide…

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Home Care Franchise Deep Dive with Bobby Kelley: Inside Home Helpers' 28-Year Playbook 52:11

5d ago52:11

52:11

Send us a text Home Care Franchise Deep Dive: Home Helpers Franchise Review | Best Healthcare Franchise 2025? Is a home care franchise one of the most profitable franchises to own in 2025? We break down the real numbers with Bobby Kelley, who's awarded 400+ Home Helpers franchise territories over 20 years. If you're researching franchise investment…

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Franchising 101 - Top 10 Reasons Why You Should NOT Buy a Franchise in 2026 - Episode 274 15:28

5d ago15:28

15:28

⭐ INTERESTED IN FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP? Schedule a call with one of our coaches today! https://www.francoach.net/ 🎙️ Episode 274 - In this episode of the Franchising 101 Podcast, host Tim Parmeter, founder and CEO of FranCoach, kicks off 2026 with an insightful and humorous take on the top 10 reasons you should NOT buy a franchise this year. Drawing f…

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Regime Squeeze 36:00

5d ago36:00

36:00

Iran is erupting again — and this time, the protests are openly anti-regime. Strikes are spreading, nationalist slogans are surging, and the Islamic Republic’s margin for control is shrinking. Guest host Behnam Ben Taleblu is joined by Janatan Sayeh and Navid Mohebbi to discuss what’s driving the unrest and what (dwindling) options the regime still…

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Home Alone 3: Lost in Nigeria? 20:54

10d ago20:54

20:54

On Christmas Day, the United States launched airstrikes against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria, framed as a response to jihadist violence and the persecution of Christians. But did Washington hit the right enemy? In the right place? For the right reasons? Bill and Caleb analyze the known knowns of the strike, including who was targeted …

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The War Against Christians (With Chinese Characteristics) 50:01

13d ago50:01

50:01

This Christmas week, we're left to confront a hard truth: Christians are under attack in many corners of the world. On October 10, the Chinese Communist Party arrested Pastor Ezra Jin, founder of Beijing’s Zion Church — along with 28 other leaders — in the largest crackdown on a Christian church in China in decades. Pastor Jin’s daughter, Grace Jin…

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Better Call Sharaa 14:12

13d ago14:12

14:12

After two American soldiers are killed in Syria, Washington responds (not with hard questions). Same war. Same mistake. Same tragic — and avoidable — consequences. In a solo rant, Bill Roggio dismantles the official story behind Operation Hawkeye, exposes the jihadist reality of Syria’s “security forces,” and ponders why the U.S. is (again) coverin…

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The Empire Strikes Back? (feat. Tal Kelman) 57:36

15d ago57:36

57:36

📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Israel’s 12-day war with Iran upended years of assumptions and may have rewritten the rules of deterrence — but the aftermath could prove more dangerous than the war itself. As Tehran absorbs the shock of defeat, it now faces a stark choice: regroup, retaliate, or retreat. The regime’s next move will determine…

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Is United Nations reform a possibility or a pipe dream? | feat. Ambassador Jeff Bartos 26:51

15d ago26:51

26:51

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ambassador Jeff Bartos, who serves as the U.S. Representative for UN Management and Reform. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbriefBy FDD

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Why Chinese Economic Statecraft is a U.S. National Security Threat 56:18

20d ago56:18

56:18

Watch this episode on YouTube here. China isn’t just competing economically — it’s coercing strategically. Drawing on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s latest report, guest host Craig Singleton is joined by Commission Vice Chair Randy Shriver and Commissioner Mike Kuiken to unpack how Beijing weaponizes its economic power — a…

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Is the Bondi Beach massacre Australia's wake-up call? | feat. Joel Burnie 23:51

18d ago23:51

23:51

IS THE BONDI BEACH MASSACRE AUSTRALIA'S WAKE-UP CALL? HEADLINE 1: The United States just slapped new sanctions on Iran’s shadow oil fleet. HEADLINE 2: Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are mulling a military coalition to deter the Turks. HEADLINE 3: U.S. MidEast envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Gaza ceasefire talks…. In Miami. --- FDD Executive Director …

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Fighting terror with terror 1:10:02

18d ago1:10:02

1:10:02

According to the Taliban's self-assessment (what could go wrong), Afghanistan is "stable" — but according to reality, it's not. Terrorist groups still operate openly, al-Qaeda remains embedded, and the same extremists are now being trusted to “fight” other extremists. Bill Roggio and Edmund Fitton-Brown break down why outsourcing counterterrorism t…

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Franchising 101 - Understanding the Franchisor Discovery Process with Tim Parmeter - Episode 273 25:46

22d ago25:46

25:46

⭐ INTERESTED IN FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP? Schedule a call with one of our coaches today! https://www.francoach.net/ 🎙️ Episode 273 - In this episode of the Franchising 101 Podcast, host Tim Parmeter, founder and CEO of FranCoach, explains in detail the discovery process for potential franchise owners and what happens on the franchisor’s side of things. …

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Is herd mentality the new norm? | feat. Miriam Haart 21:59

20d ago21:59

21:59

HEADLINE 1: Qatar is once again pushing Washington to sell it F-35s. HEADLINE 2: Israel facilitated the exit of more than 200 Palestinians from Gaza. HEADLINE 3: Hamas is abusing Gazans. Again. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Miriam Haart, who starred in the hi…

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The Widening Gulf Between Iran and the Gulf (Behnam Ben Taleblu feat. Norm Roule) 57:29

21d ago57:29

57:29

📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. We're bringing you another riveting episode from our sister podcast, Foreign Podicy, repackaged for Iran Breakdown followers: Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director of FDD’s Iran Program, is joined by former senior U.S. intelligence official Norman Roule to assess Iran’s post–12-Day War reality, including the gap…

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End of Year Special Edition Clip 2:08

21d ago2:08

2:08

By Bryan Garner

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15 Crumbl Stores with Shideler Bennett: The Real Scaling Playbook 1:00:19

22d ago1:00:19

1:00:19

Send us a text Scaling a franchise sounds glamorous — until you're staring at three simultaneous buildouts and a contractor who just walked off with your materials. That's where Shideler Bennett started. Today he operates 15 Crumbl stores. In this episode, we dig into the real levers of franchise profit: → Labor at 25%, COGS under 25%, occupancy be…

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Schrödinger’s Hezbollah: Neither strong nor weak — yet both | feat. Hagar Chemali 22:25

25d ago22:25

22:25

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with political satirist and "Oh My World" podcast host Hagar Chemali. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbriefBy FDD

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Americans Want U.S. Strength and Statesmanship 1:02:07

27d ago1:02:07

1:02:07

Politicians love to tell Americans what we think about U.S. leadership, our military, our allies, and our enemies — but the data tells a different story. A new Reagan National Defense Survey cuts through the noise to reveal what Americans actually believe during a moment of strategic flux. To unpack the findings and what they mean for U.S. power, d…

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Should Israel pardon Bibi? | feat. Aviva Klompas 25:23

28d ago25:23

25:23

SHOULD ISRAEL PARDON BIBI? HEADLINE 1: The United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. HEADLINE 2: Israeli and Taiwanese officials recently conducted a series of secret meetings. HEADLINE 3: The U.S. and Israel wrapped up joint naval exercises yesterday. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates a…

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Franchising 101 - Eco-Friendly Franchising: The Green Home Solutions Approach - Episode 272 39:50

26d ago39:50

39:50

⭐ INTERESTED IN FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP? Schedule a call with one of our coaches today! https://www.francoach.net/ 🎙️ Episode 272 - In this episode of the Franchising 101 Podcast, host Tim Parmeter, founder and CEO of FranCoach, interviews Chip Baranowski, Director of Franchise Development for Green Home Solutions. They discuss the unique franchise opp…

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"Trust Me, Bro" and The Art of Verification 40:29

29d ago40:29

40:29

Bill is joined by Caleb Weiss to dissect the recently-viral claim that Osama bin Laden’s son, Hamza bin Laden (the one President Trump had previously announced was killed in a U.S. counterterrorism operation several years ago), is alive and secretly leading al-Qaeda from Afghanistan.By FDD's Long War Journal

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Why do some in Hollywood want freedom for a convicted terrorist? | feat. Noa Tishby 26:18

27d ago26:18

26:18

HEADLINE 1: After taking a beating during the 12-day war, Iran is back to building up its ballistic missile arsenal. HEADLINE 2: Israeli authorities raided a vacant United Nations Relief and Works Agency facility in East Jerusalem. HEADLINE 3: The IDF discovered three crude rockets in the West Bank city of Tulkarem. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Sc…

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The debate around the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) | feat. Michal Cotler-Wunsh 29:03

1M ago29:03

29:03

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Michal Cotler-Wunsch, CEO of The International Legal Forum (ILF) and former Member of Israel's Knesset (Parliament). Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbriefBy FDD

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The Widening Gulf Between Iran and the Gulf 58:18

1M ago58:18

58:18

Guest host Behnam Ben Taleblu is joined by former U.S. intelligence official Norman Roule to examine Iran’s postwar moment: from puncturing the comforting illusion created by viral clips of loosened social activity (or, as Norm puts it, why “a few videos of dancing and hijab-free afternoons don’t outweigh 21,000 arrests and expedited executions”) t…

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What role will AI play in the future of warfare? | feat. Leah Siskind 21:10

1M ago21:10

21:10

HEADLINE 1: Yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing will provide $100 million to help with reconstruction and ease the humanitarian situation in Gaza. HEADLINE 2: The Pentagon deployed a new type of drone to the Middle East. HEADLINE 3: Iraq added Hezbollah and the Houthis to its asset freeze list. -- FDD Senior Research Analyst Natali…

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Jay and Carolina Orosa: From Franchisees To Franchise Mentors 1:04:25

1M ago1:04:25

1:04:25

Send us a text Ready to turn a franchise into a true asset rather than a demanding job? We sit down with Jay and Carolina Orosa—former top-performing home care franchisees and now part of our franchise consulting team—to unpack how they launched, scaled to hundreds of clients and 300+ caregivers, and exited on favorable terms without losing the hea…

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Franchising 101 - Owning Your Success: Empower Brands and the Road to Franchise Leadership - Episode 271 44:25

1M ago44:25

44:25

⭐ INTERESTED IN FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP? Schedule a call with one of our coaches today! https://www.francoach.net/ 🎙️ Episode 271 - In this episode of the Franchising 101 Podcast, host Tim Parmeter, founder and CEO of FranCoach, welcomes R. Scott Sutton, the Chief Development Officer at Empower Brands. The discussion dives into the nuances of comparing…

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O Muslim Brotherhood, Where Aren't Thou? 53:44

1M ago53:44

53:44

In a seismic policy shift after decades of Western indifference, the Trump administration has moved to designate key chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations. Bill is joined by FDD’s Edmund Fitton-Brown, who explains why this first round of designations is just the opening salvo — and how pulling this initial thread could event…

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What's happening in southern Yemen? | feat. Amr Al Bidh 20:09

1M ago20:09

20:09

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOUTHERN YEMEN? HEADLINE 1: Saudi Arabia is providing the Palestinian Authority with a $90 million grant. HEADLINE 2: Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in two separate attacks yesterday. HEADLINE 3: The IDF raided the offices in Ramallah and Hebron of an organization called the Union of Agricultural Work Committees. --- FDD Se…

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U.S. defense policy and strategy in the Middle East | feat. Dana Stroul 35:28

1M ago35:28

35:28

Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power, provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Dana Stroul, who serves as Director of Research and Shelly and Michael Kassen Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorning…

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Africa 2025: Things Fall Apart 55:38

1M ago55:38

55:38

Watch this episode on YouTube here. Africa rarely makes the headlines — but it should. Here are just a few: Islamist movements are expanding from Nigeria to Mozambique, Mali to Somalia. The French have been pushed out, Russian forces are moving in, while China is building influence and quietly extracting wealth from African earth and people. Ambass…

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Franchising 101 - The Truth About Semi-Absentee Ownership - Episode 270 23:54

1M ago23:54

23:54

⭐ INTERESTED IN FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP? Schedule a call with one of our coaches today! https://www.francoach.net/ 🎙️ Episode 270 - In this episode of the Franchising 101 Podcast, host Tim Parmeter, founder and CEO of FranCoach, cuts through the hype around semi-absentee franchise ownership. Tim breaks down what the model really requires, why it so oft…

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Hezbollahi: Gotta Catch ‘Em All 34:48

1M ago34:48

34:48

A precision strike in southern Beirut wiped out Haitham al-Tabataba’i, Hezbollah’s chief of staff, longtime military leader, and architect of its elite Radwan force. He was also the man overseeing Hezbollah’s post-ceasefire rearmament. Bill is joined by FDD’s David Daoud and Joe Truzman to unpack who Tabataba’i was, why the Israelis chose to strike…

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Washington cracks down on the Muslim Brotherhood | feat. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) 25:31

1M ago25:31

25:31

HEADLINE 1: Anyone heard of Binance? It's the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange — and it may well have facilitated $1 billion in transactions for Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations — that’s billion with a “b.” HEADLINE 2: The Palestinian economy is on the brink of collapse. HEADLINE 3: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or “GH…

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Is this Yemen's calm before the storm? | feat. Edmund Fitton-Brown 27:17

2M ago27:17

27:17

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with former UK Ambassador to Yemen and current FDD Senior Fellow Edmund Fitton-Brown. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbriefBy FDD

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Why Pilates Franchises Win: Recurring Revenue & Strong Margins Explained 42:26

1M ago42:26

42:26

Send us a text Pilates franchise investment is exploding - but is it actually profitable? Emily Brown from Limitless Franchise Growth breaks down the real numbers behind Jet Set Pilates, Project Lean Nation, and Fundraising University franchises. We cover franchise costs, unit economics, profit margins, and what differentiates top-performing boutiq…

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DJT and the VIP (Very Important Prince) 49:38

2M ago49:38

49:38

President Trump gave Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, A.K.A. MbS, a royal welcome to Washington. But beyond the flashy diplomacy, quite a lot of business was transacted. Host Cliff May is joined by Edmund Fitton-Brown to discuss the visit, the future of U.S.–Saudi relations, the threat from Tehran and the Houthis, Turkey’s neo-Ottoman ambiti…