S9 Ep61: Espresso Martini | Epstein Spy Rumors, Arctic Power Plays, and Trump’s Ukraine Reversal

The MAGA movement cracks as Trump’s name surfaces in the Epstein files and his administration fails to deliver the promised disclosures. We unpack the backlash, the conspiracies, and the lingering question of an intelligence connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. Plus: a bizarre UK spy case involving Russia, a USB stick, and a bicycle seat; the Arctic emerges as a flashpoint for missile defense, climate competition, and great power rivalry; and Trump’s reversal clears the way for new weapons to reach Ukraine—just not from the US directly.Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs.Please share this episode using these linksAudio: https://pod.fo/e/302d13YouTube: https://youtu.be/RnuC7wNNYiMArticles discussed in today’s episode"Justice Department Told Trump in May That His Name Is Among Many in the Epstein Files" by Sadie Gurman, Annie Linskey, Josh Dawsey & Alex Leary | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038"Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and the Three Conspiracy-Theory Theories" by Jon Allsop | The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/news/fault-lines/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-and-three-conspiracy-theory-theories"Epstein, Maxwell, and the Intelligence Question We’re Not Asking" by Frank Snepp | Frank Snepp 360 Substack: https://snepp.substack.com/p/epstein-maxwell-and-the-intelligence"The struggle for control of the Arctic is accelerating - and riskier than ever" by Gordon Corera | BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-f92bc043-3893-4688-8937-fd9cad8b0d5b"British man guilty of trying to spy for Russia" by Lewis Adams | BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyn0ygwd7jo"Ukraine Will Get US Weapons in a New Way. Here’s What We Know." by Lara Jakes | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/world/europe/ukraine-weapons-us-nato.html"Trump Sends Weapons to Ukraine: By the Numbers" by Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park | Center for Strategic & International Studies: https://www.csis.org/analysis/trump-sends-weapons-ukraine-numbersWhat else we’re reading this week"Anti-Woke Dad Who Fled With Family to Russia Sent to War Zone" by Josh Fiallo | The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/texan-moved-fam-to-russia-to-flee-wokenow-hes-headed-to-ukraine-front-line/"New U.S. assessment finds American strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites" by Gordon Lubold, Courtney Kube, Julie Tsirkin, Katherine Doyle, Dan De Luce & Carol E. Lee | NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/new-us-assessment-finds-american-strikes-destroyed-only-one-three-iran-rcna218761"It’s hunting season in orbit as Russia’s killer satellites mystify skywatchers" by Stephen Clark | Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/its-hunting-season-in-orbit-as-russias-killer-satellites-mystify-skywatchers/"'Sparring in space' – BBC gains rare access to US base tracking global missile strikes" by Jonathan Beale | BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8k2nd7e9no"Trump’s War on the ‘Deep State’ Comes for the Dogs" by Shane Harris | The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/07/james-clapper-cia-dog-trump/683575/"USAF Denies It Refueled Israel’s Fighters During War With Iran" by Tyler Rogoway | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/air/u-s-denies-it-provided-aerial-tanker-support-for-israels-war-against-iranSupport Secrets and SpiesBecome a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpiesBuy merchandise from our Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dgFor more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.comConnect with us on social mediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.socialInstagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspiesFacebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspiesSpoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpiesFollow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.netSecrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.Music by Andrew R. BirdPhotos by Davidoff StudiosSecrets 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.