About The Ben Franklin Fellowship: The JUNTO Project Podcast
In the fall of 1727, a young Ben Franklin and a group of friends founded the Junto Club to discuss the great issues of their day. Franklin's club members consisted of concerned Americans, tradesmen and artisans, all united in a common-sense perspective in dealing with a complicated world. They sought not only to grapple with hard questions, but to improve themselves through thoughtful conversation on morals, politics, and natural philosophy.
Our JUNTO Podcast series revives the spirit of Dr. Franklin's initiative with BFF's strong focus on U.S. foreign affairs, America's role in the world, and the institutions that make policy.
UNHCR, Immigration & Border Security with Simon Hankinson & Mark Krikorian
Phillip Linderman interviews Simon Hankinson and Mark Krikorian about UNHCR, immigration, and border security, offering insights into policy debates and reform.
28 Jul 2026
BFF Fellow Nick Adams on Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism, and Values
BFF Chairman Phillip Linderman interviews BFF Fellow Nick Adams, Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism, and Values, about America's global image and the power of celebrating national values.
6 Jun 2026
Ambassador J. Peter Pham on Africa, China, Critical Minerals, the Sahel & America First Diplomacy
Phillip Linderman interviews Ambassador J. Peter Pham about Africa's geopolitical importance, China's influence, and America First diplomacy's impact on U.S.-Africa relations.
30 May 2026
Historian Jane Hampton Cook on Benjamin Franklin & America’s First Diplomats
Historian Jane Hampton Cook and host John McCally explore Benjamin Franklin's diplomatic mission and the foundational principles of early American diplomacy.
27 May 2026
Ambassador Alberto Fernandez on Iran, American Diplomacy, and the Future of the West
Host Phil Linderman interviews Ambassador Alberto Fernandez about Iran, American diplomacy, and the future of Western civilization, offering insights from decades of foreign service experience.
14 May 2026
Marcus Thornton Speaks Out on State Department Retaliation
Host Phil Linderman interviews Marcus Thornton, a Foreign Service Officer, about his experiences with State Department retaliation and calls for institutional reform.
6 May 2026
BFF Fellow Jose Cardenas on Cuba, Venezuela & the Future of U.S. Policy
BFF Chairman Phil Linderman interviews BFF Fellow Jose Cardenas about U.S. policy toward Cuba and Venezuela, offering insights into Western Hemisphere challenges and American diplomacy.
23 Apr 2026
Ambassador Michael Gfoeller on American Diplomacy and Great Power Competition
Ambassador Michael Gfoeller shares insights on American diplomacy and great power competition, discussing strategic challenges and the evolving role of the State Department in this interview.
10 Dec 2025
Guarding America’s Front Door: Matt Pierce on Today’s State Department Consular Affairs
Host Phil Linderman interviews Matt Pierce, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, about modernizing U.S. passport and visa services and safeguarding America's front door.
9 Nov 2025
Rethinking Human Rights at State
BFF Co-Founder Phil Linderman interviews former State Department officials Robert Destro and Al Gombis about refocusing human rights diplomacy on core principles and measurable progress.
30 Oct 2025
An Inside Look at U.S. Diplomacy: Al Gombis on Reform, Leadership, and Lessons from 34 Years at the State Department and Across the Federal Government
In this episode of The JUNTO Podcast, BFF Chairman Phil Linderman speaks with Albert T. “Al” Gombis, a recently retired U.S. diplomat whose 34-year career at the Department of State spanned 13 offices, three overseas posts, and senior leadership roles advancing global justice and human rights.
From serving on Capitol Hill as a State Department Fellow for the House Foreign Affairs Committee to leading the Office of Global Criminal Justice, Gombis’s career bridges law, policy, and principle. He later earned a master’s degree in Cyber and National Security from the National Defense University, before being appointed by the Trump Administration as Acting Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy & Human Rights.
In this wide-ranging and candid conversation, Gombis reflects on:
His 34-year journey through diplomacy, law, State Dept., DOD/DOJ and public service
Lessons learned working across the State Department and Congress
The influence of the Reagan era on his decision to serve
What it means to be an effective and principled bureaucrat
What brought him to The Ben Franklin Fellowship and his response to partisan critics
True diversity in public service — and the realities of wokeism, DEI, and reform efforts within recent administrations
An Idealist's path forward for U.S. diplomacy rooted in the national interest
In this thought-provoking discussion with host and fellow former Senior Foreign Service Officer Phil Linderman, Al Gombis offers a rare insider’s perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing America’s foreign policy establishment — and the enduring need to restore mission clarity, moral courage, and accountability to the State Department.
Through his career and example, Al Gombis exemplifies the mission of The Ben Franklin Fellowship: diplomacy rooted in the Republic, and in service to America.
29 Oct 2025
Stuart Wilson, BFF Fellow and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs
Guest: Stuart Wilson
Host: Phillip Linderman, BFF Chairman
The Ben Franklin Fellowship is proud to present a new episode of The JUNTO Podcast, hosted by BFF Chairman Phillip Linderman, featuring Stuart Wilson, BFF Fellow and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services in the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
With more than three decades in the U.S. Foreign Service, Stuart Wilson has served in some of the most complex and challenging diplomatic posts worldwide — from Moscow to Port-au-Prince to Basrah. He has led U.S. embassies as Chargé d’Affaires on four separate occasions and brings a wealth of experience spanning political and consular work across Canada, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.
In this conversation, Stuart shares:
The assignments that most shaped his diplomatic approach.
Unique insights on leading embassies in an acting capacity.
The patterns he has observed across regions and cultures.
The pressing challenges and reforms facing America’s visa system today.
His perspective on restoring accountability and principle in U.S. diplomacy.
Stuart also discusses why he joined The Ben Franklin Fellowship and offers advice for the next generation of American diplomats.
18 Oct 2025
The Greatest American: Franklin Reimagined
Guest: Dr Mark Skousen
Host: BFF Chairman Phillip Linderman
In this thought-provoking conversation, BFF Chairman Phillip Linderman sits down with Dr. Mark Skousen — renowned economist, author, and direct descendant of Ben Franklin — to explore his latest book: The Greatest American: Benjamin Franklin, The World's Most Versatile Genius.
Together, they unpack Franklin’s diversity: diplomat, entrepreneur, philosopher, moralist, disruptor, media mogul, inventor — and a champion of American independence and national interest. Dr. Skousen shares surprising stories and little-known insights that challenge popular myths and reveal why Franklin was not only the oldest of the Founders — but the most visionary.
From trade and technology, to faith, family, and foreign policy, this JUNTO Podcast episode explores why Franklin’s legacy matters more than ever today.
18 Oct 2025
AI, Statecraft & the Future of Diplomacy
The Ben Franklin Fellowship (BFF) proudly launched its JUNTO AI, Statecraft & the Future of Diplomacy Speaker Series on July 23 with a high-level panel on one of the most urgent issues facing American diplomacy today: artificial intelligence and the escalating U.S.–China tech rivalry.
18 Oct 2025
Founding the Fellowship: A Conversation with the BFF Co-Founders
Guests: Phillip Linderman, Matthew Boyse, and Simon Hankinson
Host: John McCally, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Media, BFF
In this foundational episode of the JUNTO Podcast, host John McCally sits down with the three co-founders of The Ben Franklin Fellowship — Phillip Linderman, Matthew Boyse, and Simon Hankinson — for a rare joint conversation about the future of American diplomacy, the origins of the Fellowship, and why now is the time to revive the America-First spirit of 1776.
Each guest brings decades of diplomatic experience and a deep commitment to restoring traditional, constitutional values to U.S. foreign affairs. Together, they discuss:
The inspiration behind launching BFF — and why Benjamin Franklin’s legacy still matters
The current crisis of confidence and clarity inside the State Department
How BFF’s Eight Guiding Principles offer a clear alternative to ideological drift
Why the JUNTO Outreach Initiatives including events, fellowships, and this podcast — arecentral to engaging the next generation of reform-minded foreign affairs professionals
A bold vision for U.S. diplomacy ahead of America’s 250th birthday in 2026
Whether you're a career diplomat, a student of international affairs, or simply a citizen who believes in America’s founding values, this conversation offers a powerful blueprint for change — and a hopeful call to action.
🎧 Listen now to hear how the Ben Franklin Fellowship is reimagining the future of U.S. diplomacy—rooted in the Republic, in service to America.
18 Oct 2025
Woke Dogma, American Decline, and the Case for Courage
Guest: Simon Hankinson, Co-Founder, The Ben Franklin Fellowship; Senior Fellow, The Heritage Foundation
Host: Phil Linderman, Chairman, The Ben Franklin Fellowship
In this bold and wide-ranging conversation, BFF Chairman Phil Linderman sits down with BFF co-founder and board member Simon Hankinson to discuss his powerful new book, The Ten Woke Commandments – You Must Not Obey(July 2025). Drawing on his 25 years as a U.S. diplomat and his current role as a senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, Hankinson takes on the forced orthodoxy of the modern Left—from gender ideology and media censorship to cultural self-loathing and bureaucratic overreach.
Hankinson and Linderman explore the implications of cancel culture on diplomacy and public service, what it means to dissent with principle, and how The Ben Franklin Fellowship offers a home for foreign affairs professionals grounded in truth, liberty, and national interest.
This episode also offers a window into Simon’s life before and after diplomacy: a British-trained lawyer, teacher, global public servant, and now one of Washington’s leading voices challenging the ideological capture of American institutions.
If you’ve ever felt silenced, sidelined, or suspicious of the new commandments of the elite class — his conversation is for you.
18 Oct 2025
Diplomacy, Duty, and the American People
Guest: John Armstrong, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Host: Phil Linderman, Chairman, The Ben Franklin Fellowship
In this episode of The JUNTO Podcast, BFF Chairman Phil Linderman sits down with longtime American diplomat and BFF Fellow John Armstrong, who currently serves as State Department's Senior Bureau Official in the Bureau of Consular Affairs. A career Foreign Service Officer with over three decades of global experience — from Warsaw and Kyiv to Nassau and Lima — Armstrong reflects on his deep commitment to the American people, the evolution of U.S. consular policy, and the urgent need for diplomacy rooted in national interest and constitutional values.
Who has been a guest on The Ben Franklin Fellowship: The JUNTO Project Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Simon Hankinson
Mark Krikorian
Nick Adams
J Peter Pham
Jane Hampton Cook
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
3.5 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
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Guest appearances
Books guests
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Questions about The Ben Franklin Fellowship: The JUNTO Project Podcast
Who hosts The Ben Franklin Fellowship: The JUNTO Project Podcast?
Phil Linderman and Phillip Linderman host the show. Published by The Ben Franklin Fellowship.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does The Ben Franklin Fellowship: The JUNTO Project Podcast take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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