Heritage Explains

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 like the American Dream keeps getting more expensive? Me and my wife certainly feel the squeeze on the cost of groceries, housing, and everyday necessities.We own a house, but homeownership is increasingly out of reach for young Americans. The problem has become existential, and Congress is once again debating how to tackle affordability.To figure out what to do about this deeply pressing issue, I spoke with John Gibbs, Director of the Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation. We chatted about what’s really driving America's affordability crisis, how we get more American families in homes, and what policymakers can do to make it happen.

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 little sign of things improving. China looms large in Asia, though we have abruptly stopped engaging with regional ally South Korea on military drills. The Ukraine/Russia war continues to rage, all while America’s defensive capabilities are under increased scrutiny.It’s a lot to take in, but we think we have just the guy to break it down. Bob Peters is the Director for the Heritage Foundation’s Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for National Security. He’s here to walk us through the dire threats facing the nation from abroad.

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 play a much bigger role in the fertility conversation than many realize.The pair also discuss Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's recent revelation that she is planning on freezing her eggs and the truth behind IVF, egg freezing, and all forms of fertility technology.Check out FACTS About Fertility here: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/Follow FACTS About Fertility on X: https://x.com/FACTS_Fertility

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 American cities.So what happened?On this episode of Heritage Explains, we’re joined by Heritage Senior Fellow Mike Gonzalez, author of Next Gen Marxism, to examine the ideological forces reshaping Portland and cities like it.We discuss how political activism can displace basic governance, why failing local leaders so often escape accountability, how modern Marxism differs from its predecessors, whether the Left is really moving away from “woke” politics, and why schools, museums, universities, and other civic institutions have become central battlegrounds in America’s political divide.Can cities like Portland pull themselves back from the brink, or is their decline a preview of what’s coming elsewhere?Follow Mike on X: https://x.com/GundisalvusGet the book here: https://www.amazon.com/NextGen-Marxism-What-How-Combat/dp/1641773537

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 popular support, but also opposition. To understand what makes this law consequential, I sat down with Chip Wyatt and Dan West, both ofHeritage Action for America. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- More from Heritage Action for America: https://heritageaction.com/ Chip Wyatt on X: https://x.com/ChipTWyatt Dan West on X: https://x.com/Dan_J_West 

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 Action’s Doug Blair sat down with Heritage legal fellows Cully Stimson and Zack Smith to break down the cases and highlight the big takeaways.  --- Follow Cully Stimson on X: https://x.com/cullystimson?lang=en Follow Zack Smith on X: https://x.com/tzsmith --- Email us at [email protected] 

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 stepped down from the race, replaced by Vice Presidenet Kamala Harris. But the situation left Americans wondering, if President Biden wasn’t running the White House for much of his presidency, who was? And to whom were they accountable? Fortunately, Mike Howell and his colleagues at the Oversight Project are asking these questions. And getting some answers. They were instrumental to the release of previously sealed materials referred to as the Biden Tapes. I sat down with Mike to understand what was in them and why it matters. --- Follow Mike on X: https://x.com/MHowellTweets?lang=en Follow The Oversight Project on X: https://x.com/itsyourgov --- Email us at [email protected] 

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 documents recognizing United States citizenship to anyone who is born in the country to illegal immigrants or legal migrants here in a temporary capacity. This practice, known as birthright citizenship, has gathered a lot of attention over the last few years for the immigration chaos it has created. Last month, the Supreme Court, in Trump v. Barbara, decided that the executive order was unconstitutional. Now, conservatives are looking for ways to preserve American sovereignty. Here to discuss some ideas for how to make that happen is Roger Severino, Vice President of Economics and Public Policy, here at the Heritage Foundation. --- Roger Severino on X: https://x.com/RogerSeverino_--- Email us at [email protected] 

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 control of all of its public lands.  That made the General Land Office’s role even more important, and it remains to this day as custodian of things like mineral rights, surveying and maps, disaster relief, immigration enforcement, and a whole host of other missions. Dr. Dawn Buckingham is the elected Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, and has held that office since 2023. She joins Heritage Explains today to talk about her role and the uniquely American way her office is using public lands for public good.  --- The Texas General Land Office: https://www.glo.texas.gov/ Dr. Dawn Buckingham on X: https://x.com/DrBuckinghamTX?lang=en --- Email us at [email protected] 

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 facilities, the Smithsonian was created by the federal government in 1846, and named after its founding donor british scientist James Smithson. In Smithson’s bequest, he willed the money “to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian institution, an establishment for the increase & diffusion of Knowledge among men”.  Today, about two thirds of the  Smithsonian Institution’s $1.25 billion annual budget comes from taxpayers. And those taxpayers are asking some significant questions about the way that the Smithsonian is spending their money. A recent report from the Trump Administration highlights, in particular, abuses at the National Museum of American History, where American history seems to have taken a backseat to political activism. I sat down with Heritage Senior Fellow Mike Gonzalez to understand what’s going on. --- Next-Gen Marxism by Mike Gonzalez & Katie Gorka: https://www.amazon.com/NextGen-Marxism-What-How-Combat/dp/1641773537  White House Report: Saving America’s Story: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Smithsonian-Report-Saving-Americas-Story.pdf Email us at [email protected] 

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 Philadelphia this year for America250: the burying of a time capsule.  America’s Time Capsule, as it’s called, has been sealed and will be buried in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia on the Fourth of July. The hermetically sealed cylinder will be not be opened until July 4, 2276. It will contain memorabilia from the three branches of the federal government, partner organizations, and all fifty states. Amid the challenge coins, letters, pictures, and postcards, a few unique items stand out. A pocket constitution signed by 11 past and present Supreme Court Justices. An Olympic Gold Medal. A piece of fabric from the original 1903 Wright Flyer.  For me, there’s a kind of temporal vertigo I feel when thinking about these things lying in wait until 2276. It seems like an amazingly long time, and makes me grateful that our republic has existed for such a period already. Who knows what kind of world these items may enter 250 years from now. And it falls to us to do all we can to ensure that that future is a bright one.  That question is one I posed to Derrick Morgan, Executive Vice President here at the Heritage Foundation.  ---Follow our policy work: https://www.heritage.org --- Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]  

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. The edition of the Philadelphia Evening Post, published on July 15 1777 described the celebration thus:  Yesterday the 4th of July, being the anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America, was celebrated in this city with demonstrations of joy and festivity. About noon all the armed ships and gallies in the river were drawn up before the city, dressed in the gayest manner, with the colors of the United States and streamers displayed. At one o’clock, the yards being properly manned, they began the celebration of the day by a discharge of thirteen cannon from each of the ships, and one from each of the thirteen gallies, in honor of the Thirteen United States … The evening was closed with the ringing of bells, and at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated. Next month, our nation will celebrate the 250th anniversary of Independence. While our struggles have changed, our civic and spiritual heritage has not. I invited Brenda Hafera, the Assistant Director for the Simon Center for American Studies, to share some thoughts about Independence Day and what we are doing this Fourth of July to keep the American dream alive.    Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   Heritage Guide to Historic Sites: https://historicsites.heritage.org/ American Founders: https://www.heritage.org/american-founders More by Brenda Hafera: https://www.heritage.org/staff/brenda-hafera  

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 says they would like to move, they are then asked which country they would like to move to.  In 2025, the answer to this question was the same as it has always been. Among those who wish to move, the number one response by a wide margin is the United States of America. If you listen to the mainstream American media, you may be surprised. But our brethren overseas understand that more than any country in the world, America offers opportunity, the ability for anyone to take their shot.  At a time when many Americans are concerned about the state of the economy, we know we need to stay focused on preserving that opportunity for future generations. How do we do that? Enter the American Opportunity Agenda. I sat down with Dan Kowalski, Director of the Grover M Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, to understand exactly what that is.    Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   Setting the American Opportunity Agenda Report: https://www.heritage.org/budget-and-spending/report/setting-the-american-opportunity-agenda More by Dan Kowalski: https://www.heritage.org/staff/daniel-kowalski 

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 common goal.  The first Trump Administration saw another of these moments in the passage of the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act  or First Step Act in 2018. The bill was designed to reform federal prison policy and reduce the rates of recidivism, meaning criminals returning to incarceration. It had supporters from all over the political spectrum, and in its seven years of life, has indeed lowered recidivism, extended credits to prisoners for good behavior, and allowed some elderly or sick prisoners to return home.  Last week, the Supreme Court handed down decisions on three decisions having to do with criminal justice, two of them having to do with the First Step Act. Here to explain, and to talk about what he’s watching for from the land’s highest court this term, is Cully Stimson, Senior Legal Fellow here at the Heritage Foundation.     --- Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   ---Follow Cully Stimson on X: https://x.com/cullystimson 

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 tranquil affairs they used to be. FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, reports that attempts by students to disinvite commencement speakers over political beliefs have increased sharply over the last decade or so. To name one example, students at Morehouse School of Medicine are attempting to block the commencement speech of alumnus Congressman Rich McCormick, over his stances against DEI, abortion, and transgender surgeries among other views. Some schools, such as New York University, have switched to recorded remarks by students in lieu of an in-person speaker.  At this point, the level of intolerance and intellectual coddling taking place at American universities is not a new story. It’s bad, but is there a way back? This week, the Heritage Foundation is releasing a new book: Higher Education in America: It’s Worse than you Think. I sat down with Jonathan Butcher, Acting Director of Heritage’s Center for Education Policy and one of the book’s authors, to ask whether he believes there is hope for the American university.  --- Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]  ---Jonathan Butcher on X: https://x.com/JM_Butcher?lang=enHigher Education in America: It's Worse Than You Think: https://a.co/d/0aMuIWzN

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 revolutionary connotation. The state was for the people, not the people for the state. In some ways, this has been carried through to the present day. In other ways, it has not.  This week, my colleague here at Heritage Christian Lasval, had the privilage of sitting down with former Virginia legislator Nick Freitas to talk about Virginia, his experience in our current political discourse, and what we can learn from The Mother of States.  ---Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected] ---Follow Nick Freitas on X: https://x.com/NickJFreitas 

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 day experience is a bit different from most. At the stroke of midnight, you enter the polling place, set up in one of the rooms of hotel. New Hampshire law states that polls can close if all registered voter have cast ballots. And so, a few minutes later, once all have voted, the polls close. This tradition of Midnight Voting, in place since the 1960s, makes Dixville Notch the first polling place to report results in the New Hampshire primary.  Midnight voting first came into existence to accommodate the schedule of railway workers, who were often unavailable to vote during normal hours. It’s an example of local officials ensuring that the vote is both fair and accessible for voters. Election Integrity is a high priority here at Heritage, and we have been very excited to welcome Election integrity expert Don Palmer to the team. I sat down with Don to talk about his thoughts leading into 2026, 2028, and beyond.  ---Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]  --- Follow Don Palmer on X: https://x.com/VotingGuy 

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 Asia.  Nearly 30 years later, President Richard Nixon, seeing an opportunity to widen the distance between China (now Communist) and the Soviet Union, paid a visit to China to meet Mao Zedong, the chair of the Communist Party. This opened diplomatic relations between the countries.  Since then, presidents have held meetings with Chinese leaders with some regularity. And President Trump is no exception. This week, he will be meeting with Xi Jinping, the President of the People’s Republic of China. From AI to Iran, there is a lot on the table. To understand what to expect from this meeting, I sat down with Andrew Harding, Policy Analyst for National Securityand Indo-Pacific Affairs at The Heritage Foundation.    Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   More on China from Heritage Experts: https://www.heritage.org/china 

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 poll taxes, literacy tests, and other measures designed to limit the ability of Black Americans to exercise their right to vote. Jim Crow laws went the way of the dodo back in 1965, with the passage of the Voting Rights Act.  Now, over eighty years later, the Supreme Court has passed down the Callais vs Louisiana ruling. The case deals with the courts interpretation of this law, and some are declaring this decision nothing less than the resurrection of Jim Crow.  But is that the case? To find out, I sat down with Zack Smith, Senior Legal Fellow here at the Heritage Foundation.   Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   Zack Smith on X: https://x.com/tzsmith 

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 Foundation, Daily Signal Senior Editor, Tyler ONeil.   Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   Tyler O’Neil on the Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/author/tyler-oneil/ Tyler’s Book on the SPLC: https://amzn.to/3Kmvi0u 

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 unique mechanism for passing budget and finance related legislation in the House and Senate. In the wake of Democrats refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, reconciliation is back in the news. Here to talk about why and what we’d like to see happen is Dan Kowalski, Director of the Grover M Hermann Center for the Federal Budget here at the Heritage Foundation.    Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   Rob Bluey on X: https://x.com/RobertBluey The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/ 

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 deal or fair” amount of trust that mass media reports the news “fully, fairly, and accurately has fallen to 28%. Among Republicans, it’s fallen to 8%.  But the worse the situation gets, the more important it is for good journalists (and yes there are good journalists) to fill the void. And nowhere is that more important than at the Daily Signal, a national news organization that has its roots here at the Heritage Foundation. They’ve been at the forefront of a lot of big stories over the last few years, and are announcing some new exciting developments. To understand it all, I sat down with Rob Bluey, Editor in Chief, at the Daily Signal.   Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   Rob Bluey on X: https://x.com/RobertBluey The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/ 

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 expectations by taking on traditional gender roles, prioritizing homemaking and the raising of children. But Heritage Senior Policy Analyst Emma Waters characterizes herself as neither of these. In her new book, Lead Like Jael, she suggests that neiterh side of the debate serves women’s interests, and instead plots a third path. I sat down with Emma to talk about it.   Email us with thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]   Emma Waters at Heritage: https://www.heritage.org/staff/emma-waters Emma’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Like-Jael-Timeless-Principles/dp/1510783539 

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 Research Fellow here at Heritage.  ---Have thoughts, questions, or suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. ---Follow Brent on X: https://x.com/brentdsadler"To Build the Golden Fleet" report at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/defense/report/build-the-golden-fleet

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 Education Policy here at the Heritage Foundation, to talk about why this is a huge step in the movement to return education to local control. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- Jonathan Butcher on X: https://x.com/JM_Butcher 

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 weeeks, I sat down with Lora Ries, Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center, here at the Heritage Foundation. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/lora_ries 

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 the contributions and uniqueness of men and women are recognized and honored. This week, I wanted to introduce you to one of our most experienced team members, Marguerite Bowling, a Senior Communications Manager here at the Heritage Foundation, who is herself a mother of three, including one daughter. We also recognize the work of Emma Waters, Policy Analyst in the Center for Technology and the Human Person.  --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- Emma Waters on X: https://x.com/emlwaters 

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 Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. War is never a decision to be taken lightly, as lives and nations hang in the balance. I sat down with Victoria Coates, Vice President of the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy here at Heritage, to talk about what has led up to this conflict in Iran and what she hopes to see going forward. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- More on Defense from Heritage: https://www.heritage.org/defense Victoria Coates on X: https://x.com/VictoriaCoates 

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 their audiences, and the cameras all focus on one carefully crafted message from the leader of the free world.  But it’s not just custom or tradition that gives rise to this historic event every year. It actually goes all the way back to the American founding, to the Constitution itself. Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the constitution reads as follows:  The President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” George Washington, then, was the first to give an address to congress. His eventual successor, Thomas Jefferson, submitted his remarks in writing, which set a precendent of written States of the Union. Over a century later, in 1913, Woodrow Wilson restored the practice of giving the speech in person. And that custom has stood to this day.  Last night, we heard President Donald Trump give the first State of the Union address of his second term. The speech covered many of his accomplishments over the first year of this administration. Here to walk us through it is Dan West, Government Relations Director at Heritage Action for America.  --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- More from Heritage Action for America: https://heritageaction.com/ Dan West on X: https://x.com/Dan_J_West 

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 days, I sat down with the Senior Advisor to the project, Allen Mendenhall. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- The Free Enterprise Initiative at Heritage: https://www.heritage.org/free-enterprise-initiative Allen Mendenhall on X: https://x.com/allenmendenhall 

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 makes this law consequential, I sat down with Chip Wyatt and Dan West, both ofHeritage Action for America. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- More from Heritage Action for America: https://heritageaction.com/ Chip Wyatt on X: https://x.com/ChipTWyatt Dan West on X: https://x.com/Dan_J_West 

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 EJ Antoni to discuss his outlook on the first year of economic policy from the Trump Administration. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- More by EJ at The Heritage Foundation: https://www.heritage.org/staff/ej-antoni-phd Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/realEJAntoni 

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 enforcement would be present to defuse a situation like this, but Minneapolis police were nowhere to be found.  Local authorities in Minneapolis, headed by Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, seem in no hurry to turn down the rioting in their streets. In the wake of two tragic deaths of protestors impeding federal investigations, unrest has only ramped up.  Here to talk about why is Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center here at the Heritage Foundation. --- Thoughts? Questions? Email us at: [email protected].  --- Work on Immigration by The Heritage Foundation: https://www.heritage.org/border-security Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/lora_ries 

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 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (also known as ICE) carrying out their duties and protestors (often encouraged by media and politicians) who are determined to obstruct them.  To understand some of the dynamic that is going on in Minneapolis, I sat down with Mike Gonzalez, a Senior Fellow here at the Heritage Foundation.  ---Email us with any thoughts, questions, or suggestions: [email protected]. ---Mike's work at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/mike-gonzalezMike's book "NextGen Marxism": https://www.amazon.com/NextGen-Marxism-What-How-Combat/dp/1641773537

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. Fertility has fallen. Government programs have replaced providers. Mass media has replaced human connection.  One thing we should all be able to agree on. It’s time to stop scrolling and look up. It’s time for a renaissance in the family. Roger Severino and his colleagues here at the Heritage Foundation want to do just that. I sat down with Roger to discuss the new special report, released by Heritage this week: Saving America by Saving the Family: A Foundation for the Next 250 years. ---Email us at [email protected]. ---More about the family: Heritage.org/familyHeritage Family Paper: Saving America by Saving the Family: https://www.heritage.org/family/saving-america-by-saving-the-family

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 Gonzalez, a Senior Fellow for the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, here at the Heritage Foundation.  ---Have questions, suggestions, or comments? Email us at [email protected] Mike Gonzalez on X: https://x.com/GundisalvusMore of Mike's work: https://www.heritage.org/staff/mike-gonzalez

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 alive. And we at the Heritage Foundation agree. That’s why this week on Heritage Explains, I sat down with our President, Dr. Kevin Roberts, to talk about what we’ve learned from 2025 and what to look forward to in the new year. —The Kevin Roberts Show: https://www.heritage.org/the-kevin-roberts-show—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

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 provide leverage to get an individual legislator on board with a bill. But do they really serve the American public? At Heritage, we don’t think so. I sat down with Chip Wyatt, Government Relations Director at Heritage Action for America, to learn why. —Check out Heritage Action: heritageaction.com—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

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 executive branch. Heritage Senior Legal Fellow, and frequent guest on this our show, Hans von Spakovsky was kind enough to take a break from his own busy holiday season, to stop by and break down these three cases for us. 

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 an Afghan national. Once again, the national issue of immigration has found its ways to the small towns of our nation. Lora Ries, Director of the Center for Border Security and Immigration, joined Heritage Explains to talk about what this tragedy means and how the conversation has changed around immigration. —Follow Lora on X: https://x.com/lora_riesMike Howell’s Paper: https://www.heritage.org/border-security/report/significant-policy-changes-needed-meet-mass-deportation-goals—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

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 Studies, here at the Heritage Foundation. —The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites: https://historicsites.heritage.org/—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]__Take care and Happy Thanksgiving!

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 kinds of problems, as we know well here in the United States. The Second Trump Administration has gone a long way toward improving immigration policy, and one of the areas now being discussed is that of H1B visas. These are visas intended to be issued to skilled workers, but there are serious concerns about the number of visas being issued and the ways that they affect American citizens. To understand this issue, I sat down with Simon Hankinson, Senior Research Fellow in the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation.—Follow Simon Hankinson at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/simon-hankinsonSimon’s Book, The Ten Woke Commandments You Must Not Obey: https://thetenwokecommandments.com/—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

This week, we honor veterans of long ago, as well as those who still live and walk among us. Their sacrifice has helped to secure the freedoms that we enjoy today. One of the key features of American democracy is civilian control of the military. We, the people, elect the Congress which controls the military’s budget, conducts oversight, and declares war, as well as the the president, who serves as the military’s Commander in Chief. President Donald Trump, in his second term in office, has signaled a return to the military’s core mission. Here to talk about what that return looks like is Wilson Beaver, an Army Veteran and Senior Policy Advisor, here at the Heritage Foundation.—Follow Wilson Beaver on X: https://x.com/WilsonCBeaverMore about Heritage: www.heritage.org—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

What Is Arctic Frost? | Mike Howell Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) revealed last week that ‘Arctic Frost’—the FBI's election-related investigation into President Donald Trump, launched in 2022 by the Biden administration—issued 197 subpoenas for 430 conservatives, including the late Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA, Ed Martin, Dan Scavino, and Ed Corrigan.This investigation was used as a method to spy on the conservative movement as a whole. Mike Howell, President of the Oversight Project, joins the show to talk about why Arctic Frost demands accountability. —Follow Mike on X: https://x.com/MHowellTweetsSwamp Justice Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yVpKjwTCfuxwTGePiFM3hMore about Heritage: www.heritage.org–Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

The Affordable Care Act was signed in 2010, with President Barack Obama promising that “If you like your insurance plan, you can keep it.” Fifteen years later, we are all painfully aware that Obama’s promise was not a sincere one. The ACA’s mess of government subsidies and astronomical payouts have made the American healthcare system considerably more expensive than it needed to be. And now the Government shutdown is forcing Americans to consider the ACA in a whole new light, with COVID subsidies ending on November 1. Here to talk about what this may mean is Nina Schaefer, Senior Research Fellow here at the Heritage foundation. __More about Heritage: www.heritage.org—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a federal law designed to end these practices, and ensure that all Americans could exercise the right to vote. It is a law that has had massive impact and been used to reshape America politically, in ways both bad and good. Now, the Supreme Court is hearing a case called Louisiana vs. Callais, which is calling into question how part of the Voting Rights Act is being interpreted. Here to talk about what makes this case so important is Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow, here at the Heritage Foundation. —More about Heritage: www.heritage.orgThe Election Integrity Scorecard: https://www.heritage.org/electionscorecard/Follow Hans on X: https://x.com/HvonSpakovsky—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

On Monday, the 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were returned to their families. What brought this deal about and what might we expect to see happen in the future? To answer some of those questions, I sat down with Daniel Flesch, Senior Policy Analyst for Middle East and North Africa, here at the Heritage Foundation.

There are certain things we take for granted in life. When we flick the switch, the light comes on. When we turn the tap, water comes out. When we take the garbage bin down to the curb on Thursdays, it is empty by Friday afternoon. But then a storm blows through. A pipe bursts. Heavy snowfall closes the roads. And suddenly those amenities which we took for granted are no longer there. It’s a discomforting and unsettling feeling. And one we’re experiencing at a national level right now, as we’ve now passed a week since the shutdown of the federal government began. Just like a burst pipe or a downed electrical line, something has gone wrong in our politics, and now we’re feeling the effects. Some government workers have been sent home. Some services are unavailable. Here to talk about what caused the shutdown, what it means, and what to expect fo the future is Chip Wyatt, Government Relations Director here at Heritage Action for America.  —Heritage Action for America: https://heritageaction.com/Follow Chip Wyatt on X: https://x.com/ChipTWyatt—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

The Chinese-owned social media app TikTok collects your most sensitive information. And worse, it uses it in pretty sinister ways. It encourages self-harm and depression among youth. It interferes in elections. It compromises national security. This week, President Trump signed an executive order authorizing an agreement to separate TikTok from Chinese control. At the Heritage Foundation, we have been talking about TikTok policy for years, and one of the key voices is Wesley Hodges, Acting Director of the Center for Technology and the Human Person, here at the Heritage Foundation. He sat down with me to talk about exactly what this executive order means. —Heritage Tech Policy: https://www.heritage.org/big-techFollow Wes Hodges on X: https://x.com/wesghodges—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]

While government has the power to protect our rights, it can use that power to abuse those rights. Especially in those areas of the government which resist accountability to elected officials. The administrative state (or deep state) is a strong focus of the Trump Administration, which has taken action to reinstate accountability in the federal bureaucracy. Ryan Williams, president of the Claremont Institute and friend of Heritage, joined the podcast to talk about what to do when government stops serving the people and targets them instead. —Learn more about the Claremont Institute: https://www.claremont.org/Follow Ryan Williams on X: https://x.com/RpwWilliams—Have thoughts? Let us know at [email protected]