In this episode of The JUNTO Podcast, BFF Co-Founder Phil Linderman hosts a conversation with Robert Destro and Al Gombis, both BFF Fellows and longtime State Department officials, on the state of human rights diplomacy in Washington.

Robert Destro, former Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), and Al Gombis, who served as Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, share a candid insider’s perspective on how well-intentioned policies have drifted away from America’s founding ideals.

Together, they discuss why “human rights” must be refocused around freedom of conscience, individual responsibility, and equal justice under law — and how diplomats can rebuild credibility by linking human rights to measurable progress, not political agendas.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.