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What the Hell Is Going On
The American Enterprise Institute’s Danielle Pletka and Marc Thiessen address the questions we’re all asking in their podcast, “What the Hell Is Going On?” In conversational, informative and irreverent episodes, Pletka and Thiessen interview policymakers and experts, asking tough, probing questions about the most important foreign policy and security challenges facing the world today.
Episodes
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going on in Iran and Ukraine? Brian Kilmeade Talks Foreign Policy and His New Book.
In this episode, we are joined by Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade to discuss the themes of his new book, Uniting the States: Six Crucial Moments That Forged the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Europe on Fire? With Dr. Dominic Green.
In this episode, Dr. Dominic Green joins us from the United Kingdom to discuss mounting protests and violence raging across Europe. It’s been a tumultuous…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is China Spying Through LinkedIn? With Luke Jacobus.
We are joined by Luke Jacobus, one of AEI’s own, to highlight how China’s spies leverage the LinkedIn networking platform to recruit Americans to pass them…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Will AI End Humanity? Chris Miller Explains.
In this episode, we are joined by Chris Miller for a clear-minded and sobering discussion of the future of AI. The geopolitical competition between the United…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Jason Miyares on Five Easy Ways to Wreck a State.
Jason Miyares, former attorney general for the state of Virginia, joins us to discuss Virginia’s hard political shift leftward — skyrocketing taxes, sanctuary…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going on with Trump at the United Nations? Brett Schaefer Explains.
In honor of NYC’s least favorite week, we are joined by Brett D. Schaefer to analyze the ongoing United Nations General Assembly meeting. How the hell is this…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Are We Doing To Replenish Our Weapons Stockpiles? Anduril’s Chris Brose Explains.
What the hell is happening with U.S. defense technology? Chris Brose, the President and Chief Strategy Officer of defense tech firm Anduril joins us to talk…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Live! Remembering 9/11 25 Years Later with Stephen Hadley and J.D. Crouch.
On the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we hosted a live recording of the podcast, What the Hell Is Going On?, featuring former National…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Happening With Midterms? With Josh Kraushaar.
In our back-to-school episode, we welcome the return to D.C. by diving straight into the upcoming midterm elections. Who the hell is running? What the hell do…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should I Read This Summer? "Subversion and Seduction" by Audrye Wong.
What the hell is Beijing doing to seduce Washington? Join us for the last in our summer book series for a discussion with Dr. Audrye Wong for a conversation…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should I Read This Summer? "Israel on Trial" by Roy Altman
In the third part of our What The Hell summer reading series, Judge Roy Altman joins us for a discussion on the questions posed in his book, “Israel on Trial…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should I Read This Summer? "Twenty Times I Almost Died" by John Spencer
In the second edition of our What the Hell summer reading series, John Spencer shares stories from his latest book, “Twenty Times I Almost Died: Life Lessons…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should I Read This Summer? "The Arab Case for Israel" by Hussain Abdul-Hussain.
Kicking off our annual What the Hell summer book series, Hussain Abdul-Hussain discusses his new book, "The Arab Case for Israel: And Other Essays from a…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Are Americans Not Having Babies? Nicholas Eberstadt Explains.
America is on track to become a "net mortality society," where deaths outnumber births. As births plummet to almost 25% below replacement, the United States…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH LIVE! From the Aspen Security Forum: WTH Is Going On with Trump's Foreign Policy? Stephen Hadley, Robert O'Brien, and Michèle Flournoy Explain.
On this episode of WTH Live! Stephen Hadley, Robert O’Brien, and Michèle Flournoy join Marc on the Aspen Security Forum stage to discuss the good, the bad, and…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going On (Again) With the Ceasefire in Iran? Nicholas Carl Explains.
Donald Trump's on again off again deal making with the Iranians has hit another flashpoint this week as exchanges of fire on commercial shipping and US…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: America's 250th! John Yoo on the Supreme Court in 2026.
As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, fundamental questions about the Constitution and the balance of power…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Is Trump Right to Fear Global Depression? Economist Glenn Hubbard Debunks.
President Trump has publicly speculated that resuming military operations against Iran could trigger an economic catastrophe, warning of soaring gas prices and…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is the State of the Iranian Nuclear Program? David Albright Explains.
Over the weekend, the United States signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran to begin negotiations on a nuclear deal. To understand what a good deal…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Turning the Tide in Ukraine. George Barros Explains.
While the world’s attention has been fixed on the war in Iran, the battlefield in Ukraine has largely shifted in Kyiv’s favor. ISW’s George Barros joins us to…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Trump Doing In Iran? Miad Maleki Explains.
In his relentless pursuit of a deal with Iran, Donald Trump has now returned to military escalation, resuming combat operations and warning that the United…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going On with Iran? General Jack Keane Explains.
We’re now in the eighth week of a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The Trump Administration is stuck in a holding pattern as Iranian negotiators continue to…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Are Your Tax Dollars Funding Terrorism? Adam Kaplan Explains.
The United States has poured billions into the United Nations to fund relief works, but not all that money goes where you might think. Years of impunity have…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Do Democrats Really Oppose Deportations? Howard Husock Explains.
With the 2030 Census fast approaching, battles over redistricting and congressional apportionment continue to take shape. As population shifts continue, driven…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Did the Supreme Court Gut the Voting Rights Act? Sarah Isgur Debunks.
Last week, the Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana congressional map in a 6–3 decision tied to a 1986 amendment to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. As…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Is the Iran War Depleting Key Munitions? Mark Cancian and Chris Park Explain.
While we celebrate the US military's accomplishments over the first forty days of the Iran conflict, a less desirable outcome has been the significant…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going On In Lebanon? Ambassador David Hale Explains.
On the eve of talks in Washington between leaders in Lebanon and Israel, Beirut has signaled a push to extend the 10-day, U.S.-mediated ceasefire set to expire…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: The Iran Blockade? Miad Maleki Explains.
One week after claims of an "Iranian victory", with Tehran supposedly leveraging the Strait of Hormuz and outmaneuvering Donald Trump, the narrative has…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going On With NATO? Secretary General Mark Rutte Explains.
Against the backdrop of Operation Epic Fury and President Trump’s frustration with military support from NATO allies, Secretary General Mark Rutte visited…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: The Mythical MAGA Split on Iran. Kristen Soltis Anderson Explains.
The story from mainstream media is that the core of MAGA is "split" on the war with Iran, strikes in Venezuela, the Houthis, and other Trump 2.0 international…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Next in Iran? Israeli Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter Explains.
Operation Roaring Lion, now in its fourth week, has been a striking display of military coordination between the United States and Israel. Building on the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Trump's Iran Endgame. General Jack Keane Explains.
Three weeks into Operation Epic Fury, we share cautious optimism with General Jack Keane on the current state of our military operation in Iran. News of Donald…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Defining Victory in Iran. Dany and Marc Discuss.
On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss their recent pieces on the war in Iran and the media coverage that has followed. Marc writes for the Post…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Spyware on Wheels. Chris Miller Explains the Chinese Threat Inside Your Car.
Our WTH saga on Chinese espionage continues with a new installment on the technology inside your car. Chris Miller details “Huawei on wheels”: the security…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: War in Iran. David Albright Explains the Nuclear Threat.
Over the weekend, President Trump launched Operation Epic Fury, the most ambitious US military operation in decades. In the wake of the 2025 12-Day War, Iran…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Four Years of Putin's War in Ukraine. Frederick W. Kagan Illuminates.
Yesterday marked the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Four years of war in which Russian forces have occupied roughly one and a half percent…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Does a Chinese Billionaire Need 100 American Children? Charles Hilu Explains.
Blame it on American individualism or a political aversion to regulation, but the United States has become a striking outlier in its failure to regulate the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Do We Need Greenland? Alexander Gray Explains.
In addition to the media blitz over Greenland triggered by President Trump, American presidents going back a century have agreed on the strategic importance of…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going on with the CCP Purge in China? John Garnaut Explains.
Kremlinology has made its way east as analysts try to make sense of dramatic PLA purges under Xi Jinping. The CCP regime appears to be clearing house, but what…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Can’t Putin Afford to Fail in Ukraine? Michael Tory Explains How He Will.
With regime change brewing in Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran, and the Russian war of attrition still marching on, Cold War déjà vu shapes our understanding of what…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Christian Zionism? Ralph Reed Has the Gospel.
The so-called “pro-Israel lobby” in Washington, D.C., has long been a target for antisemites and for fringe voices on both sides of the aisle. Contrary to…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going On In Iran? Michael Rubin Explains.
The world is watching as protests rage across Iran amid nationwide internet blackouts, state-sponsored propaganda, and lethal security force crackdowns…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Next For Venezuela? Roger Noriega Explains.
For many Americans, Operation Absolute Resolve, which brought Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro to trial in New York, was an unexpected New Year’s surprise…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: America 250 Begins! With Professor Gordon Wood.
It is officially 2026, which means America is turning 250 this year. Our question on this semiquincentennial looks back to America’s founding and the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going On With Civilian Control of the Military? Kori Schake Explains.
While we celebrate the remarkable achievement of 250 years of the US military being a bulwark of democracy, it is important to understand the intentionally…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Do MAGA Republicans Think on Foreign Policy? Roger Zakheim Explains.
The Reagan National Defense Survey has again illuminated the MAGA world: MAGA Republicans are not isolationists, nor are the majority of Americans. Despite…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Does Gen Z Think Life Sucks? Norbert Michel Explains.
If you were in your twenties and could choose to be born at any point in human history, would you be insane to choose any other time to be alive than right…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Are We Letting China Steal All Our Secrets? David Shedd Explains.
Over the last decade, China has carried out the largest illicit transfer of capital, innovation, data, and technology in human history. One of the most…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is it: Insubordination or Sedition? John Yoo Explains.
Between the pardoned turkeys and those running loose on Capitol Hill, controversy over insubordination and sedition seem to be on the menu this holiday. The…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going on With Trump's China Deal? Scott Lincicome Explains.
For Donald Trump, China has served as a major justification for economic protectionism, highlighting our dependencies and need to onshore products with…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Would Any Republican Consider Ending the Filibuster? Martin Gold Explains.
The legislative filibuster is one of the most important guardrails against the tyranny of the majority that exists in the United States Senate. Despite this…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: How Do We Keep Neo-Nazis Out of the Conservative Movement? Eli Lake Explains.
The fever swamps of the alt-right have crept upstream. Fringe figures are making their way onto increasingly mainstream platforms, spreading ideological…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Is Europe Lost? Adam O'Neal Explains.
Europe’s center of gravity has shifted eastward, and few political leaders stand out as capable of leading the necessary changes to revitalize, rather than…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Do Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists Really Believe? James Kirchick Explains.
With just one week until Election Day in New York City, we’re reflecting on the past and future of the Democratic Party, Gracie Mansion, and the political home…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Next for Ukraine and Israel? General Jack Keane Explains.
The Trump administration continues to focus on achieving peace in the Middle East, navigating a fragile ceasefire and defining the conditions for a Palestinian…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Happening With Middle East Peace? Dan Senor Explains.
After two incredibly long years, we are finally able to celebrate the return of all living Israeli hostages from the hell of Hamas. Absent specifics and…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Could Ukraine do with $300 Billion Russian Dollars? Stephen Rademaker Explains.
More than three years into Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, our European allies are reconsidering whether or not frozen Russian assets, totaling $300…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Two Years Since October 7. Dany and Marc Discuss.
Two years ago today, Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust. In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Another Shutdown Showdown. Dany and Marc Discuss.
On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column, Democrats shut down the government to protect covid spending, not Obamacare. In the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Trump at the UN. Brett Schaefer Explains.
President Trump’s speech before the General Assembly has sparked debate over its style and substance, raising questions about UN organizations that do not…