American Diplomat Podcast

Real U.S. diplomats share the untold truths behind world events—what went right, what went wrong, and what you’ll never see in the news.

Want to know what it’s really like on the frontlines of international diplomacy?  Each week, Amb. (Ret.) Dan Rosenblum and co-host Laura Bennett sit down with active and retired US diplomats to pull back the curtain on the gritty, human side of international affairs.  From dealing with foreign leaders to navigating the chaos of war zones, these diplomats share the stories that drive the headlines.  

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Latest Podcast Episodes

Imagine a free and prosperous Venezuela. What would it take? We take you to a simulated White House Situation Room with diplomat and Venezuela expert Brian Naranjo. Are you ready for some ground truth?
The chainsaw was one thing. But the dog economists? Either way, $20billion is a nice bailout package for Argentina. Senior State Department economist Rich Sanders unpacks life in Argentina today, for their eccentric-in-chief and for the Argentine populace. 
State Department lawyer Mike Peay traces how, during a time of deep racial conflict,  black American jazz artists went overseas to promote the American experiment, winning the hearts of millions with their music and personas, but would it improve race relations at home? We share this episode once more to lift our hearts on Thanksgiving day.
There are no embassies in space, so why diplomacy? Space is everywhere on earth – in financial transactions, food supplies, GPS – and it is key to hybrid warfare, particularly in US competition with China. Space demands agreements before conflicts get hot. Major General Brook Leonard is back to help us understand the facts and the strategic implications.
Nepalese democracy is strong but its economy is not. Social platforms gave voice to the aggrieved. When the government threatened access, young folks got down to business, and they got it done. How? Amb. Peter Bodde unpacks.
Senator/Ambassador Jeff Flake, one of POTUS’ first targets, tells us why he believes that inclusiveness will win in the US and beyond.
Ex-National Security Council lawyer John Bellinger takes us into a hypothetical White House Situation Room to advise on the shaky legal grounds for any future attacks on Venezuela. Does Trump care?

The Podcast Team

Ambassador and Co-Host

Dan Rosenblum has served as ambassador in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, leading negotiations, building consensus, and communicating publicly about United States policy toward the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia. Fun fact: Dan hosted a radio show before he graduated college!

Producer and Co-Host

Laura Bennett has written, directed, produced and edited short films that have won 11 awards and screened at 35 festivals throughout the United States. Laura speaks Spanish, French and English and has traveled in five continents, often solo and working as a volunteer.

Sound Producer

Lorenzo Wilkins heads SD33/Art Direction and Design, focusing on identity, publication and marketing design.  His client list includes the former UPN television, Fox television, PBS, Spike Lee's 40 Acres & a Mule, the NAACP, the National Society of Black Engineers, Jane Firor & Associates, City First Bank of DC, the Education Trust and several political campaigns.

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