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Sources & Methods

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National security, unlocked. Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly and a team of NPR correspondents discuss the biggest national security news of the week. With decades of reporting from battlefields and the halls of power, they bring you inside the Pentagon, State Department, and intelligence community to help you understand America's shifting role in the world, and how events in faraway places matter here at home. Additional episodes feature interviews with power players from the NatSec world -- current and former military officials, intelligence experts, diplomatic leaders, and more.


Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org.

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  • 6 episodes
  • Updated Thursday

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Episodes6

Newest first
  • Thursday · 28 min

    Trump's options dwindle / Inside Iran / U.S. arsenal depleted?

    A new round of strikes between Iran and the United States, an expansion that’s embroiled forces in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, plus concerns about missile shortages in the U.S. arsenal — is this a new phase of the war with Iran? Guest host Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR reporter Arezou Rezvani about the status of the war, negotiations, concerns about a U.S. missile shortage and how the continued fighting has created mixed emotions in Iran. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 23 · 32 min

    Ukraine’s leadership shakeup / View from Moscow / Is Russia a friend or foe?

    As Russia and Ukraine pound each other on the battlefield, there's a showdown happening in Kyiv between a young tech wizard and an older battle-hardened general. What might that battle tell us about the direction of the war in Ukraine? Host Mary Louise Kelly is joined by NPR Russia Correspondent Charles Maynes and NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre to talk about the recent turmoil among Ukraine's military leaders, how the Kremlin is viewing the shakeup and whether Russia's relationship with the United States has changed. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 16 · 32 min

    Hormuz blockade / Trump’s mixed messages / Who is Jay Clayton?

    The world’s attention is once again on the Strait of Hormuz, as the U.S. and Iran have resumed strikes and their shaky ceasefire broke. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with two show regulars, NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre, about President Trump's policy shifts around the war, and why it's so hard for him to end the conflict for good. Plus, the president's pick to lead the intelligence community faced Congress this week. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 9 · 27 min

    Iran ceasefire over? / NATO drama / Khamenei funeral

    President Trump and NATO allies met in Turkey this week, in a summit where European countries were anxious about appeasing the U.S. president. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR Istanbul Correspondent Hadeel Al-Shalchi about what NATO members wanted to get out of this summit, and what they got. Plus, Trump said the ceasefire with Iran is over, though negotiations will continue. Where does that conflict stand? Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 2 · 31 min

    Ukraine latest / Limits of military might / Can major powers regain dominance?

    Four years in and Ukraine is still giving Russia a run for its money. Four months in and Iran shows no sign of bowing to U.S. demands. What do Russia’s fight with Ukraine and the U.S. war with Iran tell us about the limits of military might? Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR's Ukraine Correspondent Joanna Kakissis about the overnight attack in Kyiv, which comes on the heels of Ukraine's drone assaults in Moscow. NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre joins them to talk about what the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran say about military might and whether major powers can regain dominance. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • Aug 25, 2025 · 1 min

    Introducing Sources & Methods

    National security, unlocked. Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly and a team of NPR correspondents discuss the biggest national security news of the week. With decades of reporting from battlefields and the halls of power, they bring you inside the Pentagon, State Department, and intelligence community to help you understand America's shifting role in the world, and how events in faraway places matter here at home. Additional episodes feature interviews with power players from the NatSec world -- current and former military officials, intelligence experts, diplomatic leaders, and more. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org. NPR+ supporters hear every episode sponsor-free and can access our complete archive. Learn more and support public media at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy