This week, we're honored to be joined by Venezuela's "Iron Lady" — Maria Corina Machado. She's been physically assaulted, forced into hiding, and separated from her children, but that hasn't stopped her from standing up to dictators and fighting for liberty. Right now, she believes the end of Nicolas Maduro's regime is closer than it's ever been, and a bright new future for Venezuela — and the entire region — is in sight.

In the early 2000s, Maria set aside her business and career aspirations to lead a recall against Hugo Chavez, quickly earning a reputation as his "most detested adversary." She went on to serve as an elected member of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2011 to 2014, becoming a key leader in the widespread 2014 protests against Maduro. Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, she won her party's primary elections, but was disqualified and forced out by Maduro and his cronies. Still, her opposition party went on to win overwhelmingly, and Maduro has since rejected the results and refused to relinquish power.

We begin with the tragic downfall of Venezuela, from the wealthiest country in South America to poorer than Haiti. Learn how socialism brought one of the world's most energy rich countries to its knees, and instead became the criminal hub of Latin America, flooding the U.S. with drugs and narco terrorism while providing safe harbor to Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and other enemies. President Trump has taken strong actions in recent months, from placing a $50 million bounty on Maduro to designating cartels as terrorist organizations and directing the U.S. military to go after them — we get Maria's take on the President's policies and what else she hopes to see from our leaders in Washington. Many Americans are rightfully wary of foreign interventions; Maria explains why she doesn't see it as regime change but rather dismantling an international criminal enterprise. Finally, we cover Maria's personal journey and sacrifice, why she continues to fight even with threats against her life, and her ultimate vision for a free and prosperous Venezuela that becomes an energy powerhouse for the Americas.

00:00 Episode intro

02:30 How Venezuela became a criminal hub

09:45 What's the right US policy? Regime change?

16:24 Parallels between Chavez & the far-left in the U.S.

22:17 Maria's personal story & sacrifice

26:36 Maria’s vision for a free Venezuela

Reusable rockets, new economics, and surging investment are quickly making space one of the most promising areas for growth and innovation. Like other areas of defense, we're in a transition from billion-dollar, exquisite satellites to the proliferation of attritable platforms. What are the new markets and opportunities this creates? How will the Golden Dome impact the space race and competition with China? And what exciting possibilities, like asteroid mining, are in our future?

This week we talk all things space with Ian Cinnamon, co-founder and CEO of Apex Space, a satellite platform company. A graduate of MIT and Stanford Business School, Ian first launched a startup incubator, Superlabs, with Mark Pincus before founding Synapse, a computer vision company later acquired by Palantir. There, Ian worked on key initiatives like Project Maven before leaving to build Apex, and bring speed and efficiency to satellite platform manufacturing.

We begin with Ian's entrepreneurial journey and how his research at MIT informed the creation of Synapse. A top talent at Palantir, he reveals what it was like working on Project Maven — and the protesters that inspired him — plus the "light bulb moment" that led him to launch Apex. Next, we dive into the space boom and how SpaceX upended the entire way we think about, and build, for space. Learn about the unique challenges of engineering for space, why Apex is moving toward full vertical integration, and how it plans to meet skyrocketing demand for more launches. We also discuss President Trump's ambitious Golden Dome project, new possibilities for space-based interceptors, and China's plans to overtake U.S. supremacy in space. Finally, we conclude with Ian's most exciting innovations beyond Earth, and why asteroid mining isn't as far-fetched as you might think.

00:00 Episode intro

02:09 MIT, cognitive science & building Synapse

06:17 Palantir, Project Maven, and protestors

8:53 Ian's "light bulb moment" for building Apex

15:23 The space boom & new possibilities

21:30 Engineering for space and lessons from SpaceX

27:50 China's ambitious space plans

30:19 Golden Dome & space-based interceptors

36:00 Understanding orbit altitudes for satellites

40:00 Is China trying to steal your IP?

44:13 Asteroid mining and new possibilities beyond Earth

This week we're talking dental billing! Why? Because large parts of the $5 trillion US services economy, like medical billing, are inefficient and dysfunctional, which holds back growth and increases costs for Americans. How is AI transforming these broken sectors? What's possible now that wasn't just a few years ago? And if AI can revolutionize dental billing, what does that mean for productivity at large?We dive into the AI services wave with DayDream's Shreyas Parab, co-founder & CEO, and Anton Lin, co-founder & CTO. DayDream is applying AI to transform revenue cycle management (RCM) for dentists, and helping them recover the money they are owed faster and more effectively. Chasing down errant claims can take humans years; DayDream is doing it in weeks with AI agents!We begin with the broken state of medical billing -- thousands of rules per company, little written down, and knowledge passed down person-to-person like an ancient religion. Shreyas and Anton explain how LLMs can reason through unstructured processes in ways that previous business logic couldn't. Next, we discuss the lost revenue from missing claims (nearly 20% of all claims!), and how AI agents are becoming so effective that humans can't tell the difference. This raises the obvious question: will agentic solutions result in mass layoffs? Shreyas and Anton say the opposite is true -- AI is enabling billers to operate at higher levels and focus on expanding the business instead of waiting on hold with insurance companies. If top talent plus AI can revamp Byzantine systems like dental billing, there's a tremendous opportunity to reform the entire services economy. This means economic growth, and disinflation that benefits everyone.

00:00 Episode intro

01:35 What’s so important about dental billing?

07:50 Will AI destroy dental billing jobs?

9:50 AI agents are becoming indistinguishable from humans

17:45 Private equity rolling up dental

24:56 Understanding the AI services model

Reid Hoffman is a longtime leader in Silicon Valley and vocal AI optimist; he's also a major Democratic Party donor. What happens when AI runs headfirst into labor unions and key Democratic interests? Why is Reid calling out his party for alienating Silicon Valley? And can a divided country unite around a positive AI future?Join us for an important conversation at the intersection of technology, politics, and policy. An early member of the PayPal mafia, Reid went on to co-found LinkedIn and became a prolific investor as Partner at Greylock and Chairman of Village Global. He's also a Microsoft board member, popular podcast host, and author, most recently of “Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future."We begin with lessons from PayPal and the unique culture that united an iconic cast of characters. Then we dive into Reid's latest book "Superagency" and his case for AI optimism. Reid's enthusiasm collides with Democratic Party strongholds, so I challenged him on how he reconciles these conflicts and whether AI can win out over special interests. Case in point: autonomous trucks. Reid's a key investor in Aurora, which is based in California but launching its first trucks in Texas. Red states are increasingly the laboratories of innovation and growth, which Reid acknowledges and admits is a major challenge that he raises with blue-state governors. Next, we discuss the six levels of the AI investment stack and where Reid is focused, plus his advice for startups amid the scale compute race. We also explore the future of social media and why Reid is creating his own AI clone. Finally, we revisit Silicon Valley's pivot to the right and why Reid is calling out the Democratic Party for prioritizing DEI and identity politics over merit and innovation.We didn't focus the episode on our obvious political disagreements, but rather the areas where we agree: Reid is an optimist and shares that trait with a lot of my PayPal mafia friends even if he doesn't share our worldview. If we're going to accelerate our country into an optimistic AI future and lift up millions of lives -- which I hope to help achieve! -- then we need to have conversations across the aisle aimed at advancing pro-growth, freedom-oriented policies.

00:00 Episode intro

02:00 What made the PayPal Mafia unique?

06:38 The best arguments for AI optimism

10:59 Reid's optimism vs Democratic Party strongholds

14:15 Inflection AI & lessons for AI startups

19:53 Why Reid made an AI clone

22:54 AI tutors vs teachers unions

26:59 How Democrats alienated Silicon Valley

32:56 Pushing back on antisemitism

36:38 Advice for entrepreneurs in the AI age

We're joined this week by a key architect of President Trump's budget and regulatory agenda: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought. How much does the Big Beautiful Bill actually rein in spending? Will DOGE cuts become permanent? What is the Impoundment Act of 1974 and why will this be a crucial fight in the coming months?

We discuss these timely policy issues and more with the "radical constitutionalist" at the helm of Trump's OMB in his first and second terms. From ending critical race theory at all federal agencies to spearheading historic deregulatory actions and making bureaucrats accountable again, Director Vought has been instrumental in some of the most consequential policy battles in Washington D.C.

In this episode, we begin with his efforts to reform the administrative state, and why the next major battle will center on the 1974 Impoundment Act and the President's authority over appropriated funds. Learn why Democrats' retaliation against President Nixon tipped the balance of power toward unelected bureaucrats, and how Director Vought seeks to restore proper constitutional balance. Next, we dive into the Big Beautiful Bill and why he believes it's the most consequential mandatory spending reform to ever pass into law. And when it comes to discretionary spending, he reiterates his commitment to make the DOGE cuts permanent and outlines possible strategies, whether through impoundment or a rescissions packages via Congress. Finally, we talk about his role in winding down one of the most egregious examples of government overreach — the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — and why Americans should be optimistic that, for the first time in decades, real fiscal and regulatory restraint is starting to take hold in Washington D.C.

00:00 Episode intro

01:43 Role of OMB Director & lessons from Trump’s first term

04:37 The looming battle over impoundment & Presidential power

07:25 Can we return merit & tests to government?

12:12 Big Beautiful Bill - how much does it actually cut?

19:41 What's the future of DOGE?

22:03 Dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

25:10 Can Washington DC actually be reined in?

Construction is a $2 trillion U.S. industry ($13 trillion globally) that impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. Yet, building has become too expensive and too slow to meet rising demand and aging infrastructure. What if we can apply breakthroughs from self-driving to construction? And what if we can use AI to operate heavy machinery autonomously 24/7?

This week, we bring the AI revolution into the physical world with Boris Sofman, co-founder and CEO of Bedrock Robotics. Founded by three former Waymo leaders, Bedrock emerged from stealth this week to bring autonomy to the construction industry. Boris earned his PhD in Robotics at Carnegie Mellon before founding Anki — a consumer robotics company that produced some of the world's most popular toy robots. After Anki was acquired by Google, Boris became Director of Engineering and Head of Trucking at Waymo, where he was instrumental in Waymo's successful deployment into major cities across the country.

We begin with his journey from the Soviet Union to the U.S. as a young boy, and how Boris fell in love with engineering. We discuss the consumer robotics wave and his time building Anki, before jumping into the race for self-driving cars. Get a rare look behind the scenes at Waymo and the extreme engineering challenges Boris and his team had to solve. Next, he reveals the recent developments that unlocked autonomy for heavy construction and the immense potential to transform the cost, quality, and speed of building in the U.S. Already, unions and special interests are lining up against these technologies; learn why Boris believes autonomy will unlock a wave of pent-up demand and create even more jobs and opportunities for humans. Bedrock is one the companies and teams I'm most bullish on, and you'll see why!

00:00 Episode intro

02:16 Soviet Union to robotics leader

06:57 Conquering self-driving at Waymo

14:38 Why leave Waymo to start Bedrock?

19:10 How to make heavy machinery autonomous

24:06 AI breakthroughs that make this possible

31:06 Why autonomy will create jobs, not destroy them

37:44 The impact of the robotics revolution

America's global ascendency was tied to its industrial strength. But since the 1960s, our manufacturing might gave way to white-collar services. Now, we've on the verge of a new AI economy. Is this our moment to reindustrialize? What does it mean for trade and immigration? And how do we make sure everyone, particularly rural America, shares in the potential economic growth?

These are some of the most important policy questions that will determine the future of our country, and Marc Andreessen is the right person to ask. Several weeks ago I interviewed Marc, co-founder and general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, for the first annual Ronald Reagan Economic Forum, an alternative to the World Economic Forum that offers a more dynamic, pro-growth view of the future of America and the West.

We begin with the debate over tariffs, and what Marc has learned from studying President McKinley, a key inspiration for President Trump's trade views. McKinley's protectionist agenda is well known, but Marc explains why he actually shifted to reciprocal tariffs by the end of his term as manufacturers needed new markets. Next, he details America's transformation into a services-based economy, why it benefited the coasts over the heartland, and the intense political and cultural divides that emerged. Learn why Marc believes that AI plus robotics will provide a unique opportunity to capture the manufacturing jobs of the future and help rural areas share in the upside. We also discuss the debate over immigration and what smart policies look like in an AI-driven economy. Finally, we cover the potential bottlenecks to an AI boom, and how our leaders can position America to lead an industrial renaissance.

00:00 Episode intro

02:18 Understanding McKinley & Trump on tariffs

07:20 Manufacturing to services; America's economic shift

11:30 The great clash between cities & rural America

15:50 Deindustrializing wasn’t inevitable; it was a choice

17:40 AI is a fundamental turning point

20:30 Robotics will be biggest industry ever created

23:54 High-skilled immigration + DEI hurts rural kids

29:32 What are bottlenecks to AI boom

Few people have been as influential as Dave Rubin in the new media movement and fight for free speech. He not only helped expose Big Tech's censorship but also built an alternative platform that enabled other contrarian voices to speak out. Where is new media headed next? Why are Tucker Carlson and others attacking Churchill or dabbling in antisemitic conspiracy theories? And how should we respond to a "woke right"?

This week we're joined by the comedian-turned political commentator and entrepreneur who has amassed millions of followers. An original member of the intellectual dark web, Dave challenged the limits of "acceptable speech" early on. After Patreon started censoring right-wing voices, he created Locals, where free speech reigned and power was given back to creators (I was a small investor in Locals, which was later acquired by Rumble). Dave's efforts were key in providing oxygen to alternative media voices and pressuring Big Tech to reform. He's still expanding his influence in media with a new production network, and just launched a long-time passion project: his own tequila company — Copal. Check out their first reposado before it sells out.

We begin with Dave's recent visit to UATX, how AI is impacting education, and why he's creating an AI version of himself. Next, we dive into the origins of Locals and how Dave responded to censorship by building his own independent, free-speech platform. He also reveals what it was like inside YouTube during the heyday of Big Tech censorship and how the "Twitter Files" changed the world. Then, we take a tour of Dave's new tequila company before discussing the troubling rise of a "woke right," and why figures like Tucker Carlson are attacking Winston Churchill and flirting with antisemitic tropes. How should free speech advocates confront the spread of these bad ideas? We end with Dave's ideas for how to elevate our culture and move our collective dialogue in a positive direction.

[NOTE: this episode was recorded before the United States and Israel struck Iran's nuclear facilities.]

00:00 Episode intro

01:57 Intellectual dark web & Dave's impression of UATX

04:37 Why Dave is making AI version of himself

08:45 The origins of Locals & Dave's fight for free speech

12:40 Dave's new tequila company

18:00 Should we trust a changed BigTech?

25:20 Tucker vs Churchill

33:30 The Woke Right?

38:00 Did the Democratic Party get hijacked?

46:00 Can optimism prevail over conspiracy theories?

California has been governed by left-wing, one party-rule for 15 years, and the results speak for themselves. How did California turn deep blue? What are the policies needed to reverse course? And can those ideas actually win?This week we talk about the future of California with my longtime friend Steve Hilton. Many people know Steve from his popular Fox News show, "The Next Revolution," but may not know that his parents fled communism in Hungary to start a new life in the UK. The fight for freedom is core to who he is and why he fell in love with America, specifically California. After the success of his television show, he decided he didn't want to just talk about issues but also get in the arena. He launched his policy group, Golden Together, and recently went one step further and jumped into the race for governor.We begin with Steve's upbringing, from working class London to studying at Oxford and later serving as senior advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron. We discuss key lessons learned at the highest levels of UK government, including his DOGE-like research into the UK's crippling bureaucratic growth. Next, we cover his journey to the Golden State, why he decided to stay and fight for its future, and how terrible policies turned California into a paradise for lawyers and government unions, instead of hard-working families and small businesses. Learn why, for example, restaurants budget a million dollars a year just to deal with frivolous lawsuits, plus other insanity Steve has discovered as he travels the state. Despite the dysfunction, he still believes there's reason for optimism and explains why he's confident Republicans can win statewide office — and why they don't need to water down their message or agenda to do it.

00:00 Episode Intro

01:30 Fleeing communism to Prime Minister’s senior advisor

06:05 Brexit, EU, and fighting UK bureaucratic growth

12:44 How Steve fell in love with CA & landed Fox News show

17:20 Why Steve got into politics

20:18 How CA became a paradise for lawyers & frivolous lawsuits

25:44 Is CA more conservative than we think?

29:27 Homeless crisis: follow the money

35:10 How to fix CA's housing nightmare

44:45 How Republicans can actually win in California

Scott Wu took the technology world by storm when he released a demo of Devin, the first AI software engineer. A year later, Devin has gone global, and his company — Cognition AI — is valued at over $4 billion. What are the next leaps for AI coding agents? Could the total economic impact be in the trillions of dollars? And is Scott worried that Devin may someday replace him?

Scott's journey to the epicenter of the AI race started in an unlikely place: growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of Chinese immigrants. At an early age, he excelled in math and was fast tracked into high school courses [not held back in the name of equity!], culminating in a national Mathcounts championship and three gold medals in competitive programming at the International Olympiad in Informatics. After highschool, he joined Addepar as a top young software engineer before attending Harvard.

Scott gathered his smartest friends and many other math, physics and programming champions under one roof to build Cognition, and when they're not architecting new AI breakthroughs, they're quizzing each other with math games. Learn why the top math minds are dominant in AI and what this tells us about the nature of AI progress and where we're headed next. Plus, the first person to solve one of Scott's tough math challenges in this episode gets free swag [leave your answer in the comments or email [email protected]]. Finally, we discuss the future of software engineering and what AI coding agents mean for economic productivity as tasks that once took months to complete now take a weekend with Devin. Is it a trillion dollar opportunity?

It's inspiring to see the impact an optimistic, brilliant mind like Scott can have on the world — and he's still a few years shy of his 30th birthday.

0:00 Episode intro

1:38 Math prodigy to AI savant

9:43 Origins of Cognition and Devin

11:25 Why are top math minds dominant in AI?

14:40 The next wave of generative AI

18:45 Jagged intelligence & man-machine symbiosis

25:35 Solve Scott's math challenge

31:05 Scott's argument for AI optimism

35:10 Trillion-dollar opportunity?

39:10 The future of software engineering

42:10 Optimism for the future