Episodes

  • Can Iran’s Regime Survive?

    Can Iran’s Regime Survive?
    Jan 15 2026
    Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer examine the rapidly unfolding crisis in Iran, from nationwide protests and an information blackout to the regime’s brutal crackdown. They place the moment in historical context and debate the central question now facing Washington: whether U.S. military action would protect protesters — or risk escalation without changing realities on the ground. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available here. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Join us on Substack Email Jake and Jon with your thoughts and questions at longgame@voxmedia.com. Or leave a comment below. Transcript here, coming soon. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Occupation by Joystick: Venezuela

    Occupation by Joystick: Venezuela
    Jan 9 2026
    In this episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer discuss the U.S. special operations raid that captured Nicolás Maduro and the Trump administration’s claim that the U.S. will now “run” Venezuela. Drawing on their experience in the White House, they assess the operational risks of the capture, unclear end state, and the limits of the promised economic upside. The conversation widens to Greenland and what the administration’s refusal to rule out force could mean for U.S. power and global stability. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available here. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Join us on Substack. Email Jake and Jon with your thoughts and questions at longgame@voxmedia.com. Or leave a comment below. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Is America Giving China the Keys to AI Dominance?

    Is America Giving China the Keys to AI Dominance?
    Dec 19 2025
    In this episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer cover: - The fast-escalating U.S. pressure campaign against the Maduro regime in Venezuela — including the growing American military buildup and Trump’s post calling Venezuela a “foreign terrorist organization.” - President Trump’s decision to allow the sale of Nvidia’s advanced H200 AI chips to China — announced on the same day that the DOJ called the chip a cornerstone of “AI superiority.” - A Red Team/Blue Team exercise on the U.S.-backed peace proposal for the Ukraine–Russia war, with Jake and Jon stepping into the roles of advisers to Zelensky and Putin. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available here. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. REFERENCES & SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS: - Interview with Christopher Fouqet “Bloomberg Talks: Christophe Fouqet,” December 12, 2025. “U.S. authorities shut down major China-linked AI tech smuggling network,” Department of Justice Press Release, December 8, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Will U.S. Strikes Lead to War with Venezuela?

    Will U.S. Strikes Lead to War with Venezuela?
    Dec 12 2025
    In this episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer cover: - The U.S. “double tap” strike on a boat in the Caribbean that reportedly killed two survivors, raising questions about potential war crimes, and Congress’s response - Trump’s newly released 2025 National Security Strategy - The Trump Administration’s decision to greenlight the sale to China of Nvidia’s powerful H200 chips used in AI Then, a lightning round of questions for each other. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available here. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Join us on Substack Email Jake and Jon with your thoughts and questions at longgame@voxmedia.com. Or leave a comment below. Transcript here, coming soon. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • Crisis Calculus on Ukraine & Taiwan

    Crisis Calculus on Ukraine & Taiwan
    Dec 5 2025
    In this episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer cover: - Deadlock between Russia and Ukraine as war continues - Rising Japan–China tensions over Taiwan and what Trump’s response signals for U.S. strategy in the region. - Red Team/Blue Team debate on whether the U.S. should maintain, abandon or thicken “strategic ambiguity” toward Taiwan. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available here. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Have a question for Jake or Jon? Email us at longgame@voxmedia.com or leave us a comment on Substack. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Episode images source: Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 8 mins
  • When Washington Smells Weakness

    When Washington Smells Weakness
    Nov 21 2025
    In this episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer cover: - Who gained what after Trump’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince MBS? - How does the corruption scandal inside Zelensky’s government intersects with a new U.S. push for a Ukraine peace deal? - Tabletop: the risks of re-orienting the national-security apparatus to immigration enforcement. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available here. References and Supplemental Readings: - “Disrupting the first reported AI-orchestrated cyber espionage campaign” Anthropic Report, 11/13/25. - “The Risky Movement to Make America Nuclear Again,” Michael Riley in Bloomberg News, 10/30/25. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Have a question for Jake or Jon? Email us at letters@cafe.com or leave us a comment on Substack. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • From Terrorist to President

    From Terrorist to President
    Nov 14 2025
    In this episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer break down: - Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara’s Oval Office meeting with President Trump, - Trump’s upcoming meeting with Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the country’s tech diplomacy, and - Trump’s post about U.S. testing nuclear weapons. They also debate whether Israel should mount more strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on Substack. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Have a question for Jake or Jon? Email us at letters@cafe.com or leave us a comment on Substack. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Xi and Putin Got Trump’s Number

    Xi and Putin Got Trump’s Number
    Nov 7 2025
    In their first episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer tackle three flashpoints central to U.S. national security interests right now: U.S. / China relations, the Russian - Ukraine War and the situation unfolding in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. They close with a discussion about the new Netflix film A House of Dynamite, a story about crisis decision-making that, for two people who’ve lived those moments, hits uncomfortably close to home. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on Substack. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Have a question for Jake or Jon? Email us at letters@cafe.com. The Long Game is brought to you by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins