Sources & Methods

Mary Louise Kelly

podcasts@npr.org

For verified host and producer emails, sign up to view.

Booking Overview

This is a weekly national-security interview and analysis show focused on U.S. foreign policy, military affairs, intelligence, diplomacy, and geopolitical conflict; its recurring external guest pattern centers on current and former military officials, intelligence experts, diplomatic leaders, and other senior national-security figures. PR agencies could credibly pitch former government officials, defense and intelligence analysts, diplomats, foreign-policy scholars, and authors with direct expertise on major security issues, but booking is very difficult because the show operates within NPR’s high-visibility editorial environment and favors prominent, authoritative sources.

Metrics

Episodes: 6

Frequency: Weekly

Rating: 4.9/5.0

Estimated listeners: 10k-100k

Gender skew: Unknown

Location: USA

Instagram: 8.0M followers

Contact Information

podcasts@npr.org

For verified host and producer emails, sign up to view.

Host

Mary Louise Kelly - NPR journalist, author, and experienced national-security reporter who covers U.S. foreign policy, defense, and intelligence affairs.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

very_high
Typical Credentials:  
Current or former senior military officials, intelligence leaders, diplomats, foreign-policy experts, and national-security specialists with direct experience in major international or U.S. security affairs.
Required Achievements:  
Senior government or military service, Leadership in intelligence, defense, or diplomacy, Recognized expertise in national security or foreign policy, Authoritative analysis of major geopolitical events

Recent Guest Discussions

Jeh Johnson - Post-9/11 National Security Policy, Counterterrorism, Government Authority, And Democratic Safeguards

Alberto Gonzales - The Balance Between Protecting The United States From Terrorism And Preserving Civil Liberties And Democratic Values After 9/11

Recent Topics

National Security, Geopolitics, Military, Intelligence, Diplomacy

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Sources & Methods
:

Hormuz blockade / Trump’s mixed messages / Who is Jay Clayton?

July 16, 2026

The world’s attention is once again on the Strait of Hormuz, as the U.S. and Iran have resumed strikes and their shaky ceasefire broke.Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with two show regulars, NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre, about President Trump's policy shifts around the war, and why it's so hard for him to end the conflict for good. Plus, the president's pick to lead the intelligence community faced Congress this week.Email the show at s...

Iran ceasefire over? / NATO drama / Khamenei funeral

July 09, 2026

President Trump and NATO allies met in Turkey this week, in a summit where European countries were anxious about appeasing the U.S. president.Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR Istanbul Correspondent Hadeel Al-Shalchi about what NATO members wanted to get out of this summit, and what they got. Plus, Trump said the ceasefire with Iran is over, though negotiations will continue. Where does that conflict stand?Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr....

Ukraine latest / Limits of military might / Can major powers regain dominance?

July 02, 2026

Four years in and Ukraine is still giving Russia a run for its money. Four months in and Iran shows no sign of bowing to U.S. demands. What do Russia’s fight with Ukraine and the U.S. war with Iran tell us about the limits of military might?Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR's Ukraine Correspondent Joanna Kakissis about the overnight attack in Kyiv, which comes on the heels of Ukraine's drone assaults in Moscow. NPR National Security Correspondent Greg Myre joins them to talk about what t...

Get your clients booked on top podcasts

Try us risk free with a FREE 3 days trial.

Start Your Free Trial

Join hundreds of PR teams using Podseeker to pitch and land bookings