PODCAST · education
Heritage Explains
by The Heritage Foundation
A podcast that explains major policy issues at a 101 level. Experts from America's leading public policy organization break down major news stories and policy debates raging in culture and Congress alike.
Episodes
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BONUS | How Can We Succeed Where USAID Failed? | Ben Black
You'd be forgiven if you'd never heard of the US International Development Finance Corporation. Even by Washington standards, DFC sounds like an agency specifically designed to make your eyes glaze over, but push past your initial misapprehension at the label, and DFC is actually one of the most...
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Is France a Warning for the West? | Laura LaCombe
Last week, Heritage Explains spoke with Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, Nile Gardiner, about the riots rocking France. In the few days since our interview, things have gotten way worse. Over the weekend, masked rioters broke into the historic...
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Why is France on Fire? | Nile Gardiner
It’s a day ending in Y in France, which means rioting. Following in the spirit of 1789, the French are burning buildings, fighting the police, and overall behaving very poorly. This time, the revolutionaries are highschoolers joined by Islamo-communists and anarchists waving Palestinian flags…
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Are We Winning the War on Fraud? | Dan Kowalski
Washington has spent decades proving the bigger government gets, the more money it wastes and the less accountable it becomes. The infamous Minnesota “learing centers,” incident showed how craven many fraudsters are when it comes to stealing federal funds, while the downstream benefits of...
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Should We be Friends With China? | Jeff Smith
For the better part of a decade, China has played the role of America’s greatest long-term strategic competitor. American foreign politicos have long advised a pivot to Asia as Washington slaps tariffs on Chinese goods. The CCP has served as America’s bête noire, guilty of repeated intellectual...
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Is AI Going to Wipe Out Humanity? | Jay Richards
I was eight years old when my family got our first home computer. I remember this hulking grey Dell computer taking up massive amounts of space on the desk, and I remember thinking to myself how amazing technology was. The mood around tech is no longer nearly as cheery. Over the past five years,...
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How Do We Fix America's Elections? | Ken Cuccinelli
As stories about non-citizen voting and voter fraud become disturbingly common, Americans are beginning to lack confidence in our elections. The debate over the elections process has taken on a renewed urgency given we are just months away from the 2026 midterms and a few years out from what...
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Can America Keep the Lights On? | Jack Spencer
Energy is the nucleus of everything. The oil that powers our cars, the natural gas heating out homes, and the nuclear keeping the lights on: it’s all tied back to energy policy. Reliable energy is essential to both American prosperity and national security. To help lay out just how essential...
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How do We Make the American Dream Affordable Again? | John Gibbs
A few weeks ago, conservative online discourse was focused on the price of a burrito. Yes, the Vice President of the United States, along with the right’s most celebrated minds, were arguing over whether a burrito should cost $20. Beneath the viral posts was a serious question: why does it feel...
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How Prepared Is America for a More Dangerous World? | Bob Peters
New York Times journalist James Reston once quipped that "This is the devilish thing about foreign affairs: they are foreign and will not always conform to our whim." Never have those words been truer than now. The world is a very dangerous place at the moment. We are still engaged in Iran, with...
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Why Did AOC Freeze Her Eggs? A New Look at Fertility | Marguerite Duane
Fertility is often framed as a women's issue, but do men have any place in the conversation? In this episode of Heritage Explains, Heritage Action's Doug Blair sits down with Dr. Marguerite Duane to discuss the realities of fertility, the factors contributing to declining birth rates, and why men...
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Did Communists Kill Portland, OR? | Mike Gonzales
Portland was once held up as a model of urban America: a walkable, vibrant city known for parks, restaurants, breweries, and a thriving downtown. Today, record office vacancies, rampant homelessness, drug use, and shuttered businesses have turned the City of Roses into a warning for other…
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Re-run | What is the Save America Act? | Chip Wyatt & Dan West
This epsiode originally aired on February 11th, 2026. Enjoy! Washington is abuzz with talk of the SAVE America act, a piece of legislation that is designed to secure American elections and ensure that only American citizens have the right to vote. The proposed law is experiencing a groundswell of...
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BONUS | The Supreme Court’s Biggest Hits | Cully Stimson & Zack Smith
The last Supreme Court term was a very busy and consequential one. With decisions from redistricting to birthright citizenship to boys in girls’ sports, many cases made headlines and there is a lot to talk about. That’s why we decided to bring you a very special bonus episode this week. Heritage...
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What’s in the Biden Tapes? | Mike Howell
For much of the 2024 presidential campaign, Biden supporters as well as legacy media insisted that the president was mentally sharp and fully competent to execute his duties. Most Americans doubted this, and this debate performance confirmed that they were right. In the weeks that followed, Biden...
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Defending American Sovereignty After the Birthright Citizenship Case | Roger Severino
When President Trump took office in January of 2025, he signed 26 executive orders on the first day. In that pile of executive orders was one entitled: Protecting the Meaning and Value of American American Citizenship. In it, the president directed that federal officials were not to issue…
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Using Public Lands for Public Good | Dr. Dawn Buckingham
Who ever heard of a state-based agency that is older than the state itself? The Texas General Land Office was established in 1836 by the Congress of the Republic of Texas, the sovereign country that became the State of Texas ten years later, in 1846. When that transition happened, Texas retained...
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Political Activism at the Smithsonian Institution | Mike Gonzalez
Harriet Tubman’s Shawl and Hymnal. Abraham Lincoln’s Hat. Chuck Berry’s Red Cadillac. These are just a few of the estimated 157 million items currently held by the Smithsonian Institutions. Spread across 21 museums, 21 libraries, 14 education and research centers, a zoo, and various other...
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Will America Get Another 250? | Derrick Morgan
America’s 250th anniversary of independence is being celebrated on the Fourth of July, this very week. And celebrations are taking place across the country. Tractor pulls. Concerts. Competitions. UFC Fights on the white house lawn. But there’s another, slightly quieter, event happening in...
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250 Years of the Greatest Country on Earth | Brenda Hafera
In July of 1777, gunshots rang out over Philadelphia. At first glance, this may not be surprising, as America was still in the throes of the Revolutionary War. But it was not the redcoats who were firing that night. It was Americans, celebrating the very first anniversary of their independence.…
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What is the American Opportunity Agenda? | Dan Kowalski
In 2025, data analytics company Gallup asked 144,000 people in 140 countries a survey question they have been asking for decades: “Ideally, if you had the opportunity, would you like to move permanently to another country, or would you prefer to continue living in this country?” If the respondent...
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Trump, SCOTUS, and the First Step Act | Cully Stimson
In our political climate, it is always nice to have a bit of authentic bipartisanship. The Marshall plan to rebuild Europe following World War 2, the Interstate Highway System under President Eisenhower, and the Apollo Program are all examples of both political parties coming together for a…
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Is There Hope for American Colleges? | Jonathan Butcher
Graduation season is once more upon us. The long school year has come to a close, and now, in caps and gowns, the nation’s graduates gather to receive their various certifications, diplomas, and degrees, and listen to wisdom from a speaker. However, many college graduations are not the same...
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Lessons from Virginia | Nick Freitas
Along with Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Massachusetts, Virginia describes itself as a commonwealth. In reality, a commonwealth is no different from a state. But in the English of colonial times, “commonwealth” denoted something along the lines of “a state for the common good”, and had a more...
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Modernization, Security, and Election Integrity | Don Palmer
The tiny town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire is located just 20 miles south of the Canadian boarder. Home to an idyllic hotel known for its skiing and golfing, the town itself had a population of four. At the time of the 2020 census. But if you happen to be one of those residents, your election...
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What Will Come from the Trump-Xi Meeting? | Andrew Harding
During the Second World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, joined by Winston Churchill, sat down with Chinese nationalist leader Chiang Kai-Shek. The purpose of the meeting, now known as the Cairo Conference, was to strategize against the Empire of Japan and make preparations for a post-war...
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Is the Callais Decision the New Jim Crow? | Zack Smith
Jim Crow laws are the blanket name given to the the state and local laws that pervaded the American South from the 19th century all the way to the 1960s, which were meant to enforce racial segregation. They limited the public services and facilities available to Black Americans. They included…
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Why is the FBI Going After the SPLC? | Tyler O’Neil
The Southern Poverty Law Center, founded in 1971, has its roots in the Civil Rights movement. But there’s reason to believe that this American institution, like so many others, has drifted from its original mission. Here to talk about that is our resident SPLC expert here at the Heritage...
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Getting More out of Budget Reconciliation | Dan Kowalski
The US House and Senate are storied institutions and packed with traditions and procedures like these. Some, like the fabled “candy desk”, are whimsical artifacts of history. Others are more central to the way that government works, and one such is the Budget Reconciliation process. This is a...
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Unbreaking the News at The Daily Signal | Rob Bluey
The American press has had high moments and low moments over the years, and it’s safe to say that we’re in a low one. After decades of dishonest reporting and blatant bias, trust in media has cratered. According to a 2025 Gallup poll, the number of Americans who report that they have a “great…
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Girlboss or Tradwife? | Emma Waters
In some online subcultures, Women have been drawn into a debate between two competing archetypes: the girlboss and the tradwife. The girlboss is an ambitious woman who confidently takes on the business world, which is often dominated by men. The tradwife is a woman who subverts modern…
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What is the Golden Fleet? | Brent Sadler
Over the last few decades, serious concerns have arisen about the fitness of our Navy to counter America’s enemies, most importantly China. This has led the Trump Administration to announce a vision for a "Golden Fleet". Here to talk about that is Brent Sadler, former Naval Officer and a Senior...
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What is the Trump Admin Changing About Student Loans? | Jonathan Butcher
Last week, the Trump administration announced major changes to the way that student loan debt will be managed, specifically moving that management from the Department of Education to the Department of the Treasury. I sat down with Jonathan Butcher, Senior Research Fellow in the Center for…
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Why is the Senate Blocking DHS Funding? | Lora Ries
The refusal of Democrat leaders in the senate to pass funding for the Department of HOmeland Security has had ramifications across the country. It has affected employees of FEMA, the Coast Guard, the TSA, and many other agencies. To explain why this happening and what to expect in the coming...
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Honoring Women Well | Marguerite Bowling & Emma Waters
This week, on March 8, people around the world celebrated International Women’s Day. Too often, we’ve been conditioned to see the complementary of the sexes more as a conflict, and that has ramifications for all of society. At the Heritage Foundation, we believe that there is a better way, where...
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What Should We Expect in Iran? | Victoria Coates
On Saturday, after a third round of failed negotiation with the aspiring nuclear state of Iran, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation called Epic Fury. Those strikes were successful in eliminating the majority of Iranian Senior leadership, including Iran’s Supreme…
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What Were the Key Moments of Trump’s State of the Union? | Dan West
The State of the Union Address is one of the most anticipated political events of the year. Of course, it’s surrounded by tradition and ceremony. All three branches of the federal government gather in the House Chamber, the galleries pack with guests from every walk of life, the pundits gather...
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How Can Conservatives Make Business Better? | Allen Mendenhall
Business is not just about making money. It’s about making opportunity. Supporting families. Making culture. That’s why the Heritage Foundation is standing up the Free Enterprise Initiative, to support merit and integrity in business. To Explain what the Free Enterprise Initiative is up to these...
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What is the Save America Act? | Chip Wyatt & Dan West
Washington is abuzz with talk of the SAVE America act, a piece of legislation that is designed to secure American elections and ensure that only American citizens have the right to vote. The proposed law is experiencing a groundswell of popular support, but also opposition. To understand what…
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How is the Economy Doing, Really? | EJ Antoni
The ways that human beings exchange value are complicated and often involve tradeoffs. Things you think were a great idea often come with hidden costs. And so it is with federal financial policy. Everything the government does has consequences downstream. I sat down with Heritage chief Economist…
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Why Does Minnesota’s Government Allow Rioting? | Lora Ries
This audio comes from Minneapolis Minnesota earlier this week, as Anti-ICE protestors mobbed a hotel where they believed ICE agents were staying. Two federal agents were left trying to defend the building and staff as protestors smashed windows and attempted to enter. Normally, local law...
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What is Happening in Minneapolis? | Mike Gonzalez
On Sunday morning, a group of anti-ICE protestors stormed Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota during services, reportedly because the pastor of the church appears to also be an ICE official. This is the latest escalation in an ongoing confrontation taking place in Minneapolis between…
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What Will Save the American Family? | Roger Severino
We are surrounded by endless choices for engagement and entertainment, but feel more isolated than ever. And nowhere is that more keenly felt than in the family. What should be the central node of human society, for many, has become distant. Fathers are absent. Children feel disconnected.…
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What Happens to Venezuela After Maduro? | Mike Gonzalez
On January 3, US operatives arrested Venezuelan Nicolas Maduro. Maduro’s arrest is an event that has people talking, not just about the capture of one narcoterrorist, but about a fundamental shift in the way that the US goes about foreign policy. Here to talk us through that shift is Mike…
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What is Coming for Heritage in 2026? | Dr. Kevin Roberts
As the days get shorter and shorter, and the focus turns from work to home, we enter that end-of-year frame of mind. It’s the natural time to look back on the lessons of 2025 and to look forward to 2026 and beyond. Americans intuit that this season of self-reflection is an important one to keep...
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Why Should Congress Dump Earmarks in 2026? | Chip Wyatt
In the 20th century, the traditional agriculture term “earmarking” gained traction in US politics, becoming slang for the mechanism of including smaller, regionally targeted spending for particular constituencies in larger spending bills. This was often done to appease a particular group or to...
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Will the Supreme Court Reform Birthright Citizenship? | Hans von Spakovsky
Family life does not stop, especially at this time of year. The Supreme Court of the United States has also been busy. Over the last week or so, the court has taken up or listened to arguments in three potentially landmark cases. All three have to do with the Trump administration’s goals for the...
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How Do We Up Our Deportation Game? | Lora Ries
This week, the people of Webster Springs, West VirginiaZXZ mourn one of their own: National Guard Member Sarah Beckstrom. The 20-year old service member had volunteered to remain in Washington, DC, as part of President Trump’s crackdown on crime in the district, when she was shot on Thursday by…
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Why Do Historic Sites Matter? | Brenda Hafera
As we enter this Thanksgiving week on the eve of our nation’s 250th anniversary, it is critical to understand places of historical significance in our country. Here to explain a bit about what Heritage is doing in that regard is Brenda Hafera, Assistant Director of the Simon Center for American...
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What’s The Problem with H1-B Visas? | Simon Hankinson
Immigration is a key part of the American story. Many, many people have come to the United States committed to loving and serving their new country. But nations have to exercise caution and prudence with the way that they conduct immigration. Bad policy and abuses of the system can lead to all...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast that explains major policy issues at a 101 level. Experts from America's leading public policy organization break down major news stories and policy debates raging in culture and Congress alike.
HOSTED BY
The Heritage Foundation
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Heritage Explains currently has 482 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
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A podcast that explains major policy issues at a 101 level. Experts from America's leading public policy organization break down major news stories and policy debates raging in culture and Congress alike.
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Heritage Explains publishes regularly with 482 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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