The American Mind Podcast

Florida is conducting a primary election to pick Governor Ron DeSantis’s conservative successor. President Trump’s choice, Representative Byron Donalds, leads in the polls. Opposing him, political newcomer James Fishback leads a young, online centric and anti-Israel platform. Meanwhile, the Left coalition continues its reckoning with Woke, reordering to capture populist, pro-Gaza, and anticapitalist energy. Plus, backlash against Big Tech: data centers, Flock cameras, and more!

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Subaru Socialists and the Great Disappointed

The Summer That America Became a Nation of Luddites

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President Ryan Williams reports on the Claremont Institute's Lincoln fellowship. On the docket: America’s political economy and the utility of tariffs, RFK’s new dietary guidelines, and more!

“Woke One was crazy.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, questioned this week on ABC about a fellow Democratic Socialist’s call to cancel Thanksgiving in 2020, rolled out a new messaging strategy for the Left. Woke 2 will try to distance itself from COVID-era messaging while still demanding that America be transformed to suit its latest grievance coalition. Plus: inflation of the racial oppression narrative, and the purge of liberal arts colleges.

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AOC can’t escape ‘Woke One’

Why I Quit the Tenure Track

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Common good discourse, recently a central topic of right-wing discussion, suffered distortions as it became a catch-all term for the worst fears of the Trump-deranged. Now, as Trump’s possible heir, J.D. Vance has occasioned new debate over the term, its meaning, and its future. How much involvement should the government have in private morality? And is Vance truly "post-liberal"?

Jason Arday, who rocketed to academic stardom as the youngest black professor at Cambridge, now faces claims that his PhD thesis contains plagiarism. That's not all: huge portions of his story seem likely to be fabricated, from a supposed brain surgery days before his defense, to an appearance on the documentary Seven Up. But is Arday really the problem? It seems the institutional decay goes much deeper. This week, hosts Spencer and Mike discuss the necessity of a reckoning in the academies. Plus: is America having a Catholic moment? Or is she an irrevocably Protestant nation?

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New York mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration announced a special pied-à-terre tax on non-primary residences in an attempt to price out affluent owners—noting down properties and owners who might be subject to it in a publicly available list. As the Democratic Socialists rise to take the lead of Democratic politics, how will Republicans respond?

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu entered meetings with Trump this week to discuss their respective wars with Russia and Iran. Will Trump shift strategies to bring an end to the conflicts in time for the midterms? Will Thibeau, director of the American Military Project, joins the guys to survey the battlefield and its implications. Meanwhile, Senator Rand Paul released pages of Fauci’s COVID-era diary ahead of the ex-public health official’s appearance before a Senate committee, prompting a retrospective on the dark days of lockdown.

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US military is powerful enough t...

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Faced with ever-greater housing costs, Millennials and Gen Z are finding little comfort in the decreased price of luxury goods like TVs and phones. Despite traditional indicators, today's economic landscape is far grimmer than the one the Boomers faced. How will America bridge this generational disconnect to restore a sense of civilizational continuity?

President Trump this week has announced a set of 50 percent tariffs on various Canadian goods, with a 30-day window to negotiate before they are imposed. In retaliation against Canada’s quotas on American cars and alcohol, Trump proposes to levy tariffs on wine, hockey sticks, and cement. But does it serve America and the Right ahead of midterms? Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearings, following the dismissal of Pam Bondi, give a snapshot of the Right's shifting composition ahead of midterms. Plus: Lindsey Graham, RIP.

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Let’s Not Do That Again

This week, Marco Rubio declared a crusade against the International Criminal Court, citing the ICC’s aim to deny America its sovereignty on behalf of globalist elites. But the New York Times recently reported that the U.S. is managing Venezuela’s oil export revenue. Does the "Donroe Doctrine” run against the administration's wider outlook on nationalism? Meanwhile, two fatal ICE shootings, in Maine and Houston, call into question if the public can stomach immigration enforcement ahead of the midterms. Plus: Thoughts on Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey and Young Washington.

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The Viceroy of Venezuela

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Graham Platner, a self-proclaimed communist and the Democrats’ former working-class role player in Maine’s Senate election, has withdrawn his candidacy following allegations of sexual misconduct. The Left has now jettisoned Platner despite mainstream media attempts to downplay his reported behavior. Can the Left appeal to the white working class when they so obviously despise it?

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Appropriating the U.S. Founding to deliver a message of never-ending “progress,” New York Mayor Mamdani scowled into the camera and delivered a joyless indictment of America as it really exists. In contrast, President Trump lead a jubilant Independence Day festival in D.C., honoring the truth that our strength derives from founding principles and the representative framework they preserve. In a battle for the soul of America, Trumpism now faces off against an ascendant socialist faction of the Left.

This week John Eastman, Founding Director at Claremont’s Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, joins the show to discuss recent landmark Supreme Court rulings. In Trump v. Slaughter, the Court ruled to hold executive agency heads accountable to the president. Meanwhile, delivering the Court’s opinion in Trump v. Barbara, Chief Justice Roberts upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship. Where do the conservative and progressive movements go from here?

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1776, Not 1608: What the Supreme Court Got Wrong on Birthright Citizenship

Reporting from Claremont’s Publius fellowship, where rising young conservatives receive instruction on America’s founding principles from distinguished scholars, President Ryan P. Williams examines the politics of the Right’s youth—and the necessity of the programming. The fellowships equip members to fend off radical progressivism, think about American history, and contribute to the future of the Right in 2028 and beyond.

On the cusp of America’s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission has prepared a lineup of events celebrating the nation’s virtues. This week, Lucas Morel, member of the commission and professor of politics at Washington and Lee University, joins the show to celebrate the many and varied expressions of patriotism this occasion has called forth, while emphasizing the need to recover the merits of the Founding. Plus: Several important Supreme Court decisions have been handed down. Among them, birthright citizenship has been upheld in Trump v. Barbara. What does this spell for Trump, and America’s political community?

Rec...

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After returning from a week-long trip to Japan, Spencer Klavan joins Mike Sabo this week to recount the nation’s efficient and spirited society. Balanced immigration, respect for tradition and the spirit, and an affection for America. Europe, this is not. Plus, intrigues from the country: lightning-fast bullet trains, bowing deer, and the philosopher's path.

The United States and the Iranian regime have signed a 14-point memo of understanding, establishing a 60-day window to negotiate the war's end. To work out the details—which include an end to sanctions and international monitoring of Iran’s uranium—J.D. Vance met with Iran’s diplomats in Switzerland, while Secretary Marco Rubio is slated to confer with Middle Eastern allies this week. Meanwhile, U.K. prime minister Keir Starmer has resigned amid a breakdown of government trust, sparked by the Labour government’s failure to take immigration and related crime seriously. 

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The Left has controlled America's media institutions for decades, setting the political narrative and driving policy behind the scenes. How can the Right fight back? Claremont Washington Fellow Matthew Peterson argues that conservatives must shed the underdog mindset and compete for mainstream legitimacy. Plus: How marketing is the key to the Right's counter-revolution, which Peterson outlines in "Marketing is the Message," part of his Exit Memos series on Substack.

A memo of understanding between the United States and Iran is reportedly taking shape, laying the groundwork for a potential deal that includes $300 billion to rebuild Iran. But can President Trump secure an agreement that serves American interests, and sell it to voters before the midterm elections? Meanwhile, Trump kicked off a summer-long America 250 celebration with a blockbuster UFC event at the White House. Plus, the guys preview upcoming Claremont essays, events, and Fourth of July reflections. 

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Of the Elite, By the Elite, For the Elite

Justice Thomas’s Declaration

Nat...

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President Trump ordered the public release of images that may depict alien starcraft last month, prompting a wave of fresh speculation about "disclosure." Following the latest information, and the coming release of Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi film Disclosure Day, Ryan Williams and Spencer Klavan discuss the presence of aliens in the public psyche...and on Earth?? Plus: questions of free will, faith, and more!

Having departed from the founders' understanding of libel, the Supreme Court of today declines to protect the reputation of public figures—a gap that has been abused by the press to run unfounded narratives. Author of No Liberty to Libel Carson Holloway joins the hosts this week to trace the morphing values of the 19th and 20th centuries, and to advocate a restoration of older principles. Meanwhile, Spencer Pratt narrowly lost to Democratic Socialist Nithya Raman in the L.A. mayoral race following a sudden wave of mail-in ballots, highlighting California’s lax voting standards.

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Pope Leo XIV, in his first encyclical, dropped a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Gandalf. Inspired, Ryan Williams and Spencer Klavan examine why, as other franchises become cringe, the Lord of the Rings books remain moving and important. Even despite some rough streaming adaptations, the stories pair sacred story with timeless moral lessons and unmatched world building. Ryan and Spencer rank the best—and worst—of the fantasy universe Tolkien helped inaugurate. 

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.

Rec...

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The 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?

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Magnifica Humanitas, by Pope Leo XI...

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A 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!

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The American Book of Fables

What Conservatives Believe

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The 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...

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.

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As 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 acad...

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.

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Is...

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In 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 theolo...

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.

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In 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.

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Th...

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In 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 o...

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?

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Host 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.

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Wrapping 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…