A Charlie Rose Global Conversation

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:Bret Stephens is a popular opinion columnist for The New York Times. He has held the position since 2017.He was previously a foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor at The Wall Street Journal. In 2013, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. From 2002–2004, he was editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post in Israel.Stephens holds degrees from the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics.This conversation comes at a critical moment when Iran and America may resume negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, continue the ceasefire, and seek to find an end to the war, which began on February 28, 2026.We will talk of many things, including who is winning the war, the negotiations to end the war, opening the Strait of Hormuz, the price of oil and gasoline, Iran’s nuclear program, and the status of buried enriched uranium.Also President Trump’s war leadership and his conflict with Pope Leo, the war response of the regime in Iran, and the consequences of war.We will conclude with America at its 250th birthday and its relationship with Israel, NATO, European and Gulf allies, and adversaries including Russia and China, whose president—President Xi Jinping—is scheduled to meet with President Trump on May 14–15 in Beijing, China.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:Bret Stephens is a popular opinion columnist for The New York Times. He has held the position since 2017.He was previously a foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor at The Wall Street Journal. In 2013, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. From 2002–2004, he was editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post in Israel.Stephens holds degrees from the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics.This conversation comes at a critical moment when Iran and America may resume negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, continue the ceasefire, and seek to find an end to the war, which began on February 28, 2026.We will talk of many things, including who is winning the war, the negotiations to end the war, opening the Strait of Hormuz, the price of oil and gasoline, Iran’s nuclear program, and the status of buried enriched uranium.Also President Trump’s war leadership and his conflict with Pope Leo, the war response of the regime in Iran, and the consequences of war.We will conclude with America at its 250th birthday and its relationship with Israel, NATO, European and Gulf allies, and adversaries including Russia and China, whose president—President Xi Jinping—is scheduled to meet with President Trump on May 14–15 in Beijing, China.

We live in historic times and stand at three significant milestones. Year two of President Trump’s second term begins on January 20, 2026. One quarter of the 21st century began on January 1, 2026. And on July 4, 2026, America will celebrate its 250th birthday.I am asking, on camera, a series of extraordinary people to help take the temperature of America in 2026. They come from around the world and from every walk of life spanning policy and poetry and many without fame or fortune. The central question is simple: How are we doing?Jon Meacham is a historian, biographer, speechwriter, commentator, teacher, and Pulitzer Prize recipient. He is an advisor and friend to presidents and the biographer of four American presidents Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and George H. W. Bush and is currently writing about Dwight Eisenhower. He has also written about the friendship between Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, as well as several acclaimed books, including The Soul of America, The Battle for Our Better Angels, and His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope.Jon Meacham teaches at Vanderbilt University and appears frequently on Morning Joe on MSNOW.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:David Ignatius join me for a continuation of a conversation that was posted this week but recorded before the U.S. military’s mission to Venezuela to arrest the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro and his wife.It also occurred before a fascinating interview between President Trump and 5 New York Times reporters on Wednesday evening, January 7, 2026

We begin tonight a series of conversations about the United States military’s mission to arrest the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and bring him to the United States for trial on drug charges. Is it part of the controversial new initiative in American foreign policy?We start with Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times. He is one of the world’s most influential foreign affairs columnists and a speaker at conferences around the world. His ideas are read and sought out by influential leaders in capitals everywhere. His subject is global affairs in all its reality—from war and peace to politics, technology, climate, and biology—as well as the strategy and motivation of the leaders whose actions drive the forces that determine the future. He is the recipient of three Pulitzer Prizes and the author of seven books.This is an important moment to consider the consequences of the United States’ action.Throughout the multiple conversations, we will ask many questions about the mission, including why it was undertaken, the role of oil, what happens now, and the impact on China, Russia, Iran, Europe, and other nations in Latin America. Is it the first of other missions regarding the Western Hemisphere, part of a renewal of the Monroe Doctrine?

* This conversation was recorded on Dec 22nd 2025, before the events in Venezuela. We hope to follow up with David Ignatius soon on Venezuela and more.America is at an interesting moment.We are approaching one year into the second Trump administration and are one quarter of the way through the 21st century. On July 4, 2026, we will celebrate our 250th birthday. I am asking a series of extraordinary Americans - many without fame or fortune, and coming from prose and poetry - to help take the temperature of America in 2026.What is the American idea?What do we stand for?What values do we need to remind ourselves of?How is this country doing politically, economically, culturally, and as a force for good around the world?David Ignatius is the internationally admired foreign affairs columnist and associate editor at The Washington Post.He joined the paper in 1986, later served as foreign editor, and has written his twice-weekly column since 1998 - more than 25 years.From 2000 to 2003, he was executive editor of the International Herald Tribune in Paris, while continuing to write his column.Earlier in his career, he was a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, covering the State Department, the Justice Department, the CIA, and the Middle East.He is the author of twelve spy novels, including Agents of Innocence, his first - considered by many who know the agency to be the best description ever written of spycraft and the CIA.Born into a family shaped by public service, educated at Harvard and King’s College, Cambridge, and based in Washington for much of his professional life, he has had a front-row seat to America’s actions in the world.

Freedom was at the heart of America 250 years ago on July 4th, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Freedom of speech was recognized as an American right. It was essential to the responsibility of journalism in America to hold power accountable. How was journalism doing as America celebrates its 250th birthday, enters the second quarter of the 21st century and the second year of the second Donald Trump presidency. Martin "Marty" Barron is America's most celebrated newspaper editor lionized in the Academy Award film spotlight as the executive editor of the Boston Globe, which received a Pulitzer Prize in 2003 for its coverage of the Boston Catholic sexual abuse scandal. In January 2013, he became executive editor of the Washington Post, which was purchased by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos from the legendary Graham family after the death of Katherine Graham. During his editorship, the Washington Post received a number of Pulitzer prizes.Baron retired in early 2021 and wrote his memoir, Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and the Washington Post. He was also executive editor of the Miami Herald and has worked at the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. He has received many journalism honors in addition to the Pulitzer Prizes.

Rob ReinerFrank GehryTom StoppardBill MoyersDiane KeatonJane GoodallRobert RedfordDavid LynchVal KilmerGene HackmanRoberta FlackRichard Chamberlain Terence StampJim LovellGeorge Foreman Charles Rangel Sam MooreJules FeifferBrian WilsonAthol FugardDick CheneyFrederick SmithJames WatsonEdmund White

Fareed Zakaria has spent decades explaining the forces shaping the modern world, and America’s place within it.He is the host of Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN, a weekly international affairs program he has anchored since 2008. He writes a weekly foreign affairs column for The Washington Post. He previously served as Managing Editor of Foreign Affairs and as Editor of Newsweek International.Zakaria is the author of four books: The Future of Freedom (2003), The Post-American World (2008), Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World (2020), and Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present (2024).Born in India, educated at Yale and Harvard, and shaped by the experience of becoming American, he has spent his career thinking about how democracies function, how power is used, and how ideas shape the course of history.

America is at an extraordinary moment in its history.We are one quarter of the way through the 21st century, and in 2026 we will celebrate our 250th birthday.I am asking a series of extraordinary Americans - many without fame or fortune, speaking from lived experience as well as poetry - to take the temperature of America in 2026.What is the American idea?What do we stand for?Which values do we need to remind ourselves of?How is this country doing politically, economically, culturally, and as a force for good in the world?Walter Isaacson has long served as one of America’s great interpreters of ideas, leadership, creativity, and power.He has held senior leadership roles at some of the most influential institutions in American media and civic life, including Editor of TIME, Chairman and CEO of CNN, and President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. He is currently a Professor of History at Tulane University.Isaacson is the author of nine books, including acclaimed biographies of Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, and Elon Musk.His newest book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, steps back from biography to focus on a single line from the Declaration of Independence:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”It is a sentence that has echoed throughout American history—invoked by Lincoln at Gettysburg, challenged by generations who saw its promise unfulfilled, and returned to again and again during moments of national crisis.As America approaches its 250th birthday, Isaacson asks what that sentence still means - and whether it can continue to bind a deeply divided nation.Born in New Orleans, educated at Harvard, and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, Isaacson has spent a lifetime examining how societies innovate, how democracies endure, and how human creativity advances both science and freedom.Walter Isaacson has been - and is - many things:father, husband, teacher, Rhodes Scholar, Harvard graduate, TV commentator, journalist, editor, writer, son of New Orleans, CEO, and yes, biographer - often chosen by the famous when they want their story told.He has been described as a bridge between power and ideas, science and the humanities, the past and the future, and creators and consumers.

America is at an interesting moment. We are one quarter of the way through the 21st century, and in 2026 we will celebrate our 250th birthday. I am asking a series of extraordinary Americans—many without fame or fortune, but rich in experience and poetry—to take the temperature of America in 2026.What is the American idea?What do we stand for?What values do we need to remind ourselves of?How is this country doing politically, economically, culturally, and as a force for good in the world?Bret Stephens has emerged as a translator between the American establishment of both parties and the conservative rank and file, making him a sharp guide to the nation’s path forward. In 2017, he joined The New York Times as an opinion columnist, after a distinguished career at The Wall Street Journal, where he served as deputy editorial page editor from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that, he was a foreign affairs columnist at the Journal and received the Pulitzer Prize in 2013.At just 28 years old, Stephens became editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post, a role he held from 2002 to 2005. Born in New York and raised in Mexico City, he is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics. He has long championed the classical liberal order—free enterprise, free trade, free speech, and the preservation of democratic institutions.In his 2014 book America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder, Stephens warned of the consequences of diminished American leadership. As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, his recent books, columns, and articles reflect a notable evolution in his thinking. He has increasingly analyzed the presidency of Donald Trump not as a historical accident, but as the product of deeper political, economic, and cultural forces.Stephens has argued that part of the Democratic Party’s defeat stemmed from a growing divide between the “economy of words”—lawyers, journalists, and academics—and the “economy of things,” including manufacturers and service workers. He has also become a fierce critic of what he sees as intellectual rot within elite universities, particularly around antisemitism and the erosion of free speech.And perhaps most concerning to many, he now suggests that the United States may be in retreat not only politically, as he argued a decade ago, but more broadly across multiple dimensions of global leadership.

Rob Reiner, who became famous for his acting in All in the Family and was much admired as a director of classic films, was brutally murdered on December 14, 2025, in his Brentwood, Los Angeles, home alongside his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner. He was 78. She was 70.Their deaths are the subject of a homicide investigation. Their son, Nick Reiner, is being held.Rob Reiner, the son of legendary writer-director Carl Reiner, first made it as an actor portraying “Meathead,” the liberal son-in-law, on Norman Lear’s groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family. It earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards and made him a familiar face on American television. The series became a cultural touchstone, sparking discussion around the generational clash of the 1970s.Reiner reinvented himself as a director with an extraordinary streak of films in the late 20th century that have become classics across several genres. He debuted with the rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, followed by the coming-of-age drama Stand by Me, the adventure film The Princess Bride, the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, and the legal thriller A Few Good Men.Reiner’s range made him one of Hollywood’s most versatile and celebrated filmmakers. At the same time, Reiner continued to act in films and on television shows.Reiner’s company, Castle Rock Entertainment, produced a number of popular properties, including Seinfeld and The Shawshank Redemption.In the 21st century, Rob Reiner emerged as a prominent liberal voice and activist, particularly in Democratic politics, gay rights, women’s rights, and children’s issues.

Rob Reiner, who became famous for his acting in All in the Family and was much admired as a director of classic films, was brutally murdered on December 14, 2025, in his Brentwood, Los Angeles, home alongside his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner. He was 78. She was 70.Their deaths are the subject of a homicide investigation. Their son, Nick Reiner, is being held.Rob Reiner, the son of legendary writer-director Carl Reiner, first made it as an actor portraying “Meathead,” the liberal son-in-law, on Norman Lear’s groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family. It earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards and made him a familiar face on American television. The series became a cultural touchstone, sparking discussion around the generational clash of the 1970s.Reiner reinvented himself as a director with an extraordinary streak of films in the late 20th century that have become classics across several genres. He debuted with the rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, followed by the coming-of-age drama Stand by Me, the adventure film The Princess Bride, the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, and the legal thriller A Few Good Men.Reiner’s range made him one of Hollywood’s most versatile and celebrated filmmakers. At the same time, Reiner continued to act in films and on television shows.Reiner’s company, Castle Rock Entertainment, produced a number of popular properties, including Seinfeld and The Shawshank Redemption.In the 21st century, Rob Reiner emerged as a prominent liberal voice and activist, particularly in Democratic politics, gay rights, women’s rights, and children’s issues.

Spike Lee received an honorary Academy award for his “lifetime achievement and significant contribution to cinema recognizing him as a champion of independent film and an inspiration to young filmmakers.”In more than 35 films, he has explored politics, history, sports, music, and culture with a voice that is unique.He rose to prominence in the 1980s as part of the independent film movement, beginning with She’s Gotta Have It and School Daze, and breaking through in 1989 with Do the Right Thing.Among his most notable films are Malcolm X, 25th Hour, Crooklyn, Inside Man, BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods and his latest, Highest 2 Lowest, released in 2025 and starring Denzel Washington with whom he has made more than 5feature films. Spike has also made important documentaries including “4 Little Girls” about the church bombing in Birmingham Alabama and “When the Levees Broke” about the devastation from hurricane Katrina. Spike Lee became famous to millions of Americans because he appeared in commercials he made with Michael Jordan for Nike shoes. He is also a longtime professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he has helped shape a new generation of filmmakers.This is an important moment in American culture. The country is deeply divided, solutions to questions of race continue to be debated, the role of art in public life is being analyzed and cultural institutions are under attack.We will talk of many things—Spike Lee’s early life in Brooklyn, the origins of his voice as a filmmaker, the evolution of independent film, the intersection of politics and storytelling, his collaboraton with Denzel Washingon, his political differences with President Trump and how he thinks about America as It marks it’s 250 Birthday on July 4, 2026. I am pleased to welcome Spike Lee.

Joe Manchin came from immigrant parents and grandparents in in Farmington West Virginia to the Governor’s Mansion in Charleston, and then to the United States Senate in Washington, where he served from 2010 to 2025. Manchin left the Democratic Party in 2024 to register as an independent.During his Senate career, Manchin was known for taking centrist positions and for working with both parties. He often found himself at the center of national attention with huge power as he held the decisive vote especially when President Biden came to the Presidency in 2021. His new book, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense, is part memoir of a political life, a reminder of traditional values, a reflection on how polarization has reshaped Washington, why consensus has grown more difficult, and what it might take to renew trust in American government at a moment when many Americans fear the country is coming apart.This is an important moment for the United States as it approaches its 250th birthday in July. The country is deeply divided, the political center has weakened, and citizens are asking whether our democratic institutions can still meet the challenges ahead in an increasingly competitive world with Chinas.We will talk of many things including Manchin’s roots in West Virginia, the Presidency of Joe Biden and Donald Trump the midterm elections in 2026, the Presidential election in 2028 and what it means to be independent in an age of identity politics and why he still argues for common purpose, common ground, and common sense.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation.Frank Gehry - a great and distinctive architect by any definition - died on December 5, 2025. He was 96.Gehry was perhaps most famous for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the Disney Concert Hall, the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris and his home in Santa Monica, California, connected to chain link fence. He is survived by his wife, Berta, their children and grandchildren, and by unique structures that are truly pieces of art.

Sir Tom Stoppard, the Czech-born British playwright in a nation of brilliant playwrights, made an incredible contribution to the world’s theatre. Stoppard died on November 29 at his home in England. He was 88. Stoppard was taken from then Czechoslovakia in 1939 to Singapore to be with his father a doctor who died during WWII. His mother later married a British journalist, Kenneth Stoppard, and the family moved to England in 1946 Stoppard became a journalist which led him to writing short plays for the stage. His breakthrough play about 2 minor characters from Hamlet was “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”​ It won a Tony award for Best Play and set Stoppard on a brilliant career. Stoppard took on the most complex subjects like math and philosophy and made them theatrical magic. Among his plays were “Jumpers” (1972), about acrobatics and moral philosophy; “Travesties” (1974), on Joyce, Lenin, and modernism; “The Real Thing” (1982), an inquiry into betrayal; and “Arcadia” (1993), on Romanticism, science, and loss.​ Some consider it his masterpieceHe continued into the 21st century with “The Coast of Utopia” (2002) about Russian intelligensia, and “Rock ’n’ Roll” (2006), which linked Cambridge and Prague. In “Leopoldstadt” (2020), he turned to identity with a portrait of Jewish family in Vienna facing war and hadthe author consider his own Jewish history. The writing and conceptual gifts of Stoppard were also expressed in a number of films. He received an Oscar for screenwriting for “Shakespeare in Love” (1998) and continued to make contributions in other film projects.Tom Stoppard was frequently described as the greatestIiving playwright writing in the English language. He wasKnighted in 1997. He legacy of plays is a tribute to his talent, intellect and confidence to make difficult subjects compelling to an audience, all born of the central idea that playwright and audience shared a passionate curiosity.Tom Stoppard is survived by his third wife, Sabrina Guinness and 4 sons.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:Tom Freston is very much admired for his winning personality and unconventional leadership of MTV, the culture defining cable tv channel that merged music and television. He added Comedy Central, South Park and Live Aid to his success. It all led to becoming CEO of Viacom and then being fired within a year by Sumner Redstone. Freston has spent his time since then advising a series of friends and clients including Oprah and Bono. His well-traveled life story is told in a new memoir, “Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu.”It is an interesting moment to look at these foundation blocks as we witness media and technology in transition.We will talk of many things including the ideas and people who were part of the Freston journey traveling the world. We will examine the philosophy that made many friends, and we will hear observations on the new world of streaming, podcasting and artificial intelligence as they change media, entertainment, sports, business, medicine, science and politics.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia - widely known as MBS - came to Washington this week to meet with President Trump and business leaders. It is his first visit to America in eight years and seven years after the murder of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi.The Crown Prince also attended a White House dinner and, the next day, met with business leaders at the Kennedy Center.This visit is an important moment for both the Crown Prince and President Trump, given their significance in the region.We will talk about many things, including:The murder of Jamal Khashoggi and President Trump’s comments about it at a press conferenceThe Saudi–American relationship on defense and nuclear issuesThe Abraham Accords and the pursuit of a two-state solutionThe role of China as a tech leaderAnd the broader strategic landscape across the Middle EastKaren Elliott House has been reporting on Saudi Arabia for decades - as a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, foreign editor of The Wall Street Journal, and author of the 2012 book On Saudi Arabia and her biography published earlier this year, The Man Who Would Be King. She also wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal this week titled “MBS Returns to Washington.”

Jonathan Karl is a reporter’s reporter. He is the Chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and co-anchor of This Week, the ABC News Sunday morning program.His new book on the 2024 campaign is Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America. It is his fourth book on President Trump, the previous three were:Front Row at the Trump Show, Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show, and Tired of Winning: Donald Trump and the End of the Grand Old Party.This is a significant moment as the country experiences a prolonged shutdown, the Supreme Court hears arguments on tariffs, both political parties prepare for the midterm elections, and the nation prepares for the presidential election of 2028.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

James Watson, an American scientist and Nobel laureate who was involved in two of the most important scientific achievements of the 20th century, died on Thursday. He was 97.James Watson and Francis Crick received the Nobel prize in 1962 for the discovery of the structure of DNA, the genetic blueprint for life. It is considered one of the most momentous breakthroughs in the history of science. He wrote one of the most noted memoirs in science called the Double Helix published in 1968. He built on that fame by leading the human genome project.Watson was associated with two famous universities. Cambridge and Harvard and led the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.To appreciate his historic achievements as a scientist you have also take note of his controversial life. He was severely criticized for what he said about the intelligence of black people and his failure to give appropriate credit to women in science, especially Rosalyn Franklin who was part of the team that discovered the double helix. When he repeated assertions on racial differences about intelligence on the PBS show American Masters the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory revoked its relationship with Watson.James Watson made five solo appearances with me. Here are those conversations.

The voters have spoken, and we have the first indication of what they think since the election of 2024 which put Donald Trump back in the White House for a second term.Our focus is what these results say and what are their implications for the future.Joining me is Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who has advised candidates including John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeb Bush and now co-hosts the popular political podcast Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and John Heilemann.It’s an important moment; it’s the first time we’ve heard from voters since Donald Trump returned to the White House.We’ll talk about many things: what mattered most to voters, what these results tell us about Donald Trump and the Democrats, one year since the presidential election - and one year before the midterms.We’ll also look at the candidates, including the governor-elect of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, the governor-elect of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, and the mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.We’ll ask whether there are common themes and narratives and what impact these results may have on the midterms and the shaping of future presidential candidates.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

The voters have spoken, and we have the first indication of what they think since the election of 2024 which put Donald Trump back in the White House for a second term.Our focus is what these results say and what are their implications for the future.Joining me in separate conversations Molly Ball, a political reporter who has written for Politico, The Atlantic, TIME, and most recently The Wall Street Journal.She’s the also author of the 2020 book Pelosi: The Path to Power and is now at work on a new book about the political realignment reshaping the country.The other, Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who has advised candidates including John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeb Bush and now co-hosts the popular political podcast Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and John Heilemann.It’s an important moment; it’s the first time we’ve heard from voters since Donald Trump returned to the White House.We’ll talk about many things:what mattered most to voters,what these results tell us about Donald Trump and the Democrats,one year since the presidential election - and one year before the midterms.We’ll also look at the candidates, including the governor-elect of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger,the governor-elect of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill,and the mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.We’ll ask whether there are common themes and narratives and what impact these results may have on the midterms and the shaping of future presidential candidates.We begin with Molly Ball, who joins me from Virginia, followed by Mike Murphy from California.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Remembering the life of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84. We honor his decades-long struggle with heart disease, and reflect on his significant influence on U.S. foreign policy and national security.

Michael McFaul has spent a lifetime studying Russia and the global contest between great powers.A Rhodes Scholar and Stanford professor, he speaks from the perspective of scholar, diplomat and author.From 2012 to 2014, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Russia under President Obama, after three years on the National Security Council as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs.He writes about this and much more in his new book, Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder.This is a moment in which it is crucial to understand the risks and possibilities of the competition among great powers. We’ll talk about many things - Russia’s war in Ukraine and what it reveals about the limits of Western deterrence, China’s expanding reach across Asia and the global economy, and America’s role in a changing world - including what yesterday’s Trump - Xi in South Korea meeting says about the complex diplomacy now shaping the U.S. - China dynamic.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

John Malone is one of the most important architects and builders of contemporary media.He went from Phi Beta Kappa at Yale to a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins and then jobs at Bell Labs, McKinsey, and Jerrold Electronics before being recruited by Bob Magness to come west to Colorado and grow the cable industry.As CEO of Tele-Communications Inc. and Liberty Media, he played a major role in putting together a series of cable companies and wiring the nation for the internet revolution.He supported Ted Turner at CNN, Rupert Murdoch at Fox, and Barry Diller at IAC. Each has described John Malone as the smartest strategic person they know for his understanding of the impact of technology and finance.He sold TCI to AT&T for $48 billion in 1999.In 2022, he was instrumental in the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, combining a movie studio, HBO, CNN, and cable companies.He also created Liberty Global, a major broadband provider in the world, and acquired Formula One, SiriusXM, Live Nation, and the Atlanta Braves.He tells the story of how he did it and the people who helped in his memoir — Born To Be Wired: Lessons From a Lifetime Transforming Television, Wiring America for the Internet, and Growing Formula One, Discovery, SiriusXM, and the Atlanta Braves. It was written with Mark Robichaux, who wrote his 2002 biography Cable Cowboy.It is a fascinating moment, as the lead story on the front page of The Wall Street Journal today is an announcement by the Board of Warner Bros. Discovery that it is for sale.The announcement follows a bid by Paramount, recently purchased by David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle and the second-richest person in the world.We will talk about many things — especially his memoir, Born To Be Wired — the role he played and the people who helped him, the announcement by Warner Bros. Discovery, the media in transition, the consequence of streaming, the impact of tech companies, the future of artificial intelligence, the news today, and America today as it nears its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.There is no one better to ask about all this than John Malone, the author of Born Wired and the largest stockholder of Warner Bros. Discovery. He is the former Chairman of the Board and now Chairman Emeritus.

Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress whose wit, warmth, and singular style made her one of the most recognizable figures in American film, died on October 11 in California. She was 79.She first came to national attention as Kay Adams in 1972 in The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark portrait of family and power. Five years later she became an icon in Annie Hall, Woody Allen’s modern romantic comedy that seemed to capture an era and, in many ways, her own spirit. She won the Academy Award for that performance.Her characters were eccentric, vulnerable, self-assured, and searching. She brought a rare blend of intelligence and spontaneity to her work in Reds, Marvin’s Room, The First Wives Club, and Something’s Gotta Give.She was also a writer, director, and photographer, a restless creative presence who never stopped reinventing herself. Her influence extended far beyond film: her offbeat sense of fashion, her humor, her voice, all became part of her legend.She adopted two children later in life and spoke often about the joy and grounding they brought her.Diane Keaton joined me several times. She was candid, funny, and unfailingly original, a woman entirely herself on camera and off.For more please visit: www.charlierose.com

Amos Yadlin has spent his life defending the State of Israel - first as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force, then as head of military intelligence, and later as a respected strategic thinker.He was one of eight F-16 pilots who destroyed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981.From 2006 to 2010 he was in charge of intelligence for the IDF.He helped oversee the 2007 Israeli strike that eliminated Syria’s covert nuclear facility, and was head of military intelligence during the cyber operations later revealed as Stuxnet in 2008.He now heads MIND Israel, a national security and strategy think tank.This is a pivotal moment for Israel and the region.A ceasefire is now in effect after two years of war in Gaza. And as we record this conversation, Hamas says it will begin releasing hostages shortly.Israel has completed the first phase of its military withdrawal; and international mediators, led by Washington, Doha, and Egypt, are preparing for a summit in Egypt.We talk about many things -the return of the hostages, the future of the ceasefire and the end of the war as well as what it means for both Israel and Hamas. The future of Israeli security.The weakening of Iran, the damage to Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas, and how to address Israel’s reputation in the world.President Trump is traveling to the summit in Egypt and will address the Israeli Knesset.I am pleased to welcome Amos Yadlin, who joins me from Israel.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

General Stanley McChrystal's story begins as the son of a general and continues through a military career that saw him make important stops as he rose through the ranks - leading a Ranger battalion, serving with the 82nd Airborne, overseeing U.S. counterterrorism operations in Iraq as head of JSOC (the Joint Special Operations Command), and ultimately rising to his final post as commander of all U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan.This is, as you know, an important moment in the United States. The government is on strike, troops are deployed in American cities, there is hope for the release of hostages in Gaza, and Donald Trump may be rethinking Ukraine. I want to talk about big ideas: the U.S. role in the world as America approaches its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026; the changing world order; U.S. competition with China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran; the rise of populism and the challenge to liberal democracy; the internal risks to American institutions from autocracy; active wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan; and the risks posed by a government shutdown, the roundup of immigrants by ICE, and troops patrolling U.S. cities.We'll also look at the lessons of war - from World War II to Korea, Vietnam, the Balkans, the Middle East, and especially Iraq and Afghanistan, where General McChrystal served in command positions. I want to begin with his focus since retiring as a four-star general: teaching leadership at Yale and forming the McChrystal Group to bring lessons from the battlefield to the boardroom, as described in his MasterClass.That brings us to two critical ideas at the center of his message: leadership and character. I want to begin with character - the subject of his 2025 book, UNC Character: Choices That Define a Life.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

David Brooks is one of our most thoughtful and influential writers on American politics and the human aspiration. He is an opinion columnist for The New York Times and a regular commentator on PBS NewsHour, as well as a contributing writer for The Atlantic magazine. Early in his career, he was a reporter and editor at The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek. David Brooks is the author of six books, including Bobos in Paradise, On Paradise Drive, The Social Animal, The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person. He is recognized as a voice who brings moral dimensions to commentary, connecting politics with questions of character and action. As Benjamin Wallace-Wells wrote in The New Yorker, Brooks is “a writer who sees American life as a sea of souls yearning for goodness.” He is also known for the Sydney Awards, his annual selection of the year’s best magazine writing.This is a moment of deep division in American politics and changes in the world order, as well as a time of increasing search for self-awareness by individuals. Donald Trump, in his second term, is testing institutions at home and America’s role abroad. We will begin with these questions: What story defines this moment? What stories has David Brooks pursued? And as the nation approaches its 250th birthday, what is the most important story ahead? We will discuss the news of the day, the future of America, the books and ideas of David Brooks, and what he has learned as a writer, reporter, and man of demanding curiosity.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Jane Goodall, who became a global celebrity for her study of chimpanzees in East Africa, died on October 1ST in Los Angeles. She was 91.In 1957, with no formal academic training, she left secretarial work in England and traveled to Kenya, where she met Louis Leakey, the renowned paleoanthropologist who became her mentor.In 1960, at age 26, she went to the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in what is now Tanzania to study chimpanzees. There she built an extraordinary relationship with wild chimps. She gave them names, observed their personalities, and revealed the complexity of their communities, producing remarkable studies of their family life and environment.Also in 1960, she made a discovery that transformed science. She documented chimpanzees making and using tools to fish termites from mounds, overturning the long-held belief that toolmaking was uniquely human. As she later said, “The longer I was there, the more like us I saw that they were … we’ve been so jolly arrogant to think we’re so special.”In 1965 Cambridge University awarded her a Ph.D. in ethology, even though she had never earned an undergraduate degree.She wrote widely about her work, including her landmark 1971 book: In the Shadow of Man, which brought her Gombe research to a global audience. She also reached millions through National Geographic documentaries and television specials that made her one of the most recognizable scientists of her time.According to the New York Times, the evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould said her work, “represents one of the Western world’s great scientific achievements.”She became an ardent conservationist and advocate for animal welfare, founding the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 and later launching Roots & Shoots, a youth program that continues worldwide today.She was also a pioneer for women in the field. At a time when fieldwork was almost entirely male, she broke barriers, inspired generations.In later years she became one of the world’s leading voices for the environment, traveling constantly to speak about conservation, climate change, and animal welfare.

Sean “P. Diddy” Combs - the well-known music and fashion entrepreneur - faces his sentencing hearing this week. Two member of his defense team, discuss the highly publicized trial of the summer of 2025.Combs’ defense team achieved a significant victory by securing acquittals on the most serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was convicted on two lesser counts of transportation for prostitution under the Mann Act. The trial lasted 43 days, and the jury deliberated for three days. Sentencing is set for October 3.Jonathan Bach is a highly successful trial lawyer who interrogated one of the prosecution’s witnesses during the Combs defense. Alexandra Shapiro - a former Supreme Court clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a former New York prosecutor - is considered one of the most admired and sought-after appellate lawyers in America.Their firm, Shapiro, Arata & Bach, has participated in a number of celebrated cases at both the trial and appellate levels. In full disclosure, they are friends of mine, and Jonathan has represented me in a legal matter.My conversation with Jon and Alexandra is an opportunity to look inside the Combs trial—one of the most publicized cases in recent history. We will also explore fascinating questions about lawyers and the role of trials in American history.Trial lawyers are classic figures in American life, much like the Western cowboy. Throughout U.S. history, they have captured public attention as defenders of both ideas and people. They have been portrayed in movies, on stage, and in iconic films such as To Kill a Mockingbird, and they have played central roles in historic cases like the Scopes “Monkey” Trial and the Nuremberg Trials.Remember historic figures such as John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Clarence Darrow, and Thurgood Marshall—they were all trial lawyers. Consider infamous trials like O.J. Simpson’s, which featured prominent trial lawyer Johnnie Cochran. And remember the many talented women who have argued in courtrooms across America, advancing the cause of equal rights—they, too, were trial lawyers.This is an especially interesting moment to reflect on the Combs trial and the role of trial lawyers as he awaits sentencing.We will discuss many topics, including:What the prosecution charged.How the defense crafted its response—strategically choosing how to make its case without presenting a formal defense.What arguments Combs’ legal team might pursue going forward.For more, please visit www.charlierose.com

The indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night program - which he hosted for more than two decades - reverberated across media, politics, and public conversation.We are at an important moment. The questions go beyond one host or one network. They speak to the balance between government power and individual rights. People on both sides of the political spectrum fear the rise of violence against individuals as a means to stifle speech.We will talk about many aspects of this subject, including the series of events that led to Kimmel’s suspension, the importance and history of the First Amendment, and why these issues are so critical today.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Karen Elliott House knows well the personalities and history of the Middle East conflict from her experiences as a reporter, editor, and author. She received a Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for her reporting on King Hussein of Jordan. She later became foreign editor of The Wall Street Journal and eventually its publisher.She has written two books on Saudi Arabia: the most recent, published in July 2025, The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia; and, thirteen years earlier in 2012, On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines and Future.This is a critical moment to consider the history and future of the region, as the war continues and Israel carries out bombings in retaliation against Hamas.We will talk specifically about the role of Saudi Arabia, its leader, and his actions within the kingdom and the broader region.

Sir Niall Ferguson, born in Glasgow, Scotland, combined his education in history, politics, and economics at Oxford with his passion for debate to become a prominent historian, author, teacher, and documentarian. His works include a two-volume biography of Henry Kissinger, with the first volume published in 2015 and the second scheduled for release in 2027.His ideas and views appear in various media outlets, including the Free Press and Substack, as well as at conferences around the world.

Michael Wolff is a New York writer whose books have been about: media and power, Rupert Murdoch and Fox News and Donald Trump and the Presidency.His most recent is: “All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America”Michael Wolff and James Truman, former Conde Nast Editor,co-hosted a podcast called Fire and Fury.At Jeffrey Epstein’s request, Michael Wolff also recorded many conversations between them for a possible book. Only a small portion of those tapes have been published. Our conversation comes at a moment of controversy involving the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and President Trump, and his administration.My conversation also comes as the Trump administration marks the first six months of its second term.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Gerard Baker is editor at large of the Wall Street Journal and host of WSJ at large on Fox Business. He served as editor-in-chief of the Journal from 2013 to 2018 and now writes the weekly Free Expression column, which explores politics, economics, media, and global affairs.He also held senior roles at the Financial Times and the Times of London and served as a speech writer to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In recent columns, he has warned that America may be witnessing the greatest destruction of its global reputation in history, and that neither political party has reckoned with the discontent, still fueling the populist revolt.We are at an important moment as Donald Trump now looks beyond his first six months and the country confronts questions about America's role in the world, the strength of our institutions, challenges to the press and the political divide that impacts our strength.We'll talk about all of that, including wars that change, world order, cultural forces that change elections and technology that changes the future. For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Douglas Murray is a British journalist, author, and political commentator whose work explores major themes in politics and culture affecting the future of Europe and America.He is an associate editor at the Spectator Magazine, a columnist for The New York Post and a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Douglas Murray has written eight books. He was educated at Eton and Oxford and wrote his first book, "Bosie: A Biography of Lord Alfred Douglas," at age 20.His most recent book On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel and the Future of Civilization was written after months of on the ground reporting in Israel following the October 7th attacks. His other works reflect his interest in the plight of nations include The War on the West: How to Prevail in the Age of Unreason, The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity, The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam. Other titles include Neoconservatism: Why We Need It and Islamophilia: A Very Metropolitan Malady.We are at this moment at an important time as Israeli operations in Gaza continue and the humanitarian crisis remains severe. We will talk about many things including Donald Trump, his 10-year influence on America and global politics, the consequences of war in Gaza and Ukraine, the future of Western liberal values and Murray's self-definition.My interview with Douglas Murray is another global conversation about America from the experience of those in media, politics, technology, entertainment, business, universities, and the law. We will include a variety of voices from the left, right, and center in those conversations.For more please visit: www.charlierose.com

The eyes of the world were on Alaska Friday as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin flew into Anchorage for a three-hour conference about the Ukraine war and then held a press conference without taking any questions.Analysts are trying to decipher the meaning of what was not said and the impact of what was not agreed. An agreement for a ceasefire did not happen. The question remains, do you need a ceasefire to achieve a peace agreement, or do you need a peace agreement to achieve a ceasefire? Angela Stent is a professor, a British born American educated scholar of Russian foreign policy and its relationship to the foreign policy of European countries and the United States. She is Professor Emerita of Government and Foreign Service at Georgetown University. She's also a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Professor Stent is the author of several books, including Putin's World, Russia Against the West, the Limits of Partnership, US Russian Relations in the 21st Century. This is an important moment in the US Russia relationship and the future of the Ukraine War. We will discuss many things including the consequences of the Alaska Summit, the actions of President Trump, the strategy of Vladimir Putin, and the issues at play in a changing world. For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Michael McFaul has gone from Montana to Stanford University,to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar,back to Stanford to teach and write,to government as a national security advisor,and then to Moscow as U.S. Ambassador to Russia under the Obama administration from 2012 -2014.Now, he is back at Stanford to teach, write, and reflect on all things Russia,including the growing questions of democracy versus authoritarianism -the subject of his new book, coming out this fall.This is a significant moment to consider the future of Ukraine,as the war continues following Russia’s February 2022 invasion.Efforts by President Trump to end the war led to meetings first with President Putin in Alaska,and then at the White House with President Zelensky and European leaders.We talk about many things -including what happened at the meetings in Alaska and Washington,and what did not happen.We ask what is necessary to secure Ukraine’s interestsand what it will take to encourage Russia to end the war.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com