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Rational Security, hosted by Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson, is a weekly discussion of national security and foreign policy. The show has 582 episodes since 2015, released weekly, with a median length of about 80 minutes. Estimated downloads are 20,000 to 80,000 per episode (estimated), a rate of roughly $360 to $2,000 per episode.

Why brands sponsor Rational Security

Weekly national security audience of policy-engaged listeners, with long-running credibility since 2015

  • 582 episodes since 2015 give a deep, loyal back catalog that keeps earning downloads.
  • Apple Podcasts rating of 4.8 from 1,952 ratings signals a strongly satisfied audience.
  • Weekly release at roughly 80 minutes allows a full mid-roll host-read placement.
Best fordefense and security technologypolicy and government servicesprofessional education and books
Watch forHighly political and conflict-focused content may not suit consumer brands seeking light, apolitical environments.

Brand fit report

Content

Topics, IAB taxonomy
News55%
Politics45%
Formats
co-hosted discussion, roundtable, news analysis
Tone
analytical, irreverent
Language
English
Production
Clean, edited audio
Typical length
70 to 90 minutes

Audience

Commercial intent15/100
Comments asking for links, prices or where to buy
Sentiment75/100
Estimated from titles, descriptions and engagement
Est. downloads per episode20k–80k
Estimated, confidence 70%: Apple Podcasts shows 1,952 ratings, which falls in the 1,000 to 5,000 band, plus 582 episodes, weekly cadence, and an established show since 2015 on Acast.
Audience asks aboutWhat does the latest national security development mean?How should US foreign policy respond to current conflicts?What is the state of AI and technology policy?
Age
10%18-24
25%25-34
27%35-44
38%45+
Gender
35%women
65%men
Countries
🇺🇸 United States70%
🇬🇧 United Kingdom8%
🇨🇦 Canada5%
LanguagesEnglish 100%

Commercial

0%of the last 20 episodes had a sponsor
None seenno sponsor mentions in the last 20 episodes
Brands seen
Lawfare Institute
Categories promoted
None yet
Affiliate links
No

No sponsor mentions found in the feed; the show is published by The Lawfare Institute, its own publisher.

Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability

Profanitylow
Adultlow
Drugslow
Violencelow
Politicshigh

Family friendly
Discussion of national security and defense policy with playful episode titles; no explicit flags, though it covers conflict and military topics.

We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.

Where to listen

Benchmark score: 98 / 100

Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.

Consistency Latest episode within the usual cadence50 / 50
Activity Episodes in the last 90 days, weekly is full marks28 / 30
Reach Estimated downloads per episode, 20k is full marks20 / 20

Recent episodes

Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 4 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.

A weekly discussion of national security and foreign policy matters hosted by Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rational Security's own show description from the podcast feed

Do you make Rational Security? Claim or remove this page.

About Rational Security

Rational Security is a weekly podcast on national security and foreign policy, hosted by Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson, according to the show's feed and website. It has published 582 episodes since January 2015 on a weekly cadence, with a median episode length of about 80 minutes. The show is published by The Lawfare Institute.

Apple Podcasts lists the show at a 4.8 average from 1,952 ratings, which places it among established policy podcasts. Listener estimates are based on these signals rather than published download figures, and the audience is likely professionals and policy-engaged adults, mostly in the United States.

No sponsors appear in the feed, so the show runs no visible ads. Based on an estimated 20,000 to 80,000 downloads per episode, a host-read mid-roll would cost roughly $360 to $2,000 per episode. Defense, policy, and professional education brands are the best fit.

Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Rational Security can edit or remove this page at any time.

Questions about Rational Security

How much does Rational Security charge for a podcast sponsorship?

Estimated at $360 to $2,000 per episode for a host-read mid-roll, based on an estimated 20,000 to 80,000 downloads per episode. Final pricing depends on the publisher's terms.

What is Rational Security about?

Rational Security is a weekly discussion of national security and foreign policy, hosted by Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson. Episodes are about 80 minutes long.

How do I contact Rational Security about sponsoring an episode?

The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can also be booked through Starbooked.

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