America Speaks with Dr. Frank Luntz

President Donald Trump sparked nationwide controversy with a barrage of executive orders as soon as he returned to the White House to commence his second term on Jan. 20, 2025. Since then, Republicans in Congress have been largely supportive of Trump's initiatives. However, a series of escalating crises has begun to fracture Republican support of the president both within Congress and among the wider U.S. public. Watch the above 27-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Trump voters to share their opinions of the president's performance in his first 90 days back in the Oval Office for his second term.

In a typical year, the United States spends between 0.4% to 1.4% of its federal budget on international aid. In 2023, the most recent year for which data is largely complete, that worked out to be around $79 billion, or 1.2%. Much of that aid includes life-saving food and medical supplies, but it also funds clinics, provides for emergency services and helps reduce armed conflicts. Recently, the Trump administration dramatically reduced funding for the chief agencies charged with distributing U.S. foreign aid, and is now formally dismantling the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The administration also cut U.S. funding to the World Food Programme (WFP) in what the United Nations agency called “a death sentence” for millions of humans around the world. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) maintains that these cancellations are justified for “the convenience of the U.S. Government.” Watch the above 28-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share their opinions, questions and concerns regarding recent cuts to U.S. foreign aid, how those cuts might impact the projection of American soft power, and what they think the correct path forward should be from here.

After losing the White House and control of the Senate in the 2024 election — while facing record-low approval ratings — the Democratic Party is now debating its future leadership and strategy for handling President Donald Trump's second term. While Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ., recently gained attention with a record-breaking speech, other “rising stars” are vying to lead the Democratic Party. Watch the 22-minute America Speaks video above, where pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz talks with Democrats about the future of the party and the viability of politicians such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY., and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Last November, Democrats lost the popular vote for the U.S. presidency for the first time in 20 years against a divisive Republican candidate who had nearly been barred from politics for life over his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. That defeat shocked the Democratic Party and its supporters, and some analysts say that Democrats today remain in a state of traumatized paralysis even as President Trump rapidly pursues a highly controversial partisan agenda. American liberals split even further in recent weeks, after some Senate Democrats backed a heavily Republican budget in order to avert a government shutdown, a move criticized by the more progressive wing of the party. The center-left defends that decision, however, arguing that a shutdown would have made the current American crisis even worse. Watch the above 33-minute video of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks American Democrats to share what they think is wrong with their party, how they can correct course for the future, and how to resist what they say is the dictatorship of Donald Trump.

Tariffs have emerged as a key component of President Trump's economic plan for the United States, with sweeping levies imposed upon Mexican, Canadian and Chinese goods shortly after the president began his second term, and with future tariffs expected on European goods. The returning president has long campaigned on tariffs, and sought to implement them to a lesser extent during his first term, as well. But with American companies and workers at risk, the American stock market tumbling and traditional U.S. allies around the world reacting sharply, some Americans have criticized the president's tariff policies. Watch the above 25-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share their opinions on Trump's tariff policies, and whether they think those policies as a whole are good or bad for the future of the United States.

For years, the American public policy debate around billionaires has revolved around questions of wealth inequality, with hardline critics arguing that billionaires should be taxed out of existence to raise living standards for all Americans and center-left leaders like former President Biden instead proposing a milder 25% “billionaire tax.” But that debate is even further divided between party lines.  Republicans have argued for lower taxes on the very wealthy and express less concern over economic inequality than Democrats do, while Democrats have argued for additional tax brackets for the wealthiest Americans and have consistently ranked economic inequality as one of their top concerns. Recently, that debate has overlapped with concerns about the actions of one man, Elon Musk. Musk has played a definitive but controversial role in President Trump's new administration after spending at least $277 million to help him defeat Kamala Harris in the U.S. 2024 presidential race, inadvertently recentering the debate on economic inequality and the role of money in U.S. politics around himself. Musk's support of other far-right parties in nations like Germany has also prompted foreign parliaments and heads of state to take action to secure their own political systems against the kind of influence that Musk now exerts in the United States. Watch the above 22-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a group of Americans to share their perceptions of U.S. billionaires, Elon Musk, tax policy, and the role of billionaires in U.S. politics and economics.

On March 4, 2025, President Donald Trump delivered a 100-minute address to Congress, drawing sharply divided reactions from Democrats and Republicans. He tackled a range of contentious issues, including immigration, economic policy and national defense. Watch the above 37-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a unique group of American voters — those who supported and opposed the president across two elections — to share their reactions to his address.

There's been an increase in new independent media voices over the past few decades, amplified especially in recent years by the rise of the internet and online media. Those trends, together with increasing financial difficulties for legacy newsrooms, have contributed to the relative decline of many mainstream news outlets and to the collapse of local investigative journalism. Added to these difficulties are wide-ranging accusations of bias, accessibility and sensationalism that news media professionals have sometimes struggled to address. More and more Americans are now gaining their news from social media or from “news influencers,” but this is not only an American trend. A United Nations study published late last year warned that roughly two-thirds of “digital content creators” around the world do not verify their information before publishing it. Watch the above 22-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share their opinions on the news media industry and where they think they should go to for their news.

Cracking down on immigration was one of Donald Trump's top 2024 presidential campaign promises, and he has sought to ramp up U.S. deportations and border security efforts since his return to the White House last month. Some proponents of stricter immigration systems have applauded those efforts, while critics protest that they are cruel, inhumane, unnecessary and ultimately bad for the U.S. economy. Watch this 29-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a focus group of Americans to share their opinions on immigration issues and how they think President Trump has been doing on immigration in his first month back at the Oval Office.

Donald Trump's surprise win in the national popular vote count in the 2024 U.S. presidential race shocked even veteran political commentators. Part of that victory certainly owed itself to poor Democratic turnout — a turnout which resembled lower 2016 numbers instead of higher 2020 numbers and which traumatized the Democratic Party establishment with its first popular vote loss in two decades. A portion of that surprise victory, however, also came from individuals who voted for Joe Biden in 2020, but then voted instead for Trump in 2024. Watch the above 33-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz zooms in on a group of Americans who voted for Biden in 2020 but for Trump in 2024. Dr. Luntz asks them to share their personal reasons for why they moved over to Trump, what the Democrats could do to win them back, and how they think the returning president has been doing mere weeks into his second term.

Many of the future officers of the United States Armed Forces begin their journeys as cadets at West Point, America's oldest military academy and one of the top military academies in the world today. The United States military is often commended for its skill in complex organization and team-building, and students and faculty say that this culture starts early at West Point. Watch the above 25-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a focus group of West Point students to describe their journeys as cadets to the American public and to share the lessons they've learned.

Controversy has surrounded Donald Trump's questionable selections for top cabinet positions in his upcoming second term, and around his close partnership with Elon Musk, a multibillionaire who spent at least $277 million to help Trump win reelection. Recent arguments between Musk and MAGA-affiliated U.S. Congress members, however, have revealed deep schisms within the Republican Party in the run-up to Trump's inauguration. Watch the above 39-minute episode of American Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share their opinions of Trump, Musk, Trump's cabinet selections and Trump's relationship with Congress.

Only about 1 in 5 Americans say they support or have an optimistic view of Congress, while 3 out of 5 say they disapprove or have a pessimistic view. While these numbers change a little over time, there are consistently more Americans who disapprove than approve. Watch the above 28-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share their criticisms of Congress, why they say it's failing to deliver, and what they'd like to see change in the years ahead.

It can be difficult to predict the relative living standards of future generations in the modern world, where it seems like so much is changing so fast. Emerging technologies like AI, for instance, might empower and accelerate human productivity, but at the same time could also exacerbate wealth, income and power inequalities. And while many of today's opportunities might not exist for the next generation, it's also probable that new opportunities will emerge which we cannot yet imagine. Watch the above 21-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz dives into the debate about changing U.S. standards of living over time, how those changes relate to evolving technologies, and what advic

Over the past few decades, rising costs of living and housing in the United States have outpaced real wage gains, which have remained more or less stagnant despite consistent growth in worker productivity over time. All of this — together with rising inequality, the shrinking of the middle class, and the inability of unemployed or unhoused Americans to access the welfare that they need — has contributed to a growing sense of financial hardship for many Americans. Watch the above 30-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a panel of Black Americans to share their thoughts and feelings about whether or not the American dream can still survive in this economy. Dr. Luntz and the panel are later joined by John Hope Bryant, founder and CEO of Operation HOPE, who shares tools and guidance for achieving greater success in the American financial system.

American shoppers say they will spend a record high amount this year on holiday gifts and expenses, up 8% from the same time last year. While the holidays are meant to be a time of celebration, those with tight budgets can experience acute anxiety from the costs associated with travel, gifts, and taking time off work to be with friends and family. Watch the above 25-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share how they're making ends meet this holiday season, what gifts they're choosing when everything costs more, and why they believe the economy is worse this year than last.

The U.S. 2024 presidential election delivered a decisive victory for Donald Trump in the Electoral College and a narrow victory in the national popular vote. In the days after the election, social media was flooded with celebrations among those who voted for Donald Trump, but with alarm, anger and despair from those who voted for Kamala Harris. Watch this 38-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks American voters to share and discuss who they voted for and why.

Election Day is tomorrow, and very few American voters have yet to decide which candidate they'll cast their ballot for. Some of those remaining undecided, however, reside in a handful of key swing states, and their votes could ultimately decide who becomes the next president of the United States. In this 34-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks undecided swing state voters for their final thoughts and opinions about who they'll be voting for in the 2024 U.S. presidential race.

With Election Day just one week from today, polls are predicting an extremely tight race in the Electoral College between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Those projections have alarmed Democrats and pro-Harris Republicans, who continue to warn Americans about what they say are the existential dangers and national security risks posed by a second Trump presidency. And yet some Americans who previously voted for Joe Biden and/or Hillary Clinton say they'll vote instead for Republican nominee Donald Trump in spite of these warnings. A disproportionate number of those voters are male. In this 37-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a focus group of pro-Trump male voters who previously voted for Biden and/or Clinton why they've chosen to switch their support over in favor of the MAGA candidate.

With less than two weeks left until the general election, voters are focusing heavily on the state of America's foreign policy. As dangerous conflicts and threats continue in regions like the Middle East, Ukraine, and China, many Americans are questioning whether the country is overextended in global affairs and foreign wars. Navigating these complex international challenges involves not only the American president and Congress but also the Department of State and the Pentagon. In this 41-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz leads a focus group featuring national security experts formerly from the State Department and the Pentagon. These leaders offer their insights into the key global issues that Americans should be most concerned about right now.

There's a wide range of social, political and economic issues facing Americans today, and some of those issues involve underlying structures and systems like Congress, the Supreme Court and the idea of capitalism itself.  Capitalism has come under fire as income and wealth disparitybetween Americans continues to grow. The Supreme Court has come under criticism for allegedly demonstrating a sharply partisan political bias, even though it was designed to function outside of politics. Congress, meanwhile, continues to face familiar allegations of dysfunction, corruption and zero-sum partisanship. Watch the above 27-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans for their opinions on the state of our Congress, Supreme Court and modern U.S. capitalism.

Public opinion surveys show that 81% of American voters believe that U.S. democracy is under threat, and roughly 3 in 4 votersbelieve that democracy itself is at stake in the 2024 presidential election. While Democrats and Republicans sometimes provide different reasons, citizens on each side of the political divide report that they are deeply concerned for the future of the United States. In this 24-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a bipartisan focus group of U.S. voters to discuss their respective concerns for the future of democracy and America.

The vice-presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., and Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, was seen as a win by both sides. In contrast to the Harris-Trump debate, public opinion on who won the Walz-Vance debate was split evenly. With the November election projected to be a tight race in the Electoral College, it remains to be seen whether this will impact the outcome of the election, but both Vance and Walz succeeded in improved their image with the American public. In this 30-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz interviews a group of undecided voters before and after the vice-presidential debate and asks what impact, if any, that debate might have on how these voters ultimately cast their ballots.

Immigration remains one of the top issues for American voterstoday, and the global refugee crisis as a whole ranks as one of the modern world's top concerns. In America, as in other countries, the public debate ranges from how to accommodate new immigrants to how many immigrants should be allowed in the first place, and how those immigrants should or shouldn't become naturalized as citizens of their new host nation.  Complicating those debates is the inability of U.S. immigration courts to process immigration and asylum claims in anything close to a timely manner, with some claims waiting a full decadebefore being processed. In this 48-minute video of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks U.S. voters how they think about immigration and what they'd like to see their country do differently in the years ahead.

Only a small percentage of Americans who said they plan to vote in the November elections have not yet made up their minds up about who they'll be voting for. However, at least in the Electoral College, the upcoming election is projected to be a tight race, and a small number of undecided voters in just a handful of states could make a difference. In this 40-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz interviews a group of young undecided American voters to understand what they care about, how they perceive the presidential debate, and what their concerns are as November approaches.

An overwhelming majority of Black Americans say they plan to vote for Kamala Harris as the next U.S. president. Around one-quarter of Black men under 50, however, say they plan to support Donald Trump instead. In this 47-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a group of Black U.S. voters under 40 who are planning to vote for Donald Trump why they're making the choice to support him over Kamala Harris.

The United States Armed Forces today is collectively considered the most powerful national military in the world. While part of that supremacy stems from technology, logistics, diplomacy, and other key variables, a great deal of it also stems from the values, discipline and integrity of the men and women who serve. And for many of these young Americans, their journey of national service begins at West Point. In this 18-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz interviews a focus group of West Point cadets and asks them to share their stories about why they enlisted, what they've learned, and what they hope to accomplish for themselves, each other and their country.

Most U.S. voters already have an idea of how they'll be casting their ballots in November. Among Gen Z Americans specifically, roughly half say they support Harris-Walz, while one-third support Trump-Vance. Yet some younger Americans remain uncommitted, and there's a wide range of issues that might tip the balance for how they vote. In this 42-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz interviews a group of young, undecided U.S. voters to discuss their concerns about the candidates in the 2024 election.

Following Israel's military response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in Gaza, U.S. college students at universities nationwide started organizing protests, boycotts, sit-ins, and other forms of non-violent protest against continued U.S. military support to Israel. Whether or not those protesters ever intended it, many Jewish students started reporting that they felt pressured to change their behavior or how they spoke about certain issues, some out of fear for their safety. And while some of these protestors are Jewish themselves, that has not stopped a documented trend of rising antisemitism both off and on campus. In this 41-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Jewish college students in the U.S. to share their experiences on campus and what they've seen from the protests. They describe a culture of antisemitism, with an administration that is reluctant to provide support.

With less than three months until the general election, Americans will soon choose the nation's direction on key issues for the next four years. Concerns range from immigration and political polarization to crime, inflation, foreign policy, AI and job security, with the list continuing to grow. These issues and more might all play a significant role in shaping voter decisions this November. Watch the above 11-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz engages in an uncensored, raw conversation about the day-to-day anxieties of average Americans — and explores potential solutions to address these pressing concerns.

President Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris has thrown a wrench into pollsters' predictions for the election outcome. Harris now enjoys a lead over Trump in the polls both nationally and within key swing states. Trump and Harris agreed to debate on Sept. 3, which will give Americans a first-person view of how the campaigns have changed in the wake of Biden's announcement. Watch the above 41-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz is interviewed by a group of American voters about the new choice they have and where he thinks the two major presidential campaigns are headed.

In the wake of growing public concern over his declining health, President Biden officially announced he would not seek reelection in November, and endorsed Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee. That announcement changed the dynamics of a presidential election between the two oldest-ever candidates that few Americans had been excited for. Kamala Harris, at 59, is roughly two decades younger than Trump and Biden. After the announcement, her campaign broke fundraising records, and her candidacy has energized voters across the political spectrum. Watch this 36-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz interviews a group of Americans who say they would not have voted for Biden but that they will vote for Kamala Harris. He seeks to understand what they see in Harris that they did not see in Biden.

Prior to his official withdrawal from the 2024 U.S. presidential race, President Joe Biden was expected to win the Democratic nomination in August and face former President Donald Trump in November's election. Kamala Harris is now the presumed nominee, although there is time for another surprise before the convention officially nominates a candidate in August.   Watch the 36-minute video above, where pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans — before Biden dropped out of the race — about their thoughts on Biden and Trump and their concerns regarding each candidate.

On Sunday, July 21, President Joe Biden announced that he would be stepping down as the Democratic nominee for president in the 2024 election. Biden quickly announced that he would be endorsing Kamala Harris for that nomination and encouraged his supporters to support her as well. At the Republican National Convention (RNC), Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination just days after surviving an assassination attempt. Trump, who has been accused of encouraging and celebrating political violence in the past, said he “tore up” his original fiery partisan speech, and delivered a new speech calling on all Americans to come together and lower the political temperature.   Watch the above 28-minute video as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks American swing voters — prior to his stepping down — whether they think Biden should stay or go. Dr. Luntz also asks the panel who should take Biden's place and what they thought of Donald Trump's acceptance speech at the RNC.   This episode was filmed on July 19, two days before President Biden's public announcement that he would not seek reelection.

Public anger, fear and frustration with American politics reached another climax after the Supreme Court's highly controversial July 1 decision in Trump v. United States. Those emotions continued spiraling until the attempted assassination of Donald Trump just two weeks later.  After the shooting, political leaders in both parties called for restraint and joined President Biden in asking all Americans to “lower the temperature” of political arguments and debate. However, American public trust in government has remained critically low for over a decade, suggesting deeper systemic problems, and it isn't likely to improve overnight even if politicians can successfully defuse these simmering tensions. In this 30-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz invites Americans to discuss their anger, frustration, hopes, and fears about the country's future and their ideas about how to fix it.

The first live debate of 2024 between current President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump sparked a flurry of questions and concerns. Trump, for his part, refused to commit to accepting election results or to rule out staging future coup attempts like Jan. 6, and again referred to those who stormed the U.S. Capitol as “patriots.” Biden, for his part, appeared suddenly far more agedthan he had only one hundred days before for his State of the Union Address, and seemed cognitively “out of it.” Watch this 33-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a panel of undecided U.S. voters for their reactions to the debate.

American voters face a stark binary choice this November between two very different presidential candidates with opposing visions for America. Most voters already have a firm idea of who they plan to vote for and why, and yet some remain undecided. Undecided voters, in addition to going either way on the ballot, might choose to vote third-party or even to abstain from voting altogether. In this 15-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz interviews a group of undecided voters prior to the first Biden-Trump debate of 2024 and asks them to share why they've not yet made up their minds and what key issues might persuade them.

As the presidential election approaches, many Americans feel cautious about the economy despite reassuring data. Nearly two-thirds of middle-class Americans report experiencing economic hardship and do not expect their situation to improve. Inflation and unaffordable housing are two of the top concerns respondents cite. In this 40-minute episode of America Speaks, Dr. Frank Luntz asks a panel of 15 Americans from 14 different states to talk about their financial struggles, including making ends meet and paying bills on time. Dr. Luntz focuses on topics such as setting priorities, making tough decisions, learning to accept sacrifices, and surviving on incomes that don't keep up pace with inflation.

Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all counts of falsifying business records in his hush money trial, making him the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. Trump is likely to appeal the verdict. He will be sentenced on July 11, only four days before the Republican National Convention.  In this 35-minute episode of America Speaks, Dr. Frank Luntz asks a panel of Americans about the verdict just minutes after it was announced. The panelists discuss their surprise (or lack thereof) at the verdict, its potential impact on the upcoming election, the possibility of violence in its aftermath, and whether the case should have been brought forth at all.

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the small business community could play an important role in determining who wins the White House. Although 96% of these entrepreneurs are likely to vote, many of them remain undecided about whom they'll vote for. Independent business owners, regardless of party affiliation, are concerned that they will be left behind by current business policies. In this 36-minute episode of America Speaks, Dr. Frank Luntz asks a panel of American business owners to share their feelings about domestic politics, the state of American democracy, and how businesses can thrive in this political climate.

Democracy is a flawed and fragile form of government, famously described by Winston Churchill as “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.” Churchill's comment spoke to a world where fascism and democracy were at war. In America today, concerns regarding the erosion of democracy at home and abroad — and about the resurgence of fascism — are on the rise again. In this 23-minute episode of America Speaks, Dr. Frank Luntz asks a panel of younger Americans what they think about democracy, what threatens it, how to protect it, why it matters, and more. Luntz then asks each participant what they would say to Congress on this subject if they had only a few seconds.

Capitalism and socialism offer two different economic models, each with their own unique pros and cons. And while it is rare to find any modern economy that is either entirely capitalist or entirely socialist, citizens frequently use these terms to represent the general direction in which they believe the economy and society should progress. Similarly, while it is rare to find any example of a purely meritocratic or a purely equal society, the public debate on meritocracy versus equality helps us clarify which laws or policies should be pursued in the years ahead. In this 34-minute episode of America Speaks, Dr. Frank Luntz asks a panel of Gen Z Americans, ages 18-24, whether they prefer more socialism or more capitalism, and presses them to defend their answer against those who gave the opposite response. Following that conversation, Dr. Luntz asks them to choose between meritocracy or equality, and to defend their positions on that answer as well.

Younger Americans came of age amidst significant change, turmoil and partisanship. Many observers have wondered how this might impact their civic engagement and political opinions as adults. Approximately 41 million Gen Z Americans will be eligible to vote in the 2024 elections.

In March, U.S. public approval of Congress stood at only 15%. Americans have a wide range of concerns across the political spectrum, but what they have in common is a frustration with what they perceive as widespread dysfunction inside of the nation's legislature.

As of March 28, 2024, the official figure for the United States' national debt comes up just shy of $34.6 trillion. While this debt empowers the government to fund important programs and agencies, critics warn that it becomes more and more of a liability the longer it goes unaddressed and unresolved. In this unique 36-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz invites David Walker, former comptroller general of the United States, to join American panelists for a living room discussion on the national debt. Walker outlines some of the key trends, numbers and figures that Americans should be aware of, and explores the political obstacles preventing us from reaching a solution.

While most voters already have an idea of how they'll be voting — or not voting — in November's presidential election, a small minority of Americans remain undecided. How they ultimately choose to cast their ballots might influence the results of tight races in key swing states. In this 30-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a focus group of undecided voters what their reservations are regarding Democratic and Republican candidates and the U.S. political process as a whole. The participants gave a wide range of reasons, but when asked if they felt “alienated by the political process,” almost every one of them raised their hand.

President Biden identified many key concerns as he delivered his annual State of the Union address. He confronted foreign wars in Ukraine and Gaza and domestic issues relevant to rural America, sparking a range of reactions from prospective voters. In this 30-minute episode of America Speaks, pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz interviews a panel of undecided swing-state Americans to measure their feedback and reactions to the speech. While opinion on the speech itself was split, participants did not have reassuring answers when asked to summarize their own impression of the state of the country in just one word. One participant aptly summarized what seemed to be a shared concern: “We have two unions.”

Recent polls give former President Donald Trump a lead over President Joe Biden in a 2024 general election matchup. With rising wages and GDP, record-low unemployment, and an opponent facing 91 felony criminal charges, it might be difficult for observers to make sense of Biden's declining popularity against Trump in an anticipated 2024 rematch. In this 34-minute episode of America Speaks, political analyst and pollster Dr. Frank Luntz interviews a group of individuals who voted for Biden in 2020 but plan on not voting for him in 2024. Luntz asks them a range of questions to understand how Biden lost their support since they cast their votes in 2020.

America is home to some of the best universities in the world, and U.S. college graduates regularly compete for elite positions worldwide. Yet the K-12 American public education system lags far behind this performance, contributing to divisions within American society and jeopardizing the academic potential of America's younger generations. In this 30-minute episode of America Speaks, political analyst and pollster Dr. Frank Luntz asks American parents for their observations on K-12 public school funding, curriculum, student support, overcrowding, and active shooter events.

Immigration continues to be a topic of debate among everyday American citizens and within the halls of Congress. As migrants and refugees pour into the United States over the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. immigration courts struggle to process their cases. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently hinted that mass amnesty might be required to help resolve the immigration dilemma—something which has not been done in roughly four decades. In this 34-minute episode of America Speaks, political analyst and pollster Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans what they think of immigrants and the immigration crisis, and whether President Biden or former President Donald Trump is better positioned to resolve the challenges associated with immigration.

America's firefighters battle hazardous conditions and long work days to keep Americans safe every day. Yet in crisis after crisis, through raging wildfires and terrorist attacks, these heroes continue to show up, fully committed to some of the most dangerous work in the country. In this 37-minute episode of America Speaks, firefighters discuss their most memorable experiences, what they wish civilians and politicians knew about their work, and many stories of tragedy and triumph that they're willing to share. Their responses take us from the trauma of 9/11 to the shock of George Floyd's murder and the COVID-19 pandemic.