What the Hell Is Going On: Recent Episodes
AEI Podcasts
The American Enterprise Institute’s Danielle Pletka and Marc Thiessen address the questions we’re all asking in their podcast, “What the Hell Is Going On?” In conversational, informative and irreverent episodes, Pletka and Thiessen interview policymakers and experts, asking tough, probing questions about the most important foreign policy and security challenges facing the world today.
Kicking off our annual What the Hell summer book series, Hussain Abdul-Hussain discusses his new book, "The Arab Case for Israel: And Other Essays from a Distant Conflict". Having grown up in Beirut and in Baghdad surrounded by anti-Israel rhetoric, Hussain recounts his journey from accepting the region's conventional wisdom to concluding that normalization with Israel is one of the Arab world's greatest strategic opportunities. He argues that economic cooperation, not perpetual conflict, offers the best path to a more prosperous and stable Middle East, and that the Abraham Accords demonstrated what is possible when governments prioritize the future over a mythical past. WTH is preventing more countries from following that path? And can the promise of the Abraham Accords still be realized?
Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) and the author of the book The Arab Case for Israel (Wicked Son/Post Hill Press 2026). He champions immediate, unconditional, and comprehensive peace between every Arab nation and the Jewish state. Hussain’s research focuses on Arab affairs, spanning Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Sudan. His career launched as a reporter, and later managing editor, at Beirut’s The Daily Star. In Washington, he helped launch and manage the congressionally funded Arabic satellite network Alhurra Iraq before leading the Washington bureau of the Kuwaiti daily Alrai. He has also served as a Visiting Fellow at London’s Chatham House. His latest book is The Arab Case for Israel and Other Essays from a Distant Conflict (2026).
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America is on track to become a "net mortality society," where deaths outnumber births. As births plummet to almost 25% below replacement, the United States faces a future with a shrinking population, and the consequences extend far beyond the American family. Nicholas Eberstadt argues that falling birth rates reflect a deeper cultural shift away from marriage, family, and the institutions that have long sustained prosperous societies, raising difficult questions about economic growth, immigration, Social Security, and America's future. He examines the consequences of the men-without-work problem in the wake of the COVID pandemic, the role of AI in shaping immigrants’ job opportunities, and how socialism’s growing popularity in America affects the labor market. Combined with fertility rates collapsing across the developed world and loneliness reaching unprecedented levels, can America capitalize on our advantages in a way that China can't? Or are we bound to the same fate as other countries like Poland or Japan? Can public policy reverse these trends, or is this ultimately a crisis of meaning and norms rather than economics? Ultimately, what happens when societies stop replacing themselves...
Nicholas Eberstadt holds the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and is a senior adviser to the National Bureau of Asian Research. He has written numerous books and monographs, including His many books and monographs include Men Without Work: Post-Pandemic Edition (2022); Russia’s Peacetime Demographic Crisis: Dimensions, Causes, Implications (2010). He has offered invited testimony before Congress on numerous occasions and has served as consultant or adviser for a variety of units in the US government. In 2020, he received the Irving Kristol Award, AEI’s highest honor.
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On this episode of WTH Live! Stephen Hadley, Robert O’Brien, and Michèle Flournoy join Marc on the Aspen Security Forum stage to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of Trump's foreign policy scorecard. In a frank and bipartisan discussion on what should come next, especially in Ukraine, Iran, and Venezuela, and what the Trump Doctrine has evolved to represent, Marc asks the panelists to fairly reflect on the second Trump Administration. The resolution of the conflicts above hinge on intentional American leadership and clear-eyed peace through strength. So where are we now, and where do we have to go?
Stephen J. Hadley, 20th U.S. National Security Advisor; Founding Principal, Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC.
Robert O’Brien, 27th U.S. National Security Advisor; Chairman, American Global Strategies.
Michèle Flournoy, Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; Co-Founder and Managing Partner, WestExec Advisors.
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Donald Trump's on again off again deal making with the Iranians has hit another flashpoint this week as exchanges of fire on commercial shipping and US military bases in the region stymied negotiations before their 60 day deadline. Although large-scale combat has subsided, the conflict between the United States and Iran is far from over. Nick Carl argues that Tehran has emerged from the war with a new strategic objective: establishing de facto control over the Strait of Hormuz and using it as a tool of coercion against the international community after its traditional sources of deterrence fell short. He also examines the regime's evolving leadership following Ali Khamenei's death, the continued discontent between Iran's rulers and its people, and why Tehran believes it can outlast the United States politically despite suffering major military setbacks. While conventional wisdom suggests Iranian weakness (as discussed in our many conversations with General Jack Keane), Tehran is nonetheless negotiating from a position of confidence. Will the United States remain committed to denying Iran control of the Strait? Can diplomacy succeed without rewarding Iranian aggression? And ultimately, who has the greater will to persist? Will President Trump accept a bad agreement or abandon his deal making desires in pursuit of a more decisive outcome?
Nicholas Carl is the Assistant Director for the Critical Threats Project and a Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mr. Carl is the author of reports, analyses, and maps covering Iran’s regional strategy and nuclear program, military structure, and politics. His commentary and maps have been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Financial Times.
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As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, fundamental questions about the Constitution and the balance of power are once again at the center of American politics. John Yoo joins to examine the Supreme Court's landmark term, arguing that its recent decisions have restored presidential authority over the administrative state, clarified the constitutional limits of independent agencies, and reaffirmed birthright citizenship in the 14th amendment while leaving broader immigration policy in Congress's hands, as the Constitution intended. From executive power and the civil service to court packing, the filibuster, and the separation of powers, John explains whether the Court is actually reshaping American government and executive power or restoring an originalist vision of the Constitution. As calls to restructure the Court grow louder, are America's constitutional guardrails strong enough to withstand the political battles ahead? And once again, we ask if Congress will do its job in weighing its own responsibilities in the system of checks and balances?
John Yoo is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, the Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. Professor Yoo has served in all three branches of government. He was an official in the U.S. Department of Justice, where he worked on national security and terrorism issues after the 9/11 attacks. He served as general counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. He has been a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and federal appeals Judge Laurence Silberman. Professor Yoo has published almost 100 scholarly articles on subjects including national security, constitutional law, international law, and the Supreme Court. He also regularly contributes to the editorial pages of The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and National Review, among others. Professor Yoo’s latest book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court.
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President Trump has publicly speculated that resuming military operations against Iran could trigger an economic catastrophe, warning of soaring gas prices and even a global depression. It is rumored that senior officials within the administration are driving this narrative in an effort to steer Trump away from finishing the conflict, as fears of Iranian long term impact on global oil markets appear to be exaggerated. Economist Glenn Hubbard argues that while energy markets and inflation deserve consideration, the role of economists is to analyze tradeoffs and identify ways to mitigate the economic costs of national security decisions; to inform policy, not determine it. On balance, he contends that the long-term costs of failed deterrence outweigh the short-term economic risks. So, as the administration weighs whether to return to combat or settle for an unacceptable status quo, is the greater economic and national security risk resuming the fight or leaving Iran's threats unresolved? And what price does America pay for failing to finish the job?
Glenn Hubbard is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where his work is focused on a wide range of economic issues including health care; poverty; public, corporate, and international finance; and financial markets and institutions. A former chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers at the White House, Dr. Hubbard concurrently serves as dean emeritus and Russell L. Carson Professor of Economics and Finance at Columbia Business School. He has also served as a deputy assistant secretary at the US Treasury Department and as a consultant to the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, among other positions.
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Over the weekend, the United States signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran to begin negotiations on a nuclear deal. To understand what a good deal would entail, it is important to assess the status of Iran's nuclear weapons program following Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury, as well as the timeline on which Tehran could produce a weapon despite these setbacks. David Albright argues that securing Tehran's admission of the program's existence and permitting on-the-ground IAEA inspections should be among the top priorities. A weak agreement lacking robust verification measures and proper extraction of nuclear materials could ultimately strengthen Iran, given the potential influx of fungible cash and the absence of sanctions that have allegedly circled discussions. In that case, is no deal better than a bad deal? What will it take to disarm the nuclear threat?
David Albright is the founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, D.C. He has written numerous assessments on secret nuclear weapons programs throughout the world has authored or co-authored nine books and briefed policymakers on non-proliferation policy making. Albright cooperated with the IAEA Action Team analyzing Iraqi documents and was the first non-governmental inspector of the Iraqi nuclear program. Previously, Albright was a member of the Health Advisory Panel in his capacity as a physicist and was appointed to the Department of Energy Openness Advisory Panel. He is currently an American Physical Society (APS) Fellow and the 2006 recipient of the APS’s Joseph A. Burton Forum Award.
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While the world’s attention has been fixed on the war in Iran, the battlefield in Ukraine has largely shifted in Kyiv’s favor. ISW’s George Barros joins us to explain how Ukrainian innovations in drone warfare, logistics, and battlefield technology have slowed Russia’s advance, increased Russian casualties, and created new opportunities for Ukrainian counterattacks. These developments are especially meaningful for future peace negotiations, as Russia’s strategy is showing signs of severe strain. Putin’s wartime claims and demands have become even more ridiculous as Ukraine strikes deeper into Russian territory. Ukraine’s wartime innovations are already helping protect American forces around the world as they reshape the future of warfare in real time. Free democracies like Ukraine tend to outpace their adversaries in innovation, and the United States should do more to friend-shore critical industries and pursue military industrial cooperation to our mutual benefit.
George Barros is the Director of Innovation and Open Source Tradecraft at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), previously led ISW’s Russia Team and founded ISW GEOINT Team and has served as a policy advisor on Ukraine and Russia for a U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee member. His analyses and interviews have appeared in outlets including The Hill, Washington Post, BBC, Reuters, Voice of America, and more.
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In his relentless pursuit of a deal with Iran, Donald Trump has now returned to military escalation, resuming combat operations and warning that the United States will seize Iran’s key oil export hub on Kharg Island. This so-called moderate ceasefire signals a renewed campaign of punishing strikes on Iran until it agrees to terms set by the administration’s negotiating team. As Miad explains, however, Iran’s hardline is not the “leverage” Tehran believes it to be, because Iran ultimately must reopen the Strait of Hormuz for its own economic survival. But at this moment, Donald Trump has no viable partner for peace, and Iran will likely never offer such an option. As Marc and Dany point out, there is no Iranian Delcy Rodríguez, and these kinds of arrangements have expiration dates, particularly as 2028 approaches. As long as the sole measure of success in Iran is a negotiated deal, the Iranians hold the power to decide whether victory is possible. It is up to Trump to decide whether that's acceptable.
Miad Maleki is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), former senior U.S. sanctions strategist and national security leader, and former associate director for the Treasury’s Office of Global Targeting at the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Miad played a central role in marshalling the Treasury Department’s sanctions campaigns against the Iranian regime and its proxy groups: Hezbollah, Hamas, Iraqi Shiite militias, and the Houthis. He is also a U.S. Air Force Veteran.
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We’re now in the eighth week of a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The Trump Administration is stuck in a holding pattern as Iranian negotiators continue to ignore US redlines and both sides insist on their own superior leverage. The unfortunate reality is that many in the Trump Administration are being fed a false calculus and discredit the ability of the US military to maintain the blockade, open the Strait, and destroy and extract nuclear material. To entertain such Iranian wishes as a billion-dollar reconstruction fund ignores the fact that CENTCOM Commander Bradley Cooper has confirmed: it would take 10-14 days to accomplish the full breadth of our military objectives in Iran. Yet, the Trump Administration is committed to making a deal, with Secretary Rubio echoing the same commitment to the negotiation seesaw. But Iran is an inherently bad faith actor. And it is using the upcoming midterms to its advantage. What now? How will we break the cycle? Thankfully we have General Jack Keane, who provides a clear-eyed strategy for victory against Iran.
General Keane is widely recognized as one of America’s most respected authorities on foreign policy and national security. He is a retired four-star Army general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army having served our nation in uniform for 37 years. He is Fox News senior strategic analyst and is the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War.
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The United States has poured billions into the United Nations to fund relief works, but not all that money goes where you might think. Years of impunity have allowed murder, rape, kidnapping and fraud to flourish in the UN system, yet the UN Secretary General and his team have stonewalled investigations, invoked "privileges and immunities" to shield employees, and protected the worst of the worst. And then there's UNRWA, where investigations report as many as 1,500 employees are members of Hamas, some of whom participated directly in the October 7th attacks on Israel. The USAID Inspector General, operating independently from the State Department, is digging into the corruption and fraud buried inside the UN system and within its ranks. In a break from our usual call for Congress to do its job, we're giving credit where it's due: Members are shining a light on this issue but while Congress requires vetting when writing checks to these agencies, legal requirements are regularly ignored by both Republicans and Democrats in the Executive Branch. The UN's broad "privileges and immunities" have become a cover for taxpayer funded grift and a shield for inexcusable crimes. What can be done to support these investigations? And why continue funding UN agencies with a proven record of violating American law and American national security?
Adam Kaplan is the acting Associate Deputy Inspector General at the U.S. Agency for International Development. He works with senior administration officials and Congress to ensure effective oversight of U.S.-funded foreign assistance, with a focus on preventing fraud, corruption, and diversion of humanitarian aid by terrorist organizations. Specializing in oversight of billions of dollars in foreign assistance to Gaza and Ukraine, Adam works with U.S., bilateral, and multilateral agencies to ensure that OIG’s criminal investigators have access to information necessary to conduct their criminal, civil, and administrative investigative work. Prior to this role, Adam served as OIG’s deputy general counsel, supporting criminal investigators and the Department of Justice on criminal investigations, False Claims Act cases, and suspension/debarment actions.
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With the 2030 Census fast approaching, battles over redistricting and congressional apportionment continue to take shape. As population shifts continue, driven by migration from blue states to red states and the influx of illegal immigrants into sanctuary cities, both parties are looking to secure a larger share of political representation in the decade ahead. At the center of the debate is the Democratic Party’s reliance on a strict, constructivist reading of Article I’s “Free Persons Clause” to justify counting illegal immigrants in reapportionment and redistricting. Critics argue that the lack of legal basis hinder our ability to police the practice and contend that the voting power of American citizens are effectively diluted. Howard proposes an alternative approach: a citizenship initiative focused on those here legally and eligible to naturalize, rather than creating what he describes as modern-day “rotten boroughs”, districts with inflated populations but disproportionate influence in federal elections. Would the Democratic Party support such an effort? Or will they continue to double down on their outrageously unpopular embrace of high illegal immigration?
Howard Husock is a senior fellow in Domestic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on municipal government, urban housing policy, civil society, and philanthropy. Before joining AEI, Mr. Husock was vice president for research and publications at the Manhattan Institute. He has also been a director of case studies in public policy and management at the Harvard Kennedy School, a member of the board of directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and a journalist and Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker.
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Last week, the Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana congressional map in a 6–3 decision tied to a 1986 amendment to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. As Sarah Isgur explains, “What the Supreme Court has said now for 25 years, whether it's affirmative action or voting rights, is we're going to stop discriminating on the basis of race, whether you think it's good discrimination or bad discrimination or whatever else in-between, but you will not take race into account. Not when it comes to admissions to universities and not when it comes to voting.” At the heart of the debate is an ongoing misunderstanding of equality of opportunity vs equity of outcome. With both parties seeking political advantage in a zero-sum game, disentangling racial and partisan lines in congressional districting becomes nearly impossible, especially within the framework of constitutional fealty. Thus, we arrive at our regular theme: "Congress do your job!" Instead of judicial activism, can lawmakers create a neutral redistricting framework that truly separates race from politics and regulates partisan gerrymandering?
Sarah Isgur is a senior editor at The Dispatch and is based in northern Virginia. She is the host of Advisory Opinions and the editor of SCOTUSblog. Prior to joining the company in 2019, she worked in every branch of the federal government and on three presidential campaigns. She’s also an ABC News contributor and the author of Last Branch Standing, a deep dive into the inner workings of the Supreme Court.
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While we celebrate the US military's accomplishments over the first forty days of the Iran conflict, a less desirable outcome has been the significant expenditure of munitions and reallocation of critical resources to the region. In Last Rounds? Status of Key Munitions at the Iran War Ceasefire, Colonel (Ret.) Mark Cancian and associate Chris Park crunch the numbers on the seven most heavily used munitions. Rest assured, there's enough left to cover any scenario with Tehran, but a future conflict with China in the Western Pacific highlights inadequate Pentagon inventories. Much like Ukraine before it, this conflict exposes the fragility of America's defense industrial base, making urgent, creative solutions from what Cancian and Park call the "primordial soup of R&D" essential. So, is Washington finally ready to take that lesson seriously?
Mark Cancian (Colonel, USMCR, ret.) is a senior adviser with the CSIS Defense and Security Department. He joined CSIS in April 2015 from the Office of Management and Budget, where he spent more than seven years as chief of the Force Structure and Investment Division, working on issues such as Department of Defense budget strategy, war funding, and procurement programs, as well as nuclear weapons development and nonproliferation activities in the Department of Energy. Previously, he worked on force structure and acquisition issues in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and ran research and executive programs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Chris H. Park is a research associate for the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
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On the eve of talks in Washington between leaders in Lebanon and Israel, Beirut has signaled a push to extend the 10-day, U.S.-mediated ceasefire set to expire this Sunday. The ongoing conflict with Iran has put its proxies’ regional struggles into the limelight, as flashpoints continue to emerge, Lebanon chief among them. As a platform for Hezbollah, Lebanon is in a unique political position, balancing an adversary at home while aligning itself more closely with the West amid regional confrontation. Donald Trump has a historic opportunity to rid the Middle East of the Iranian regime if he is willing to commit to the persistence and patience needed to see this operation through. For Israel and Lebanon, is now the time?
Ambassador David Hale is a Career Ambassador and Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow at the Middle East Institute. He also currently serves as a Distinguished Fellow with the Wilson Center. Ambassador Hale previously served as US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; US Ambassador to Pakistan, Lebanon, and Jordan; and Special Envoy for Middle East Peace. He is the author of American Diplomacy Toward Lebanon: Lessons in Foreign Policy and the Middle East, published by Bloomsbury/I.B. Tauris in February 2024.
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One week after claims of an "Iranian victory", with Tehran supposedly leveraging the Strait of Hormuz and outmaneuvering Donald Trump, the narrative has shifted. U.S. and allied naval forces have applied sustained pressure, effectively constraining Iranian shipping and energy exports, all without deploying ground troops. With these constraints in mind and the cards in Washington’s hands, the real deal making begins. But, apart from the challenge of the nuclear “dust,” the missile program, and terrorism, the regime will continue to pose a threat to its own people. With time on America’s side, should a grand strategy consider how to best empower the Iranian people?
Miad Maleki is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a U.S. Air Force veteran. He previously worked as Associate Director for the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Global Targeting at the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), where he played a central role in architecting the Treasury Department’s sanctions campaigns against the Iranian regime and its extensive network of proxy groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, Iraqi Shiite militias, and the Houthis. Mr. Maleki also served as the assistant director for counterterrorism, nonproliferation, and Middle East sanctions and as OFAC’s chief and senior sanctions coordinator for Iran and the Middle East.
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Against the backdrop of Operation Epic Fury and President Trump’s frustration with military support from NATO allies, Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Washington to discuss the alliance’s evolving burden sharing. Moving away from American codependence and increasing European defense investment took center stage at this year’s NATO Summit in The Hague, and we hope to see the fruits of that in Ukraine, along NATO’s eastern flank, and in more balanced support for U.S. efforts in Iran. Following what he described as a “candid and frank” conversation with the President this week, Rutte shares frank insights on the alliance, its future, and America’s role in addressing present day challenges in Europe.
Mark Rutte took office as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s 14th Secretary General on October 1st, 2024. Prior to that Mr. Rutte served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands for almost 14 years. During this time, he presided over four coalition governments, with a distinguished record of domestic and international achievements including security, defense, employment and social affairs, and economics. He was a member of the Dutch Parliament and leader of the Dutch People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy. He is a strong supporter of global and transatlantic cooperation.
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The story from mainstream media is that the core of MAGA is "split" on the war with Iran, strikes in Venezuela, the Houthis, and other Trump 2.0 international policies. This supposed "MAGA schism" over foreign policy challenges Trump's coalition of America First isolationists and hawkish establishment Republicans. But the data tells a different story. Drawing on our coverage of the Reagan National Defense Survey and the work of our guest Kristen Soltis Anderson, we find no evidence of such a divide. In fact, MAGA voters appear overwhelmingly hawkish and strongly supportive of President Trump’s military operations, particularly in Iran. If a divide does exist within the Republican Party, it is more likely generational than ideological. What might that mean for the future of conservative foreign policy leadership? And as we look to 2028, what does a successful Republican candidate project on foreign policy according to the polls?
Kristen Soltis Anderson is a pollster, speaker, TV personality, New York Times opinion writer, commentator, and author. Kristen is Founding Partner of Echelon Insights, an opinion research and analytics firm that serves brands, trade associations, nonprofits, and political clients. She is an on-air political contributor at CNN and previously has been a contributor to Fox News Channel and ABC News. She currently writes the newsletter “Codebook” on Substack and is the author of, “The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials Are Leading America (and How Republicans Can Keep Up).”
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Operation Roaring Lion, now in its fourth week, has been a striking display of military coordination between the United States and Israel. Building on the success of decapitating Iran’s senior leadership, crippling its navy, and degrading its ability to terrorize its neighbors, U.S. and Israeli leaders are now weighing Tehran’s rhetoric against the reality of its diminished capabilities. Rumors of a “split” in priorities between Washington and Jerusalem, particularly claims that President Trump is quickly seeking a “off-ramp”, misread the resolve of both nations and fail to see the bigger picture at hand. In the remaining weeks, what objectives remain? Where do U.S. and Israeli missions converge or diverge? And what will ultimately signal their success?
Ambassador Leiter officially assumed his role as Israel’s Ambassador to Washington on January 27, 2025. Among his prominent roles, he served as an advisor to the late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Chief of Staff to then-Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Education, and Acting Chairman of the Israel Ports Company. Beyond government, Leiter was affiliated with think tanks such as the Kohelet Policy Forum and the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, where he focused on issues like Israeli sovereignty, security strategy, and critiques of the Oslo Accords.
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Three weeks into Operation Epic Fury, we share cautious optimism with General Jack Keane on the current state of our military operation in Iran. News of Donald Trump's negotiations with Tehran and an extended partial ceasefire require us to carefully define our objectives and determine what a good deal really requires. General Keane makes it clear, "They would have to surrender to us in major concessions all the things that we are physically taking away from them to include keeping the Strait of Hormuz open." With a three-week horizon, is regime change at the hand of the Iranians still viable? What lies at the end for this regime, once their missiles, cash, and nuclear materials are gone? And what is Admiral Coopers' game plan to get us there?
General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general and former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army. He is the Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and a Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst.
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On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss their recent pieces on the war in Iran and the media coverage that has followed. Marc writes for the Post, What is the definition of victory in Iran? There are three. Dany writes in the WTH Substack, No we're not losing to Iran, detailing the myths and tropes about the ongoing war and its operational success. What Western media and our supposed "allies" fail to, or refuse, to consider, is that Iran is a unique enemy and the regime's words must be taken seriously. To root for failure is an affront to our ongoing mission and the Iranian people. So WTH? We share our wisdom with more to come...
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Our WTH saga on Chinese espionage continues with a new installment on the technology inside your car. Chris Miller details “Huawei on wheels”: the security threat posed by Chinese EVs, whose sensors, cameras, microphones, and radars can transmit data directly from your car to servers in China. You might be thinking, “I don’t drive a Chinese car, so I’m safe.” Unfortunately, the broader trend is cause for serious alarm. Our European allies have once again failed to regulate Chinese influence and are adopting low-cost autonomous driving technology and communication components from China that report to Chinese satellites. Why doesn't this national security threat receive the congressional attention it deserves? Marc's thesis rings true: the more we comingle our economy with China, the harder it will be to remove threats and roll back poor policy decisions. As Chris Miller puts it, “These are smartphones on wheels, and we’ve got to treat them with the requisite level of security concern.”
Chris Miller is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on Russian foreign policy, Ukraine, and broader Eurasia. He specializes in semiconductors and the geopolitics of technology. His latest book Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology reveals the geopolitical history of the computer chip. It is a New York Times bestseller and a winner of the 2022 Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award.
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Over the weekend, President Trump launched Operation Epic Fury, the most ambitious US military operation in decades. In the wake of the 2025 12-Day War, Iran again worked to reconstitute its nuclear weapons program and its missile arsenal. These threats, in combination with the massacre of tens of thousands of Iranians in January, brought the US to the brink of war. The operation has targeted IRGC command, missile defense systems, and senior regime leadership, including the Supreme Leader and his successors. Secretary Hegseth has stated that nothing is off the table, including the possible deployment of ground forces, an option potentially necessary to secure Iran’s nuclear materials. Our guest, David Albright, warns that failing to secure those materials will ultimately undermine the operation’s success. In the weeks ahead, what indicators will signal whether the regime is truly at risk of collapse? Beyond military targets, what political considerations must be addressed to ensure lasting success once combat operations cease?
David Albright is the founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, D.C. He has written numerous assessments on secret nuclear weapons programs throughout the world, has authored or co-authored nine books and briefed policymakers on non-proliferation policy making.
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Yesterday marked the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Four years of war in which Russian forces have occupied roughly one and a half percent of Ukraine’s territory at the cost of approximately half a million lives. Our guest, Frederick W. Kagan, and his team at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats Project (CTP) assess that Russia’s strategy is to win at the negotiating table what it cannot seize on the battlefield. Putin’s theory of victory rests on the assumption that Russian forces will continue grinding forward indefinitely, regardless of the cost, and that he will be able to persuade the West to abandon Ukraine, ultimately forcing Kyiv to concede more than it already has. Successful negotiation requires changing Putin’s calculus. Over the past four years, Ukrainians have made their position unmistakably clear: “We would rather die than be part of Russia.” So, what will drive this tipping point toward peace? Would a global inflection point against malign actors and axis partners change Putin's negotiating position? And what security guarantees from the West would be sufficient to sustain this hypothetical peace?
Frederick W. Kagan is a senior fellow and the director of the Critical Threats Project (CTP) at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). He edits CTP’s and the Institute for the Study of War’s (ISW) daily updates on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He was previously an associate professor of military history at West Point, and he earned the Distinguished Public Service Award for his volunteer service in Afghanistan. Dr. Kagan coauthored the report Defining Success in Afghanistan and is the author of the “Choosing Victory” report series, which recommended and monitored the US military surge in Iraq.
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Blame it on American individualism or a political aversion to regulation, but the United States has become a striking outlier in its failure to regulate the assisted reproductive technology industry. As a result, individuals from other countries have begun engaging in quasi–birth tourism through American surrogacy contracts, and not in small numbers. Chinese billionaire Xu Bo, for example, has reportedly fathered more than 100 American children through surrogacy and has been involved in legal battles over custody, describing them as part of his “business legacy". Beyond clear international abuses of U.S. surrogacy laws, there are also numerous domestic practices that warrant greater oversight and protection. The central question is why? What do they want these children for? Who, if anyone, is regulating these contracts? And why have lawmakers declined to address this rapidly growing industry?
Charles Hilu is a reporter for The Dispatch based in Washington, D.C. Before joining the company in 2024, he was the Collegiate Network Fellow at the Washington Free Beacon and interned at both National Review and the Washington Examiner. He attended the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor’s in Political Science, where he was editor in chief of The Michigan Review and chairman of Young Americans for Freedom.
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In addition to the media blitz over Greenland triggered by President Trump, American presidents going back a century have agreed on the strategic importance of the island due to its fundamental geography, proximity, and critical sea lines. China and Russia’s Arctic ambitions require greater defensive efforts by the (now sovereign) Danes and strong resistance to coercion should Greenlanders continue on their path to independence. Our guest sheds light on the various precedents underlying these concerns and the so-called "Cyprus Model" for the US's role. What does that roadmap look like? Do we need sovereignty to achieve our goals? If and when Greenland gains independence, what economic and security agreements will need to be made? And what impact, negative or positive, does Trump's rhetoric have on the conversation?
Alexander Gray is the Chief Executive Officer of American Global Strategies LLC, an international strategic advisory firm that he co-founded with former U.S. National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien. Mr. Gray most recently served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff of the White House National Security Council (NSC), where he directed the daily operations of the National Security Advisor’s immediate office, as well as the budget, personnel, and security functions of the NSC, as well as positions within the State Department and the Hill. Mr. Gray concurrently serves as Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, is a Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC); a Senior Nonresident Fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI); and a Senior Nonresident Fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative at The Atlantic Council.
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Kremlinology has made its way east as analysts try to make sense of dramatic PLA purges under Xi Jinping. The CCP regime appears to be clearing house, but what does it all mean? Should there be a reconsideration of a Taiwan contingency for China? Is China even equipped to make threats against its neighbors? At a moment of global turbulence, why reduce military expertise? What does it all mean for the United States? Is Xi going the way of Stalin? So many questions; join us for the answers.
John Garnaut is the founder of Garnaut Global, where he provides strategic advice and risk management services to global finance and corporate clients as an authority on Chinese elite politics and Chinese Communist Party interference. John was previously Fairfax's China correspondent and Asia-Pacific Editor, Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and Principal Advisor at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, where he led the government's analysis and policy response to authoritarian interference. He regularly presents to departments and agencies in Australia and the United States and serves as a Senior Fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
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With regime change brewing in Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran, and the Russian war of attrition still marching on, Cold War déjà vu shapes our understanding of what happens when regimes do fall and offers a hopeful conclusion. Former Soviet states that have joined the EU have experienced an average tenfold increase in GDP since 1990, while Russia and its non-EU neighbors have grown only fourfold. Like the stark contrast of the Berlin Wall, if Ukraine is free to continue to prosper economically, people in Russia’s border regions will begin to work out that the problem isn’t NATO, the problem isn’t ideology, the problem is the failure of the system in Russia to deliver. And in addition to the huge costs of the war already waged, that’s something Putin cannot afford. So, will Putin try to wait it out? What choices does he have to avoid failure? We asked an investment banker for his theory and the numbers are enlightening…
Michael Tory is a co-founder and Chairman of the financial advisory firm Ondra Partners. Tory is also an outspoken advocate for and supports several NGO efforts in Ukraine. Previously, he served as head of UK investment banking for Lehman Brothers Inc. and has been a Senior UK investment banker of Lehman Brothers Holdings. Michael previously served as Morgan Stanley’s head of investment banking in the UK and worked in their New York office for over a decade. Tory is also principal of Turning the Page, which develops and publishes ideas for rebuilding the UK’s domestic capital markets and savings systems.
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The so-called “pro-Israel lobby” in Washington, D.C., has long been a target for antisemites and for fringe voices on both sides of the aisle. Contrary to conventional wisdom, however, support for Israel in the United States is not a predominantly Jewish cause. Once a Democratic hallmark, its strongest base today is Evangelical Christians, whose theology and values profoundly shape their political advocacy for the Jewish people and their homeland. Yet antisemitism and hostility toward Israel persist, with October 7th exposing eroded support across the political spectrum. What ideology drives these attitudes? How can the generational divide over Israel be bridged? And what do these trends reveal about America’s values?
Ralph Reed is the founder and chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition and is the chairman and CEO of Century Strategies, a public relations and public affairs firm. Prior to founding the Faith & Freedom Coalition, Ralph served as Executive Director of the Christian Coalition where he built one of the most effective public policy organizations. Reed also served as a senior advisor to the 2000 and 2004 Bush-Cheney presidential campaigns and was chairman of the Southeast Region for Bush-Cheney 2004. As chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, he helped elect the first Republican Governor and third U.S. Senator since Reconstruction. Reed has worked on seven presidential campaigns and has advised 88 campaigns for U.S. Senate, Governor, and Congress across 24 states. He is the best-selling author and editor of seven books, including his latest novel, Awakening.
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The world is watching as protests rage across Iran amid nationwide internet blackouts, state-sponsored propaganda, and lethal security force crackdowns. Despite reports suggesting that hundreds, possibly thousands, have been killed at the time of this writing, Iranians are taking their future in their hands with extraordinary courage. For Tehran, what makes this wave of unrest different from those before it? Should civil war breakout, will we finally see a free Iran? Will President Trump enforce the red line he has drawn for the regime, and if so, what military options exist without deploying boots on the ground? Will President Trump ignore the eleventh-hour, desperate promises of diplomacy from Islamist leaders? He’ll need to if he intends to continue his administration’s legacy of freedom.
Michael Rubin is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in Iran, Turkey, and the broader Middle East. He also currently serves as director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum. A former Pentagon official, Dr. Rubin has lived in post-revolution Iran, Yemen, and both pre- and postwar Iraq. He also spent time with the Taliban before 9/11. For more than a decade, he taught classes at sea about the Horn of Africa and Middle East conflicts, culture, and terrorism, to deployed US Navy and Marine units. Dr. Rubin is the author, coauthor, and coeditor of several books exploring diplomacy, Iranian history, Arab culture, Kurdish studies, and Shi’ite politics.
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For many Americans, Operation Absolute Resolve, which brought Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro to trial in New York, was an unexpected New Year’s surprise. For others who have endured the corruption of his regime and watched as American adversaries have turned Venezuela and Cuba into platforms for illicit investment, arms trafficking, and narcotics, it is a long-awaited moment of vindication. It appears Chávez’s henchmen are finally facing the music. But why now? Our guest, Roger Noriega, cites institutional issues within the U.S. government and severe counterintelligence failures of the past, obstacles he argues have been overcome under Marco Rubio’s leadership and with President Trump’s resolve. So, what’s next? Will the opposition win a democratic election? And what is the Cuban play here? Could their regime be at risk?
Roger Noriega is the founder and managing director of the consultant firm, Vision Americas LLC, which has teams in Washington and Bogotá. Ambassador (ret.) Roger F. Noriega has more than three decades of public policy experience focusing on U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere. After a 10-year career on Capitol Hill with Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to senior State Department posts including Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs and a U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States. He also coordinated the American Enterprise Institute's program on Latin America as a visiting Fellow for 15 years.
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It is officially 2026, which means America is turning 250 this year. Our question on this semiquincentennial looks back to America’s founding and the constitutional framework that gave birth to our nation. America is the only nation founded not on blood or soil, but on a creed. Established by the Declaration of Independence, this creed, now more than ever, should be viewed through Jefferson’s words as a unifying force in our country as we continue to confront the challenges of a multicultural society. Both sides of the aisle have factions that seek to blame American democracy for our difficulties. Still, Professor Wood assures us that Americans are better positioned than any other people to mitigate these challenges because of our creedal identity. So what is the source of our strength? Is civic education the key to protecting our ideals? And how important are a free society and assimilation in preserving them?
Gordon Wood is a renowned and highly awarded historian and Professor of History Emeritus at Brown University. He is the author of the Creation of the American Republic which won the Bancroft Prize and the John H. Dunning Prize, and The Radicalism of the American Revolution, which won the Pulitzer Prize for History and the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize, among many other written works. In 2011 he was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Obama and the Churchill Bell by Colonial Williamsburg. He is largely regarded as a leading scholar of Early American history, known specifically for his masterful prose and transformative understanding of true radicalism of the American Revolution. The American Enterprise Institute most recently awarded him the Irving Kristol Award.
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While we celebrate the remarkable achievement of 250 years of the US military being a bulwark of democracy, it is important to understand the intentionally laid foundations on which America’s civil military relations tradition rests. Military deference to civilian authority and the legislature is a principle pioneered and championed by General George Washington, setting a powerful precedent for commanding officers to follow… with some instructive exceptions. As we look toward the New Year, and wearily at the political posturing of some military leaders, Kori Schake reminds us of a central theme from her new book, The State and the Soldier (Polity, 2025): “We want a military that's not partisan. We want a military that is subordinate to whatever lunatics the American public see fit to put into high office.” How are military leaders inherently political? How do we avoid forcing them to make partisan choices? And, as we have discussed all year, why does Congress refuse to exercise the powers it has, even in this realm?
Kori Schake is a senior fellow and the Director of Foreign and Defense Policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Before joining AEI, Dr. Schake was the deputy director-general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. She has had a distinguished career in government, working at the US State Department, the US Department of Defense, and the National Security Council at the White House. She was also senior policy advisor on the 2008 McCain campaign. She has taught at Stanford, West Point, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Maryland. Dr. Schake is the author of 5 books, with her newest titled “The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relations in the United States.”
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The Reagan National Defense Survey has again illuminated the MAGA world: MAGA Republicans are not isolationists, nor are the majority of Americans. Despite what those in Washington assert Americans believe, the latest polling reveals that 64 percent of Americans support U.S. leadership on the world stage, with eight in ten self-identified MAGA Republicans driving that figure. So why do we see this dissonance on the Right? Who gets to speak for “America First,” and what does it really mean? Why are figures within Trump’s ranks convincing him that his base opposes intervention and a strong foreign policy? The latest polling reminds us that the American people know who our enemies are, and they are telling us how they want to deal with them. Who’s going to listen?
Roger Zakheim serves as the Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. He previously practiced law at Covington & Burling LLP where he led the firm’s Public Policy and Government Affairs practice group. Before joining Covington, he was General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Mr. Zakheim also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense where he supported the department’s policies and programs related to Iraq and Afghanistan coalition affairs. Mr. Zakheim also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Peace and is a Commissioner on the Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy of the United States.
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If you were in your twenties and could choose to be born at any point in human history, would you be insane to choose any other time to be alive than right now? Our guest says yes, and the statistics back him up. Regardless of perception, shaped in part by politicians and populists, the average person today is richer than John D. Rockefeller simply by virtue of being alive in 2025. And yet, the “anxious generation” of Gen Z and Gen Alpha seem unaware of their own financial wellbeing and appear confused as to why they aren’t instantly as well off as their parents in providing for themselves. Many believe homeownership is impossible, that they will never pay off their loans, and that the cost of living is unmanageable. Is this belief based in any reality? Was life truly better for their parents? Or is this a generational cycle of perception? And who benefits from peddling this fear?
Norbert Michel is the Vice President and Director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, where he specializes on issues pertaining to financial markets and monetary policy. Michel was most recently the Director for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation where he edited and contributed chapters to multiple books. Michel is also the author of the book “Crushing Capitalism: How the Stagnation Narrative is Threatening the American Dream”, and coauthor of “Financing Opportunity: How Financial Markets Have Fueled American Prosperity for More than Two Centuries”.
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Over the last decade, China has carried out the largest illicit transfer of capital, innovation, data, and technology in human history. One of the most overlooked elements of this heist is the role of industrial espionage and the theft of corporate secrets. The government-backed intelligence apparatus designed to clone American technology has strengthened Chinese competition across all industries and, most notably, enabled advances in military hardware, microchips, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications. In his newest book, The Great Heist: China’s Epic Campaign to Steal America’s Secrets (Harper Collins, 2025), David Shedd, with Andrew Badger, exposes the CCP’s campaign and presents a counterstrategy informed by his distinguished career in intelligence. But what exactly are they stealing and how are they carrying it out? Why is the IC so silent on this? And why do we insist on bringing more Chinese nationals into our universities?
David Shedd is the former deputy director and acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). He also served as chief of staff for the director of national intelligence and National Security Council senior director and as special assistant to the president for intelligence under George W. Bush. He began his intelligence career in 1982 immediately after his studies at Geneva College and Georgetown University, and served nearly thirty-three years in a number of capacities in the DNI, National Security Council, CIA, and in U.S. embassies overseas. Since leaving the federal government, he has worked at The Heritage Foundation and as an adjunct professor and is currently working as an independent national security consultant.
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Between the pardoned turkeys and those running loose on Capitol Hill, controversy over insubordination and sedition seem to be on the menu this holiday. The six Democrats who posted a video addressed to service members sowed chaos and confusion about the proper chain of command and lawful military orders. It is crucial to understand the constitutional framework that distinguish lawful military action, legislative and executive powers, crime, and war. In today’s politics, rhetoric can make it difficult to discern the line between war and crime. John Yoo reminds us that not everything that harms society constitutes a war or justifies the use of military tools. That being said, where is the line drawn, and who draws it? And what is the proper role for members of Congress?
John Yoo is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, the Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. Professor Yoo has served in all three branches of government. He was an official in the U.S. Department of Justice, where he worked on national security and terrorism issues after the 9/11 attacks. He served as general counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. He has been a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and federal appeals Judge Laurence Silberman. Professor Yoo has published almost 100 scholarly articles on subjects including national security, constitutional law, international law, and the Supreme Court. Professor Yoo’s latest book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court.
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For Donald Trump, China has served as a major justification for economic protectionism, highlighting our dependencies and need to onshore products with national security implications. But that’s the talk. The reality is more dismal: a less-than-hawkish trade deal this month, with tariffs that seem to isolate allies and, inversely, reshore production on China’s mainland. For Team Trump, three camps have merged into one contradictory mess within the administration. Members of these camps look to use tariffs as leverage for trade deals, as a source of revenue, and to protect domestic industry. No single tariff can achieve all three and brief, ambiguous trade deals do little to decouple with China, friend-shore, and rebuild American industry. Where do we go from here? How will these tariff camps shake out? And how can we improve our strategic approach to global trade and protect America from the very real China threat?
Scott Lincicome is the Vice President of General Economics the Cato Institute’s Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies. He writes on international and domestic economic issues, including international trade; subsidies and industrial policy; manufacturing and global supply chains; and economic dynamism. Lincicome also is a senior visiting lecturer at Duke University Law School, where he has taught a course on international trade law. Prior to joining Cato, Lincicome spent two decades practicing international trade law at White & Case LLP, where he litigated national and multilateral trade disputes. He also authors a column for The Dispatch entitled, Capitolism.
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The legislative filibuster is one of the most important guardrails against the tyranny of the majority that exists in the United States Senate. Despite this critical function, both parties have, at various times, entertained the idea of eliminating the filibuster and with it, bipartisan compromise. Such an act of unbelievable shortsightedness would transform the Senate into a mirror image of the House of Representatives. This change would result in drastic policy reversals as party control shifts and could permanently disadvantage Republicans from ever again controlling the chamber. With gridlock and polarization so commonplace, how can we ensure the survival of the filibuster while addressing constructive suggestions for change? How likely might a permanent, constitutionally protected filibuster be? And what would the Senate look like if either party was successful in getting rid of it?
Martin B. Gold is a partner with Capitol Counsel, LLC. With over 50 years of legislative and private practice experience, he is a recognized authority and author on matters of congressional rules and parliamentary strategies, and U.S. policy in Asia. He frequently advises senators and their staff and serves on the adjunct faculty at George Washington University. Before business, professional, and academic audiences, he speaks about Congress as well as political and public policy developments. He has authored several publications including, The Legislative Filibuster: Essential to the United States Senate as well as Senate Procedure and Practice, a widely consulted primer on Senate floor procedure.
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The fever swamps of the alt-right have crept upstream. Fringe figures are making their way onto increasingly mainstream platforms, spreading ideological contagion to impressionable young audiences. Having long covered the creeping antisemitism of the Left, the fight now unfolding on the Right is an inspiring and essential one. With his debut WTH appearance, Eli Lake reminds us that this isn’t a question of free speech, it’s a question of policing one’s own coalition with moral clarity. If the Right doesn’t get this right, what will 2028 look like for the Republican Party?
Eli Lake is a veteran journalist with expertise in foreign affairs and national security who has reported for Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, and Newsweek. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI. Eli is currently the host of Breaking History, a new history podcast from The Free Press, where he regularly publishes.
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Europe’s center of gravity has shifted eastward, and few political leaders stand out as capable of leading the necessary changes to revitalize, rather than regulate, the aging West. The Washington Post’s new editorial vision hopes to address these concerns, shaping how we think about ourselves and our allies in the coming years. The first step in avoiding Europe’s fate here at home is confronting the complacency that assumes we could never backslide. And part of that responsibility rests with the media. What can we learn from Europe? Which policies should we avoid imitating? And how will a more diverse editorial page report on them?
Adam O’Neal currently serves as the Opinion Editor at the Washington Post. Prior to that, Adam worked as a correspondent for The Economist, as an Executive Editor for the Dispatch, and as a Wall Street Journal editorial page writer. Previously he worked as a Vatican correspondent for Rome Reports and as a political reporter in Washington, D.C.
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With just one week until Election Day in New York City, we’re reflecting on the past and future of the Democratic Party, Gracie Mansion, and the political home of mayoral hopeful, Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani is a Democratic Socialist, having campaigned alongside and accepted donations from members of the Democratic Socialists of America, a group with a clear, parasitic strategy towards the Democratic establishment and post-colonial West. What does this mean for our political parties? If successful, what does it mean for New York? And for our country?
James Kirchick is a journalist and the New York Times-bestselling author of Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington and The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues, and the Coming Dark Age. A contributing opinion writer to the New York Times, a writer at large for Air Mail, and a contributor to the Axel Springer Global Reporters Project, he has reported from over 40 countries and his writing has appeared in many publications including the Atlantic, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.
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The Trump administration continues to focus on achieving peace in the Middle East, navigating a fragile ceasefire and defining the conditions for a Palestinian future. Meanwhile, Putin’s war in Ukraine rages on, marked by stalled negotiations and continued bombardments. Both situations have proven more complex and unpredictable than the President initially hoped. Lately, Tomahawk missiles remain top of mind for President Zelensky, while Trump cancelled a proposed summit with Putin. What comes next for these two conflicts? And what can we do to ensure the good guys prevail in the end?
General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general and the former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army. He is also the Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, a Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst, and a member of the Secretary of Defense Policy Board. General Keane has previously advised four Defense Secretaries and was a member of the 2018 and 2022 Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy.
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After two incredibly long years, we are finally able to celebrate the return of all living Israeli hostages from the hell of Hamas. Absent specifics and relying on a long history of failed “new beginnings” in the Middle East, Trump’s 20-point Peace Plan begs the question, what comes next? With a successful Phase One and a fragile Phase Two, it is with cautious optimism that we ask: how will disarmament and demilitarization be successfully carried out in Gaza? What does this mean for Israeli politics and the looming election? And how will Western leftist groups react to the end of the fake “genocide”?
Dan Senor currently serves as the Chief Public Affairs Officer at Elliott Investment Management in addition to hosting his own podcast, Call Me Back. Mr. Senor served as a senior advisor to U.S. Senator Mitt Romney and former U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan in their campaigns for national office. During the presidential administration of George W. Bush, Mr. Senor was based in Baghdad, where he served as chief spokesperson for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. Before that, he was a senior Defense Department official based in US Central Command in Qatar.
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More than three years into Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, our European allies are reconsidering whether or not frozen Russian assets, totaling $300 billion on the continent, can be used to help Ukraine. As part of a broader brought about by the Trump Administration, Western countries are finally prepared to act in concert to overcome financial concerns, investment retaliation, and collective action challenges in supporting Ukraine. In addition, the Cuba-oriented Helms-Burton Act provides useful precedent for the options on the table to further pressure the Russian economy. With the noose tightening via proposed oil sanctions, potential Tomahawk missiles, and mobilized transatlantic support for Ukraine, what choices does Putin have left? Will he be forced to face the music? And what will ultimately bring him to the negotiating table?
Stephen Rademaker currently serves as Senior of Counsel at Covington and Burling LLP, helping clients navigate international policy, sanctions, and CFIUS challenges. With over 20 years of experience working on national security issues in the White House, the State Department, and the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Stephen served as an Assistant Secretary of State from 2002 through 2006 and headed three bureaus of the State Department, including the Bureau of Arms Control and the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation.
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Two years ago today, Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust. In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s article in the WTH Substack, Two years after October 7, there is no path to peace. Following October 7, 2023, the ideological defeat of Hamas has remained paramount to the survival of Israel. Hamas’s goal remains the same: the complete destruction of the Jewish State. Dany reminds us that what Western leaders fail to understand is that this fight has never been about land; and for as long as the “Palestinian” idea is built upon the destruction of the Jewish state, there will be no peace. A “yes, but” agreement from Hamas changes nothing. So, what’s next? Is the answer a “de-Hamasifaction” like that of post-World War II Germany? And could it extend to both Gaza and the West?
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On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column, Democrats shut down the government to protect covid spending, not Obamacare. In the umpteenth government shutdown in recent memory, Democrats have decided that permanent COVID subsides for healthcare, already extended and phased out by a Democrat-controlled government, are more essential than keeping the government open. But… are Republicans actually considering agreeing to D demands? And for Democrats… why another effort at self-immolation? Marc makes it clear, “Democrats claim they are trying to preserve the Obamacare tax credits. Wrong. They're trying to preserve American Rescue Plan tax credits. The pandemic emergency officially ended in 2023. There is no rationale for extending COVID relief spending two years later.”
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President Trump’s speech before the General Assembly has sparked debate over its style and substance, raising questions about UN organizations that do not serve American interests. As we continue to foot its ever-growing bill, the United Nations system appears to be failing in peacekeeping and security. How did Trump’s speech signal a shift in our relationship with the international organization? When will the 180-day review be released? And what should it say about long-awaited UN reform?
Brett D. Schaefer is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on multilateral treaties, peacekeeping, and the United Nations and international organizations. Before joining AEI, Mr. Schaefer was the Jay Kingham Senior Research Fellow in International Regulatory Affairs at the Heritage Foundation. Previously, he was a member of the United Nations Committee on Contributions and an expert on the UN Task Force for the United States Institute of Peace.
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On this episode of WTH, Dany and Marc discuss the assassination of conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk. The problem of political violence in America has only worsened since its uptick in 2020 with compounding factors like spoken and online rhetoric and the symbiosis of the far left and mainstream. It’s inside this Petri dish that a permission structure for violence is worsening our republic and presenting a clear and present danger to our country and those who engage in civil discourse. How does this answer the cancel culture question? And most importantly, how do we contribute to its end and pull us back from the brink?
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According to major news outlets, the capital of the free world is under federal occupation by Donald Trump. Here in D.C., the 30-day public emergency has expired and Pam Bondi’s “takeover” of the MPD has ended, but National Guard troops aren’t going anywhere with an extended deployment to Nov. 30th. Their presence has led to a major reduction in violent crime, but what happens when they vacate? Is this something that could or should be replicated in other cities across the country? Beyond this highly successful stop gap measure, how can we keep our cities safe?
Rafael Mangual is the Nick Ohnell Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and a member of the Council on Criminal Justice. He has authored and coauthored a number of MI reports and op-eds on issues ranging from urban crime and jail violence to broader matters of criminal and civil justice reform. In 2025, he was appointed to serve a second term as a member of the New York State Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
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After splashy announcements from our European, Australian, and Canadian allies, later this month, the UN will vote to “recognize a Palestinian State”. While theatrical and without legal import, the vote can only be understood as a reward for terrorism and October 7th. Hamas and too many Palestinians have no interest in state building, institutions, democratic elections, or taking part in the “two state solution” and never have. And yet, while Hamas is still holding hostages and blocking humanitarian aid, the UN is displaying its bias against Israel. Will a “state” ever satisfy Palestinian nationalism? Are European leaders just making a play for domestic favor? Will the Jordanian option ever see the sun? And if we wanted to, how would we return to status quo ante October 7?
Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Chairman of the Tikvah Fund, and the Chairman of the Vandenberg Coalition. He previously served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in Donald Trump’s first administration.
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The intersectional coalition the Democrats put together in 2024, comprised of the 1%, coastal, corporate, elites and the 20% on 80/20 issues, is failing to register new voters or execute at the polls. While they abandon their historic constituencies and adopt more radical left wing cultural ambitions, it’s not clear how the Democratic Party will rebuild. Between inflation and immigration, the Party has antagonized enough voters that they now face a monster structural problem for elections to come. We ask Jay to contextualize the history, how they got here, and how this roadmap will affect the gerrymandering debate, policy, and who we’ll see on the ballot in 2028.
Jay Cost is the Gerald R. Ford nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on political theory, Congress, and elections. He is also a visiting scholar at Grove City College and a contributing editor at the Washington Examiner. He writes and speaks frequently on American elections, with a special attention on placing contemporary trends in historical context.
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Closing out What the Hell’s summer book series, we offer a timely reminder of the value of free speech and critical thinking from a time when it wasn’t taken for granted. Charlie English discusses his book, The CIA Book Club: The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature (Random House, 2025). Charlie chronicles George Minden’s 1980s covert intelligence operation that smuggled literature into Poland from beyond the Iron Curtain. From its Manhattan headquarters, Minden’s “book club” secretly sent ten million banned titles into the East and combated communist censorship, creating a vibrant culture in Poland that would outlast the toppled Soviet regime. What is the value of printed word in our society? Can ideas beat out on the battlefield? Charlie reminds us they can.
Charlie English is a London-based non-fiction writer and the author of three internationally acclaimed books. He has appeared on NPR, the BBC and Channel 4, written for numerous newspapers and magazines including the New York Times, the Guardian, the Telegraph and the Independent, and given talks at Hay, Jaipur and the Royal Geographical Society, where he is a fellow. Formerly, he was Head of International News at Guardian News and Media.
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In the next episode of our annual What the Hell’s summer book series, we are time traveling around the world with experimental archeologist, Sam Kean, who shares with us his latest science narrative novel, Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations (Little Brown and Company, 2025). Sam took us on an adventure of the senses, back through the history of mankind and across the globe, from the Egyptian pyramids to the temples of Mexico. “Above all,” he writes, “I hope this book can reveal what unites us today with people from long ago, and help us understand that they were just people, no different than us.” WTH can we learn from living like those in the past? And WTH do caterpillars taste like?
Sam Kean is the New York Times-bestselling author of seven books that combine history and science. His stories have appeared in The Best American Science and Nature Writing, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Slate, among other places, and his work has been featured on NPR. His books The Disappearing Spoon and The Violinist’s Thumb were national bestsellers, and both were named an Amazon “Top 5” science books of the year.
Find Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations here.
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In this episode of What the Hell’s summer book series, bestselling author, Jonathan Horn, discusses his new book, The Fate of the Generals: MacArthur, Wainwright, and the Epic Battle for the Philippines (Scribner, 2025). In it, Jonathan tells the tale of lesser-known American Pacific Theater hero, General Jonathan Wainwright. General Wainwright’s story is a lesson of the importance of keeping your word and honor. As a leader, he says, “no other course of action would be honorable but to stay with my men and share their fate.” What else came of the man left behind? What led him to his infamous surrender? And beyond the medal they share, how should the two generals be remembered?
Jonathan Horn is the author of Washington’s End and the Robert E. Lee biography The Man Who Would Not Be Washington, which was a Washington Post bestseller. Jonathan has written for outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times Disunion series, New York Post, The Daily Beast, National Review, and POLITICO. A former White House presidential speechwriter, Jonathan served under President George W. Bush.
Find The Fate of the Generals: MacArthur, Wainwright, and the Epic Battle for the Philippines here.
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Kicking off our annual What the Hell’s summer book series, Zach Cooper discusses his new book, Tides of Fortune: The Rise and Decline of Great Militaries (Yale University Press, 2025). How will the United States and China evolve militarily in the years ahead? Many experts believe the answer to this question is largely unknowable. But in his book, Zack Cooper argues that the American and Chinese militaries are following a well-trodden path. For centuries, the world’s most powerful militaries have adhered to a remarkably consistent pattern of behavior, determined largely by their leaders’ perceptions of relative power shifts. WTH is China on this path? And importantly, WTH is the US?
Zack Cooper is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies US strategy in Asia, including alliance dynamics and US-China competition. He also teaches at Princeton University and serves as chair of the board of the Open Technology Fund. Before joining AEI, Dr. Cooper was the senior fellow for Asian security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Find Tides of Fortune: The Rise and Fall of Great Militaries here.
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Almost two years after the October 7th attacks, facts about the state of life in Gaza are almost impossible to glean from the daily news. Much of what used to be mainstream journalism has become political activism, and Palestinian allied NGOs, UN organizations, and international press are using selective information as a weapon. Are Palestinians starving? Or is this just another lie in the war on Israel? Matti Friedman joins us to talk about his important piece on Gaza for The Free Press.
Matti Friedman is a Jerusalem-based columnist for The Free Press. He’s an award-winning journalist and author of four nonfiction books, of which the most recent is Who by Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai. A former Associated Press correspondent and essayist for the New York Times opinion section, he previously wrote a monthly feature for Tablet Magazine. His writing has appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, the Atlantic, and elsewhere.
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Dominic Green writes, “The war on free speech is about to violate the most sacred recesses of British life—not the home or the workplace, but the pub.” In legislation dubbed the “Banter Bill”, Parliament is attacking the center of British life in a new effort to hold employers accountable for staff’s hurt feelings over third parties “offensive language”. Under the UK’s two-tiered justice system, government is now in the service of a minority to punish perceived miscreants for free speech. How did the UK government arrive here? And how will the British restore freedom and common sense?
Dominic Green is a fellow at the Royal Historical Society, a Wall Street Journal contributor, and a Washington Examiner columnist. He was previously a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and editor-in-chief of The Spectator’s U.S. edition. Dr. Green is the author of five books about British history and society.
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Last month, New York City took to the polls for their mayoral primary and the Democratic party has decided that a socialist, communist, terrorist supporting, antisemite, is the best candidate for mayor of New York City. Zohran Mamdani is a radical left "intersectionality salad". Between his unironic quotation of Marx to raps about the Holy Land Five, we're left wondering what New Yorkers are thinking and how Mamdani came to these "beliefs". Is this really the path out of the wilderness for the Democratic party?
Seth Mandel is the Senior editor of Commentary Magazine who frequently writes on Israel, antisemitism, and national politics. Previously, he has worked as executive editor of the Washington Examiner print edition between 2018 and 2023, and worked previously as an op-ed editor at the New York Post.
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President Trump has made it clear: whichever nation is the obstacle to peace in ending Russia’s war on Ukraine will face an opponent with the military aid and backing of the United States. Putin has no intention of giving up his objectives in Ukraine and Trump is over the bull. Reversing a Pentagon freeze of critical weapons shipments to Ukraine, Trump announced Monday night that more defensive weapons were on the way. In the wake of Russia’s largest combined drone and missile strike, having Patriot missile systems is paramount to Ukraine’s ability to defend themselves. So, what’s it going to take to bring Putin to the table? How can we sufficiently arm Ukraine on Russia’s dime? And when will this bloody war end?
General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general and the former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army. He is also the Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, a Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst, and a member of the Secretary of Defense Policy Board. General Keane has previously advised four Defense Secretaries and was a member of the 2018 and 2022 Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy.
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Notwithstanding regular headlines and firm conventional wisdom, the MAGA Movement is not and never has been an isolationist faction of the Republican Party. Neither the American people nor self-identified MAGA Republicans are fundamentally isolationist, and in fact score higher than non-MAGA Republicans on support for U.S. intervention abroad. The numbers don’t lie: this year’s Reagan Foundation Summer Poll found the MAGA coalition strongly support Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. Why are these results counterintuitive? And how has a tiny isolationist faction of self-appointed MAGA spokespeople drummed up so much noise?
Roger Zakheim serves as the Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. Before joining, he was General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. In this role, Mr. Zakheim managed the passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act, the defense policy bill which authorizes the Defense Department’s budget. Mr. Zakheim’s government experience also includes serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense where he supported the department’s policies and programs related to Iraq and Afghanistan coalition affairs.
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In the wake of a decisive US strike on Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities, many questions are being asked. Did Donald Trump make the right call? What about the intelligence? Is this the start of US military action in Iran or a one-off? And what are the implications for Gaza, the region, and Iran in the coming months?
Kenneth M. Pollack, PhD., is Vice President for Policy at the Middle East Institute. Previously he was a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he worked on Middle Eastern political-military affairs, focusing in particular on Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf countries. Dr. Pollack has also worked on long-term issues related to Middle Eastern political and military affairs for the Joint Chiefs of Staff when he was a senior research professor at the Institute for National Security Studies at National Defense University.
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Five days in, Israel’s battle to destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure continues. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched the campaign in the wake of a decision by the IAEA Board to censure Iran a resolution declaring that Iran is in breach of its non-proliferation obligations, one day past a Donald Trump imposed deadline of 60 days for Iran to agree to relinquish its uranium enrichment capabilities. Iran has responded with indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in Israel. Can Israel destroy Iran’s nuclear program? Is that possible without the United States? What role will the United States play? And can the Tehran regime survive?
Haviv Gur is a veteran Israeli journalist who serves as Senior Analyst for The Times of Israel. He has covered Israel’s politics, foreign policy and relationship with the Jewish diaspora since 2005. He has reported from over 20 countries and is fluent in Hebrew and English. He served as director of communications for the Jewish Agency for Israel, the country’s largest NGO. He travels around the world educating people on Israel and reporting on timely events and developments in and about Israel as a premiere analyst.
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The aftermath of Biden’s open border policies continues to haunt America as the consequences of mass illegal immigration continue to snowball. Changing attitudes towards, net positive, productive legal migration reflects the sentiment stirred up by the surge in illegal immigration we experienced the last four years. How does this affect workforce participation and address population decline? What role does the welfare state play? How are foreign adversaries using this mess as an opportunity to establish influence operations through universities, social media, and in foreign born communities? Has something changed about the nature of illegal migrants to America? And where is an immigration reform bill in Congress to address these issues permanently?
Nicholas Eberstadt is the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute where he researched demographics, economic development, and international security in the Korean peninsula and Asia. He is also a senior advisor to the National Bureau of Asian Research, a founding board member of the US Committee on Human Rights in North Korea, and has served as consultant or adviser to the US Government and international organizations. His most recent book is the Post-Pandemic Edition of Men Without Work (Templeton, 2022). His demographic work on immigration focuses on societies facing population decline and the crucial role of skilled immigrants, both of which he addresses in his Working Paper, “America’s Immigration Mess: An Illustrated Guide.”
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Donald Trump has promised Americans that in three years, with the help of Congress’ “Big Beautiful Bill” and a $25 billion-dollar downpayment, his dreams of a golden dome protecting the nation will become a reality. Inspired by Israel’s highly successful Iron Dome, Trump has selected General Guetlein of the Space Force to lead the missile defense shield project, signaling a focus on space that is bound to ratchet up the arms race in the skies. With our adversary’s missile capabilities growing by the day, can a ‘golden dome’ save us? What does it mean for deterrence? And how much time and money will it take?
Dr. J.D. Crouch has had a distinguished diplomatic career as a leader in national security and missile defense. Dr. Crouch served in the administrations of presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W Bush and George W. Bush as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on policy for missile defense, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy. As an advisor to the U.S. Delegation on Nuclear and Space Arms Talks with the former Soviet Union, Dr. Crouch is a foremost expert in missile defense and serves as a Senior Advisor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
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John Ondrasik is standing up for Israeli hostages in the best way he knows how. Having written and performed songs with strong social messages over the last several decades, he is responding to the horrors of Hamas’ October 7th attacks by rewriting the words to his hit song “Superman (It’s Not Easy)”. Ondrasik’s revised lyrics turn pain into resilience, but why aren’t other artists speaking out? Ondrasik has sung about 9/11, about Afghanistan, about Ukraine, and about terror attacks in Israel. But he is almost alone in the music industry. Why are artists so afraid to do the right thing, and stand against terrorism?
John Ondrasik is a Grammy-Award nominated singer-songwriter who has spent the last several decades writing deeply personal songs with strong social messages in six studio albums featured in over 350 films, TV shows, and advertisements under his hockey moniker, Five for Fighting. Most recently, John has been using his platform to advocate for Israel and denounce the holding of Israeli hostages and the Oct. 7th attacks by the terrorist group Hamas. He has recently updated the words of his song Superman to highlight Israeli hostage Alon Ohel, and the other hostages still held by Hamas.
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Listen to Superman here.
China’s Ministry of State Security has infiltrated and is conducting espionage at all levels of Stanford University. By law, all Chinese nationals are required to report back to the Chinese Communist Party on their research and daily activities when asked. Sometimes this spying is voluntary and conducted by those who wish to see America fall behind in the global tech race. Other times, Chinese nationals are coerced into spying on their school, friends, and teachers through transnational repression. How can universities and Congress work together to prevent Chinese espionage? And how is the Chinese government buying influence in American universities and American society writ large?
Elsa Johnson is the managing editor of the Stanford Review and a sophomore studying international relations and East Asian studies.
Garret Molloy is a staff writer and the business manager of the Stanford Review. He is a sophomore studying Hayek, economic history, and libertarian thought.
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Read Elsa and Garret's reporting here.
America’s immigration law and system are broken. President Biden allowed millions of people to enter the United States illegally. And now President Trump is using obscure laws to try to fast-track a massive deportation campaign. Expedited removal and deportations without court hearings are legal and supported by the vast majority of Americans. However, members of Congress have the power to clarify immigration laws and fix a system clogged up by an influx of asylum cases – if they choose to use it. How many deportation cases actually require a court hearing? And how can Trump work with Congress to further his immigration agenda?
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. At GWU, he is also the Director of the Environmental Law Advocacy Center and Executive Director of the Project for Older Prisoners. Professor Turley has served as counsel in some of the most notable cases in the last two decades, including the representation of whistleblowers, military personnel, judges, and members of Congress, and has testified before Congress over 100 times. His latest book is The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage (Simon and Schuster, 2024).
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Harvard has finally released its 311-page report on the antisemitism Jewish students face on one of America’s most elite college campuses. The stories of Jews being forced to conceal outward displays of their religion, being shut out of academic and extracurricular spaces alike, and facing systemic harassment are horrifying. However, the intensity of the antisemitism at Harvard is also unsurprising. And the manner in which this report was released indicates the university has no real intention of fixing the root causes of Jew hatred on its Cambridge campus. How did Harvard University go from being a quarter Jewish to becoming a bastion of antisemitism? And how does foreign funding perpetuate antisemitism at elite universities?
Maya Sulkin is a reporter at The Free Press. Before that, Maya was chief of staff of the FP. She started at the FP as an intern in 2021 while a student at Columbia University.
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Gen Z may not be the liberal base of support many on the left hoped they would be. Today, there is a growing split between voters under 30, with 22-29 year olds favoring Democrats by 6.4 points and 18-21 year olds favoring Republicans by almost 12 points. As America’s youngest voters are growing up in the age of COVID lockdowns, social media, and cancel culture, conservative and MAGA ideology is emerging as the new counter-culture, giving young men in particular an opportunity to escape the world around them. How will the youngest voter cohort change the bases of both parties? And how will young voters change as they grow older?
Milan Singh is the founder and Director of the Yale Youth Poll. Originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts, he is a junior in Pierson majoring in Economics. He has previously worked as a researcher at Slow Boring; a data science fellow at Decision Desk HQ; and social policy intern at the Niskanen Center. This past summer, he worked as a consultant for Blueprint and WelcomePAC. Outside of the classroom, he is one of the Opinion Editors for the Yale Daily News.
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As President Trump continues to try to end the war in Ukraine, Russia is playing for time. For as long as the U.S. continues to support Ukraine, Russia’s military effort will remain weak and unsustainable. But if Russia is able to stall in negotiations, and degrade American and Western support for Ukraine, they could very well emerge victorious. How should Ukrainian leadership respond to continued American attempts at war-ending negotiations? And what are the consequences if America withdraws its support for Ukraine?
Frederick W. Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He is the author of the 2007 report Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq, which is one of the intellectual architects of the successful “surge” strategy in Iraq, and the book Lessons for a Long War (AEI Press, 2010). His Critical Threats Project, alongside the Institute for the Study of War, releases regular updates on Iranian activity in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and transnational terrorism on the African continent.
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Following a surprise Oval Office announcement by President Trump during Bibi Netanyahu’s trip to Washington, the United States has once again restarted negotiations with Iran over its nuclear weapons program. Thanks to Israeli attacks on Iranian air defenses and its proxies, coupled with crippling U.S. sanctions, Iran has never been weaker and America has never had more leverage over the Islamic Republic. However, Iran’s nuclear program is also significantly larger and more advanced than it was in 2015 or throughout the first Trump administration. What should Trump demand in a new nuclear deal with Iran? And is the administration’s current approach a recipe for success, or are they being played by the Ayatollah?
Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Chairman of the Tikvah Fund, and the Chairman of the Vandenberg Coalition. He previously served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in Donald Trump’s first administration. His most recent book is If You Will It: Rebuilding Jewish Peoplehood for the 21st Century (Wicked Son, 2024).
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On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s article, #WTH The Tariff Tsunami. No one should be surprised by Trump’s tariff war. The real question is, what is the President trying to accomplish? Some in the administration argue that the tariffs create leverage to bring about a myriad of free trade agreements the U.S. would not be able to get otherwise. Others argue tariffs will bring back American manufacturing. And some presidential advisors just seem to love tariffs for the sake of tariffs. Is Trump pursuing a radical free trade agenda? Or are these tariffs going to be a permanent fixture throughout his tenure?
Read the transcript here.
Read Dany’s article in the WTH Substack here.
President Trump’s executive actions are being blocked left, right, and center by federal courts issuing nationwide injunctions – or orders for the government to halt a given policy that judges deem unlawful. However, the constitutionality of these national injunctions is up for debate. Should the Supreme Court decide that judicial policy pronouncements are indeed unconstitutional, what will that mean for Executive power? Could it mean that Congress will need to resume doing the work it has shirked for years? And what will it mean for the Trump agenda?
John Yoo is the Emanuel Heller Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Senior Research Fellow at the Civitas Institute, and a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Stanford University. Yoo was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the general council of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. His most recent book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court (Regnery, 2023) with Robert Delahunty.
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President Trump is reportedly considering abandoning America’s longstanding role commanding NATO forces as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), changing the U.S. combatant command structure, and canceling modernization plans for U.S. Forces Japan. While it’s true that Europe needs to step up to the plate on its own defense needs, abandoning the SACEUR position would place U.S. troops under foreign command, give Washington less leverage over our allies, and weaken deterrence. How can Trump better advance his goal of boosting European defense spending? And where can the Defense Department make cuts that bolster deterrence?
Kori Schake is a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Before joining AEI, Kori was the deputy director-general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London; a professor at West Point, University of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University; and worked in the State Department, National Security Council, and Department of Defense. She is the author of Safe Passage: The Transition from British to American Hegemony, and a contributing writer at the Atlantic, War on the Rocks, and Bloomberg. Her upcoming book is The State and the Soldier: The History of Civil Military Relations in America.
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UK residents are currently paying some of the highest prices in the world for electricity. How did Brits go from being an energy superpower to showering in the gym because it’s too expensive to heat water at home? Perhaps because both Labour and Tory politicians are banning the production and use of cheap hydrocarbons in the pursuit of a “Net Zero future.” How is Net Zero irreparably damaging Britain’s economy? And what does the UK example mean for other states attempting to permanently phase out hydrocarbons?
Robert Bryce is an author, speaker, and film producer. He has been writing about energy, power, politics, and innovation for more than three decades and is the author of six books on the subject. His most recent book is A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of Nations (PublicAffairs, 2020). Bryce is also the executive producer of the documentary, Juice: How Electricity Explains the World, and the co-producer of the docuseries Juice: Power, Politics & The Grid. He frequently writes on his popular substack robertbryce.substack.com.
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The fundamentals of the economy are strong. So why is the Dow Jones down and fears of a recession up? Perhaps because President Trump is rocking the economic boat by threatening tariffs on historic trading partners, only to rescind them the same day; taking a chainsaw to government expenditures when he should be using a scalpel; and talking about structurally changing the U.S. economy. Will Trump’s disruptive approach to the international economy enrich Americans in the long run? Or are the tariffs, and the flip-flopping, going to backfire?
Michael Strain is the director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute. He is also the Professor of Practice at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, a research fellow with the IZA Institute of Labor Economics, a research affiliate with the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a member of the Aspen Economic Strategy Group. Dr. Strain also writes as a columnist for Project Syndicate.
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Canada’s economy is in the toilet, has an electorate that is overwhelmingly left wing, and a healthcare system that encourages physician assisted suicide over basic treatment. Canada’s systemic problems have meant that Canadian voters were slowly starting to wake up, and were on track to deliver a blow-out for the conservative party in the next elections. But while Trump’s tariff threats have been omnipresent, his threat to make Canada the “51st state” rallied Canadians around the flag and around the governing Liberal Party. How has Trump’s rhetoric hurt conservative chances of victory? And why would Canada make a terrible 51st state?
Colin Dueck is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. He is also a senior nonresident fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and has served as a foreign policy adviser on several Republican presidential campaigns. Colin is the author of four books on American foreign policy and national security and the AEI report True North: Canadian Politics, the Tory Alternative, and the United States.
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Partisans believe that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was “ambushed” in the Oval Office. The story is rather different. In fact, President Trump was genuinely enthusiastic about signing a minerals deal with Zelensky that would enrich both nations and vest the United States in Ukraine’s future. But Zelensky, acting on poor advice or out of his own stubbornness and exhaustion, used the Oval Office meeting to challenge Trump and Vice President Vance in front of American media, leading to a public spectacle that may permanently damage U.S.-Ukraine relations and Ukrainian security. Is the U.S.-Ukraine relationship salvageable?
Read Marc’s article, Zelensky must mend the breach with Trump — or resign, in the Washington Post here.
Read Dany’s latest commentary on the Trump-Vance-Zelensky meeting here.
California has invested tens of billions of dollars in preventing climate change, billions more than California’s investment in adapting to the effects of climate change and directly preventing disasters. And now, the devastation of the recent Los Angeles wildfires is further proof that governments need to focus on protecting citizens through cheap and simple investments in climate adaptation rather than expensive and inefficient investments in climate change prevention.
Bjorn Lomborg is the president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, the former director of the Danish government's Environmental Assessment Institute, and the author of the best-selling book The Skeptical Environmentalist (2001). He has been named one of Time’s 100 most influential people and one of the UK Guardian’s “50 people who can save the planet.” His latest book is Best Things First: The 12 Most Efficient Solutions for the World’s Poorest and Our Global SDG Promises (Copenhagen Consensus Center, 2023).
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Donald Trump’s first weeks in office have been beyond busy. With a flurry of executive orders and other actions, he is remaking the federal government and American society writ large at lightning speed. In this special WTH episode, Megyn Kelly shares her feelings about Trump 2.0, the direction of the country under his leadership, and how his approach the second time around differs from the first. How is Trump remaking the country in his own image? And how durable will his legacy be once he leaves office?
Megyn Kelly is the founder of Devil May Care Media and hosts The Megyn Kelly Show. She was a journalist at Fox News from 2004 to 2017 and moderated five presidential debates, including the 2015 Republican primary debate. From 2017 to 2018, she worked at NBC News. Kelly has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, and her memoir Settle for More became a #1 New York Times bestseller. Before her media career, she practiced law for nine years.
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China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, normalizing trade relations with the PRC, was billed to the American public as a rising tide that lifts all boats. But decades later, many of the manufacturing workers who lost their jobs to cheaper Chinese goods have not recovered. And while the first “China shock” left millions of textile and low-skill manufacturing workers without a job, Chinese trade practices are now targeting sectors crucial to American prosperity and national security. How can the U.S. protect vital industries from unfair trade practices? And why is it so difficult to help those who lose their job to trade find new work?
David Autor is the Daniel and Gail Rubinfeld Professor in the MIT Department of Economics and co-director of the National Bureau of Economic Research Labor Studies Program and the MIT Shaping the Future of Work Initiative. Autor is also an elected Fellow of the Econometrics Society, the Society of Labor Economists, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a Faculty Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab. In 2019, the Economist labeled Autor “The academic voice of the American worker.”
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For decades, police, politicians, and community leaders alike covered up what is likely the largest peacetime organized crime spree in British history: The sexual grooming, exploitation, and trafficking of minors by predominantly Pakistani Muslim migrant communities. While new light is now being shed on this scandal by Elon Musk and brave journalists in Britain, there is an untold number of victims who will likely never see proper justice. How did British fixation on community relations lead to the sexual exploitation of minors? And what does the uncovering of this story, and the corruption that allowed it to occur, mean for the rest of the Western world?
Dominic Green is a fellow at the Royal Historical Society, a Wall Street Journal contributor, and a Washington Examiner columnist. He was previously a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and editor-in-chief of The Spectator’s U.S. edition. Dr. Green is the author of five books about British history and society.
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On President Trump’s first day in office, he issued an executive order titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” attempting to change the current understanding of the Fourteenth Amendment by declaring that the children of illegal immigrants or people on temporary visas born in the United States are not granted citizenship. While many Americans may agree that the unfortunate realities of “birth tourism” and “anchor babies” in the U.S. need to be curbed or stopped, Trump’s executive order has been criticized as unconstitutional and the wrong way to approach the issue. How are presidents of both parties subverting Congress in their pursuit of legislative goals? And how did President Obama’s action on DACA and President Biden’s declaration on the Equal Rights Amendment help create precedent for Trump’s actions today?
Adam White is the Laurence H. Silberman Chair in Constitutional Governance and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on the Supreme Court and the administrative state. Concurrently, he codirects the Antonin Scalia Law School’s C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State. Before joining AEI, he was a research fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
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In the 300th episode of What the Hell is Going On? Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Donald Trump finally gets his honeymoon. When Trump first entered the Oval Office in 2017, the Democratic Party was in full “resist” mode, Trump was a Washington outsider, and protests engulfed America’s capital. Today, Trump enters office understanding the levers of government and how to wield them, issuing a flurry of executive orders and memoranda putting federal employees back to work, attempting to end birthright citizenship, canceling federal DEI programs, and more. How will Trump’s second term differ from his first? And how long will Trump’s political honeymoon last?
Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.
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Many who follow Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have come to the same conclusion: Russia can defeat Ukraine with its “incredible” strength. However, Russia is much weaker than even many in the American media let on. The Russian military is bleeding troops for minor gains on the battlefield, running out of men to fight, and has so little equipment it’s turning to movie studios to recoup donated Soviet military equipment from the 1950s. How long can Putin continue his illegal war on Ukraine? How can Trump leverage Russia’s weakness to bring Putin to the negotiating table?
George Barros is the Russia Team & Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead on the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War. George’s work focuses on open-source research and geospatial analysis of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Russian information operations, and Ukrainian politics. Prior to joining ISW, he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as an advisor on Ukraine and Russia for a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Read the transcript here.
Find ISW's Ukraine Conflict Updates here.
While many understand the failures of the late Jimmy Carter’s presidency, he is often referred to as our “best ex-president” because of his humanitarian and diplomatic efforts following his loss to President Reagan. However, the rose-colored glasses through which many Americans view his post-presidency ignore his disastrous meddling in foreign affairs and blatant antisemitism since leaving office. Despite his humanitarian efforts, Jimmy Carter was not the elder statesman his allies alleged him to be. Rather, Carter’s true legacy is that of someone who wished to remain president without the constitutional fetters of the office, undermining his successors of both parties.
Steven Hayward is the Edward L. Gaylord Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University and a senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute. He was previously a resident scholar at UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies and the F.K. Weyerhaeuser Fellow in Law and Economics at the American Enterprise Institute. Dr. Hayward is the author of The Real Jimmy Carter: How Our Worst Ex-President Undermines American Foreign Policy, Coddles Dictators and Created the Party of Clinton and Kerry (Regnery 2004).
Read the transcript here.
In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Does Trump want Putin to get Ukraine’s $26 trillion in gas and minerals? Ukraine is a mineral superpower, with some of the largest reserves of 117 of the 120 most widely used minerals in the world. And with the help of U.S. assistance, Ukraine has successfully defended roughly 80 percent of its known mineral deposits. If the U.S. continues to help Ukraine secure and develop its natural minerals, we can not only deal a strategic blow to Beijing and Moscow, but also bring enormous financial benefits back to the American people.
Read Marc's article in the Washington Post here.
Read the transcript here.
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Americans have lost faith in the expert class, and in some cases, for good reason. So-called “experts” didn’t just destroy livelihoods during the COVID pandemic or make China rich through normalized trade relations, they also looked down upon and antagonized the American people in the process. What role will experts play in the second Trump administration? And how can the expert class begin to regain the trust of the American people?
Robert Doar is the president of the American Enterprise Institute. While at AEI, Mr. Doar has served as a co-chair of the National Commission on Hunger and as a lead member of the AEI-Brookings Working Group on Poverty and Opportunity. He first joined AEI in 2014 to lead the Institute’s opportunity and mobility studies program after serving for more than 20 years in leadership positions in the social service programs of New York State and New York City. He is the host of the podcast One on One with Robert Doar.
Read the transcript here.
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In roughly ten days, opposition forces in Syria were able to accomplish more than they did in a decade and topple the tyrannical Assad regime. But as the dust settles, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham – the U.S. designated terrorist organization that led the march to Damascus – will have to prove that it has moved on from its anti-Western Jihadist ideology and is committed to rebuilding a Syrian state that meets the needs of its people. Why did Assad’s regime collapse so quickly? And what does the future of Syrian governance look like?
Hassan Hassan is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of New Lines Magazine, an initiative of the New Lines Institute, and the founder of the institute’s Human Security Unit. Previously, he was a Senior Fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University and the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror (2016, Reagan Arts).
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After repeatedly pledging to the American people that he would not pardon his son Hunter, Joe Biden gave his son one of the most sweeping pardons in presidential history. The presidential pardon power has a long history of abuse, but never before has a pardon been so broad, over such a long period of time, and issued by someone possibly implicated in the case. Why did Biden choose to pardon his son now? And what does the pardon mean for the future of political lawfare?
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. At GWU, he is also the Director of the Environmental Law Advocacy Center, and Executive Director of the Project for Older Prisoners. Professor Turley has served as counsel in some of the most notable cases in the last two decades including the representation of whistleblowers, military personnel, judges, and members of Congress, and has testified before Congress over 100 times. His latest book is The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage (Simon and Schuster, 2024).
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Find The Indispensable Right here.
Late Tuesday night South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, accusing the opposition party of “legislative dictatorship” and vowing to eradicate “pro-North Korean anti-state forces.” Almost as suddenly as martial law was declared, the legislature voted unanimously for it to end – sending the very military forces that attempted to lock down the National Assembly packing. What do Yoon’s actions mean for the future of South Korean politics? How might a collapse of South Korea’s conservative party affect U.S.-Korean relations? And what are the broader implications for American allies and partners in Asia?
Zack Cooper is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies US strategy in Asia, including alliance dynamics and U.S.-China competition. He also teaches at Princeton University and serves as chair of the board of the Open Technology Fund. Zack previously served as the assistant to the deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism at the National Security Council and as a special assistant to the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy at the Department of Defense. His upcoming book is Tides of Fortune: The Rise and Decline of Great Militaries (Yale University Press, 2025).
Read the transcript here.
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For the first time since the Black Death in the 1300s, the world is heading towards an era of depopulation. And for the first time in human history, this era of depopulation will be by choice. All over the world, women are choosing to have fewer and fewer children even as medical advances continue to prolong life. The result will be that people born today will live in graying societies in which the elderly and retired vastly outnumber the young and employed who are critical in supporting older generations. Why are people around the world choosing to have fewer children? And what do graying societies mean for the global economy?
Nicholas Eberstadt is the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute where he researched demographics, economic development, and international security in the Korean peninsula and Asia. He is also a senior advisor to the National Bureau of Asian Research, a founding board member of the US Committee on Human Rights in North Korea, and has served as a consultant or adviser to the US Government and international organizations. His most recent book is the Post-Pandemic Edition of Men Without Work (Templeton, 2022).
Read the transcript here.
Read Eberstadt's Foreign Affairs article here.
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Many of President-elect Donald Trump’s announced cabinet nominees are well respected and will likely have an easy path to Senate approval. Others, not so much. So Trump has proposed doing something no president has ever done before: Skirting the Senate approval process altogether via recess appointments. This appointment scheme delegitimizes Trump’s cabinet picks, sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations, and is likely unconstitutional.
John Yoo is the Emanuel Heller Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Stanford University. Yoo was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the general council of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. His most recent book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court (Regnery, 2023) with Robert Delahunty.
Read the transcript here.
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President Donald Trump made gains among nearly every single demographic group in his historic victory, particularly with Hispanic and young voters. As the Democratic Party asks itself how it lost to Trump – a man they cast as a dictatorial threat to Democracy itself – it will have to look inward and realize it has moved from being the “party of the kitchen table” to the “party of the faculty lounge.” Working middle-class voters don’t identify with a party that spends more time criticizing anyone who disagrees with them as bigoted than working to make peoples’ lives better. Will Democratic leaders learn from their mistakes and move to the center on cultural issues? Or will the Democrats continue to pander to their progressive base?
Ruy Teixeira is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and the future of American electoral politics. Before joining AEI, he was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Teixeira is co-founder of the Liberal Patriot Substack and co-author of the books The Emerging Democratic Majority (Scribner, 2002) and Where Have All the Democrats Gone? The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes (Henry Holt & Company, 2023).
Read the transcript here.
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For the first time since 1892, a former president has regained the office he lost. President. In a landslide victory, Donald Trump won an extremely diverse coalition worried about the state of America’s economy and southern border. The Democratic Party, meanwhile, lost ignominiously and will have some soul-searching to do in the wake of failed identity politics and attempts to cast Trump and his supporters as a threat to American ideals. Who are the voters that drove Trump to victory? How might Trump’s second term differ from his first? And what can American leaders on both sides do right now to unite the country?
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President Donald Trump has routinely said he supports immigration, as long as it’s legal, including when Marc interviewed the former president for the Washington Post. Then in the pages of National Review, Marc’s AEI colleagues Michael Strain and Ramesh Ponnuru debated the extent to which Trump supported legal immigration during his presidency and now on the campaign trail. So, we are bringing Strain and Ponnuru onto the pod to debate the extent of Trump’s support for legal immigration, and how he might and should address immigration reform in a potential second term.
Ramesh Ponnuru is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies politics and public policy with a particular focus on the future of conservatism. Concurrently, he is the editor of National Review, where he has covered national politics and public policy for 25 years, and a columnist for the Washington Post.
Michael Strain is the director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute. He is also the Professor of Practice at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, a research fellow with the IZA Institute of Labor Economics, a research affiliate with the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a member of the Aspen Economic Strategy Group. Dr. Strain also writes as a columnist for Project Syndicate.
Read the transcript here.
Read Marc’s interview with President Trump in the Washington Post here.
Read Michael Strain’s article in the National Review here.
Read Ramesh Ponnuru’s article in the National Review here.
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On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc speak to Fred Kagan about Israel’s strike against Iran over the weekend, retaliating against Iran’s unprovoked October 1 missile barrage against the Jewish state. Israel’s strike, involving over 100 aircraft, effectively took out Iranian air defense systems and decimated Iran’s missile production capabilities. However, either because of Israel’s strategic calculation or pressure from President Biden, Israel chose not to target Iran’s nuclear or oil production. Did Israel effectively put a halt to the tit-for-tat escalation with Iran? Or did it miss an opportunity to prevent a much more dangerous Iran down the road?
Frederick W. Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He is the author of the 2007 report Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq, which is one of the intellectual architects of the successful “surge” strategy in Iraq, and the book Lessons for a Long War (AEI Press, 2010). His Critical Threats Project, alongside the Institute for the Study of War, releases regular updates on Iranian activity in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and transnational terrorism on the African continent.
Read the transcript here.
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On October 27, 1964, Ronald Reagan launched his political career with his “Time for Choosing” speech, a moment so famous it simply became known as “The Speech.” Ushering in a new era of conservatism, future President Reagan argued that Americans were at a pivotal moment and had a choice to make: Did they want a massive welfare state or lower taxes, government, and greater capitalist innovation? To stand up to the enemies of freedom and American ideals or let Communism spread across the world? To let the government be run by elites or run by the people? On the sixtieth anniversary of this speech, one thing is clear: Reagan’s principles are timeless, and as relevant now as they were sixty years ago.
Peter Schweizer is an investigative journalist and author of five New York Times bestselling books. Peter is also the founder and president of the Government Accountability Institute, host of The Drill Down podcast, and was previously a consultant to the Office of Presidential Speechwriting in the White House for President George W. Bush. He is the author of Reagan's War: The Epic Story of His Forty-Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism (Knopf 2003).
Read the transcript here.
Watch Reagan’s Time for Choosing speech here.
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Find Peter's podcast here.
After a year of fighting between Israel, Iranian proxies, and now Iran itself, it’s still unclear how this war will end. Hezbollah and Hamas are militarily devastated. The Iranian regime has never looked weaker. But the Israel-Hamas war is also nowhere close to being settled, Israel is only now beginning its operations in southern Lebanon, and the world is still awaiting Israeli retaliation for Iran’s October 1 missile attack. In this episode of WTH Live! Elliott Abrams, David Deptula, and Eyal Hulata join Dany at AEI to discuss what the future of Israel’s de facto war with Iran should and will look like.
Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He previously served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in the administration of Donald Trump.
Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula (Ret.) serves as the Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Gen. Deptula was the principal attack planner for the Operation Desert Storm air campaign, commander of no-fly-zone operations over Iraq in the late 1990s, director of the air campaign over Afghanistan in 2001, and has served on two congressional commissions charged with outlining America’s future defense posture. Gen. Deptula retired from the Air Force in 2010 after more than 34 years of distinguished service.
Eyal Hulata is a senior international fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Eyal previously served as Israel’s national security advisor and head of Israel’s National Security Council (NSC). During his tenure, Eyal coordinated the national effort on Iran, coordinated the maritime border agreement with Lebanon, and co-headed the Strategic Consultation Group with his American counterpart, Jake Sullivan.
Read the transcript here.
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Chinese companies control 80% of the shipping cranes in U.S. ports. And the People’s Republic of China is now the largest foreign investor in U.S. shale gas. And Chinese companies operating in the U.S. are regularly caught stealing American intellectual property, personal data, and even genomic data. Why should we care? Because Chinese companies are legally beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, and have given the CCP the opportunity to cripple critical American infrastructure in the event of any confrontation between the U.S. and China. In this episode of WTH Live! the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party outline the threat certain Chinese companies operating in the U.S. pose to national security, and how to combat it.
Congressman John R. Moolenaar represents Michigan's Second Congressional District and serves as the Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Rep. Moolenaar also serves as Michigan’s senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and as the Co-Chair for the School Choice Caucus. Prior to joining the House, Rep. Moolenaar served in the Michigan State Senate and Michigan House of Representatives.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi represents Illinois’s Eighth Congressional District and serves as the Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, making him the first South Asian American in history to lead a Congressional Committee. He also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
Read the transcript here.
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One year ago today, Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre of Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust. In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s article in the WTH Substack, WTH 10/7: It's not just a war on Israel. In the year that followed October 7, 2023, Jews have been the subjects of antisemitic attacks around the world. Iran and its proxies have opened up a seven front war on the Jewish state. And Western leaders have routinely failed to address the problems exposed after October 7, at home and abroad. The time for action was yesterday. But it is never too late to speak out against hate and reject tribalism at home, and the time is now to stop Iran and support American allies abroad.
Read Dany’s article in the WTH Substack here.
General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie was the Commander of United States Central Command when the U.S. took out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. What can we learn from Gen. McKenzie’s time as CENTCOM Commander? It’s simple: America’s enemies respect our strength. And when we fail to punish bad actors, stand by our allies, or uphold our commitments, our enemies – from Iran to Russia to China – are emboldened. In our conversation with Gen. McKenzie, we discuss his new book, lessons from his service under multiple administrations, and the decision making leading up to America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie the former Commander of United States Central Command. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the University of South Florida’s Global National Security Institute, the Executive Director of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity, and as a Distinguished Senior Fellow on National Security at the Middle East Institute. He is the author of The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century (Naval Institute Press, 2024).
Read the transcript here.
In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s article in the WTH Substack, #WTH Meet the President of Iran. Amid the Israeli campaign against Hezbollah leadership, munitions, and anything a Hezbolahi has ever touched, Dany went to New York to meet with the president of Hezbollah’s financier and personal trainer, Iran. Sitting in a room with an odd group of Iranian regime fanboys and some serious people, Dany noticed something interesting: The claims coming from Iran’s president sound an awful lot like what we often hear on college campuses, read in major American news outlets, and see pushed by Western Middle East “experts.” What has happened to the world that Iran can play the victim and not be laughed off the stage? You know the answer to that.
Read Dany’s piece in What the Hell is Going On? here.
Bonus: Learn more about secondary explosions in Lebanon here.
In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Trump disavowed Project 2025. But Harris still owns her Project 2019. Donald Trump has regularly disavowed the Heritage Foundation’s wish list of proposals in its Project 2025, but Kamala Harris has failed to properly explain her shifts away from the far-left policies she campaigned on in 2019 – call it her “Project 2019.” Voters deserve to know why Harris has changed her policy positions so dramatically, and which of her 2019 positions she is actually abandoning.
Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.
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With one page, Israel was able to take thousands of Hezbollah operatives off the battlefield. When Hezbollah feared its modern communications network had been compromised, the Lebanese terrorist organization decided to dole out old-school pagers and two-way radios, hoping they would be more secure. In an operation more reminiscent of James Bond than reality, Israeli intelligence managed to infiltrate Hezbollah’s supply line and implant explosives throughout Hezbollah’s new “secure” communications network. The result? A crippled adversary, boosted Israeli morale, and all with historically low civilian casualties.
Marc Polymeropoulos is a nonresident senior fellow in the Forward Defense practice of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Polymeropoulos worked for twenty-six years at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) before retiring in July 2019 at the Senior Intelligence Service level. He was one of the CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers. He is the author of Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA (HarperCollins, 2021).
Read the transcript here.
Free speech is under attack on America’s college campuses. 2023 was already set to be the worst year for de-platforming – speakers being canceled or shut down because of their views – even before October 7 unleashed waves of antisemitic protests that worked to silence anyone attempting to support the Jewish state. Absent serious reform that protects all voices in our academic institutions, this school year will blow last year out of the water. What can schools do to protect free speech on campus? How are students taking matters into their own hands by rejecting self-censorship? And what are the best and worst schools for freedom of speech?
Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is a regular author on free speech issues and was executive producer of the documentaries Can We Take a Joke? (2015) and Mighty Ira: A Civil Liberties Story (2020). Lukianoff earned his undergraduate degree from American University and his law degree from Stanford.
Read the transcript here.
Read FIRE’s 2025 College Free Speech Rankings here.
More thoughts on that debate, and we cover the fascinating question of the Jewish vote, which traditionally leans heavily Democratic. Following a year of Biden administration equivocation over antisemitic, anti-Zionist, and anti-American protests, Jewish voters in swing states may swing the election in Trump’s favor – if he can focus on policy over cat-related conspiracy theories. How is the debate fallout impacting the election? Will Harris be able to maintain the Democratic Party’s Jewish contingency? And how are fringe voices shifting the messaging of both parties?
Josh Kraushaar is the editor-in-chief of Jewish Insider and a political analyst for Fox News Radio. He was previously a senior political correspondent at Axios, editor-in-chief of the Hotline, and a co-author at the Almanac of American Politics.
Read the transcript here.
In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss the disaster that was the first and likely only debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris came into the debate well prepped, articulate, and managed to dodge the few attempts to make her explain her flip-flopping on a litany of far-left policies. Trump, meanwhile, succumbed to his worst temptations, failing to take advantage of opportunities to knock Harris’s record. Worst of all, the moderators showed a clear and unabashed bias for Harris all night long.
Summer is over and the election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is right around the corner, with early voting starting this month in some states. Today, the election is in effect a tossup with highly possible paths to victory for both candidates. But this election is either’s to lose, with Trump struggling to stay on message and Harris unwilling or unable to speak alone and off script with the American people. What are Harris and Trump’s chances come November? Will the GOP keep the House and re-take Senate? What would a Harris administration mean for America?
Karl Rove is a Wall Street Journal columnist and a Fox News contributor. He is the former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush and is known as “The Architect” of President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns. Rove is the author of The Triumph of William McKinley (Simon & Schuster, 2016) and Courage and Consequence (Threshold Editions, 2010).
Read the transcript here.
Ukraine’s cross-border counterattack into Kursk Oblast, Russia, flipped the script on those who thought Ukrainians were losing in a stalemated war. Not only is the operation a brilliant tactical move, forcing the Russians to move troops to defend their own territory, but the invasion of Kursk also gives Ukraine leverage in any future negotiations. However the war is not won yet, and it is now up to the Biden administration to finally put an end to disastrous policies and restrictions on Ukraine that have only prolonged the fighting.
General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general and the former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army. He is also the Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, a Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst, and a member of the Secretary of Defense Policy Board. General Keane has previously advised four Defense Secretaries and was a member of the 2018 and 2022 Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy.
Read the transcript here.
The Democratic National Convention is full steam ahead in Chicago as the Democrats enthusiastically rally around their new nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. However, amidst celebrity performances and impassioned speeches by former presidents, it can be easy to forget that Harris’s approval rating trailed even Biden’s dismal record up until recently. Moreover, Harris’s sole policy speech of her candidacy baffled even those in her own party. Will Harris be forced to define her policy platform before November? Or will she continue to climb in polls by running off of “vibes and joy”?
Jessica Tarlov joined FOX News Channel as a contributor in 2017 and serves as a rotating co-host of The Five. She also offers political analysis across FNC and FOX Business Network’s programming. In addition to her role on FNC, Tarlov serves as the Vice President of Research and Consumer Insight for Bustle Digital Group. Previously, she served as a senior strategist with Schoen Consulting and worked as a Democratic pollster.
Find the transcript here.
In today’s WTH Extra! episode, Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s latest Washington Post column, The two datapoints that explain why voters hate the Biden-Harris economy. Kamala Harris’s previous attempts to defend Bidenomics have bombed with voters, and for good reason. During the Biden-Harris administration, Americans’ household savings have plummeted while personal debt levels have skyrocketed to the highest levels ever recorded. Yet instead of learning from her mistakes, Harris’s recent economic proposals double down on the policies that unleashed the very inflation Americans are struggling with today.
Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.
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Closing out What the Hell’s summer book series, Brad Wilcox discusses his book Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization (Broadside Books, 2024) in front of a live audience of the very people on whom Wilcox hopes to impress his message: College students. Today, Americans are getting married and starting families older and older, if at all. But America’s youth might be surprised to learn that not only are married people more likely to be more financially stable and successful in their careers than their unmarried peers, but they are generally happier and feel more fulfilled as well. The data is there, we should all Get Married.
Brad Wilcox is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he directs The Home Economics Project. Wilcox is also a Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia, where he directs the National Marriage Project, and is a senior fellow at the Institute for Family Studies. He is the author of Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization (Broadside Books, 2024).
Find Get Married here.
Find the transcript here.
In this episode of What the Hell’s summer book series, the WSJ’s Meghan Cox Gurdon discusses the wonders of audiobooks, reading aloud, and her book The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction (Harper, 2019). The idea of the “talking book” has been with us for almost a century, so why do so many consider audiobooks or books read aloud to us to be cheating? Not only does reading aloud to children and adults bring people closer together, but hearing a book out loud makes it come to life in a special way for the listener. Reading aloud also has incredible benefits for young children and audiobooks have allowed literature to become more accessible to us all.
Meghan Cox Gurdon is a weekly columnist for the books pages of The Wall Street Journal, covering children’s literature as well as a range of titles for adults. A former foreign correspondent and a magna cum laude graduate of Bowdoin College, Meghan has five children with her husband, the English journalist Hugo Gurdon. She is the author of The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction (Harper 2019).
Find The Enchanted Hour here.
Find the transcript here.
Kicking off What the Hell’s summer book series, Arthur Brooks discusses his new bestseller with Oprah Winfrey, Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier (Portfolio, 2023). While happiness is traditionally seen as a field studied by philosophers and religious leaders, Brooks uses science and data to answer the question, WTH can I do to become happier? America is facing a happiness crisis. And while this may not come as a surprise, by prioritizing real relationships over social media, giving of yourself to others over selfishness, and acknowledging that you must take control of your life over waiting for the world to change for you, anyone can become a happier person.
Arthur Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He was previously the president of the American Enterprise Institute for ten years, where he held the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Free Enterprise. He is the author of thirteen books and writes the popular How to Build a Life column at The Atlantic.
Find Build the Life You Want here.
Find the transcript here.
In today’s WTH Extra! episode, Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s latest Washington Post column, Harris is a gaffe-prone leftist. Why didn’t anyone challenge her?Vice President Kamala Harris is sure to be at the top of the Democratic ticket come November. But Democrats may end up with buyers’ remorse as voters get to know her over the course of the next hundred days. Harris was the most liberal senator during her time in Congress and is prone to public slip-ups, yet does not have the excuse of age. When the honeymoon phase is over, Democrats might wish they had had a real primary after all.
Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.
Subscribe to our substack here.
President Biden's sudden withdrawal from the 2024 election may have come as a surprise, but his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party's coalescing around the VP to be at the top of their ticket is not. The party of identity politics is now taking a huge gamble with an untested and unpopular likely nominee for president. Not only has Harris been less popular than Biden throughout his presidency, but she's entering the general election with a dismal electoral track record and will be forced to defend the current administration's unpopular policies. How will candidate Harris perform against Trump on the national stage? And how might a President Harris continue or change Biden's policy agenda?
Ruy Teixeira is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and the future of American electoral politics. Before joining AEI, he was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Teixeira is co-author of the books The Emerging Democratic Majority (Scribner, 2002) and Where Have All the Democrats Gone? The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes (Henry Holt & Company, 2023).
Read the transcript here.
Following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump’s life in Pennsylvania, the former president is moving full steam ahead with his campaign as the Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee. Trump started the convention Monday off with a bang, announcing his VP choice, Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) – a controversial decision that promises handwringing around the globe. Meanwhile, the Biden campaign continues to flounder, struggling to reset post-debate disaster, with Democrats still speaking privately about a forced exit strategy for the ailing incumbent. How might Vance help or hurt Trump’s chances in November? And how are both parties shifting their tones following the tragic events of the weekend?
Brit Hume currently serves as a chief political analyst for FOX News Channel (FNC). He acts as a regular panelist on FOX's weekly public affairs program, FOX News Sunday, and contributes to all major political coverage. Before joining FOX News, Hume was with ABC News for 23 years and served as ABC’s chief White House correspondent.
Read the transcript here.
In today’s WTH Extra! episode, Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s latest Washington Post column, How Trump Can Make NATO Great Again. While in office, President Trump pushed allies to meet their NATO commitments, leaving the alliance militarily stronger than it had been since the Cold War. But with a myriad of new threats facing the West, NATO is in an urgent need of a MAGA makeover that builds on the accomplishments of Trump’s first term.
Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.
Subscribe to our substack here.
On June 4, Wall Street Journal reporters Annie Linskey and Siobhan Hughes broke the groundbreaking story Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs of Slipping. In response, Democrats and the media alike called it a “hit piece” against Biden designed to get Trump re-elected. But when Biden appeared on stage against Trump in their first presidential debate, America saw a frail and elderly president who before had only existed behind closed doors. Will Biden be the Democratic nominee for president? And how did the media help cover up Biden’s now obvious cognitive decline?
Annie Linskey is a White House reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Before joining the Journal, she worked for the Washington Post as a White House reporter and was the lead reporter on Democrats for the Boston Globe's Washington bureau during the 2016 campaign. She also reported on the Obama White House for Bloomberg News and BusinessWeek.
Read the transcript here.
In a spate of end-of-term decisions, the Supreme Court released its decision on the question of presidential immunity, ruling that the president has broad protections from criminal prosecution for “official acts,” a presumption of immunity for likely official acts, and zero immunity for private acts. Does this now mean that the U.S. now has a “king” as head of state, someone above the law, as many have implied? Can the president really release Seal Team 6 to kill political rivals without consequence? The answer is simple: No. Rather, the Court continued the job of rebalancing our Republic in favor of three branches, with Congress as the clear venue for trying any president for high crimes and misdemeanors. What does the ruling mean for Trump’s pending trials? And how is criticism of the Court eroding it as an American institution?
Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at the National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and the author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency. Previously, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Read the transcript here.
In today’s WTH Extra! episode, Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s recent substack, Joe Won’t Go. Will President Biden take the advice of panicked liberal pundits, politicians, and advisors and drop off the top of the Democratic ticket? Long story short: No. And notwithstanding the flurry of unwanted advice the White House is receiving, it really is up to the President. You see, Joe likes being President, and so do the rest of the Bidens.
Read Dany’s substack here.
The numbers are in, and it’s clear that Americans of all political stripes – Democrats, independents, and both MAGA and non-MAGA Republicans – want America to be engaged and leading on the world stage. The Reagan Institute’s new summer survey shows that the vast majority of Americans want a strong military; support defending NATO allies; and continue to support Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel. But hidden in the crosstabs is an important finding: The myth of MAGA isolationism and Republican support for Russia is just that, a myth. Self-identified “MAGA Republicans” were more internationalist than “non-MAGA Republicans” on every issue and the number of Democrats and Republicans who want Russia to win over Ukraine is a statistical tie.
Roger Zakheim serves as the Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. He previously practiced law at Covington & Burling LLP where he led the firm’s Public Policy and Government Affairs practice group. Before joining Covington he was General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee where he managed the passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act. He was also the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Read the transcript here.
Find the Reagan Institute's summer survey here.
In this new WTH Extra! series, Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s recent Washington Post column, Biden’s Latest Attack on Trump is Wildly Inaccurate. Is Trump really the isolationist his detractors make him out to be? Or is he the second coming of Charles Lindberg some of his supporters hope for? Turns out, the isolationists who claim to represent the MAGA agenda might not be so representative after all.
Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.
Subscribe to our substack here.
Georgia’s parliament in Tbilisi recently overrode a presidential veto on a “foreign agents” law that sparked an uproar domestically and from the country’s Western allies. Critics decried the legislation—which requires any organization receiving more than 20% of its funding from foreign sources to register as an “agent of foreign influence”—as yet another element in the Russian takeover of the small South Caucasian nation. Russia still occupies 20% of Georgia’s territory. Why should Americans care about Russian games in a country of 3 million people? Because for Vladimir Putin, Georgia is just the beginning of his ambitions in Europe. And the Georgian people are among the most pro-American in the region, at one point the second largest troop contributor to our war on al Qaeda. Standing up for Georgia now means avoiding conflict later.
David Kramer serves as the Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute. Prior to joining the Bush Institute, he taught at Florida International University’s Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, and served as an Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs. David chairs the board of the Free Russia Foundation and serves on the board of the International Republican Institute.
Read the transcript here.
This past weekend, Israeli special forces rescued four hostages Hamas kidnapped on October 7 and held in Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp. Israelis were ecstatic about the news. Meanwhile, Israel’s usual detractors in the West accused Israel of war crimes for harming “civilians” during the operation, apparently forgetting that Hamas chose to embed hostages within Gaza’s civilian population. What does the hostage rescue mean for the prospects of saving the remaining 120 hostages? Will turmoil and resignations at the senior levels of Israel’s national security government derail efforts to destroy Hamas? What does the future hold for this war amid growing threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon?
Haviv Rettig Gur is The Times of Israel’s senior analyst. Before joining the Times of Israel, he was a reporter for the Jerusalem Post. Haviv has reported from over 20 countries and served as director of communications for the Jewish Agency for Israel, Israel’s largest NGO. He lectures on Israeli politics, the US-Israel relationship, the peace process, modern Jewish history and identity, and Israel-diaspora relations. Haviv lives in Jerusalem with his wife and two sons.
Read the transcript here.
Last week, Donald Trump became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a felony after a New York State court found him guilty on 34 counts of concealing hush money payments to “influence the 2016 election." Despite the precedent-breaking nature of the case, the stench of politics was strong: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg campaigned on the promise he would prosecute Trump, used novel legal theories to conjure a felony charge against the former president, and prosecuted a federal crime in a state court. Nor was Bragg alone: Judge Merchan not only allowed Bragg’s charges, but ruled with Bragg on every tough decision, and handed out jury instructions that all but guaranteed a conviction. Will Trump’s conviction get overturned on appeal? What does this conviction mean for Americans’ trust in our judicial system?
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. At GWU, he is also the Director of the Environmental Law Advocacy Center, and Executive Director of the Project for Older Prisoners. Professor Turley has served as counsel in some of the most notable cases in the last two decades including the representation of whistleblowers, military personnel, judges, and members of Congress, and has testified before Congress over 100 times. His upcoming book is The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage (Simon and Schuster, 2024).
Read the transcript here.
Order The Indispensable Right here.
Following a year of record-high antisemitic attacks and incidents on college campuses, students, professors, and administrators need to be held to account. But fighting hate speech in academia while upholding freedom of speech is a tricky line to balance. That’s why Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) are introducing the COLUMBIA Act – which would empower the Department of Education to appoint independent antisemitism monitors on campuses of concern – and were pioneers of the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which codifies the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. We talk about the role Civil Rights Act Title VI protections play for institutions receiving federal funding and get into how foreign actors are helping spread antisemitism in the US.
Representative Mike Lawler represents New York’s 17th Congressional District. Prior to serving in the House of Representatives, Rep. Lawler represented New York’s 97th District in the State Assembly. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Representative Ritchie Torres represents NY-15 in Congress. He is a member of the Committee on Financial Services and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Before joining Congress, Rep. Torres served on New York City’s City Council.
Read the transcript here.
This week, International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan, K.C., announced on CNN that he will seek arrest warrants for Israel’s democratically elected Prime Minister and Defense Minister, as well as three members of Hamas leadership because of “crimes against humanity” related to October 7 and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war. Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute that underpins the ICC, which therefore has no legal jurisdiction in Israel. The ICC has admitted a “State of Palestine,” which theoretically grants jurisdiction over actions in “Palestine” and over Hamas figures. How should Washington respond to the ICC’s extrajudicial investigation? And how will the ICC’s announcement affect its global standing?
Tom Cotton is a United States Senator from Arkansas. Senator Cotton’s committees include the Judiciary Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, the Intelligence Committee, and the Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member of the Air Land Power Subcommittee. Before joining the Senate, Senator Cotton was a member of the House of Representatives and served on active duty in the United States Army as an Infantry Officer.
Read the transcript here.
Sign up for the Substack here.
President Biden is pushing through climate regulations at record speed as his administration, activists, and international organizations warn of an impending climate disaster absent drastic policy changes. But as the US pauses exports of liquefied natural gas and attempts to spend over a trillion dollars on climate initiatives, few stop to ask the question, “Is the world really headed towards climate apocalypse?” In short, no. Climate science relies on scenarios, of which there are thousands. However, billionaires, policymakers, and climate forums have ensured that the most extreme, outdated, and implausible scenario is now the global “baseline.” What do climate scientists actually think of RCP 8.5? And how can US policy better reflect the realities of climate change?
Roger Pielke Jr. is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on science and technology policy, the politicization of science, and energy and climate. He is concurrently a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder; a distinguished fellow at the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan; a research associate of Risk Frontiers (Sydney, Australia); and an honorary professor of University College London. Dr. Pielke is a regular contributor for and oversees the popular substack The Honest Broker.
Read the transcript here.
Former president Donald Trump is on trial in New York over hush money payments made before the 2016 election. The only problem? Hush money payments as part of non-disclosure agreements are not illegal. New York state prosecutor Alvin Bragg alleges that by improperly filing the payments in Trump’s business records he was trying to conceal “another crime” – campaign finance law violations. Here’s the problem: Bragg not only lacks authority to prosecute campaign finance violations, but even the Biden administration’s Justice Department did not pursue campaign finance violation charges against Trump. Is Bragg’s case against Trump constitutional? And how will such politically motivated cases eat away at America’s rule of law?
John Yoo is the Emanuel Heller Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Stanford University. Yoo was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the general council of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. His most recent book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court (Regnery, 2023) with Robert Delahunty.
Read the transcript here.
Self-proclaimed “anti-Israel” and “anti-war” protests have gripped college campuses ever since Hamas’ brutal terrorist attack killed, injured, and took hostage thousands of Israeli civilians on October 7. However, in recent weeks, protesters have begun taking siege to universities across the country, setting up 77 “encampments” on quads, vandalizing property, barricading themselves in buildings, and physically and verbally assaulting Jewish students who dare to pass by them. The response from many college administrators and faculty has been timid, when not directly supportive of protesters that have turned violently antisemitic. Where does this antisemitism come from? And what can we do to stamp out the pervasive Jew-hatred plaguing our universities?
Adam Lehman is the President and CEO of Hillel International, the largest Jewish student organization in the world. Adam started his career at Skadden, Arps, and spent two decades as an executive and entrepreneur, including as a Senior Vice President at AOL. He was a Harry S. Truman Scholar at Dartmouth College and is a graduate of Harvard Law School.
Read the transcript here.
President Joe Biden is one of the least popular presidents in the history of presidential polling. Former President Donald Trump faces 91 charges across four criminal cases. Despite their woes and the overwhelming desire of the American people to vote “none of the above,” President Biden and former President Trump will still face off for the second time this November. How will these two senior citizens make the sale? What will most likely hurt them on November 4? Does a third-party candidate have a real shot at the presidency?
Amy Walter is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Amy is also a contributor to the PBS NewsHour, a regular Sunday panelist on NBC’s Meet the Press, and appears frequently on CNN and Fox News. Previously, Amy was the political director of ABC News and an inaugural fellow at the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago.
Matthew Continetti is the director of Domestic Policy Studies and the inaugural Patrick and Charlene Neal Chair in American Prosperity at the American Enterprise Institute. His work has a particular focus on the development of the Republican Party in the 20th century. Matt was also the founding editor and the editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon.
Read the transcript here.
Last weekend, for the first time since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979, Iran launched a direct attack on Israel from Iranian territory. In total, some 170 drones, 120 surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, and more than 30 cruise missiles targeted Israel, with most coming from Iran, and some from Iranian proxies in Iraq and Yemen. In response to what was a well-advertised attack, Israel, the United States, Great Britain, France, and Jordan (among other Arab countries) deployed from land, sea, and air with jets, missile defense, and a guided missile cruiser among a sophisticated array of defensive assets. As a result, a reported seven missiles landed mostly harmlessly in Israel, with injuries restricted to shrapnel injuring a young Bedouin girl. Israeli and American leaders were quick to celebrate Iran’s failed attack and the “restoration of deterrence.” But are the Israelis correct in celebrating Iran’s inability to cause real damage? Or are they ignoring the very real risk that seven Iranian missiles actually hit the State of Israel? What will Iran learn from this exercise? And how did their attack reflect the lessons Russia is learning on Iranian equipment in Ukraine?
Frederick W. Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He is the author of the 2007 report Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq, which is one of the intellectual architects of the successful “surge” strategy in Iraq, and the book Lessons for a Long War (AEI Press, 2010). His Critical Threats Project, alongside the Institute for the Study of War, releases regular updates on Iranian activity in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and transnational terrorism on the African continent.
Download the transcript here.
Find the Critical Threats Project's Iran Updates here.
Joe Biden and the Democratic Party love labeling Donald Trump and his MAGA followers as the greatest threat to American democracy. So why are Democratic-aligned Super PACs funding self-declared MAGA candidates in GOP primaries? In a recent article for the Wall Street Journal, Barton Swaim explains that there are two reasons: The strategy has (so far) helped Democrats win in general elections; more importantly, Democrats long for a time when they were part of the heroic resistance against Trump. But this strategy could backfire: Democratic lawfare against Trump is helping him win over voters who think “the system” is rigged against them. And the moment a Democrat-funded MAGA candidate wins a general election, their warnings about MAGA’s threat to democracy will fall flat on its face.
Barton Swaim joined the Wall Street Journal as an editorial page writer in 2018. He writes a regular column on political books. Before joining the Journal, he was an opinion editor at the Weekly Standard. He is the author of The Speechwriter: A Brief Education in Politics (Simon and Schuster, 2016).
Read the transcript here.
Read Barton's article Why Democrats Can’t Quit Trump here.
In the wake of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, Joe Biden stood by America’s closest Middle Eastern partner, providing diplomatic cover and military aid. Recently, however, the Biden administration has become increasingly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli operations in Gaza. In March, Biden refused to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire without conditioning it on the release of Israeli hostages or acknowledging the atrocities of October 7. Why the sudden shift in tone from the Biden administration? Will the growing rift between Biden and Netanyahu affect Israel’s war aims in Gaza? And how will Biden’s failure to stand by Israel affect American partnerships in the region?
Dan Senor is the host of the podcast Call Me Back and co-author of New York Times bestselling books The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation and Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle. He is a former Defense Department official, was a senior advisor to former Speaker Paul Ryan’s campaign for vice president, and was a foreign policy advisor to Senator Mitt Romney’s presidential campaigns. Dan was educated at the University of Western Ontario, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Harvard Business School. He is currently a partner at Elliott Investment Management.
Read the transcript here.
Find Dan Senor's podcast here.
According to President Biden, his stewardship of the economy – which he has dubbed “Bidenomics” – should be praised as the best America has ever seen. Unemployment is down and jobs are up. So why exactly are Americans giving such poor ratings to Bidenomics? Perhaps it’s because Biden’s $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package unleashed the worst inflation in 40 years. And while inflation may be lower today than it was three years ago, its compounding effects mean that prices are still sky-high. On top of that, Americans recently hit a record high of over a trillion dollars in credit card debt. In short, it doesn’t take a PhD to understand that Americans are hurting.
Gary D. Cohn is the Vice Chairman of IBM and served as chief economic advisor and the 11th Director of the National Economic Council to President Donald Trump. Before serving in the White House, Mr. Cohn was President and Chief Operating Officer of Goldman Sachs, a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, and Chairman of the Firmwide Client and Business Standards Committee. Mr. Cohn began his career at U.S. Steel before moving to New York to trade on the New York Commodities Exchange.
Read the transcript here.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, students, parents, and teachers were told they have to stay home from school in order to stop the spread of disease. Anyone who questioned that advice was labeled a conspiracy theorist who does not "trust the science." Now, the public is waking up to the real effects of “long COVID” -- the longer students stayed away from school, the more they are choosing to stay home today, with all the learning and social loss that implies. Who suffers the most? Minorities and the poor. Who cares? Not the teachers' unions or the government that caused this disaster.
Nat Malkus is a senior fellow and the deputy director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he specializes in empirical research on K–12 schooling. He is a national expert on a range of educational issues that affect students across the country—including Career and Technical Education, school choice, Advanced Placement, standardized testing, and how the nation’s schools responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Download the transcript here.
Read the WTH substack here.
Following the terrorist attacks of October 7th, Harvard University was among several elite bastions of higher education to show its true colors – moral relativism, raw antisemitism on campus, and poor leadership. Harvard, like other elite institutions, has and will continue to suffer reputational damage for its response. And indeed, the rot of higher ed is deep. It is not that a liberal bias has metastasized into illiberalism, but rather that illiberalism has been layered on top of a creeping and extreme form of leftism. What is going on in our country’s top universities? Who is to blame? How do we solve it?
Lawrence H. Summers was Chief Economist of the World Bank (1991-93), US Secretary of the Treasury (1999-2001), Director of the US National Economic Council (2009-10), and President of Harvard University (2001-06).
Download the transcript here.
Read the WTH Substack here.
Super Tuesday wrapped up as predicted, with Trump sweeping the GOP win and Haley dropping out. Barring a meteorite, this means we are locked into a Trump-Biden rematch. But the newest Harvard-Harris CAPS poll reveals an America that is not as certain as primary voting behavior suggests – overwhelmingly, they profess a desire for a non-Biden non-Trump choice at the polls. For voters, immigration has become a national priority, even in states (Alaska) that are nowhere close to the southern border. Meanwhile, inflation, which affects everyone, has moved farther down in voters’ anxieties. And then there’s the large majority of voters who are comfortable marking on a poll that they believe Trump is a felon or that Biden is incompetent, but then vote for them anyway. This week, we try to get some clarity about these puzzling contradictions.
Mark Penn is the chairman of the Harris Poll, as well as leading research companies including the National Research Group, Harris Insights & Analytics and HarrisX. He is the co-founder of the Harvard-Harris Poll, a monthly poll on key public opinion topics crucial to Americans like taxes and healthcare. He's also the president and managing partner of the Stagwell Group, a private equity fund. He previously held senior executive roles with Microsoft, WPP, and senior strategic roles on electoral campaigns for President Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, and Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Download the transcript here.
Read the WTH substack here.
Check out Mark Penn's poll here.
Two years ago, at the start of the war in Ukraine, $300 billion in Russian assets were frozen in Western banks. The assumption behind Western economic pressure on Russia was that sanctions and seizures of oligarchs’ funds would have a chilling effect on both Russia’s economy and the pursuit of the war in Ukraine. They have not. As a result, for only the second time in history, the United States is considering seizing Russian assets. Congress, in the lead, has brought the Biden administration around. The President needs new authorities to move forward. But seizing the frozen $300 billion – only $5 billion of which is in the United States – and re-distributing it to Ukraine for reconstruction and other reparation efforts is fraught. Will the Euros go along? Will this radical change affect how states approach seizing aggressors’ assets? Perhaps more importantly, is the Biden administration’s signal of approval for the policy just talk, or will Washington finally pull together measures that hit Russia where it hurts?
Stephen Rademaker, currently Senior of Counsel at Covington and Burling LLP, has wide-ranging experience working on national security issues in the White House, the State Department, and the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Serving as an Assistant Secretary of State from 2002 through 2006, he headed at various times three bureaus of the State Department, including the Bureau of Arms Control and the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation. Previously, he served as General Counsel of the Peace Corps, Associate Counsel to the President in the Office of White House Counsel, and as Deputy Legal Adviser to the National Security Council.
Download the transcript here.
Read the WTH Substack here.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine exactly two years ago, Yaroslav Trofimov has been covering the war on the ground. His newest book, Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence, is a stunning account of the lead-up to the war and how Ukraine has consistently upended the conventional wisdom about its prospects for victory. But in recent weeks, the Ukrainians have faltered, with support from the United States hung up in a divided Congress. What is the lesson of history? That our enemies will vanish – as long as America is resolute.
Yaroslav Trofimov is the chief foreign affairs correspondent of The Wall Street Journal. He has covered the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and has been working out of Ukraine since January 2022. He joined the Journal in 1999 and previously served as Rome, Middle East and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as Dubai-based columnist on the greater Middle East. He is the author of three books, Our Enemies Will Vanish (2024), Faith at War (2005) and Siege of Mecca (2007).
Download the transcript here.
Read the WTH Substack here.
Check out Yaro's new book here.
Alexei Navalny was allowed one book in his Siberian prison. He chose Fear No Evil by former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, who joins us for an important conversation today to speak about his correspondence with Navalny and his own experience in a Siberian forced labor camp. Why did Navalny return to Moscow, and to certain arrest? What were his aims? What is it like to be held in what Sharansky refers to as his “alma mater” -- solitary confinement? And given Navalny’s murder, has Putin’s regime etched another notch in its belt, or is it still doomed to fail, as Sharansky predicted long ago? We talk Putin, Hamas, liberalism and neo-Marxism with one of the greats.
Natan Sharansky is a former Soviet refusnik, an Israeli politician, author and human rights activist. In 1978, Sharansky was convicted of treason and spying on behalf of the United States, and was sentenced to thirteen years imprisonment in a Siberian forced labor camp. Sharansky served as Minister of Industry and Trade from June 1996-1999. He served as Minister of the Interior from July 1999 until his resignation in July 2000 and as Minister of Housing and Construction and Deputy Prime Minister from March 2001 until February 2003. In February 2003, Natan Sharansky was appointed Minister without Portfolio, responsible for Jerusalem, social and Diaspora affairs. In November 2006 Natan Sharansky resigned from the Knesset and assumed the position of Chairman of the then newly-established Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies of the Shalem Center in Jerusalem. In June 2009, he was elected and sworn in as Chairman of The Jewish Agency for Israel, a post he still holds. Natan Sharansky is the author of four books: Fear No Evil (1988), The Case for Democracy (2004), Defending Identity (2008), and Never Alone: Prison, Politics, and My People (2020).
Download the transcript here.
Read the WTH Substack here.
Read Navalny's letters to Sharansky here.
The Department of Justice released a report that Joe Biden willfully retained classified documents – but can’t be tried because - long story short - he is non compos mentis. The Dems are outraged. Is it justified? On the other side of the aisle, Trump is facing 14th Amendment charges to keep him off the ballot. Is that legal? And finally, the House is mired in debates ongoing about passing a border bill. What was wrong with the Senate bill? As usual, there is a lot going on this week – but we have the guest to help us understand it all.
Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.
Download the transcript here.
Media outlets have just begun to report on the rot of the United Nations Relief Works Agency – but the issue goes much farther back than October 7th, and the consequences will extend long past today. The top lines are that the Western-funded UN agency taught antisemitic propaganda in Palestinian territories for years; funded Hamas endeavors leading up to and including October 7; and has actually perpetuated the victimhood of Palestinians. To address the future of Israel-Palestine, one thing is clear: external “aid” cannot be funding and teaching extremism and terrorism.
P.S.: For more UNRWA background, listen to our episode on the topic with Brett Schaefer.
Dr. Jonathan Schanzer is the senior vice president for research at FDD. He previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he followed and froze the funding of Hamas and Al-Qaeda. Jonathan has held previous think tank research positions at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Middle East Forum. He has written hundreds of articles on the Middle East and U.S. national security. His most recent book is Gaza Conflict 2021: Hamas, Israel and Eleven Days of War (FDD Press 2021).
Download the transcript here.
Check out the WTH substack here.
Read Jonathan Schanzer's testimony here.
America seems to be on a locked path towards a Trump-Biden rematch in 2024. But is this what people want? The polls say no. And is this really our only option? No Labels, the organization looking at presenting a third-party candidate, agrees. Decried (mostly by Democrats, for now) as a spoiler, No Labels leadership believes that for the first time, a third party candidate has a shot at winning the election. And what is their path to victory? Winning unconventional states, making a common sense case to Americans, and broadening the election. All will be revealed, maybe, by Super Tuesday.
Pat McCrory is the national co-chair of No Labels. He served as the 74th governor of North Carolina from 2013 – 2017, and the 53rd mayor of Charlotte before that. While serving as mayor of Charlotte, McCrory served on the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2002 to 2006 under President George W. Bush.
Download the transcript here.
Read the WTH Substack here.
Trump won the New Hampshire primaries, but Nikki Haley is staying in the race. We had a lot of questions for our guest on what this might mean for the next few weeks of primary voting, what this might mean for a potential third party candidate down the line, and yes, what this might mean for a Biden-Trump rematch. But there are some known quantities, too. Team Biden can't imagine anything better than to challenge Trump -- he might be the one Republican they can beat. And vice versa for Team Trump… Joe Biden is their ideal opponent.
Josh Kraushaar is the editor-in-chief of Jewish Insider, and is a political analyst for Fox News Radio.
Download the transcript here.
Subscribe to the WTH substack here.
The 2024 Iowa caucuses have come and gone, with the key takeaways some freezing temperatures, low turnout, and a Trump slam dunk. 15 percent of eligible Iowans gave 51% of the vote to the former president. Of course, that also means that about half voted for somebody other than Trump. Most disappointed was Nikki Haley, who surprised us all with a lagging third place, while Ron DeSantis pulled ahead to second. So, is the 2024 GOP nomination a done deal for Trump? Maybe. But the year has just begun, and some more challenging ground is ahead for the Donald and his would-be replacements.
Sean Trende is a nonresident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he works on elections, American political trends, voting patterns, and demographics. He is also the senior elections analyst for RealClearPolitics. Before becoming a full-time political analyst, Mr. Trende practiced law for eight years, during which time he represented clients before a variety of settings ranging from state trial courts to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Download the transcript here.
Subscribe to the WTH substack here.
Read Marc's GOP vs. Biden analysis here.
Generation Z is now entering the workforce, and free speech levels have never been so low in America. Coincidence? We think not. Legions of Gen Zers are bringing the totalitarian ideas they were spoon-fed in university — CRT, DEI, and other Neo-Marxist ideas — into the American mainstream. As a result, we are at a peak cancel culture moment. How did this happen, who is to blame, and most importantly, how do we close Pandora’s box? Our guests — authors of a new book on cancel culture — suggest we cannot, but we can move forward and begin to right some of these wrongs. It starts with raising kids who aren’t cancelers, keeping corporations out of the cult of cancellation, fixing K-12, and reforming higher education.
Greg Lukianoff is the president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and one of the country’s most passionate defenders of free expression. Together with Rikki Schlott, he is the author of The Canceling of the American Mind. He has written on free speech issues in the nation’s top newspapers, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, and was executive producer of the documentaries Can We Take a Joke? and Mighty Ira. Lukianoff earned his undergraduate degree from American University and his law degree from Stanford.
Rikki Schlott is a New York City-based journalist and political commentator. She is a research fellow at FIRE, host of the Lost Debate podcast, a columnist at the New York Post, and a regular contributor to numerous publications and television programs. Her commentary focuses on free speech, campus culture, civil liberties, and youth issues from a Generation Z perspective.
Download the transcript here.
Subscribe to the WTH substack here.
Check out Greg and Rikki's book here.
2023 was not a year of shining achievements for the Biden administration. But along with the bad, there were achievements worth celebrating. So this year, Marc continues his tradition with the top ten best and worst things Biden did in 2023. Among the best relate to China – the replicator initiative, restrictions on Chinese advanced tech, and military aid for Taiwan – as well as his support for Israel and Ukraine. Among the worst were his slow rolling aid to Ukraine, softness on Iran, student loan forgiveness… and running for reelection.
Download the transcript here.
Read the 10 Worst here.
Read the 10 Best here.
Subscribe to the WTH substack here.
Happy holidays from the WTH team. In case you missed it, we are re-upping one of our best pods of the year with John Yoo, to explain why kicking candidates off the ballot (looking at you, Colorado) is undemocratic...
Is it correct that election officials can disqualify Trump based on the 14th Amendment? Was it really necessary or strategic to begin impeachment proceedings against Biden now? Is our Republic unraveling? This is precisely why Marc and Dany called on Biden to pardon Trump. This is why Abraham Lincoln said that a compass that points true north is only useful if one also knows the terrain we traverse.
Download the transcript here.
Nearly three months into the Israel-Hamas war, we’re back with Elliott Abrams for an update on what the hell is going on, and more importantly, where to go from here. The military objectives – what Israel must do in order to secure its people – are one level, but as the conflict continues, there are deeper issues that will take time and clarity to address. How do we deradicalize both the Palestinian population in support of Hamas? What about Hezbollah? Iran? And how can we help Israeli security when we are struggling Hamas supporters here at home? Why is the United States so loath to defend itself in the Red Sea? And why are there hundreds – hundreds—of Biden administration employees virtue-signaling their personal disagreement with the policy of the President of the United States?
Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, DC. He served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in the administration of Donald Trump.
Download the transcript here.
Check out Elliott Abrams' recent piece here.
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In 2002, Ruy Teixeira co-authored The Emerging Democratic Majority. Now, two decades later, his new book is out – Where Have All the Democrats Gone? So what happened to the Democratic Party in those intervening years? A couple of major factors stand out. First, the Democrats have bled working-class voters – once the party’s base. This means that your average Democrat today is not a UAW union worker, but probably a middle to upper-class post-grad student at Harvard. Or Colombia. Or U Penn. Second, the party’s mission has been captured by extreme versions of wokeism, making progressivism synonymous with total agreement with the far Left. And while the Dems’ recent winning streak is attributable to the specific alchemy of special and off-year elections – in 2024, it will be a much bigger challenge to see how coastal elites and college grads sustain the party.
Ruy Teixeira is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and the future of American electoral politics. Before joining AEI, he was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress from 2003 to 2022. He coedits “The Liberal Patriot” blog. His new book is Where Have All the Democrats Gone? The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes (Henry Holt & Company).
Download the transcript here.
Check out Ruy Teixeira's new book here.
Check out the Liberal Patriot Substack here.
Subscribe to the WTH substack here.
The best-kept secret about aid to Ukraine? 90% of the money the US allocates for military aid is spent here at home. The money goes right to American defense companies that employ American workers to produce the weapons systems that Ukraine is using to fight Russia. Not only that: the money is revitalizing decayed production lines, bringing back institutional knowledge about weapons manufacturing to the fore, and pushing the American defense sector to innovate and modernize old weapons systems. But this is all being done begrudgingly by the Pentagon and painfully slowly by the Biden admin, and with zero support from several loud voices in the GOP. At a time when the US is facing three major threat environments – Russia-Ukraine, Hamas-Israel, and a future China-Taiwan – why is Congress so confused about the need to rebuild America’s defenses? Why aren’t Congressmen pushing harder for more jobs in their own districts for their own constituents, instead of prioritizing their own isolationist agenda? Bonus: read Marc’s piece in the Washington Post laying out the argument, and the data, for Ukraine aid benefiting the American worker.
John Ferrari is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where his work focuses on the defense budget, defense reform and acquisition, and the US military. Over his 32-year US Army career, Major General Ferrari, who is now retired, served as the director of program analysis and evaluation, the commanding general of the White Sands Missile Range, a deputy commander for programs at the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan, and a strategic planner for the Combined Joint Task Force Seven in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Major General Ferrari has also worked as a branch chief for contingency operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the US Department of Defense and as a program examiner at the Office of Management and Budget at the White House.
Download the transcript here.
Why is the United Nations siding with Hamas in its war on Israel? An exaggeration? Nope. The examples are endless. The United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), devoted to the question of Palestinian refugees in name, but de facto a front for Hamas; leadership on the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council from China and Iran, setting the anti-Israel agenda; UN employees teaching antisemitic propaganda, promoting Hamas on their personal social media accounts, and blocking condemnation of terrorism. What’s more, all this is paid for, in large part, by the American taxpayer. It’s time to reform the United Nations, or, absent the necessary changes, to cut off their cash.
Brett D. Schaefer is the Jay Kingham Senior Research Fellow in International Regulatory Affairs at Heritage’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. From 2019 to 2021, Schaefer was appointed by the U.N. General Assembly to serve on the Committee on Contributions, which advises the General Assembly on the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations among member states. He worked at the Pentagon as an assistant for International Criminal Court policy from March 2003 to March 2004.
Download the transcript here.
Read Dany's National Review piece here.
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Since the events of October 7, the Chinese Communist Party has been spreading virulent antisemitic memes in the U.S. via its favorite information warfare tool: Tik Tok. We have had episodes on Tik Tok before, but the urgency of this issue has reached a fever pitch, culminating with the celebration of Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America” on the app last week. Tik Tok is pervasive – around a third of young adults use it for news – and it is incredibly effective. It is not just the propaganda that is convincing young Americans to hate America and ally themselves with bin Laden, Iran, and antisemites everywhere. And it is not even the losses on Xi Jinping’s “smokeless battlefield.” It is the question of the easy control of young American hearts and minds – which apparently march to the TikTok algorithm’s orders – and the consequent control the Chinese Communist Party has over American opinions and American politics. Bonus: There are also transgenic mice.
Congressman Mike Gallagher has represented Wisconsin’s 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017. In the 118th Congress, Representative Gallagher serves as Chairman of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, as Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation, and on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Download the transcript here.
What do Critical Race Theory and antisemitism have in common? A lot, actually, from the roots of each movement, to the ideology, to the way they are weaponized by the left today. The overarching philosophy linking these movements together is a Manichean ordering of peoples into groups of oppressed or oppressor – usually, but not always, based on the color of one’s skin. Indeed, it is no mistake that in the aftermath of WWII, Jews sought to categorize themselves as white, a move that has now fed the bizarre oppressor/colonizer trope so popular on the left. First Jews weren’t white enough for the white supremacists, but now are too white for the CRT crowd. Not to mention the shifting ideological assaults on Jewish groups, once accused of being communists now accused of being capitalists. Yes, donors are pulling out of universities that harbor pro-terrorist groups; yes, the support of Hamas the past few weeks has been a PR disaster for wokeism. But it will take a lot more than that to root out the antisemitic and real race-based discrimination that has gripped America.
David E. Bernstein holds a University Professorship chair at the Antonin Scalia Law School, where he has been teaching since 1995. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of Michigan, Georgetown University, William & Mary, Brooklyn Law School, the University of Turin, and Hebrew University. Professor Bernstein teaches Constitutional Law, Evidence, and Products Liability. His most recent book is Classified, The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America.
Download the transcript here.
It is unclear whether Iran chose the exact date and time of the Hamas attacks, but the detail is irrelevant. The Islamic Republic of Iran has funded, coordinated, trained, and armed Hamas and other proxies for years. Should Israel not definitively succeed in eliminating Hamas, Iran will learn a critical lesson: its strategy works. What does Iran want from this war? Eventually, hegemonic control of the Middle East; in the meantime, derailing normalization between Israel and the Arab states, eliminating any moderate Palestinian political players, and total control of the revitalized Palestinian question in the region. Iran’s influence isn’t limited to its proxies in the Middle East either – it has an unprecedented strategic alliance with Russia and a growing partnership with the People’s Republic of China. So, why the international equivocation on Iran? Sanctions are needed, tightening the loopholes for Iranian financing of terrorist proxies is needed… Iran must pay a price for fomenting this war.
Kenneth M. Pollack is a senior fellow at AEI, where he works on Middle Eastern political-military affairs, focusing in particular on Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf countries. Before joining AEI, Dr. Pollack was affiliated with the Brookings Institution, where he was a senior fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy. Before that, he was the center’s director and director of research. Dr. Pollack served twice at the National Security Council, first as director for Near East and South Asian affairs and then as director for Persian Gulf affairs. He began his career as a Persian Gulf military analyst at the CIA, where he was the principal author of the CIA’s classified postmortem on Iraqi strategy and military operations during the Persian Gulf War.
Download the transcript here.
There are Charlottesvilles happening every day in America. This time, they’re everywhere, driven by an explosion of antisemitism. And these Charlottesvilles are happening at Harvard, Columbia, and Stanford among other elite havens of academe. This is not the alt-right, fringe antisemitism of years past. The modern version has taken on the flavor of the leftist elite: it equates Zionism with racism; it coalesces the extreme aspects of BLM, feminism, and other groups against a common enemy; it is pro-nothing and entirely anti. The Nazi movement had its roots in professors, Nobel Prize winners – this too, is finding roots in elitist bodies who can intellectualize their way around the pernicious evil of the Hamas attacks. The only way to stand up to a culture of hate? Intolerance of it, and imposing consequences on those who profess it.
Ruth Wisse is the Martin Peretz Professor of Yiddish Literature and Comparative Literature Emerita at Harvard University. She immigrated to Canada from Romania in 1940 and is a preeminent scholar of Yiddish and American culture, literature, and politics. She is the author of several books, including her memoir Free as a Jew.
Download the transcript here.
It has been over 20 days since the House of Representatives ousted, and then successively failed to re-elect, a speaker of the House. The dysfunction could not be coming at a worse time: war in Europe, war in the Middle East, rising danger in the Pacific. Budgets are not getting passed, much less additional aid packages for Ukraine and Israel. The House cannot even convene to condemn the Hamas terrorists – what the hell is wrong with our country? One infuriating piece of information from our podcast today: a large portion of representatives voting against aid to Ukraine are “voting no, hoping yes,” an indication that partisanship has truly eroded the very fabric and efficacy of government. America desperately needs intellectual consistency, good-faith politics, and honesty. How can we right this sinking ship?
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick represents Pennsylvania’s first district. In the 118th Congress, Congressman Fitzpatrick sits on the Ways and Means Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In addition, he co-chairs the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and Congressional Ukraine Caucus, while also serving on the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force and NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Prior to serving Congress, he was an FBI Special Agent and a Federal Prosecutor.
Download the transcript here.
The monstrosity of Hamas’ attack on Israel is hard to fathom. This podcast, with Times of Israel reporter Haviv Gur, shares some insight into developments on the ground in Israel, tragedies that Israelis are experiencing real-time, and analysis of the political, religious, and military aspects of the conflict.
He also gives us a glimpse into Israel’s calculus following the attack – what do Israelis think Palestinians are thinking? Where are the roots of Palestinian extremism, how do the majority Arab Israeli population view the behavior of their neighbors? How has the fundamental understanding of regional cooperation changed, and where are we beginning to have clarity on the real aspirations of Palestinian leaders and other Middle East actors in the fall-out?
These questions and more with Haviv Rettig Gur. Haviv is The Times of Israel's senior analyst. He has reported from over 20 countries and served as director of communications for the Jewish Agency for Israel, Israel’s largest NGO. He lectures on Israeli politics, the US-Israel relationship, the peace process, modern Jewish history and identity, and Israel-diaspora relations. Haviv lives in Jerusalem with his wife and two sons.
Download the transcript here.
On October 7th, Israel suffered the worst attack it has experienced in its history at the hands of the terrorist group Hamas. 900 casualties in Israel, including at least 11 American citizens – not to mention around 150 hostages taken by Hamas, most back to the Gaza Strip where they will be held as bargaining chips. The shocking adjectives being used are spot on: heinous, evil, unconscionable. And one lesson has emerged crystal-clear: weakness on Iran does not lead to moderation and bonhomie, it leads to bloodshed and paves the path for terror. Obama’s nuclear deals; Trump’s tougher but ultimately unsustainable approach; Biden’s inattention and subsequent $6 billion bribe to Iran – and people wonder why the Iranian regime thought that now might be a good time to push the envelope even further. What happens next will be decisive. We have watched Biden slow roll aid to Ukraine while Congress tears itself apart. We have watched successive administrations hope that pivoting to Asia will put the Middle East in the rear-view mirror. It won’t. When tyrants and terrorists are persuaded the US is weak, they act. The time has come to change their minds.
Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, DC. He served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in the administration of Donald Trump.
Download the transcript here.
Congress narrowly averted a government shutdown last week when it passed a continuing resolution – a stop-gap spending bill that finances the government for a little over a month. What does this really mean? It means that we are spending at previous levels of government while important investment bills for the future are frozen, hamstringing the federal government in carrying out its number one job: to provide for the common defense. But the problem is bigger, and goes back further, than this week. Our Defense Department is underfunded and spending priorities are misaligned; multi-year appropriations are wildly out of touch with real inflation numbers; Congress treats weapons contractor behemoths like they are a de facto member of the bureaucracy. And the proverbial icing on the cake? The Pentagon is not only lagging in relation to prior output, it is lagging behind China. The investment in military and defense preparedness with our number one threat should never be inverse, but China is steadily investing, while the US is stagnating and slipping.
Mackenzie Eaglen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute where she works on defense strategy, defense budgets, and military readiness. She is a member of the board of advisers of the Alexander Hamilton Society, a member of the steering committee of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security, one of the 12-member US Army War College Board of Visitors, and a member of the Commission on the Future of the Navy.
Download the transcript here.
Gallup, Pew, and other reputable polling institutes have been lock-step in reporting the precipitous decline of American trust in the country’s institutions over the past few years. Every survey examining public faith in our institutions to do what is right, to provide for the common good, or to simply function at all has hit rock bottom. Surprising? Not really – these dropping percentage points coincide with upticks in intense partisanship, erosion in our political process, and culture wars. And this is not, as the media would portray it, solely an income inequality issue; social mobility and opportunity issues yes, but the biggest factor in this mistrust is the widening cultural gap between the new elites, and the rest of the US’ population. What can be done? It is imperative that students are educated in civics and history and maintain a respect for the institutions that are meant to provide for them. And most importantly, it is high time for real leaders to step up, recognize and fix these corrosive problems.
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The projected Biden-Trump rematch is not merely depressing, it is causing policymakers on the left and the right to abandon good sense. The result? A double-whammy Biden impeachment and Trump constitutional crisis as the country heads into the election season. Is it correct that election officials can disqualify Trump based on the 14th Amendment? Was it really necessary or strategic to begin impeachment proceedings against Biden now? Is our Republic unraveling? This is precisely why Marc and Dany called on Biden to pardon Trump. This is why Abraham Lincoln said that a compass that points true north is only useful if one also knows the terrain we traverse.
Download the transcript here.
In a post-Dobbs political landscape, abortion policy has become the great divider. But disagreements over abortion cannot stifle much-needed conversations about what can be done to support American women, mothers, fathers, and children. To nobody’s surprise, WTH co-host Marc is a conservative. His colleague at the Washington Post Alyssa Rosenberg, is liberal. Together, they undertook the critical task that one might expect from our lawmakers, and put their differences aside to write a productive, respectful, and intelligent guideline for family policies that have been proposed by lawmakers, yet to be passed. They selected policies that did not require them to compromise on their respective positions on abortion, and those that have a serious chance of becoming law if the work is done by Congress. It is a model of good-faith hard work, and the kind that is rare among those who actually make policy – we commend you to read it here.
Alyssa Rosenberg writes about mass culture, parenting, and gender for The Washington Post's Opinions section. Before coming to The Post in 2014, Alyssa was the culture editor at ThinkProgress, the television columnist at Women and Hollywood, a columnist for the XX Factor at Slate and a correspondent for The Atlantic.com.
Marc Thiessen writes a column for The Post on foreign and domestic policy. He is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and the former chief speechwriter for President George W. Bush. He is a Fox News contributor.
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This summer, several articles aired in mainstream media outlets citing unnamed individuals from the Pentagon, and criticizing the speed and tactics of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. These critiques appear to at once reflect a poor understanding of the military goals and capabilities of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, and also bolster the growing anti-Ukraine, pro-isolationism cohort in America. The lack of humility is even more remarkable: the US has not fought a war against a protracted Russian offense like Ukraine’s, since General Patton and the Metz campaign, in 1944...in France. What’s more, no Western military would ever conduct a counteroffensive without air power or long-range artillery; but by slow-rolling and limiting aid, the Biden administration is expecting Ukraine to do just that. It is also worth noting that since the articles aired, Ukraine successfully punctured Russia’s first line of defense. Why are we not celebrating that, and ensuring a decisive win against our shared enemy, Putin?
General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst. General Keane is a member of the Secretary of Defense Policy Board and has advised four Defense Secretaries and is a member of the 2018 and 2022 Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy.
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It may not come as a surprise that in much of the developed world, money spent is not necessarily money used well. We have done podcasts on the ideological and political dangers of bad development policy, but the dollar-to-donuts, real practical bent of the conversation is just as important. Because at the end of the day, the international community has come up with many (169) development objectives, most all of them unreachable (we have only met one). Instead of looking at the trajectory of UN sustainable development goals and bemoaning their overreach and underperformance, Bjorn Lomborg presents a realistic re-orientation of priorities. He has whittled the 169 UNSDGs down to 12 actionable steps the international community can take to challenge today’s problems. The goals are straightforward, cost-effective, and good faith – for anyone discouraged by the constant backsliding and bureaucratic stagnation of today, this is a refreshing step forward.
Bjorn Lomborg is the president of the think tank Copenhagen Consensus Center and the former director of the Danish government's Environmental Assessment Institute. He became internationally known for his best-selling book The Skeptical Environmentalist (2001). Bjorn is listed as one of Time’s 100 most influential people, and his most recent book is Best Things First: The 12 Most Efficient Solutions for the World’s Poorest and Our Global SDG Promises.
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Little known fact: the intelligence war between the East and the West started long before 1945. And not only that; it did not end with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 90s either. Indeed, this silent conflict has been lurking in the background of virtually every major historical event since 1917. The intelligence wars of the past century have been defined by theft, driven by fear, and dictated by tyrants from Stalin then to Putin and Xi Jinping now. But today, the age of the traditional clandestine secret service is over, and open source is the coin of the realm. So are we prepared to compete with China and Russia on these new battlegrounds?
Calder Walton is an historian at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He received a doctorate in history from Trinity College, Cambridge, where he also helped to write MI5’s authorized hundred-year history. He is the general editor of the three-volume Cambridge History of Espionage and Intelligence. His previous book, Empire of Secrets, won the Longman-History Today Book of the Year award. His new book is Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West.
Download the transcript here.
The What the Hell crew continues our summer reading series! Our next pick is The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink. The Peacemaker’s focus is Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy, adding to previous research with recently declassified national security documents. But just as importantly, the history presented reminds us why the challenges we face today – socialism rebranded, struggles for sovereignty in Ukraine and Taiwan – are not novel. In fact, it is pretty simple to guess where Reagan might have stood in 2023. Inboden underscores as well that, contrary to popular opinion, the fall of the Soviet Union under Reagan was never inevitable, but required a real US policy shift. It is worth the read (or, if you are like Marc, the audiobook listen) to remember the cold war muscles the US built not too long ago, or even just to remember what decorum and strength in leadership looks like in government.
Bonus: Reagan’s legacy lives on at the Reagan Institute; listen to our podcast on their summer survey here.
William Inboden is the Professor and Director of the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida. He previously served as William Powers, Jr. Chair and Executive Director of the Clements Center for National Security, Associate Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and Distinguished Scholar at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, all at the University of Texas-Austin. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Texas National Security Review. Inboden’s other current roles include Associate with the National Intelligence Council, member of the CIA Historical Advisory Panel, member of the State Department’s Historical Advisory Council, and Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum.
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This August, the What the Hell crew brings you a summer reading series! Our first pick is Chip War, a book the NYT hailed as a cross between Mission Impossible and the China Syndrome. Nominally, this is the story of the semiconductor industry, but it is really a forecast of modern grand strategy, great power conflict, and the security of the global economy. It is no mistake that the book’s author, Chris Miller, set out to write a book about military strategy – and then realized that military strategy today is defined by applying advanced chips to systems. Beyond just military however, advanced chips make the world as we know it work. They are in your iPhone, your dishwasher, your car… the list goes on. The clincher? Almost all of these highly technical chips are made in Taiwan – one of the most geopolitically tense areas in the world.
Chris Miller is an Associate Professor of International History at Tufts University and a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Fellow at AEI. He is also the co-director of the Fletcher School’s Russia and Eurasia program and the director of the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. In addition to Chip War, Miller’s books include We Shall Be Masters: Russian Pivots to Asia from Peter the Great to Putin (Harvard University Press, 2021), Putinomics: Power and Money in Resurgent Russia (University of North Carolina Press, 2018), and The Struggle to Save the Soviet Economy: Mikhail Gorbachev and the Collapse of the USSR (University of North Carolina Press, 2016). Chris is an alumnus of Harvard College and holds an MA and PhD from Yale.
Download the transcript here.
With the incessant politicization of real foreign policy issues, sometimes it is helpful to go back to the numbers. And in this case, the numbers are detached from the reality that anti-Ukraine Republicans are trying to sell. In fact, a new summer survey from the Reagan Institute finds that a 76% supermajority of Americans, including 71% of Republicans, agree that it is important to the US that Ukraine wins the war. This is not the “Ukraine fatigue” story we have been told. Moreover, support for aid increases substantially when respondents are given more information – where aid to Ukraine is going, how Ukraine has performed on the field. Knowing this, why are our leaders failing to give the America First case for aid to Ukraine?
Roger Zakheim serves as the Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. He previously practiced law at Covington & Burling LLP where he led the firm’s Public Policy and Government Affairs practice group. Before joining Covington he was General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee where he managed the passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act. He was also the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.
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One of America's greatest engines of growth is fossil fuels – cheap, reliable energy that jumpstarted the industrial revolution and paved the way for the security and prosperity we enjoy today. Others will not be so lucky. Many African countries lack energy security and are reliant upon foreign aid and international organizations that impose environmentally correct conditions on assistance. Indeed, rather than affording African nations the same pathway to prosperity that Western countries used, the left has decided that ‘what is for me is no longer acceptable for thee’ and is pushing green energy on the African continent. Africans like clean energy as much as the next guy (Kenya has geothermal, Ethiopia has hydro) but others (Mozambique, Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria…) are forced to rely on natural gas. But the future of Africa and engines of growth are uninteresting to climate crusaders, who embrace neocolonialist conditions for aid to Africa, all the while jetting about in private planes. Instead of forcing climate terms on critical Africa assistance programs, as John Kerry is intent upon doing, or degrading the efficacy of the Power Africa initiative, perhaps the US and Europe should focus on alleviating poverty, truthfully.
Todd Moss, formerly Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, is the Executive Director of the Energy for Growth Hub, a fellow at the Center for Global Development, and a nonresident scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute and the Colorado School of Mines. He has a substack called Eat More Electrons.
Download the transcript here.
Last week at the NATO summit in Lithuania, the world watched as Ukraine was offered denied an actionable plan for membership in the alliance. It was almost a rinse and repeat from 2008, when Ukraine and Georgia pushed for membership, and were offered a similarly passive statement – save for one major exception: today, Ukraine is actively fighting for its life every single day. In fact, Ukraine is doing NATO’s job for it: defending Europe, upholding sovereignty, and keeping Russia’s imperialist ambitions at bay. And, notwithstanding the ire of National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan – who has labeled Ukraine ungrateful -- nobody (much less Zelensky) is arguing for membership during a hot war. Ukrainians want a secure plan forward, not a vague and gauzy set of commitments that about to “maybe.” A roadmap is not actually hard to formulate (Marc and former Deputy Secretary of State Steve Biegun wrote one for Washington Post) so what is the hold-up? Are we really going to let Putin bully 31 (soon to be 32) countries into icing out a staunch ally?
Ambassador Kurt Volker is the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, the former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine. He's now a distinguished fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis and a founding partner of the American University in Kyiv.
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Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the private military company Wagner Group, staged a rebellion against Putin’s regime in Russia on June 24th. For a brief moment, the Wagner forces took over Rostov-on-Don, and came within 125 miles of Moscow before coming under heavy fire by the Russian military, and turning back. Putin struck a deal with Belarus president Lukashenko wherein Prigozhin was exiled to Belarus in exchange for amnesty. But who is Prigozhin? None other than Putin’s former caterer. If it sounds ludicrous, that’s because it is – and the media is still abuzz with theories as to what happened. Are there cracks in Putin’s regime? What were Prigozhin’s motives? Why the hell did Putin meet with Prigozhin a week after the purported coup attempt? Most troubling of all, US intelligence appears as perplexed as it was on day one.
Yaroslav Trofimov is the Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent of the Wall Street Journal. He covered the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and has been working out of Ukraine since January 2022. He previously served as Rome, Middle East, and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as a Dubai-based columnist on the greater Middle East. He is the author of two books: Faith at War (2005) and Siege of Mecca (2007).
Download the transcript here.
The Supreme Court went out with a bang in 2023 – before heading off to recess, SCOTUS struck down affirmative action, ruled Biden’s loan forgiveness grab unconstitutional, and prioritized the First Amendment in a creative design case. Each of these cases (save for KBJ’s recusal on the affirmative action vote) was decided 6-3: the conservative majority versus the liberal bloc. Despite the ensuing media mayhem that accompanied the rulings, however, the cases are each staked squarely in the law – not political pandering. Indeed, politics aside, Biden lacked the authority under the HEROES Act to forgive billions in debt; the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause prevents quotas based on race in universities; the First Amendment prohibits forcibly asking an individual to provide services for a cause they are opposed to. Polls suggest that Americans are losing faith in the efficacy of the Courts, but likely only think so based on the political fervor that persuades us that these decisions were not made in good faith. So, we brought in a legal expert to explain just how these decisions are made.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. At GWU, he is also the Director of the Environmental Law Advocacy Center, and Executive Director for the Project for Older Prisoners. Professor Turley has served as counsel in some of the most notable cases in the last two decades including the representation of whistleblowers, military personnel, judges, members of Congress, and more. He publishes columns on jonathanturley.org.
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If you thought the Trump indictment capped the pattern of White House prosecutions, well, you’d be wrong (though see the WTH joint op-ed on how to end the prosecutorial death loop). Now, Hunter Biden has been indicted on misdemeanor charges of tax evasion – news that was decried as a “sweetheart deal.” But a former IRS investigator and FBI officials who came forward to Congress present a government cover-up, from the DOJ disallowing a 2018 investigation into Hunter Biden, to limitations on actually collecting information. And of course, this story has deep roots in 2009, when Joe Biden became Vice President of the United States. At that moment, Hunter set up his “international financial business.”The facts are muddled (no thanks to US institutions charged with un-muddling them) but there remain clear questions that must be answered: from whom did the Bidens receive money, and what was it for?
Peter Schweizer is the president of the Government Accountability Institute and senior editor at Breitbart News. He is the former William J. Casey Fellow at the Hoover Institution. His most recent book is Red Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win.
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The dictators of the nanny state are waging war on things that work. Daily appliances that make life manageable (your gas stoves, your AC, your lawn equipment) are increasingly under assault, with dubious climate/equity rationales. But the effects on climate are negligible, and the myriad electric substitutions don’t just have environmental costs of their own, many simply don’t work. So what is really going on? Instead of protecting the consumer as these bans claim to do, this new technocratic bullying is imposing a lifestyle brand – electric cars, electric stoves, heat pumps, etc. If you don’t like it… well, you will like it. The progressive Puritans will make sure of that.
Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review, a former MSNBC commentator, and a former associate editor for Commentary Magazine. He is the author of The Rise of the New Puritans: Fighting Back Against Progressives' War on Fun.
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When the Founders conceived the U.S. Constitution, they were under the assumption that the head of state in America would be guided by honor – that an impeachment would virtually never be necessary, that the shame of the prospect would force the accused to step down from office. That model of leadership with integrity is absent in today’s political climate. In former president Donald Trump’s second, and more serious indictment, he has been charged with 37 counts relating to his retention of classified documents. Yes, Hillary Clinton and Hunter Biden should also be prosecuted – but that does not exonerate Trump. But it is also true that we have never prosecuted Presidents before: not Clinton, not Nixon, not LBJ, not even Jefferson Davis. The DOJ is crossing a line - not a constitutional line, but a “bright line” of institutional practice, as our guest calls it, and that is enormously significant. Where did statesmanship go? Just where will this Trump indictment lead the nation?
John Yoo is a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. He is the Emmanuel Heller Professor of Law at the University of California Berkeley School of Law. He is also a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution. His most recent book is Defender in Chief: Trump’s Fight for Presidential Power.
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Over the past 15 months, Ukrainians have surpassed expectations in their response to the Russian invasion, showing valor and resilience. But more than a year into the fighting, many of those who advocate for aid to Ukraine still do so as a matter of idealism. Voters should know that it is also in the United States’ vital national interests. President Biden, our commander-in-chief, has a responsibility to explain to the American people what is at stake in the war in Ukraine: the consequences of failure, the consequences of success, and America’s role. In this special episode of WTH, Dany interviews Marc on his important piece for the Washington Post, where he has collected the 10 strongest arguments for why helping Ukraine will make the United States safer, more prosperous, and more secure.
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Last week saw two more entrants into what is already a crowded Republican primary field: Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) are officially in the running. Polling suggests that DeSantis is the only real challenger to Donald Trump, but the party base can only hope that his glitchy Twitter announcement doesn’t belie a deeper weakness in the candidate’s campaign. Tim Scott, by contrast, has embraced a more traditional roll out and uplifting Reaganite rhetoric, but enjoys far less popularity right now. There is a fine line to toe in the Republican primaries – too few challengers may cede the field to Trump; but too many entrants could fracture the non-MAGA voting bloc into ineffective camps, also handing the primaries to Trump. Meanwhile, the Democrats are hedging their bets with a “known known” and sticking with Biden… so is a Trump-Biden rematch inevitable? If not, does the GOP have the political dexterity to capitalize on this unique election cycle and an increasingly diverse voter base?
Josh Kraushaar is the editor-in-chief of Jewish Insider. He is also a Senior Political correspondent at Axios, Fox correspondent, and host of the Against the Grain podcast. Previously, he was Editor in Chief of the Hotline, and a co-author at the Almanac of American Politics.
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After four years of work, the Durham Report the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation was released last week. And notwithstanding the objections of the New York Times and other partisans, the report was revelatory: the probable cause for opening the Russia collusion investigation was so flimsy that internal investigators had serious doubts and the Brits refused to even touch the case; the primary source for the famous Steele dossier was Igor Danchenko, previously suspected of working with Russian intelligence; the dossier itself was funded by none other than Hillary Clinton and the DNC. The case is convoluted and so over-saturated with petty politics that even legal experts have a hard time summarizing, but the most important takeaway remains crystal clear: the FBI acted negligently and with extreme political bias in their handling of what came to be called Crossfire Hurricane. How did we end up with institutions charged with fidelity to the law that Americans can no longer trust? Perhaps more importantly: how can we do better?
Andrew McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and the author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency. He served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
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It’s a tale as old as time… where will our next trillion come from to feed our hungry coffers? We jest, but only a little: Negotiations on raising the debt limit are ongoing, marking, ahem, dozens of times this has happened under both Democrats and Republicans. Neither party has been able to summon the wherewithal to sacrifice political clout for the good of the long-term economy. Take healthcare spending: Democrats promote top-down, regulatory spending, while Republicans support consumer-based choice and competition. Fine – but costs haven’t been fixed, efficiencies have not been produced, and Medicare has an $80 trillion shortfall over 30 years. Who do we think is going to bail us out? China and Japan hold a measly $2 trillion of our debt and they are selling it; the Fed holds just $5 trillion and they’re trying to downshift. Are we really going to rely on American banks and savers and mutual funds to lend Washington $100 trillion over the next 30 years at low interest rates? It is not even a possible scenario. Our guest predicts that we are on a path that ends in a 15% value-added tax and a payroll tax rising close to 22% – yes, exactly like Europe.
Brian Riedl is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, focusing on budget, tax, and economic policy. Previously, he worked for six years as chief economist to Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) and as staff director of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth. From 2001-2011 Riedl served as the Heritage Foundation’s lead research fellow on federal budget and spending policy. He also served as a director of budget and spending policy for Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign and was the lead architect of the ten-year deficit-reduction plan for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.
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This Thursday, the COVID-era immigration policy Title 42 will expire. Initiated by the Trump administration, it allowed for the expulsion of migrants at the border under a public health directive. It lifts as numbers of encounters at the border continue to skyrocket – instances grew from 646,822 in 2020 to 2,766 in 2022, and have already surpassed 1.544 million this year. These are staggering and historic numbers. Border Patrol cannot handle the sheer quantity, processing centers are overrun and inefficient, legitimate asylum seekers and migrants are being delayed access for years while the US government attempts to handle the illegal entries. Title 42 was not meant to be a sustained solution, but its expiration – without a replacement policy in place – means that this summer will see a humanitarian tragedy at the US southern border. Notably, polls show that the American public is not very divided on this question; by and large, Americans support and encourage legal immigration, and condemn the chaos – the humanitarian disaster, financial confusion, and resource misallocation – that is the result of loose and unserious border policy. And yet, Administration after Administration, Congress after Congress, drags its feet and leaves policy stopgaps to the courts.
Andrew Selee is the President of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), a global nonpartisan institution that seeks to improve immigration and integration policies. He also chairs MPI Europe's Administrative Council. Prior to MPI, Dr. Selee spent 17 years at the Woodrow Wilson Center where he founded the Center’s Mexico Institute, and served as the Center’s VP for Programs and Executive VP. He has also worked on staff in the US Congress, served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA, and is a columnist for Mexico’s largest newspaper El Universal. His most recent book is Vanishing Frontiers: The Forces Driving Mexico and the United States Together.
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Not only is DEI hiring creating bureaucracy bloat in higher education country-wide, it is beginning to fundamentally alter our institutions. One place where the erosion of excellence is already apparent? Our legal institutions – just last year, 12 Federal Judges boycotted hiring clerks from Yale Law School (some of the crème de la crème of legal education) due to the aspiring lawyers’ inability to practice good faith, unbiased law. And no wonder: The Federalist Society at Stanford Law School hosted Judge Kyle Duncan of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals – he was shouted down by a group of students. Our guest Ilya Shapiro was nearly fired for tweeting about Biden’s Supreme Court nominations. We are, as a nation, beginning to forget… this is a representative democracy. We are not governed by a mob. Free speech is a foundational tenet of the Constitution that defines this country and its institutions. College sophomoric groupthink on social issues is one thing; but the next generation of Supreme Court prosecutors already radicalized enough that they are being barred by current sitting judges? That’s quite another problem.
Ilya Shapiro is a senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute. Previously he was executive director and senior lecturer at the Georgetown Center for the Constitution, and before that a vice president of the Cato Institute, director of Cato’s Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, and publisher of the Cato Supreme Court Review. Shapiro is the author of Supreme Disorder: Judicial Nominations and the Politics of America’s Highest Court.
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The Ukrainians are running out of munitions and the war is predicted to endure past 2023; China is debuting new missiles that have the ability to penetrate US defenses; Egypt Is toying with supporting Russia in attacking Ukraine; ISIS is evolving. These are just a handful of the revelations from the viral Discord leaks, a set of US intelligence documents leaked on the gaming platform Discord and other sites by 21-year-old Jack Teixeira of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Ways to interpret the fallout are manifold, but lessons learned all point back to US responsibility: that Ukraine will face empty bins is a self-fulfilling prophecy that the US can remedy through a revitalization of its defense industrial base. That Taiwan is at enhanced risk of invasion by China every day is only tempered by US willingness to build up Taiwan’s defense and develop a strategic counter-aggression framework. Content aside, that a 21-year-old kid was able to photograph and share US top secret information, and continue sharing it for 8 months – well, it is not a leap to underscore the importance of tightening US intelligence security measures to prevent this from ever happening again.
Marc Polymeropoulos is a nonresident senior fellow in the Forward Defense practice of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Polymeropoulos worked for twenty-six years at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) before retiring in July 2019 at the Senior Intelligence Service level. He was one of the CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers. He is the author of Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA.
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The priorities that have traditionally shaped American national character – patriotism, religious faith, family, community involvement – are no longer as important to most Americans. The Wall Street Journal reported this trend in a viral poll, but the sentiment is believable even without the stark statistics. This poll was conducted in 1989, 2019, and now in 2023, and the only value to go up in importance? Money. Our guest explains that there is necessary context for the reported numbers due to methodology, but the overall trend is undeniable: we are becoming an increasingly selfish country. And what is to blame? Perhaps it is the echo chamber of social media, the decline of serious education, or anti-Western propaganda from our adversaries beginning to define our own national message. In any case, the country is unhealthy. But entirely fixable, and worth fixing.
Patrick Ruffini is a pollster and co-founder of Echelon Insights, a polling and analytics firm. Ruffini began his career working for President George W. Bush, including roles at the Republican National Committee, his re-election campaign, and in his Administration. From 2005 to 2006, he was the lead digital strategist for the RNC. He is the Author of Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP (coming November 2023).
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The conflict in Ukraine has revealed what conventional war looks like in this day and age. It has also made clear just how extensively the US defense industrial base has atrophied in the post-Cold War era. We are struggling to keep pace with arming Ukraine, even when drawing from stockpiles that have not been replenished since Reagan’s buildup in the 1980s. We are failing to put in place today contracts that will produce critical munitions by 2026 and beyond, but the reality is that the entire system is so broken (from the supply chain, to research vs. procurement imbalances, to budget hurdles) that American leadership in future great power conflict is a question mark, not a given. What does this mean looking ahead? Our guest ran over a half dozen war games to simulate what a US conflict with China over Taiwan would look like; he discovered that we will run out of some of our most advanced precision weapons in less than a week. This should be a wake-up call – why are we seeing sobering lessons from Ukraine but failing to learn them?
Seth G. Jones is senior vice president, Harold Brown Chair, director of the International Security Program, and director of the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Dr. Jones was the director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. He also served as representative for the commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations. Before that, he was a plans officer and adviser to the commanding general, U.S. Special Operations Forces, in Afghanistan (Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan).
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It’s spring break, and your kids might have more time on their hands… so we are revisiting one of our best and increasingly relevant episodes.
Over a third of Americans spend hours every day on an app that directly feeds their data to the Chinese government. TikTok, owned by Chinese parent company Bytedance, is constantly collecting reams of data on its users, from GPS to keystrokes to outer-app monitoring, and even encrypted data that might be useful someday. But aren’t these D.C. elite problems — worrying only for those who plan to work in intelligence or government someday? Nope. The implications of China’s TikTok-enabled reach touch almost every American. Personal privacy aside, our national security is at immediate risk. The Chinese Communist Party exerts a measure of control over more than one-third of Americans. Are we going to continue to cede our sovereignty to Xi Jinping? Or will the U.S. Government shut down TikTok once and for all?
These questions with Klon Kitchen, a senior fellow at AEI. He specializes in national security, defense technology, innovation, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Previously, he was a director at the Heritage Foundation and was the national security advisor to Sen. Ben Sasse. He has worked at the NCTC, the National Counterterrorism Center, in the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, and at the Defense Intelligence Agency.
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The wheel, the printing press, the steam engine, and… ChatGPT? A Luddite you may be, but there is no escaping the world’s newest technological revolution: personal artificial intelligence. It is easy to list the net-negatives of another tech medium designed to further decrease the already dwindling human-to-human interactions in our life – the atomization of society is bad, children growing up on screens is bad, the erosion of individual judgment and critical thinking is bad. Not to mention the evanescence of jobs and the mechanization of learning. But is it all bad? Like any technological advance, there are both beneficial and dangerous applications. And as our guest notes, the danger of misuse does not reside in 1’s and 0’s, but in the user, the human. Are the forces of good more productive and innovative than evil? Or will we fall prey to our own innovation?
These questions and more with Tyler Cowen. Dr. Cowen is a professor at George Mason University, where he holds the Holbert L. Harris chair in the economics department. He hosts the economics blog Marginal Revolution, and maintains the website Marginal Revolution University, a venture in online education. He is the co-author of Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Winners, and Creatives Around the World.
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The 2024 presidential nominee field is starting to take shape, with headlines pointing to a Biden-Trump replay. But are those really the only likely options? Actually, no. Two-thirds of polled Republicans want someone other than Trump, but who can continue Trump’s policies. This means energy independence, a conservative court, cutting taxes, hawkish China policy, a strong military—all led by someone authentic, personal, and who can lead the country for eight strong years. One possibility is DeSantis, who has rallied support for his conservative domestic policy but is hedging on foreign and defense policy. There are other good options as well, but the GOP base is still afraid of offending Trump’s base, a stumbling block going up against a fairly robust Democratic bench. Make no mistake: this is an inflection point for the Republican party. Will it regress to the pre-Pearl Harbor, GOP, or Democratic-Ted Kennedy isolationism? Or will someone take up the Reagan mantle, and govern as the leader of the free world, in such a way that China, Russia, and other aggressors take notice?
These questions and more with Karl Rove. Rove is the former Senior Advisor to George W. Bush, and former Chief of Staff. He is a Fox News contributor and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight.
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Before Friday, Silicon Valley Bank was the sixteenth largest bank in America. Now it bears the standard of being the second largest bank failure in US history, only upstaged by the 2008 financial crisis. As the initial shock – both to the market and to news headlines – is wearing off, some things are clear: SVB was badly run, had mismanaged its asset investments, and as a truly silicon valley-centric bank, had an un-diversified portfolio tied to tech start-ups, crypto, and its California clientele. But the real catalyst? A long year of the Biden administration’s failure to combat inflation caused the Fed to hike interest rates, resulting in a major loss of asset value for the bonds SVB owned. Now, the Fed, FDIC, and Treasury Department have decided to protect depositors – but not shareholders – beyond the standard $250,000 insured cap for deposits. In short, the average taxpayer is bailing out the Silicon Valley elite.
Michael Strain is the Director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Dr. Strain is also the author of The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It).
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More than three years later, we are still investigating the origins of the deadliest pandemic in recent history. The DOE and FBI have given credence to the explanation that the virus originated in a Chinese government lab in Wuhan – so why don’t lab leak theorists feel vindicated? Because, as our guest alleges, this is just the beginning. China owes the US reparations; Biden owes the American people a focused investigation and explanation; Dr. Tony Fauci and Francis Collins owe more than an apology for their scandalous cover-up. This is a democracy, and the truth will come out eventually – but a deeper truth has already seen the light: our public health institutions have been corrupted, as has our media.
Josh Rogin is a columnist for the Washington Post and a political analyst with CNN. He is also the author of Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the Twenty-First Century. Previously, Josh covered foreign policy and national security for Bloomberg View, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, Foreign Policy magazine, Congressional Quarterly, Federal Computer Week magazine, and Japan’s Asahi Shimbun.
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Canada’s euthanasia protocol – not merely doctor assisted suicide, but specifically euthanasia – is among the most expansive in the world. The euthanasia program, called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) was enacted in 2016 and was, at its inception, already broad: in 2021 it accounted for 3.3% of all deaths in Canada, which is over 27 people per day, and eligibility included not just those with foreseeable death but also those with disabilities – like hearing loss. Now, Parliament is gearing up to expand the eligibility further, to include those with mental illness and even minors. For context, this makes Canada more accepting to euthanasia than the German public in 1933 under the Nazi regime. Not to mention, the deeper insidious motivation for an increasing number of MAiD cases in Canada: a social welfare network so threadbare that Canadian citizens would rather die than face abject poverty on top of a shambolic healthcare system. To coin a phrase, what the hell is going on?
Alexander Raikin is a freelance writer. He writes about medical ethics, and specifically about the Canadian medical system. He's written on Canada's euthanasia laws for National Review, New Atlantis, the Free Beacon, and others.
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This week marks the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The anniversary comes on the heels of the Chinese spy balloon debacle. Think these are unrelated issues? Not so – as General Jack Keane explains in this masterclass of logical statesmanship and responsible deterrence, victory in Ukraine is not only in America’s interest and in the interest of the security of Europe, it is also crucial to deterring China from acts of aggression. From China buying Russian oil, to now hinting at supplying them with lethal weapons, these two American adversaries are increasingly interconnected. President Biden made a commendable trip to Kyiv to commemorate the anniversary of the war, a significant demonstration of America’s continued support in the conflict. But hard power is also necessary to win in Ukraine, and yes, even retake territory formerly lost to Russian annexation. Jack Keane explains, in detail, what is required to make this possible.
General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, and a Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst.
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Parents are increasingly losing ownership of the right to their child’s education. Americans saw the effects from widespread school closures over Covid (nearly two decades of educational progress wiped out), and continue to see educational systems that promote partisan agendas, all leaving parents little recourse to choose where and how their child is educated. Not to mention, the Nation’s Report Card statistics released for 2022, which showed record low reading and math scores, with minority and lower-economic students faring the worst. What are parents to do, especially those who cannot afford to send their children to private, parochial, or otherwise quality places for education? Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa recently passed one of the most sweeping school choice laws in the country to answer this very question. Her school choice bill gives every student in the state of Iowa an educational savings account of approximately $7,600 in per-pupil funding to facilitate placement in private schools. And no, it does not take resources away from public schools – it actually saves them money. No, this does not degrade the public school education quality, but rather fosters the competition we know to be necessary to help any establishment realize potential. And most importantly, it gives educational choice back to the parents of these students.
Governor Kim Reynolds is the 43rd governor of Iowa, with the distinction of being the first woman elected to the state's highest office. Previously, she was a Clark County treasurer before she was elected to the Iowa Senate. She was the running mate and lieutenant governor to Terry Branstad.
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The Biden Administration has been “too little too late” in countering Russia, and is increasingly playing by the same rules with the Chinese Communist Party. The latest national security spectacle played out over a full week before the White House ordered the shoot down of the Chinese spy balloon that floated from the tip of Alaska all the way through the coast of the Carolinas. The questions surrounding this event are numerous: what was NORAD doing while it watched this slow-moving CCP target drift into American airspace? If this has happened in the past, as the White House maintains, why don’t we have a standard operating procedure to deal with it? But beyond this incident, it is the implications of the U.S. reaction that truly matter – if it takes a civilian standing in a field in Montana to point out a security threat to prompt the White House to action, we have a problem. If we don’t get serious, fast, about China, we’re adding to the problems we already face with the CCP. And if we continue to hedge on defense spending, and see Chinese incursions and major wars as isolated crises, the nation will pay a much heavier price down the road.
Representative Mike Gallagher (WI-08) is the new Chairman of the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. He is also on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He has served in the House since 2017. Before that, he served for seven years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, including two deployments in Iraq. He also served as the lead Republican staffer for the Middle East and Counterterrorism on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
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Next month will mark a year since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has continued. The Russian military has proven to be disorganized and surprisingly inept, President Zelensky by contrast has shown incredible resolve and organization, and the West is by and large committed to a Ukrainian victory. So why is that victory, nearly a year later, still so uncertain? The Biden Administration continues to pursue correct policy, but far too slowly – Washington’s “drip drip drip” approach to aid has left Ukraine approaching something more akin to stalemate than advancement as we reach mid-winter. A pervasive hesitancy to provoke Putin is still holding the West hostage, and plays directly to Russia’s advantage. We have passed the point of immediate and swift defeat, and the war is unlikely to end anytime soon and perhaps not even fully in Ukraine’s favor. Time is not on Ukraine’s side, but the West is not prepared for that reality.
Yaroslav Trofimov discusses his WSJ piece, The War in Ukraine Will Be Long, Is the West Ready? Trofimov is the Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent of the Wall Street Journal. He covered the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and has been working out of Ukraine since January 2022. He previously served as Rome, Middle East, and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as Dubai-based columnist on the greater Middle East. He is the author of two books, Faith at War and Siege of Mecca.
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The race for Speaker of the House underscored the 2022 midterm narrative: the Republican Party is increasingly divided, and unable to consolidate power long enough to effect positive change. Now Speaker Kevin McCarthy was held hostage by a powerful “Knucklehead Caucus” (our guest’s moniker for the Never Kevinites) until its leader Matt Gaetz simply “ran out of things to ask for.” Some of these same dissenters have now been promoted to top committees in the House, the results of McCarthy’s Faustian pact to claim the speakership. Who are the Knuckleheads? Are they all knuckleheads? And how did this isolationist group of extremist budget hawks group climb atop the GOP pile? Among the reasons -- lack of strong leadership in the party, a lack of national security leadership in the White House, an end to substantive national debate in favor of social media hot takes, and more. And all of it is worrisome for the trajectory of the GOP, and America, going forward.
Hugh Hewitt is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host with the Salem Radio Network. He is the Former Director of the United States Office of Personnel Management. He has been a correspondent at Fox, and was the former president of the Richard Nixon Foundation. He is also a columnist at the Washington Post.
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This is the third incident of document-gate in as many election cycles: Hillary Clinton with her “home brew” internet server, Trump with Mar-a-Lago, and now Biden with classified documents stored in his Washington D.C. think tank and his (locked!) garage. It is, to use Biden’s own characterization of Trump’s document scandal, “irresponsible,” to an almost ridiculous degree. And Biden’s claim that he did not know how the national secrets ended up in his home are the very opposite of comforting. Like probes of presidencies past, Biden’s scandal raises a slew of suspicions: why did the public only learn about this now, when the documents were discovered before the midterm elections? Is the newly appointed Special Counsel a piece of political fiction to slake public thirst for justice, when in reality the Attorney General answers to the president all along? Will Congress step up and provide the oversight as the Constitution intended?
These questions and more with Andy McCarthy. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and led the 1995 terrorism prosecution against Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman. He is also the author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.
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The 118th Congress has arrived, and after 15 grueling voting sessions, we finally have a Speaker of the House: Kevin McCarthy. This is the first time an election for speaker went to multiple ballots since 1923, and that is not the only element of the history-making chaos. To secure the gavel, McCarthy agreed to lower the number of members needed to begin a vote of “no confidence” from 5 to 1, and agreed to cap the levels of discretionary spending at FY22 levels; he has promised a slew of new subcommittees; agreed to re-organize appropriations; and the list goes on, to the point where Matt Gaetz, McCarthy’s nemesis in the Speaker race, “ran out of stuff to ask for.” As the drama unfolds, we find ourselves asking exactly What the Hell is Going On… who are these self-described “rebels” in Congress, really? What does this mean for defense spending and Ukraine, and balancing the budget in general?
These questions and more with our guest Chad Pergram. Chad is a Senior Congressional Correspondent at Fox News. He has won an Edward R. Murrow Award and is a two-time recipient of the Joan Barone Award. Prior to Fox he was a Senate producer for C-SPAN, producer and anchor for NPR, and a reporter for the Capitol News Connection.
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What the hell happened in 2022? Joe Biden is midway through his presidency, and he has delivered both good and bad policy. The bad may outweigh the good … record inflation, growing divisions among Americans, skyrocketing gas prices, an unconstitutional grab for trillions to forgive student loans, and the list continues. But his presidency has not been without accomplishments either, from the invitation of Finland and Sweden to join NATO, to declaring U.S. policy to defend Taiwan, to handling China’s semiconductor industry. What made both lists? Ukraine: his rallying of allies to save Ukraine, but often too little, too late.
In this week’s New Year’s episode, Marc and Dany discuss Marc’s Washington Post lists on the top ten best and worst things the president did this year.
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We’re familiar with the story: the storming of the Capitol nearly two years ago, Donald J. Trump’s attempt to “stop the steal,” the legal mess that ensued. But our institutions held. And Vice President Mike Pence followed through with his Constitutional duty, and certified the Biden victory in 2020. The former VP joins us on the podcast today to speak about what happened that day, and the difficulty of navigating an unconstitutional and disqualifying end to four years of solid conservative policy. He reminds us that America must honor its commitments to its people, and that in foreign policy, simply, America stands for freedom.
Mike Pence was the 48th Vice President of the United States. He has a new memoir out, So Help Me God. He was the 50th governor of Indiana, and served for 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Kanye West, Nick Fuentes, and Donald Trump meet for dinner… and discuss what, exactly? Indeed, what does a white supremacist have in common with Kanye?? Yep, hatred for the Jewish people. The spike in antisemitism seen today can be explained away – bad economy, covid, whatever – but the sad truth is that Jew-hatred has been a perennial in American life for centuries. The truth, of course, is that America’s tiny percentage of Jews have been singularly unable to move the needle in favor of their own well-being or the well-being of the State of Israel. The reality and the tropes of antisemitism do not line up in any way. But when have facts ever gotten in the way of bigotry?
The rise in antisemitism, relations with the State of Israel and much more on today’s episode with Walter Russell Mead. Mead is the author of the new book, The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People. He is the Global View Columnist at the Wall Street Journal, a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and a Professor of Foreign Affairs and Humanities and Bard College. He is also a member of the Aspen Institute.
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Xi Jinping's long-lasting, draconian zero-Covid policy has resulted in the largest protests in China in more than 30 years. Tens of thousands of demonstrators are testing the government’s “perfect” police state by actively calling for an end to Xi’s regime, breaking through China’s firewall to spread protest messaging, and calling into question the very legitimacy of the empire Xi has built. This instability comes in the face of Xi Jinping’s tightening grip on state power; the recent Chinese Military Power Report showcases a military capable of taking Taiwan, and Xi’s ideological push shows that he is willing. In just a few years, the U.S. may very well be wishing that it had taken more risks in its approach to defending Taiwan, to increasing democratic messaging in China, and to hardline policy on Xi’s regime… how will we ensure today that these future mistakes are not made?
Our guest this week is Dan Blumenthal, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Previously, Blumenthal served as senior director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia at the US Department of Defense. He also served as a commissioner on the congressionally mandated US-China Economic and Security Review Commission from 2006-2007, and was vice chairman of the commission in 2007. He also served on the Academic Advisory board of the congressional US-China Working Group. He is the author of The China Nightmare: The Grand Ambitions of a Decaying State.
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Over a third of Americans spend hours every day on an app that directly feeds their data to the Chinese government. TikTok, owned by Chinese parent company Bytedance, is constantly collecting reams of data on its users, from GPS to keystrokes to outer-app monitoring, and even encrypted data that might be useful someday. But aren’t these D.C. elite problems — worrying only for those who plan to work in intelligence or government someday? Nope. The implications of China’s TikTok-enabled reach touch almost every American. Personal privacy aside, our national security is at immediate risk. The Chinese Communist Party exerts a measure of control over more than one-third of Americans. Are we going to continue to cede our sovereignty to Axios Jinping? Or will the U.S. Government shut down TikTok once and for all?
These questions with Klon Kitchen, a senior fellow at AEI. He specializes in national security, defense technology, innovation, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Previously, he was a director at the Heritage Foundation and was the national security advisor to Sen. Ben Sasse. He has worked at the NCTC, the National Counterterrorism Center, in the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, and at the Defense Intelligence Agency.
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178 Final Transcript.docx
The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. A lack of strategy to face China. Indifference in the face of Iranian protests. In-fighting over the correct policy to support Ukraine. Is it any wonder that the American people are wondering about the efficacy and longevity of America’s power? A hard look at American history suggests that the reasons behind American decline have more to do with choice than with circumstances. Decline, after all, is a choice for American presidents persuaded the nation is not a force for good in the world. Leaders in Washington who are willing to adopt strong and decicive military policy are few and far between, on both sides of the aisle. How do we fix decades of decaying interest in American power? How do we market American security in the global context to reluctant internationalists?
These questions and more with today’s guest, Senator Tom Cotton. Sen. Cotton is the U.S. Senator for Arkansas, and just released the book, Only the Strong: Reversing the Left’s Plot to Sabotage America. His senatorial committees include the Judiciary Committee, the Intelligence Committee, and the Armed Services Committee. He previously served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne, and served in Afghanistan with a Provincial Reconstruction team. He also served with The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, and has received the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and Ranger Tab.
Download the transcript here.
The 2022 midterms came as a shock to Ds and Rs alike: the Democrats did better than expected, and the Republicans did worse. Much worse. Last week, covered the reasons behind the Red Fail. But what about Democrats? The left ran a shrewd, if cynical, anti-MAGA campaign, and capitalized on weak GOP candidates. But it the aftermath, President Biden and his party seem to be learning the wrong lessons. Despite losing ground with women and minorities, the Democrats’ short-term vindication has encouraged Biden to announce he would make no changes. None at all. What he and his party don’t get is that the Democrats didn’t win, the Republicans lost.
Our guest this week is Ruy Teixeira. Teixeria is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute where he focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and future of American electoral politics. He is the co-editor of the Substack The Liberal Patriot, and he previously was a scholar at the Center for American Progress and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Download the transcript here.
In the months leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, the Republican party projected a red wave of GOP wins across the nation. And the odds were good: Biden has delivered the worst inflation in 40 years, the worst collapse of real wages in four decades, the worst murder rate since 1996, and that's not all. His approval rating is abysmal, and of course, the party in power almost always loses seats in a midterm election. So why did the predicted red wave not only fail to materialize in full, but barely show up as a trickle? Although results are not final, one thing is certain: Trump lost big time, and DeSantis swept. While we wait for the runoff in Georgia (again), the GOP is asking itself what the hell is going on. Will someone emerge as a viable challenger to Team Trump? Can the Republican brand be repaired?
These questions and more with our guest, Josh Kraushaar. Kraushaar is a Senior Political correspondent at Axios, and host of the Against the Grain podcast. Previously, he was Editor in Chief of the Hotline, and a co-author at the Almanac of American Politics.
Download the transcript here.
In the months leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, the Republican party projected a red wave of GOP wins across the nation. And the odds were good: Biden has delivered the worst inflation in 40 years, the worst collapse of real wages in four decades, the worst murder rate since 1996, and that's not all. His approval rating is abysmal, and of course, the party in power almost always loses seats in a midterm election. So why did the predicted red wave not only fail to materialize in full, but barely show up as a trickle? Although results are not final, one thing is certain: Trump lost big time, and DeSantis swept. While we wait for the runoff in Georgia (again), the GOP is asking itself what the hell is going on. Will someone emerge as a viable challenger to Team Trump? Can the Republican brand be repaired?
These questions and more with our guest, Josh Kraushaar. Kraushaar is a Senior Political correspondent at Axios, and host of the Against the Grain podcast. Previously, he was Editor in Chief of the Hotline, and a co-author at the Almanac of American Politics.
Download the transcript here.
On September 13th, 22 year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested and subsequently murdered in custody by Iran's so-called morality police. Her abuse at the hands of the Islamic Republic regime sparked the nation’s biggest uprising since the 2009 Green Revolutions. Over a month later, the chants of "Women, life liberty" have continued, but so has the brutal crackdown by the regime, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Iranian society is making clear that it wants an end to the system and the people that have governed Iran since 1979, but is that possible? And would the fall of the regime mean a power vacuum filled by Iranian military leaders? Back home, will Biden's support for democracy prove more “ornamental than instrumental”? These questions and more with our guest Behnam Ben Taleblu. Taleblu is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense for Democracies where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues. Prior to FDD, he worked on non-proliferation issues at the Wisconsin Project and has tracked a wide range of Iran-related topics including: nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, sanctions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iranian security and internal politics. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Episode-174-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
On September 13th, 22 year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested and subsequently murdered in custody by Iran's so-called morality police. Her abuse at the hands of the Islamic Republic regime sparked the nation’s biggest uprising since the 2009 Green Revolutions. Over a month later, the chants of "Women, life liberty" have continued, but so has the brutal crackdown by the regime, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Iranian society is making clear that it wants an end to the system and the people that have governed Iran since 1979, but is that possible? And would the fall of the regime mean a power vacuum filled by Iranian military leaders? Back home, will Biden's support for democracy prove more “ornamental than instrumental”? These questions and more with our guest Behnam Ben Taleblu. Taleblu is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense for Democracies where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues. Prior to FDD, he worked on non-proliferation issues at the Wisconsin Project and has tracked a wide range of Iran-related topics including: nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, sanctions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iranian security and internal politics. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Episode-174-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
The last four months have been, by any measure, incredibly tumultuous for UK leadership. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was ousted and replaced by Liz Truss, a new monarch took the throne, then Truss resigned from leadership in record time after plunging the UK economy into disarray... and this week Rishi Sunak was sworn in as the new Prime Minister. Americans, looking at their closest political and economic ally across the pond, have every reason to be nervous. What happened to the Tory Party in Great Britain, and how long can it survive this turmoil? Is Sunak up to the task? And, importantly, what parallels can we draw between the challenges facing conservatism abroad, and those facing conservatives at home? These questions and more with our guest, Gerry Baker. Baker is the editor at large of the Wall Street Journal. He has a weekly column, Free Expression, that appears every Tuesday; he also hosts “WSJ at Large with Gerry Baker,” a weekly news and current affairs interview show on the Fox Business Network, and the weekly WSJ Opinion podcast "https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/opinion-free-expression (Free Expression)". A former editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones, he began his career working at the Financial Times, the Times of London and the BBC. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Episode-173-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
A few weeks ago, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave a keynote address at the U.S. Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Given Orban's tight relationship with Putin and his aggressive brand of Euro-xenophobia, many American liberals and conservatives alike were shocked. But Orban's speech at CPAC -- and CPAC's own meeting in Hungary -- is part of a larger shift on the American Right; indeed, this is a throwback to the Right of the 1930s. As traditional Reaganites wonder what happened to "peace through strength," is it time to ask how "national conservatism" and Reagan-conservatism can live together? And who is the leader that can show the way? These questions and more with Matthew Continetti. Continetti is a senior fellow and the inaugural Patrick and Charlene Neal Chair at the American Enterprise Institute. He is the author of an important new book, https://www.amazon.com/Right-Hundred-Year-War-American-Conservatism/dp/1541600509 (The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism). Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Episode-172-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
Putin is incurring major losses on the battlefield. The strategic and symbolic Kerch Bridge connecting mainland Russia to Crimea was hit a few hours after Putin turned 70; Russian citizens are increasingly unhappy with their leadership; the Ukrainian counter-offensive is resilient and capitalizing on Russia's many military vulnerabilities. Putin has ramped up threats of nuclear escalation, prompting Joe Biden to warn of impending Armageddon at a recent Democratic fundraiser. Is nuclear escalation a legitimate fear? If so, how do we deter Russia from escalating without offering Putin a compromise or offramp? Fred Kagan on these questions and more in today's episode. Kagan is the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project. He, together with the Institute for the Study of War, release a live Ukraine-Russia war tracker. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Episode-171-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
We're just shy of a month out from the 2022 midterm elections, a race that promises the GOP at least a leading edge in the House, if not a tsunami. And perhaps even a Senate win. But there remain critical unknowns: What will happen with the cohort of Trump-endorsed nominees, none of whom seem the best and the brightest their state has to offer? Trump cost the GOP the Senate once before; will that happen again, and will he pay for it this time? And then, the million-dollar question: depending on how this race goes, what will 2024 look like? All these questions and more on today's episode with Karl Rove. Rove is a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. He is the co-founder (with former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie) of American Crossroads, a major Republican 527. He is also the author of https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-William-McKinley-Election-Matters/dp/1476752966 (The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters.) Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Episode-170-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
Conventional wisdom describes China as a rising power, and it was. No more: China's economy is slowing, it is headed into a demographic catastrophe of its own design, it has a brittle and totalitarian political system, and it feels encircled by its neighbors. Our guests Hal Brands and Michael Beckley, authors of the new book https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Zone-Coming-Conflict-China/dp/1324021306 (Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China), assert that China is not "rising," but rather that it has "peaked." More troubling still, judging by the history of peaking powers (Germany pre-WWI, or Imperial Japan,) the US should be very nervous about a short-term grab for power or territory by a panicked Beijing. Both Hal Brands and Michael Beckley are scholars at AEI. Hal is a senior fellow and the Henry A. Kissinger distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a columnist at Bloomberg. Michael Beckley is a non-resident senior fellow, and is an associate professor at Tufts University. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Episode-169-Final-Transcript-1.docx (here).
Late last month, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against Russian forces in Eastern Ukraine, taking back substantial territory. Incredibly, in the face of reputedly superior Russian forces, the Ukrainian military now enjoys the upper hand with respect to available personnel, equipment, command, and motivation. The tide has turned largely in Ukraine's favor… so why is the Biden Administration still dragging its heels? China and India are cooling on their support for Putin's military foibles, domestic support in Russia is wavering, and Moscow is now backed into sourcing drones from Iran and artillery from North Korea -- all dread signs for Vladimir Putin. So what is needed to galvanize available resources in the US and in NATO to push Ukraine over the edge into decisive victory? These questions and more on today's episode with Ambassador Kurt Volker. Amb. Volker is a former US ambassador to NATO and the former US Special Representative for Ukraine. He is now a distinguished fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, and a founding partner of the American University in Kyiv. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Episode-168-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
Today we discuss the passing of one of modern history's most beloved and well-known leaders: Queen Elizabeth II. With her departure comes the end of the second Elizabethan era, one that weathered world war and domestic tumult with a brand of political neutrality rarely seen on the world stage today. Much is to be discussed in the coming years regarding the state of the Commonwealth, with several countries already hinting at their departure. But today, we take a moment with seriousness — and yes, some humor — to remember the powerful impact of Queen Elizabeth II, her life, her legacy, and her unique unifying force. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Nile-Transcript-Final.docx (here).
We return from our hiatus to discuss Biden’s trillion-dollar student loan forgiveness plan. Even for those with little background in economics, this is clearly a case of the inverse Robin Hood: a regressive act that takes from the poor and gives to the much less poor. Not to mention, the plan is an assault on the Congressional power of the purse, and legally murky with the justification of the post-9/11 Heroes Act. And let us not forget that this act paradoxically comes on the heels of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, though it is an incredibly costly plan that will only exacerbate current inflation levels. As the Democratic Party consolidates its role as the party of college-educated coastal elites, AEI’s Michael Strain joins us to unpack the student loan handout. Strain is the Director of Economic Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Michael-Strain-Sept-7-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
Back to the Iran Deal... ICYMI our podcast with David Albright on what Iran is really up to... Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in Tehran last week, eliminating the country’s leading nuclear expert and the head of its program. Iranian officials have blamed Israel for Fakhrizadeh’s killing, vowing retaliation for the targeted attack. Nuclear weapons expert David Albright joined Dany and Marc to explain what Fakhrizadeh’s death means for the country’s effort to obtain nuclear weapons. He also discusses what to expect from Iran in the coming days and how the Biden administration’s Iran policy will differ from that of the Trump administration. David Albright, a physicist, is founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security. He is a former weapons inspector and has written numerous assessments on secret nuclear weapons programs throughout the world. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12.3.20-David-Albright-transcript-1.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Back to the Iran Deal... ICYMI our podcast with David Albright on what Iran is really up to... Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in Tehran last week, eliminating the country’s leading nuclear expert and the head of its program. Iranian officials have blamed Israel for Fakhrizadeh’s killing, vowing retaliation for the targeted attack. Nuclear weapons expert David Albright joined Dany and Marc to explain what Fakhrizadeh’s death means for the country’s effort to obtain nuclear weapons. He also discusses what to expect from Iran in the coming days and how the Biden administration’s Iran policy will differ from that of the Trump administration. David Albright, a physicist, is founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security. He is a former weapons inspector and has written numerous assessments on secret nuclear weapons programs throughout the world. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12.3.20-David-Albright-transcript-1.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
One year later, a WTH throwback to an outstanding pod recorded in the wake of the disastrous withdrawal… Almost 20 years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban are back in control of the country. After President Biden’s decision to depart Afghanistan regardless of conditions on the ground, and the withdrawal of U.S. intelligence and air support to the Afghan army, the Taliban rapidly advanced, culminating in the collapse of the Afghan government. Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Taliban takeover, President Biden’s decision, the role of the Afghan army, and the impact on al Qaeda. Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the U.S. military mission. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FINAL-Kagan-Transcript-8.18.21-2.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
We break our hiatus briefly today, because this is important. News leaked that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi planned to travel to Taiwan this month, and it caused an uproar as as the public battled online about whether her trip would provoke China. Leadership hasn’t handled this well: Xi Jinping threatened military action and instead of condemning the threat, Biden hid behind the Pentagon. We know today that Pelosi plans to follow through with the visit, but this incident leaves us alarmed at the Biden administration’s lack of preparedness. By 2027, when China’s military is predicted to be capable of taking Taiwan, America’s is set to be at its weakest. We know that “integrated deterrence” was unsuccessful in Ukraine, yet there are few real plans to focus on hard power in Taiwan. America has promised to arm Taiwan, but $14 billion of delayed defense equipment requested by Taiwan sits idle. Why doesn’t the White House have a coherent war plan by now? Are we letting China deter us on the cheap? These questions and more today with Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Member of Congress representing Wisconsin’s 8th district. Gallagher sits on the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees. He served seven years in the US Marine Corps, with two tours in Iraq. Donload the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Mike-Gallagher-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
We break our hiatus briefly today, because this is important. News leaked that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi planned to travel to Taiwan this month, and it caused an uproar as as the public battled online about whether her trip would provoke China. Leadership hasn’t handled this well: Xi Jinping threatened military action and instead of condemning the threat, Biden hid behind the Pentagon. We know today that Pelosi plans to follow through with the visit, but this incident leaves us alarmed at the Biden administration’s lack of preparedness. By 2027, when China’s military is predicted to be capable of taking Taiwan, America’s is set to be at its weakest. We know that “integrated deterrence” was unsuccessful in Ukraine, yet there are few real plans to focus on hard power in Taiwan. America has promised to arm Taiwan, but $14 billion of delayed defense equipment requested by Taiwan sits idle. Why doesn’t the White House have a coherent war plan by now? Are we letting China deter us on the cheap? These questions and more today with Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Member of Congress representing Wisconsin’s 8th district. Gallagher sits on the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees. He served seven years in the US Marine Corps, with two tours in Iraq. Donload the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Mike-Gallagher-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
Just 7% of Americans today report having a great deal of trust in the media. A majority of the public believes that the media is more concerned with supporting an ideological or political position than informing them. The press is free, but bias has seeped into every corner. And the lack of an objective press threatens American democracy, degrades the national conversation and pits Americans against each other. How did we get to the point where the White House Press Corps has a ratio of 12:1 Democrat to Republican among reporters? Where a swath of this country’s journalists no longer believe they have an obligation to cover both sides of a story? Where the same reporters that cover statistics of a growing partisan and ideological divide in America are the same sources pushing a divisive agenda? Ari Fleischer joins us today to offer a fresh perspective on the state of our media. He was the White House Press Secretary to George W. Bush and is a veteran media observer. He's a Fox News commentator, and he has a new book out titled, https://www.amazon.com/Suppression-Deception-Snobbery-Bias-Wrong_And/dp/0063112752 (Suppression, Deception, Snobbery, and Bias: Why the Press Gets So Much Wrong ― And Just Doesn't Care). Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Ari-Fleischer-Transcript-Final.docx (here).
Just 7% of Americans today report having a great deal of trust in the media. A majority of the public believes that the media is more concerned with supporting an ideological or political position than informing them. The press is free, but bias has seeped into every corner. And the lack of an objective press threatens American democracy, degrades the national conversation and pits Americans against each other. How did we get to the point where the White House Press Corps has a ratio of 12:1 Democrat to Republican among reporters? Where a swath of this country’s journalists no longer believe they have an obligation to cover both sides of a story? Where the same reporters that cover statistics of a growing partisan and ideological divide in America are the same sources pushing a divisive agenda? Ari Fleischer joins us today to offer a fresh perspective on the state of our media. He was the White House Press Secretary to George W. Bush and is a veteran media observer. He's a Fox News commentator, and he has a new book out titled, https://www.amazon.com/Suppression-Deception-Snobbery-Bias-Wrong_And/dp/0063112752 (Suppression, Deception, Snobbery, and Bias: Why the Press Gets So Much Wrong ― And Just Doesn't Care). Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Ari-Fleischer-Transcript-Final.docx (here).
This summer is predicted to hold the worst blackouts that America has seen in recent memory – stories of individuals dying from heat grace the headlines of the same news outlets that report John Kerry’s statement that the US will be coal-free in 8 short years. Indeed, the logical inconsistency in the argument pushed by the green energy movement has never been so stark: if we don’t have a better energy alternative right now, why are we shuttering coal plants and discounting the benefit of nuclear plants? If we are truly experiencing more variable weather due to climate change, why are we focusing on solar and wind technology reliant on particular weather conditions? And, all that not to mention the predicted 233% increase in electricity prices this summer to complement prices at the pump. Robert Bryce joins us to talk through these questions, offer policy solutions, and more. He's the Austin, Texas-based host of the Power Hungry podcast, as well as executive producer of a documentary called Juice: How Electricity Explains the World, and the author of six books. The most recent one is called A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of Nations. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Robert-Bryce-Transcript-Final.docx (here).
This summer is predicted to hold the worst blackouts that America has seen in recent memory – stories of individuals dying from heat grace the headlines of the same news outlets that report John Kerry’s statement that the US will be coal-free in 8 short years. Indeed, the logical inconsistency in the argument pushed by the green energy movement has never been so stark: if we don’t have a better energy alternative right now, why are we shuttering coal plants and discounting the benefit of nuclear plants? If we are truly experiencing more variable weather due to climate change, why are we focusing on solar and wind technology reliant on particular weather conditions? And, all that not to mention the predicted 233% increase in electricity prices this summer to complement prices at the pump. Robert Bryce joins us to talk through these questions, offer policy solutions, and more. He's the Austin, Texas-based host of the Power Hungry podcast, as well as executive producer of a documentary called Juice: How Electricity Explains the World, and the author of six books. The most recent one is called A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of Nations. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Robert-Bryce-Transcript-Final.docx (here).
Last week, in the aftermath of both Party and Pinchergate – not to speak of sky-high inflation and higher taxes - Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. For many, the writing has been on the wall for months: small ethical problems snowballing because of mismanagement and lies; large economic problems fostered by increasingly leftist policies. In light of these challenges, Johnson’s great Brexit achievement’s luster began to fade. The coming days and weeks promise an unseemly scramble for leadership of Britain’s Conservatives. Where will the Tories go? A rebirth of Thatcherism to face Britain’s crises? Or more drift to the squashy left? More importantly still, are there lessons for the United States in the BoJo debacle? These questions and more in today’s episode with Alan Mendoza. Mendoza is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Henry Jackson Society, a leading UK think tank. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Mendoza-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
Today’s episode with Dan Yergin explores America’s shift away from fossil fuels, looking at the very real domestic and geopolitical implications of shuttering coal plants and transitioning to green energy. Pivoting away from U.S. energy independence has not made the country energy progressive; rather, it has set Americans up for reliance on adversarial energy sources, encouraging strategic allies to import from Russia and China instead. Promoting wind and solar alternatives does not dramatically lower resource usage; it simply shifts from a world of big oil to a world of big shovels, as an enormous quantity of rare earths and minerals are required. Then there’s the fact that the technology to store wind and solar energy does not yet exist. So, how can we think about climate change, resources, geopolitical strategy, and security… practically? Yergin is the vice-chairman of S&P Global, a director of the Council on Foreign Relations and a trustee of the Brookings Institution. He is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize, for his book The Prize. His newest book is The New Map. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dan-Yergin-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
Many Americans celebrated the end of Roe vs Wade. Others are deeply angered and worried. The question of abortion is not a simple one, and merits thoughtful discourse and kindness rather than hysteria or trimphalism. Any discussion also requires a real look at the facts; what is the legal basis of this ruling? Where does the pro-life movement stand? What does pro-choice Americans really want? In this episode we try to provide a model for how to approach the conversations ahead with Robby George, one of our nation’s most respected political philosophers. Robert George is the sixth McCormick professor of jurisprudence and the director of the James Madison program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He is a past winner of the American Enterprise Institute's Irving Kristol Award. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Robby-George-Transcript-Final.docx (Download the transcript here.)
Since our episode on inflation with Glenn Hubbard last month, his dire predictions about a likely recession have gathered steam. And though we’re not yet officially in a recession, Americans’ economic pain is only growing: New record average high gas prices in June, likely rolling blackouts, shocking inflation at the supermarket and now the cost of money has skyrocketed too. Meanwhile, here in Washington, the President continues to go on vacation every weekend, deny that inflation is his fault, and push a mindless spending agenda. How did the Fed, White House economists, and mainstream professional forecasters get it so wrong? And perhaps more importantly, what should be done going forward? These questions and more on today’s episode with Michael Strain. Strain is the Director of Economic Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Mike-Strain-Final-Transcript.docx (here).
Is the news out of Ukraine as bad as it sounds? Russia may not be able to hold out as long as Putin believes, but the Ukrainian military desperately requires longer-range missiles to beat back the offensive in Luhansk. Ukraine’s putative allies are failing to "flood the zone," and do not seem to realize that a frozen conflict is a strategic pause for the Russians, not the end of the game. Domestic politics and news headlines alike reflect a desire to move on, yet Ukraine is at a critical inflection point in Severodonetsk, the last significant Ukrainian prepared defensive position within Luhansk Oblast. How do we ensure that we don't look back at this moment years from now, only to conclude that delays in aiding Ukraine helped the Russian offensive gain a critical strategic advantage? These questions and more in today's conversation with George Barros. Barros is a geospatial analyst on the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Check out ISW's daily interactive map linked on the transcript, which he helps each week to update. Download the transcript https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/George-Barros-Transcript-Final.docx (here).
Today’s episode is an exploration of the core question gripping our country in the weeks following the Uvalde shooting: how can we prevent such attacks in the future? A terrible pattern repeats again in the recent Uvalde case: a teenager exhibits disturbing behavior before he commits a gun-related crime. With no criminal record, what should have been “tell-tale” signs the shooter was a danger? Jim Geraghty suggests that tougher background checks are not the answer, or at least not the whole answer. In addition, with straw buyers (think grandmothers) purchasing firearms for their teenage grandsons—not to mention the fact that the Pentagon puts more guns in the hands of young adults than anyone else in this country— raising the age restriction may not cut it. It may not even pass legal muster. The challenge isn’t simple, but there are solutions. Marc and Dany explore creative options that could move us forward, and learn why efforts to ban certain kinds of weapons might not with National Review’s Jim Geraghty. Jim Geraghty is the Senior Political Correspondent of National Review. He writes their Morning Jolt newsletter, and hosts the Three Martini Lunch podcast. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Jim-Geraghty-Transcript-Final.docx (Download the transcript here.)
This is America - how can we have a shortage of baby formula? That’s the question many parents are asking as they face bare Soviet-style store shelves. In a country with ample means, how did America arrive at what is essentially a food shortage? How did three main domestic baby formula companies come to control 98% of their market? Parent or not, this issue has implications for everyone—it is a case study that involves government regulations, supply chain, monopolies under the guise of capitalism, and barriers to free trade. Or, as one of the podcast’s guests notes, “a perfect storm.” Marc and Dany explore this puzzling situation with guests Annie Gasparro and Jesse Newman, Wall Street Journal reporters covering the scandal. Gasparro is a food reporter with the WSJ Chicago bureau and writes about packaged food companies and consumer tastes. Newman is also a food reporter with the WSJ corporate bureau, covering farmers, ranchers, and food companies.
Do Russians really support Vladimir Putin's aggression and war crimes in Ukraine? On the weekend of April 1st, Western media shared photos and videos of a brutal massacre in Bucha, Ukraine. The gruesome reports prompted a fresh wave of outrage over Russian war crimes. This week saw the first Ukrainian war crimes trial that ended in confession and conviction for a Russian soldier. But Russians in government and outside continue to insist that the Bucha massacre is “fake,” or “Western agenda-setting.” More troubling still are broad Russian civilian calls to annihilate the “sub-human” Ukrainians. Marc and Dany explore this disturbing trend with Ian Garner on today’s episode. Garner is a historian and a translator of Russian war propaganda. His first book, Stalingrad Lives: Stories of Combat and Survival, was published in 2022. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Ian-Garner-Transcript-Final.docx (Download the transcript here. )
More guns, less butter? Today, average Americans are looking at historic levels of inflation, economic contraction, and rising gas prices, soon to merit the term stagflation—and that's not all. People are leaving their jobs en masse, the average consumer is cutting costs to keep up with personal budget deficits, and meanwhile, the Biden administration has added $1.9 trillion to the $300 billion economic hole. To top it all off, there's trouble abroad with tightening sanctions on Russia and the persistent trade competition with China. Glenn Hubbard joins Dany and Marc to discuss the state of economic affairs, the role of the Fed, Build Back Better, and more. Glenn Hubbard is a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and the former Dean of the Columbia Business School. He is the current Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics there. He is also the former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WTH-152-Hubbard-Transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Last week we saw the first leak in Supreme Court history – a draft opinion that reversed the landmark Roe v Wade ruling of 1973 and shot the topic of abortion back into the headlines. Former Supreme Court clerk John Yoo joins Dany and Marc again to discuss the legal implications of overturning Roe v Wade, the reasoning behind the leak, and the options before the nation’s voters as they weigh the prospective ruling. Is Roe good law? Does it matter? And do the American people care that issues before the highest court in the land and the nomination of justices have taken on the “character of a political campaign.” These questions and more on this week’s episode with guest John Yoo. Yoo is a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He is currently the Emmanuel Heller professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley school of law. He is a scholar at both the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WTH-Ep151-2022-05-10-Yoo.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Nuclear saber-rattling, threats to expand the war, and $33 billion in new aid: General Jack Keane joins Marc and Dany to discuss the direction of the war in Ukraine. Putin’s efforts have shifted from Kyiv to the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and it’s still not going well. Meanwhile, on the home front, Biden has apparently turned a corner, now aiming to support an outright Ukrainian victory with more weaponry and a proposed $33 billion aid package. Will Putin’s military failures continue, or will he shift tactics and target neighboring regions? How strong is White House resolve to help President Zelensky achieve an uncompromised win? And how should Biden and Zelensky respond should Putin introduce nuclear weapons to the conflict? These questions and more on this week’s episode with guest General Jack Keane. Jack Keane is a retired four-star general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. He is the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, and a Fox News senior strategic analyst. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WTH-Keane-Transcript-Final-.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Is good old American flag waving patriotism dead, only to be replaced with chauvinistic nationalism, or worse, anti-Americanism? Perhaps thinking of national pride as something rooted in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the U.S.’ proud history is too 20thcentury; maybe it is no longer working? Indeed, in a country in which history and civics get short shrift in education, it should come as no surprise that many under 50 feel no pride, no patriotic sense as Americans. But there may be another way – a new cultural patriotism, in which people have pride in the country they know rather than in the traditions that have spawned national holidays and parades. Will that work? Yascha Mounk joined Dany and Marc to discuss the findings of his new book The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure (Penguin Press). He discusses the concept of cultural patriotism, the problem of multiculturalism and assimilation. They also debate the metaphor of America’s melting pot, American exceptionalism, and the ideals that make America the best country on earth. Mounk is one of the world’s leading experts on the crisis of liberal democracy and the rise of populism. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and the founder of Persuasion. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/WTH-Mounk-Transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The American Right is at a crossroads. Donald Trump’s presidency continues to divide and challenge the conservative movement both intellectually and politically. What is the future of a principles-first movement in the era of America-First populism? Issues like immigration, the international rules-based order, partisan media, and rising military threats place countervailing pressures on a conservative movement struggling to define its future. Matt Continetti joined Dany and Marc to discuss his new book, “The Right: The Hundred Year War for American Conservatism” (Basic Books, 2022). The book examines a century of the history of the American Right, Warren Harding to Donald Trump. Matt, Dany and Marc analyze historic ties between the conservative movement and populism and the tension between grassroots conservatives and elites. They also talk about implications for foreign policy and the isolationist streak among conservatives. Matt Continetti is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where his work is focused on American political thought and history, with a particular focus on the development of the Republican Party and the American conservative movement in the 20th century. He is also a contributing editor at National Review and a columnist for Commentary Magazine. He has been published in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among other outlets. He also appears frequently on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” with Bret Baier and MSNBC’s “Meet the Press Daily” with Chuck Todd. You can learn more about his book https://www.the-right-book.com/ (here). https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/WTH-Continetti-Episode-Transcript.pdf?x91208 (Read the transcript here.)
Amid the death and destruction from Russia’s invasion of his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky surprised many when he pronounced last month that his “life today is wonderful.” How can Zelensky—whose war-torn homeland is experiencing increasingly intense fighting and growing civilian casualties—be so optimistic despite the dire circumstances? Is it possible for everyday people to realize the same sense of happiness, courage, and purpose? Is there a secret to happiness and purpose that we can use in our everyday lives to achieve true success? Arthur C. Brooks joined Marc and Dany to discuss the roadmap for finding purpose, meaning, and success in life, his journey to form new life practices and transform his future, the folly of being addicted to achievement, and his latest #1 bestseller “From Strength to Strength: Finding Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.”
Arthur Brooks is the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. Before joining the Harvard faculty in 2019, he served for ten years as president of the American Enterprise Institute. Brooks is the author of 12 books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller From Strength to Strength,” and national bestsellers “Love Your Enemies” (2019) and “The Conservative Heart” (2015). He is also a columnist for The Atlantic, host of the podcast “How to Build a Happy Life with Arthur Brooks,” and subject of the 2019 documentary film “The Pursuit,” which Variety named as one of the “Best Documentaries on Netflix” in August 2019. He gives more than 100 speeches per year around the US, Europe, and Asia. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FINAL-Brooks-Transcript-4.13.22.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Outrage over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine intensified this weekend as horrific reports of Russian war crimes emerged and shocked the world. In what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described as “genocide,” more than 400 civilians were found dead in the northern Ukrainian town of Bucha after it was seized back from Russian forces—with many of those killed shot at close range with their hands tied behind their backs. Despite the Kremlin’s denial that Russian forces were responsible for the killings, Western leaders have called for additional sanctions on Moscow as evidence of similar Russian atrocities throughout Ukraine increases. How should the US and NATO hold Putin accountable? Will Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine mark a tipping point in the conflict?
David Kramer joined Marc and Dany to discuss Russian war crimes in Ukraine, the US response following the atrocities in Bucha, Putin’s domestic crackdown, and how the US can take a tougher stance against the Kremlin. David Kramer is the Managing Director for Global Policy at the George W. Bush Institute and a Senior Fellow at Florida International University’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center. Previously, Kramer served eight years in the US Department of State during the George W. Bush administration, including as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs; Professional Staff Member in the Secretary’s Office of Policy Planning; and Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary for Global Affairs. Kramer also was the Executive Director of the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, and from 2010 to 2014, he served as the President of Freedom House. He also chairs the board of the Free Russia Foundation and is the author of the book “Back to Containment: Dealing with Putin’s Regime.” https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FINAL-Kramer-Transcript-4.6.22.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Despite predictions of a swift victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian forces continue to inspire the world as they hold their ground and thwart Russian invasion forces. Since the launch of its attack on Ukraine in February, the Russian military has faced heavy resistance and a growing number of casualties—NATO estimates that up to 40,000 Russian troops have been killed, injured, captured, or gone missing during the first month of the conflict. With its strategic position weakening, Moscow announced this week that it would “dramatically” scale back its military activities around Kyiv. However, Russian forces still pose a significant threat to the capital, and despite continued pleas from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the West has been reluctant to increase its support or provide Ukraine with the fighter aircraft it needs to defend its skies.
Ambassador Kurt Volker joined Marc and Dany to discuss the ramifications of Russia’s inevitable defeat in Ukraine, the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis, and the future of Ukraine.
Ambassador Volker is a Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis and is currently Managing Director, International, and Co-Chair of the Advisory Board at BGR Group. He served as US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations from 2017 to 2019 and as US Ambassador to NATO from 2008 to 2009. He is also President and Founder of Alliance Strategic Advisors, LLC, and from 2012 to 2019, he was the founding Executive Director of The McCain Institute for International Leadership. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FINAL-Volker-Transcript-3.30.22.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has brought horror and misery to millions and challenged the US-led international order to an extent unseen since the Cold War. As NATO struggles to mount an effective response to Russia’s aggression, a growing alliance of dictatorships led by Putin and China’s Xi Jinping is attempting to shape the geopolitical order to their interests and against those of the US. With casualties rising in Ukraine and growing fears of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, does the US now find itself in a new Cold War? Matt Pottinger joins Marc and Dany to discuss the new cold war, the conflict’s ideological underpinnings, and the historical analogies that help explain Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Matt Pottinger is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, Chairman of The Foundation for Defense of Democracies China Program, and a Senior Advisor at The Marathon Initiative. From 2019 to 2021, Pottinger served in the White House in senior roles on the National Security Council staff, including as deputy national security advisor. He previously served as senior director for Asia, where he led the administration’s work on the Indo-Pacific region, in particular its shift on China policy. Before his White House service, Pottinger spent the late 1990s and early 2000s in China as a reporter for Reuters and the Wall Street Journal. He then fought in Iraq and Afghanistan as a US Marine during three combat deployments between 2007 and 2010. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FINAL-Pottinger-Transcript-3.23.22.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
This past week, plans to bolster Ukraine’s military defenses with MiG fighter jets were derailed when President Biden refused to permit the transfer of the fighters to Ukraine. With the White House and NATO also rejecting a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine, the war’s civilian toll continues to rise. As the war drags, a growing number of Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are calling on the President to ramp up military aid to Ukraine and provide Kyiv with the military assistance it requested. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D) joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Biden administration’s response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the repercussions of the US response in Ukraine, and what the White House needs to do to support Ukraine. Congressman Panetta is a member of the US House of Representatives, representing California’s 20th Congressional District. First elected in 2016, Panetta currently serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, the House Committee on Agriculture, and the House Committee on Armed Services. He also serves as a Chief Deputy Whip in the 117th Congress. In 2007, Congressman Panetta volunteered for active duty and was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he worked with Special Forces units and, as a result of his meritorious service in a combat zone, was awarded the Bronze Star. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FINAL-Panetta-Transcript-3.16.22-2.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
As Russia continues its bloody invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its NATO allies have responded by levying wide-ranging sanctions against Moscow as well as providing Kyiv with humanitarian, security, and economic assistance. However, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the aid has been largely insufficient in helping turn back the almost two-week-long Russian campaign. With Ukrainian cities increasingly under siege and intelligence estimates suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin may soon escalate his offensive, this week President Zelensky pleaded for the US and NATO to step up their support by establishing a no-fly zone over the country, banning the purchase of Russian oil, and helping secure more fighter jets. (Late breaking news suggests a NATO deal is underway to get Polish MiGs to Ukraine.)
Radosław Sikorski joined Marc and Dany to discuss Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, President Zelensky’s request for more support from the US and NATO, and the implications of an increased Western response in Ukraine.
Radoslaw Sikorksi is a member of the European Parliament where he serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age (AIDA) and the Subcommittee on Security and Defense (SEDE). He also chairs the Delegation for relations with the United States. Prior to his election to the European Parliament in 2019, Sikorski served as minister of national defense of Poland from 2005 to 2007, minister of foreign affairs from 2007 to 2014, and marshal of the Sejm (speaker of Poland’s parliament) from September 2014 to June 2015. From 2002 to 2005, he was resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. and executive director of the New Atlantic Initiative. Sikorski is the author of several books, including Dust of the Saints and The Polish House: An Intimate History of Poland. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/WTH-142-Final-Transcript-Sikorski-3.9.22.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
As Russia’s violent assault on Ukraine enters its second week, causalities on both sides have been climbing, and many of Ukraine’s largest cities remain under siege. Despite Russian combat operations initially facing severe setbacks as a result of a determined Ukrainian resistance, the Russian offensive has been gaining ground in recent days, with Russian troops capturing their first major city, the southern port of Kherson. Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the current military state of play in Ukraine, Putin’s initial miscalculations, and the Ukrainian people’s heroic stand against Putin’s aggression. Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the US military mission. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FINAL-TRANSCRIPT-WTH-141.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
As Moscow intensifies its assault on Ukraine, the United States and its Western allies have responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression by waging a financial war and imposing a barrage of sanctions designed to cripple Russia’s economy. The measures, which have increased in severity in the days since the Russian invasion, caused the ruble to reach its lowest level ever against the dollar and have wrought havoc on Russia’s financial markets and largest banks. With the announcement that the US and its European allies are planning to expel selected Russian banks from the global financial messaging service SWIFT, the Russian economy is in increasing peril.
Marshall Billingslea joined Marc and Dany to discuss the US and the West’s response to Russia’s aggression on Ukraine, the sanctions campaign against the Russian economy, and what the US needs to do to ensure severe financial and military pain for Moscow.
Marshall S. Billingslea is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, focusing on illicit finance and arms control with the Kleptocracy Initiative. Prior to joining Hudson Institute, Mr. Billingslea was the special presidential envoy for arms control at the US Department of State, holding the rank of ambassador. Before joining the State Department, Mr. Billingslea served as the assistant secretary for terrorist financing at the US Department of the Treasury, and in 2018, he was selected as president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)—the global anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing body—and co-chaired the global Counter-ISIS Finance. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FINAL-Billingslea-Transcript-3.1.22.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
This week, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially recognized the independence of the Moscow-backed breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk and ordered Russian troops to enter the Donbas. After what President Biden (ultimately) called the “beginning of a Russian invasion,” Russia’s blatant violation of Ukrainian national sovereignty has triggered a wave of sanctions from both the US and our European partners. With tensions rising and no sign of Putin being deterred, hopes for a diplomatic resolution continue to fade while the likelihood of more serious confrontation in Ukraine grows by the hour. General Jack Keane joined Dany and Marc to discuss Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s recognition of two breakaway regions in the Donbas, and the ramifications for US national security if President Biden fails to act. General Jack Keane is a retired 4 star general, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FINAL-Keane-Transcript-2.23.22-1.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
In late January, a group of truckers calling themselves the “Freedom Convoy” traveled to the Canadian capital of Ottawa to protest Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cross-border vaccine mandates. However, what started as a modest protest has since mushroomed into a broader movement opposed to Trudeau, vaccine mandates, and draconian Covid restrictions. With over $7.8 million in donations from supporters, the “Freedom Convoy” has inspired similar demonstrations not only across Canada—where protesters blockaded North America’s busiest land border crossing for almost a week— but also in New Zealand, France, Netherlands, and most recently, the United States. In an effort to end the ongoing protests, this week, Trudeau invoked the never-used-before Emergencies Act, giving the Canadian government the broad powers and the authority to take steps to “restore order.” Canadian columnist Anthony Furey joined Marc and Dany to discuss Canada’s trucker protests, Prime Minister Trudeau’s invocation of the Emergencies Act, Canada’s draconian COVID restrictions, and how the Canadian government is progressively taking away its own citizens freedoms. Anthony Furey is a national columnist for the Sun newspapers chain in Canada and the host of the Postmedia podcast “Full Comment with Anthony Furey.” He’s also written for TIME, NY Daily News, Literary Review of Canada and other publications. He regularly appears on talk radio and has been featured on BBC, Fox News Channel and other channels. Furey's new book “Pulse Attack: The Real Story Behind The Secret Weapon That Can Destroy North America,” about electromagnetic pulse warfare, is now out and available. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FINAL-Furey-Transcript-WTH-138-2.16.22.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
As the Olympics continue in Communist China alongside Beijing’s continued genocide against the Uighurs, all too few have been willing to call out the tyrants and abusers. Democratic freedoms are under assault from Xinjiang to Ankara to Tehran to Moscow. But the powerful have been strangely reticent. Enes Kanter Freedom, a human rights advocate and center for the Boston Celtics, has committed himself to being a voice for freedom and human rights around the world, calling out injustices despite threats against him and his family. Enes Kanter Freedom joined Marc and Dany to discuss his human rights activism, using his platform to call out injustice, those trying to keep him silent, and why so many people choose their money over their morals.
Enes Kanter Freedom, originally from Turkey, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics and a human rights advocate. A center, Freedom has played for five NBA teams since entering the league in 2011. In 2021, Freedom officially became a US citizen and legally changed his name to Enes Kanter Freedom at the same time to mark the occasion. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FINAL-Freedom-Transcript-2.10.22-1.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
In 2020, the United States marked a grim milestone as it experienced its largest-ever single-year homicide spike on record. As murders continued to climb in 2021, 12 major US cities broke their annual homicide records, with many other urban areas suffering near-record high violence.
Rafael Mangual joined Marc and Dany to discuss the impact and driving factors behind America’s crime wave, the failure of our elected leaders and the criminal justice system to hold criminals accountable, and why the criminal justice reform movement is not only misguided but also dangerous.
Rafael Mangual is a senior fellow and head of research for the Policing and Public Safety Initiative at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal. He has authored and coauthored a number of reports and op-eds on issues ranging from urban crime and jail violence to broader matters of criminal and civil justice reform. His work has been featured and mentioned in a wide array of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, New York Post, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer and City Journal. His first book, "Criminal (In)Justice," will be available in July 2022. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FINAL-Mangual-Transcript-2.2.22.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
In what is arguably the most serious crisis in Eastern Europe since the end of the Cold War, Russia has positioned more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s border and has sparked fears of an invasion. With tensions at a high, the US and its allies have warned the Kremlin that any invasion will be met with “massive consequences” and “severe economic costs.” A new round of talks is set to begin in Paris this week, but Russia and the West have yet to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Chris Miller joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Russian military mobilization at the Ukrainian border, a potential Russian invasion, Putin’s intentions in Ukraine, and how the US and its allies should respond.
Chris Miller is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on Russian foreign policy, politics, and economics; Russia and Ukraine; Russian-European relations; and Eurasia. He also focuses on semiconductors and the geopolitics of technology. Concurrently, Dr. Miller is assistant professor of international history at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and codirector of the school’s Russia and Eurasia Program. He is also the director of the Eurasia Program and a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI). https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FINAL-Transcript-WTH-135-Miller-1.25.22.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
Following President Biden’s fiery Atlanta voting rights speech last week, it seems that the administration is keen to bring the issue of voting reform to the forefront of its legislative agenda with an accompanying change in the Senate filibuster rules. With debate over two voting rights bills—the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act—expected to begin in the Senate this week, Democratic Senators Manchin and Sinema have made clear the filibuster is here to stay, dooming the federalization of election law for this term. National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar joined Marc and Dany to discuss Biden’s voting rights push, the president’s inflammatory speech last week in Georgia, the left’s determination to abolish the filibuster, and the Biden administration’s struggling agenda.
Josh Kraushaar is National Journal Daily's Senior National Political Columnist, and pens the weekly "Against the Grain" column. Prior to working at National Journal, he was a political correspondent for Politico, where he reported on congressional campaigns and managed the "Scorecard" blog devoted to up-to-the-minute coverage of elections. Kraushaar has appeared as a political analyst on television and radio, including FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, National Public Radio, and C-SPAN. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FINAL-WTH-134-Transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
For the past two years, American children have had their lives upended as schools across the country transitioned to remote learning and introduced harsh measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19. As a result, most students have fallen far behind in school, and many children and teenagers are experiencing grave mental health problems. With districts across the country now navigating the Omicron surge, students and parents are worried that educators will again shut their doors and return online. The New York Times’ David Leonhardt joined Marc and Dany to discuss the damage school closures have on America’s students, why lockdowns disproportionally affect minorities and the poor, how teachers unions are exacerbating the problem, and the pandemics’ long-term impact on our children’s lives. David Leonhardt is a senior writer for the New York Times, where he writes The Morning newsletter every weekday and also contributes to the Sunday Review section. Leonhardt has worked at The Times since 1999, in a variety of reporting and editing roles. In 2011, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his columns. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FINAL-Leonhardt-Transcript-1.12.22-2.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
This week, the United States will mark one year since the disgraceful and violent Capitol insurrection of January 6, 2020. The culmination of Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ surrounding the 2020 presidential election, last year’s Capitol riots marked a focal point in America’s political polarization and may have brought the country closer to a constitutional crisis than we previously believed. Jonathan Karl joined Marc and Dany to reflect on the first anniversary of the Capitol riot and discuss the final year of the Trump presidency, the 2020 presidential election, and his recent book “Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show.” Jonathan Karl is the chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and co-anchor of This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Karl has covered every major beat in Washington, D.C., including the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and the State Department. He has reported from the White House under four presidents and fourteen press secretaries. He is a former president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and the author of “Front Row at the Trump Show” and “Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show.” https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FINAL-Transcript-WTH-132-Karl-1.5.21-1.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Despite President Biden’s vow to leave no man behind, when the last American plane departed Kabul in August, hundreds of American citizens and thousands of our Afghan allies were left stranded and at the mercy of the Taliban. In the face of government inaction, a group of US veterans formed Project Exodus Relief, a non-partisan volunteer effort dedicated to bringing Afghan special forces out. Mike Edwards joined Marc and Dany to discuss the volunteer effort of Project Exodus Relief, the mess of the Afghanistan withdrawal, and what Americans need to know about those we left behind.
Mike is the Founder of Project Exodus Relief. He served 22 years and 18 combat deployments in the Army, primarily in special operations with the Regimental Reconnaissance Company. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FINAL-WTH-131-Transcript-Edwards-12.15.21-1.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
First detected last month in South Africa, the new Omicron strain of the coronavirus has been designated a “variant of concern” by both the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. Dozens of countries have detected Omicron infections, and in the United States, at least 16 states have reported cases. While scientists are still in the early stages of researching the new variant, early reports suggest that while Omicron may have greater transmissibility than other variants due to its unique set of mutations, it causes less severe symptoms than other forms of the virus. Dr. Marty Makary joins Marc and Dany to discuss the Omicron variant, the failure of the CDC, and the underappreciated strength of natural immunity.
Dr. Makary is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Carey Business School. He is the author of “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care—and How to Fix It.” https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FINAL-Makary-Transcript-12.8.21.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, a landmark case centered on a 2018 Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The legal battle is the most consequential test of abortion rights in decades, and the outcome will have direct implications on the fate of the court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion, and its 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that reaffirmed and amended Roe. John Yoo joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Mississippi law, its effects on the future of abortion rights in the United States, and how the justices might rule on the case next year. John Yoo is a Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, and a visiting scholar at AEI. He served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of the Legal Counsel of the US Department of Justice, where he worked on constitutional and national security matters, as General Counsel of the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FINAL-Yoo-Transcript-12.2.21-1.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
One of our greatest hits…. Originally broadcast on June 23, 2021. The national conversation about race is making its way through the US education system. Seemingly overnight, debates about whether to teach children critical race theory have taken hold of state legislatures and school board meetings across the country. But what exactly is critical race theory and why is it so controversial?
Princeton’s Dr. Allen Guelzo joined Dany and Marc to explain critical race theory’s philosophical underpinnings and why it poses a threat to American democracy. Dr. Guelzo also discusses ways to combat its spread throughout American society and the US education system.
Dr. Guelzo is a New York Times best-seller author, American historian and commentator on public issues. He is also Director of the James Madison Program Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship and Senior Research Scholar in the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/FINAL-Guelzo-Transcript-11.24.21-3.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Critical race theory has transformed from a once-obscure academic concept to an issue at the forefront of America's political discourse. In the wake of Glenn Youngkin's victory in Virginia, many have viewed his opposition to critical race theory and his concerns surrounding the teaching of race in schools as a significant factor in his success in this month's election. With the 2022 midterms fast approaching, critical race theory is set to be a hot-button issue as the Republicans attempt to take back control of congress. Yascha Mounk joined Marc and Dany to discuss critical race theory, the current rhetoric on race in the United States, how the Democrat's lost the education narrative, and the stifling of free speech. Mounk is one of the world's leading experts on the crisis of liberal democracy and the rise of populism. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and the founder of Persuasion. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Final-Transcript-WTH-Ep-127-Mounk.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
This past August, we learned that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile that circled the globe before streaking towards its target. This advanced weapons capability surprised many in the US intelligence community and has sparked both questions and concerns surrounding the true extent of China’s military modernization. Thomas Karako joined Marc and Dany to discuss the science behind China’s recent hypersonic missile test, the strategic and security implications of such a weapon in the hands of the Chinese, and what the United States needs to do to safeguard our national security from this threat.
Karako is a senior fellow with the International Security Program and the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In 2010–2011, he was an American Political Science Association congressional fellow, working with the professional staff of the House Armed Services Committee and the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces on US strategic forces policy, nonproliferation, and NATO. Dr. Karako is also currently a fellow with the Institute for Politics and Strategy of Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/WTH-Ep.-126-Final-Transcript-Karako-11.10.21.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
In this week's Virginia governor's race, Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated former Governor Terry McAuliffe in a state that President Biden won by 10 points in 2020. In New Jersey, a state Biden won by 16 points, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy only defeated his Republican challenger by a razor-thin margin. What do these elections tell us about the current state of our politics and the upcoming 2022 midterm elections? Political expert Amy Walter joined Marc and Dany for WTH's first live podcast episode to discuss Virginia's recent gubernatorial election, voter sentiment one year into Biden's presidency, the forces driving American politics, and the upcoming 2022 congressional midterms.
Amy Walter is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. A contributor to the PBS NewsHour, she provides weekly political analysis for the popular "Politics Monday" segment and is a featured contributor for their Election and Convention special coverage events. Previously, Walter was the host of the weekly nationally syndicated program Politics with Amy Walter and the former political director of ABC News. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/11.5.21-Walter-Final-Transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
Despite the Biden administration heralding the pull-out from Afghanistan as a "success," America's tumultuous retreat has sparked outrage and shame both in the United States as well as abroad. Following the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 13 US service members and close to 170 Afghan civilians, Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik decided to turn his frustration into a song to protest the American withdrawal. John joined Marc and Dany to discuss his latest track, "Blood on My Hands," his horror after the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, and perform two of his songs, "Tuesday" and "Blood On My Hands." John Ondrasik, better known by his stage name Five for Fighting, is a platinum-selling, Grammy nominated American singer-songwriter. His songs include "100 Years," "Superman (It's Not Easy)," "Chances," "The Riddle," "Freedom Never Cries," "What If," and his latest single, "Blood On My Hands." https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/11.3.21-Ondrasik-Transcript-Final.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
From October 31 to November 12, representatives and diplomats from some 200 countries, as well as business executives, activists, researchers, industry leaders, and celebrities, will convene in Glasgow, Scotland, for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). If history is any indication, negotiations will be driven by apocalyptic climate rhetoric and unrealistic climate goals. Countries will over promise and under deliver. Bjorn Lomborg joined Marc and Dany to discuss climate alarmism, effective ways to address climate change, the need for innovation and adaptation, and the upcoming climate negotiations.
Mr. Lomborg is president of the Copenhagen Consensus and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution. For this work, Lomborg was named one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. He is the author of the best-selling "False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet," "The Skeptical Environmentalist," and "Cool It." https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/WTH-Ep.-123-Final-Transcript-Lomborg-.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
According to the US Department of Labor, there were a near-record 10.4 million job openings in August. Costs are spiking, supply chains are broken, and Congress wants to spend more money to fix the problem. AEI scholar Michael Strain joined the show to discuss what is keeping people out of the workforce, the effects of enhanced unemployment benefits on the economy’s supply and demand, and the future of the American economy. Michael Strain is the Director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at AEI. Before joining AEI, he worked in the Center for Economic Studies at the US Census Bureau. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/FINAL-Transcript-WTH-Ep.-122-Strain-10.21.21-1.pdf?x91208 (Download the transcript here. )
With rising speculation that former President Donald Trump will seek the 2024 GOP nomination and make a run for the White House, many on the left and in the media see another Trump presidency as a harbinger of a constitutional crisis on a scale unmatched since the Civil War. However, if the past five years have taught us anything, it is that Trump and his supporters are not the sole authors of our political mess. Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. joined Marc and Dany to discuss Trump, the Russian collusion hoax, the abdication of the press, and the real threats to our political system and institutions.
Holman Jenkins is a member of the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal and the author of its biweekly “Business World” column. Mr. Jenkins won a 1997 Gerald Loeb Award for distinguished business and financial coverage, and in 2013 he became the inaugural winner of the Calvin Coolidge Prize for Journalism. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Final-WTH-Transcript-Jenkins-10.13.21.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
At the start of 2021, four prominent voices on the political left created the popular Substack ‘The Liberal Patriot.’ Motivated by what they saw as a gap in analyses on US politics and foreign policy, John Halpin, Ruy Teixeira, Peter Juul, and Brian Katulis seek to use their publication to promote a new liberal nationalism on the center-left and a more open-minded and inclusive approach to thinking about political and social issues. Two of The Liberal Patriot’s co-editors, Brian Katulis and Ruy Teixeira, joined Marc and Dany to discuss their writing, the foundations of liberal and inclusive nationalism, the political conversation on the American center-left, and the current state of modern political discourse.
The Liberal Patriot was created by co-editors John Halpin, Ruy Teixeira, Peter Juul, and Brian Katulis. Together, all four have decades of experience in the fields of political ideology; electoral analysis; public opinion; demography; and national security and international policy. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/FINAL-WTH-10.6.21-Transcript-1-2.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
Since the United States recorded its first Covid-19 related fatality in February 2020, over half a million Americans have died from the virus, and an estimated 43 million total cases have been reported in the country. How was America so unprepared for this pandemic? And how can we ensure that we are prepared for the next public health disaster? Dr. Scott Gottlieb once again joined Marc and Dany to discuss his new book “Uncontrolled Spread: Why COVID-19 Crushed Us and How We Can Defeat the Next Pandemic.” He also talks about the current reality of the Delta variant and what a future with endemic COVID may look like.
Dr. Gottlieb is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. He returned to AEI in 2019 after serving as the 23rd Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. He has a medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and did his residency in internal medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Transcript-Final-WTH-Gottlieb-9.28.21.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
Following the United States’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, there is much debate about how America’s exit will impact its reputation on the world stage and whether rivals such as China and Russia will benefit. While President Biden has justified the withdrawal decision on the grounds of refocusing American strategic priorities around the globe, other countries are now seeking to expand their influence with the newly established Taliban-controlled government of Afghanistan. Yaroslav Trofimov joined Dany and Marc to discuss his reporting from Afghanistan, the global balance of power now that the US has left, the goals and priorities of the Taliban, and what the Chinese and Russians are up to.
Yaroslav Trofimov is the chief foreign-affairs correspondent of The Wall Street Journal. He joined the Journal in 1999 and previously served as Rome, Middle East and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as Dubai-based columnist on the greater Middle East. He is the author of two books, “Faith at War” (2005) and “Siege of Mecca” (2007). https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/WTH-Final-Transcript-Trofimov-9.22.21.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
While an estimated 120,000 Americans, NATO allied citizens, and Afghan allies were evacuated from Afghanistan during the US military withdrawal, many Afghans who worked directly with the US were left behind as the last American planes departed Kabul on August 31. According to a State Department official, a majority of special immigrant visa applicants were not evacuated and still remain in Afghanistan, putting them at additional risk for Taliban retribution. In the absence of the US government, ad hoc groups of veterans, journalists and activists have taken it upon themselves to help rescue both US citizens and our Afghan partners from Afghanistan.
Elliot Ackerman joined Marc and Dany to discuss Biden’s botched withdrawal, American private citizens working to evacuate the Taliban’s hostages still trapped in Afghanistan, and how we can all do our part to help our Afghan partners.
Elliot Ackerman is the author of four novels. He is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Ackerman-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
It has been 20 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001, took the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people and shook America to its core. While much has changed in the two decades since that tragic day, Americans have not forgotten those who perished, as well as the survivors, victims’ families, and the first responders whose lives were irreversibly changed in an instant. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Marc and Dany spoke with Patrick Dowdell about his father, an FDNY first responder who died in the Twin Towers, and reflected on his dad’s life and legacy.
Patrick Dowdell is the son of New York City firefighter Lt. Kevin Dowdell, who died on 9/11. Following his graduation from the United States Military Academy West Point, Dowdell became a US Army captain, serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Final.Dowdell.Transcript.9.8.21.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
On Tuesday, the United States ended its evacuation mission in Kabul, marking the conclusion of two decades of the American military mission in Afghanistan. Since mass evacuations began on August 14, both Americans and NATO allies have criticized President Biden for what they view as a catastrophic execution of an already flawed decision to withdraw. Following last Thursday’s suicide bombing at the Hamid Karzai International Airport that resulted in the death of 13 US service members and more than 200 Afghan civilians, it is has become ever more clear that Biden’s withdrawal was little short of a disaster. Amb. Ryan Crocker joined Marc and Dany to discuss the execution of Biden’s Afghanistan evacuation, America’s betrayal of Afghanistan, and the national security ramifications of the American withdrawal.
Amb. Crocker is an American retired diplomat, a career ambassador within the United States Foreign Service, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was a United States ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon, serving both Republican and Democratic administrations.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Crocker-Final-Transcript-9.1.21.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
Almost 20 years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban are back in control of the country. After President Biden’s decision to depart Afghanistan regardless of conditions on the ground, and the withdrawal of U.S. intelligence and air support to the Afghan army, the Taliban rapidly advanced, culminating in the collapse of the Afghan government. Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Taliban takeover, President Biden’s decision, the role of the Afghan army, and the impact on al Qaeda.
Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the U.S. military mission. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FINAL-Kagan-Transcript-8.18.21-2.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
For many vaccinated Americans the pandemic is all but over, but the political struggle over COVID-19 continues. At the same time, the new and highly contagious delta variant has many calling for a return to mask mandates first implemented at the height of the pandemic. Dr. Marty Makary joins Marc and Dany to discuss why some Americans aren’t getting the vaccine, how much we should really be concerned about the delta variant and breakthrough infections, and whether new mandates on masks and vaccines are warranted in our communities and schools. They also talk about America’s global pandemic response and the future of COVID-19 in America. Dr. Makary is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Carey Business School. He is the author of “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care—and How to Fix It.” https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Makary-Final-Transcript-7.28.21.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Over the past five years, more than 130 US government personnel have been impacted by a strange neurological condition known as "Havana Syndrome,” causing chronic headaches, memory problems, loss of stability and other brain injuries. First identified in Havana, Cuba, in 2016 and largely overlooked by the US government, evidence increasingly suggests that Havana Syndrome may be the result of targeted attacks by Moscow. CBS’ Catherine Herridge joins Marc and Dany to discuss her investigation into Havana Syndrome, evidence that the condition is the result of a targeted attack, and why Moscow is likely responsible. They also talk about the US response and how to help those affected. Catherine Herridge is an award-winning senior investigative correspondent for CBS News covering national security and intelligence. Prior to joining CBS News, Herridge was the chief intelligence correspondent for FOX News Channel and worked as a TV and radio correspondent for ABC News in London. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Herridge-Final-Transcript-7.21.21.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The people of Cuba are rising up against their government and calling for freedom and basic rights. Enabled by new access to social media, protestors are demanding liberty after decades of political and economic abuses exacerbated by the weight of the pandemic. Will the Cuban people finally throw off their dictators? Roger Noriega joined Dany and Marc to talk about the decades-long political and economic oppression that led to the current demonstrations, how social media has enabled opposition to the regime, and how the US and international community can help the Cuban people win their freedom.
Roger Noriega is the founder and managing director of the consultant firm VisiónAméricas LLC. He has served as both US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs and as US Ambassador to the Organization of American States. Noriega was also a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute from 2005-2020.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Noriega-Final-Transcript-7.14.21.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Inflation is taking off across the country, with prices up 5% in May compared with a year ago and the US recording its highest rate since 2008. Everything costs more, and many Americans are worried about whether inflation is simply a temporary, post-COVID phenomenon, or a sign of deeper economic issues.
AEI scholar Michael Strain joined the show to discuss the causes behind rising prices, the Fed’s response, and how government stimulus during the pandemic has shaped economic policy. Marc, Dany and Mike also talked about how to take on long-term problems facing the American economy.
Michael Strain is the Director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at AEI. Before joining AEI, he worked in the Center for Economic Studies at the US Census Bureau and in the macroeconomics research group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/7.6.21-Strain-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Twenty years after 9/11, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is moving faster than expected, and so is the Taliban’s takeover. The Taliban have already taken more than 50 of the country’s 400 districts since May, with the US intelligence community predicting that the Afghan government could fall within six months of Biden’s withdrawal.
General Jack Keane joined Dany and Marc to discuss America’s strategic goals in Afghanistan, why the Taliban are making such strong gains, and the danger that a Taliban takeover would pose to US national security.
General Keane is a retired 4 star general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/6.30.21-Keane-final-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The national conversation about race is making its way through the US education system. Seemingly overnight, debates about whether to teach children critical race theory have taken hold of state legislatures and school board meetings across the country. But what exactly is critical race theory and why is it so controversial?
Princeton’s Dr. Allen Guelzo joined Dany and Marc to explain critical race theory’s philosophical underpinnings and why it poses a threat to American democracy. Dr. Guelzo also discusses ways to combat its spread throughout American society and the US education system.
Dr. Guelzo is a New York Times best-seller author, American historian and commentator on public issues. He is also Director of the James Madison Program Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship and Senior Research Scholar in the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/6.23.21-Guelzo-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
President Joe Biden returned from his first overseas trip this week, wrapping up the festivities with a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Talking tough on Putin ahead of the meeting, the Biden administration advertised a hard-hitting discussion about the countries’ relationship and Russian misdeeds.
Dr. Leon Aron joined the show to walk us through what actually happened at the long-anticipated summit. He explains that while the leaders discussed cyberattacks, arms control, and the US-Russia relationship, Biden gained little to nothing from the meeting, while the summit legitimized the Putin regime.
Dr. Aron, who was born in Moscow and came to the United States as a refugee in 1978, is a resident scholar and the director of Russian studies at AEI. He studies Russian domestic and foreign policy, US-Russia relations, and the economic, social, and cultural aspects of Russia’s post-Soviet evolution. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/6.17.21-Aron-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Demographers have sounded the alarm on global depopulation, predicting that in the latter half of the 21st century, global population will enter sustained decline for the first time in history. American fertility rates are dropping and China’s population is predicted to fall from 1.4 billion to 730 million by the end of the century. Demographer and AEI scholar Nick Eberstadt joined Dany and Marc to discuss whether we should be concerned about long-term depopulation forecasts. He also talks about the graying of China under the Chinese Communist Party, and the changing values of American society. Nick Eberstadt is the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at AEI, where he researches and writes extensively on demographics and economic development generally, and more specifically on international security in the Korean peninsula and Asia. He is also a senior adviser to the National Bureau of Asian Research.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/6.9.21-Eberstadt-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Biden administration officials and European diplomats have been negotiating an American reentry into Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in Vienna in recent weeks. As talks continue, some American allies and experts have expressed concern at the pace of the president’s attempts to revive the deal. Nuclear weapons expert David Albright joined Dany and Marc to discuss his new book with Sarah Burkhard, Iran’s Perilous Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons, based on Iran’s own nuclear archives spirited from a secret warehouse in Tehran. They also talk about the amount of time it would take for Iran to produce a nuclear weapon, how it will be delivered, and the administration’s eagerness to reenter the deal. David Albright, a physicist, is founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security. He is a former weapons inspector and has written numerous assessments on secret nuclear weapons programs throughout the world. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/6.2.21-David-Albright-transcript-1.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
After labeling the Wuhan lab leak theory a conspiracy, the mainstream media and prominent scientists – even Dr. Fauci – are beginning to take the Covid origin story seriously. To further investigate the hypothesis, Rep. Mike Gallagher has asked the Biden administration to declassify the intelligence surrounding research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. On our latest episode, Rep. Gallagher joined Dany and Marc to discuss the pandemic’s origins and the growing evidence of a Chinese lab leak and cover-up. He also talks about the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s potential links to US funding through the EcoHealth Alliance. First elected in 2016, Rep. Gallagher represents Wisconsin’s 8th District in the US House of Representatives. He served in the Marine Corps for seven years and as the lead Republican staffer for Middle East, North Africa, and Counterterrorism on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/5.26.21-Gallagher-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The latest round of fighting between Israel and Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas has grown increasingly violent in recent days, with Iranian-backed Hamas firing thousands of rockets at Israel, and Israel responding in turn. How will the conflict play out? And should the United States be taking a more proactive role? Jonathan Schanzer joined Dany and Marc to discuss what’s fueling the latest round of violence. They also talk about the Biden administration’s response, the role of the Iran nuclear deal, and what it all means for the future of Arab-Israeli peace.
Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He is also on the leadership team of FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power. Schanzer previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the US Department of the Treasury and has held think tank positions at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Middle East Forum.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/5.19.21-Jonathan-Schanzer-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Prominent politicians and the media have long stated that the science behind climate change is settled. However, in his new book “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters,” Obama administration scientist Dr. Steve Koonin dispels a number of misleading claims surrounding the climate change debate. On this episode, Dr. Koonin joins Dany and Marc to give his politics-free take. He reviews US government and UN climate assessments, explaining that the facts do not support climate change hysteria. While Dr. Koonin agrees that the climate is changing, he points out that the why and how are not as clear as you’ve likely been led to believe. And that the solutions being mooted won’t work. Dr. Koonin is a Professor at New York University, with appointments in the Stern School of Business, the Tandon School of Engineering, and the Department of Physics. Dr. Koonin served as Undersecretary for Science in the US Department of Energy under President Obama, where his portfolio included the climate research program and energy technology strategy. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/5.12.21-Koonin-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
After months of promising to “follow the science,” the Biden administration has only slightly loosened Covid restrictions for vaccinated Americans. Many schools remain closed, vaccinated people must still wear masks, and a return to normal feels far away. Dr. Nicole Saphier joined Dany and Marc to discuss the ongoing Covid hysteria and the Biden administration’s pandemic political theater. They also discuss vaccine hesitancy, herd immunity, and the debate over vaccine passports. Dr. Saphier is a physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, and author of the upcoming book, “Panic Attack: Playing Politics with Science in the Fight Against COVID-19.” https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/5.5.21-Nicole-Saphier-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
What did President Joe Biden say during his joint address to Congress? Has he lived up to his promises of bipartisanship during his first 100 days in office? And what administration priorities will Congress debate next? On WTH’s 100th episode, Dany and Marc evaluate Biden’s first 100 days in office, discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the president’s joint address to Congress. They also talk about Sen. Tim Scott’s rebuttal, Biden’s foreign policy statements, and the state of the Democratic Party. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/4.30.21-Biden-transcript-final.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Is a major war with China inevitable? How can the United States prepare for the changing nature of conflict? In their new book, Admiral James Stavridis and Elliot Ackerman warn of a cataclysmic war between the US and China in the South China Sea. “2034: A Novel of the Next World War” also explores America’s weaknesses and the growing role of technology in future armed conflict. Adm. Stavridis and Ackerman joined Dany and Marc to discuss their book, future foreign policy threats, and the need to reassess America’s technological capabilities. They also talk about policymakers’ failure of imagination, which left the country unprepared for tragedies such as 9/11 and Covid-19.
Admiral James Stavridis is a retired four-star naval officer. He also served as Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and previously commanded US Southern Command. Elliot Ackerman is the author of four novels. He is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/4.21.21-2034-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
President Biden recently announced that he plans to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. The decision has sparked accusations of “surrender,” and fears that Biden is repeating the Iraq withdrawal mistake again -- a decision that led to the establishment of ISIS’s caliphate in Iraq. Rep. Adam Kinzinger joined Dany and Marc to talk about the implications of the US troop withdrawal. He also discusses his service in Afghanistan and Iraq, the timing of Biden’s decision, and what it will mean for American national security. Rep. Kinzinger is currently serving his sixth term in the House of Representatives, representing Illinois’ Sixteenth Congressional District. Prior to being elected to Congress, Kinzinger served in the Air Force in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/4.15.21-Kinzinger-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
After being lauded for refusing to overturn Georgia’s presidential election results, Gov. Brian Kemp is facing criticism from the same quarters over the state’s new voting law. Democrats claim that the legislation makes it more difficult for minorities to vote, while Republicans argue it ensures election integrity. Gov. Kemp joined the podcast to discuss the contents of the controversial legislation, the Democratic outcry, and the media coverage. He also talks about the Major League Baseball decision to move the All-Star Game out of Georgia and corporate reactions to the new law. Gov. Kemp is the 83rd Governor of Georgia. Prior to serving as Governor, Kemp was a member of the State Senate and Georgia’s Secretary of State. Before entering elected office, Kemp was a small business owner, managing Kemp Properties. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/4.8.21-Gov.-Kemp-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The International Olympic Committee awarded the 2022 Winter Olympics to Beijing, providing the Chinese Communist Party both an economic and diplomatic platform to further the party line while ignoring its abuses against the Uighurs, Covid cover-up, and brutal crackdown on Hong Kong protesters. With the Games just eleven months away, there is a growing debate in Congress about whether the US should send its athletes to Beijing. On this episode, Rep. Mike Waltz joined Dany and Marc to explain why he believes America should boycott the 2022 Olympic Games. Congressman Waltz represents Florida’s 6th congressional district. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute and served over twenty years in the US Army. Rep. Waltz is a combat-decorated Green Beret and former White House and Pentagon policy advisor. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3.31.21-Mike-Waltz-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
As America approaches herd immunity, many public health experts continue to support pessimistic guidelines about life after the vaccine. Consistent with his officials’ messaging, President Biden said in his address to the nation that there is a “good chance” that “small groups will be able to get together” by July 4th. Are public health experts being too cautious about reopening? Dr. Marty Makary joined Dany and Marc to talk about herd immunity and what Americans can safely do after being vaccinated. He also compares the Covid outcomes of states with different pandemic restrictions and mask mandates. Dr. Makary is a surgical oncologist and chief of the Johns Hopkins Islet Transplant Center. He is also a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, chief medical adviser to Sesame Care, and author of “The Price We Pay.” https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3.24.21-Marty-Makary-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The Putin regime recently arrested Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after his return to the country post-poisoning. Demonstrators in Russia continue to protest Navalny’s arrest and the Kremlin’s crackdown in the lead up to the country’s September parliamentary election. Russian democracy advocate Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has twice been poisoned by the Putin regime, joined the show following his own arrest this weekend. He discusses Navalny’s case, the growing opposition movement, and how the Biden administration can help those fighting for freedom in Russia. Vladimir Kara-Murza is a Russian democracy activist, politician, author, and filmmaker. He was a longtime colleague of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov and chairs the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom. Kara-Murza is a former deputy leader of the People’s Freedom Party and was a candidate for the Russian State Duma. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3.17.21-Vladimir-Kara-Murza-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
One year ago this week, the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic. The spread of the virus and its impact on Americans’ lives has alerted the country, Democrats and Republicans alike, to the danger of the Chinese Communist Party and the importance of America’s China policy. How will President Biden’s approach toward China differ from that of President Trump? What went wrong in the Trump-Xi Jinping relationship? And how did Xi mask Beijing’s Covid mishandlings? Josh Rogin joins the show to discuss his new book, the China threat, and the implications for US policy. Josh Rogin is the author of “Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the Twenty-First Century.” He is also a foreign policy and national security columnist for the Global Opinions section of the Washington Post and a political analyst with CNN. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3.11.21-Josh-Rogin-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Construction of the Nord Stream 2, a pipeline that runs gas from Russia to Germany while bypassing Ukraine, halted on the threat of sanctions from the Trump administration, but resumed almost immediately upon President Biden’s arrival at the White House. While Biden has called the pipeline a “bad deal,” his administration has thus far refused to impose new sanctions on companies involved. With Nord Stream 2 more than 90 percent complete, Axios’ Jonathan Swan joined Dany and Marc to discuss his recent visit to Ukraine, the threat to Eastern Europe, why the Biden administration hasn’t stood up to Putin, and the Germans’ hypocritical stance on Russia. They also touch on President Trump’s recent appearance at CPAC... Jonathan Swan is a national political correspondent at Axios, covering the White House and leaders on Capitol Hill. He previously served as a national political reporter for The Hill. Before moving to the United States, Swan was a national political reporter based in Canberra for Fairfax Media. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3.3.21-Jonathan-Swan-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
As we near the one year anniversary of Covid school closures, many continue to advocate for remote learning, ignoring the science that says in-person learning is safe and the adverse impact it is having on students’ education, mental health, and the achievement gap. Gov. Kim Reynolds joined Dany and Marc to explain why she’s letting Iowan parents decide when to send their kids back to the classroom. She also talks about the impact of remote learning, the power of teachers unions, and how this debate will play out nationally. Gov. Reynolds is the 43rd Governor of Iowa. She previously served as the 46th Lieutenant Governor of Iowa from 2011 to 2017, as Clarke County Treasurer, and in the Iowa Senate. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2.24.21-Gov.-Reynolds-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The Biden administration has embraced a number of new Middle East policies since entering office, including halting US support for the war in Yemen and announcing its intent to rework the Iran nuclear deal. But following four years of President Trump, Biden faces a vastly different region than when he left office in 2016. What will Biden’s Middle East policies mean for the region? Amb. Jim Jeffrey joined the show to discuss America’s troop presence, the threat from Iran, Arab-Israeli peace, and how the Trump Middle East legacy has reshaped the region. Amb. Jeffrey is the Chair of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center. He served as the Secretary’s Special Representative for Syria Engagement and the Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and is a seasoned diplomat and former ambassador to Iraq and to Turkey, among other senior appointments. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2.18.21-Jim-Jeffrey-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The debate over whether it is constitutional to impeach a president after he leaves office continues to rage in legal circles. With the second Trump impeachment trial set to begin today, lawmakers find themselves contending with the legality, precedent, and practicality of the case. What are the arguments for and against trying a former president? John Yoo joined Dany and Marc to make the originalist argument against impeachment. He also discusses the potential far-reaching consequences of the case, the history of impeachment as a political tool, and the gaps in the US Constitution to deal with this particular case. John Yoo is a Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, and a visiting scholar at AEI. He served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of the Legal Counsel of the US Department of Justice, where he worked on constitutional and national security matters, as General Counsel of the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2.9.21-John-Yoo-transcript-1.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
The “abolish the filibuster” movement among Democrats has been set back by opposition from two key senators. As a result, opponents of minority rights in the US Senate have turned their attention to the Byrd Rule, an arcane, but vitally important pillar of Senate procedure that prevents non-tax, non-spending provisions from being tacked onto must pass budget reconciliation. Too complicated? Well, without the Byrd Rule, the filibuster won’t be needed, and passing into law D.C. statehood, a $15 dollar minimum wage, and Supreme Court packing will require only 50 votes. What is the Byrd Rule? How has it become the filibuster work-around? Martin Gold joins Dany and Marc to discuss budget reconciliation, the Byrd Rule, and its significance in Senate procedure. They also dive into legislative history to better understand how we got here. Martin B. Gold is a partner with Capitol Counsel, LLC. With over 40 years of legislative and private practice experience, he is a recognized authority and author on matters of congressional rules and parliamentary strategies, and US policy in Asia.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2.4.21-Martin-Gold-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Russia’s hack of software management system SolarWinds has caused many in Washington to sound the alarm. How were Russian operatives able to evade detection, and what does their intrusion mean for the future of American national security? The New York Times’ David Sanger joined Dany and Marc to discuss the SolarWinds hack, the state of American cybersecurity, and what the future may hold. They also talk about how technological developments in cyber continue to change the nature of warfare. David Sanger is a national security correspondent and a senior writer at the New York Times. He has been on three teams that have won Pulitzer Prizes, most recently in 2017 for international reporting. His newest book, “The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage and Fear in the Cyber Age,’’ examines the emergence of cyberconflict. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1.27.20-Sanger-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
President-elect Joe Biden will enter office today during one of the most chaotic periods of American history. With a raging pandemic, record unemployment numbers, and a recent assault against lawmakers in the Capitol, his administration will face a number of challenges in its first days in office. Obama and Clinton White House alum John Podesta joined Dany and Marc to talk about Democratic priorities and Biden’s first 100 days as president. He also discusses foreign policy concerns, Biden’s promise to unify the country, and the likelihood of bipartisan policy in a split Senate. John Podesta served as counselor to President Obama, where he was responsible for coordinating the administration’s climate policy and initiatives. In 2008, he served as co-chair of President Obama’s transition team. Podesta previously served as White House chief of staff to President William J. Clinton. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1.20.20-Podesta-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
House Democrats introduced articles of impeachment against Donald Trump this week, making him — probably — the first president in US history to be impeached twice. The Speaker threatened to move forward with impeachment if Vice President Pence does not remove Trump under the 25th Amendment. Will Trump’s final days in office be cut short? National Review’s Andy McCarthy joined Dany and Marc to discuss the case for impeachment, the 25th Amendment and the legality of Trump pardoning himself. They also talk about the future of the Republican Party and Trump’s political career. Andy McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency. He served as an assistant US attorney for the Southern District of New York.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1.12.21-Andy-McCarthy-transcript-final.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
As Congress prepared to certify Joe Biden’s presidential victory, a mob of pro-Trump protesters stormed the Capitol, demanding justice in pursuit of President Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud. The breach followed Trump’s “Save America” rally, in which he encouraged protesters to march to the Capitol to “take back our country.” On this episode of the podcast, Dany and Marc reflect on the day’s events and the future of the Republican Party. They also discuss Trump’s failure to accept the election results, the GOP Senate losses in Georgia and what the president’s actions today will mean for his legacy. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1.7.20-Trump-protest-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Despite losing the 2020 popular vote, President Trump nearly won a second term by capturing enough Electoral College votes to remain in the White House. This year’s close results, combined with Clinton’s Electoral College loss in 2016, have led many to demand an end to the centuries-old body. American historian Dr. Allen Guelzo joined the show to discuss why abolishing the Electoral College would be a disaster for US politics. He explains why alternatives to the Electoral College would fail and explores the system’s origins and importance to American democracy. Dr. Guelzo is a New York Times best-seller author, American historian and commentator on public issues. He is also Director of the James Madison Program Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship and Senior Research Scholar in the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12.14.20-Allen-Guelzo-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Will the Biden administration hold the tough Trump line on Beijing? Will the world hold China responsible for the Covid pandemic? And how does this all factor into Xi Jinping’s global ambitions? AEI’s Dan Blumenthal, author of the newly released “The China Nightmare: The Grand Ambitions of a Decaying State” joined the show to explain the threat posed by a decaying but aggressive China. He discusses the Chinese Communist Party’s long-term goals, conflict with the US, the country’s authoritarian use of technology, and more. Dan Blumenthal is a resident fellow and the director of Asian studies at AEI, where he focuses on East Asian security issues and Sino-American relations. He has served in and advised the US government on China issues for more than a decade. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12.9.20-Dan-Blumenthal-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in Tehran last week, eliminating the country’s leading nuclear expert and the head of its program. Iranian officials have blamed Israel for Fakhrizadeh’s killing, vowing retaliation for the targeted attack. Nuclear weapons expert David Albright joined Dany and Marc to explain what Fakhrizadeh’s death means for the country’s effort to obtain nuclear weapons. He also discusses what to expect from Iran in the coming days and how the Biden administration’s Iran policy will differ from that of the Trump administration. David Albright, a physicist, is founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security. He is a former weapons inspector and has written numerous assessments on secret nuclear weapons programs throughout the world. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12.3.20-David-Albright-transcript-1.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Pfizer and Moderna recently announced that their coronavirus vaccines are both safe and highly effective, shattering the previous record for developing a vaccine for a novel virus. While this news is promising, Americans are also approaching the worst phase of the pandemic as we enter the winter with a record number of cases. Dr. Scott Gottlieb once again joined the show to explain everything you need to know about the forthcoming vaccines. He discusses vaccine distribution, when things will finally get back to normal, and whether US adversaries might weaponize viruses to target Americans in the future. Dr. Gottlieb is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. He returned to AEI in 2019 after serving as the 23rd commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. He has a medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and did his residency in internal medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/11.23.20-Gottlieb-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
President Trump recently announced that he plans to pull 2,500 US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan before he leaves office. While he has faced backlash for the scale of the drawdown, reports suggest Trump was originally hoping to withdraw all American forces by mid-January. What does this mean for US national security and for the region? General Jack Keane joined the show to talk about how Trump’s drawdowns help Iran and endanger Americans at home. He also discusses the importance of remaining in the region, the incoming Biden administration’s foreign policy platform, and America’s changing position in the Middle East.
Gen. Jack Keane is a foreign policy and national security expert, a retired 4 star general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army and currently serves as the chairman of The Institute for the Study of War as well as being Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/11.19.20-Jack-Keane-transcript-final.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Two weeks after the election, President Trump has still not conceded victory to former Vice President Joe Biden. While the media has called the election for Biden, Trump has mounted several legal challenges, requesting recounts or hoping to toss votes in a number of key states. Gov. Scott Walker joined Dany and Marc to discuss Trump’s refusal to concede, voter fraud, and the likelihood of a Trump victory. They also talk about whether Trump will run in 2024, and necessary changes to the mail-in and absentee voting systems moving forward. Gov. Walker served as the 45th Governor of Wisconsin from 2011 to 2019. He is currently CEO of Young America’s Foundation and will become president in early 2021.
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/11.13.20-Gov-Walker-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Who’s going to be the next President of the United States? What went wrong with the 2020 polls? How should we interpret the election results? And what might a Biden presidency, or second Trump term look like? With the presidential race still undecided, Democratic strategist Mo Elleithee joined Dany and Marc to discuss his reaction to the election and what the results mean for the Democratic Party moving forward. They talk about polling errors, how a President Biden might govern, who really controls the Democratic Party and whether Trump might run again in 2024. Mo Elleithee is the founding Executive Director of Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service. He spent two decades as one of the top communications strategists in the Democratic Party, was Senior Spokesman and Traveling Press Secretary on Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign, and is a Fox News contributor. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/11.6.20-transcript-2.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
We have less than a week until Election Day. Who wins? When? Does President Donald Trump have a path to victory, or is Joe Biden already the clear winner? What do early voting numbers really mean? Who is voting for whom? RealClearPolitics’ Sean Trende joined Dany and Marc to talk about the latest polls and what to expect on November 3rd. He outlines what it will take for Trump to win, makes predictions on close Senate races, and discusses changes to the electorate. Sean Trende is the Senior Elections Analyst for RealClearPolitics. He is the author of "The Lost Majority: Why the Future of Government Is Up for Grabs and Who Will Take It," and co-authored the Almanac of American Politics 2014. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/10.29.20-Sean-Trende-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Just weeks before the election, polls show President Trump trailing former Vice President Biden by a substantial margin. However, 2016 polls predicated a significant Clinton victory, failing to account for a number of Trump voters who turned up on election day. Does Trump still have a chance? Or is this election a runaway for Biden? RealClearPolitics co-founder Tom Bevan joined Dany and Marc to discuss the 2020 election. He explains what the 2016 polls got wrong, how to interpret recent numbers, and how Trump’s COVID diagnosis and his Supreme Court nomination could impact the election. Tom Bevan is the co-founder and president of RealClearPolitics. In addition to overseeing the editorial staff and writing regular features for RCP, his work has appeared in numerous publications and he is featured frequently as a political analyst on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and the BBC. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/10.19.20-Tom-Bevan-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
What’s going on in the White House? Three weeks out from the 2020 election, has President Trump fully recovered from COVID? Does he have a strategy beyond his base? What would a second term hold? President Donald Trump joined the show to talk about having COVID, the Supreme Court confirmation hearings, and foreign policy. He also discusses what he hopes to accomplish in a second Trump term, the COVID lockdowns, the economy, and Operation Warp Speed. Donald J. Trump is the 45th President of the United States. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/10.14.20-Donald-Trump-transcript-final.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
With the presidential election less than a month away, how worried should Americans be about foreign interference? Is there any truth behind accusations of politicization at the Justice Department? And will John Durham’s report on the origins of the Russia collusion investigation be complete before the election? Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen joined Dany and Marc to talk about the politics of the Justice Department, election interference, and crime in America. They also talk about how the DOJ has changed under the Trump administration. Jeffrey Rosen is the 38th Deputy Attorney General of the US. Most recently, Rosen was the Deputy Secretary of Transportation (2017-2019). He also served as General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor for the White House Office of Management and Budget (2006-2009) and as General Counsel at the US Department of Transportation (2003-2006). https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/10.7.20-Jeffrey-Rosen-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
In part 2 of Dany and Marc’s podcasts on the new Middle East peace, Emirati ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba and Bahraini ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa joined the show to talk about the Abraham Accords, the Palestinian cause, Iran and much more. Are more agreements ahead? Will Iran and Salafi jihadis target these ground-breaking Gulf leaders? What does peace with Israel mean? Yousef Al Otaiba is the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the US. He took up his Washington-based post in July 2008. Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa is the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the US. He has served as ambassador since 2017. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/10.1.20-UAE-Bahrain-transcript-final.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain made history by normalizing relations with Israel. The Trump administration has since suggested that additional Arab countries are considering following suit. Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer joined the show to talk about the Abraham Accords. He discusses the Trump administration’s role in the negotiations, the impetus of the deals, regional threats, and the likelihood that additional Arab countries sign similar agreements. Ron Dermer is Israel’s Ambassador to the United States. He served as Israel's Minister of Economic Affairs in the United States from 2005 - 2008 and as Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from 2009 - 2013. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9.29.20-Dermer-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s court vacancy has already caused quite a stir in Washington, with Republicans arguing that President Trump should immediately fill the vacancy and Democrats countering (with arguments lifted from 2016) that the choice should fall to the next president given the closeness of the election. With just over a month until the polls, what will happen? Dan McLaughlin joined Dany and Marc to explain precedent, law and the politics of Supreme Court confirmations. The three also talk about the likelihood a Democratic congress will pack the Court, whether the vacancy benefits Ds or Rs, and hypocrisy on the left and the right. Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online. He was formerly an attorney practicing securities and commercial litigation in New York City, a contributing editor of RedState, columnist at the Federalist and the New Ledger, and a baseball blogger at BaseballCrank.com. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9.24.20-Dan-McLaughlin-transcript-1.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
After supporting and using the filibuster for years, Joe Biden announced in July that, if elected president, he would support eliminating the legislative maneuver. As more Senate Democrats come out in support of abolishing the filibuster, what could this mean for American democracy? Martin Gold joined Dany and Marc to discuss the history of the filibuster and the implications of its elimination. He explains how, without the filibuster, one party’s control of the House, Senate, and White House would enable it to make lasting and unprecedented changes to the fundamental structure of American checks and balances. Martin B. Gold is a partner with Capitol Counsel, LLC. With over 40 years of legislative and private practice experience, he is a recognized authority and author on matters of congressional rules and parliamentary strategies, and US policy in Asia. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9.22.20-Martin-Gold-transcript.pdf (Download the transcript here.)
Daniel Yergin joined the show to discuss the benefits of fracking, how energy production influences US policy with China, Russia, and the Middle East, and what the 2020 election could mean for US energy dominance.
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Dr. Ruth Wisse joined Dany and Marc to discuss the upcoming election and the Democratic Party’s turn toward socialism.
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Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the director of Operation Warp Speed, joined Dany and Marc to explain how the US is working with the public and private sector to accelerate vaccine development at a speed never before seen.
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John Yoo joined the show to explain why the SCOTUS ruling creates a dangerous precedent for executive power.
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Sen. Scott joined Dany and Marc to discuss the JUSTICE Act and partisan delays in meaningful police reform.
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Ellen Nakashima, the reporter who first broke the story, joined the show to walk us through the details of the cyberattack and America’s offensive cyber capabilities.
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Fred Kagan joined the show to explain how the Russian government is using Afghanistan and other conflict zones to undermine American leadership abroad.
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Jonathan Horn, Robert E. Lee’s biographer, joined Dany and Marc to talk about the current backlash against American statues and how to draw the line when considering which statues to keep.
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Michael Strain joined the show to explain why America is likely to see rapid economic growth over the summer, but a slower recovery thereafter.
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Rep. Will Hurd joined the show to explain why, rather than defunding, a combination of police reform, promoting best practices, and giving police chiefs the power to fire bad cops is the best way to address police abuse.
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Sen. Cory Gardner joined the show to talk about the need for a bipartisan consensus on China, and explain why the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act provides the best framework for US policy in the region.
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Barton Gellman, one of the journalists to whom Snowden leaked, joined Dany and Marc to talk about his relationship with Snowden and his new book, “Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the Surveillance State.”
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Sen. Ted Cruz joined the show to discuss protests, riots and how US adversaries are taking advantage of American discord.
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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined Dany and Marc to explain the administration’s strategies toward China, Iran, and Venezuela.
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The Justice Department recently dropped its charges against Michael Flynn, President Trump’s former national security advisor. The decision has reignited the debate over Flynn’s alleged collusion with the Russian government, the Obama administration’s role, and whether, in light of new evidence, Flynn has been exonerated. Journalist and former prosecutor David French joined the show to […]
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-michael-flynn-debating-exoneration-unmasking-and-intelligence-leaks/ (WTH is going on with Michael Flynn? Debating exoneration, unmasking, and intelligence leaks) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
The President of Freedom House Michael Abramowitz joined Dany and Marc to explain why Freedom House assesses that democracy is under assault.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-freedom-in-the-world-is-democracy-in-decline/ (WTH is going on with freedom in the world? Is democracy in decline?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Sir Angus Deaton joined the show to discuss his new book and the coronavirus’ likely impact on communities already suffering from opioid abuse, unemployment, alcoholism and suicide.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-are-deaths-of-despair-nobel-prize-winner-sir-angus-deaton-on-the-other-epidemic/ (WTH are deaths of despair? Nobel Prize winner Sir Angus Deaton on the other epidemic) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Rep. Michael McCaul, the leader of the new task force, joined the podcast to explain how Congress is addressing threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-should-congress-do-about-china-rep-mccaul-on-the-china-task-force-and-us-policy-toward-beijing/ (WTH should Congress do about China? Rep. McCaul on the China task force and US policy toward Beijing) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Roger Noriega joined the show to talk about the attempted coup and US policy toward Venezuela.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-happened-with-the-failed-venezuelan-coup-discussing-the-mercenaries-that-tried-to-take-out-maduro/ (WTH happened with the failed Venezuelan coup? Discussing the mercenaries that tried to take out Maduro) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Joshua Wong, one of the leaders of the protest movement, joined Dany and Marc to explain why it’s more important than ever that the world stand with Hong Kong.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-hong-kong-joshua-wong-on-how-beijing-is-using-the-coronavirus-to-suppress-pro-democracy-protests/ (WTH is going on in Hong Kong? Joshua Wong on how Beijing is using the coronavirus to suppress pro-democracy protests) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell joined the show to discuss Beijing’s global disinformation campaign and how the Chinese Communist Party has changed in recent years.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-chinese-disinformation-assistant-secretary-stilwell-on-beijings-role-in-spreading-coronavirus-propaganda/ (WTH is going on with Chinese disinformation? Assistant Secretary Stilwell on Beijing’s role in spreading coronavirus propaganda) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Avik Roy joined the show to talk about his new report on how to reopen the US economy even if the pandemic endures.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-do-we-do-if-we-dont-find-a-treatment-soon-avik-roy-on-reopening-the-us-economy-even-if-the-pandemic-endures/ (WTH do we do if we don’t find a treatment soon? Avik Roy on reopening the US economy even if the pandemic endures) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
David Rivkin joined Dany and Marc to outline the legal case for suing China for coronavirus damages.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-can-we-do-to-make-china-pay-for-the-coronavirus-debating-the-pros-and-cons-of-suing-beijing/ (WTH can we do to make China pay for the coronavirus? Debating the pros and cons of suing Beijing) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Josh Rogin joined the show to discuss the newly uncovered State Department cables that give credence to the theory that the coronavirus may have leaked from a research facility in Wuhan.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-really-happened-at-the-wuhan-lab-josh-rogin-on-the-origin-of-the-coronavirus/ (WTH really happened at the Wuhan lab? Josh Rogin on the origin of the coronavirus) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
The Washington Post’s newly enthroned toilet paper expert Marc Fisher joined the show to get to the bottom of the recent toilet paper shortage.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-toilet-paper-shortage-youve-got-questions-and-were-flush-with-information/ (WTH is going on with the toilet paper shortage? You’ve got questions, and we’re flush with information) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Bi-khim Hsiao, Senior Advisor to Taiwan's National Security Council, joined the show to explain how Taiwan has all but defeated the coronavirus.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-did-taiwan-do-to-defeat-the-coronavirus-how-a-free-taiwan-succeeded-where-beijing-failed/ (WTH did Taiwan do to defeat the coronavirus? How a free Taiwan succeeded where Beijing failed) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Former CIA chief Michael Morell joined Dany and Marc to talk about the intelligence community’s role in identifying and preventing non-traditional security threats, such as pandemics.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-did-the-intelligence-community-know-about-the-coronavirus-threat-former-cia-chief-michael-morell-on-how-intelligence-must-change/ (WTH did the intelligence community know about the coronavirus threat? Former CIA chief Michael Morell on how intelligence must change) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Glenn Hubbard, one of the main proponents of the Paycheck Protection Program, joined the show to walk us through the bill and highlight what’s needed for it to succeed.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-coronavirus-economy-glenn-hubbard-on-the-paycheck-protection-program-and-the-prospects-for-a-rapid-recovery/ (WTH is going on with the coronavirus economy? Glenn Hubbard on the Paycheck Protection Program and the prospects for a rapid recovery) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Dr. Scott Gottlieb joined the show to discuss his timeline and road map for reopening America for businesses and families post-coronavirus.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-the-path-out-of-this-nightmare-scott-gottlieb-discusses-his-plan-for-a-return-to-normalcy/ (WTH is the path out of this nightmare? Scott Gottlieb discusses his plan for a return to normalcy) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
After a six-week delay from when the US had its first coronavirus case, America is finally starting to catch up to South Korea’s testing capacity. What went wrong inside the FDA, and why was our government so far behind?
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-happened-with-coronavirus-testing-behind-the-epic-testing-screw-up/ (WTH happened with coronavirus testing? Behind the epic testing screw-up) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
The Senate just passed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, the largest economic rescue package in US history. Will it be enough to save the economy from collapse?
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-coronavirus-relief-package-will-the-2-trillion-bill-save-us-from-economic-collapse/ (WTH is going on with the coronavirus relief package? Will the $2 trillion bill save us from economic collapse?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
With businesses closing and workers being laid off, what will the virus mean for 2020 and President Trump’s re-election prospects?
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-does-coronavirus-mean-for-the-2020-election-discussing-the-political-ramifications-of-covid-19/ (WTH does coronavirus mean for the 2020 election? Discussing the political ramifications of COVID-19) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Derek Scissors joined Dany and Marc to explain how America became so reliant on China and what we should do to decouple our economies moving forward.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-coronavirus-doing-to-the-economy-discussing-the-coming-corona-recession-and-us-economic-dependence-on-china/ (WTH is coronavirus doing to the economy? Discussing the coming corona-recession and US economic dependence on China) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
John Yoo joined the show to discuss his experience practicing before the FISA Court, the pros and cons of FISA, what Congress ought to do and whether the Court needs to be reformed.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-foreign-intelligence-surveillance-act-john-yoo-discusses-the-future-of-the-fisa-court/ (WTH is going on with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act? John Yoo discusses the future of the FISA Court) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Yaroslav Trofimov joined Dany and Marc to compare the Chinese response to the coronavirus with his experience as a 16-year-old boy in Kiev during Chernobyl.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-coronavirus-how-dictators-drive-disaster-from-chernobyl-to-wuhan/ (WTH is going on with the coronavirus? How dictators drive disaster from Chernobyl to Wuhan) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
"A Very Stable Genius" recounts a number of incidents that have come to shape perceptions of the Trump administration. But Dany and Marc also press authors Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker on the president’s strengths and the qualities that may in fact make him “genius”—though perhaps not always stable.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-the-white-house-authors-of-a-very-stable-genius-on-trumps-genius-and-not-so-genius-qualities/ (WTH is going on in the White House? Authors of “A Very Stable Genius” on Trump’s genius and not so genius qualities) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Josh Rogin joined the podcast to discuss Bernie Sanders’ foreign policy record and what having a democratic socialist as president would mean for American leadership abroad.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-bernie-sanders-what-having-a-democratic-socialist-as-president-would-mean-for-american-leadership-abroad/ (WTH is going on with Bernie Sanders? What having a democratic socialist as president would mean for American leadership abroad) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Rep. Gallagher explains the dangers of Huawei and the company’s links to the Chinese government.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-huawei-rep-mike-gallagher-on-chinese-spying-and-the-threat-to-the-us-uk-alliance/ (WTH is going on with Huawei? Rep. Mike Gallagher on Chinese spying, and the threat to the US-UK alliance) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
On this episode, Dany and Marc debrief on Trump’s SOTU, the end of the impeachment trial and its implications for Trump in 2020.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-happened-at-the-state-of-the-union-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-presidents-speech-the-iowa-caucuses-and-the-2020-election/ (WTH happened at the State of the Union? Everything you need to know about the president’s speech, the Iowa caucuses, and the 2020 election) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Dr. Scott Gottlieb joined the podcast to talk about the severity of the virus, how it compares to other coronaviruses, and the threat of a global epidemic.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-the-wuhan-coronavirus-dr-scott-gottlieb-on-the-viruss-spread-and-severity/ (WTH is the Wuhan coronavirus? Dr. Scott Gottlieb on the virus’s spread and severity) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Michael O’Hanlon joined Dany and Marc to explain that the Afghanistan Papers’ narrative is fundamentally wrong. Far from a duplicitous cover up, American leaders and generals never played the war effort up as a great success for public consumption.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-are-the-afghanistan-papers-no-american-leaders-did-not-lie-to-the-public/ (WTH are the Afghanistan Papers? No, American leaders did not lie to the public) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Just one day after the historic election in Taiwan, Dany met with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu to discuss the results, what they mean for China, and the future of the US-Taiwan relationship.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-taiwan-danys-in-taipei-to-talk-with-foreign-minister-joseph-wu-about-taiwans-election-results/ (WTH is going on in Taiwan? Dany’s in Taipei to talk with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu about Taiwan’s election results) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Gen. Jack Keane joined the show to discuss the retaliatory actions Iran might take, Democrats’ reaction to Soleimani’s killing, the president’s decision-making process, and whether there truly was an “imminent” attack planned against US personnel in the region.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-soleimani-killing-gen-jack-keane-on-donald-trumps-iran-strategy/ (WTH is going on with the Soleimani killing? Gen. Jack Keane on Donald Trump’s Iran strategy) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
With the start of the new year, Dany and Marc once again joined forces to debate the ten worst things that the president did in 2019.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-the-10-worst-things-trump-did-in-2019/ (WTH is going on? The 10 worst things Trump did in 2019) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
With 2019 wrapping up, Dany and Marc teamed up to review and debate the ten best things that the president did this year.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-the-10-best-things-trump-did-in-2019/ (WTH is going on? The 10 best things Trump did in 2019) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
What does the Trump administration see as the largest foreign policy priority for the upcoming year? Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined Dany and Marc to discuss national security challenges – and the Trump administration’s successes.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-the-world-secretary-of-state-pompeo-talks-iran-china-and-us-foreign-policy-in-2020/ (WTH is going on in the world? Secretary of State Pompeo talks Iran, China, and US foreign policy in 2020) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Last Thursday, Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party dominated the UK elections, earning a critical victory that will finally pave the way for Brexit. How did Johnson and the Conservatives pull it off?
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-do-the-uk-elections-mean-for-us-boris-johnsons-victory-and-its-implications-for-the-us-presidential-election/ (WTH do the UK elections mean for us? Boris Johnson’s victory and its implications for the US presidential election) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Michael Weiss joined Dany and Marc to shed some light on the role of private military companies in Russia and explain how quasi-government organizations such as the Wagner Group are executing Putin’s strategic imperatives worldwide.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-russian-mercenaries-inside-putins-private-armies-in-ukraine-syria-libya-venezuela-and-more/ (WTH is going on with Russian mercenaries? Inside Putin’s private armies in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Venezuela, and more) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Iran is currently experiencing its deadliest political unrest since the Islamic Revolution 40 years ago. Will this round of protests finally topple the system of the Islamic Republic? And what will happen to the people of Iran if protesters successfully upend the regime?
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-iranian-protests-is-the-regime-about-to-fall/ (WTH is going on with Iranian protests? Is the regime about to fall?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Promising to stand with demonstrators, former President of Poland Lech Walesa states that he would be willing to go to Hong Kong and fight for the democratic ideals that protesters are demanding.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-hong-kong-solidarity-hero-lech-walesas-advice-for-pro-democracy-protesters/ (WTH is going on in Hong Kong? Solidarity hero Lech Walesa’s advice for pro-democracy protesters) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, we are once again seeing the rise of socialism, a system of governance that put people in chains both politically and economically. What explains this resurgence throughout Europe and the United States?
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-berlin-us-ambassador-to-germany-discusses-the-fall-of-the-wall/ (WTH is going on in Berlin? US Ambassador to Germany discusses the fall of the wall) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Kenneth Pollack joined Dany and Marc to explain what happened on that day 40 years ago, and how the hostage crisis set Iran on a course of enmity with the United States.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-iran-has-anything-changed-40-years-after-the-hostage-crisis-of-1979/ (WTH is going on in Iran? Has anything changed 40 years after the hostage crisis of 1979?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Over the weekend, President Trump announced that the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed during a raid by US commandos in Syria’s Idlib province. And while Baghdadi’s death is a clear victory in the war on terror, eliminating the leader of ISIS will not eliminate the threat nor defeat the larger Salafi-jihadi movement. […]
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-isis-baghdadi-is-dead-but-the-islamic-state-is-alive-and-well/ (WTH is going on with ISIS? Baghdadi is dead, but the Islamic State is alive and well) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Dany and Marc sat down with Lester Munson to discuss quid pro quos and how the US government uses them in foreign aid.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-quid-pro-quos-this-forwhat/ (WTH is going on with quid pro quos? This for…what?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Trump’s decision to pull US troops from Syria not only undermines US alliance credibility, helps Russia, ISIS, and Iran, but also leaves the Kurds, a group that has been integral to the fight against ISIS, out to dry.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-kurds-explaining-the-us-withdrawal-from-northeastern-syria/ (WTH is going on with the Kurds? Explaining the US withdrawal from northeastern Syria) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
What's going on with the impeachment inquiry? Is President Trump about to be removed from office? Or will this backfire on the Democrats? Karl Rove joined the show to discuss.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-impeachment-ukraine-and-2020-karl-rove-explains/ (WTH is going on with impeachment, Ukraine, and 2020? Karl Rove explains) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Dany and Marc interviewed Congressman Michael Waltz to hear his unique perspective on the collapse of the US-Taliban talks, how the US can succeed in Afghanistan, and what Congress and the president are getting wrong about America’s fight in the region.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-collapse-of-us-taliban-talks-rep-mike-waltz-discusses-whats-next-in-afghanistan/ (WTH is going on with the collapse of US-Taliban talks? Rep. Mike Waltz discusses what’s next in Afghanistan) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
What the hell is going on in cyberspace? Could the United States defend itself from a Russian, Chinese, or Iranian cyberattack? As the world becomes increasingly dependent on technology, the US faces new cyber threats that could have catastrophic consequences for the global economy and US national security. On this episode, Dany and Marc discuss […]
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-donald-trumps-cyberattacks-former-nsa-director-gen-alexander-explains/ (WTH is going on with Donald Trump’s cyberattacks? Former NSA director Gen. Alexander explains) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for strikes against two of Saudi Arabia’s largest oil facilities on September 14, but the US has said evidence warrants blaming the attacks on Iran. So how should the US respond?
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-irans-attack-on-saudi-arabia-is-the-us-headed-for-war-2-0/ (WTH is going on with Iran’s attack on Saudi Arabia? Is the US headed for war (2.0)?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
What the hell is going on in Afghanistan? Why is the United States making a deal with the Taliban? As the Trump administration and Taliban officials wrap up negotiations, many fear that a US withdrawal could return Afghanistan to the terrorist safe haven it was before the 9/11 attacks. On the brink of the deal’s […]
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-afghanistan-gen-petraeus-explains-the-us-taliban-deal/ (WTH is going on in Afghanistan? Gen. Petraeus explains the US-Taliban deal) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams joined Dany and Marc to explain the Trump administration’s strategy in Venezuela. The three also discuss how the country got to where it is today, the Chinese, Iranian, and Russian roles in the conflict, and the likelihood for success in the Norwegian-led negotiations.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-venezuela-elliott-abrams-discusses-trumps-strategy/ (WTH is going on in Venezuela? Elliott Abrams discusses Trump’s strategy) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
How long will Beijing tolerate democratic rumblings from Hong Kong without a major crackdown? Could this be the next Tiananmen? Hong Kong expert Gordon Chang joined Dany and Marc to explain what’s going on.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-hong-kong-is-this-the-next-tiananmen/ (WTH is going on in Hong Kong? Is this the next Tiananmen?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
What’s going on with the US-China trade war? And how is China’s manipulation of the global trading system hurting working-class Americans? Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) joins the show to discuss.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-the-china-trade-war-sen-rob-portman-explains-it-all/ (WTH is going on with the China trade war? Sen. Rob Portman explains it all) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Numerous news outlets reported that President Trump called off a military strike on Iran because he saw General Jack Keane point out on television that it was possible that the country's strike was a fluke. On this episode of the show, Gen. Keane discusses recent Iranian provocations and US cyber strategy.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-in-the-world-with-gen-jack-keane/ (WTH is going on in the world with Gen. Jack Keane?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
What the hell is going on with Mexico? After threatening to impose tariffs, President Trump recently announced that he and the Mexican government reached an agreement to avert a US-Mexico trade war. On this episode, AEI's Roger Noriega reviews the details of the new immigration deal.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/wth-is-going-on-with-mexico-did-trumps-tariff-threats-work/ (WTH is going on with Mexico? Did Trump’s tariff threats work?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
What the hell is going on in North Korea? AEI's Nicholas Eberstadt discusses what might happen to someone who falls out of favor with the North Korean regime, the future of US–North Korea nuclear talks, and the likelihood of North Korean denuclearization.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/what-the-hell-is-going-on-in-north-korea-piranhas-and-purges-in-pyongyang/ (WTH is going on in North Korea? Piranhas and purges in Pyongyang) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
What the hell is going on in Iran? Fred Kagan joined the podcast to discuss current US-Iran tensions and recent attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/what-the-hell-is-going-on-in-iran-is-the-us-headed-for-war/ (WTH is going on in Iran? Is the US headed for war?) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).
Ever look at the mess across the world and wonder what the hell is going on?
The post https://www.aei.org/multimedia/what-the-hell-is-going-on-trailer/ (What the Hell Is Going On? Trailer) appeared first on https://www.aei.org (American Enterprise Institute - AEI).