Hold These Truths with Dan Crenshaw

Alex Plitsas is a counterterrorism expert and Army veteran who ran psychological operations in the Global War on Terror. He joined Rep. Crenshaw for a retrospective on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the decade of Russian escalation that led to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and the evolving threat of the Mexican drug cartels. A clear-eyed look at some of America’s greatest national security threats.   Alex Plitsas leads the Counterterrorism Project for the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. He serves on the board of the Special Operations Association of America. Follow him on X at @alexplitsas.

The Situation Report for April 10th. Rep. Crenshaw breaks down the latest on tariff negotiations, a major Supreme Court ruling on immigration enforcement, two key House votes that you should know about, the Trump Administration’s crackdown on schools that promote harmful gender ideology, and a breakthrough in genetic engineering.   President Trump pauses Liberation Day tariffs.   But China isn’t spared – here’s why that’s necessary.   The Supreme Court sides with the Trump Administration on deportations.   The House votes to rein in rogue, activist judges.   The reconciliation bill passes. What happens next?   The Trump Administration helps women take back women’s sports.   America - the new manufacturing hub for extinct species.   If you read nothing else this week: Investigation of ranch in northern Mexico reveals some details of Jalisco cartel's operations, by Fabiola Sánchez

Tax season is here, and so is the debate about what you owe and why. Cato Institute’s Adam Michel joins us to break down the policies behind your tax return—from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to what’s at stake if key provisions expire in 2025. We cover how the law affected everyday Americans, why claims about corporations and the rich not paying their “fair share” fall apart, and what an ideal tax system could actually look like.   Adam Michel is the Director of Tax Policy Studies at Cato Institute. Read his updates on tax and fiscal policies at https://adamnmichel.substack.com/ and follow him on X at @adamnmichel.

On the latest Situation Report, Rep. Crenshaw covers President Trump’s tariff announcement, the Administration’s big changes to the federal workforce, the drama unfolding in the House over proxy voting for new parents, what Tuesday’s elections mean for the House, and much more. All the real news and clear analysis you need to know in less than 20 minutes.   President Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs   The executive order that stops federal unions from jeopardizing national security   Secretary RFK Jr. downsizes the Department of Health & Human Services   Vice President Vance goes to Greenland   Behind the House drama over Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s bill to allow proxy voting for new parents   How the Florida congressional elections and Rep. Elise Stefanik just changed the makeup of the House   The Wisconsin Supreme Court election   Texas and Mexico fight over water rights   Recommended reading: Gerard Baker on “Faith, Freedom and the Long Thread of Technology”

Ralph Goff is a 35-year veteran of the CIA and a 6-time station chief who served in Europe, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia. He gives an inside look into how the CIA manages their agents and assets in some of the most dangerous regions on earth. We discuss the state of play with Russia, the Middle East, and Mexico. We cover fact vs fiction in Hollywood and the real skillsets that make for a good spy. And we look at how the Trump Administration will restore public trust in the intelligence community and strengthen our capabilities to counter adversaries like Russia and Iran.   Ralph Goff also served as Chief of CIA’s National Resources Division, working extensively with “C Suite” level US private sector executives in the financial, banking, and security sectors. Today he is a risk management consultant and contributor for The Cipher Brief.

On the latest Situation Report, Rep. Crenshaw covers what was learned from this week’s House Intel Committee hearing on Worldwide Threats, his push for congressional leadership to start taking the Mexican drug cartel threat seriously, Secretary Kennedy’s action to change America’s tap water, and much more. All the real news and clear analysis you need to know in less than 20 minutes.   The Signal chat leak   Why we need a Select Committee to Defeat the Mexican Drug Cartels   Israel-Hamas ceasefire breaks down   The IRS Hunter Biden whistleblowers get their due   The long overdue dismantling of the Department of Education   The fluoride rebellion   A stem cell breakthrough for damaged corneas   The F-47 stealth fighter   SpaceX brings the NASA astronauts back home   Recommended reading: Dreaming the Dream of a Free Lebanon

How did a small offshoot of Al Qaeda overthrow a major country in the Middle East and establish a diplomatic dialogue with the United States? Dr. Aaron Zelin is one of the foremost experts on jihadist movements past and present. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the rise of its vanquisher – the jihadist group known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Dr. Zelin analyzes the conditions that led to the shocking revolution in Syria, its geopolitical implications, and the “pragmatic” jihadism of HTS. A comprehensive overview of Sunni extremism, the complex motives of HTS leadership, and how it all fits on the global chessboard.   Dr. Aaron Zelin is the Gloria and Ken Levy Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he also directs the Islamic State Worldwide Activity Map project. He is the founder of jihadology.net, where you can find translations and analysis of jihadi source materials. Follow him on X at @azelin.

Dr. Eithan Haim is the surgeon who blew the whistle on a Texas hospital’s use of trans treatments on minors - and subsequently faced an intense, years-long criminal investigation from the Biden DOJ. Chloe Cole is a former trans kid and Patient Advocate for the nonprofit Do No Harm, which fights to protect minors from gender transition procedures.   They joined Rep. Crenshaw on March 12th for DeTrans Awareness Day and the reintroduction of Rep. Crenshaw’s bill to ban federal funding for children’s hospitals that perform gender transition procedures on minors. Dr. Haim tells the story of his persecution by the Biden DOJ and the medical malpractice being committed by some pro-trans doctors and hospitals. Chloe exposes the dark reality of how kids are manipulated by social media and unethical doctors into undergoing irreversible procedures. They also discuss the impact of President Trump’s executive orders and the upcoming legal/legislative battles to protect minors from these harmful procedures.   Follow Chloe on X at @ChoooCole and Dr. Haim at @EithanHaim.

Andrew Wheeler, former EPA Administrator under President Trump, joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss some of the most promising reforms to fix American’s broken environmental bureaucracy. They discuss the flaws in permitting processes, the inefficiency of federal agencies, and why transparency is the key to faster approvals. They tackle media narratives, climate change policies, and ending the U.S. reliance on China for critical minerals. And Mr. Wheeler shares feasible solutions to cut red tape, improve environmental policy, and put America back in charge of its energy future.   The Honorable Andrew Wheeler served as President Trump’s EPA Administrator during his 45th term. In 2022, Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Mr. Wheeler to serve as the director of Virginia’s Office of Regulatory Management, where he implemented process reforms which significantly reduced regulatory requirements. Follow him on X at @AndrewRWheeler.

On the latest Situation Report, Rep. Crenshaw analyzes President Trump’s first State of the Union address as 47. He covers the latest developments in the Trump’s peace negotiations over Ukraine and Europe’s acceleration of military spending. And he looks at the latest developments in the U.S. crackdown on illegal immigrants and cartel operations. All the real news and clear analysis you need to know in less than 20 minutes.   Did the cartels just threaten Dan Crenshaw?   Trump’s broad, unapologetic display of his agenda at SOTU   Trump’s key demands to Ukraine   “Europeans should be able to defend their own continent.”   The rationale behind the Critical Minerals Deal   Zelensky’s mea culpa following his disastrous White House visit   Trump demands Europe accelerate its military spending   Drone warfare in Ukraine   Next steps in the budget reconciliation process   Trump’s gold card immigration visa   Trump’s golden dome – a new missile defense system for America   Gov. Abbott launches a major crackdown on Colony Ridge   Cartel IEDs at the southern border   Microsoft’s quantum computing breakthrough