The Dispatch Podcast

Morning Dispatch Reporter Surya Gowda joins Steve Hayes, Jonah Goldberg, and Kevin Williamson to explain how Donald Trump made $2.2 billion in 2025 and discuss whether or not his financial gains are ill-gotten. Then, Kevin and Jonah discuss Graham Platner dropping out of the Maine Senate race and the end of the ceasefire with Iran. The Agenda: —Trump’s presidential payday —Binance founder pardon —...

Steve Hayes is joined by Kevin Williamson and Mike Nelson to discuss Pete Hegseth’s purge of senior military leadership, our relationships with European allies, and the dismissal of Folarin Balogun’s red card. The Agenda: —Pete Hegseth’s Warped Vision for the Military —Firing of Army Gen. Chris Donahue —Hegseth’s feud with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll —Celebrity politics —Gratitude for the French —...

Mike Warren is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and David French to discuss the MAGA reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision on birthright citizenship and the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence. The Agenda: —The state of SCOTUS —Transgender athletes —MAGA reactions —Freedom250 fair —Trump’s influence on national celebrations —How to celebrate right Show notes: —Advisory Opinio...

Steve Hayes, Mike Warren, and Jonah Goldberg are joined by Rachel Hoff, policy director at the Ronald Reagan Institute, to take a look at the Reagan Institute’s 2026 Survey Report and what it reveals about American sentiment towards foreign policy. The Agenda: —The 2026 survey report —American support for Iran war —Partisan shifts in foreign policy —Socialists win in New York —Democrats' Pat Bucha...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Chris Stirewalt, and Megan McArdle for a live recording at 92nd Street Y to discuss what’s left of the right. The Agenda: —What happened to Donald Trump? —The Trump doctrine —Truth-telling in government —Future of the Republican Party —Character in politics —2028 elections —NWYT: Seizing Greenland on Red Lobster's behalf The Dispatch Podcast is a production...

Steve Hayes is joined by Mike Warren and Stephen Richer to discuss the growing concerns and conversations around election integrity ahead of the 2026 midterms and the proliferation of conspiracy theories about voter fraud. The Agenda: —Election integrity —Media influence on election claims —California and conspiracy theories —Understanding voter behavior —The need for quick election results —Feder...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Warren, and Mike Nelson to break down the text of the memorandum of understanding that ended the hostilities between U.S. and Iran. The Agenda: —Trump’s goals vs. results —Iran’s ballistic missiles —$300 billion reconstruction fund —Future of Iranian terrorist proxies —The Art of the Deal —NWYT: Father’s Day Show notes: —ISW report on U.S.-Iran agreeme...

Steve Hayes is joined by Kevin Williamson, Megan McArdle, and Scott Lincicome to discuss AI and state corporatism and what the national debt is costing us today. The Agenda: —Bernie Sanders' AI wealth fund proposal —Government ownership of tech —Anthropic's Mythos model —The national debt —America's most boring nightmare —NWYT: Optimism Show notes: —CATO Institute on a Social Security inflation ca...

Steve Hayes is joined by Sarah Isgur, Kevin Williamson, and Mike Warren to discuss the New York Times report on the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files and Graham Platner's primary win in Maine. The Agenda: —"Dumb-dumb meetings" —Trump admin crisis management —How presidential staff spin stories —Graham Platner's primary win —Can Democrats take the Senate? —NWYT: The World Cup Sho...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Mike Warren to discuss Donald Trump's interview with Kristen Welker and the latest developments in the Iran war. The Agenda: —Trump's Meet the Press interview —Election integrity claims —California vote counting —Trump and Netanyahu —Negotiating with Iran —Reporting on the president —NWYT: Tip creep Show notes: —Kevin on Trump's charac...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Michael Warren, and John McCormack to discuss whether Donald Trump has become a lame duck president and reflect on McCormack's piece on Ben Sasse. The Agenda: —Republicans split on slush fund —Standing up to Trump —Bill Pulte as director of national intelligence —Learning from Ben Sasse —The original Remnant cohost —How to talk about death Show notes: —Ben...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David French, and Mike Nelson to discuss the “new phase” of the Ukraine-Russia war, the “imminent” deal with Iran, and the partisan cheerleading for Graham Platner and Ken Paxton. The Agenda: —Exaggerating Ukraine's demise —U.S. support for Ukraine —The imminent Iran deal —Similarities between Paxton and Platner —The poison of partisan cheerleading —NWYT: T...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Mike Warren to discuss Pope Leo’s encyclical on artificial intelligence and explain Jonah’s looksmaxxing routine. The Agenda: —The encyclical —Can AI write good narratives? —AI disclosure laws —Creative destruction —Regulating AI —NWYT: Clavicular's take on books Show notes: —Ben Sasse at the Manhattan Institute —Klon Kitchen on the AI th...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and David French to discuss the potential ceasefire extension with Iran and the Democratic Party's autopsy of its 2024 presidential election loss. The Agenda: —The Iran deal —Domestic consequences —Division on the right —Ceasefires aren't deals —The DNC autopsy —Party constituencies shift —NWYT: Long school years Show notes: —Jonah's "anti...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Mike Warren to discuss Donald Trump’s $1.776 billion slush fund and the indictment of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro. The Agenda: —The slush fund —The impeachment case —Will Congress grow a spine? —Indictment of Raúl Castro —The Venezuela model —NWYT: Discontinued treats Dispatch Recommendations: —A Time for Choosin’, Texas —Will Trum...

Steve Hayes is joined by Kevin Williamson, Mike Warren, and David Drucker to discuss Donald Trump’s primary challenges against Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Thomas Massie, along with last week’s U.S.-China summit in Beijing. The Agenda: —Sen. Cassidy’s loss —The consequences of crossing Trump —Texas Republican primary —Trump’s approach to China —Taiwan as a bargaining chip —NWYT: Trump’s $1.776 billi...

Mike Warren is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David Drucker, and Charles Hilu to discuss the nationwide redistricting battles happening in state legislatures and Donald Trump’s low approval for handling inflation. The Agenda: —Impact of Louisiana v. Callais SCOTUS decision —Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama redistricting —South Carolina Republican defies Trump —Race and representation —Abysmal inflatio...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Mike Warren, and the Hudson Institute's Michael Sobolik to discuss the upcoming summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the future of U.S. relations with China, and the prospect of Taiwanese independence. The Agenda:—Is China an adversary?—Xi Jinping's global strategy—Xi's military purges—The Taiwan question—Human rights abus...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Mike Warren to discuss the potential end of major combat operations against Iran and Trump's retribution campaign against Indiana Republicans who opposed his mid-decade redistricting efforts. The Agenda:—End of Operation Epic Fury—Did the U.S. achieve its military goals?—Post-Iran War U.S. economy—Trump's waning political capital—Indiana...

Steve Hayes is joined by Kevin Williamson, Mike Warren, and Mike Nelson to discuss rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and the disconnect between the White House’s words and actions. The Agenda:—Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz—Who can keep the Strait open—Project Freedom—Trump’s rising political pressure—Democrats’ midterm messaging—NWYT: Philadelphia 76ers ban New Yo...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Sarah Isgur to discuss the role of populism within the Democratic Party and the second Department of Justice indictment of James Comey. The Agenda:—Maine Gov. Janet Mills drops Senate bid—Right-wing vs. left-wing populism—Populism meets reality—The James Comey indictment—Indicting political opponents—Future of the justice system The Dispa...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Williamson, and Michael Warren to discuss the third attempt to assassinate Donald Trump and why the national mood is so bad in the 2020s. The Agenda:—The third assassination attempt—Trump’s ballroom—History of political violence—Why everyone leaves Congress—The national bad mood—NWYT: Iran war’s effect on supply chainsDispatch recommendations:—The Pri...

Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, David French, and Kevin Williamson to discuss the Trump administration's ongoing negations with Iran, FBI Director Kash Patel's alleged excessive drinking, and Justice Clarence Thomas' recent speech at the University of Texas. The Agenda: —Is the end near? —Consequences of Trump's impatience —Bad negotiating strategy —⁠Kash Patel's drinking⁠ —⁠Investigating...

Steve Hayes is joined by Mike Warren, David Drucker, and Mike Nelson to discuss the latest on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz blockade, and how it is affecting Trump's popularity. The Agenda:—U.S.-Iran negotiations—WSJ reporting on Trump's "public bravado"—U.S. forces seize Iranian ship—The downstream political costs of war—Netanyahu faces domestic pressure—Challenges of modern information environment—...

Steve Hayes is joined by Mike Warren, Scott Lincicome, and Megan McArdle to discuss our overly complicated tax code and our launch of Dispatch Markets, featuring Scott's latest newsletter. Steve, Megan, and Mike then discuss New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's pied-à-terre tax and how the democratic socialist mayor has governed so far. The Agenda:—Donald Rumsfeld's tax letter—The cost of tax comp...