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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 Next After the Assassination of Charlie Kirk? Marc and Dany Discuss.
On this episode of WTH, Dany and Marc discuss the assassination of conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk. The problem of…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Trump's Capital Crime Crackdown. Rafael Mangual Explains.
According to major news outlets, the capital of the free world is under federal occupation by Donald Trump. Here in D.C., the 30-day public emergency has…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH There Is No "State of Palestine". Elliott Abrams Explains.
After splashy announcements from our European, Australian, and Canadian allies, later this month, the UN will vote to “recognize a Palestinian State”. While…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is the Path Out of the Wilderness for the Democratic Party? Jay Cost Explains.
The intersectional coalition the Democrats put together in 2024, comprised of the 1%, coastal, corporate, elites and the 20% on 80/20 issues, is failing to…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should I Read This Summer? "The CIA Book Club: The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature" by Charlie English
Closing out What the Hell’s summer book series, we offer a timely reminder of the value of free speech and critical thinking from a time when it wasn’t taken…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should I Read This Summer? "Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archeologists are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations" by Sam Kean
In the next episode of our annual What the Hell’s summer book series, we are time traveling around the world with experimental archeologist, Sam Kean, who…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should I Read This Summer? "The Fate of the Generals: MacArthur, Wainwright, and the Epic Battle for the Philippines" by Jonathan Horn
In this episode of What the Hell’s summer book series, bestselling author, Jonathan Horn, discusses his new book, The Fate of the Generals: MacArthur…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should I Read This Summer? "Tides of Fortune: The Rise and Decline of Great Militaries" by Zack Cooper
Kicking off our annual What the Hell’s summer book series, Zach Cooper discusses his new book, Tides of Fortune: The Rise and Decline of Great Militaries (Yale…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Responsible for Hunger in Gaza? Matti Friedman Explains.
Almost two years after the October 7th attacks, facts about the state of life in Gaza are almost impossible to glean from the daily news. Much of what used to…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Britain Throttling Free Speech? Dominic Green Explains.
Dominic Green writes, “The war on free speech is about to violate the most sacred recesses of British life—not the home or the workplace, but the pub.” In…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Will New York Elect a Communist Mayor? Seth Mandel Explains.
Last month, New York City took to the polls for their mayoral primary and the Democratic party has decided that a socialist, communist, terrorist supporting…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Should Trump Do Next On Ukraine? General Jack Keane Explains.
President Trump has made it clear: whichever nation is the obstacle to peace in ending Russia’s war on Ukraine will face an opponent with the military aid and…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: MAGA Voters Reject Isolationism. Roger Zakheim Explains.
Notwithstanding regular headlines and firm conventional wisdom, the MAGA Movement is not and never has been an isolationist faction of the Republican Party…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Live! U.S. Strikes on Iran. Dr. Kenneth M. Pollack Explains.
In the wake of a decisive US strike on Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities, many questions are being asked. Did Donald Trump make the right call? What about the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Will Happen Next in Israel’s Assault on Iran? Haviv Rettig Gur Explains.
Five days in, Israel’s battle to destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure continues. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going On With America's Immigration Mess? Nicholas Eberstadt Explains.
The aftermath of Biden’s open border policies continues to haunt America as the consequences of mass illegal immigration continue to snowball. Changing…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Can Trump Really Build a Golden Dome to Protect America? J.D. Crouch Explains
Donald Trump has promised Americans that in three years, with the help of Congress’ “Big Beautiful Bill” and a $25 billion-dollar downpayment, his dreams of a…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is No One in the Music Industry Standing Up for Israeli Hostages? Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik Explains
John Ondrasik is standing up for Israeli hostages in the best way he knows how. Having written and performed songs with strong social messages over the last…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Chinese Spies Have Infiltrated Stanford. The Stanford Review’s Elsa Johnson and Garret Molloy Explain
China’s Ministry of State Security has infiltrated and is conducting espionage at all levels of Stanford University. By law, all Chinese nationals are required…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Does Every Deportation Require Due Process? Jonathan Turley Explains
America’s immigration law and system are broken. President Biden allowed millions of people to enter the United States illegally. And now President Trump is…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Is Going On With Antisemitism at Harvard? The Free Press’s Maya Sulkin Explains
Harvard has finally released its 311-page report on the antisemitism Jewish students face on one of America’s most elite college campuses. The stories of Jews…
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WTH Are Young Gen Z Voters Turning Conservative? The Yale Youth Poll’s Milan Singh Explains
Gen Z may not be the liberal base of support many on the left hoped they would be. Today, there is a growing split between voters under 30, with 22-29 year…
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WTH is Happening With Ukraine’s Peace Talks? Frederick W. Kagan Explains
As President Trump continues to try to end the war in Ukraine, Russia is playing for time. For as long as the U.S. continues to support Ukraine, Russia’s…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH is Going On in the Negotiations With Iran? Elliott Abrams Explains
Following a surprise Oval Office announcement by President Trump during Bibi Netanyahu’s trip to Washington, the United States has once again restarted…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Does Trump Have a Tariff Strategy? Dany and Marc Discuss
On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s article, #WTH The Tariff Tsunami. No one should be surprised by Trump’s tariff war. The real…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Are Nationwide Injunctions the New Lawfare Against Trump? John Yoo Explains
President Trump’s executive actions are being blocked left, right, and center by federal courts issuing nationwide injunctions – or orders for the government…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH? A European Supreme Allied Commander of NATO? Kori Schake Explains
President Trump is reportedly considering abandoning America’s longstanding role commanding NATO forces as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), changing…
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WTH: Britain’s Net Zero Push is Economic Suicide. Robert Bryce Explains
UK residents are currently paying some of the highest prices in the world for electricity. How did Brits go from being an energy superpower to showering in the…
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WTH is Going On With Trump, Tariffs and the Economy? Michael Strain Explains
The fundamentals of the economy are strong. So why is the Dow Jones down and fears of a recession up? Perhaps because President Trump is rocking the economic…
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WTH Canada Would Be a Terrible 51st State. Colin Dueck Explains
Canada’s economy is in the toilet, has an electorate that is overwhelmingly left wing, and a healthcare system that encourages physician assisted suicide over…
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WTH Extra! About That Trump-Zelensky Meeting… Dany and Marc Discuss
Partisans believe that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was “ambushed” in the Oval Office. The story is rather different. In fact, President Trump was…
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WTH Do the California Fires Teach Us About the Need to Invest in Climate Adaptation? Bjorn Lomborg Explains
California has invested tens of billions of dollars in preventing climate change, billions more than California’s investment in adapting to the effects of…
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WTH: Megyn Kelly On Trump 2.0 and Our New Political Era
Donald Trump’s first weeks in office have been beyond busy. With a flurry of executive orders and other actions, he is remaking the federal government and…
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WTH Can We Do to Prevent a Second China Shock? Professor David Autor Explains
China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, normalizing trade relations with the PRC, was billed to the American public as a rising tide that lifts all…
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WTH is Going On With the UK’s “Grooming Gangs”? Dominic Green Explains
For decades, police, politicians, and community leaders alike covered up what is likely the largest peacetime organized crime spree in British history: The…
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WTH is Going On With Birthright Citizenship? Adam White Explains
On President Trump’s first day in office, he issued an executive order titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” attempting to change…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra, 300th Episode Edition! Trump Finally Gets His Honeymoon. Dany and Marc Discuss
In the 300th episode of What the Hell is Going On? Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Donald Trump finally gets his honeymoon. When…
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WTH: Russia is Weaker Than Most Believe. George Barros Explains
Many who follow Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have come to the same conclusion: Russia can defeat Ukraine with its “incredible” strength. However, Russia is…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Jimmy Carter Was Our Worst Modern Ex-President. Steven Hayward Explains
While many understand the failures of the late Jimmy Carter’s presidency, he is often referred to as our “best ex-president” because of his humanitarian and…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Who Gets Ukraine’s $26 Trillion In Gas and Minerals? Dany and Marc Discuss
In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Does Trump want Putin to get Ukraine’s $26 trillion in gas and…
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WTH Do Americans Not Trust Experts? AEI President Robert Doar Explains
Americans have lost faith in the expert class, and in some cases, for good reason. So-called “experts” didn’t just destroy livelihoods during the COVID…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH is Going On In Syria? The New Lines Institute’s Hassan Hassan Explains
In roughly ten days, opposition forces in Syria were able to accomplish more than they did in a decade and topple the tyrannical Assad regime. But as the dust…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Biden Pardons Hunter! Professor Jonathan Turley Explains
After repeatedly pledging to the American people that he would not pardon his son Hunter, Joe Biden gave his son one of the most sweeping pardons in…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Martial Law in South Korea? Zack Cooper Explains
Late Tuesday night South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, accusing the opposition party of “legislative dictatorship” and vowing to…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH is Going On With the World’s Looming Depopulation Crisis? Nicholas Eberstadt Explains
For the first time since the Black Death in the 1300s, the world is heading towards an era of depopulation. And for the first time in human history, this era…
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WTH is Trump Trying to Recess Appoint Cabinet Members? John Yoo Explains
Many of President-elect Donald Trump’s announced cabinet nominees are well respected and will likely have an easy path to Senate approval. Others, not so much…
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WTH Should Democrats Learn from Trump's Victory? Ruy Teixeira Explains
President Donald Trump made gains among nearly every single demographic group in his historic victory, particularly with Hispanic and young voters. As the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Trump Wins! Dany and Marc Discuss
For the first time since 1892, a former president has regained the office he lost. President. In a landslide victory, Donald Trump won an extremely diverse…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Does Trump Support Legal Immigration? Ramesh Ponnuru and Michael Strain Debate
President Donald Trump has routinely said he supports immigration, as long as it’s legal, including when Marc interviewed the former president for the…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Israel Strikes Iran! Frederick W. Kagan Explains
On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc speak to Fred Kagan about Israel’s strike against Iran over the weekend, retaliating against Iran’s unprovoked…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: 60 Years Since “A Time for Choosing” and the Future of Reaganism. Peter Schweizer Explains
On October 27, 1964, Ronald Reagan launched his political career with his “Time for Choosing” speech, a moment so famous it simply became known as “The…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Live! The Future Of The Israel-Iran War. Elliott Abrams, David Deptula, and Eyal Hulata Explain
After a year of fighting between Israel, Iranian proxies, and now Iran itself, it’s still unclear how this war will end. Hezbollah and Hamas are militarily…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Live! Are Chinese Companies in the U.S. Trojan Horses for the CCP? Reps. John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi Explain
Chinese companies control 80% of the shipping cranes in U.S. ports. And the People’s Republic of China is now the largest foreign investor in U.S. shale gas…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! One Year Since October 7, It’s Not Just A War On Israel. Dany and Marc Discuss
One year ago today, Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre of Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust. In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH: Gen. Frank McKenzie Explains the Importance of American Strength in the Middle East
General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie was the Commander of United States Central Command when the U.S. took out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and ISIS leader Abu…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Dany Meets The President of Iran! Marc and Dany Discuss
In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s article in the WTH Substack, #WTH Meet the President of Iran. Amid the Israeli campaign against…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH Extra! Trump Disavowed Project 2025. But Harris Still Owns Her Project 2019. Dany and Marc Discuss
In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Trump disavowed Project 2025. But Harris still owns her Project 2019…
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WTH is Going On with Exploding Pagers in Lebanon? Marc Polymeropoulos Explains
With one page, Israel was able to take thousands of Hezbollah operatives off the battlefield. When Hezbollah feared its modern communications network had been…
- What the Hell Is Going On
WTH is Happening With Campus Protests This Fall? FIRE’s Greg Lukianoff on the Threats to Free Speech
Free speech is under attack on America’s college campuses. 2023 was already set to be the worst year for de-platforming – speakers being canceled or shut down…
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WTH is Going On With the Election After the Debate? Josh Kraushaar Explains
More thoughts on that debate, and we cover the fascinating question of the Jewish vote, which traditionally leans heavily Democratic. Following a year of Biden…