The Rest Is Classified
Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations. Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events. From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, explore the world of double agents, classified missions, and the shadowy figures who operate in them. Whether you're a true crime addict, a thriller fan, or fascinated by spy stories, this is the show for you.
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Recent Episodes
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This episode examines how the U.S. intelligence community, White House, and political campaigns responded to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. As leaked Democratic emails spread across the internet, the Obama administration struggled to respond effectively while facing partisan gridlock in Congress. Despite CIA intelligence confirming Putin's authorization of the operation, political paralysis and concerns about appearing partisan prevented a unified response. The episode reveals how Russia's active measures campaign successfully sowed discord while exposing deep vulnerabilities in America's democratic processes.
- Initial Response: Clinton Campaign vs. Political Reality
- Russia Expands the Leak Operation
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Gordon Carrera and David McCluskey examine the 'leak' phase of Russia's 2016 election interference operation, tracing how GRU hackers moved from stealing DNC emails to weaponizing them through WikiLeaks. The episode reveals how Russian intelligence created digital fronts like DCLeaks and Guccifer 2.0, eventually partnering with Julian Assange to release damaging emails that exposed DNC bias against Bernie Sanders and undermined Hillary Clinton's campaign just before the Democratic Convention.
- The Challenge of Distribution: From Hack to Leak
- Julian Assange and WikiLeaks: The Perfect Distribution Partner
132. What's Next For Iran?
Mar 01, 2026Summary Preview
Gordon Corera and David Kosky analyze the dramatic U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began Saturday morning, targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior Iranian officials. The hosts examine what happened, how we got here, why these attacks are occurring, and what might happen next. They explore whether this represents opportunistic action or a coherent regime change strategy, discussing the intelligence that enabled the strikes, Iran's broad retaliation across the Middle East, and the uncertain path forward.
- The Intelligence-Driven Strike on Iran's Leadership
- Unprecedented Intelligence Penetration of Iranian Leadership
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This episode examines Russia's GRU military intelligence unit and its sophisticated hack-and-leak operation targeting the 2016 US presidential election. The discussion traces how the GRU evolved from Cold War espionage to aggressive cyber operations, testing techniques in Ukraine before deploying them against American political targets. The episode details how GRU hackers successfully infiltrated the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and John Podesta's personal email account through carefully crafted phishing attacks, setting the stage for one of the most consequential active measures operations in history.
- Introduction to the GRU and Russian Cyber Capabilities
- The Evolution of Russian Hacking: From Espionage to Active Measures
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This episode explores Russian active measures - sophisticated intelligence operations designed to influence and undermine adversaries through disinformation and political warfare. The hosts examine the historical context of these operations from Soviet KGB tactics through to Vladimir Putin's modern approach, setting the stage for understanding Russia's interference in the 2016 US election. The discussion reveals how Putin's paranoia about Western influence operations, particularly his antagonism toward Hillary Clinton, combined with new internet technologies to create conditions for an unprecedented active measure campaign.
- Understanding Active Measures: Russia's Intelligence Tradition
- Cold War Active Measures Campaigns
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A detailed examination of the 2006 transatlantic liquid bomb plot, focusing on the rushed arrests after Pakistan captured mastermind Rashid Raouf, the subsequent prosecution challenges, deteriorating US-Pakistan relations, and the lasting impact on aviation security. The episode reveals tensions in US-UK intelligence cooperation and explores how strategic differences between allies can affect operational outcomes.
- The Crisis: Rashid Raouf's Arrest Forces Early Action
- Chaos at Scotland Yard: Racing Against Time
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This episode explores the critical August 2006 period of Operation Overt, when tensions between US and UK intelligence services reached breaking point over how to handle the liquid bomb plot targeting transatlantic flights. While MI5 conducted intensive surveillance and sought more time to gather evidence, CIA officials grew increasingly concerned about the risk of an imminent attack. The episode culminates in a controversial unilateral decision by the CIA that forced the UK's hand.
- The Strain of Running the Largest MI5 Operation in History
- The Evidence vs. Timing Dilemma
127. Was Epstein A Russian Spy?
Feb 13, 2026Summary Preview
This episode explores Jeffrey Epstein's extensive connections to Russia and Russian intelligence networks revealed in recent document dumps. Former CIA officer John Sipher joins to analyze whether Epstein was a Russian spy, how Russian intelligence operates differently from Western agencies, and the sophisticated system of compromise and informal influence that characterizes Russian intelligence work. The discussion reveals a complex web of connections between Epstein, Russian officials, FSB-affiliated individuals, and financial networks that suggest he was useful to Russian interests, though likely not as a traditional controlled asset.
- Russian Intelligence Operations: A Different Model
- The Russian 'Sistema': Understanding Compromise and Control
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MI5 discovers through covert surveillance that Abdullah Ahmed Ali and his accomplices are constructing sophisticated liquid bombs designed to be smuggled onto transatlantic flights. The plot, masterminded by Rashid Rauf from Pakistan, involves disguising hydrogen peroxide explosives in drink bottles to simultaneously attack multiple flights to North America, potentially rivaling or exceeding the devastation of 9/11. As MI5 watches bomb-making in real-time and Ali researches flight schedules, tensions mount between British and American intelligence services over how to handle the imminent threat.
- Breaking into the Bomb Factory
- The Liquid Bomb Design Revealed
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This episode launches a four-part series on the 2006 transatlantic airline liquid bomb plot, one of the most audacious terrorist conspiracies in British history. The plot, masterminded from Pakistan, aimed to simultaneously destroy multiple airliners flying between the UK and North America using liquid explosives—an attack that could have exceeded 9/11 in casualties. The episode details how MI5 surveillance teams tracked Abdullah Ahmed Ali and his network, eventually leading to a sophisticated breaking-and-entering operation to plant bugs in their bomb factory flat in East London.
- The Discovery: Suspicious Items at Heathrow
- Mobile Surveillance: The Watchers Take Over
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This episode chronicles Kim Philby's most dangerous period as a Soviet mole from 1945-1949, when he ran MI6's anti-Soviet operations while secretly betraying them to Moscow. The episode details two critical defector cases—Guzenko and Volkov—that nearly exposed Philby, his posting to Istanbul where he sent agents to their deaths, and his ultimate promotion to Washington. As the pressure mounts, Philby's personal life deteriorates through alcoholism and his wife Aileen's mental breakdown, yet he continues his high-wire act of betrayal.
- The Guzenko Defection and Early Cold War Tensions
- The Volkov Defection: Philby's Closest Call
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This episode chronicles Kim Philby's remarkable ascent within MI6 during World War II, beginning with his recruitment into the Secret Intelligence Service in 1940 and culminating in his 1944 appointment as head of Section 9—the department responsible for operations against the Soviet Union. Despite MI6's institutional weaknesses and a chaotic vetting process, Philby rises rapidly through the ranks while simultaneously passing classified information to his Soviet handlers. The episode explores the profound irony of a Soviet agent being placed in charge of anti-Soviet operations, the paranoia within Moscow Center about whether Philby might be a British double agent, and Philby's skill at bureaucratic maneuvering and personal charm that enabled his ascent.
- MI6 at the Start of World War II: An Institution in Crisis
- Philby Joins Section 5: Counter-Espionage Against Germany
122. Kim Philby: An Assassin In Spain (Ep 2)
Jan 28, 2026Summary Preview
This episode traces Kim Philby's transformation from struggling Cambridge graduate to successful Soviet penetration agent embedded within MI6. After being recruited by Soviet intelligence, Philby spent years attempting to penetrate British institutions, initially with little success. His breakthrough came covering the Spanish Civil War for The Times, which built his reputation and credentials. Despite poor handling during Stalin's purges and the Nazi-Soviet pact, Philby maintained his commitment to the Soviet cause. Through connections facilitated by fellow Cambridge spy Guy Burgess and vouched for by his eccentric father at a fateful lunch, Philby finally achieved his mission: joining the British Secret Intelligence Service.
- Philby's Early Struggles and the Cambridge Five Network
- Guy Burgess: The Brilliant Lunatic
121. Kim Philby: Stalin’s Mole Inside MI6 (Ep 1)
Jan 26, 2026Summary Preview
This episode begins a four-part series on Kim Philby, widely considered the greatest traitor of the 20th century. It traces his early life from his unconventional upbringing with an adventurous father who converted to Islam and explored Arabia, through his education at Westminster and Cambridge, to his radicalization in 1930s Europe. The story culminates with Philby's recruitment by Soviet intelligence in 1934 at age 22—a decision made on a park bench that would define the rest of his life and inflict lasting trauma on both British and American intelligence services.
- The Father's Influence: Harold St. John Philby
- A Quiet Boy in the Shadow of Empire
The Persian (Extract)
Jan 24, 2026Summary Preview
This episode presents a dramatic opening scene from 'The Persian' by David McCloskey, performed by Fajar Al-Khaisi. The prologue depicts a targeted assassination in Tehran four years prior, where an Israeli remote operation kills Iranian scientist Abbas Shabani on his daughter's fifth birthday. The narrative unfolds from multiple perspectives: the Israeli operator watching through hijacked phone cameras, Abbas's wife Roya dealing with her distracted husband, and the tragic convergence of a family celebration with a precision military strike. The scene powerfully contrasts domestic intimacy with cold operational efficiency, establishing themes of surveillance, targeted killing, and collateral damage.
- The Surveillance Setup and Parallel Lives
- A Marriage Under Strain
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An emergency episode examining Donald Trump's desire to acquire Greenland, analyzing the strategic importance of Arctic security, the actual threats from China and Russia versus Trump's claims, existing US military capabilities on the island, and the potential devastating impact on NATO and Five Eyes intelligence alliances if territorial ambitions are pursued.
- The Rising Importance of Arctic Security
- Debunking Trump's Greenland Security Claims
119. Inside Iran: Why Trump Didn’t Intervene (Ep 2)
Jan 21, 2026Summary Preview
This episode explores how intelligence agencies assess revolutionary potential and regime stability, examining historical failures to predict uprisings in Iran (1979), Eastern Europe (1989), and the Arab Spring (2011). David McCloskey and Gordon Carrera analyze the challenges of forecasting popular movements, the role of elite cohesion and security forces, and apply these lessons to current protests in Iran, ultimately concluding that predicting revolutionary outcomes remains fundamentally impossible despite analytical frameworks.
- The 1979 Iranian Revolution: An Intelligence Blind Spot
- 1989 Eastern Europe: When Fear Changes Sides
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This episode of The Rest Is Classified examines the unprecedented protests and brutal crackdown in Iran following economic collapse and currency devaluation. Hosts Gordon Carrera and David McCloskey analyze how intelligence agencies like the CIA assess regime stability through six key pillars, exploring the challenges of predicting revolutions and the current state of the Islamic Republic as it faces its most significant internal challenge since 1979.
- Iran's Crisis: Protests and Brutal Crackdown
- Inside CIA Analysis: The Mini-McCloskeys at Work
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This episode examines whether convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had connections to intelligence services, particularly Israel's Mossad. The hosts explore theories linking Epstein to the spy world through his associate Ghislaine Maxwell and her father Robert Maxwell, who had documented ties to Mossad. While finding no evidence Epstein ran a blackmail operation for intelligence agencies, they conclude he was 'spy-adjacent'—a social broker and fixer moving in intelligence circles, particularly supporting former Israeli PM Ehud Barak, but likely operating for his own criminal and financial interests rather than as a formal intelligence asset.
- Robert Maxwell: The Press Baron with Intelligence Ties
- Maxwell's Connection to Mossad and Israel
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In this episode of The Rest Is Classified, David McCloskey and Gordon Carrera examine whether convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had connections to intelligence services, particularly Mossad. They explore the popular theory that Epstein ran a blackmail operation using compromising material on powerful figures, analyze historical precedents like the Nazi-era Salon Kitty, and assess the plausibility of intelligence agency involvement. The hosts conclude that while Epstein would have been an intelligence target of interest, there's no credible evidence linking him to state-sponsored espionage operations.
- Introduction: The Epstein Intelligence Question
- Epstein's Background and Rise