Steve Hayes is joined by Megan McArdle, Kevin Williamson, and Declan Garvey to discuss the Trump administration's new “war on fraud” and the young adult “ dating recession .” The Agenda: — The “ war on fraud ” —The real driver behind government debt —Misconceptions about waste and abuse — The young adult dating recession —Looksmaxxing, explained —Risk aversion in teens —NWYT: Email inboxes Show Notes: — Alan Cole's bet on DOGE — Yuval Levin for The Dispatch : The Changing Face of Social Breakdow...
Feb 27, 2026•1 hr 6 min
President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address on February 24, and The Dispatch hosted a special Dispatch Live to discuss it all. Steve Hayes was joined by Michael Warren, Kevin Williamson, and David Drucker to discuss the speech, and congressional reporter Charles Hilu, who was at the Capitol, also joined the show to share his reporting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 25, 2026•45 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Scott Lincicome, Mike Warren, and John McCormack to discuss the recent Supreme Court decision on tariffs and what it could mean for the U.S. economy and for American politics ahead of the 2026 midterms. Plus: embarrassing concert confessions. The Agenda: —Justice Gorsuch’s opinion —Why tariffs aren’t going away —The weak IEEPA case —Lincicome’s law —The fight over refunds —How tariffs will shape the midterms Show Notes: — Justice Gorsuch’s opinion — Why Trump’s Section 1...
Feb 24, 2026•1 hr 1 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David French, and Megan McArdle to discuss Stephen Colbert's “pulled” interview with Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico and whether the Trump administration is seriously considering bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. Plus: Are military strikes on Iran imminent? The Agenda: —The FCC and equal time rules —Should the government control airwaves? — FTC's threat to Apple News — Military escalation with Iran —Plausibility of regime change —NWYT: Going...
Feb 20, 2026•1 hr 5 min
Steve Hayes is joined by new Dispatch contributor Stephen Richer , CEO of Republic Affairs and the former Maricopa County recorder, as well as John McCormack and Mike Warren to discuss the FBI seizure of Fulton County voter data, why Donald Trump is choosing to relitigate the 2020 election now, and what it portends for 2026 and 2028. The Agenda: —Fulton County election material seizure —Election “tapes,” explained —Post-2020 fraud investigations —Trump’s rhetoric on election integrity —The “2,00...
Feb 17, 2026•1 hr 5 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Megan McArdle to discuss the Trump administration’s failed attempt to indict six Democrats and assess the state of the economy one year into the president’s second term. The Agenda: — Democrats' 'Don't Give Up the Ship' video —Pam Bondi's testimony before Congress —Loyalty under Trump 2.0 —Republican opposition to tariffs — January 2026 jobs report — CBO debt forecast —NWYT: Valentine's Day The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ...
Feb 13, 2026•1 hr 2 min
Steve Hayes is joined by leading Iran analyst Karim Sadjadpour, Dispatch contributor Mike Nelson, and Mike Warren to discuss the unrest in Iran and the state of the Ukraine-Russia war. The Agenda: —Karim Sadjadpour: The Autumn of the Ayatollahs —What to expect from the Trump administration —Pro-democracy advocates in Iran — Four years into the Ukraine-Russia war —'Ukraine is the future of warfare' —Russia's style of combat —NWYT: Olympic skier's 'mixed emotions' The Dispatch Podcast is a product...
Feb 10, 2026•58 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and David French to discuss Donald Trump's second term and when a cycle of norm violations turns into authoritarianism. The Agenda: — DHS targeting of Americans —Administrative subpoenas, explained — Abuses in immigration detention centers — Megan McArdle on fascism —Why language matters —Totalitarianism vs. fascism —NWYT: The Superbowl Show Notes: — A listener's injury story — David French: "This Is Not a Drill" The Dispatch Podcast is a p...
Feb 06, 2026•1 hr 13 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Emily Oster to discuss the latest federal vaccine and dietary guidelines before welcoming Kevin Williamson and Michael Warren to discuss the Epstein files, Don Lemon’s arrest, and Southwest Airlines’ new seat assignments. The Agenda: – Oster: Let’s Be Honest About Public Health Guidance –Everyone loves listening to journalists –Ethics of journalism and Don Lemon –Why it’s always the economy, stupid –Market forces vs. government solutions –The impact of COVID –The Epstein...
Feb 03, 2026•1 hr 25 min
Steve Hayes sits down with Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Kevin Williamson to discuss the events in Minnesota, sanctuary cities and immigration policies, and international tensions. The Agenda: –Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, and the Leak Wars –The killing of Alex Pretti –Jedi mind tricks aren’t working –Time for the purge? –Trump’s political instincts – Overseas tensions – NWYT: Weird injuries Show Notes: – Dispatch Editorial: The Cost of Silence – Trump says 'violent day' of policing will en...
Jan 30, 2026•1 hr 25 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Mike Warren, Dispatch contributor Mike Nelson , and Mindy Belz to discuss the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis and what the rebuilding of Mosul, Iraq, can tell us about the future of the region. The Agenda: —Alex Pretti's death —ICE vs. counter-insurgence — Protest at Cities Church —Massacre of protesters in Iran —Striking Iran — Chaos, not strategy — Mindy's piece for The Dispatch : "Finding the Way Back From War" —Carp barbecues in Baghdad (masgouf) Show Notes: —...
Jan 27, 2026•1 hr 23 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David French, Sarah Isgur, and Mike Warren to reflect on President Donald Trump's first year of his second term and look ahead to his final three. The Agenda: —Trump's use of executive orders —Trump's legislative "agenda" —The retribution tour —What will last beyond Trump? —Are we the (global) baddies? —Sarah's Not Worth Your Time ambush Pre-order Sarah Isgur's new book Last Branch Standing here . Skipped lightning round question: Who was the most influen...
Jan 23, 2026•1 hr 19 min
Steve Hayes returns and invites Declan Garvey, Jonah Goldberg, and Michael Warren on to discuss President Donald Trump’s letter to the prime minister of Norway about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, the future of NATO, and the end of the conservative movement. Plus: Are NFL teams firing coaches too quickly? The Agenda: – What is Trump thinking? –International reactions –Economic ramifications –Foreign policy plays –Douthat vs. Goldberg –The future of nationalism and conservatism –Stability o...
Jan 20, 2026•1 hr 33 min
Michael Warren takes the host chair from Steve Hayes to lead a panel discussion with Jonah Goldberg, Sarah Isgur, and Grayson Logue on the recent fatal shooting involving an ICE agent in Minneapolis, its effect on public opinion around immigration enforcement, and the broader ramifications of aggressive immigration enforcement. The Agenda: –Polling on public reaction to the ICE shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis –Trump’s “Reverse Midas Touch” and its influence on the political narrative – The...
Jan 16, 2026•1 hr 22 min
Steve Hayes invites Michael Warren, John McCormack, and James Sutton on the podcast to discuss the Department of Justice's investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, how President Trump's tariffs are affecting interest rates, and the deadly protests in Iran. The Agenda: —Jerome Powell investigation — The fallout of Trump's economic policies —Trump’s approval numbers fall over immigration —GOP messaging and midterm possibilities — Iran’s deadly protests: Is this different? —NWYT: predi...
Jan 13, 2026•1 hr 17 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Kevin Williamson, Jonah Goldberg, and David French to revisit the Trump administration's operation in Venezuela nearly one week later and discuss the shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. The Agenda: —U.S. intervention in Venezuela —Oil, drugs, or immigrants? — Legality of Maduro's arrest —Does international law matter? —The future of U.S. interventionism —ICE shooting in Minneapolis —NWYT: Best cities to live in Show Notes: — Dispatch Debate on the capt...
Jan 09, 2026•1 hr 12 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Dispatch contributor Gil Guerra , and retired Army Special Forces officer Mike Nelson to discuss the Trump administration's capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and what happens next. The Agenda: — Gil for The Dispatch : Why We Toppled Maduro —The administration's rationale — Mike for The Dispatch : Causes for Concern and Celebration —The White House's muddled messaging —The "Donroe Doctrine" —Permanent occupation? —No new wars — NWYT: How to pr...
Jan 05, 2026•1 hr 20 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Mike Warren to discuss their favorite books, TV shows, movies, meals, and products from 2025. Show Notes: — Megan McArdle's podcast, Reasonably Optimistic — Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer — The Lost History of Liberalism: From Ancient Rome to the Twenty-First Century — And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails — The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally He...
Dec 30, 2025•1 hr 25 min
Steve Hayes invites Megan McArdle, Mike Warren, and Jonah Goldberg to review the biggest stories of the year, people we don’t want to hear from in 2026, and the best writing not from The Dispatch . The Agenda: —Most important news story —Most undercovered story —Who is the most exposed? —Best piece of non- Dispatch journalism —Best good news of the year Show Notes: — Is the AfD Too Extreme for Democracy? — The Anti-Social Century — The Sierra Club Embraced Social Justice. Then It Tore Itself Apa...
Dec 23, 2025•1 hr 22 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Kevin Williamson, Jonah Goldberg, and Grayson Logue to discuss recent reporting on the Biden administration’s handling of the asylum crisis and the Vanity Fair interview with top Trump administration staff. The Agenda: —Reporting on Biden’s immigration failure —Indecision in the Biden admin —Fixing the asylum crisis —When Democrats gave up — Susie Wiles’ interview with Vanity Fair —Distracting from Trump’s obscenities —Loyalty in Trump’s second term — The strange afforda...
Dec 19, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Megan McArdle joins Steve Hayes, Jonah Goldberg, and Mike Warren to tell the story of her mother’s deathbed confession and how it informed her opinions on abortion. Then, a brief discussion on the failed redistricting attempt in Indiana and a reflection on Rob Reiner's filmography. The Agenda: —Megan’s Monday Essay : The Brother I Lost —Megan’s thought experiment on abortion —Childhood and regrets —Do the dead have rights? —Emotional toll of adoption —Redistricting in Indiana —Favorite Rob Reine...
Dec 16, 2025•1 hr 17 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Warren, and Sarah Isgur to discuss the Minnesota welfare fraud scandal, the $160 million AI chip smuggling operation, and pull-up bars in the airport. The Agenda: — Immigrant welfare fraud —1990s throwback —Woke intimidation —China and AI chip smuggling — Clientelism in Trump's administration — Airport gyms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dec 12, 2025•1 hr 21 min
Steve Hayes invites David Drucker, Michael Warren, and The Hill Sunday host Chris Stirewalt to perform an autopsy on the remains of the two major parties. The Agenda: – Big picture of American politics – Not a good time to be a Congressman –Midterm elections and future projections –The Texas Senate race – The parliament of pundits – J.D. Vance’s 2028 election chances – Renaming the NFL The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company covering politics, policy, a...
Dec 09, 2025•1 hr 27 min
Steve Hayes invites Jonah Goldberg, David French, and Kevin Williamson to discuss the ‘double tap’ order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that may violate the laws of war. Is this another issue where Trump can ‘win’ because we’re an outcomes-over-process society? The Agenda: –We’re not at war –Legality of airstrikes –What is narco-terrorism exactly? – Megyn Kelly likes violence for some reason – A damning indictment –Pardon (our) abuse –NWYT: Our top podcasts and artists of the year (who list...
Dec 05, 2025•1 hr 30 min
John McCormack and Michael Warren join Steve Hayes to discuss their reporting on how the Intercollegiate Studies Institute is downgrading traditional conservatism, and Charles Hilu reports on how lawmakers on Capitol Hill are really feeling about the changes on the right. The Agenda: — The state of the conservative intellectual movement — John and Mikes new reporting on ISI — Postliberalism and key figures on the intellectual right — Tucker Carlson, Alex Jones, and the future of conservative tho...
Dec 02, 2025•1 hr 10 min
Steve Hayes is joined by Megan McArdle, Kevin Williamson, and Jonah Goldberg to discuss the confusing peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the current state of the U.S. economy ahead of the holidays, and their least favorite Thanksgiving dishes. The Agenda: — Diplomatic developments in Ukraine — JD Vance, the Vice Poster —Corruption and personal influence in diplomacy (How’s the Clinton Foundation doing?) — Household debt reaches record highs — Affordability and the illusion of afforda...
Nov 28, 2025•1 hr 9 min
Mike Warren is joined by Dr. Jean Twenge, author of 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World , for a discussion about what modern research says about parenting in the digital and A.I. age. The Agenda: —Screen time before sleep —Conversations with children about tech —What phones and at what age —Social media regulation — Wait Until Eighth Pledge —Laptops vs. smartphones —Celebrating parental wins The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company covering poli...
Nov 24, 2025•51 min
Michael Warren is joined by Megan McArdle, David French, and Kevin Williamson to discuss the popularity of President Donald Trump and whether he's influential in the MAGA party. Show Notes: —Media fatigue and Miss Piggy allegations —Cracks in the MAGA coalition —Trump's foreign policy agenda —Understanding Trump's relationship with Saudi Arabia —'The most populist black tie dinner ever' —Silicon Valley politics — Crisis in learning outcomes and dismantling the Department of Education Show Notes:...
Nov 21, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Andy Mills, host of The Last Invention podcast, joins Dispatch CTO Steve Hayes to discuss the artificial intelligence revolution, the competing visions of utopia among the tech bros, and where AI will take us next. The Agenda: —The great conspiracy theory of our time —Understanding AI, AGI, and ASI —Alan Turing and the birth of AI —The Cold War’s influence on AI —Race against China —Where is the bipartisan policy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Nov 17, 2025•1 hr 41 min
Mike Warren is joined by Megan McArdle, Sarah Isgur, and Jonah Goldberg to discuss the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, what we’ve learned from the latest Epstein files drop, and the debate over postliberalism currently raging in the conservative movement. The Agenda: —Who won the shutdown? — Donald Trump’s approval rating —The latest Epstein files —“The dog that hasn’t barked” —Do scandals matter? —The postliberal divide —Why you don't want a factory job — Not Worth Your ...
Nov 14, 2025•1 hr 9 min
