The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer cover art

The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer

The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer

By: Vox Media Podcast Network
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The Long Game is a weekly national security podcast hosted by Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s National Security Advisor, and Jon Finer, his Principal Deputy—senior aides who sat in on the classified Presidential Daily Brief each morning and translated raw intelligence into policy advice. Each week, Jake and Jon will pull back the curtain on how power really works helping you make sense of the national security stories unfolding today. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • America at 250: A Net Assessment (w/ Robert Kagan)

    America at 250: A Net Assessment (w/ Robert Kagan)
    Jul 1 2026
    As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, how should Americans assess the country's strength, its democracy, and its role in the world? Recorded live at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer are joined by historian and foreign policy scholar Robert Kagan for a wide-ranging conversation on America's future. Drawing on four decades of writing about American power and the international order, Kagan argues that the United States is living through two historic shifts at once: a renewed struggle over American identity at home and a retreat from the global leadership that defined the post-World War II era. Topics covered: Whether the United States is entering a genuinely multipolar world The future of NATO, Europe, China, and Taiwan Democratic backsliding and the resilience of American institutions What America's role in the world should look like over the next quarter century Jake and Jon also challenge Kagan on Iraq, Iran, the use of American power abroad, and whether the United States can rebuild trust with its allies after the Trump era. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop weekly. For exclusive podcast segments, become a member of the Long Game on Substack or Apple. Show notes are available here. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube. Transcript here. Email Jake and Jon at longgame@voxmedia.com. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr
  • Timothy Snyder on Iran, Ukraine, and the Future of Freedom

    Timothy Snyder on Iran, Ukraine, and the Future of Freedom
    Jun 24 2026
    Historian and “On Tyranny” author Timothy Snyder joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to discuss the Iran war and ceasefire negotiations, the state of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, how Ukraine has transformed drone warfare, what these wars reveal about the limits of American military power, and what a positive vision of freedom looks like for the United States as it approaches its 250th anniversary. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop weekly. Show notes are available here. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube. Transcript here. Email Jake and Jon at longgame@voxmedia.com. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    29 mins
  • Did America Lose the Iran War? (w/ Ambassador Wendy Sherman)

    Did America Lose the Iran War? (w/ Ambassador Wendy Sherman)
    Jun 18 2026
    President Trump says the war with Iran is over. But what exactly did the United States agree to? Ambassador Wendy Sherman, the lead U.S. negotiator of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer to assess the new U.S.-Iran agreement and explain why she believes it gives Tehran significant concessions while securing few meaningful nuclear constraints in return. Topics covered: Whether the United States or Iran emerged with greater leverage from the war The future of Iran's nuclear program and its economic windfall through sanctions relief and Strait of Hormuz fees What the deal means for Israel, the Gulf states, and the broader Middle East Why diplomacy requires expertise, patience, and direct engagement with adversaries Jake and Jon also discuss whether Congress will review the agreement, what it could mean for Russia and global energy markets, and other stories they're watching in the weeks ahead. For transcripts, exclusive podcast segments, and more, subscribe to The Long Game on Substack. On Apple Podcasts, subscribe to The Long Game+ for exclusive audio. This week, paid subscribers get access to an exclusive segment in which Jake and Jon share behind-the-scenes stories from their own negotiations with Iranian officials during the Obama administration, including late-night bargaining sessions in Vienna, secret talks in Oman, and some of the unexpected moments that helped shape the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop weekly. Show notes are available here. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube. Transcript here. Email Jake and Jon at longgame@voxmedia.com. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 12 mins
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