Episodios

  • Lanhee Chen on fixing America’s broken health care system
    Apr 18 2026

    Health care policy expert Lanhee Chen joins Margaret Hoover to unpack the paradox at the heart of American medicine: the best care in the world—and some of the highest costs. What’s broken, and why hasn’t Washington been able to fix it?

    Chen—a Hoover Institution fellow who has advised Republican leaders from George W. Bush to Mitt Romney—traces how a patchwork system evolved into one that’s both expensive and confusing. He lays out a market-based vision for reform, aimed at putting patients—not insurers or government—in control of spending.

    From new tax-advantaged health accounts to price transparency and expanding the supply of doctors and facilities, Chen argues that better incentives—not more regulation—are the key to lowering costs.

    He also offers a candid critique of his own party, acknowledging that Republicans spent years attacking the Affordable Care Act without offering a clear alternative—and reflects on whether meaningful reform is even possible in today’s polarized political climate

    Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, Al and Kathy Hubbard, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

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    46 m
  • Can Congress be fixed? A Firing Line forum with Philip Wallach and Oona Hathaway
    Apr 11 2026

    As presidents increasingly rely on executive action to advance their agenda, Philip Wallach and Oona Hathaway join Margaret Hoover to discuss why Congress has abdicated its constitutional power and how to fix it in a forum at Hofstra University.

    Wallach, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of “Why Congress,” talks about the role the founders envisioned for the legislative branch and how it has changed in recent decades amid rising partisanship and political dysfunction.

    Hathaway, a Yale Law School professor who served on a Princeton University panel examining congressional reform, assesses how presidents have claimed war powers that the Constitution assigned to Congress and comments on the role of the Supreme Court in shifting power to the executive branch.

    The guests take questions from students, offer ideas for reform, and explain how Gen Z can help fix the system and restore the balance of power in Washington.

    Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, Al and Kathy Hubbard, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

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    40 m
  • General Jim Mattis and Ryan Holiday on the war in Iran and Stoicism in the military
    Mar 21 2026

    Former Four Star Marine General Jim Mattis and best selling author and popular podcaster Ryan Holiday join Margaret Hoover to talk about the war in Iran, the Trump administration’s “murky” endgame, and the role of Stoic philosophy in military leadership.

    This interview was recorded as part of the Hoover Institution’s “Ideas That Made U.S.” series at Stanford University.

    Mattis– who led the Pentagon for two years in President Trump’s first term–discusses what he learned about Iran in his four decades of military service and why he doubts the regime will collapse due to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.

    Holiday, a communications expert and host of the Daily Stoic podcast, comments on the administration’s efforts to build public support for the war, and he recalls his own 2021 interview with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine–who shares Mattis' interest in Stoicism.

    Mattis explains why he believes America’s alliances are vital, questions the Trump administration’s easing of sanctions on Russia, and discusses what an eventual end to the war could look like.

    Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

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    37 m
  • Iran: The road to war
    Mar 14 2026

    Over the last eight seasons, Margaret Hoover has spoken to many guests about the threat posed by Iran and what the U.S. can do about it. As the war in Iran enters a third week, we look back at how key policymakers and experts have addressed the prospect of military action against the regime.

    This episode includes excerpts from interviews with Sen. Tom Cotton, retired Gen. David Petraeus, former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and more. They discuss the challenge of confronting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the risks of pursuing regime change, and the lessons America learned from past conflicts.

    Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

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    27 m
  • Mark Cuban wants to ‘f- up the entire healthcare industry’
    Feb 28 2026

    Entrepreneur Mark Cuban talks to Margaret Hoover about what is wrong with the healthcare system in America and how he hopes to fix it.

    Since selling his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks and quitting ABC’s “Shark Tank,” Cuban has focused his energy on disrupting the healthcare industry. He explains how his company, Cost Plus Drugs, works and why he is taking on pharmacy benefit managers–the insurance industry middlemen he blames for rising drug costs.

    Cuban addresses broader questions about the industry, telling Margaret why he supports bipartisan legislation to break up big healthcare companies, why he thinks TrumpRx is a good program, and why he doubts universal healthcare is feasible in America today.

    Cuban, who endorsed Kamala Harris in 2024, also reflects on the Democratic Party’s communication problems and comments on whether he would consider running for president himself in 2028.

    Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

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    42 m
  • Jon Meacham on ‘American Struggle’ and the pursuit of a more perfect union
    Feb 21 2026

    Historian Jon Meacham sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about America’s pursuit of democracy, the dangers posed by the Trump administration, and his new book, “American Struggle.”

    The book collects speeches and documents by prominent figures beginning with the First Assembly of Virginia in 1619 to the present, tracking the development of America’s founding ideals and the nation’s imperfect quest to live up to them.

    Meacham reflects on the first year of President Trump’s second term and his expansive use of executive power. He also addresses the administration’s “might makes right” approach to foreign policy and what it means for America’s place in the world.

    Meacham reflects on Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy, explains why presidential character matters, and discusses how America’s history can be a source for hope in the present.

    Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

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    37 m
  • A brave new world of media and politics: Natalie Winters and Adam Mockler
    Feb 14 2026

    Natalie Winters, co-host of Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, and Adam Mockler, host of “The Adam Mockler Show” on YouTube, join Margaret Hoover for a discussion at Hofstra University about how their generation views politics and media.

    Winters, 24, defends her approach to reporting and denounces the “anti-disinformation industry” that she believes silences alternative views. She also addresses rifts within the Republican Party revealed by a recent clash between President Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

    Mockler, 23, explains why authenticity attracts audiences online and reflects on the state of the Democratic Party, which he thinks should embrace aspects of both moderation and populism to succeed.

    The commentators debate President Trump’s immigration policies and broader attitudes toward immigration and assimilation.

    Winters and Mockler also take questions from Hofstra students about accountability in journalism, algorithms that promote extreme content, and desensitization toward tragedy.

    Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

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    1 h y 8 m
  • Policing a city on ICE: Minneapolis PD Chief Brian O’Hara
    Feb 7 2026

    Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara returns to “Firing Line” to talk about the impact of the federal immigration enforcement surge in his city and the protests against it.

    He addresses the Trump administration’s announcement that 700 federal officers will be leaving Minnesota and responds to comments President Trump made this week about the surge and about crime in Minneapolis.

    O’Hara, who reformed the Minneapolis Police Department after George Floyd’s murder, explains why the actions of ICE are putting the progress he has made at risk and how his understaffed department is responding to the crisis.

    He discusses the relationship between local and federal law enforcement, the importance of accountability, and his assessment of the tactics used by protesters. He also comments on Trump’s threats to invoke the Insurrection Act.

    Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, Peter and Mary Kalikow, Pritzker Military Foundation, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Katharine J. Rayner, Charles R. Schwab, Lindsay and George Billingsley, The Meadowlark Foundation, Jared Stone, and Al and Kathy Hubbard.

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    40 m