Heritage Explains

The executive order is a tool the Constitution places at the president’s disposal, allowing him to effect changes within the executive branch of government. As President Donald Trump steps into office this week, he has signed many such orders, which have already had a broad impact on the way the federal government works. I sat down with Heritage Fellow Steve Groves to better understand these chang...

One of the key components of the incoming Trump administration was securing the southern border. President Trump campaigned heavily on this issue, and now it is time to implement policy to deliver. To get a sense of what the Trump administration may pursue in the first hundred days of the new administration, I sat down with Simon Hankinson, Senior Reseaarch Fellow in the Border Security and Immigr...

One of the key components of the incoming Trump administration was securing the southern border. President Trump campaigned heavily on this issue, and now it is time to implement policy to deliver. To get a sense of what the Trump administration may pursue in the first hundred days of the new administration, I sat down with Simon Hankinson, Senior Reseaarch Fellow in the Border Security and Immigr...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your friends at the Heritage Foundation! This week, we bring you a classic of the Christmas season.  “A Visit from St. Nicholas” was composed by New York writer and businessman Clement Clark Moore in 1823. Now over 200 hundred years old, it remains one of the most well-known and iconic American poems ever. It established many key characteristics of Santa Cla...

President Trump has promised new policies on border enforcement, designed to make Americans safer and to protect national sovereignty. To this end, he has selected career law enforcement officer Tom Homan as his Border Czar. I sat down with Tom to ask him about this new position and specifically, to shed light on one of the more contentious parts of Trump’s vision: the removal of illegal aliens fr...

In May of 2023, a man named Daniel Penny boarded a subway car in New York City. During transit, a man named Jordan Neely began to threaten Penny and the other passengers on the car. Expressing a desire to defend himself and others, Penny, an ex-Marine, put Neely in a chokehold until the train arrived at the next station. Shortly after the incident ended, Neely unfortunately died.  New York has bro...

Tariffs have been a hotly debated point in American politics since the country began. President-elect Donald Trump has demonstrated his support for tariffs, receiving criticism from both the left and some sections of the right. To understand the conservative approach to tariffs, we sat down with Richard Stern, the director of the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget here at the Heritage...

Mercy Otis Warren was a writer and playwright whose thought informed the American Revolution and the years following. As Thanksgiving of 2024 nears, Brenda Hafera, Assistant Director of the Simon Center for American Studies, here at the Heritage Foundation, thought it appropriate to reflect on Mrs. Warren’s thoughts, particularly those on gratitude. Heritage Social Media Manager Christian Lasval s...

George Washington. Abraham Lincoln. Martin Luther King, Jr.  These names are (hopefully) familiar to just about every kid growing up in the United States of America. They’re individuals who shaped the times that they lived in, whose impact has trickled down even to the present day. We remember them in order to understand how our country has developed over time, but also to learn from them, excepti...

The election has swung decisively toward conservatives. But Inauguration Day is not until January 20th and the new Congress will not be in session until January 3rd. What happens between now and then? Connor Semelsburg, Government Relations Director for the Heritage Foundation, and Sarah Ursprung, Director of Government Relations for Heritage Action for America.  — The Heritage Foundation: www.her...

As of early this morning, Wednesday November 6th, Donald J Trump has won the presidency of the United states of America. There are still several house and senate races that are up in the air, but conservative policy has won a decisive victory in this cycle.  I sat down with Heritage Senior Legal Fellow, Hans von Spakovsky, to get his take on the events of last night and this morning.  — Hans von S...

A future Trump or Harris administration would take fundamentally different approaches to critical facets of American life. One such facet, an issue that has been at the forefront of both political campaigns, is the southern border.  Here to explain what to expect from a potential Harris or Trump administration on the border is Lora Ries, Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at Th...

Today, education as the key to self-advancement and a better life is still a principle held dear by Americans. But today, many families find the education that they desire for their children out of reach. Public school systems are often mired in bureaucracy and misplaced priorities, which puts political objectives over the wellbeing and education of children. In the absence of competition, academi...

Hurricanes Helene and Milton have caused devastation across several states in the American southeast, most notably in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. With the 2024 Election only a few weeks ago, many are concerned about whether these voters will have the ability to be heard this cycle. Hans von Spakovsky joins the podcast to explain.  — Hans von Spakovsky on X: https://x.com/HvonSpakovsky Her...

We are very excited that our partners at the Daily Signal have recently released a new podcast, The Signal Sitdown, hosted by politics reporter Bradley Devlin. In the show, Bradley sits down with movers and shakers in Washington who are willing to take him behind the scenes on how policy comes about in our Nation’s Capitol. How does the sausage actually get made in Washington, DC? Bradley joins us...

Today, Iran launched a major missile attack on Israel, apparently in response to Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other leaders a few days ago. Here to explain what this event may mean, as it unfolds, is Heritage Research Fellow, Nuclear Deterrence and Missile Defense Bob Peters.  — Bob Peters on X: https://x.com/realbobpeters Report on Iran Developing a Nuclear Weapon: ht...

California’s Senate Bill 132 made it legal to transfer trans-identifying male inmates into female prisons. The outcomes have been  Kelsey Bolar, Director of Storytelling at the Independent Womens’ Forum, joins the podcast to give context to this issue and to explain the importance of storytelling in conservative messaging.  — Kelsey Bolar on X: https://x.com/kelseybolar Cruel & Unusual Punishm...

Four presidents have been assassinated in office, and several (in office or not) have been wounded. All of these incidents took place decades, if not a century, ago. So it’s understandable that the second wounding of a president while not in office, that of Donald Trump in Butler Pennsylvania in July of this year, would have shaken the nation. Now, a mere two months later, a second assassination a...

Following last night’s presidential debate, many questions still abound about the substance of presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s policy positions. As a former district attorney and attorney general, she touts a long policy record of enforcing law and upholding public safety. Heritage Senior Legal Fellow Zack Smith joins the podcast to share why he is concerned over these claims.  — Zack Smith...

As the fiscal year ends, Congress has to decide how to fund the government over the next few months. Heritage Action for America supports funding via a continuing resolution through March of 2025. Heritage Action also supports the inclusion of the SAVE Act, a key piece of election integrity legislation, in this continuing resolution. Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker joins the p...

What’s the Deal with the Mark Zuckerberg Letter? | Jake Denton   Mark Zuckerber’s letter to Congress admitted Meta’s collusion with the Biden-Harris Administration. But is it a good sign in the struggle with Big Tech? Jake Denton joins the podcast to explain.    —   Jake Denton on X: https://twitter.com/RealJDenton   —    Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

In response to inflation, Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed instituting controls on the prices of household goods and groceries. The question is, will these proposals work? Heritage Foundation economist and Research Fellow EJ Antoni joins the podcast to explain.  — EJ Antoni on X: https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni —  Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org Host...

Over the last few weeks, the UK has seen upheaval in government, rioting, and increased official censorship. UK and EU bureaucrats have made threatening overtures to American citizens and businesses. Nile Gardiner, Director, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom here at the Heritage Foundation,has been watching the political turmoil that is happening in the UK, and unfortunately, these threats come...

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has her running mate. What do we know about Tim Walz and what might his philosophy of governance be? Heritage Senior Fellow Mike Gonzalez and Heritage Action for America Communications Director Cody Sargent share their thoughts.  Mike Gonzalez on X: https://x.com/Gundisalvus Cody Sargent on X: https://x.com/co...

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court ended its 2024 term by handing down landmark decisions in a number of key cases, including the all-important Trump v. United States. Left-wing pundits, members of Congress, and even President Biden were quick to make wild claims about the Court's ruling on presidential immunity, with some asserting the president is now free to arrest, deport, or even murder his...