Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon

Sue Gordon & Eric Koepp
  • 5.0 (25)
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Welcome 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 — 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe now.

  1. Ep. 12 Shutdowns Aren’t a Light Switch: SIM Farms, Justice by Process, and Meeting Turkey’s Ur-Fascism

    9H AGO

    Ep. 12 Shutdowns Aren’t a Light Switch: SIM Farms, Justice by Process, and Meeting Turkey’s Ur-Fascism

    In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric discuss President Erdoğan’s visit to the White House and analyze Turkey, a necessary NATO ally, through Umberto Eco’s ‘ur-fascism’ lens. They examine the SIM farm operating near the U.N. and how cybercriminals are shifting from endpoints to the telecom infrastructure layer. Plus: quick updates on the real-world impacts of a U.S. government shutdown, former FBI Director James Comey’s indictment, the TikTok executive order, and a diplomatic letter from Venezuela. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights 03:07 Government Shutdown 09:41 James Comey Indictment 13:20 TikTok and National Security 20:19 Venezuela’s Letter to the US 26:56 Telecom Threat  at the UN 32:27 US-Turkey Relations: A Strategic Alliance 35:53 Erdogan's Ur-Fascism Shift in Turkey 44:00 Closing Thoughts and Current Events About the show: Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon is 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. Website and Feedback: Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback Send us a text New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.

    46 min

  2. SEP 23

    Ep. 11 Digital Assets 101: Stablecoins to Sovereign Wealth — with Hon. Shannon Corless

    In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric sit down with Hon. Shannon Corless, former Assistant Secretary for Treasury’s Office of Intelligence & Analysis, to map how finance, technology, and national security now operate as one system.  She starts with a clear Blockchain/Digital Assets 101 and why on-chain transparency can aid law enforcement even as anonymity muddies attribution. Then they examine stablecoins and 401(k)s, diversification, and the case for real consumer education. From her experiences inside the room, Corless outlines founder-level guardrails for CFIUS-era capital and offers a different take on a U.S. sovereign wealth fund as soft power and taxpayer value. The conversation closes on the emerging TikTok framework; data control, board structure, and the still-thorny algorithm question. Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights 01:52 Halloween Decorations Debate 04:03 China's Tech Strategy and US Relations 08:05 Senate Judiciary Committee: Director Patel's Testimony 14:09 Introducing Hon. Shannon Corless 16:58 Understanding Blockchain and Digital Assets 22:51 Opportunities in Digital Currency 26:28 Cybersecurity and Digital Assets 32:40 Exploring Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies in 401k Plans 35:36 US Sovereign Wealth Fund 42:01 Understanding the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) 54:32 The TikTok Controversy and Data Security 01:01:37 The Time Horizon of Sanctions 01:05:20 What We're Watching Our guest: The Honorable Shannon Corless is a former career intelligence officer, who started her career as an intern with the Office of Naval Intelligence.  She spent the entirety of her career at the intersection of national security and economics, the bulk of which was spent leading the IC’s support to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States at ODNI.  For her final act in government, she had the opportunity to serve for three years as the Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis. About the show: Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon is 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. Website and Feedback: Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback Send us a text New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.

    1h 9m

  3. SEP 17

    Ep. 10: Ghost Shark AI, Police-State Tech, and the Leadership Gap

    In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric dive into autonomous defense at sea, surveillance tech exported by U.S. firms, and the leadership needed when crises hit. After a quick scan of the geopolitical hotspots.  They unpack Australia’s Ghost Shark program and what undersea autonomy means for allied procurement and deterrence, then ask who is responsible when American technology enables a surveillance state abroad. Finally, they turn to personnel and accountability inside the US government, using a recent high-profile manhunt and cabinet-level missteps to show how leadership experience (or the lack of it) can limit U.S. statecraft. Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights 04:32 Russia-Ukraine Conflict Analysis 08:49 Middle East Tensions and US Leadership 11:16 Brazil's Political Landscape 13:34 Venezuela and US Military Actions 17:17 Ghost Shark: Australia's Defense Innovations 23:39 US Tech and China's Surveillance 26:13 Government Responsibility in Tech Control 29:11 The Rule of Law and Technology Use 36:52 Leadership in Crisis Management 39:29 The Role of Vision in Leadership 40:25 Effective Leadership and Organizational Success 41:44 The Importance of Trust in Leadership 48:26 Conclusion and Future Outlook About the show: Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon is 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. Website and Feedback: Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback Send us a text New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.

    54 min
  4. Ep. 09 Congressional Oversight Limited, Caribbean Motives, & City Security

    SEP 10

    Ep. 09 Congressional Oversight Limited, Caribbean Motives, & City Security

    Congressional oversight under pressure. Stablecoins meet statecraft. Caribbean motives, city security, and the homefront of national resilience. In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric draw a through-line on oversight: from the Trump family’s WLFI stablecoin push, to a U.S. buildup and lethal strike off Venezuela—and whether “counter-narcotics” masks regime pressure—to an NGA visit by Sen. Mark Warner derailed by online agitation, raising real costs for mission and workforce trust. Finally, continuing last week’s agriculture theme, they analyze how security is felt first in cities—where talent pipelines and civic trust turn resilience into national security at home. Finally, continuing last week’s agriculture theme, they argue that security is felt first in cities, where talent pipelines and civic trust turn local resilience into national security at home. The Role Of Cities In National Security by Lauren Buitta Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights 01:03 Spotlight on UTEP and Diversity in Education 04:53 Crypto and National Security 09:35 US Forces in the Southern Caribbean 17:28 Congressional Oversight and Social Media Influence 23:41 Diluting National Security 28:32 The Importance of University Research 36:42 Diversity of Opinion in Higher Education 41:14 Gender Safety and Civic Participation 51:12 What We’re Watching About the show: Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon is 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. Website and Feedback: Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback Send us a text New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.

    52 min

  5. SEP 2

    Ep. 08 Cyber to Cornfields: Community and Trust in the Heartland

    In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric connect three fronts of resilience: cybersecurity on the home front, the governance of biometrics, and the future of American agriculture. They unpack the reduced capacity of coordinated cyber communication, what policy looks like for biometric data and the claims of disinformation in Greenland. Then they head to the Heartland: shrinking farm counts, tighter margins, and how ownership—foreign buyers, institutional capital, and co-ops—shapes food security as national security.   Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights 01:46 Labor Day Reflections  03:37 Cybersecurity Threats and State Responsibilities 10:16 Biometric Data and Privacy Concerns 16:56 Greenland Influence and Arctic Gray Zone 19:17 Agriculture and Food Security as National Security 23:29 Foreign Investment in US Farmland 34:05 Private Equity and Community Impact 39:52 Technological Innovations in Agriculture 47:04 Conclusion and Future Outlook About the show: Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon is 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. Website and Feedback: Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback Send us a text New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.

    48 min

  6. AUG 26

    Ep. 07 IC Integrity, Intel Equity & Ukraine’s Stolen Children

    In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric highlight the national security issues of intelligence community downsizing, state equity in critical chips, and the return of Ukraine’s abducted children. Along the way, they explore whether proposed changes to the ODNI threaten its value, the risks inherent in  aligning industrial policy and market forces, and why the return of Ukraine’s children must be a non-negotiable in any endgame.  Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights 01:28 Metaphysical Question: Law and Order 03:25 ODNI 2.0 Downsizing 05:14 Background on ODNI 17:20 US Government's Stake in Intel 27:09 Treasury's Miscellaneous Fund and Transparency Concerns 31:06 Human Trafficking and Ukraine's Children 40:14 US National Security and Human Trafficking 49:08 Federal Workforce  53:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts About the show: Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon is 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. Website and Feedback:  Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback Send us a text New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.

    54 min

  7. AUG 19

    Ep. 06 Precision Influence, Precision Maps: Trump–Putin Theater, China’s AI Ops, & Texas Resistance

    In this episode, Sue and Eric tackle three issues with profound implications for our republic and, ultimately, for our geopolitical standing: the open question of how the US sees its responsibility to Ukraine and its prior commitments; the commoditization of influence operations by an adversary and erstwhile competitor; and whether partisan power can be placed above constitutional constraints. Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights 01:41 Navigating News and USA Facts 02:37 Headlines: Trump Meets Putin 04:33 Analyzing Trump's Negotiation Tactics 14:14 China's AI Influence Operations 26:58 The Role of Big Tech in National Security 28:30 Historical Context of Information Warfare 29:58 The Battle for Information Control 32:23 Texas Redistricting and National Resilience 48:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts About: Website and Feedback: Welcome 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback Send us a text New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.

    49 min

  8. AUG 12

    Ep. 05: Splashy Action, Long Term Effect

    In 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 Insights 03:35 Be curious, not judgmental 05:40 GENIUS Act and stablecoins 13:20 China's stablecoin hesitation 18:35  mRNA research cuts 24:44 Government's role in research 32:21 National security and technological advancements 35:46 Geopolitical tensions and What We're Watching 46:21 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections About: Welcome 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. Website and Feedback:  Remember we’re here for you. Provide us feedback or suggest topics for next time: Feedback Send us a text New episodes every Tuesday. Follow or subscribe today.

    47 min
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About

Welcome 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 — 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 becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear. New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe now.

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