Friction Point

Friction Point is a geopolitics podcast for people who know the world is getting more complex, but don’t trust most of what they’re hearing about it. Hosted by Simone Ledeen, a former senior U.S. defense official with experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, and at the policy level, the show brings an insider’s perspective to global events, defense technology, intelligence, and the shifting balance of power. Now operating in the private sector, she connects how governments think, how systems actually work, and where incentives break down. Each episode focuses on the points of tension shaping the world, the conflicts, emerging technologies, strategic competition, and the unseen forces behind them. The format blends briefing-style clarity with candid analysis, personal experience, and occasional humor. Some episodes will be solo deep dives; others will feature guests with direct, relevant expertise. This is not commentary for its own sake. The goal is to help listeners think more critically, ask better questions, and understand how decisions are really made, across governments, markets, and battlefields. Friction Point focuses on the gap between how the world is explained and how it actually works, inside governments, conflicts, and the systems shaping global power.