The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour

Guests: Max Primorac & Christopher D. Heckel Host Scot Bertram talks with Max Primorac, senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, about the history of U.S. foreign aid and how the Trump administration is charting a different path. And Christopher D. Heckel, associate professor of biology at Hillsdale College, gives a primer on invasive plant species across the United States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Mark Moyar, Benedict Whalen, & Juliane Malia Hillock Host Scot Bertram talks with Mark Moyar, William P. Harris Chair of Military History at Hillsdale College, about the legacy of the Vietnam War during its 50th anniversary. Benedict Whalen, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, discusses the themes of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald during the novel’s 100th anniversary. And Juliane Malia Hillock, founding principal at Hózhó Academy in Gallup, New Mexico, describes the unique challenges of leading a school in a remote part of the United States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Jonathan Gregg & Daniel J. Flynn  Host Scot Bertram talks with Jonathan Gregg, assistant professor of education at Hillsdale College, about efforts to improve national math standards in education and his co-authored essay, “The Alarming Decay of Mathematical Competency in the U.S.” And Daniel J. Flynn, senior editor at the American Spectator and visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, discusses the legacy of conservative luminary Frank S. Meyer and Flynn’s new book, The Man Who Invented Conservatism: The Unlikely Life of Frank S. Meyer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Sam Knecht & Allison Ellis Host Scot Bertram talks with Sam Knecht, professor emeritus of art at Hillsdale College, about how American art reflects the American character and the new Hillsdale College online course American Paintings. And Allison Ellis, founder of Mount Titano Media, discusses the power of rhetoric and her new edited collection of important American speeches, FINDING OUR WORDS: Words That Made America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Joseph Postell, Todd Starnes, & Korey D. Maas Host Scot Bertram talks with Joseph Postell, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, about the conservative counter-revolution against the bureaucratic state as detailed in his book Bureaucracy in America: The Administrative State’s Challenge to Constitutional Government. Todd Starnes, commentator, author, and radio host, discusses his new book Star-Spangled Blessings: Devotions for Patriots. And Korey D. Maas, chairman and associate professor of history at Hillsdale College, gives a survey of the life and work of English reformer and martyr Robert Barnes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Alex Marlow & Eric Hutchinson Host Scot Bertram talks with Alex Marlow, editor-in-chief of Breitbart News, about the weaponization of America’s legal system against Donald Trump and Marlow’s new book Breaking the Law. And Eric Hutchinson, associate professor of classics and chairman of the Collegiate Scholars Program at Hillsdale College, gives an introduction to the Roman poet Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Victor Davis Hanson & Oren Cass First, we hear excerpts from Victor Davis Hanson’s address on the subject of living an honorable and virtuous life, given at Hillsdale College's 2025 commencement ceremonies. Hanson is the Wayne and Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History at Hillsdale College and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. And host Scot Bertram talks with Oren Cass, chief economist at American Compass, about the reappraisal of free market ideas on the American right and the new American Compass essay collection The New Conservatives: Restoring America's Commitment to Family, Community, and Industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel Gullotta, an Assistant professor and Anglican deacon, discusses the growing trend of young people embracing Christianity in the U.S. and UK. Charles N. Steele, an economics expert, explores the ramifications of Universal Basic Income policies on work incentive and economic stability. Meanwhile, Benedict Whalen delves into Mark Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,' examining its themes of race and morality, and its place in American literature. The conversation traverses faith, community, and the evolving landscape of belief among younger generations.

Guests: Richard Samuelson & Erik J. Larson Host Scot Bertram talks with Richard Samuelson, associate professor of government at Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C. campus, about his recent essay on James Madison and the importance of republican principles. And Erik J. Larson, author of The Myth of Artificial Intelligence: Why Computers Can’t Think the Way We Do, gives a brief history of the development of artificial intelligence and explains the limitations of this misunderstood technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Salena Zito & Christopher Matsos Host Scot Bertram talks with Salena Zito, political reporter for the Washington Examiner, about the political ramifications of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump and her new book, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland. And Christopher Matsos, chairman and associate professor of theatre at Hillsdale College, tells us why theatre should play a role in a liberal arts education and what we can learn by studying theatre through the centuries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.