Show Notes
Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol examine how Christian nationalism at the highest levels of the Pentagon is undermining military readiness. They discuss how Pete Hegseth’s ideological commitments have made him fundamentally unqualified to run the Defense Department. Plus: the persistence of National Guard deployments in D.C., the purge of transgender service members, and how the military’s moral and professional decline is signaling weakness to U.S. adversaries. Finally, why rebuilding these institutions is far harder than destroying them—and why the stakes have never been higher. Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast.
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More from It’s Happening Here
Donald Trump promised no new wars and claimed he could end Russia’s war against Ukraine in 24 hours. Instead, his war with Iran has sent energy costs climbing while his attempt to blame Ukraine offers Vladimir Putin a political and financial lifeline. Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol examine all of this, plus the Republican Party’s growing extremism problem, Pete Hegseth’s failed push for a public execution, and why the midterms may be a defining test for American democracy. Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol examine how Stephen Miller became one of the most powerful figures in Trump’s White House—and how his influence reaches across the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, State Department, and Pentagon. They discuss reporting on investigations of Miller’s critics, harsh ICE detention policies, the removal of migrant children, the administration’s “remigration” agenda, and military strikes against suspected drug traffickers at sea. They also explain how Congress could expose Miller’s role, demand accountability, and push back against an agenda they argue is reshaping American government. Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Get full access to Home of the Brave at https://newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe
David Pakman joins Bill Kristol and Tom Joscelyn to discuss Elon Musk’s influence on X, why lies and outrage go viral, and how Democrats can fight back. Drawing on his new book, Pay Attention: How the Algorithms and Media Wars Are Suppressing Truth and Rewiring Your Brain, Pakman explains how algorithms shape our politics—and what it takes to break through. Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast.
Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol examine President Trump’s dismissal of warnings about artificial intelligence and his rejection of global safeguards. They discuss Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s call to “pace the frontier,” the dangers posed by AI-enabled cyberattacks and bioweapons, and why experts inside the industry are increasingly alarmed. They also explain why Trump’s prepared remarks at the United Nations suggest that treating AI risk as a hoax is now the official position of the U.S. government. Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast.
Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol discuss the launch of the Civil Defense Institute, a nonpartisan investigative research organization that hones in on people, organizations, and networks whose conduct undermines civil society and the freedom of Americans to participate in public life.They examine how the Heritage Foundation has promoted Christian nationalist ideology, trace the origins of today’s extremism, and explore why major conservative organizations now openly embrace ideas they would have rejected a decade ago. Check out the Civil Defense Institute here: civildefenseinstitute.org Subscribe for more episodes of It's Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast.