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.) Pete Romero 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

Trade!  Similar attitudes about trade protections.  Is a free trade agreement a free-for-all or a deal to optimize countries' competitive advantage?  (Hint: Remember Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations?  Or did you snooze during that segment of 11th grade?)  Controversy aside, Tony Wayne and Shaun Donnelly break down the...
The sting of American racism when you come home. Black diplomats face harassment and humiliation at the border at the hands of Customs and Border Patrol. Senior diplomats Charlie Ray and Alonzo Fulgham discuss reentering the States while Black.
And it should be. Cybersecurity is one of the biggest threats we face. The cost to bad actors is minimal, the benefits great. An enemy can hide its attacks, divert attention from other aggressive actions, benefit economically, sow geopolitical chaos and impact elections, all at very low cost. Chis Painter explains why...
Many early adopters of technology are criminals, and their crimes are best done across borders.  From stock manipulation, to stealing trade secrets, to weaponizing information in election interference, Chris Painter has investigated a lot of bad actors. As the nation's top (and first-ever) cyber diplomat, he...
A young Foreign Service officer posted to Vietnam, his girlfriend, a ride in the country, and what?  Cambodia is on fire?  Why?  The first ever Cambodian refugees tell Ken Quinn, the first person ever to report on this, that the Khmer Rouge has turned.  No longer boy-scout revolutionaries, they operate like Stalin, like...
The royal family requests that the Ambassador wear a skirt.  What?  Ambassador Kristie Kenney can come up with a skirt, fine, but what about Secretary Clinton?  She has only pantsuits!  Don't the Thai royals know about Pantsuit Nation?  (That came later, yes, but the woman wore only pants.  We know...
He's charismatic, he's exciting, he's strong. How do elected autocrats woo their publics and then destroy the very countries they promised to elevate? What happens to the populace?  Kristie Kenney, ambassador to Ecuador, Thailand and the Philippines has a thing or two to say about these folks and the reasons that people...
Chinese President Xi wants one-man rule, but pesky Hong Kong must be put in its place. Is there any future for "one country, two systems"? And why is Xi doing this now? Richard Boucher shares some nuggets of his vast experience with China and Hong Kong.

The Podcast Team

Ambassador and Co-Host

Amb. Pete Romero had a twenty-five year career as a diplomat in the US Foreign Service. In his last three postings, he was head of our embassy in El Salvador, US Ambassador in Quito, Ecuador and Assistant Secretary of the Western Hemisphere Bureau at the US Department of State.

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 Engineer

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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