Best FDD Podcasts (2025)

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

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3h 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

1h 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

5d 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

1h 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

11h 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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O Muslim Brotherhood, Where Aren't Thou? 53:44

1d 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

7d 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

4d 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

12d 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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Hezbollahi: Gotta Catch ‘Em All 34:48

14d 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

11d 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

11d 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

15d 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

19d 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…

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What can Israel expect from its neighbors? | feat. BG (Res.) Prof. Jacob Nagel 26:20

14d ago26:20

26:20

WHAT CAN ISRAEL EXPECT FROM ITS NEIGHBORS? HEADLINE 1: The IDF carried out strikes against several Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in south Lebanon. HEADLINE 2: Israeli prosecutors charged seven men suspected of smuggling arms from Syria into Israel. HEADLINE 3: Israeli prosecutors charged seven men suspected of smuggling arms from Syria into …

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Don't Call it a Peace Deal 45:13

15d ago45:13

45:13

Ceasefire on paper. Chaos on the ground. Trump’s 20-point plan promises “peace” in Gaza — but Hamas is already violating the ceasefire, gaming hostage returns, killing rivals, and rearming in tunnels. Bill is joined by his FDD colleagues Samuel Ben-Ur and Aaron Goren to discuss why disarming Hamas is a fantasy, why an international force risks beco…

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Is Iran Unraveling? 51:27

16d ago51:27

51:27

With the regime reeling from military humiliation, economic decay, and growing defiance at home, Mark sits down with frontline journalist David Patrikarakos to cut through Tehran’s spin to explain what’s really happening inside the Islamic Republic. From the collapse of Iran’s nuclear prestige to the widening cracks in its coercive power, this conv…

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How Hamas controls the narrative | feat. Eran Lahav 27:16

16d ago27:16

27:16

HEADLINE 1: The U.N. Security Council blessed Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza. HEADLINE 2: Syria opened its first trial over the mass killings of Alawite minorities last spring. HEADLINE 3: Yee Haw! The State of Texas designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational upd…

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Hamas stands between Gaza and its future | feat. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib 29:53

21d ago29:53

29:53

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gaza native who serves as the founder and director of the Realign for Palestine project at the Atlantic Council. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief…

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Brandon Downer: How Pink's Window Cleaning Franchise Turned Home Services Into Hospitality | The Franchise Insiders Podcast 53:09

18d ago53:09

53:09

Send us a text Brandon Downer: How Pink's Window Cleaning Franchise Turned Home Services Into Hospitality | The Franchise Insiders Podcast Discover how Brandon Downer built Pink's Window Cleaning from a neighborhood observation into a thriving home services franchise that treats customers like guests and technicians like hospitality professionals. …

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No Country for Old Mullahs 1:14:59

21d ago1:14:59

1:14:59

📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Before new episodes of The Iran Breakdown return (soon!), we’re bringing you a riveting discussion from our sister podcast, Foreign Podicy, featuring FDD's Behnam Ben Taleblu in dialogue with Dr. Ali Ansari — one of the world’s foremost scholars of modern Iran. In a sweeping, incisive discussion, they trace th…

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Back to Iraq 46:29

26d ago46:29

46:29

📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Filmmaker Michael Pack joins host Cliff May to tell the extraordinary story of The Last 600 Meters, his gripping documentary on the battles of Fallujah and Najaf. Though the film was finished in 2007, it sat on a shelf for 17 years before PBS finally aired it this Veterans Day. From young Americans fighting al…

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What happens when MBS comes to town? | feat. Sarah Zaaimi 20:35

21d ago20:35

20:35

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MBS COMES TO TOWN? HEADLINE 1: The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on over two dozen targets that support Iran’s ballistic missile and drone production networks. HEADLINE 2: U.S. Central Command provided an update on operational activity in Syria. HEADLINE 3: Israeli forces dismantled a Hamas network in the West Bank. -…

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Syria's George Washington? 44:31

23d ago44:31

44:31

Washington is rolling out the red carpet for Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, now “President Shara.” Bill Roggio and Edmund Fitton-Brown ask the hard question: why is a former al-Qaeda leader who oversaw massacres and foreign-terror networks suddenly treated like Syria’s George Washington? They unpack the risks, the Taliban déjà vu, and what this means for …

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Israel's reckoning after October 7 | feat. Seth Frantzman 26:38

23d ago26:38

26:38

HEADLINE 1: French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. HEADLINE 2: The Houthis might be hitting pause on their attacks against Israel and Red Sea shipping. HEADLINE 3: Iran said it dismantled a spy network linked to Israel and the United States. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situa…

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Is another Israel-Iran war looming? | feat. Ilan Berman 26:01

25d ago26:01

26:01

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ilan Berman, Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/By FDD

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Pool Service Franchise Deep Dive: Puddle Pools' Recurring Revenue Model | Franchise Investment Review 46:49

25d ago46:49

46:49

Send us a text Pool service franchise meets tech-driven recurring revenue. Discover how Puddle Pools built a scalable pool cleaning franchise across the U.S. and Canada with predictable cash flow, lean overhead, and margins that attract both operators and private equity. The Pool Maintenance Franchise Business Model We sit down with Puddle Pools fo…

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No Country for Old Mullahs 1:15:03

1M ago1:15:03

1:15:03

Guest host and Senior Director of FDD’s Iran Program Behnam Ben Taleblu sits down with historian Ali Ansari to explore why the Islamic Republic is rewriting Iran’s past to justify its present, how Iranians are reclaiming their identity from the regime, and what the nation’s search for identity reveals about the Islamic Republic’s fading future.…

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Which historical lessons must shape Gaza’s future? | feat. Netta Barak-Corren 24:37

28d ago24:37

24:37

WHAT HISTORICAL LESSONS MUST SHAPE GAZA'S FUTURE? HEADLINE 1: Israel is at its wit’s end with the porous Egyptian border. HEADLINE 2: Israel and Greece wrapped up joint military exercises this week. HEADLINE 3: Turkey held a terrorist summit in Istanbul on Wednesday. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and ana…

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"Belligerent Occupation" 44:12

1M ago44:12

44:12

Bill and David Daoud examine how Israel’s near-daily strikes on Hezbollah barely register in the West while even minor flare-ups in Gaza seemingly become a global crisis. They unpack why Lebanon’s decades of incompetence paved the way for Hezbollah entrenchment and failed statehood — and Western exhaustion, which may help explain why the “belligere…

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The dangers of the Muslim Brotherhood | feat. Mariam Wahba 24:07

1M ago24:07

24:07

HEADLINE 1: Oman’s foreign minister called on countries in the Gulf to engage with…wait for it… Iran. HEADLINE 2: The U.S. sent a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for the implementation of an International Stabilization Force, or “ISF,” which would operate in Gaza until 2027. HEADLINE 3: On Monday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun …

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50 years of UN hostility toward Israel | feat. David May 24:16

1M ago24:16

24:16

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Research Manager David May. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbriefBy FDD

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Chuck Runyon: Co-Founder of Anytime Fitness on how technology and empathy helped build Anytime Fitness 47:25

1M ago47:25

47:25

Send us a text A small-town key and a big idea changed fitness forever. We’re sitting with Chuck Runyon, Co-Founder of Anytime Fitness and Purpose Brands, to trace the leap from oversized racquetball clubs to tech-enabled, 24/7 gyms that actually match how people train today. Chuck opens up about building with empathy for small business owners, why…

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Trump’s Orient Express 49:47

1M ago49:47

49:47

President Trump just returned from a whirlwind week in Asia closing trade and investment deals and strengthening security alliances. Host Cliff May sits down with FDD’s Craig Singleton to discuss what Trump accomplished, as well as the challenges – and threats – that remain.By FDD

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Hamas is testing the waters | feat. Jonathan Conricus 30:00

1M ago30:00

30:00

HAMAS IS TESTING THE WATERS -- FDD Senior Fellow Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Gadi Ezra, former director of Israel's National Public Diplomacy Unit. Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief -- Featured FDD Pieces: "Is Trump Getting Played by Xi?" - Matt Pottinger, …

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What's it like living under Hamas rule? | feat. Joseph Braude 27:51

1M ago27:51

27:51

HEADLINE 1: Israeli forces eliminated three terrorists during a counterterrorism operation in a village called Kafr Qud. HEADLINE 2: The Trump administration announced a new aid package for minorities in Syria. HEADLINE 3: Turkish prosecutors filed new charges against Istanbul’s mayor. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situatio…

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Factual reporting in Gaza ends where Hamas begins | feat. Robert Satloff 25:41

1M ago25:41

25:41

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Robert Satloff, the Segal Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/By FDD

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Mariam Wahba on the Muslim Brotherhood’s Media Empire 46:08

2M ago46:08

46:08

Watch this episode on YouTube here. For two years, Israel has been fighting a war on multiple fronts. And although it has delivered blows to Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas on the ground, it’s losing another fight: the information war, a campaign of slander and blood libels fueled by a media empire built by the Muslim Brotherhood. To expose where — from…

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With friends like Qatar, who needs enemies? | feat. Eitan Fischberger 18:41

1M ago18:41

18:41

WITH FRIENDS LIKE QATAR, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES? HEADLINE 1: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrapped up his tour of the Gulf with a trip to Oman. HEADLINE 2: The warring Hamas and Fatah factions convened for discussions in Egypt yesterday to talk unity. HEADLINE 3: Back to Turkey, where the country has renewed military deployment mandates for Leb…

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Wheel of Jihad 38:25

2M ago38:25

38:25

Will the next phase of the Long War erupt inside a nuclear-armed state? The Taliban, a monster Islamabad built but can’t control, is waging a war against Pakistan — and it shouldn’t surprise anyone. After decades of Islamabad playing both arsonist and firefighter — nurturing the Taliban, harboring al Qaeda, and weaponizing jihad against India — Bil…

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How stable is the Gaza ceasefire? | feat. Ghaith al-Omari 26:04

2M ago26:04

26:04

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ghaith Al-Omari, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who previously held various positions within the Palestinian Authority. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/ -- HEADLINE 1: Hamas’s base …

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Josh York CEO GymGuyz How Mindset, Accountability, And Grit Turn A Small Idea Into A Global Fitness Brand 46:47

2M ago46:47

46:47

Send us a text We sit down with GymGuyz founder Josh York to unpack how a mobile fitness brand scaled to seven countries by pairing accountability with convenience and culture. We talk mindset, unit economics, trainer retention, recovery, cash flow, and the power of relentless consistency. • bringing the workout to clients anywhere with fully equip…

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What's up with Friday prayers in Iran? 36:00

2M ago36:00

36:00

Guest host Behnam Ben Taleblu and FDD’s Janatan Sayeh delve into the complexities of Iran's internal politics, implications of the recent 12-day war, and ongoing discussions surrounding the truth about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions. They unpack the regime's strategies, the impact of social media on public perception, and the challenges f…