Podcasts

Trump Criticized for Strategy He Hasn’t Even Used

April 10, 2026 No Comments

Debate over Trump’s rhetoric on Iran has sparked fresh accusations of “war crimes” from critics. But a look at history—from World War II through Iraq and Libya—shows U.S. presidents in both parties have long targeted dual-use infrastructure in wartime. The real question isn’t just language, but how modern narratives square with longstanding military precedent. It’s a reminder that context matters when judging strategy and intent.

Trump’s Nixon ‘Madman’ Routine Pays off in Iran

April 9, 2026 No Comments

Victor Davis Hanson and host Jack Fowler discuss President Trump’s profane Easter warning to Iran and frame it as a “Nixon madman” bad-cop/good-cop strategy involving JD Vance, while contrasting Trump’s decisive military rescue efforts with past administrations’ failures. They examine the California high-speed rail project as a costly “train to nowhere,” citing billions spent without laying track, eminent domain damage to farmland, and doubts about long-term profitability, alongside broader claims of massive fraud in California programs. The episode also covers reports of China-linked unauthorized bio labs in Nevada and California, arguing U.S. security and immigration enforcement are dangerously lax. They discuss paid, organized protest operations, student-loan nonpayment incentives, and Trump’s executive order to verify citizenship and strengthen federal election integrity, including voter rolls and mail-ballot safeguards.

NATO’s Double Standard on Iran, Europe’s Drift, and the Fraud Crisis at Home

April 7, 2026 1 Comment

Victor Davis Hanson and host Jack Fowler discuss why several NATO allies—especially France—restricted the United States from using bases and airspace during operations aimed at Iran, arguing Europe benefits from U.S. security while pursuing divergent domestic and foreign-policy agendas. Hanson urges the Trump administration to frame NATO burden-sharing and reciprocity in “sorrowful” terms, consider tighter bilateral ties with supportive allies, and better explain the difficulty and aims of the Iran campaign, including deterrence and possible conditions for regime change while clarifying U.S.-Israel alignment. They also address tensions with Canada over defense spending and policies, the scale of alleged fraud in California programs highlighted by City Journal reporting, and Democrats’ attempts to rebrand figures like Pete Buttigieg to win back white working-class voters.

Trump’s Iran Address, NATO’s Weakness, Greek Gods, and Birthright Citizenship

April 4, 2026 4 Comments

Is this America’s fight—or another case of allies sitting on the sidelines? VDH breaks down President Trump’s Iran address, exposing the growing divide between U.S. leadership and Europe’s reluctance to act. From Reagan’s unwavering support of allies to today’s NATO double standards, the contrast couldn’t be clearer. Also discussed is the Supreme Court’s looming birthright citizenship case, and whether the 14th Amendment is being stretched far beyond its original intent and what that could mean for America’s future.

Iran on the Brink: Trump’s Gamble vs. Global Hypocrisy

April 3, 2026 2 Comments

Iran’s regime shows cracks as internal divisions and economic pressure mount under renewed U.S. strategy. Questions swirl about NATO allies, global hypocrisy, and whether America is carrying the West yet again. A sharp breakdown of what’s really happening—and what comes next.

The West’s Anti-Christian Crackdown, Holy Land Security, ‘No Kings’ Protests & CCP Stalking in US

April 2, 2026 6 Comments

Last week, Israel denied access to Bethlehem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the holiest sites in the Christian faith, on Palm Sunday, citing security concerns amid the conflict with Iran. Many expressed outrage. Nearly all ignored the risk.” Other topics include the “No Kings” protests that attack elected presidents such as Donald Trump while defending unelected bureaucrats, against the backdrop of confrontations with largely nonwhite ICE agents by affluent white liberals, anti-Christian legal actions in Canada and Finland, a Stanford student’s testimony about alleged Chinese Communist Party transnational repression, along with broader ties between China and U.S. college campuses, and more.

US-Iran Messaging War EXPLAINED

March 31, 2026 1 Comment

Victor Davis Hanson provides viewers with an update to on forthcoming book, The Counterrevolution: The Rise and Fall of Donald Trump and the MAGA Movement, as well as recent comments Vice President JD Vance made on the The Benny Johnson Show, where he alleged that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., committed immigration fraud, and how President Donald Trump can win the messaging war over the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.

Why the Blue State Project Is Imploding Before Our Very Eyes

March 28, 2026 4 Comments

President Donald Iran has Democrats between a rock and a hard place. The only way they can win popular support in their ongoing feud with Republicans over funding for the Department of Homeland Security is to protest ICE. That means going where ICE is: The airports. Picture this: Your run of the mill leftwing protester screaming into a microphone, making an already unpleasant flight experience worse while immigration agents smile and hand out water to passengers waiting in line. These are the cards Democrats have been delt. Victor Davis Hanson, and his co-host Sami Winc, also discuss how/why elected Democrat leaders embrace illegal aliens over their own citizens, as well as the delicate balancing act Trump needs to play if he’s to reopen the Straits of Hormuz.

Chicago Illegal Alien Murder, Europe’s Islam Accommodation, and Trump’s Iran Strategy

March 27, 2026 1 Comment

VDH and Sami discuss the killing of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old freshman at Loyola University, in Chicago and criticize Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s sanctuary-state stance, delayed response, and reluctance to cooperate with ICE, arguing Democrats downplay victims and shift blame to Trump while crime rises amid gun restrictions.

How Democrats Illegal Immigration Failures Led to a Deadly Chicago Tragedy

March 26, 2026 3 Comments

The tragic shooting of a Loyola University freshman last week highlighted Chicago’s serious need for ICE to remove illegal immigrants from its streets. By making Chicago a sanctuary city, Gov. J. B. Pritzker can’t blame President Trump for the tragedy, especially when Trump has continually offered to help make the city safer by deploying the National Guard there.

Listen to "Catching Up With Dr. Victor Davis Hanson" on Spreaker.

Episode 59 of The Victor Davis Hanson Podcast

The madness at America’s open southern border, media legendizing, the left’s “Imaginarium,” Biden first national address –a truth-free zone, the international consequences of domestic unrest, and the gauging the likelihood of a Newsom recall in California – all that and more get the VDH treatment.