S9 Ep23: Espresso Martini | Trump Targets Cartels, NSA’s Word Purge, and Iran’s Drone Carrier

In this episode of Espresso Martini, Chris and Matt unpack the
latest intelligence, national security, and espionage stories
shaping current affairs. First, they examine Trump’s push to
classify Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, the
spike in U.S. surveillance flights over Mexico, and whether
covert military action is on the table. Then, they break down the
NSA’s sweeping deletion of 27 “banned words,” including “bias”
and “inclusion,” raising serious concerns about politicized
intelligence failures. They also dig into Trump’s demand for
Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for U.S. aid and what
it signals for Kyiv’s future. Finally, they assess Iran’s
unconventional new drone carrier, the Shahid Bagheri—a floating
experiment in asymmetric warfare or just a high-risk PR
stunt?

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Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/hofbhGOk21o

Articles discussed in today’s episode

"How Trump Could Use Military Force Against Cartels In Mexico" by
Howard Altman | The War Zone:
https://www.twz.com/news-features/how-trump-could-use-military-force-against-cartels-in-mexico


"RC-135 Rivet Joint Surveillance Jet Just Flew Unprecedented
Mission Off Mexico" by Joseph Trevithick | The War Zone:
https://www.twz.com/air/rc-135-rivet-joint-surveillance-jet-just-flew-unprecedented-mission-off-mexico


"US spy planes hunt for intel on Mexican drug cartels as
surveillance flights surge near border" by Avery Schmitz, Katie
Bo Lillis, Priscilla Alvarez & Natasha Bertrand | CNN:
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/10/politics/us-spy-planes-mexican-drug-cartels/index.html


"The NSA's "Big Delete" by Judd Legum & Rebecca Crosby |
Popular Information Substack:
https://popular.info/p/the-nsas-big-delete

"Trump says he wants Ukraine’s rare earth elements as a condition
of further support" by Zeke Miller | Associated Press:
https://apnews.com/article/trump-ukraine-europe-rare-earth-russia-war-9af06a9f17dbaa49a05dcba3a3363977


"Iran’s Wacky Aircraft Carrier Has Entered Service" by Joseph
Trevithick | The War Zone:
https://www.twz.com/sea/irans-wacky-aircraft-carrier-has-entered-service


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Secrets and Spies is an enthralling spy podcast that guides
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