Best Townsend Security Podcasts (2025)

1
Heidi Heitkamp: How Trump’s Trade Chaos Hurts Farmers 55:34

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9h ago55:34

55:34

President Trump meets with Xi Jinping and agrees to an embarrassingly one-sided trade deal, as the “China Hawks” in the administration cower. Meantime, the government shutdown moves to a more painful phase, with funding for SNAP expiring on Nov. 1. Former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp joins Tim to discuss how the chaos from Trump’s trade wars has already hur…

1
Abby Phillip: Governing by Troll 53:50

1d ago53:50

53:50

From the jump, the administration has been all about the memes, owning the libs, and pissing people off. But Abby says she wants Trump’s supporters to have a chance to share their points of view on her show—and be challenged in real time. Meanwhile, during the weirdest shutdown ever, Republicans are at risk on SNAP and Obamacare subsidies. And poli…

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Why Security Is Crypto’s Biggest Challenge - Ido Ben Natan | ATC #583 57:28

1d ago57:28

57:28

Join host Stephen Sargeant on the Around The Coin Podcast as he converses with Ido Ben Natan, the CEO and Co-founder of Blockaid. Discover the story behind significant hacks like the Buy Bit incident and the ongoing cybersecurity challenges in DeFi. Ido discusses his journey from traditional cybersecurity to Web3, the persistent vulnerabilities in …

1
Sam Stein and Francis Fukuyama: A Coming Deportation Blitz? 1:22:31

2d ago1:22:31

1:22:31

While the inhumane and aggressive tactics unfolding in Chicago are repelling many Americans, they are having the opposite effect among Trump's top aides. The Kristi Noem clique wants more— much more— of the Border Patrol's "Midway Blitz" around the country, and they're busy purging local ICE leadership in a number of cities in an attempt to dramati…

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Bill Kristol: Diaper Tantrum 51:14

3d ago51:14

51:14

Trump was so embarrassed by Canada using Reagan’s warnings about tariffs that he had a little hissy fit and decided to punish Americans for buying Canadian goods. And by the way, stuffed shirt Scott Bessent: Real American soybean farmers are being hurt by tariffs while you bail out Argentina and pretend that your dainty hands are tilling the soil o…

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Ryan Holiday: Life Is Too Short to Be a Bootlicker 1:07:48

6d ago1:07:48

1:07:48

Members of the administration, like Stephen Miller, who spend hours every day kissing Trump’s ass look so pathetic—but since the time of the ancients, courtiers have gone to great lengths to degrade themselves before the vain and vindictive. And one lesson for the ages is to not compromise with an extortionist: it will only lead to more extortion a…

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Ben Wittes and Anna Bower: Trump's Reparations Demand 46:28

7d ago46:28

46:28

The convicted felon was legitimately prosecuted for hoarding classified docs at Mar-a-Lago. And he was justifiably investigated over the numerous contacts he and his associates had with Russian nationals during 2016. But Trump feels he has endured so much pain and suffering from all the probing that he's owed a quarter of a billion dollars in damag…

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All-American Ruins: Live at the Ulster County Historical Society 1:25:27

8d ago1:25:27

1:25:27

On October 12, 2025, Blake was joined by All-American Ruins guest host and writer Isabel Wilder at the Ulster County Historical Society in Kingston, NY for a 90-minute program. Participants explored how ruins reflect America’s past, present, and future—while doubling as playgrounds for creativity, imagination, and healing. To learn more, visit: htt…

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What’s Driving the Rise of Asset Tokenization? - Angie Walker | ATC #582 58:10

8d ago58:10

58:10

In this episode of the Around The Coin podcast, host Stephen Sargeant speaks with Angie Walker, the commercial head of Apex Digital. Angie discusses the launch of Apex Digital's 3.0 platform, which focuses on tokenizing all asset classes, making them available 24/7, and bridging traditional finance with digital assets. They dive into Angie's rich e…

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Jon Favreau: Foundational Freedoms 1:06:48

8d ago1:06:48

1:06:48

One of the promises of this country has been the freedom to walk down the street without being harassed by the government. But even being an American citizen isn't stopping ICE agents from grabbing people with passports or IDs—and detaining them for hours. At the same time, many of the thugs and sadists who want to do the grabbing and snatching are…

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Michael Weiss and Karine Jean-Pierre: Low Energy Trump 1:16:53

9d ago1:16:53

1:16:53

Putin’s friend in the White House may be back in his safe space with his kindred spirit in Moscow, but Trump is finding that he has limited leverage on Ukraine to end the war on Putin’s terms. He wants so badly to be crowned the ‘Prince of Peace,’ but he has no vim and vigor to get there—and Zelensky actually said “No” to Trump. Meanwhile, the Gaza…

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Bill Kristol: Trump Hates America 44:01

10d ago44:01

44:01

Nearly seven million Americans peacefully took to the streets out of their love for this country, and Trump in response acted out like a toddler obsessed with his own poop. Indeed, our commander-in-chief really does have more affinity for the Sharia law dictators in the sand kingdoms than he does for Saturday’s true patriots. This may be the moment…

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Peter Hamby: The Mini Dictator Wants What He Wants 1:17:32

13d ago1:17:32

1:17:32

The administration under sticky fingers Trump is now pretending it cares about the sanctity of classified documents, while it seems that Marco Rubio is the one pushing for regime change in Venezuela. In California, the redistricting ballot measure has been seen as one of the most significant battles in the November election, but the Supreme Court m…

1
Anne Applebaum: The Loss of 'Democratic Faith' 52:04

14d ago52:04

52:04

The U.S. has been a model for other aspiring democracies since 1776. At the same time, the idea of America as the leader of the democratic world has also had a unifying effect at home. It’s what has kept this diverse country of many faiths and ethnicities together, and it has been our national identity. But with Trump actively undermining those ide…

1
Heather Cox Richardson: An Attack on Our System of Government 50:23

15d ago50:23

50:23

Republicans in Congress know that what they’re doing is deeply unpopular—on healthcare, supporting troops in the streets, and on redistricting. That’s why they’re basically in hiding, plotting new ways to try to shift the narrative. But because they’ve given their Constitutional power away to Trump & company, unelected officials in the administrati…

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Future of Crypto ETFs and Industry Outlook - Federico Brokate| ATC #581 54:53

16d ago54:53

54:53

Welcome to another edition of the Around The Coin podcast! In this episode, host Stephen Sargeant sits down with Federico Brokate, Head of US Business at 21Shares, to discuss the dynamics of crypto ETFs and ETPs, focusing on the regulatory landscape and the challenges faced by the industry. Federico delves into his journey from BlackRock to 21Share…

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JB Pritzker and Franklin Foer: Like Living in an Authoritarian Regime 58:00

16d ago58:00

58:00

After a court temporarily blocked the deployment of Guard troops in Illinois, ICE agents began ramping up their operations around Chicagoland. They are now demanding that residents produce their papers—particularly if they have brown skin. Officers stand outside churches holding Spanish-language Mass or they go into tourist areas to confront people…

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Bill Kristol and Ty Cobb: Recapturing America 1:14:48

17d ago1:14:48

1:14:48

Peaceful protesters in Chicago and Portland have been so clever and effective at ridiculing the masked Stasi agents in their cities that the political momentum for putting troops on the street feels like it’s petering out. And while Republicans keep smearing this weekend’s No Kings day as about hating America, the real ‘Hate America’ side is the on…

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Jacob Soboroff and Sarah McBride: Democracy at the Ground Level 1:15:37

20d ago1:15:37

1:15:37

The administration may be trying to lay the groundwork for Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act by invading Chicago, but the real human stories are breaking through: ordinary Chicagoans are outraged that good, decent immigrants are being snatched off the street and their families’ lives ruined. And while Kristi Noem keeps promoting the bad guys tha…

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Sam Stein: A Bunch of Violent Keystone Cops 1:04:59

21d ago1:04:59

1:04:59

ICE and other armed federal agents are doing their best to incite violence in blue cities so they can help Trump realize his unfulfilled dream from 2020 to impose a military crackdown. At the same time, Trump can only point to what happened in Portland five years ago during Black Lives Matter protests to try to bolster his case. Meanwhile, Comey ha…

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Will AI Replace Payment Gateways Soon? - Roberto E. Kafati | ATC #580 56:18

22d ago56:18

56:18

Join host Stephen Sargeant in an insightful conversation with Roberto Kafati (Reks), the CEO and founder of DEUNA, about the future of payments in North, Central, and Latin America. Roberto shares his journey from DEUNA's inception to becoming an innovative payment infrastructure that leverages AI and agentic intelligence. They discuss the challeng…

1
Casey Newton: Lawlessness and Danger in Tech's Brave New World 1:02:26

22d ago1:02:26

1:02:26

Trump's TikTok deal looks like classic crony capitalism as well as open theft. But China has bigger fish to fry with trade than its TikTok algorithm—which led Congress last year to ban the app in the U.S. Meanwhile, Silicon Valley thinks they're building a machine god with AI, but we really may be heading into catastrophe. Plus, the armed invasion …

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Jake Tapper: Trump Is Making the Country Less Safe 1:07:24

23d ago1:07:24

1:07:24

By The Bulwark

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Bill Kristol and Jane Fonda: The New 'Fierce Urgency of Now' 1:07:16

24d ago1:07:16

1:07:16

By The Bulwark

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Tom Nichols: All The Circuit Breakers Are Gone 1:01:08

27d ago1:01:08

1:01:08

President Trump’s loyalty purges continue. Prosecutors are fired from the U.S. attorney’s office in Eastern Virginia, including people who had nothing to do with the Comey case. And Kash Patel pushes out an FBI agent in training for displaying a rainbow flag in his workspace. Meanwhile, reports surface that Marco Rubio is leading a push among Trump…

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Symone Sanders-Townsend: The White House’s Goal Is Enacting Pain 54:12

29d ago54:12

54:12

The Trump administration is turning up the heat now that the government has shut down, cancelling billions for green projects, targeting funding for infrastructure in New York and threatening mass firings of federal workers. Democrats, meanwhile, are trying to hold the line in the Senate with their demands about health care. Elsewhere, the White Ho…

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Is Texas Becoming the Bitcoin Capital? - Lee Bratcher | ATC #579 51:48

29d ago51:48

51:48

Join host Stephen Sargeant as he engages in an enlightening conversation with Lee Bratcher, the president and founder of the Texas Blockchain Council. Dive deep into the current landscape of Bitcoin mining in Texas, the intersection of politics and crypto, and the impact of digital assets. Lee discusses the regulatory environment, the future of lan…

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Ken Burns: You Have To Be A Bulwark 59:41

30d ago59:41

59:41

A government shutdown begins, as a standoff over spending enters what could be a painful phase. And President Trump kicks off the week warning his military leaders about facing an invasion from within. Ken Burns joins Tim Miller to talk about his new documentary, “The American Revolution,” what lessons from history he tries to apply our current pol…

1
Van Lathan and David Jolly: How To Beat Middle Finger MAGAism 1:26:52

1M ago1:26:52

1:26:52

Pete Hegseth convenes the military’s top leaders to complain about fat troops and generals and plug his book. Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk’s assassination continues to drive debate about how to confront MAGA as a cultural and political movement. David Jolly, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Florida, joins Tim to talk about his campaign, why he sw…

1
Bill Kristol: Trump Wants Troops in Portland 53:15

1M ago53:15

53:15

President Trump orders the National Guard to be deployed to Portland, Ore., after declaring it a war-ravaged city. And reports surface that the administration is considering strikes in Venezuela. Meanwhile, the military’s top generals are on their way to Quantico for a mysterious meeting called by Pete Hegseth that the president now wants to crash.…

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Adam Kinzinger: We Can’t Be Intimidated 51:28

1M ago51:28

51:28

President Trump’s quest for revenge escalates, as a grand jury indicts former FBI Director James Comey days after Trump forced out a prosecutor who refused to bring charges against his political enemies. Trump, meanwhile, is cheerleading the indictment and publicly encouraging prosecutors to go after more Democrats and left-leaning organizations. A…

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Ezra Klein: Protecting People Means Winning Power 1:13:21

1M ago1:13:21

1:13:21

The White House readies plans for mass firings in the federal government as Democrats weigh the stakes of forcing a government shutdown. The Justice Department prepares to seek an indictment for former FBI Director James Comey as President Trump hunts for revenge against his political enemies. Ezra Klein of The New York Times joins Tim to discuss w…

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Angie Craig and Glenn Thrush: Don’t Be Called Weak Sauce 1:00:04

1M ago1:00:04

1:00:04

A government shutdown creeps closer as President Trump cancels a meeting with Democratic leaders. Former Vice President Kamala Harris embarks on a press tour to promote a score settling book about her campaign. Plus, Trump taps one of his former personal lawyers to replace a U.S. attorney he dismissed for not targeting his political enemies after p…

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What’s Next for Global Fintech Leaders? - Taylor Lauber | ATC #578 1:07:40

1M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

In this episode of Around The Coin, host Stephen Sargeant welcomes Taylor Lauber, CEO of Shift4. They discuss Shift4's journey into the payment processing space, its work with e-commerce companies, and its involvement in the cryptocurrency world. The conversation also covers Shift4's philanthropic endeavors, such as the Giving Block and the Care fo…

1
Bakari Sellers: The Danger of RFK Jr. 55:15

1M ago55:15

55:15

The injecting-bleach president is getting some super-strong pseudoscientific information to scare mothers and blame them for autism while conveniently ignoring the role geriatric sperm may play in neurodivergence. Meanwhile, Kimmel may be coming back, but confusion remains about why his show was pulled to begin with—given the jokes Trump, his son, …

1
Bill Kristol: Where Is the $50,000? 42:55

1M ago42:55

42:55

We thought Tom Homan was just an extreme border hawk and ideologue. Now we know this powerful law enforcement official, who's depriving immigrants of their freedom, may also be a corrupt law-breaker—after he was reportedly recorded taking a $50,000 cash bribe during an FBI sting operation. And MAGA die-hards, like Megyn Kelly, have made clear they …

1
Thomas Chatterton Williams: How MAGA Learned to Love Cancel Culture 1:00:39

1M ago1:00:39

1:00:39

Cancel culture lives on, but it's taken new turns, especially among some of the loudest opponents of woke culture who simply can not abide one word of criticism about Charlie Kirk or Israel. Meanwhile, the vice president of the United States is actively encouraging his kind of Americans to rat out their neighbors. Plus, how authoritarianism and cor…

1
Brian Stelter and Jonathan V. Last: Worst Case Scenario 1:07:06

1M ago1:07:06

1:07:06

The administration wants people to believe that Jimmy Kimmel was pulled off the air because he supposedly crossed a red line when it came to Charlie Kirk—yet at the same time, somehow totally ignore that this is naked government coercion of critics who embrace the time-honored tradition of skewering presidents. And because this is the Trump adminis…

1
Susan Rice: A Cancer in the Body Politic 47:54

1M ago47:54

47:54

This country has been dealing with an increase in political violence for nearly a decade, and leaders from across the spectrum need to do everything they can to get us off this terrible path. Declaring 'free speech for me and not for thee,' or getting random people fired for not saying nice things about Charlie Kirk isn't helping to tamp things dow…

1
Joe Manchin: The Man in the Middle 58:48

1M ago58:48

58:48

The former senator and former Dem has some not-very-nice things to say about Schumer and Obama—as well as progressives—who he blames for hounding Biden to move left and diminishing his will to fight. And while he's proud he helped protect the filibuster while he was in the Senate, Republicans just invoked the nuclear option to get Trump's nominees …

1
Bill Kristol: What Does 'They' Mean? 1:00:22

2M ago1:00:22

1:00:22

The administration is threatening to take away money and power—and maybe even freedom—from some vague Trump opponents because of the Kirk assassination. It doesn't seem to matter that elected Democrats have roundly condemned his murder. And it doesn't matter that Trump himself largely ignored the recent political assassination of Minnesota Democrat…

1
David Frum: Leveraging Violence as a Tool of Power 1:01:53

2M ago1:01:53

1:01:53

Trump and the people around him want to use the Kirk assassination to suppress their political opposition. And Trump is clearly laying the groundwork for cracking down on people he doesn't like—peaceful protesters, Dem fundraisers—while also offering rhetorical comfort to potential vigilantes on the right. Meanwhile, we are witnessing the danger of…

1
Erin Ryan: The Murder of Charlie Kirk 1:06:32

2M ago1:06:32

1:06:32

This country has too many guns and too many crazy people. And the social media oligarchs are fanning the flames of violence by constantly trying to piss people off. The Kirk assassination highlights just how dangerous a moment we are living in. America is not free if people are too afraid to speak their minds. Plus, parenting and the surprising gap…

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From Tax Inspector to Tech CEO - Aidan Larkin | ATC #577 1:15:57

2M ago1:15:57

1:15:57

Join host Stephen Sargeant on the Around The Coin podcast as he talks with Aidan Larkin, the CEO and co-founder of Asset Reality, about the dynamic journey of building a startup in asset recovery. Aidan delves into the trials and triumphs of running a VC-backed company, handling imposter syndrome, and maintaining self-awareness as a CEO. The conver…