Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee joins Margaret Hoover from Jerusalem as elections approach in Israel and the United States, with questions mounting over the future of the U.S.–Israel alliance and the possibility of renewed war with Iran.

Huckabee says American support for Israel will endure even if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu loses reelection, despite President Trump's assertion otherwise. Following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to Israel, Huckabee declines to say whether they discussed reported plans for renewed strikes against Iran.

Huckabee condemns the attack on American journalist Heidi Levine by Israeli se...

Dr. Adam Grant sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss the causes and consequences of loneliness, the impact of artificial intelligence on human connection, and the precarious state of modern manhood.

Grant, an organizational psychologist and professor at Wharton, breaks down the science of forming strong relationships, which he explores in his new book, “Vibe.” He explains how group dynamics and the need for belonging play into the Cornell Seven rape case–and why he would ban fraternities “in a heartbeat.”

Grant reflects on conversations with top AI executives, cautions against turning to chatbots for companions...

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) takes on the “sycophants” in the second Trump administration and reflects on his regrets over voting to confirm some of them–particularly Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who he is now working to get out of the Pentagon.

As he prepares to retire from the Senate in January, Tillis has released a new book, “How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents.” He explains why he believes Trump’s legacy and the GOP’s future are inextricably linked, and how that leads him to defend Trump even when the president abandons conservative principles.

Tillis discuss...

Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer tells Firing Line how a hot dog cart became a global brand—and why some of his biggest failures taught him the most about business.

The restaurateur explains the philosophy behind “enlightened hospitality,” why he puts employees before customers, and what closing his first restaurant taught him about failure. He also reveals why his experiment to eliminate tipping collapsed—and why America’s tipping explosion has gone too far.

Meyer recalls his complicated relationship with Anthony Bourdain, weighs in on Zohran Mamdani’s first year as New York City mayor, influencer c...

As President Trump addresses the UN General Assembly and hosts Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum explains how an alliance of ideologues and kleptocrats is reshaping U.S. foreign policy. She assesses prospects for ending the wars in Iran and Ukraine and examines the administration’s approach to Venezuela and Cuba.

Applebaum argues that ideological and corrupt financial interests are transforming America’s role in the world. She suggests that nuclear nonproliferation offers a framework for working with China and other adversaries to curb the dangers of artificial intelligence, argues Trump’s White House ballro...

As AI leaders face backlash over doomsday warnings and the Federal Reserve defies Donald Trump on interest rates, economist Dambisa Moyo assesses the risks and opportunities facing the U.S. economy amid soaring debt and conflicting economic indicators.

Moyo, chair of the Economic Club of New York—and a baroness in the British House of Lords—weighs the performance of new Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, America’s $40 trillion debt, rising bond yields, and threats to the primacy of the U.S. dollar. She also considers America’s race with China’s CCP for AI dominance—and whether glob...

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) talks to Margaret Hoover about his new book Off-Ramp, which explores how alienation and polarization lead to political violence and how Americans can learn to disagree better. One year after Charlie Kirk’s assassination in Utah, he reflects on the dangers of social media and artificial intelligence and touts his state’s efforts to regulate rapidly evolving technologies. 

Cox also discusses lessons learned from Utah’s 2015 compromise between LGBTQ advocates and religious leaders, explains why he asked President Biden to pardon Donald Trump, and defends supporting Trump while urging others to choose respect...

Author Salman Rushdie reflects on the “second act” he nearly didn’t get: surviving the 2022 attempt on his life, reclaiming his life and returning to fiction. He discusses the new documentary "Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie," how the attack changed his writing and his relationship to mortality, and why his creative process has become more improvisational with age.

Rushdie also reflects on Jorge Luis Borges, blindness and finding “another way of seeing”; Iran’s decades-old fatwa against him; Palestinian statehood; and the rise of Hindu nationalism in Narendra Modi’s India. Twenty-five years after 9/11, he considers the...

Margaret Hoover sits down with former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of Donald Trump’s fiercest loyalists—and now one of his most outspoken defectors.

Greene resigned from Congress in January after a spectacular and very public break with Trump over the war in Iran and the Epstein files. Now she says Trump “betrayed us all” and “lied” to the country.

But why is she surprised?

Greene reflects on what she failed to see in Trump, why she believes the Republican Party has failed its voters, and whether she and Tucker Carlson are building...

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, joins Margaret Hoover for a wide-ranging conversation about what American business owes the country—and where government should get out of the way.

Fresh off JPMorgan’s announcement of a $750 billion commitment to affordable housing, Dimon explains why he believes the private sector has a responsibility to help tackle America’s biggest challenges and argues that excessive regulation—not a lack of money—is the biggest obstacle to building more affordable housing.

Speaking from Modesto, California, during his annual bus tour, Dimon makes the case for reigniting the American Dream, ack...

Democratic socialist Melat Kiros sits down with Margaret Hoover in Denver to discuss her House race, what democratic socialism means to her, and explains her criticism of Israel.

Kiros, who defeated a 15-term incumbent in a Democratic primary, reflects on why democratic socialism is resonating with voters across the country and responds to “red scare tactics” from Republicans heading into the midterms.

She explains where her views differ from the platform of the Democratic Socialists of America and confronts concerns raised by moderate Democrats about far left candidates and policies.

Kiros, who has draw...

Justice Neil Gorsuch sits down with Margaret Hoover at the Supreme Court to talk about the ideas that shaped America, why they have endured for 250 years, and how to preserve them for the future.

Gorsuch breaks down his new children’s book, “Heroes of 1776,” which tells the stories of the men and women who fought for America’s freedom. He explains why he believes exploring the humanity of the nation’s founders can inspire young readers.

He discusses the importance of civics education and pushes back against those who insist America has always been a white Chri...

Retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal joins Margaret Hoover to discuss America’s founding ideals and the role of the military and citizens in ensuring that they endure. 

He explains why the current politicization of the military concerns him and why military leaders have strived to remain nonpartisan in the past.

McChrystal, who has written several books on leadership since leaving the military, reflects on the importance of character in the presidency. He also makes the case for instituting a mandatory national service program for young Americans.

Citing his own experience with civil wars in...

Eva Moskowitz, CEO of Success Academy–the top-performing charter school network in New York City–joins Margaret Hoover to talk about what’s wrong with public education in America and what failing schools can learn from her approach.

Success Academy runs 59 public charter schools in New York City, and it is preparing to open five more in Florida. Moskowitz explains why her schools score better on standardized tests than the city’s district schools and how she believes her model can help solve America’s broader education challenges.

Moskowitz discusses the obstacles to reform efforts, including...

As America marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Margaret Hoover speaks to a Supreme Court justice, a swing state governor, and a retired four-star general about the state of American democracy and the nation’s progress toward fulfilling its founding ideals.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, co-author of the new children’s book “Heroes of 1776,” reflects on America’s founders and the lesser-known figures who helped shape the Revolution. He comments on the role of the Supreme Court in sustaining democracy, his view of America as a creedal nation, and the need for better civ...

Margaret Hoover talks to Melissa Murray, legal scholar and best-selling author of tThe U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader, a book she wrote in the hope that the Constitution would be read and understood by all Americans—just as the founders had intended.

Murray, who also co-hosts the Strict Scrutiny podcast, examines the history of each amendment, and how the Reconstruction Era transformed the Constitution.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, Murray analyzes the history and future of the Voting Rights Act...

Margaret Hoover talks to General Tamir Hayman, former head of the IDF’s military intelligence unit, about the state of the war in Iran, the status of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, and what he believes the U.S. and Israel have gotten right and wrong so far.

Hayman is now executive director of the Institute for National Security Studies, an independent think tank affiliated with Tel Aviv University and remains a reserve major general in the IDF.  He explains why he thinks the successful American military operation in Venezuela emboldened American leadership, causing arrogance as war p...

Bestselling author and podcaster Ryan Holiday and former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis discuss America’s founding ideals and why they still matter 250 years later in the second part of a conversation recorded at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

Holiday and Mattis explain why adherence to Stoic virtues is valuable in the military and how falling back on one’s first principles can help navigate a crisis.

They reflect on the philosophical ideas that influenced early American leaders like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They also assess the importance of civic duty and participation in our...

Danielle Crittenden joins Margaret Hoover to discuss her new book, “Dispatches from Grief: A Mother's Journey Through the Unthinkable,” which details the aftermath of her daughter’s unexpected death.

Miranda Frum, who once worked for “Firing Line,” died suddenly in 2024 at age 32 as she was preparing to celebrate the five-year anniversary of a successful surgery to remove a rare nonmalignant brain tumor. 

Crittenden and her husband, writer David Frum, navigated frustrating levels of bureaucracy as they dealt with legal and logistical challenges following Miranda’s death, and she continues to experience “digital haunting” as her devices provide s...

Margaret Hoover sits down with American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Yuval Levin and National Constitution Center CEO Emeritus Jeffrey Rosen to discuss the enduring ideals of America’s founding documents.

Levin and Rosen, who both contributed to the NCC’s new book “The Promise of America,” reflect on the shared principles and ideological differences between the nation’s founders and how those philosophical clashes have echoed through to the present.

Levin addresses the dysfunction of Congress in the modern era, how it became so polarized, and what can be done to bring it closer to what the f...

Ben McKenzie joins Margaret Hoover to break down his new documentary about cryptocurrency, “Everyone Is Lying to You for Money,” and the dangers he believes crypto poses to investors and the economy itself.

McKenzie–best known for his performances on “The O.C.,” “Southland,” and “Gotham”--explains why he grew skeptical of crypto while other men embraced it and reflects on what he learned from talking to fraudsters like Sam Bankman-Fried and investors who got scammed.  

The six-time Teen Choice Award nominee defends his assertion that cryptocurrency is only good for crime and gambling, highlights Jeffrey Epstein’s ro...

Health care policy expert Lanhee Chen joins Margaret Hoover to unpack the paradox at the heart of American medicine: the best care in the world—and some of the highest costs. What’s broken, and why hasn’t Washington been able to fix it?

Chen—a Hoover Institution fellow who has advised Republican leaders from George W. Bush to Mitt Romney—traces how a patchwork system evolved into one that’s both expensive and confusing. He lays out a market-based vision for reform, aimed at putting patients—not insurers or government—in control of spending.

From new tax-adv...

As presidents increasingly rely on executive action to advance their agenda, Philip Wallach and Oona Hathaway join Margaret Hoover to discuss why Congress has abdicated its constitutional power and how to fix it in a forum at Hofstra University.

Wallach, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of “Why Congress,” talks about the role the founders envisioned for the legislative branch and how it has changed in recent decades amid rising partisanship and political dysfunction.

Hathaway, a Yale Law School professor who served on a Princeton University panel examining congressional reform, assesses how...

Former Four Star Marine General Jim Mattis and best selling author and popular podcaster Ryan Holiday join Margaret Hoover to talk about the war in Iran, the Trump administration’s “murky” endgame, and the role of Stoic philosophy in military leadership.

This interview was recorded as part of the Hoover Institution’s “Ideas That Made U.S.” series at Stanford University.

Mattis– who led the Pentagon for two years in President Trump’s first term–discusses what he learned about Iran in his four decades of military service and why he doubts the regime will collapse due to U...

Over the last eight seasons, Margaret Hoover has spoken to many guests about the threat posed by Iran and what the U.S. can do about it. As the war in Iran enters a third week, we look back at how key policymakers and experts have addressed the prospect of military action against the regime.

This episode includes excerpts from interviews with Sen. Tom Cotton, retired Gen. David Petraeus, former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and more. They discuss the challenge of confronting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the risks of pursuing re...

Entrepreneur Mark Cuban talks to Margaret Hoover about what is wrong with the healthcare system in America and how he hopes to fix it.

Since selling his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks and quitting ABC’s “Shark Tank,” Cuban has focused his energy on disrupting the healthcare industry. He explains how his company, Cost Plus Drugs, works and why he is taking on pharmacy benefit managers–the insurance industry middlemen he blames for rising drug costs.

Cuban addresses broader questions about the industry, telling Margaret why he supports bipartisan legislation to break up big healthca...

Historian Jon Meacham sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about America’s pursuit of democracy, the dangers posed by the Trump administration, and his new book, “American Struggle.”

The book collects speeches and documents by prominent figures beginning with the First Assembly of Virginia in 1619 to the present, tracking the development of America’s founding ideals and the nation’s imperfect quest to live up to them. 

Meacham reflects on the first year of President Trump’s second term and his expansive use of executive power. He also addresses the administration’s “might makes right” approach t...

Natalie Winters, co-host of Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, and Adam Mockler, host of “The Adam Mockler Show” on YouTube, join Margaret Hoover for a discussion at Hofstra University about how their generation views politics and media.

Winters, 24, defends her approach to reporting and denounces the “anti-disinformation industry” that she believes silences alternative views. She also addresses rifts within the Republican Party revealed by a recent clash between President Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Mockler, 23, explains why authenticity attracts audiences online and reflects on the state of the Democratic Party, which he thinks should embrace...

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara returns to “Firing Line” to talk about the impact of the federal immigration enforcement surge in his city and the protests against it.

He addresses the Trump administration’s announcement that 700 federal officers will be leaving Minnesota and responds to comments President Trump made this week about the surge and about crime in Minneapolis.

O’Hara, who reformed the Minneapolis Police Department after George Floyd’s murder, explains why the actions of ICE are putting the progress he has made at risk and how his understaffed department is responding to the crisi...

Noa Tishby, Israel’s former Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism, discusses the global rise in hatred and violence against Jews and explains why she believes anti-Zionism is inherently antisemitic.

The actress and best-selling author reflects on the recovery of the body of the last October 7th hostage, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the state of the peace process in Gaza, and the U.S. response to protests in Iran.

Tishby talks about how antisemitism has evolved since the establishment of Israel and where the line is between valid criticism of the Israeli government and antisemitic vitriol th...

Margaret Hoover sits down with Mayor Brandon Johnson in Chicago to talk about his clash with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and the political and fiscal challenges that cities are facing today.

Johnson discusses the role of mayors in challenging the president’s policies and the limitations of a local government taking on the federal government.

He offers advice for fellow progressive New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and reflects on some of the setbacks he has faced advancing his own agenda in Chicago after voters and the City Council rejected two major tax proposals.

Rep. James Clyburn joins Margaret Hoover to talk about “The First Eight,” his recent book about the eight Black South Carolinians who served in Congress before him and why their stories still matter.

During reconstruction after the Civil War, South Carolina sent eight Black men to Congress. After the last of them left office in 1897, it would be 95 years before the ninth–Clyburn–was elected in 1992. Clyburn explains why there was such a long gap and why he believes the segregationist past presents a cautionary tale for America today.

He criticizes President Trump and the MAGA mov...

Elliott Abrams, who was U.S. special representative for Venezuela in President Trump’s first term, responds to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and discusses what it means for U.S. foreign policy.

Abrams, who also worked in the State Department under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, explains why he supported Trump taking action against Maduro and why he is alarmed by decisions the administration has made since. He details his concerns about the administration aligning with remnants of Maduro’s regime instead of supporting the democratic opposition.

Abrams comments on Trum...

In a 2020 interview, journalist Bari Weiss discusses the rise of antisemitism on the right and left and her book, “How to Fight Anti-Semitism.” Weiss details several factors driving antisemitism, including President Trump “dismantling the moral guardrails that keep bigotry down.”

Weiss, a proud Zionist, describes her views on Israel and its government and reflects on the historic claim that both Israelis and Palestinians have to their land.

Weiss–who went on to found the Free Press and take charge of CBS News–commented on her history of generating social media controversy and clashing with progressive critics of I...

Rob Reiner talked to Margaret Hoover in 2019 about politics, activism, and his concerns for America’s future. Following the death of Reiner and his wife Michelle–and the arrest of their son for their murders–we look back at that interview, including material that did not previously air.

The legendary filmmaker discussed working with conservatives to advance the cause of marriage equality and forging friendships with Republicans who opposed Donald Trump in his first term. He also explained why he viewed Trump as a threat to democracy and why he was supporting Joe Biden heading into 2020.

Rein...

Ret. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling joins Margaret Hoover to talk about President Trump’s new National Security Strategy and how his second term foreign policy differs from his first.

Having spent nearly four decades in the U.S. Army, Hertling provides insight into the Trump administration’s strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the ethical and legal questions they raise for the military.

Hertling, who served as commanding general of the Army in Europe, responds to Trump’s criticism of America’s allies, his effort to revive the Monroe Doctrine, and his decision...

One hundred years after William F. Buckley Jr.’s birth, Margaret Hoover sits down with biographer Sam Tanenhaus to reflect on the original “Firing Line” host’s life and legacy. In his long-awaited book, “Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America,” Tanenhaus details Buckley’s childhood, his leadership of the American conservative movement, and his later years.

This is an abridged version of a conversation with Tanenhaus that lasted nearly 90 minutes. In it, Tanenhaus defends his handling of Buckley’s Catholicism and his views on racial issues, as well as his contention that Buckley was an arguer, not a...

Conservative Robert George and progressive Cornel West talk to Margaret Hoover about their long-standing friendship that bridges their ideological differences in an interview recorded in 2020.

George–who recently resigned from the board of the Heritage Foundation over its defense of Tucker Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes–explains what he learned from West about race in America. 

West, who ran for president as an independent candidate in 2024, comments on defending free speech as many fellow progressives favor restrictions and why he believes health care is a human right.

West and George, authors...

Dave Wiskus, founder and CEO of the streaming service Nebula, sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about the rise of the creator economy, the decline of traditional media, and what comes next.

Wiskus explains how creator-driven content has become a global industry that could be worth $500 billion by 2027 and how a new generation of creators like Mr. Beast interact with the gatekeepers of traditional media.

He also comments on the challenges of protecting children from harmful content in this new media ecosystem–and the potential dangers of exposing adults to some of it too.

Filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein sit down with Margaret Hoover to discuss their latest project, “The American Revolution,” ahead of its premiere on PBS.

The 12-hour documentary series revisits America’s founding, aiming to tell the complete story rather than the "sanitized" version many have come to know. Burns and Botstein explain why the revolution was also a bloody civil war–and ultimately a world war.

They talk about the impact of leaders like George Washington and lesser-known elements like the roles of women and Native Americans in the war. They also detail how they bui...