Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

Conservative economist Jessica Riedl joins Margaret Hoover to talk about tariffs, tax cuts, and the threat of the growing national debt. She explains why President Trump’s tariffs have not yet upended the economy and why she believes American consumers will ultimately bear the costs of Trump’s policies.Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, assesses the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and argues it is unlikely to produce the rapid economic growth the White House has predicted. She discusses a potential debt crisis and the reforms to Medicare and Social Security that could help avert it, as well as the political obstacles standing in the way.Riedl has spent more than 20 years in Republican economic policy circles–including advising Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio’s presidential campaigns–and she reflects on how the party’s embrace of populism under Trump has left traditional conservatives like her politically “homeless.”Riedl emphasizes the importance of the Federal Reserve’s independence, envisions how GOP economic policy may evolve after Trump leaves office, and expresses some hope for the country’s fiscal future.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, The Tepper Foundation, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Pritzker Military Foundation.

Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss her economic “war plan” for Democrats and her approach to bridging the ideological divisions within the party.Slotkin–who won her seat even as Donald Trump won her state–calls for Democrats to stop being so sensitive, responds to the rise of progressive populists like Zohran Mamdani, and addresses the challenges of confronting the national debt. She also comments on Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the use of the phrase “globalize the intifada” by anti-Israel protesters.The former CIA analyst talks about the impact of the rescission package Republicans passed this week and explains why she believes some GOP lawmakers are afraid to defy the president. She also discusses Trump’s agreement to provide weapons to Ukraine through NATO and the possibility of restoring deterrence against America’s adversaries. Slotkin reacts to the rift among Republicans over the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and defends her bill that would require immigration officers to clearly identify themselves when making arrests.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, The Tepper Foundation, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Pritzker Military Foundation.

Former Vice President Mike Pence sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss the first six months of Donald Trump’s second term and his advocacy for adhering to the conservative principles that he feels led to success in the first Trump administration.Pence assesses President Trump’s apparent shift toward a more aggressive posture against Vladimir Putin and makes the case for continued U.S. aid to Ukraine. He also praises Trump’s support for Israel and suggests the debate over striking Iran’s nuclear facilities dampened the influence of GOP isolationists on the president.But Pence raises concerns about Trump’s tariffs–which he says the president has no authority to impose–and his refusal to enforce the ban on TikTok that was passed by Congress. He defends Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill for extending the Trump-Pence tax cuts and reforming Medicaid, but he calls for more leadership from Republicans on reducing deficits going forward.Pence also explains why he sent a letter to a January 6th rioter who refused a pardon from President Trump, and he offers his take on whether Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, whether Afghans who aided the U.S. should face deportation, and whether the Trump family should be profiting off the presidency.Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, The Tepper Foundation, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Pritzker Military Foundation.

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski joins Margaret Hoover to discuss her new memoir “Far from Home,” in which she reflects on her rise in Washington, D.C. and her role as a moderate Republican in the time of Donald Trump.“My place in the middle is often uncomfortable, sometimes lonely,” Murkowski tells Margaret. “But it's where I feel I belong.”While she maintains only Congress can declare war, Murkowski defends President Trump's strikes against Iran. And as the Senate debates Trump’s“Big Beautiful Bill,” she warns that shifting Medicaid costs to states could cut services for the most vulnerable Americans.After losing her primary to a Tea Party challenger in 2010, Murkowski defied her own party and waged a successful write-in campaign to save her seat. In 2022, she fended off another challenge from a fellow Republican endorsed by Trump. She reflects on how Alaska’s election reforms have reduced partisanship and given her freedom to put her state’s interests ahead of her party.Murkowski also discusses the importance of public broadcasting to her constituents as the Trump administration looks to cut federal funds, whether the country has entered a new era of political violence, and whether she has made a decision on running for reelection in 2028.Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, The Tepper Foundation, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Peter and Mark Kalikow, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Meadowlark Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Marc Haas Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Philip I Kent Foundation, Annie Lamont through The Lamont Family Fund, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Susan Rasinski McCaw Fund, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. 

Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley joins Margaret Hoover to discuss his new book, “The Affirmative Action Myth,” in which he argues that Black people were progressing at a faster rate before racial preferences became widespread in the 1970s.The prominent conservative also discusses racial disparities in education, saying that universities that pursue diversity just want “window dressing,” and that race-based college admissions policies have failed Black students. Riley cites evidence that promising Black students are mismatched with colleges where they end up struggling, and he responds to some of the counter-arguments against his position. He also explains why he doubts class-based affirmative action would be more effective than discriminating by race.When it comes to the future of race in admissions, Riley likens affirmative action advocates to southern segregationists, and he predicts colleges will "try and cheat" to continue considering race in admissions despite the Supreme Court's ruling.Riley also responds to Trump’s assault on universities, reflects on the administration’s deportation crackdown, and argues fixing racial disparities in colleges starts with fixing public schools.Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, The Tepper Foundation, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Peter and Mark Kalikow, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Meadowlark Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Marc Haas Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Philip I Kent Foundation, Annie Lamont through The Lamont Family Fund, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Susan Rasinski McCaw Fund, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes joins Margaret Hoover to discuss his new book, “Marketcrafters,” in which he examines how American policymakers have shaped markets for social and political goals over the last century.Hughes, who is now pursuing a PhD in economics at the University of Pennsylvania, sees growing support on the left and the right for using the levers of government to cultivate markets for the common good.Hughes says that President Trump’s tariffs are not marketcraft but "government by impulse,” and he envisions a marketcraft policy that could tackle the cost of living crisis that Americans face today. As a student at Harvard, Hughes helped Mark Zuckerberg launch Facebook more than 20 years ago, but he later became an outspoken critic of the social media network. With Zuckerberg’s Meta in the midst of a massive antitrust trial, Hughes explains why he believes “Congress must act” and break up Meta.Hughes also discusses his assessment of Bidenomics, his support for repealing special liability protections for internet platforms, and how he reflects on his own legacy.Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, The Tepper Foundation, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Peter and Mark Kalikow, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Meadowlark Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Marc Haas Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Philip I Kent Foundation, Annie Lamont through The Lamont Family Fund, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Susan Rasinski McCaw Fund, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. 

Dr. Fei-Fei Li, known as the godmother of AI, talks to Margaret Hoover about the ethical development of artificial intelligence and the challenge of regulating the rapidly advancing technology.Li, who recently received a lifetime achievement award at the Webbys for her AI research, explains why she focuses her work on “human-centered AI” and how she believes human dignity can be protected as AI progresses.Li discusses the role of government funding in academic research and the importance of diversity in science, and she outlines a pragmatic approach to AI governance rooted in science, rather than science fiction.Li, co-founder of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute, comments on the AI race between the U.S. and China, the concerns raised by potential military applications of the technology, and whether it is safe to place AI in the hands of children.Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Peter and Mark Kalikow, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Meadowlark Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Marc Haas Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Philip I Kent Foundation, Annie Lamont through The Lamont Family Fund, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Susan Rasinski McCaw Fund, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. 

Historian Niall Ferguson sits down with Margaret Hoover to assess the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term and the challenges that lie ahead for the White House.Ferguson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, contrasts Trump with FDR and considers whether his early actions will have lasting impact. He also explains why he sees Trump 2.0 as “Richard Nixon’s revenge.”Ferguson criticizes Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine and his sweeping use of tariffs that have rattled the global economy. He also questions Trump’s strategy on China and warns of a potential showdown over Taiwan.As a conservative and a former professor at Harvard, Ferguson reacts to the Trump administration’s assault on Harvard and other universities, and he explains why the president needs to remember that he is “not a king.”Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Peter and Mark Kalikow, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Meadowlark Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Marc Haas Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Philip I Kent Foundation, Annie Lamont through The Lamont Family Fund, The Susan Rasinski McCaw Fund, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. 

Actor Kelsey Grammer joins Margaret Hoover to discuss his new book, his decadeslong journey of healing after tragedy, and his politics.When most people think of Grammer, they think of his charming character Dr. Frasier Crane on “Cheers” and “Frasier,” but there is a darker side to his story. In “Karen: A Brother Remembers,” Grammer reflects on the vicious murder of his sister Karen, who was raped and stabbed 42 times in 1975 when she was 19.“She was my North Star,” Grammer tells Hoover in an emotional interview. He also recalls how acting helped him overcome his grief and his self-destructive behavior in the wake of his sister's murder. “I had this almost miraculous outlet that made me a whole person.”Grammer was inspired to write the book after working with a medium who helped him connect with Karen and discover her wish for him to write her story. Grammer takes the reader on a long,  stream-of-consciousness style journey through his memories and emotions. After spending three years writing the book, Grammer says he is more grateful now than ever before, and he hopes that this book will help other people heal, too. Grammer is well known as a rare conservative in Hollywood and has even been seen at Mar-a-Lago. He defends President Trump as representing the “common man,” and he rejects claims that the country is moving towards oligarchy. “Oligarchy is malarkey,” he says.Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Peter and Mark Kalikow, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Meadowlark Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Marc Haas Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Philip I Kent Foundation, Annie Lamont through The Lamont Family Fund, The Susan Rasinski McCaw Fund, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc. 

Robert Lighthizer, who served as U.S. trade representative in Donald Trump’s first term, sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss the president’s trade agenda, his use of tariffs, and their impact on the economy.Lighthizer, author of No Trade Is Free, explains why he favors “balanced trade” over free trade and makes his case that tariffs can revive American manufacturing. He tells Hoover why he doubts chaos in financial markets will unseat the dollar as a global reserve currency, but he argues a weaker dollar could have benefits.A longtime critic of NAFTA and open trade with communist China, Lighthizer credits Trump for changing the debate about trade in America and trying to solve the problems caused by globalization. He also challenges critics who say tariffs are the wrong approach to come up with a viable alternative.Lighthizer assesses the potential for tariffs to drive up consumer prices and whether they could fuel broader inflation. He admits Trump’s implementation of his “Liberation Day” tariffs was not perfect, and he reflects on whether he would join the new administration if asked.Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Peter and Mark Kalikow, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Meadowlark Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Marc Haas Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Damon Button, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Philip I Kent Foundation, Annie Lamont through The Lamont Family Fund, The Susan Rasinski McCaw Fund, Cheryl Cohen Effron and Blair Effron, and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.