American Thought Leaders

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the President Santiago Peña of Paraguay. He shared why Paraguay is one of only 12 countries in the world that recognizes Taiwan instead of communist China and one of only six countries that have moved their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.Now I’m sitting down with his foreign minister, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, to learn more about Paraguay, the region, and Lezcano’s candidacy for secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS).“Paraguay matters in the agenda of the United States. Why? Because Paraguay is a very important and key partner for the United States,” says Lezcano. “I think that America abandoned for a long time Latin America. In the last year, the United States lost a lot of markets, a lot of investment, and a lot of opportunities. I think that [now] is the time to work closely again.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Brianne Dressen, co-founder of the nonprofit React19, shares her harrowing experience after participating in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trials, facing debilitating symptoms and isolation. She discusses the critical need for support and community resources for the over 36,000 people affected by vaccine injuries. Dressen emphasizes the transformative power of dietary changes on health and advocates for transparency regarding vaccine injury documentation, exposing the systemic failures that leave many without recourse.

Joining me today is Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana. Since he took office last year, he’s implemented sweeping changes in public safety, tax policy, and education.We discuss gains made in the state’s educational rankings, as well as his plans for boosting election integrity, increasing manufacturing, and ensuring fiscal responsibility.Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

In this episode, we dive into China’s influence and the communist regime’s propaganda efforts worldwide. Joining us is Piero Tozzi, a longtime China expert and staff director of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.What are some key misconceptions we have about China and the Chinese regime? And are we finally seeing a real “pivot to Asia” as the Trump administration signals a dramatic reduction in U.S. military presence in Europe and demands that NATO allies pitch in more for Europe’s defense?Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Dr. Gary Davidson, an emergency physician and primary author of a groundbreaking report on Alberta's COVID-19 response, shares his critical insights on pandemic policies. He reveals how lockdowns and vaccine mandates failed to meet their goals and discusses the pressure doctors faced during the crisis. Davidson highlights a significant study indicating that the COVID vaccine may not be necessary for those under 50 without health reasons. He advocates for more physician autonomy and transparency in medical practices, calling for a reevaluation of treatment approaches.

Andrew Hale is a senior trade policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation. In this episode, we discuss how Trump is using various trade tools to strengthen alliances and weaken adversaries.“I look upon what he’s trying to do as a negotiating tactic. He’s using tariffs as an instrument of statecraft, and also for economic coercion, to achieve matters that sometimes go well beyond trade policy,” Hale says.Hale says that tariffs should be used against America’s foreign adversaries, but not necessarily against its allies.“Among [those on] the protection side, there’s a knee jerk reaction saying a tariff is the panacea to all of our problems. And actually, a lot of these problems we created right here in Washington. And we can fix them right here in Washington, with dealing with some of the stupid and foolish regulations that we have,” he says. “What we cannot go back to is what we had during the Clinton years, what we had during the Bush years, the Obama years—which was this seamless trade with China, where we treat them as a market economy. They’re a non-market economy. They’re a foreign adversary.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

“We had a case of a little cell of Christian believers who were all converts from Islam, and they were meeting secretly. And they were infiltrated by a radical terrorist group called Al Shabaab, and they burnt down the house. They captured some of them, they took them onto the beach, and only two of them managed to survive, because they killed the rest of them.”Charmaine Hedding is the founder and president of the Shai Fund, a humanitarian organization that aids, protects, and even rescues persecuted minorities throughout the Middle East and Africa.“In 2014, I watched as the Islamic State swept over Syria and Iraq. And I watched as the Yazidi and the Christian women were taken as sex slaves and sold in the markets of Raqqa and in Turkey and across the Middle East. And I thought to myself, ‘Who’s going to do something about this?’” she says. “The greatest struggle in the Middle East and in Africa, at the moment, is this concept of freedom of religion and belief.”Hedding was born and raised in South Africa, where her father and grandfather were outspoken anti-apartheid activists. Because of their activism, they were eventually forced to flee to Jerusalem when Hedding was a child.“By the time I was 12, we were harassed by agents. And we had agents in the church. We were followed,” she says. “The question that I remember asking myself as a child after reading the stories of the Holocaust is: If I was a European, what would I have done? And would I have put myself at risk to save a Jewish family? And that’s what motivated me, that question.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Stefan Rust, Founder and CEO of Truflation, shares his insights on America’s economic landscape. He discusses the staggering 26% inflation over four years, eroding purchasing power. Rust delves into the impact of DOGE’s cost-cutting on the economy and the potential risks of deflation. He highlights the difference between the Truflation Index and government statistics in measuring inflation. Furthermore, he examines consumer spending trends and the effects of tariffs on economic strategy, especially in U.S.-China relations.

In this conversation, John O’Sullivan, a former policy advisor to Margaret Thatcher and current president of the Danube Institute, discusses the critical role of a unified national identity in democracy. He argues that multiculturalism can lead to hostile identity politics, alienating communities. O’Sullivan also critiques post-nationalism as an unattainable goal for states, emphasizing the political shifts in urban America and the rise of populism. His insights reveal the challenges facing societies and the need for honest discourse in overcoming them.

Nicolas Chaillan, the former chief software officer for the U.S. Air Force and founder of Ask Sage, discusses the rise of the controversial Chinese AI app DeepSeek. He explores its potential as a wake-up call for U.S. tech and military sectors. The conversation dives into the complexities of AI training, national security risks, and the disparity in AI advancements between the U.S. and China. Chaillan emphasizes the importance of ethical standards in AI and highlights how AI is reshaping industries and workforce dynamics.