Former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins Margaret Hoover to discuss President Trump’s trip to Asia, the state of the war in Ukraine, and the new era of great power competition with Russia and China.
McFaul, author of the new book “Autocrats vs. Democrats,” assesses Trump’s handling of foreign policy so far in his second term, acknowledging the president has not been the isolationist many expected but also criticizing him for abandoning America’s soft power institutions.
McFaul, who first met Vladimir Putin in the 1990s, explains how Putin’s worldview differs from Xi Jinping and why he believes that makes Putin a more aggressive threat to democracy. He also lays out what he thinks it will take to bring Putin to the negotiating table to end the war in Ukraine.
And McFaul reflects on the 2024 death of his friend, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and what it means for Russia’s post-Putin 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.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo discusses the New York City mayoral race, his policy proposals, and the danger he sees in electing his opponent, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani.
With Election Day approaching, Cuomo lays out his potential path to victory and challenges Mamdani’s plans to address affordability concerns. He also comments on broader divisions in the Democratic Party.
Running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, Cuomo argues his experience as governor has prepared him to defend against threats from President Trump, and he warns Trump would use Mamdani’s election as an excuse to take over the city.
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid allegations of sexual harassment, explains why he now regrets stepping down and responds to questions about how he has changed and what he has learned.
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.
Justice Anthony Kennedy talks to Margaret Hoover about his three decades on the Supreme Court and the threats he sees to American democracy today.
As the court begins a new term, Kennedy, who took senior status in 2018, discusses the relationship between the Supreme Court and the executive branch and the prospect of a president defying the court’s orders.
Kennedy, author of the new memoir Life, Law, and Liberty, reflects on his Citizens United opinion and its impact on political spending. He also explains why he believes it would be “unfortunate” if the court overturns his opinion affirming the right to same-sex marriage.
Amid declining public confidence in the Supreme Court, Kennedy expresses concern about the growing incivility between the current justices and comments on the challenges of enforcing an ethics code on the court.
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.
Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s cyber ambassador, sits down with Margaret Hoover to talk about technology, democracy, and the fate of Taiwan amid new threats from China.
Tang, who served as Taiwan’s first minister of digital affairs, reflects on her work integrating technology into the government and the lessons learned from its successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She explains why she believes technological advances like social media can be used to bring people together instead of dividing them, and she discusses projects in California and Kentucky that have attempted to do that.
Tang also addresses how Taiwan is preparing for potential attacks by China and why Taiwan’s freedom is important to other democracies around the world.
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 Attorney General Alberto Gonzales lays out his concerns about the indictment of James Comey and the Trump administration defying the norms of Justice Department independence.
Gonzales–a Republican who supported Kamala Harris in 2024 due to concerns about Trump and the rule of law–says Trump’s effort to direct the department to prosecute his enemies threatens to undermine public confidence in the justice system.
Gonzales, who also served as White House counsel under President George W. Bush, also addresses Trump’s use of the same emergency powers Bush exercised after 9/11 to confront issues like immigration and questions the legality of recent strikes against alleged drug boats in international waters.
He comments on declining trust in the Supreme Court, the implications of its presidential immunity ruling for Trump’s second term, and the failure of Congress to act as a check on the executive branch.
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.
World Food Programme Director Cindy McCain joins Margaret Hoover to discuss the global food crisis and the need for more resources to fight it.
In a conversation on the sidelines of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, McCain details the impact of humanitarian aid cuts by the U.S. and other countries, which she believes have already cost lives around the world. She also addresses the danger humanitarian workers face in conflict zones and urges governments to stop targeting them.
McCain talks about the challenges WFP faces in Sudan, Afghanistan, and Gaza as hunger mounts and conditions limit access. She comments on the effectiveness of the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and explains why she believes WFP is better suited to deliver aid in Gaza.
As President Trump questions the purpose of the UN at this week’s General Assembly, McCain also defends its mission and outlines steps WFP has taken to make its own operations more efficient.
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.
Political violence expert Cynthia Miller-Idriss joins Margaret Hoover to discuss the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the rising threat of political violence in America.
Miller-Idriss, author of the new book “Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism,” details some of the factors fueling radicalization, including online gaming and social media. She also explains why young men have proven particularly susceptible to extremist influences amid a crisis of masculinity in society.
As conservatives cast blame on the left and demand vengeance for Kirk’s death, Miller-Idriss warns of vigilanteism and suppression of free speech. She says there is “unquestionably” a danger of further violence if rhetoric is not toned down.
Miller-Idriss, the founding director of the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab at American University, also talks about potential solutions to radicalization and what she has learned from talking to students about these issues.
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.
Cable TV titan John Malone joins Margaret Hoover to talk about his new memoir, “Born to Be Wired,” and current challenges in media and politics.
Malone, who played a key role in the development of the cable industry at Tele-Communications Inc. and Liberty Media Corp., explains why he opposed efforts to regulate his industry like net neutrality–and why he now believes more aggressive regulation is necessary for Big Tech today. Still, he also defends the CEOs of major tech companies like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk as “heroes of a capitalistic society.”
Malone–the chairman emeritus of CNN’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery–reflects on the state of the news media today, the need for objective reporting, and the consequences of a fractured media landscape.
He also discusses the dysfunction of Congress and expansion of executive power and comments on President Trump’s second term, saying “I like his policies, but his style is so disruptive and divisive that I'm not sure at the end of the day the country can survive it.”
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.
As China asserts itself as a global power, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware) sits down with Margaret Hoover in D.C. to discuss the threat posed by Beijing and its authoritarian allies and the Trump administration’s response.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee member recounts his recent visit to the Indo-Pacific with a bipartisan congressional delegation and reacts to China’s massive military parade this week. He explains why he fears Trump is undermining alliances and placing the world order at risk.
Coons also addresses Trump’s handling of the war in Ukraine, the plight of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia, and where he feels the Biden administration’s response to Putin’s aggression went wrong.
Coons comments on Democratic Party’s divisions over Israel and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He also addresses Trump’s National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. and the limits of the judiciary’s ability to rein in the president’s use of executive power—and explains why he wants HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign.
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.
Sam Tanenhaus, author of a long-awaited biography of William F. Buckley Jr., sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss the original “Firing Line” host’s life and legacy a century after his birth.
In “Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America,” Tanenhaus details Buckley’s childhood, his rise to lead the American conservative movement, and his later years. He explains why he believes Buckley chose him to tell this story and responds to some of the book’s conservative critics.
Tanenhaus defends his handling of Buckley’s Catholicism and his evolution on racial issues throughout his life, as well as his assertion that Buckley was more of an arguer than a thinker. He also pushes back against those who question his decision to address suspicions about Buckley’s sexuality in the book.
Tanenhaus discusses Buckley’s lasting impact on journalism and politics, including the extent to which he might have laid the groundwork for President Trump’s MAGA movement. After spending nearly three decades writing the book, he also reflects on his own relationship with Buckley.
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.
New York Congressman Mike Lawler sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss his approach to legislating as one of only three Republicans in the House representing a district Kamala Harris won in 2024 and why he believes his Democratic-leaning constituents should reelect him next year.
Lawler, who recently ruled out a run for governor, talks about defending his record at often rowdy town halls and highlights instances where he has stood up to the Trump administration. He also explains how he has succeeded in advancing his district’s priorities, like raising the cap on the state and local tax deduction in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
Lawler, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East and Africa Subcommittee, responds to Trump’s criticism of Israel over starvation in Gaza and lays out his view of the conflict. He also comments on declining support for Israel in the U.S., particularly among younger Americans.
Lawler defends the OBBBA’s Medicaid provisions and disputes projections of the bill’s costs. He also reacts to controversy over Texas Republicans trying to redraw congressional maps mid-decade–which has led Democrats in his state to threaten to do the same–and makes the case for banning partisan redistricting nationwide.
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.
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.