Tracking the Murky World of Think Tanks
On this episode of American Prestige, Ben Freeman and Nick Cleveland-Stout discuss their work monitoring the seamy underbelly of the think tank world.
The Nation Podcasts
Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
Tracking Think Tanks w/ Ben Freeman and Nick Cleveland-Stout | American Prestige
Ben Freeman and Nick Cleveland-Stout from the Quincy Institute join the program to talk about their Think Tank Funding Tracker, a repository that tracks funding from foreign governments, the U.S. government, and Pentagon contractors to the top 50 think tanks in the United States over the past five years. The group discusses think tanks’ role in the “military-intellectual” complex, what specific foreign funders like the UAE and UK might be looking to influence, why certain governments like Ukraine and China gave little to no money, the lack of transparency among individuals working in sectors like journalism and government who also work with think tanks, the utilization (and under-utilization) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, how to restructure the order so that expertise isn’t limited to these kinds of institutions, and how to make think tanks more democratically accountable in the meantime.
Read the Quincy Institute's brief on their project, “Big Ideas and Big Money: Think Tank Funding in America.”
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Vice President JD Vance (R) waves goodbye during the American Compass think tank’s New World Gala at the National Building Museum on June 03, 2025 in Washington, DC.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images)Ben Freeman and Nick Cleveland-Stout from the Quincy Institute join the program to talk about their Think Tank Funding Tracker, a repository that tracks funding from foreign governments, the U.S. government, and Pentagon contractors to the top 50 think tanks in the United States over the past five years. The group discusses think tanks’ role in the “military-intellectual” complex, what specific foreign funders like the UAE and UK might be looking to influence, why certain governments like Ukraine and China gave little to no money, the lack of transparency among individuals working in sectors like journalism and government who also work with think tanks, the utilization (and under-utilization) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, how to restructure the order so that expertise isn’t limited to these kinds of institutions, and how to make think tanks more democratically accountable in the meantime.
Read the Quincy Institute’s brief on their project, “Big Ideas and Big Money: Think Tank Funding in America.”
The Nation Podcasts
Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
US-Iran Ceasefire Collapses, Hamas Dissolves Gaza Government, Sudan’s El-Obeid Braces for RSF Assault / American Prestige
Danny and Derek’s FIFA officiating careers have been tragically cut short since Javier Milei’s checks started bouncing. In this week’s news: the NATO summit ends on a high note (4:46); in Iran, new fighting erupts as Trump declares the end of the ceasefire (11:59), plus estimates of the war’s cost increase (16:45); in Gaza, Hamas dissolves its government (18:15) as the Board of Peace prepares a “humanitarian zone” (20:29); Trump appears ready to sell Turkey F-35s (23:40); Syria is officially removed from the state sponsors of terrorism list (27:54); in Sudan, civilians flee fighting in El Obeid (29:32); rebels coordinate a new joint offensive in Mali (32:59); the U.S. licenses domestic Patriot missile production in Ukraine (34:17); Roberto Sanchez concedes the Peruvian presidential election (38:07); Colombia’s presidential transition breaks down (39:01); and the U.S. drops the “Indo-Pacific” construct (40:07), prompting strategic discussions on the future of America’s position in the Pacific (43:25).
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Search Results placeholder
