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The American Mind

The Claremont Instituteclaremontinstitute.libsyn.com
The American Mind Podcast uncovers the ideas and principles that drive American political life. In each episode, we engage Claremont Institute scholars, co-conspirators, and critics in thought-provoking discussions about the real causes of our current political and cultural reality. We explore these ideas with an eye towards restoring American civic health. The Roundtable is a weekly show, hosted by our editors and publisher with a unique blend of joviality and intellectually stimulating conversation, boosted by an occasional glass of whisky. Each episode focuses on a handful of topics that carry significant weight in the debate of ideas for the best path of American life, both privately and civically. Of course, we do reserve some time for fun in each show. Occasionally, we produce special podcast features on individual topics with commentary from the top thinkers in America today. Think of American Mind Podcast specials as succinct audio-documentaries. Tell us what you think! Subscribe to our channel, rate us, leave a review, and help spread the word to your friends and colleagues! Interested in hearing from us on a particular topic? Email your suggestions to [email protected]. And visit our website, americanmind.org, for essays, editorials, debates, and more. The American Mind, The Roundtable, and our specials are productions of the Claremont Institute. The mission of the Claremont Institute is the recovery of the American idea—the timeless principles that have made America great since its founding.

Episodes

Putting DOGE Down

Michael Anton—newly dubbed “MAGA’s Machiavelli”—gets a profile in The Free Press and some well-deserved recognition. Well-read, well-spoken, and well-dressed, Anton has done more than many realize to shape U.S. policies and political thought in the Trump Era. Meanwhile, Trump seems to sour on Putin and takes flak from some for not catching wise on Putin. But will he suffer any political consequences? Closer to home, Elon Musk throws in the towel on DOGE in light of a spending bill passed by the ...

May 29, 20251 hr 1 minEp. 269

Covering Up the Cover-Ups

The sad announcement of Joe Biden's advanced cancer diagnosis has thrown fuel onto recriminations and speculations about his condition during his presidency, especially with the publication of a new book on the subject by none other than Jake Tapper. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, on a Sunday interview with Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo, disavowed the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of notorious sex trafficker Joseph Epstein, spurring an outcry fro...

May 22, 202557 minEp. 268

Congress Take the Wheel

As Europe withers and China rises, Trump makes a trip to the Middle East and charts out a new course. In a speech that raised some interventionist hackles, he delivered a sharp critique of nation building and signaled his intentions to approach the region differently. Meanwhile in Washington, a struggle continues to digest the concept of Congress doing... its job? And the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over the power of federal judges in light of a universal injunction freezing Trump’s o...

May 15, 20251 hr 7 minEp. 267

Crowd Funding and Mob Rule

To cap off the first 100 days of his administration, Trump sparred at length with Kristen Welker of NBC’s Meet the Press over his record so far—from immigration successes to choppy economic waters. Alarmed by Trump’s use of emergency powers in rolling out this agenda, David Linker at the New York Times draws some loose connections—to say the least—between Trump, Claremont, and Carl Schmitt. Meanwhile, Shiloh Hendricks has raised over $700 thousand from supporters after a video of her using the n...

May 08, 20251 hr 10 minEp. 266

Trimming the Ivy

As Trump exerts federal pressure from without, the culture of some Ivy League universities may be changing from within—or maybe not, as Harvard seems determined to fight the administration in court. The nation’s elite colleges have been dominated by a Jacobin spirit for decades, and now they seem committed to defending violent radicals. Will their prestige hold? This week, the guys sit down together (in person!) to diagnose the state of America’s universities, elites, and political system at lar...

May 01, 20251 hr 2 minEp. 265

Of Comms and Conclaves

Knives are out as Pete Hegseth’s wife is let in on sensitive information about U.S. operations against the Houthis. Amid rumors of staff churn and conflicts within the right over foreign policy, Trump maintains his prudent approach. Meanwhile, on Easter Monday, Pope Francis passed away, spurring an assessment of his legacy and speculations about the future as the Church faces a critical juncture. The hosts discuss Department of Defense crack-ups, the transformation and future of the Catholic Chu...

Apr 24, 20251 hr 1 minEp. 264

Future-Maxxing

A new global order emerges. China grows bolder in the East, while Europe and Canada drift culturally and economically away from America. Will Trump’s tariffs add more chaos to this new multipolar world, or set the U.S. up for success within it? Back home, Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation continues to stir controversy. The guys sit down this week with Ron Dodson, president and portfolio manager of a private fund management firm, to discuss the tariff rollout, American preparedness for future co...

Apr 17, 202558 minEp. 263

The Fog of Trade War

Trump announces a sweeping tariff regime, then pauses it for 90 days—why? As a tactic to renegotiate trade deals? To reshore manufacturing? Some combination of both? With midterms just over the horizon, the stakes of this gamble to reorient global trade are high. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court lifts District Judge Jeb Boasberg’s temporary restraining order on deporting members of the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua—what’s next?? Internment camps for U.S. citizens?? This week, the hosts weigh in on ...

Apr 10, 20251 hr 2 minEp. 262

Task Force Dragging On

Attempting to retroactively set the narrative of U.S. involvement in Ukraine on behalf of the intelligence community, journalist Adam Entous of the New York Times has painfully revealed in his latest piece the utter inability of the Deep State to accept reality at home and abroad. The hosts are joined this week by Claremont senior fellow Jeremy Carl to read between the lines and unpack the previous administration’s obfuscating of wartime details, now made clear, and the turn of public opinion th...

Apr 03, 20251 hrEp. 261

Mixed Signals

Atlantic reporter Jeff Goldberg was mistakenly added to a national security group chat, leading to a DC media feeding frenzy—is there anything of substance to be gleaned from this goof? Meanwhile, Jay Bhattacharya—an early opponent of the 2020 lockdowns—was confirmed by the Senate to direct the National Institutes of Health, hopefully marking a turn back to sound health policy. This week, the guys talk through messaging and operations security, Biden-era censorship, plummeting egg prices, and mo...

Mar 27, 202559 minEp. 260

Tren Wreck

You’re fired. Trump, by executive order, has moved to terminate federal contracts with law firm Perkins Coie for its role in promoting the 2016 Russiagate conspiracy and otherwise influencing elections—sparking fervorous debate in and across the aisle. Meanwhile, the administration invoked the emergency powers of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport members of the violent Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, provoking an activist judge to obstruct the law’s use. Who rules: Congress or courts? The ...

Mar 20, 20251 hr 4 minEp. 259

BIPOC Cholbe

First, they came for the green card-holding terror groupies—then they came for...us? Not exactly. But the recent detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University protest organizer who fought "for the total eradication of Western Civilization," has prompted cries of fascism. Again. Meanwhile, California governor Gavin Newsom sheds his skin and snakes his way toward the center of the political spectrum: best not be fooled! This week, the guys discuss the antisemitic venom poisoning some young ri...

Mar 13, 202559 minEp. 258

Red State Strategy | Cincinnatus Series

The Trump administration’s approach to governance presents an opening for a new federalism to take hold. States may now be incentivized to aggressively take charge of education; ambitiously compete for businesses planting themselves in the U.S. due to tariffs; and cut oppressive regulatory red tape. Rounding out the Cincinnatus Series, Ryan Williams sits down with Scott Yenor, Jeffrey Anderson, and Jim Blew to discuss strategies and tools available to policymakers to facilitate economic developm...

Mar 12, 20251 hr 1 min

Trump's Cards

In his first address to Congress, President Trump goaded Democrats into a limp, performative resistance while he rattled off an impressive list of achievements. Previously, at the White House, Trump had met with Ukrainian President Zelensky in a dramatic confrontation that ultimately helped improve Trump’s position in negotiations over rare earth minerals in exchange for military aid. The guys give their takes on the historic political theater of the past week, discuss the ongoing economic and i...

Mar 06, 20251 hr 1 minEp. 257

Cell Phones in Schools | Cincinnatus Series

Silicon Valley elites have pushed school-provided tablets and phones into K-12 schools, replacing textbooks, real human interaction, and traditional education, undermining children's ability to focus—and parents' power to regulate screentime. Guests Scott Yenor, Frederick Hess, and Clare Morell sit down with host Ryan Williams to consider the limited pros and many cons of devices in the classroom, their disruptive effect in school settings and on learning outcomes, and provide insight into how s...

Mar 05, 20251 hr

Press Pass Fail

The White House has taken charge of issuing press permissions, prompting wails of horror from the White House Correspondents’ Association—but who’s really compromising the media’s authority and independence? Meanwhile, Trump removes Joint Chiefs Chairman C.Q. Brown, to be replaced by retired Lieutenant General John Daniel Caine—prompting further histrionics from the military elite. The hosts discuss Trump’s legitimate authority and the resistance to it, the budget bill making its way through Con...

Feb 27, 20251 hr 2 minEp. 256

Family Policy | Cincinnatus Series

Following the social revolutions of decades past, liberal sex education reforms, and the devaluation of marriage, Conservatives can no longer ignore the social aspects of family life—paramount to preserving and promoting the traditional household—and must recognize the use of laws to heal our culture. Host Ryan Williams is joined by Scott Yenor, Kathleen O’Toole, and Chris Bullivant to discuss how states may empower parents to raise and school their children, boost fertility and attract young fa...

Feb 26, 20251 hr

Mr. Vance Goes to Germany

After an Afghan national drove his car into a Munich crowd, J.D. Vance delivered a stern rebuke of the European ruling class. Unsustainable immigration, Islamic extremism, and censorship raise the question whether once-great nations can be relied on as true Western allies. Meanwhile back home, Democrats struggle to decouple from woke, but best not interrupt their mistakes. The guys sit down to talk foreign policy, DOGE’s popularity, and resistance 2.0—plus, recommendations for must-watch shows a...

Feb 20, 20251 hr 7 minEp. 255

IVF | Cincinnatus Series

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has presented a moral dilemma as its processes discard embryos as a matter of course, ending more lives than even abortion. Emma Waters, Natalie Dodson, and Inez Stepman join host Ryan Williams to discuss this and other concerns surrounding IVF: genetic selection, the creation of human life for profit, the potential use of AI in dictating which embryos live, and more. They also raise solutions state legislatures may consider in the process; possible consequences; and...

Feb 19, 20251 hr 2 min

Your Not-So-Lying Eyes

Elon Musk's DOGE continues to sweep through the bureaucratic minefields, accompanied by the howling of entrenched progressives. Legal battles are surely ahead, which many on the left equate—absurdly—with a constitutional crisis. Meanwhile, the media comes around to what was labeled right-wing conspiracy just months ago: employment data was cherry-picked before the 2024 election to deceive in favor of Biden and Kamala. The hosts discuss this ongoing realignment, a Christian intellectual revival, ...

Feb 13, 20251 hr 2 minEp. 254

Higher Education Reform Part II | Cincinnatus Series

Time to tighten the belt. As federal funding scrutiny increases—and with an enrollment cliff fast approaching—state legislators, not internal experts, must take action to put universities under the microscope and ensure faculty hours equate to student academic mastery, promoting attendance. Host and Claremont Institute president Ryan Williams sits down with returning guest Scott Yenor and is joined by Frederick Hess and Beth Akers of the American Enterprise Institute to continue the discussion o...

Feb 12, 202545 min

Belt and DOGE

Elon Musk’s DOGE helps lead an effort to pull out the rug from under Sri Lankan pronoun education, Vietnamese inclusivity programs, Bolivian transgender operas, and more—with the U.S. Agency for International Development caught in the first sweep. An outrage! Or so say leftists. In retaliation for that and more, the liberal media unearths the qualifications of Musk’s young staff, who turn out to be…educated, accomplished, and competent. Whoops. The guys sit down to talk wasteful spending and man...

Feb 06, 20251 hr 2 minEp. 253

Higher Education Reform Part I | Cincinnatus Series

Kicking off the Cincinnatus Series, a set of six weekly Roundtable special episodes, Claremont Institute president Ryan Williams is joined by Inez Stepman, Scott Yenor, and David Azerrad to discuss leftist agendas within universities, and the opportunity for state legislatures to pull the reins and reverse course. Among the levers for dismantling the radical ideological infrastructures are the creation of state-controlled accreditation agencies, funding restrictions, and a renewed focus on stude...

Feb 05, 20251 hr 2 min

Cruel Kids and Theater Kids

The uphill battle to restore common sense continues with Trump’s executive orders against gender ideology and transition for minors. Meanwhile, a rebellion against the liberal establishment takes joyous shape among normalcy-craving youth. Pinehill Capital president and We the People podcast host Gates Garcia joins the guys to discuss these vibe shifts and the extremely hinged reaction from the Left as they struggle to meet the positivity, branding, and hype of the Right.

Jan 30, 20251 hrEp. 252

The Arrakeen Restoration

Objective normalcy makes a comeback. In several inauguration speeches, Trump delivered a searing indictment of the elites, a symbolic rebuke to the old order, and a reassertion of American ideals. He followed this up with a barrage of executive orders, including one overturning federal affirmative action. Though these are dramatic actions in one sense, in another they’re just first steps toward restoring the founders’ principled regime. The hosts discuss the first days of Trumps term, the spillo...

Jan 23, 20251 hr 1 minEp. 251

Big Tech Turns Red

The age of the normie has arrived. As Mark Zuckerberg lifts Facebook’s censorial boot off the neck of its users and moves its moderation team from California to Texas, which seems to signal a sincere tech bro realignment, America is at the dawn of a freer era. Elsewhere in the digital world, conservatives on X discuss the job market: there are two paths, bootstraps or victimhood—what will it be, young man? Plus: The hosts comment on Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing and his qualifications, as ...

Jan 16, 20251 hr 3 minEp. 250

Mar-a-Igloo

To kick off the new year, the guys open the mail and answer listeners’ questions on everything from cutting back the glut of unaccountable bureaucratic offices to buying Greenland. Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom and the radical conservationists of California, in attempting to create an anti-human environmentalist utopia, have tragically but predictably turned Los Angeles into a literal dumpster fire. It’s a new year, but the laws of hubris and nemesis remain undefeated.

Jan 09, 202557 minEp. 249

Unidentified Federal Operations

Is that a bird, is that a plane? No, it’s drones! Or aliens? Demons? Iran? The guys take a look up in the sky and down at the public frenzy, which betokens an all-too-real breakdown of trust in government. Democrats, meanwhile, disappointed in Biden for not taking Trump-proofing seriously, float running dud-candidate Kamala again in '28. We're with her! Plus: is it gay to sleep? The hosts close out the podcast this year with a review of 2024, share their Christmas plans, and invite listeners to ...

Dec 19, 20241 hr 2 minEp. 248

Strangio-er than Fiction (ft. Gates Garcia)

The ACLU’s most deranged lawyers try to enshrine kid-transing in United States v. Skrmetti; a true domestic terrorist assassinates a healthcare CEO; and Syria’s Assad government is toppled by Islamic rebels. The editors are joined by Claremont Institute Lincoln Fellow and president of Pinehill Capital Gates Garcia to discuss the poison fruits of DEI and identity politics, the celebration of violence by the Left, and the delicate situation the U.S. faces globally as danger and uncertainty continu...

Dec 12, 20241 hr 2 minEp. 247

A Pardon in a Pear Tree

Biden tosses his son Hunter an early but unsurprising Christmas present in the form of a sweeping presidential pardon. In doing so he undermines the moral grandstanding of liberals who claim to be above the fray of political warfare. Simultaneously, and haunted by their pasts, the Democrats struggle to distance themselves from their own extreme rhetoric, administrative chicanery, and hostility to deregulation–leaving the door wide open for Trump’s team to reinvigorate government, detangle intell...

Dec 05, 202457 minEp. 246
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