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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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Summary
 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
  • Dwarkesh Patel: AI Could Overthrow The Government

    Dwarkesh Patel: AI Could Overthrow The Government
    Nov 12 2026
    Backlash against AI and data centers helped fuel Democrats sweeping midterm victory last week. As AI promises to reshape geopolitics and national security, Jake and Jon speak with Dwarkesh Patel, host of the Dwarkesh Podcast, whom economist Tyler Cowen has called “the number one chronicler of the AI era.” They discuss Patel’s prediction that by 2030, “we'll have AIs that are at least as good as the best human experts in every field.” They also explore whether AI regulation can keep pace, whether the U.S. and China can agree on AI safety, and the debate over advanced chip sales to China amid reports of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s relationship with an alleged Chinese spy. Upgrade to The Long Game+ on Apple to support the show and access exclusive audio segments. This week, Patel weighs in on which tech CEO has the most “realistic” vision of the future and whether instilling AI with human values is the wrong move. Join us on Substack for video versions of exclusive podcast segments, transcripts, and more: https://thelonggame.substack.com/ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@podlonggame Email Jake and Jon with your questions and comments at longgame@voxmedia.com Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop weekly. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. References and supplemental materials Tom Cunningham, Nate Rush, Parker Whitfill, and Hjalmar Wijk, Independent Assessment of AI R&D Acceleration at Anthropic in October 2026, METR, November 5, 2026. OpenAI, On the Navier–Stokes Millennium Prize Problem, OpenAI, September 8, 2026. Dwarkesh Patel, The Rise and Fall of Agent Civilizations, Dwarkesh Podcast, August 29, 2026. Dwarkesh Patel, Jensen Huang – TPU competition, why we should sell chips to China, & Nvidia’s supply chain moat, Dwarkesh Podcast, April 15, 2026. Dwarkesh Patel, Blog prize for the big questions about AI, Dwarkesh Podcast, April 24, 2026. Bernie Sanders and Greg Casar, Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act (announcement and bill links), Office of Senator Bernie Sanders, September 23, 2026. Photo Credit: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    58 mins
  • Trump After the Midterms: Iran, China, and the Limits of Power

    Trump After the Midterms: Iran, China, and the Limits of Power
    Nov 5 2026
    New York Times reporter Jonathan Swan, co-author, along with Maggie Haberman, of the bestselling book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, joins Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer following Democrats’ sweeping midterm victory. As results continue to come in, they examine what drove the Republican defeat and what it means for Trump’s final two years in office. After the Iran war fractured Trump’s winning coalition, what can a Democratic Congress do to constrain a president with broad power over foreign policy? Drawing on his reporting inside the White House, Swan explores the tension between political weakness and presidential power. Then, in The Wrap, Jake and Jon revisit their predictions, flag stories to watch, and share recommendations for what to read and watch. Upgrade to The Long Game+ on Apple to support the show and access exclusive audio segments. This week, Jake and Jon discuss the latest news from Iran. Is further US military escalation on the horizon? Join us on Substack for video versions of exclusive podcast segments, transcripts, and more: https://thelonggame.substack.com/ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@podlonggame Email Jake and Jon with your questions and comments at longgame@voxmedia.com Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop weekly. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. References and supplemental materials Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, Simon and Schuster, June 2026 Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman, Ana Swanson, Paul Mozur, Tripp Mickle and Julian E. Barnes, “Nvidia Chief Seen as Target of Chinese Spy Plot,” The New York Times, October 29, 2026 Gideon Lewis-Kraus, “Computer Chips Are the Most Magnificent Things Humanity Has Ever Made,” The New Yorker, October 19, 2026 Conan O’Brien, “Conan’s Chaotic Bidet Ad Read,” Team Coco, December 23, 2023 The Diplomat, Netflix, October 15, 2026 Photo Credit: Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Trump’s Russia Deals, Musk’s Starlink Leverage, and Ukraine’s Hardest Winter Yet

    Trump’s Russia Deals, Musk’s Starlink Leverage, and Ukraine’s Hardest Winter Yet
    Oct 29 2026
    Michael Kofman, defense analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, returns to The Long Game as Russia intensifies its bombardment of Ukraine and decisions made in Washington reshape Kyiv’s ability to fight. Kofman examines the gap between Russia’s military performance and its demands at the negotiating table; the leverage each side currently holds and the deadly consequences of throttling Ukrainian access to SpaceX’s Starlink and StarShield. Upgrade to The Long Game+ on Apple to support the show and access exclusive audio segments. Join us on Substack for video versions of exclusive podcast segments, transcripts, and more: https://thelonggame.substack.com/ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@podlonggame Email Jake and Jon at longgame@voxmedia.com Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop weekly. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. References and supplemental materials Alexander Ward, Natalie Andrews, and Josh Dawsey “Musk Ordered Starlink Slowdown That Blindsided Ukraine,” The Wall Street Journal, October 21, 2026 Photo Credit: Nikoletta Stoyanova/Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 1 min
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