After an Afghan national drove his car into a Munich crowd, J.D. Vance delivered a stern rebuke of the European ruling class. Unsustainable immigration, Islamic extremism, and censorship raise the question whether once-great nations can be relied on as true Western allies. Meanwhile back home, Democrats struggle to decouple from woke, but best not interrupt their mistakes. The guys sit down to talk foreign policy, DOGE’s popularity, and resistance 2.0—plus, recommendations for must-watch shows and must-read articles! 

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has presented a moral dilemma as its processes discard embryos as a matter of course, ending more lives than even abortion. Emma Waters, Natalie Dodson, and Inez Stepman join host Ryan Williams to discuss this and other concerns surrounding IVF: genetic selection, the creation of human life for profit, the potential use of AI in dictating which embryos live, and more. They also raise solutions state legislatures may consider in the process; possible consequences; and the looming, necessary conversation of bioethics and parenthood in America.

Elon Musk's DOGE continues to sweep through the bureaucratic minefields, accompanied by the howling of entrenched progressives. Legal battles are surely ahead, which many on the left equate—absurdly—with a constitutional crisis. Meanwhile, the media comes around to what was labeled right-wing conspiracy just months ago: employment data was cherry-picked before the 2024 election to deceive in favor of Biden and Kamala. The hosts discuss this ongoing realignment, a Christian intellectual revival, and a couple listener questions.

Time to tighten the belt. As federal funding scrutiny increases—and with an enrollment cliff fast approaching—state legislators, not internal experts, must take action to put universities under the microscope and ensure faculty hours equate to student academic mastery, promoting attendance. Host and Claremont Institute president Ryan Williams sits down with returning guest Scott Yenor and is joined by Frederick Hess and Beth Akers of the American Enterprise Institute to continue the discussion of how state legislatures may reshape universities, from performance funding to school choice.

Elon Musk’s DOGE helps lead an effort to pull out the rug from under Sri Lankan pronoun education, Vietnamese inclusivity programs, Bolivian transgender operas, and more—with the U.S. Agency for International Development caught in the first sweep. An outrage! Or so say leftists. In retaliation for that and more, the liberal media unearths the qualifications of Musk’s young staff, who turn out to be…educated, accomplished, and competent. Whoops. The guys sit down to talk wasteful spending and managerial efficiency, along with Christianity's role in government.

Kicking off the Cincinnatus Series, a set of six weekly Roundtable special episodes, Claremont Institute president Ryan Williams is joined by Inez Stepman, Scott Yenor, and David Azerrad to discuss leftist agendas within universities, and the opportunity for state legislatures to pull the reins and reverse course. Among the levers for dismantling the radical ideological infrastructures are the creation of state-controlled accreditation agencies, funding restrictions, and a renewed focus on student outcomes. The guests discuss these topics, potential pitfalls, and more!

The uphill battle to restore common sense continues with Trump’s executive orders against gender ideology and transition for minors. Meanwhile, a rebellion against the liberal establishment takes joyous shape among normalcy-craving youth. Pinehill Capital president and We the People podcast host Gates Garcia joins the guys to discuss these vibe shifts and the extremely hinged reaction from the Left as they struggle to meet the positivity, branding, and hype of the Right.

Objective normalcy makes a comeback. In several inauguration speeches, Trump delivered a searing indictment of the elites, a symbolic rebuke to the old order, and a reassertion of American ideals. He followed this up with a barrage of executive orders, including one overturning federal affirmative action. Though these are dramatic actions in one sense, in another they’re just first steps toward restoring the founders’ principled regime. The hosts discuss the first days of Trumps term, the spillover effect of ending federal DEI programs in the private sector, and the reconsideration of birthright citizenship in the face of birth tourism and mass immigration.

The age of the normie has arrived. As Mark Zuckerberg lifts Facebook’s censorial boot off the neck of its users and moves its moderation team from California to Texas, which seems to signal a sincere tech bro realignment, America is at the dawn of a freer era. Elsewhere in the digital world, conservatives on X discuss the job market: there are two paths, bootstraps or victimhood—what will it be, young man? Plus: The hosts comment on Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing and his qualifications, as well as the DoD’s overreliance on experts.

To kick off the new year, the guys open the mail and answer listeners’ questions on everything from cutting back the glut of unaccountable bureaucratic offices to buying Greenland.  Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom and the radical conservationists of California, in attempting to create an anti-human environmentalist utopia, have tragically but predictably turned Los Angeles into a literal dumpster fire. It’s a new year, but the laws of hubris and nemesis remain undefeated.