The Brief: Insights from the Inside | PragerU

Iran’s regime is “a theocratic autocracy” waging war by proxy—from Hamas and Hezbollah to militias and the Houthis—while crushing dissent at home. In this in-depth of The Brief, Jonathan Schanzer (FDD) explains Iran’s power structure, the protest waves since 2009, what recent nuclear site strikes actually set back, the state of the economy/sanctions, and how proxy networks amplify Tehran’s reach. ...

Harvard historian James Hankins joins Shabbos Kestenbaum to explain why he’s leaving Harvard—from the collapse of Western civilization surveys to the rise of DEI-driven hiring, foreign-donor influence, and how university priorities shifted from excellence to activism. Hankins details the move from Western/US history to “global” frames, alleges systemic admissions bias, unpacks the two-book tenure...

Venezuelan political refugee and Manhattan Institute fellow Daniel Di Martino joins Shabbos Kestenbaum to break down the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro—why Venezuelans are celebrating, what this means for drug trafficking, migration, oil, and U.S. interests, and how a real transition to democracy could unfold. We cover comparisons to Panama/Noriega vs. Iraq/Afghanistan, the role of international l...

Rafael Mangual (Manhattan Institute; Criminal (In)Justice) joins Shabbos Kestenbaum to unpack the shootings in Bondi Beach and Brown University, as well as America’s gun debate. He explains how the U.S. violence problem is hyper-concentrated, the problem with gun bans, and how the best solutions are targeted policing, prosecution, and incapacitation. We cover Heller/McDonald/Bruen, background chec...

CNN commentator and strategist Scott Jennings joins host Shabbos Kestenbaum to break down U.S. immigration policy, the Minnesota Medicaid fraud scandal, and why he believes Western civilization is under real pressure—from mass migration impacts to campus radicalism. Jennings explains how Europe’s crisis reshaped politics, why assimilation matters, what’s alleged in Minnesota’s Somali fraud cases,...

Former police officer Brandon Tatum joins Shabbos Kestenbaum to break down why “defund the police” fails in practice—using New York City as the case study. Brandon breaks down Mamdani’s defund agenda, and what it really does to NYPD morale, recruiting, and safety—plus the data vs the discourse, the use of the National Guard in American cities, attacking ICE agents, political violence, BLM, and why...

Exiled Qatari dissident Sheikh Khalid Al-hail joins The Brief to lay out his case against Qatar’s ruling monarchy—why he can’t live in Doha, how he says Hamas leaders operate from Qatar, and why he calls Al Jazeera a state intelligence platform. We dig into canceled elections, Muslim Brotherhood influence, influencer junkets, and the billions allegedly flowing to U.S. universities. If you follow M...

Gen Z is bucking the narrative. Christian Collins—founder of the Texas Youth Summit—joins Shabbos Kestenbaum to explain why church attendance among young Americans is rising, how COVID-era isolation pushed a new search for meaning, and what families, mentors, and faith communities can do to guide the next generation. Get all our content ad-free on PragerU.com or download the PragerU app: https://l...

Author and speaker James Lindsay joins Shabbos Kestenbaum to unpack the “woke right”—what it is, where it came from, and how a very online movement is leaking into real-world politics. We cover definitions (critical theory, reactionary currents), cancel-culture mirror tactics, the “trust me, bro” power play, and why Israel has become a coalition-splitting wedge issue on the right. Get all our cont...

Best-selling author Gerald Posner (Case Closed) joins The Brief: Insights From The Inside to break down the JFK assassination—what the evidence shows, what it doesn’t, and why it became “the mother of all conspiracy theories.” We cover Lee Harvey Oswald’s motives and Mexico City trip, the Zapruder film, the grassy knoll and ear-witness confusion, the House Select Committee’s infamous dictabelt err...

Former Army Captain and interrogator Jesse Petrilla joins The Brief: Insights From The Inside to unpack the jihadist long game—from recruiting child suicide bombers and weaponizing Western campuses to why phrases like “You have the watches, we have the time” matter. Drawing on 400+ detainee interrogations, Petrilla explains how Islamist extremists think, how they use deception, madrassas, and gene...

In this episode of The Brief: Insights From The Inside, Venezuelan exile and PragerU host Franklin Camargo explains how one of the world’s most resource-rich nations became a narco-state—from nationalization and price controls to cartel power and mass poverty—and why U.S. policy should treat Venezuela, China, Russia, and Iran as a connected threat. Camargo details election illegitimacy, cartel tie...

Former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren explains why the new Gaza ceasefire is fundamentally different: not just a pause in fighting, but a roadmap tied to Gaza stabilization, expanding the Abraham Accords, and a broader regional reset. Oren warns about unprecedented foreign monitors on Israeli soil, debates whether Hamas disarmament is realistic, and lays out how American power, Iran deterrence, a...

In this episode of The Brief: Insights From The Inside, host Shabbos Kestenbaum sits down with Rep. Nancy Mace (SC-01) to discuss protecting women’s rights, keeping gender ideology out of K-12 classrooms, and demanding accountability in the Epstein files so victims see justice—because, as Mace says, “no one is above the law.” She also talks school policy (parental consent and age-appropriate conte...

Shabbos Kestenbaum sits down with Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26) who gives an update on the government shutdown, explains the need for tougher immigration enforcement, and discusses his law-and-order approach to repeat offenders. They also hit judicial overreach, nationwide injunctions, and what it would take to reopen the federal government. Get all our content ad-free on PragerU.com or download the P...

Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) joins Shabbos Kestenbaum to break down the 2025 government shutdown: who’s actually responsible, what it will mean for everyday Americans, and whether the standoff could backfire on Democrats. Lawler recounts tense exchanges involving Hakeem Jeffries; explains why “this isn’t a Republican shutdown”; and lays out what concessions would re-open the government.  Get al...

Who is behind the anti-ICE violence in major cities across the U.S.? Are ICE and other law enforcement organizations really grabbing people off the streets? And how does this fit into Trump’s broader border and immigration policies? Shabbos speaks with cartel and border threat expert Jaeson Jones who explains what’s really happening on America’s streets. Get all our content ad-free on PragerU.com...

What really happened at the event Bill Ackman hosted in the Hamptons? Did pro-Israel advocates really attempt to force Charlie Kirk into abandoning support for Israel? Shabbos speaks with political commentator and attorney Josh Hammer - who was at the meeting - to get to the truth. Get all our content ad-free on PragerU.com or download the PragerU app: https://l.prageru.com/45GvWlu Follow PragerU...