The American Mind

We all know the story: officer Derek Chauvin was making an arrest in the summer of 2020 when he supposedly killed George Floyd—and became a national hate object. This week, former federal prosecutor TJ Harker joins the hosts to detail the research that led him to conclude Chauvin is not only innocent but an American Scapegoat. After years of post-Floyd lawfare, is America now on track to heal? Meanwhile, the senatorial election in Texas rages between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, the Left's new “normal” guy: a football enjoyer, feminist Bible reader, and six gender believer.Recommended:The Scapegoating of Derek Chauvin, Pt. IThe Scapegoating of Derek Chauvin, Pt. IIAmerican Scapegoat: How a Corrupt Justice System Sacrificed Derek Chauvin to the Mob This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comThe landscape of battle in the last decade has drastically shifted in favor of drone warfare. In Iran and Ukraine, inexpensive drones hammer against expensive missile interceptors. If the U.S. wants to retain its advantage, this equation needs to change. This week, American Military Project director Will Thibeau discusses how U.S. policy and industry will have to adjust to prepare for the future of war. Plus: the implications of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, NATO deficiencies, and more.

In his first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV addressed the prospects of AI, warning against the enduring perils of Babel. Does he have a good alternative, or just an array of managerial, transnational solutions? This week, the guys consider the first American pontiff's doctrinal approach to AI and what it means for America. Meanwhile, Marco Rubio's star rises to Kissinger-esque heights as he takes on the dual position of national security advisor and secretary of state amid the Iran War. Who might succeed Trump on the 2028 ticket—Rubio or Vance?Recommended:Magnifica Humanitas, by Pope Leo XIVCan Anyone Stop JD Vance in 2028?The Rediscovery of America, edited by Edward J. Erler and Ken Masugi This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comA just-released Pew Research poll revealed that a majority of Americans are concerned about the exploits of Artificial Intelligence. Just 10 percent are excited about the technology's increased use. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt discovered this when he was loudly booed during the University of Arizona's commencement ceremony. Is this recent backlash a grassroots protest against tone deaf corporate messaging, the fruit of a Chinese psyop, or both? Spencer Klavan and Ryan Williams discuss.

Associate Dean of Hillsdale's graduate school of government Matthew Mehan joins the guys to discuss his latest work, The American Book of Fables. It's a richly illustrated tour through the nation's wonders, celebrating America in thirteen tales for the whole family. Then, updates from the midterms: Trump endorses Ken Paxton against John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary in Texas, Kentucky representative Thomas Massie faces off with Trump pick Ed Gallrein, and more!Recommended:The American Book of FablesWhat Conservatives Believe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comThe Odyssey: Homer's epic tale of a man's harrowing return home from war. Today, the object of gender-critical, woke narrative extremes in translator Emily Wilson's rendition—and potentially in Christopher Nolan's upcoming adaptation. Spencer Klavan and Ryan Williams discuss the rumors and reports about the summer film's casting: Zendaya as Athena, Lupita Nyong'o as Helen, Travis Scott as the poet Demodocus, and possibly Elliot Page (formerly Ellen Page) as Achilles. Will Nolan somehow pull it all together, or deliver a steaming pile of Woke?

Spencer Pratt, formerly a reality television star on MTV's The Hills, has entered Los Angeles's mayoral race as a Republican to challenge incumbent Karen Bass. His campaign's satirical ads depict opponents as movie villains, yet his more serious pitch addresses the real issues concerning Angelenos: homelessness, drugs, and corruption. Whether this quasi-Trumpian strategy wins their vote remains to be seen come June. Meanwhile, the war in Iran persists. Victory remains elusive and gas prices high. What is the direction of the war effort? Will Trump back out? The guys monitor the situation.Recommended:Boots-on-the-ground is Trump's best optionWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comAs institutes of higher learning lose public trust, a Yale committee has issued several recommendations for greater "openness." In response, the university has trimmed down its mission statement to remove hints of activism and focus on efforts to “create, disseminate, and preserve knowledge.” As the reputations of legacy institutions slump, renegade academies have risen to upset the status quo. Ryan Williams and Spencer Klavan discuss the prospects for these new upstart institutions: Will they spark a wider revival of the traditional academy, or transfer established prestige?

In a historic ruling, the Supreme Court has effectively declared it unconstitutional for legislatures to gerrymander based on race. This week, the guys unravel the convoluted history of how we got to Louisiana v. Callais—from the Civil War and the 15th amendment, through reconstruction, the Voting Rights Act in both its 1965 and 1982 versions. How will the Left respond with racial districting off the table as midterms and 2028 approach? What is the future of the Voting Rights Act? All this and more as The Roundtable's original hour-long length is RESTORED for a deep dive.Recommended:Is Hasan Piker the Face of the American Left?Justice Alito Cleans the Augean Stable of Faux Voting Rights PrecedentsWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comIn a new Gallup poll, the number of young men who consider religion “very important” rose dramatically (up 14 percent to 42, from 28 in 2022), reversing a decades-long trend. Host Spencer Klavan and Claremont president Ryan Williams contemplate the implications for America's civic health: the reconciliation of science and faith, a potential uptick in marriages and families, and the potential restoration of something like a civic theology. But what kind of theology is needed to sustain America's way of life—and what kinds of theologies won't help? The guys discuss. 

Over the weekend, a California man bolted past security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, wielding two firearms and a knife. The suspect was operating under a dangerous and widespread notion that Trump is an intolerable “traitor” deserving death. Meanwhile, far-Left streamer Hasan Piker goes mainstream, raising the question whether Democrat moderates have any room to lead their party out of the abyss. This week, the guys discuss the probable causes for the rise in political violence, including mental gymnastics employed by Piker and others to justify bloodshed.Recommended:‘The Rich Don't Play by the Rules. So Why Should I?'Days of RageWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comIn anticipation of an eventual Trump v. Slaughter ruling, Spencer and Ryan follow up last week's special episode by outlining the arguments in favor of ex-FTC commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. After Clarence Thomas and the other Court conservatives prodded Slaughter's representative Amit Agarwal, it turned out that the respondents' argument could, in principle, be used to engineer a wholesale takeover of government power by Congress and the administrative state. Will Humphrey's Executor be overturned? Ryan and Spencer make their bets.

In a dramatic leak, The New York Times has published seven private memos from a 2016 exchange between Supreme Court Justices leading up to the now-famous interim order that blocked President Obama's "Clean Power Plan." The Times's lopsided framing accuses Chief Justice Roberts of being flippant and taking unprecedented action. But the so-called "shadow docket" has been used more broadly to shut down both rampant Biden-era lawfare and Trumpian overreach. This week, the guys detail how the courts of both law and public opinion have been changing in the era of the imperial presidency.Recommended:The Inside Story of Five Days That Remade the Supreme CourtLeaked Supreme Court Memos Reveal Why Court Stayed Clean Power PlanThe Pity PartyWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comIn this installment of our Trump v. Slaughter mini-series, Spencer and Ryan get to the heart of the Trump Administration's theory of executive power, and how it's derived from history and case law. Then they address the various counterarguments and lines of questioning from Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, and Jackson, respectively. Each of the Court's three liberals reveals a different aspect of the Progressive judicial philosophy, and illuminates by contrast what the Trump Administration is trying to do. Next week: the other side gets its turn in the hot seat!

For the second time in recorded primatology, a civil war has been observed between chimpanzees. This week, the guys get a little philosophical about the unique status of mankind as a political animal and the unlikelihood that we have much to learn from the chimps—progressive optimism and cash grabs notwitstanding. Meanwhile, Viktor Orbán lost the Hungarian election to Péter Magyar, a result misinterpreted by the Left as a pro-immigration, anti-nationalist repudiation of conservatism globally. What's really going on in Hungary, and what does it mean for us at home?Recommended:These Chimps Began the Bloodiest ‘War' on Record. No One Knows Why.Orbán Is Gone. His Style of Politics Isn't.Watch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comHost Spencer Klavan and Claremont president Ryan Williams kick off a new series on Trump v. Slaughter, a Supreme Court case that calls into question the whole misbegotten history of the administrative state. The carefully calibrated design of the founders has been thrown out of whack by 100 years of precedent. Is it too late to undo the damage? This wee…

Over Easter weekend, as the Iran War approached its sixth week, Trump reissued his ultimatum to Iran: open the Strait of Hormuz or face complete destruction. This week, the guys take some guesses at what Trump intends for our adversary, and what is to come long-term. Meanwhile, amid the conflict, heroes have emerged—most recently in the harrowing rescue of an American airman downed behind enemy lines. Plus: updates on the amazing, ongoing success of the Artemis II mission to the moon. NASA is back in the game.Recommended:6 Takeaways From the Story of Trump's Decision to Go to War With IranWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comWrapping up a short series of talks focused on Japanese politics, host Spencer Klavan and Claremont Institute president Ryan Williams examine Japan's reaction to the rise of Trump and the MAGA movement. Building on the modern US-Japan partnership, Trump and the recently elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have met to reaffirm the shared project of sta…

Amid an ongoing congressional battle over Department of Homeland Security funding, the House Democrats eked out a bill in the early hours last Friday—excluding ICE and Border Patrol. After a century of Congressional abdication, submission to bureaucracy has become second nature. And in making war, most recently with Iran, the atrophy of the government's first branch calls into question the separation of powers. Plus: Oral arguments for Trump v. Barbara, on birthright citizenship, begin this week, challenging the liberal interpretation repudiated by the work of John Eastman, John Marini, and other Claremonsters.Recommended:The man behind Donald Trump's push to end birthright citizenshipWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comClaremont Institute president Ryan Williams continues his conversation with host Spencer Klavan about his quasi-diplomatic mission to Japan. This week, the two launch into the role of religion in Japanese politics, the country's deeper history before World War II, and remedies for the nation's birth dearth. With this context, the outlook of modern Japan…

After another tense week of Iran-US operations, Trump is reportedly looking to broker a deal and snuff out the Middle East conflict. Meanwhile, amid rumors that the Right is tearing at the seams, polling now reveals that young conservatives are the least divided on the recent intervention—overwhelmingly in its favor. Reports of a deep divide between old and young may, as so often, be more media hype than reality. Those running in 2028: take notes.Recommended:The Age of AmericaPoll: Young conservatives are the strongest supporters of the war in IranThe Metaverse Was Never InevitableWhiteshift: Populism, Immigration, and the Future of White Majorities This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comJoining host Spencer Klavan fresh off the plane from a Japan-hosted outreach mission, Claremont Institute president Ryan Williams gives an exclusive debrief with insight into Japanese political philosophy, business strategy, and defense. China, the nation's longtime adversary across the sea, view it as an obstacle to regional dominance—making prudent a …

A buzzy new essay at New York Mag announces that some women have grown disgruntled at the MAGA movement and by their treatment from some on the New Right. Now their criticisms are being used to publicly discredit conservatism, wholesale. The concerns are real, but need to be addressed in-house—before they become oppo fodder. Meanwhile, Director of National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent has resigned, citing the war in Iran. Plus: returning from Japan, Ryan teases some of his quasi-diplomatic escapades, and shares a few quirks of the nation and its history: available in full on Claremont Digital Plus!Recommended:The Women Leaving the New RightWhat the Hell Happened to DOGE? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comWill Thibeau joins host Spencer Klavan to take measure of our adversary's capabilities in the Iran War.

Following the joint US-Israel airstrike on the Ayatollah Khamenei, the late dictator's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been picked successor by the regime. The Trump administration has begun to signal its objectives, goalposts and exit plan—but is victory clearly defined yet? Meanwhile, a failed terror attack targeting a protest in New York signals cascading effects back home. This week, hosts Spencer Klavan and Mike Sabo talk through the latest in the war on Iran and its potential implications for the American Right's internal conflicts, including 2028 prospects for J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio.Recommended:Trump Advisers Urge Him to Find Iran Exit Ramp, Fearing Political BacklashOn Iran, Vance Balances Between Trump and the Anti-Intervention RightLeo Strauss and American Foreign PolicyWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comCalifornia's radical law, forbidding schools and teachers from reporting students' gender dysmorphia and transgender treatments to parents, has just been shot down by the Supreme Court. Eric Wessan, Claremont alum and Solicitor General at the Iowa Office of the Attorney General, joins host Spencer Klavan to discuss the parental rights victory, touch on …

The Ayatollah Khameini is dead in a missile strike. The U.S. and Israel are effectively at war with Iran. Trump and his administration, hawkish on Iran, pursue peace through force with Operation Epic Fury. This week, the guys sit down to hash out the military and trade implications in the Mideast region, and the quagmire of political considerations back home—including presidential powers and an impotent Congress at the forefront. Europe's response, meanwhile, betrays its continued decline and unreliability.Recommended:Trump Was Always an Iran HawkWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comPresident Trump took to the podium to deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term Tuesday night. His appraisal: we are so back. Transparency is back, and so are affordability, education, homeownership, and more. On this exclusive Roundtable episode, hosts Ryan Williams and Mike Sabo sit down to discuss the merits of Trump's speech, t…

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 last week that the International Economic Emergency Powers Act does not give the president authority to impose tariffs—Alito, Kavanaugh, and Thomas dissenting. The administration now scrambles to implement its tariff policies as appeals and new legislation proceed. Meanwhile, America counts its treasures as the Winter Olympics close out: 12 gold medals, one among them won by the daughter of a Chinese refugee to the States. Go us! Plus: the AI overlord of the 7,000-strong Roomba army, and more.Recommended:The Tariff Wears Two Hats: What the SCOTUS Majority OverlookedWatch with video on Youtube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comChief Washington Correspondent at Newsmax James Rosen sits down this week with Claremont Institute president Ryan Williams to discuss the deep state's involvement in the operation to bring down President Nixon. Informing the discussion are never-before-seen files sourced by Mr. Rosen: a spy ring directed by three-letter intelligence agencies, collaborat…

Following on from J.D. Vance's bracing speech in 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on European allies to resist the managed decline of the West at the 2026 Munich Security Conference this week. The welfare state is a slow moving trainwreck. Appeasement of climate cultists stunts economies. Mass migration threatens to disrupt our civilization. Playing good cop to the VP's bad cop, Rubio outlined America's vision to revive the spirit and strength of the shared Western project. Plus: The guys discuss the Left's compassion fatigue, Hungary's coming election, and the legacy of the late Dr. Mickey Gene Craig: teacher, mentor, and friend.Recommended:Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security ConferenceGeorge Washington's Farewell AddressHungary and the Future of EuropeWhy Hasn't Brexit Happened? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comKicking off the Roundtable's premium interview series, our AI chatbot—sorry, host, Spencer Klavan is joined by Claremont Institute president Ryan Williams to discuss the strange symptom of late-stage modernity that is AI maximalism. The technology, which excels as a task manager and mathematician, lacks humanity—consciousness, morality, and soul. But its potential use as a tool to run government may prove painfully seductive to the modern mind, and equally disastrous.

Superbowl LX went to the Seahawks, but the halftime show went to Puerto Rico with musician Bad Bunny, who performed almost entirely in Spanish (except, of course, when he took a dig at America's right to call itself America). The production targeted normie TV viewers with a joyous, positive aura—all while subtly communicating a leftist message of globalization. Was this a stroke of genius, or is Bad Bunny already cringe? Meanwhile, California continues to spiral, expropriating its top earners mob-boss style through aggressive taxes and de facto wealth confiscation. Will the Right rally around its own positive message, and go toe-to-toe with the Left? Plus: Show changes and a new, premium offering to come Thursday! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

The recent government shutdown standoff has reached an end but, in yet another stage of the war against immigration enforcement, only temporary funding for Homeland Security has been passed. Democrats now aim at sweeping ICE reforms, Republicans at pushing through the SAVE Act requiring national voter ID—and dropping the Senate filibuster ahead of the midterms. Meanwhile, a New York jury has awarded $2 million in damages to a detransitioner who went through Female-to-Male “gender affirming care” at 16. Digging at the roots of malpractice and overdiagnosis and with a surgeon and psychologist on the hook, could the case signal the beginning of the end of trans-mania? Get full access to Claremont Digital Plus at claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

Close on the heels of Renée Good's death, Minneapolis protestor Alex Pretti was killed in another altercation with ICE agents. Investigation into both incidents will hopefully make judgment easier in the court of law, but in the court of public opinion the situation looks grim. Losing ground on the media battlefield and in polls ahead of the midterms, Trump must consider the extent and nature of his mandate on immigration. This week, the guys take a hard look at the electoral reality and discuss what it means for the Right's policy agenda. Plus: regulatory bloat (aka Hegel's revenge) makes it hard to translate political will into meaningful action in the UK, while inclement weather and exploding trees (!) make for an eventful week in the U.S. Get full access to Claremont Digital Plus at claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

As anti-ICE protests escalate in Minneapolis, agitators storm a church mid-service. But Trump's deportation efforts are combining with economic pain to drive his poll numbers down. Uncertainty about Greenland doesn't seem to be helping matters, though the breakdown of NATO may be unavoidable or already happening in all but name. With midterms looming, how should the administration approach this delicate moment? Plus: the discipline of classics, and with it the prestige institutions of the American academy, seem determined to self-destruct. Ryan, Mike, and Spencer survey the landscape and offer up a few cultural recommendations. Get full access to Claremont Digital Plus at claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This land is your land; this land is...Greenland? Following the recent arrest and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump has halted shipments of Venezuelan oil to Cuba, raising new speculations about efforts to acquire Greenland and solidify US control in the region. Meanwhile, Renée Good, egged by her wife to obstruct ICE officers in Minneapolis, was fatally shot while accelerating a vehicle toward an agent. To unravel the new “Donroe” Doctrine and twisted LARPing of progressive and Antifa activists, Kyle Shideler of the Center for Security Policy joins the hosts to throw light on recent events.Recommended:The Callous and Cynical Politics That Led to Renee Good's DeathWho's to Blame in Minnesota? Five Cases Involving Police Shooting at CarsLiberals Think Antifa Isn't Real. But It Is—and It Knows How to WinThe Regulars Are Coming!Thou Shalt Kill, by Anna Geifman Get full access to Claremont Digital Plus at claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

Nicolás Maduro is in U.S. custody, pleading not guilty to federal drug and weapons charges. What does his capture mean for Venezuela, American foreign policy, and the global order? And how does this moment connect to the domestic fight over America's administrative state? Josh Treviño of AFPI unpacks the geopolitical aftermath of Maduro's arrest, and R.J. Pestritto of Hillsdale College discusses his latest publication about the rise of America's unelected bureaucracy: Government by the Unelected: How It Happened, and How It Might Be Tamed. Get full access to Claremont Digital Plus at claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

This week, hosts Ryan and Spencer sit down as the year closes out to share their Christmas plans and recommendations: music, theater, food, drink, and more! Stay tuned in the new year!Recommendations:Adventures in Old English: The History and Meaning of Advent“Christmas Traditions,” by the CRB editorsEssentials of Classic Italian Cooking: 30th Anniversary EditionThe PDT Cocktail Book Get full access to Claremont Digital Plus at claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

Australia has suffered its deadliest mass shooting in decades, allegedly perpetrated by father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, on the first night of Hannukah. Meanwhile in Germany, (yet another) planned attack at a Christmas market was foiled. This week, Spencer and Mike discuss problems that have finally gotten too overwhelming for even the BBC and the New York Times to ignore, from mass migration to the DEI crusade against young white men. Plus: Christmas recommendations!Recommendations:The Lost Generation, by Jacob SavageWhy “The Lost Generation” is a Lost Opportunity, by Jeremy CarlThe Christmas of the Quarter-Century Get full access to Claremont Digital Plus at claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

Under the nose of the Tim Walz regime, hundreds of millions of Minnesotan tax dollars have been defrauded by an array of shell organizations sending money overseas, in some cases to terrorist groups. That the ringleaders are primarily of Somali descent makes progressives uncomfortable and help's Trump's case against mass migration. This week, the guys discuss COVID-era abuses of welfare, consider immigration's rolling effect on national security, and consider Trump's handling of the economy amidst a potential affordability crisis. Plus: more cultural recommendations!Recommended:The Real Clash of Civilizations, by Nathan PinkoskiLeo Strauss and American Foreign Policy, by Thomas G. WestDemocracy and the Bush Doctrine, by Charles R. KeslerHouse of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski Get full access to Claremont Digital Plus at claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is being accused of war crimes after allegedly making a so-called “double-tap” strike against Venezuelan drug traffickers. But it may just be a double distraction, allowing critics of Trump both to avoid more serious questions about immigration policy and to pull attention from the tragic shooting of two National Guards in DC by an Afghani national. This week, the guys are joined again by Matthew Peterson to discuss US operations in South America and the Left's unsubtle hints that soldiers might need to disobey orders. Plus: Kash Patel as FBI Director: the right man for the wrong job?Recommended:“What Brought the Trump Administration to the Brink with the Venezuelan Regime,” by Joshua Treviño & Melissa FordNever Enough: America's Limitless Welfare State, by William VoegeliOur American Queen: The Rise and Ruin of Kate Chase, by Thomas Klingenstein This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

A recent White House meeting between Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani gave the president a chance to flip the script while publicly debasing the rhetorical currency of the “anti-fascist” Left. In this special holiday episode, the guys are joined by Matthew Peterson to discuss the president's latest strategy, and answer listener questions. On the docket are emerging factions within the conservative movement, federal leniency on Antifa post-domestic-terrorist designation, and more. Plus: The crew gives thanks and share holiday plans, antics, eats—and cultural recommendations!Recommended reading:A House for the Word, by Richard Hooker This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

In the wake of a bad election for Republicans, the Trump Administration seems to be reeling a bit as it looks for a new direction heading into Trump's second year of this term. Yet time remains to step away from the ledge, button up and course correct before midterms. This week, Matthew Peterson joins the guys as they unravel dissatisfactions on the right and note potential MAGA comebacks. Meanwhile, Vanity Fair West Coast editor Olivia Nuzzi's memoir generates a seedy sort of buzz as alleged details emerge about her sexts to RFK Jr., in case you were worried there might be depths to which journalists would not sink. Plus: Another round of cultural recommendations!Reading recommendations:"Part 1: How I Found Out," by Ryan Lizza“Ulysses,” by Alfred, Lord TennysonKing of Dogs, by Andrew EdwardsProject Hail Mary, by Andy WeirTreatise on Justification, by John Davenant This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

A bill to reopen the government has at last passed the Senate. It includes major concessions from Democrats on health care subsidies, earning moderate Democrats the ire of progressives. As the shutdown reaches its forty-second day, hosts Spencer and Mike sit down with guest Matthew Peterson to discuss the government's perennial inability to form a budget. Elsewhere, election tallies are in: Zohran Mamdani won the NYC mayoral race, the election for Virginia AG went to Jay Jones, and California voters approved Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan. The tide of political battle remains yet uncertain as midterms loom. Plus: who planted the January 6 pipe bombs? And more cultural recommendations!Recommended Reading:Former Capitol Police Officer a Forensic Match for Jan. 6 Pipe Bomber, Sources Say2025's Message to the GOP: Get Back to BasicsA Brief History of the Samurai, by Jonathan ClementsStatus and Culture, by W. David Marx This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

Tucker Carlson hosted Nick Fuentes, an antisemitic broadcaster, for a friendly interview, causing divisions to erupt on the Right. This week, as socialist Zohran Mamdani is forecast to take New York City's mayorship, the guys appraise the influence of Fuentes on the mainstream and discuss the Right's alternatives to curry favor with the middle. Plus: details have emerged about an FBI operation, “Arctic Frost,” aimed at targeting GOP officials' comms to delegitimize Trump and his supporters post-2020 election. And more cultural recommendations!Recommended media:True DetectiveSlow HorsesWhat We Can KnowBrothers This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

As Trump's campaign to curb illegal immigration presses on, half of ICE's top officers have been reassigned in what may be a significant policy shift ahead of the midterms. Meanwhile, Biden's former press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre sat down for an interview with The New Yorker's Isaac Chotiner in which she nearly self-identifies as a DEI hire and tries lamely to defend her old boss. The secretary...goes down with the ship? The guys lay into these topics before bravely excavating the goon-cave so you don't have to. Plus: for the first time ever, we're on video!Recommended media:Why Biden's White House Press Secretary Is Leaving the Democratic PartyThe Goon Squad This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

The latest round of “No Kings!” rallies, reportedly attended by 7 million—average attendee, per Axios, mid-40s and female—took to the streets this weekend in protest of…what monarchy, exactly? This week, three kings—Ryan, Matt, and Spencer—discuss progressive populism, John Bolton's indictment for alleged mishandling of classified intelligence, and Zohran Mamdani's likely victory despite a weak performance in New York's mayoral debate. Plus: more cultural recommendations!Recommended media:The Claremont Institute Standing Athwart HistoryHasan Piker Is Flirting With the RevolutionBehind the Curtain: The Most Unprecedented Presidency in 250 YearsThe Camp of the Saints This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

In a stirring climax to Trump's middle east negotiations, 20 Israeli hostages were released back to their families after 738 days in brutal captivity. This week, hosts Spencer and Mike discuss the success of Trump's plan thus far, the failure of previous efforts in the region, and the likelihood of lasting peace. Meanwhile, unguarded messages from a Young Republican group chat have leaked to the media. Is this more evidence of political hatred on the level of Jay Jones's texts, or just edgy kids doing what edgy kids do? Plus: The Supreme Court takes up oral arguments again, and more cultural recommendations!Recommended reading:Leaked messages expose Young Republicans' racist chatGorgias: Encomium of Helen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

Trump has a twenty-point plan to end the war in Gaza, emphasizing demilitarization and the release of hostages. On the two-year anniversary of the October 7 attack, the guys contemplate the plan's prospects for success, Netanyahu's political future, and domestic reactions. Meanwhile back home, leaked texts from Virginia Democrat Jay Jones express hair-raisingly violent fantasies about “fascist” conservative opponents and their families, epitomizing the Left's bloodlust problem. Plus: Gen Z's devolution of marriage structures, and more cultural recommendations!Cultural recommendations:Vibe Shift: Quantum Supremacy Guy Wins Physics NobelJay Jones's Texts Are a Frightening Peek into a Bleak Moral WorldviewWhat Does Gen Z Divorce Look Like?Annihilation: A NovelAristophanes: Four Plays: Clouds, Birds, Lysistrata, Women of the Assembly This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

This week, Matthew Peterson of The Blaze jumps in to discuss Pete Hegseth's forceful declaration of war on DEI initiatives, including separate PT standards for women. Then the guys crack open Kamala Harris's apologia for her campaign in 107 Days, comprising a list of all the people responsible for the election loss who are not named Kamala Harris. Late candidacy? Biden's fault. Bad interviews? The host's fault. Not elected? The people's fault. Meanwhile, the AI firm Friend publicizes its attempt to supplant real human interaction, raising concerns about Big Tech fueling—and preying on—the mentally unwell. Plus: more cultural recommendations!Reading recommendations:Identity in the Trenches, by Will ThibeauThe Constant Battle, by Kamala HarrisFighting Enemies Foreign and Domestic, edited by Ryan P. WilliamsInforming Statecraft, by Angelo CodevillaI Hate My Friend This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com