Shaun Maguire is a venture capitalist, tech entrepreneur, and Caltech physics PhD. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to talk about his journey from Never Trumper in 2016 to supporting President Trump in 2024. Shaun makes the analytical case for why Trump’s method for foreign policy makes sense. Namely, Trump’s ability to flex American power in a language that Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and China understand. Shaun also explains why parts of Silicon Valley are moving right, why our defense industrial base is in dire need of repair, and the physics of how black holes work.       Becoming a Reformed Never Trumper       Revelations About the Trump-Russia Hoax       Recruited by DARPA – War in Afghanistan       Narrative Violations – Trump at NATO       The Hunter Biden Laptop       Trump’s ‘Peace Through Strength’ Doctrine       Trump’s Record of Countering Russia       Deep Undercover Russian Spies       How to Negotiate with the East       Tips to Avoid Broken Brain Syndrome       Has X Been Good for Free Speech?       Politics in Silicon Valley       Defense Startups + DoD Procurement       tHe MiLiTaRy InDuStRiAL cOMpLeX       The Deepest Mysteries in Physics       Black Holes and the Beginning of the Universe       Quantum Gravity, Bottled Water, and “The Bulk”       Known Unknowns in Physics       How LIGO Detects Gravitational Waves (for Dummies) Shaun Maguire is a partner at the venture capital firm, Sequoia Capital. He has founded two companies (one in space technologies and another in global internet security) and holds a PhD in physics from Caltech. Shaun also previously worked at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He was deployed to Afghanistan for three months and his team received a Joint Meritorious Unit Award for their work. Follow him on X at @shaunmmaguire.

*SPECIAL CROSSPOST EPISODE*  Rep. Crenshaw joined Michael Moynihan and Matt Welch for their weekly podcast series The Fifth Column. Really fun conversation covering a lot of ground. Topics include: ·       How to be a Navy SEAL ·       Losing an eye in Afghanistan ·       Dan can’t find his glasses / “I can’t see shit” ·       Lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan ·       A case study in intelligence failure and confirmation bias ·       On leaving the Taliban in power ·       Has Trump been good on foreign policy? ·       The Republican Party post-Trump ·       Tucker "is best friends with Hunter Biden!” ·       Why are you even in Congress? ·       On the mechanics of Congress ·       Maybe a hundred normal congressmen ·       What has Dan accomplished for Texas? ·       Is populism winning? ·       On banning TikTok Michael Moynihan is a former contributor for Daily Beast and Vice on HBO. Follow him on X at @mcmoynihan. Matt Welch is the Editor at Large of Reason. Follow him on X at @MattWelch. Subscribe to The Fifth Column on Substack here: https://www.wethefifth.com/podcast

In honor of Columbus Day, we’re reposting a Hold These Truths classic from 2020 with historian Dr. Mary Grabar: You may have never heard of him, but no historian has had a greater influence on modern America than Howard Zinn. His most popular work, A Peoples History of the United States, was brought into the cultural mainstream with Matt Damon's Oscar winning 1997 film Good Will Hunting. The book is a precursor to the 1619 Project - tracing the roots of America's sins and inequities to Christopher Columbus' 1492 voyage and the rise of capitalism. So for Columbus Day, we invited Dr. Mary Grabar, a historian and author of "Debunking Howard Zinn: Exposing the Fake History That Turned A Generation Against America", to join us for an objective look at Zinn's perspective on American history, his motivations for attacking the USA and capitalism, and the ramifications of his influence on generations of academia. Dr. Mary Grabar is an author and a resident fellow at the The Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization. She is also the founder of the Dissident Prof Education Project. Follow her on Twitter at @MaryGrabar.

Sixty years ago, Americans could easily envision a not-too-distant future of vacations on Mars, miracle cures, clean and infinite energy, and, of course, flying cars. But the dream collapsed, we entered an era of technological and economic stagnation, and pop culture became fixated on catastrophizing the outcomes of scientific innovations. AEI’s James Pethokoukis traces the origins of this “Great Downshift” in optimism and progress – largely due to 1970s regulatory decisions and changes in risk tolerance – and he gives us a roadmap for returning to the era of a risk-taking, future-oriented society. James Pethokoukis is the author of “The Conservative Futurist: How to Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised.” He is a senior fellow and the DeWitt Wallace Chair at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he analyzes US economic policy, writes and edits the AEIdeas blog, and hosts AEI’s Political Economy podcast. He is also a contributor to CNBC and writes the Faster, Please! newsletter on Substack. Follow him on X at @JimPethokoukis.

Dr. Todd Rose joins Rep. Crenshaw to discuss his latest research into Americans’ views on the most controversial issues, including abortion, immigration, the defund the police movement, and antisemitism. The conclusion? It turns out Americans are a lot less divided than you might think. Dr. Rose identifies the root causes of this false polarization and calls attention to a far greater concern for the future of the country: the overwhelming majority of Americans who believe society is inherently unfair to them. Check out Dr. Rose's latest research report here: https://populace.org/research  Dr. Todd Rose is the author of "Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions". He is the co-founder and president of Populace, a think tank committed to ensuring that all people have the opportunity to pursue fulfilling lives in a thriving society. He was a faculty member at Harvard University where he founded the Laboratory for the Science of Individuality and directed the Mind, Brain, and Education Program. Follow him on X at @ltoddrose.

Jack Posobiec returns for a fascinating conversation about the history of communist revolutions and the role that information warfare plays in the shaping modern political ideologies. Jack gives us case studies in the revolutions of Russia, China, and France - along with the key differences between them and the American Revolution. He explains how Marxist and far-left movements “unhumanize” their political opponents to gain control of nations. And he dives into the tactics of information warfare and his strategy for countering far-left narratives (including a crash course in how to effectively use memes and satire to disarm opponents). Jack Posobiec is the author of the new book “Unhumans: The Secret History of Communist Revolutions (and How to Crush Them)”. He is the host of the podcast series Human Events Daily. He speaks fluent Mandarin, worked for the US Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, is a former officer in the Navy Reserve, and worked for the Office of Naval Intelligence. Follow him on X at @JackPosobiec.

Dr. Robert Kadlec returns to the podcast to share the latest evidence for why COVID-19 likely originated from a lab in Wuhan, China. He gives us a layman’s understanding of the differences between lab-created viruses and those of zoological origins. He debunks all the Fauci/CCP arguments that the Wuhan lab origin is a “conspiracy theory.” And he discusses the growing concerns of a possible H5N1 bird flu pandemic – what would it take for this to become the next global pandemic and how prepared are we to stop it? Dr. Robert Kadlec served as the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the Department of Health and Human Services under President Trump. During his career he has served as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force, Deputy Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Biodefense Policy under President Bush.

Congressman Jake Auchincloss was a Marine Corps officer, and is a member of Rep. Crenshaw’s Task Force to Combat Mexican Drug Cartels and a member of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss what they’ve learned about China’s partnership with the cartels to push fentanyl in the United States. They discuss the challenges and possibilities of collaborating with the Mexican government to destroy the drug cartels. And they have a friendly debate over Trump vs Kamala.  Rep. Jake Auchincloss represents the 4th Congressional District of Massachusetts. He is a Marine veteran who commanded infantry in Afghanistan and led drug interdictions in Panama. Follow him on X at @RepAuchincloss.

In this special cross-post episode of The Winston Marshall Show, the former Mumford & Sons musician engages Rep. Crenshaw in a wide-ranging discussion on U.S. foreign policy, including populist arguments for isolationism. The conversation covers America’s involvement in the Ukraine War, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and compares President Biden’s most significant foreign policy failures with President Trump’s record. They also delve into the realities of the ‘deep state’ and the internal divisions within the Republican Party driven by the populist movement.  Subscribe and listen to The Winston Marshall Show here: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall  Follow Winston on X at @MrWinMarshall and Instagram at @winstonmarshall.

Foreign policy analyst Dr. Hal Brands joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss why America abandoned pre-WWII isolationism to become the global superpower and the unprecedented prosperity that came from it. They examine the growing threats posed by Russia and China to that prosperity and the international order. And they look at the potential consequences for America if it retreats again to an isolationist foreign policy. Dr. Hal Brands is a Senior Fellow at American Enterprise Institute and the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Dr. Brands has served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Strategic Planning and lead writer for the Commission on the National Defense Strategy for the United States. He is a member of the State Department's Foreign Affairs Policy Board and consults with a range of government offices and agencies in the intelligence and national security communities. Follow him on X at @HalBrands.

Meteorologist Dan Reilly answers all your burning questions about weather, hurricanes, and how forecasting works. What does a 50% chance of rain actually mean? How do weather patterns in the Pacific, like El Niño and La Niña, affect hurricane formation in the Atlantic? Can a butterfly’s wings cause a tornado? Where do storms get their names? All that and much more in just 30 minutes. Dan Reilly is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He received his Master’s degree in Meteorology from MIT. Follow him on X at @DReillyWx. Website resources mentioned in this episode: Weather.gov Hurricanes.gov

Healthcare and economic policy expert Brian Blase, Ph.D. joined Rep. Crenshaw for a deep dive into the complexities of healthcare policy. They discuss the current problems with Obamacare and its impact on the healthcare market, the ongoing debate over healthcare as a right versus a need, the effectiveness of subsidies, and the role of high risk pools. They also discuss various policy proposals, including reforming subsidies, expanding healthcare options, and addressing Medicaid challenges. Brian Blase, Ph.D., is the President of Paragon Health Institute. Brian was Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy at the White House’s National Economic Council (NEC) from 2017-2019, where he coordinated the development and execution of numerous health policies. Follow him on X at @brian_blase and learn more about his research at www.paragoninstitute.org  

Clean burning natural gas is almost single-handedly responsible for the global reduction in carbon emissions. Every good thing we have in modern society – technology, housing, medicine, infrastructure, the list goes on – is dependent on natural gas to exist. So why is the Biden-Harris Administration so hell-bent on destroying it? Toby Rice, energy expert and president of America’s largest natural gas producer, returns to the podcast to examine the impact that recent natural gas rules have had on our economy and American energy security. Toby Rice is the President and CEO of EQT. Follow Toby on Twitter at @Shalennial.

Conservative pollsters Dr. Frank Luntz and Kristen Soltis Anderson return to discuss how the election dynamics have shifted since the assassination attempt on President Trump and the coronation of Kamala Harris. What’s the state of the race since Biden dropped out? Who is the most dangerous (for Republicans) VP that Kamala could choose? What does JD Vance bring to the table for Trump? What are the prospects for Republicans in the House and Senate? As good as the polling looks now, Frank and Kristen explain why Republicans should run through the tape and not be overly confident. Kristen Soltis Anderson is a pollster, speaker, commentator, and author of The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials Are Leading America (And How Republicans Can Keep Up). She is Founding Partner of Echelon Insights, an opinion research and analytics firm that serves brands, trade associations, nonprofits, and political clients. Through her work at Echelon, she regularly advises corporate and government leaders on polling and messaging strategy, and has become one of the foremost experts on the Millennial generation. She also leads focus groups for The New York Times’ opinion section “America in Focus” series. Follow her on X at @KSoltisAnderson and read her Substack here: kristensoltisanderson.substack.com/ Dr. Frank Luntz has written, supervised, and conducted more than 2,500 surveys, focus groups, ad tests, and dial sessions in more than two dozen countries on six continents over the past 20 years. His political knowledge and skills are recognized globally, and he has served as an election consultant and commentator in Canada, Britain, Ireland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Australia, Venezuela, and Ukraine. Follow him on X at @FrankLuntz.

Three key things I want to address, based on my own experiences planning and executing operations and also my conversations with law enforcement and Secret Service. This is a must watch. 1. What’s up with that building? Why wasn’t it secure? 2. Did the Secret Service counter sniper really just watch the assassin and refuse to shoot him? 3. Was the Secret Service ordered NOT to shoot the assassin??

Rice University’s Michelle Foss, Ph.D. gives us a crash course in critical minerals: what they are, where they come from, why we need them, and their geostrategic implications. We look at the future of deep-sea mining to harvest the vast resources laying on the sea floor. And we talk about the rapidly developing tech of carbon nanotubes, which are on the verge of revolutionizing everything from battery capacity to airplanes (and, of course, make the Batman suit a reality). Michelle Foss, Ph.D., is the fellow in energy, minerals & materials at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, helping to build capacity on non-fuel minerals supply chains. She has more than 40 years of experience in senior positions in energy (oil, gas/LNG, electric power) and environmental research, consulting and investment banking, with early career exposure to mining and mined land reclamation.

Human trafficking and modern slavery are very much a reality – but it’s nothing like how you see it depicted in movies. Austin Shamlin joined Rep. Crenshaw to debunk the common misconceptions and describe how human trafficking networks really operate. Austin breaks down the new approaches, using data intelligence, to dismantle global networks and rescue trafficked children. They end with a thorough analysis of the downfall of Haiti. Austin Shamlin is the CEO and founder of Traverse Project, a nonprofit to combat human trafficking networks through data intelligence. He has served in the law enforcement and security industry for over 20 years, most recently serving as director of operations with an anti-human trafficking nonprofit under the Tim Tebow Foundation. Austin is a professionally recognized geopolitical security subject matter expert on Haiti and has previously served as a special advisor to the Haitian Minister of Justice. Prior to his nonprofit work, he served as a police executive with the D.C. government and worked as a government contractor in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Haiti. Follow his work on X at @AustinShamlin and @ProjectTraverse.

The Coddling of the American Mind co-author Greg Lukianoff joins Rep. Crenshaw for a fun, wide-ranging conversation about cancel culture, the limits of free speech, and social psychology. Do some people deserve to be canceled? Should children be banned from using social media?  When do political protestors cross the line? What rhetorical devices do the left and right use to derail honest debates? And how can we all use the checklist of cognitive distortions to save our own sanity? All of this and much more with one of the most articulate thinkers of our time.   Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is the co-author with Jonathan Haidt of "The Coddling of the American Mind" and the co-author with Rikki Schlott of "The Canceling of the American Mind." Check out his Substack at https://greglukianoff.substack.com/ and follow him on X at @glukianoff.

Bernie’s 32-hour work week proposal. Retired boomers golfing 7 days a week.  Declining workforce participation. Rising disability claims. What do all these things have in common? David Bahnsen argues it’s all part of a broad cultural change in people’s attitudes towards the importance of work for their personal fulfillment. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss what this means for the state of our economy, our happiness, and our purpose in life. David Bahnsen is the author of “Full Time: Work and the Meaning of Life” and a regular contributor to National Review. He is the founder of The Bahnsen Group, managing over $5.3 billion in client assets. Follow him on X at @DavidBahnsen and listen to his podcast Capital Record.

Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss joins Rep. Crenshaw to discuss the mutual challenges they face within the conservative movement and against the far left in their respective nations. PM Truss also gives us a lesson in UK Parliament 101, the Bank of England’s powerful influence over the government, and what she experienced in her tenure as Prime Minister. Liz Truss is the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Conservative Party. She is the author of “Ten Years to Save the West.” Follow her on X at @trussliz.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb returns! The former FDA Commissioner gives us a deep dive into the revolutionary advances in cell/gene therapies and other treatments that have the potential to cure cancer, reverse aging, and re-engineer our DNA. We also discuss the emerging role of AI in healthcare and get a bit wonky discussing regulatory hurdles at the FDA. A must-listen for anyone interested in the future of healthcare, the impact of policy on medical innovation, and the exciting possibilities of gene and cell therapy.  Dr. Scott Gottlieb served as the twenty-third commissioner of the FDA under President Trump. He is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of the forthcoming book “The Miracle Century: Making Sense of the Cell Therapy Revolution.” Follow him on X at @ScottGottliebMD.

National Review’s Zach Kessel has been on the ground at Columbia University covering the pro-Hamas student protests. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss his observations from talking with students about their motivations and end goals. They cover the influence of faculty and outside groups in organizing the encampments. And they discuss the legal ramifications of universities actively enabling antisemitism and discriminatory admissions.  Zach Kessel is a William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism at National Review and a recent graduate of Northwestern University. Follow him on X at @zach_kessel.

It’s a well-known fact that fentanyl precursors come from China, but just how deeply involved is the Chinese government in the drug trade? Investigative journalist Peter Schweizer’s research has exposed a strategic partnership between the CCP and the Mexican drug cartels that goes way beyond shipping precursors. Peter uncovers China’s central role in the supply chain, the distribution, and the money laundering that enables the cartels to kill tens of thousands of Americans every year with deadly fentanyl. Peter also highlights the personal and financial ties that China has developed with U.S. politicians to influence policy decisions. Peter Schweizer is the president of the Government Accountability Institute and the former William J. Casey Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is the author of best-selling book “Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans.” Follow him on X at @peterschweizer.

Stanford University’s Dr. Nolan Williams is one of the world’s leading researchers on psychedelic medicine. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to talk about the revolutionary clinical trial he recently conducted with the psychedelic ibogaine to treat veterans suffering from PTSD, Traumatic Brain Industry, and addiction. The clinical trial showed a phenomenal 83% remission rate for participants after just one treatment. Dr. Williams explains what ibogaine is, the experiences patients have while taking it, what we know about how it affects the brain, and how it differs from classic psychedelics like MDMA and psylocibin. They also discuss the potential for ibogaine treatments to combat America’s addiction epidemic. Nolan Williams, MD, is an Associate Professor of neurology and psychiatry at Stanford University and the Director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab. He is one of leading researchers in the study of how psychedelics can impact the human brain and be used to successfully treat various health challenges such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and major depression. Read his study in Nature Medicine: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02705-w and follow him on X at @NolanRyWilliams.

China expert Michael Sobolik returns to the podcast to discuss America’s new cold war with the Chinese Communist Party. Michael outlines the CCP’s strategies – imperialism, the Belt and Road Initiative, and weaponizing America’s own free speech – to displace the U.S. as the leading global superpower. Michael shares a strategic vision for how America can defeat the CCP by exploiting their own vulnerabilities and building upon our alliances with friendly East Asian neighbors like Japan and Australia. Michael Sobolik is the author of the just-released book “Countering China’s Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance.” He is a Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council. He previously served as a legislative assistant for Senator Ted Cruz, drafting legislation on China, Russia, India, Taiwan, North Korea, and Cambodia, as well as strategic systems and missile defense. Find him on X at @michaelsobolik and listen to him on Great Power Podcast.

There has been a lot of controversy - and lies - this week over the re-authorization of FISA (the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act). Rep. Crenshaw sat down with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a former FBI agent and member of House Intel, to debunk the hand wringing and misconceptions about FISA. They give an overview of FISA's history and its distinction between Title One and Title Three, and delve into the role of Section 702 in enhancing national security measures. Misconceptions surrounding FISA are addressed, including the distinction between evidence collection and querying lawfully obtained data. They scrutinize proposals for a secondary warrant requirement and their potential impact on law enforcement investigations. They also discuss limitations on law enforcement capabilities and proposed reforms to prevent abuses within intelligence agencies. For 14 years prior to representing his hometown of Pennsylvania's First Congressional District, Brian Fitzpatrick served our nation both as an FBI Special Agent and Federal Prosecutor, fighting both domestic and international political corruption, and supporting global counterterrorism and counterintelligence efforts – including being embedded with U.S. Special Forces as part Operation Iraqi Freedom. Follow him on X and Instagram at @repbrianfitz.

Former Senator Rob Portman joins the show to talk about all the benefits and pitfalls of American trade policy. We examine the history and evolution of trade policy, the debate over free trade vs protectionism, tariffs vs subsidies, and finding the right balance to create fair competition and the movement of goods between nations. We also discuss the prospects for the TikTok bill passing the Senate, and get into some Civics 101 on the differences between legislating in the Senate vs the House. Prior to serving as Ohio’s Senator from 2011 to 2023, Sen. Portman served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget and United States Trade Representative in the George W. Bush administration. Today he is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at American Enterprise Institute with a focus on public policy and free trade expansion. Follow him on Twitter at @robportmanOH.

Dr. Joseph Loconte, Presidential Scholar in Residence at New College of Florida, joined Rep. Crenshaw to trace the origins of Western Civilization and America’s founding values, from Greek and Roman cultures to the influence of Judaism, Christianity, and the Enlightenment. And they examine the deep resentment against Western Civilization among the far left and increasingly among populists on the right. Joseph Loconte, PhD, is a Presidential Scholar in Residence at New College of Florida, Senior Fellow at the Institute on Religion and Democracy, and the C.S. Lewis Scholar for Public Life at Grove City College. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller "A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm". Follow him on Twitter at @JosephLoconte.

Mark Cuban joined Rep. Crenshaw to talk about his latest endeavor to bring market-based competition to drug pricing and health insurance. Mark explains how the pharmaceutical industry currently works and how drugs are priced. They explore the intricacies behind drug pricing models, insurance coverage, and the complex role that Pharmacy Benefit Managers play in all of it. And Mark shares his vision for a transparent, market-driven, and more humanitarian approach to drug pricing. Mark Cuban is an owner of the Dallas Mavericks and investor on the TV series Shark Tank. Follow him on Twitter at @mcuban.

Ioan Grillo has spent over twenty years reporting on the frontlines of the Mexican cartel wars. He joined Rep. Crenshaw’s Cartel Task Force to brief Congress on the rise of paramilitary cartels, their diversified portfolio of criminal operations (which includes tapping oil pipelines), and the complex duopoly of power they share with the Mexican government. They also discuss the challenges America faces working with Mexico to restrict weapons trafficking. And Ioan shares his methods for developing sources within the cartels, sometimes at great risk to his life.  Ioan Grillo is a journalist and author who has been covering cartels and Latin America since 2001. He is the author of “El Narco”, “Gangster Warlords”, and “Blood Gun Money.” Follow his reporting at www.crashoutmedia.com and on Twitter at @IoanGrillo.

Joe Grogan, President Trump’s former Assistant for Domestic Policy, joins Rep. Crenshaw to take a deep dive into two of the most complex policy debates in Washington: the federal budget and healthcare policy. They examine how the budget process works, the different roles that the White House and Congress play in crafting it, and the political dynamics of current budget negotiations. And they cover some of the biggest challenges facing America’s healthcare system, the regulatory frameworks surrounding it, and what Republicans’ end goal for American healthcare should look like.  Joe Grogan served as Assistant to President Donald J. Trump and Director of the Domestic Policy Council, where he was the lead advisor on a variety of domestic policy issues relating to health care and regulatory initiatives. Prior to that, he served as the Associate Director for Health Programs at the Office of Management and Budget, where he was responsible for overseeing all domestic health spending. He is a Senior Fellow at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. Follow him on Twitter at @RealJoeGrogan.

An ex-drug trafficker and former member of the Sinaloa Cartel joined Rep. Crenshaw in Washington to share his harrowing life story and give insight into how cartels really operate. From helping his father smuggle marijuana as a young boy, to moving thousands of kilos of cocaine as a teenager, to working closely with some of the most notorious drug lords in history – including El Chapo – and ultimately turning against them, our guest was witness to the inner workings and ruthless tactics employed by the most dangerous criminals in modern history.

As the House of Representatives narrowly loses a vote to impeach Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Rep. Crenshaw lays out the mechanism and constitutional history behind impeachment proceedings. He breaks down the arguments for and against impeaching Sec. Mayorkas, and explores the Founding Fathers' intentions behind the impeachment clause.

As part of Rep. Crenshaw’s work on the Cartel Task Force, two officers from the West Coast joined him to share their perspectives of how local police departments are combating the fentanyl epidemic brought on by the Mexican drug cartels. SGT. Aaron Schmautz serves in the Portland Police Department and Officer Brian Marvel serves in the San Diego Police Department. They discuss the unique challenges facing both cities: Portland being a case study in drug decriminalization spinning completely out of control, and San Diego bordering the major cartel hub of Tijuana. They also share insights into the business model of the cartels, how fentanyl took over the local drug markets, the potential to prosecute dealers for murder, what good treatment programs for addicts look like, and much more. SGT. Aaron Schmautz is a 19-year veteran of the Portland Police Department. He is the President of the Oregon Coalition of Police & Sheriffs (ORCOPS), a non-partisan organization that advocates on behalf of police officers, deputy sheriffs, and others in Oregon law enforcement organizations.  Brian Marvel is a 24-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department. He is an adjunct professor at the San Diego Regional Police Academy and President of Peace Officers Research Association.

Europe is entering its third year of the Ukraine-Russia War. There are multiple high-intensity conflicts ongoing in the Middle East. China is escalating its aggression in the western Pacific. Cartels and Marxist politicians are embroiling the Americas. Where is all this headed? Geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan returns to examine the rapidly deteriorating situations in regions around the world and their implications for global order in the 21st century. Peter Zeihan is the founder of Zeihan on Geopolitics and the author of the “The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization.” His geopolitical analysis has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The New York Times, Fox News and more. Follow his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ZeihanonGeopolitics

Everything you need to know about FISA (the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) – one of the most controversial laws in the United States. FISA received a temporary extension recently as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. In the coming months Congress will debate reforms to FISA, with many populist members of both parties calling for its permanent repeal. Rep. Crenshaw joined House Intel Chairman Rep. Mike Turner and Rep. Darin LaHood to describe how FISA actually works, discuss the competing reform bills, and debunk common misconceptions about the government’s ability to use FISA to spy on Americans. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a solid grasp of Section 702, Title 1, FISA courts, the Crossfire Hurricane scandal, and, of course, what would happen if an analyst wanted to spy on Paul McCartney. Congressman Turner is the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, and member of the Oversight and Accountability Committee. Follow him on X and Instagram at @repmiketurner. Congressman LaHood is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Ways and Means Committee, and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Follow him on X and Instagram at @RepLaHood.

Journalist and author Asra Nomani joins Rep. Crenshaw to examine the strange coalition between radical Islamic extremists and far-left activists, two groups that have very contradictory views about morality and tradition, yet both sharing the common purpose to destroy Israel and upend western democratic systems. They look at how this alliance was fostered in the wake of 9-11 and the violent rhetoric that has emerged since Hamas’ October 7th attack on Israel. Asra also gives us a tour of the woke curriculum being promoted at all grade levels in some American public school systems – including books that teach children about gender fluidity and how to start a webcam business. Asra Nomani most recent book is “Woke Army: The Red-Green Alliance That Is Destroying America's Freedom”. She is a senior contributor at The Federalist, alumni of The Wall Street Journal, and former professor of journalism at Georgetown University. Follow her in X at @AsraNomani.

When China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, most people expected the country to be on the path to embracing western values of freedom and democracy.  But the opposite occurred – more and more countries, institutions, and individuals now find themselves forced to comply with CCP authoritarianism or face serious consequences. Army War College’s Dr. Azeem Ibrahim joined Rep. Crenshaw to examine how the Chinese Communist Party’s strategies of economic colonization and transnational repression created this dramatic shift in the global order.  Dr. Azeem Ibrahim is the author of “Authoritarian Century: Omens of a Post-Liberal Future.” He is a Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College, and a Director at the Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy in Washington, D.C. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge after which he completed fellowships at the universities of Oxford, Harvard and Yale. Follow him on X at @AzeemIbrahim. 

Security consultant Ed Calderon returns to give Rep. Crenshaw an update on the cartel wars, what’s behind the deep cultural distrust of Mexicans towards the United States, and the political outlook for the country as AMLO’s presidential term comes to an end in 2024. What are the current tactical capabilities of Mexico’s police and military in their battles against the cartels, and what support from the U.S. military would help? How might Mexico’s private sector be the ultimate end of the cartels? What do current political trends and Mexico’s view of history have to do with their antagonism against the U.S? AMLO is on his way out, but why is his power and influence likely not going away anytime soon? Ed answers all these questions and more in this episode recorded as part of Rep. Crenshaw’s work on the Congressional Cartel Task Force. Ed Calderon started his career as a police officer in Tijuana and worked in the fields of counter-narcotics, organized crime investigation, and public safety in the northern border region of Mexico. Today he is a security consultant who has worked with the FBI, Navy SEALs, and special forces groups from around the world. Check out his podcast Manifesto Radio and follow him on Instagram at @manifestoradiopodcast.

Pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson returns to give Rep. Crenshaw her insights into Trump vs DeSantis, how abortion is affecting the GOP’s election prospects, good and bad candidate messaging strategies, and much more. What should DeSantis do if he had a time machine? How did Republicans get caught off guard by the Roe v Wade backlash and is there any hope to convince Gen Z to become pro-life? What effect is the political consulting industry having on candidate quality and the populist echo chamber of social media? They also discuss how to craft accurate voter surveys, what went wrong with the 2022 midterms, and Trump’s chances of defeating Biden in 2024. Kristen Soltis Anderson is a pollster, speaker, commentator, and author of The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials Are Leading America (And How Republicans Can Keep Up). She is Founding Partner of Echelon Insights, an opinion research and analytics firm that serves brands, trade associations, nonprofits, and political clients. Through her work at Echelon, she regularly advises corporate and government leaders on polling and messaging strategy, and has become one of the foremost experts on the Millennial generation. She also leads focus groups for The New York Times’ opinion section “America in Focus” series. Follow her on X at @KSoltisAnderson and read her Substack here: kristensoltisanderson.substack.com/

Jonah Goldberg returns for a conversation about everything wrong with the GOP and Congress today, and how we can fix it. They talk about the populist stranglehold over political institutions, broken incentive structures in the primary system, expectations vs reality in Congress, the media industrial complex, and much more. Jonah Goldberg is the host of The Remnant podcast, Senior Fellow and Asness Chair in Applied Liberty at American Enterprise Institute, and the author of Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, and Identity Politics is Destroying American Democracy. Follow him on X at @JonahDispatch.

What does conservatism mean? What principles do we stand for? And what vision for conservatism is most aligned with both America’s founding and its future? Avik Roy joined Rep. Crenshaw to answer these questions and look at how the New Right has diverged in favor of populism and nationalism. They steelman and respond to all the major arguments of the New Right on trade and industrial policy, government intervention, foreign policy, and immigration.   Avik Roy recently co-founded the Freedom Conservatism project to address these questions and give us a Statement of Principles to guide the future of the conservative movement. Read their statement here: www.freedomconservatism.org/   Avik Roy is the President and Co-founder of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity. He is the principal author of The Apothecary (the Forbes blog on health care policy and entitlement reform), as well as author of Transcending Obamacare: A Patient-Centered Plan for Near-Universal Coverage and Permanent Fiscal Solvency (2014) and How Medicaid Fails the Poor (2013). His research interests include the Affordable Care Act, universal coverage, entitlement reform, international health systems, veterans’ health care, and FDA policy.  

Wildly fun episode with comedian JP Sears joining Rep. Crenshaw for a conversation about using comedy to reveal truths and bridge political divides (a strategy which might come in handy at the Thanksgiving table). Along the way they also talk about JP’s prior career as a life coach, how evil captivates people, the Bill Burr joke that decimated the pro-choice argument, and – of course – how to survive bear/shark attacks. JP Sears is the author of the just-released children’s book “Chomp Chomp Chomp: The Snapfast Challenge”. Watch his insanely funny satire videos at AwakenWithJP on YouTube and Instagram.

Dr. Miriam Grossman joined Rep. Crenshaw to explain the dark origins of the phenomenon known as Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (when an adolescent or young adult expresses a sudden and intense belief that their gender identity is different from their assigned sex). We learn about Dr. John Money, a monster who pioneered gender-transition surgery for minors in the 1960s. Dr. Grossman explains how activists got once highly respected organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics to normalize transitioning minors. She covers everything that’s wrong with the studies used by trans activists and doctors to manipulate the parents of these children. And she gives guidance to parents on how to prevent schools from exposing their kids to gender ideology. Miriam Grossman, MD has a Doctor of Medicine from New York University Medical School and is board certified in psychiatry, with a sub-specialty in child and adolescent psychiatry. She is the author of “Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist's Guide Out of the Madness.” Follow her on X at @Miriam_Grossman.

Arthur C. Brooks returns to talk about the psychology of political movements, how fear is used as a tool to outrage and manipulate people, and how to preserve your happiness and sanity throughout all of it. Arthur explains why our brains are hardwired to emphasize negativity. He shows how politicians and influencers are exploiting that evolutionary trait to monetize your anger and gain power. He gives us some practical advice for how to disassociate yourself from outrage culture. And he gives us perspective on what real happiness should mean in work, school, family, and our purpose in life. Arthur C. Brooks is the co-author with Oprah Winfrey of the new book “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier.” He is the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on happiness and leadership. He is the creator of the popular “How to Build a Life” column at The Atlantic, an acclaimed public speaker, and the author of numerous bestselling books, including “From Strength to Strength” and “Love Your Enemies.”

Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris is a distinguished professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and one of the foremost experts on the interplay of neuroscience and psychedelics. He studies how psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD and DMT can change the human brain and be used to treat various mental health challenges such as trauma disorders, major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and addiction. Dr. Carhart-Harris joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss the latest findings from clinical trials of psychedelic therapies, how the mind is affected by the different kinds of psychedelics, the legal landscape for these therapies, and the risks and benefits he sees in psychedelics, other prescription drugs, and alcohol. Follow Dr. Carhart-Harris on X at @RCarhartHarris.

The one-and-only Kevin Sorbo (aka Hercules) joined Rep. Crenshaw to talk about the culture war battles in Hollywood over conservatism, masculinity, and Christianity. They look at how morality and traditional archetypes have transformed in modern movies and tv. Kevin talks about the business of Christian independent filmmaking, policies that enable states like Georgia and Texas to attract film productions away from Hollywood, and just how the hell Netflix is able to churn out so many terrible new movies every month. They end with some advice for how conservatives can communicate their views more purposefully to persuadable liberals. Kevin Sorbo portrayed Hercules on the classic 90s tv show. Since then he has become one of the leading actors and filmmakers in Christian independent cinema. His first children's book, The Test of Lionhood, was just published with Brave Books. Follow Kevin's snarky conservative wit and insights on X at @ksorbs.

Foreign policy analyst Kim Breier joined Rep. Crenshaw to cover the recent history of diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Mexico over migrant flows and what we can learn from them to build cooperation between the two countries in the war against the drug cartels. They talk about her experiences across multiple Mexican administrations going back to Vicente Fox and the devolution of the country over time at the hands of the cartels. And Kim gets into the history behind Mexico’s deeply embedded suspicions about the U.S. government’s motives.  Kim Breier was Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. Department of State under President Trump. She was previously the founder and Director of the U.S.-Mexico Futures Initiative, and the Deputy Director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and served for more than a decade in the U.S. intelligence community as a political analyst and manager, primarily focused on Latin America.