The CIA’s "Secret" Moscow Trip & Putin’s Growing Problems | EYES ON GEOPOLITICS

The CIA’s "Secret" Moscow Trip & Putin’s Growing Problems | EYES ON GEOPOLITICS

Author: dee takos August 31, 2026 Duration: 1:01:29
In this episode, we break down CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s surprise trip to Moscow, what it may signal about U.S. concerns over Russian escalation, and Estonia’s warning that Putin is increasingly boxed into “only bad options.” We also look at the growing economic pressure inside Iran, divisions within the regime, and whether the U.S. has a coherent strategy for turning military, economic, intelligence, and covert pressure into actual political results.
Support the show on Patreon:⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse
Jack's news outlet:⬇️
https://thehighside.substack.com/
Find Jon Hackett here:⬇️
Jon's Twitter:
https://x.com/jonathanhackett
Jon's LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackett
Jon's books:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C5L659N5?ccs_id=e11a2062-f8d3-498e-bfd7-7d2f3869caf6
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejonathanhackett
Twitter: https://x.com/jonathanhackett
Check out Mick's new podcast here:⬇️
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/pub-and-porch-applied-stoicism/id1836955475
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1k3QPmkAMwnGJxMLDwUSSd?si=n6piIu8XRcag1Z0K43A3bQ
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@UCd0Hq6QFk8CoTu5j-VU0Ong 
Find Mick Mulroy here: 
Fogbow ⬇️
https://fogbow.com/
Lobo Institute ⬇️
https://www.loboinstitute.org/
Twitter ⬇️
https://x.com/mickmulroy?s=21&t=-Ze3F_Ix2vlJ18KFvORTCA
LinkedIn ⬇️
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-patrick-mulroy-31198b52/
Whitefish security summit ⬇️
https://whitefishsecuritysummit.com
Find Marc P here:
https://x.com/Mpolymer
Find Andy Milburn here: 
Twitter ⬇️
https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fandymilburn8
LinkedIn ⬇️
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmilburn2023
Substack ⬇️
https://amilburn.substack.com/
Andy’s book ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/When-Tempest-Gathers-Mogadishu-Operations
"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"
00:00 – Start
01:59 – Why Did CIA Director John Ratcliffe Go to Moscow?
05:17 – Was Ratcliffe Warning Russia About NATO?
08:33 – U.S. Intelligence, Strategic Surprise & Defending Europe
11:04 – Can the U.S. Defend NATO While Fighting Iran?
14:00 – Russian Sabotage Operations Across Europe
16:19 – Ratcliffe’s Meetings With the FSB & SVR Chiefs
22:23 – GRU Operations, Assassinations & Sabotage in Europe
26:07 – Estonia’s Intel Chief Warns Putin Has “Only Bad Options”
29:59 – Could Russia Face an Elite Revolt Against Putin?
34:11 – Russia’s Casualties, Oligarchs & the Risk of Mobilization
38:31 – Is Estonia Sending a Message to Russia’s Elite?
41:44 – Six Months Into the Iran War & “Economic D-Day”
44:46 – Divisions Inside Iran Over Ending the War
48:03 – How Long Can Iran Survive the Economic Pressure?
49:03 – Should the U.S. Be Arming Opposition Groups Inside Iran?
53:36 – Why the U.S. Iran Strategy Still Lacks a Coherent Campaign
56:51 – Andy Milburn’s Upcoming Gaza War Book
58:18 – Jonathan Hackett’s Books & Upcoming Audiobook
59:27 – Upcoming Fiction Book & Closing Remarks

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

Hosted by Jack Murphy, The Team House is a long-form conversation built around a simple, powerful premise: to understand national security, you need to listen to the people who have been there. This podcast deliberately steps away from the partisan noise, offering a fiercely apolitical space where special operations veterans, intelligence professionals, and frontline reporters can share their experiences and analysis. Many guests here are speaking publicly for the very first time, providing raw, firsthand accounts that you won't find elsewhere. Each episode is a deep dive into the realities of conflict, the nuanced tradecraft of intelligence work, and the underlying geopolitical forces that shape global events. The conversations are detailed, often technical, and always grounded in the lived expertise of the guests. Alongside this main show, the The Team House network includes the sister program Eyes On Geopolitics, hosted by Mick Mulroy, Andy Milburn, and Jason Lyons, which continues the focus on global dynamics with a similarly experienced lens. For listeners seeking substance over soundbites, this podcast delivers complex narratives about modern warfare, espionage, and international relations, told directly by the individuals who have operated within these shadowed worlds. It’s a rare opportunity to hear unfiltered perspectives on the most critical security challenges of our time, making each episode an immersive lesson in the human and strategic dimensions of power.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Team House
Podcast Episodes
Trump's Bluff Went Nowhere (Iran War Update) | EYES ON GEOPOLITICS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:43
As reports of a much larger U.S. military campaign against Iran emerged, the Trump administration abruptly paused the strikes and shifted back toward diplomacy. We break down whether the threat of escalation was a negoti…
Inside the SAS w/ SAS Operator Jay Morton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:15
Jay Morton discusses his career in the British Parachute Regiment and the Special Air Service (SAS), including deployments to Afghanistan, the challenges of SAS selection, and the realities of life in one of the world's…
Iran Knows America Is Running Out of Missiles | EYES ON GEOPOLITICS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:52
We break down the latest phase of the U.S.-Iran war, from dwindling interceptor stockpiles and the fight over the Strait of Hormuz to Iran’s nuclear leverage and the limits of American military power. We also examine Ukr…
20 Years at War: A Ranger Regiment Story | Luis Saucedo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:43:37
Luis Saucedo recounts his journey from the streets of Baghdad to high-value target raids in Afghanistan as a sniper in the 75th Ranger Regiment. He shares stories of brutal firefights, near-death experiences, and life in…
How America Went Blind in Iran | EYES ON GEOPOLITICS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:48
This week we trace four decades of American intelligence failure in Iran, from the 1953 CIA coup against Mossadegh through the 1979 embassy takeover that wiped out our human network overnight. Jonathan Hackett walks us t…
Inside the Special Forces Crisis Response Team | Dave Harris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:05
We speak with retired Green Beret Dave Harris about his path from the 82nd Airborne to 3rd Special Forces Group, including deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Africa. We also get into Special Forces selection…
Ceasefire with Iran...What's That? | EYES ON GEOPOLITICS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:17
We break down the renewed fighting with Iran, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, and whether the U.S. has any realistic military or diplomatic path forward. We also get into NATO, Ukraine’s air defense needs, the defense indus…