S9 Ep56: The Iran Intel and Tulsi Gabbard’s Future as DNI with Shane Harris

The U.S.  just carried out its most significant strikes on
Iran in 45 years. President Trump declared victory, but his
intelligence agencies aren’t so sure. This week, Matt is joined
by The Atlantic’s Shane Harris to unpack what we actually know
about the strikes’ effectiveness, the fractured intel picture
behind them, and how DNI Tulsi Gabbard has navigated the fallout.
They discuss her eroding influence, the internal backlash to her
public testimony, and what her tenure reveals about the growing
politicization of the intelligence community—and the risks when
presidents try to shape intel to match their narrative.

Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence,
geopolitics, and current affairs.

Follow Shane on Bluesky & Twitter/X
https://bsky.app/profile/shaneharris.bsky.social
https://x.com/shaneharris

Please share this episode using these links

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/2f45bb
YouTube: https://youtu.be/8uh-4-WftPM

Reporting discussed in the episode

"Tulsi Gabbard Chooses Loyalty to Trump" by Isaac Stanley-Becker
& Shane Harris | The Atlantic:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/06/tulsi-gabbard-trump-iran/683323/


"Thank You for Your Attention to This Matter!" by Missy Ryan,
Shane Harris, Isaac Stanley-Becker & Jonathan Lemire | The
Atlantic:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/06/israel-iran-trump-truth-social/683306/


"The True Impact of Trump’s Strike on Iran" by Missy Ryan,
Jonathan Lemire, Ashley Parker, Isaac Stanley-Becker & Shane
Harris | The Atlantic:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/06/iran-nuclear-damage-trump/683294/


"Trump Changed. The Intelligence Didn’t." by Shane Harris | The
Atlantic:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/06/trump-changed-the-intelligence-didnt/683289/


"Trump’s Two-Week Window for Diplomacy Was a Smoke Screen" by
Michael Scherer, Missy Ryan, Isaac Stanley-Becker, Shane Harris
& Jonathan Lemire | The Atlantic:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/06/trump-israel-iran-bomb/683275/


"How Israel Executed Its Surprise Assault on Iran" by Isaac
Stanley-Becker and Shane Harris | The Atlantic:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/06/how-israel-surprised-iran/683184/


Support Secrets and Spies

Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4:
https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
Buy merchandise from our shop:
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996
Subscribe to our YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg
For more information about the podcast, check out our website:
https://secretsandspiespodcast.com

Connect with us on social media

Bluesky:
https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies
Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies
Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:
https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social
https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net

Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
Music by Andrew R. Bird
Photos by The White House & Vahid Salemi/AP

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence,
covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a
way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris
Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very
topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a
daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics,
featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and
journalists.