Shows
Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue GordonEp. 05: Splashy Action, Long Term EffectIn this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric jump into two Administration announcements—the GENUIS Act, the Nation’s first cryptocurrency policy focusing on stable coins; the second the elimination of more than $500M in mRNA research funding As always, they break down the details of the announcements and put them in more strategic context in other words, what they portend. To begin and end, they revisit some previous topics and presage emerging events.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights03:35 Be curious, not judgmental05:40 GENIUS Act and stableco...2025-08-1246 minUnderstandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue GordonEp. 04 Bonus: China’s Commercial Space Collision CourseIn this bonus episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric delve into the rapid expansion of China's commercial space industry and its implications for U.S. dominance in low Earth orbit. They discuss the need for responsible use of space, the role of market forces versus government regulations, and the potential executive order that could reshape how space launches and orbital safety are managed in the U.S. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights00:32 China's Booming Commercial Space Industry02:06 US Regulatory Challenges in Space07:44 Draft Executive Order on Space Management...2025-08-0715 minUnderstandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue GordonEp. 04 Threats abroad AND at homeIn this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric discuss the geopolitical threats that intersect America’s interests, continue to focus on the intersection of China, cyber, and AI, this time with a more human dimension, and finish up with a look at the recent efforts to at best undermine and at worst destroy America’s institutions that underpin our security.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights01:13 Back-to-School Memories03:02 Geopolitical Romp Around the World: Russia and Ukraine06:58 Geopolitical Romp Around the World: Israel and Gaza10:46 Geopolitical Romp A...2025-08-0644 minUnderstandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue GordonEp. 03 Bonus: China Fills the Soft Power VacuumIn this bonus episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric discuss China's increasing influence within multilateral organizations like the United Nations through strategic funding, staffing, and diplomatic coalitions. Amidst U.S. retrenchment from these bodies, the conversation explores the implications of China's investments in global institutions like the WHO and ITU and how this shift affects international norms and U.S. strategic interests. They also touch upon the challenges the U.S. faces in countering China's strategic positioning without adequate expertise and investment, highlighting a need for reassessment of U.S. global leadership roles.Timestamps: 2025-07-3112 minUnderstandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue GordonEp. 03 Algorithms and AI Action PlansIn this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric dive into a couple headlines shaping our world, specifically two announcements that could have profound effect on US technology strategy–the outstanding question is to what strategic effect. With President Trump’’s recent AI Action Plan, they discuss the administration's AI deregulation strategy and how it aims to maintain US superiority in technology and innovation. Unbelievably, they manage to explore the delicate balance between federal and state control in AI governance around the issue of bias in AI systems.. Their conversation extends to Nvidia resuming AI chip sales to China, weighi...2025-07-2946 minUnderstandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue GordonEp. 02 How does change happen?Episode Summary: In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric unpack the ODNI’s renewed allegations of an Obama administration conspiracy during the 2016 election and what to make of the recently released documents. They explore if the CIA’s race to adopt AI will replace human agents, respond to the SECDEF memo on drones and the potential revolution in military affairs, if rare earth production is the right use case for government subsidies, and why a cybersecurity grant that’s set to expire could quietly leave local governments exposed. Timestamps: 00:0...2025-07-2252 minUnderstandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue GordonEp. 01 It's ALL National SecurityEpisode Summary: In this debut episode of Understandable Insights, Eric and Sue dive into a heavy mix of headlines, from the devastation in Kerrville, TX to the energy-hungry appetite of AI, the surge in deepfake voice scams, and the whiplash of US policy in Ukraine. Through it all, they unpack what these stories really mean for national security. It’s not all doom and gloom though, there’s room for smart policy, smart investment, and a little sports banter.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:32 Sue's Health Update and Person...2025-07-1645 minUnderstandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue GordonUnderstandable Insights TrailerWelcome to “Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon” — the national security podcast that provides you an elemental understanding of the world as it is, not how you prefer it to be.Each week, Eric Koepp — a former Marine, father, and entrepreneur — sits down with the Honorable Sue Gordon, the nation’s former top career intelligence officer. Together, they break down the headlines shaping our world and ask what they really mean for citizens, leaders, and institutions.From armed conflict to emerging tech, foreign interference to the resilience of democracy — this is where raw information be...2025-07-1501 min