The Kevin Roberts Show

Heritage’s Chris DeMuth, Brenda Hafera, Delano Squires, Richard Stern, Bridget Weisenberger, Sarah Feldpausch, and Philip Reynolds join Kevin for a special Thanksgiving episode of “The Kevin Roberts Show.”

Every good citizen should come to understand religious liberty. Not just lawyers, not just people who want to go fight about it—fundamentally, it's a core part of the American commitment. What does it look like to be “on offense” for religious liberty? From battling foster care shutdowns and COVID-era mandates to preserving parental rights in education, Mark Rienzi, president and CEO of The Becket Fund, joins Kevin to discuss the everyday ramifications for religious liberty lawsuits. Mark Rienzi is the president and CEO of The Becket Fund and a Professor of Law at the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, where he is co-director of the Center for Religious Liberty and has served as a Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. He teaches constitutional law, religious liberty, and evidence, and has been voted Teacher of the Year three times by the Law School’s Student Bar Association. With the team at Becket, Mark has litigated and won an uninterrupted string of important First Amendment cases at the U.S. Supreme Court including Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC (2012), Little Sisters of the Poor (2013), McCullen v. Coakley (2014), Hobby Lobby (2014), Wheaton College (2014), Holt v. Hobbs (2015), Zubik v. Burwell (2016), Our Lady of Guadalupe (2020), Little Sisters of the Poor (2020), Diocese of Brooklyn/Agudath Israel (2020), and Fulton v. Philadelphia (2021).

When it comes to the Left’s desire to control American kids, institutions, and government, “expect escalation,” Liz Wheeler writes in her new book, “Hide Your Children: Exposing the Marxists Behind the Attack on America's Kids.” There is no denying the disastrous result of pandemic policies that shut down America and pushed kids out of the classroom—the latest ACT and NAEP results underscore the crisis. Millions of American parents have discovered that their school systems, which were failing to teach students even basic math and literacy skills, happily took precious class time to preach that America is systemically racist or to propagate the latest nonsensical gender theories. Liz Wheeler, host of The Liz Wheeler Show, joins Kevin to talk about how education in America reached this point and how to fight back. Liz is unapologetically one of the conservative movement’s boldest voices. In Politico’s words, Liz is a “titan” of media. A frequent target of the radical Left and the phony fact-checkers, Liz is undeterred—maybe even energized. As the host of The Liz Wheeler Show, Liz is a voice of reason and reality for millions of Americans as she guides them through the most controversial stories of the day. Liz is passionate about exposing corruption and calling out the so-called “experts.” She is rigorous in her research and committed to her faith. Her drive to relentlessly defend against the radical leftist takeover of our culture is born of a desire to see properly ordered society thrive in America once again—a society that values God over government, freedom over convenience, and individual liberty over victimhood and identity politics.

From draconian COVID policies to the woke infiltration of our most vital institutions, the administrative state has destroyed the heart of democracy. President of The American Main Street Initiative, Dr. Jeff Anderson, joins Kevin to discuss why dissolving power away from the DC Swamp and restoring self-governance are crucial to stopping America's decline. Jeffrey H. Anderson is the president of The American Main Street Initiative and served as the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) at the U.S. Department of Justice (2017-2021). Anderson earned a Ph.D. studying America’s founding principles at Claremont Graduate University. A former U.S. Air Force Academy professor, he served as the Senior Speechwriter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, co-founded and ran a successful start-up (The 2017 Project), and was a Hudson Institute Senior Fellow before becoming the Director of BJS. A leader in the Obamacare debate, Jeff authored “The Winning Alternative to Obamacare.” He later developed “The Main Street Tax Plan” to promote economic growth, reduce the national debt, and benefit the median American. Jeff also co-created the Anderson & Hester College Football Computer Rankings, which were part of the Bowl Championship Series throughout its 16-year run.

The American public education system is facing significant challenges, including a stark decline in literacy and math performance according to recent NAEP statistics. In response to these pressing concerns—COVID learning loss, Critical Race Theory, disruptive classroom environments, to name a few—parents committed to reform are championing the causes of school choice, homeschooling, and classical education. At the forefront of this conservative education reform movement stands Jeremy Tate, the visionary founder of the Classic Learning Test (CLT). The CLT proudly offers an alternative to the SAT and ACT, emphasizing the importance of reintroducing foundational texts from Western civilization into the educational curriculum. Jeremy joins Kevin for an insightful discussion as they delve into the root causes of the education system's challenges, highlight the numerous advantages of the CLT, and offer an optimistic vision for the future of both public and private education.

Over the past decade, we've witnessed significant shifts in society, from evolving notions of gender and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to immigration policies and government spending. Left-wing ideologies have increasingly shaped our national discourse, leaving many everyday Americans feeling unheard and unrepresented. Arthur Milikh joins Kevin to dissect the challenges conservatives face in a rapidly changing cultural and political landscape, and how they can regain influence. Milikh is the Executive Director of The Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life and the former Associate Director of the Center for American Studies at The Heritage Foundation. He is also the editor of Up from Conservatism, a new book arguing that the Right needs to carefully rethink its positions on the essential policy questions which will define the future of our country.

Retired Special Forces Officer, career public servant, and principal architect of the historic Abraham Accords, Robert Greenway, joins Kevin to discuss conservative national defense priorities. Now serving as director of Heritage’s Center for National Defense, Robert lays out his vision to ensure military readiness and promote American strength on the world stage and security here at home. Greenway brings decades of experience in combat, military intelligence, national security, and diplomacy to his new role. Greenway previously served as deputy assistant to the president and senior director on the National Security Council under President Donald Trump. Greenway joined Heritage immediately after working as an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute and president and executive director of the Abraham Accords Peace Institute.

After state decades of economic divide, a domineering central government, and political apathy, the state of Louisiana is emerging into a new era. Ahead lies a road unfettered by policy encumbrances of the past—an exit from the 100-year-long “rule of Huey Long,” according to this week’s guest and CEO of the Pelican Institute, Daniel Erspamer. He brings lessons on the fight for freedom from in Louisiana—lessons universal to beyond The Pelican State—that can be used to make the founders’ vision of “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” more attainable for all Americans.

In the midst of Biden's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, 13 Americans were killed outside Kabul's Karzai International Airport. Since then, a humanitarian catastrophe has swept the country and the Biden administration has failed to take accountability for the likely avoidable airport tragedy. After 20 years of fighting, and thousands of soldiers killed in action, Biden sold out Afghanistan to the Taliban with a stroke of his pen. In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal, millions of Afghanis are at risk of persecution by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda has a fertile breeding ground once again. Jorge Hidalgo, the gold star parent of 1st Lt. Daren Hidalgo, is the latest guest on The Kevin Roberts Show. Daren, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, was stationed in Afghanistan when his unit was stumbled into an improvised explosive device (IED) that resulted in Daren being killed in action. The courageous sacrifice of soldiers like Daren is what keeps our nation safe. But the shameful actions of the Biden administration undermine the sacrifices made by Daren and the thousands of others who safeguard our freedoms.

In 2019, the University of Pennsylvania's swim team informed its female athletes that Lia Thomas, a man formerly known as William Thomas, would be competing alongside them. But the consequences of the university's decision wouldn't be limited to unfair competition. Although Thomas' teammates were told he would use separate locker-room facilities, he was instead allowed to use the same locker-room as the rest of the team, subjecting the all-female group to changing clothes in front of a man. This incident, and the University of Pennsylvania's intense crackdown on dissent, sparked many of its athletes to come forward and advocate for the future of women's sports. Paula Scanlan, a former University of Pennsylvania swimmer and teammate of Thomas, is the latest guest on The Kevin Roberts Show. Inspired by the injustice that she and her fellow Penn teammates suffered, Scanlan now spends her time making sure that the future of women's sports is safe, and that no one has to go through her experience ever again. Despite being part of the most pessimistic generation in American history, Scanlan fights to give hope to the millions of girls who use sports to pursue the American dream.

The Left is engaged in total war against American energy. Armed with lies and faulty science, they are wholly committed to the destruction of our nations reliable energy resources, putting our national security, prosperity, and way of life at risk. Funded by billions of dollars from so-called green energy, leftist politicians have told Americans for years that their world is on the brink of destruction. And yet... we're all still here. Harold Hamm, founder and executive chairman of Continental Resources, joins this week’s episode of “The Kevin Roberts Show” to discuss the daunting but possible task of securing America’s energy future. Hamm is also the author of a new book, “Game Changer: Our Fifty-Year Mission to Secure America's Energy Independence.” It's possible for America to be energy independent. But the lies have to stop, and Harold Hamm plans to set the record straight.

Americans expect their prosecutors to prosecute crimes. After all, it’s in their title. Unfortunately, that is no longer the norm around many of America’s once-great cities. An insidious new movement, funded by radical leftist George Soros, has bankrolled District Attorneys across the nation who have turned safe communities into war zones by refusing to bring criminals to justice. Cully Stimson, a senior legal fellow at Heritage, former federal prosecutor, and retired Navy JAG with 30 years of service to our nation, is the latest guest on The Kevin Roberts Show. Stimson is also the author of the new book “Rogue Prosecutors: How Radical Soros Lawyers Are Destroying America's Communities.” The goal of the rogue prosecutor movement is a simple one: to reverse engineer and dismantle the criminal justice system. ***SHOW NOTES*** Get Cully's new book on Rogue Prosecutors: https://www.amazon.com/Rogue-Prosecutors-Destroying-Americas-Communities/dp/1637586531 Watch the documentary on the avoidable tragedy of Deputy Glenn Hilliard's murder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WndSjCEdwao&t=3s

The Soviet Union fell in 1991, and with it fell the shadow of global communism. But while Americans breathed a collective sigh of relief at the thought of communism's demise, a new conspiracy developed at home. Hiding behind a veil of "progressivism," today's communists have infiltrated many of the institutions that Americans cherish and use their newfound power to control and regulate the actions of everyday Americans. Jesse Kelly, host of the nationally syndicated Jesse Kelly Show on iHeartRadio, is the latest guest on The Kevin Roberts Show here to discuss the ways in which the modern Left has manipulated society from behind the scenes. Kelly is also the author of a new book called "The Anti-Communist Manifesto," which takes a deep dive into how communists operate in today's America. In an America where civil society is increasingly dominated by communists, the American people must always remain vigilant and active in their local communities to fight communism wherever and whenever it appears.

President Ronald Reagan once famously said that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. For many Americans, it feels as if that time has come. The radical Left, led by the Biden administration, has put forward the most progressive and out-of-touch agenda in American history; the American people have had enough. Ken Cuccunelli, former Attorney General of Virginia and a Trump administration senior official, joins The Kevin Robert’s Show to break down and expose the channels the radical Left has used to attack America as we know it. From the security of the southern border to the integrity of our elections, the Left and the public have never been further apart.

The Reagan Revolution brought about a new birth of American trade power. But by the time of the 1990s, American trade policy had begun to serve the interests of other nations rather than our own. With the dawn of the 21st century came the rise of China as a new global superpower unlike any threat the United States had ever faced before, and one that due to our naive trade policies, we were ill-equipped to handle. Robert Lighthizer served as the U.S. Trade Representative during the Trump Administration and is today’s guest on The Kevin Robert’s Show. During his time in the Trump Administration, he worked to shift U.S. trade practices away from the globalist-crafted, America-last policies that had fused our economy with China’s. Stay tuned for an exciting discussion about the future of U.S. trade policy and what America can do to make sure it remains an independent nation free from the influence of hostile powers.

From the time they enter school, Americans are told that their elected Congress passes laws, which go to their elected President's desk for approval. Missing from that equation is the administrative state: a mass of dark money groups and powerful career bureaucrats which have tightened their grip over our country, our finances, and our future. Former Utah congressman and Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz is the latest guest on The Kevin Roberts Show, here to talk about his new and thought-provoking book: The Puppeteers: The People Who Control The People Who Control America. Chaffetz also breaks down the complex world of the administrative state and how it takes control away from the American people, and places it in the hands of self-interested, unelected tyrants.

In the last few decades, higher education has undergone a fundamental transformation. The monk-like scholars once responsible for the education of America's young adults have been replaced, by and large, with woke, self-serving political activists. Classical education, employed by colleges and charter schools across the nation, uses logical reasoning and the great texts of the Western world to educate their pupils and fight the woke mind-virus infecting public education. Dr. Larry Arnn—the twelfth president of Hillsdale College—joins a special episode of The Kevin Roberts Show, filmed at the 50th anniversary of the Heritage Foundation, for a candid discussion about the state of both education and the federal government.

At the core of America lies a set of guiding principles of free enterprise and a strong national defense. Will Ruger — President of the American Institute for Economic Research — joins the show to cast his vision for effectively protecting American interests, its citizens and institutions without needless bloodletting, while securing a future of economic stability.

What does an effective national security policy look like in an ever-changing world? How do conservatives ensure the United States maintains itself as a force for good and bulwark against enemies of freedom like the Chinese Communist Party, without falling into fallacies and approaches that have proven costly or wrong? Joining the show to weigh in is Victoria Coates —senior advisor to the U.S. secretary of energy under President Trump, art historian, and an expert on energy, international affairs, and national security here at Heritage.

Enes Freedom dunked on professional basketball to fight for freedom. Join Kevin as the former NBA star shares his inspiring journey of sacrificing his career to advocate for human rights and democracy — a move that even caused his home country of Turkey to place a $500,000 bounty on his head. From TikTok to the Uyghur genocide, the Chinese Communist Party has shown itself as brutal and dangerous. Even still, the goods China produces drive massive revenues here in America. So how can everyday Americans support freedom in China? - How much does the CCP really influence everyday American life? Enes shares his perspective. - Enes loves America so much that he changed his last name to "Freedom" upon becoming a citizen. But what exactly makes America so great, and how can we make it even better? - Despite giving up basketball, family, and his safety, Enes continues defending human rights around the world. What keeps him motivated?

“The truth is joy comes from the inside. For me, joy starts with my relationship with the Lord. Without that, I don't know how you have joy." This Holy Week, Senator Tim Scott shares an inspiring message about the significance of finding joy in our lives, particularly during difficult times. Mired in poverty and raised in a single-parent household, U.S. Senator Tim Scott says that he is living his mother’s American Dream. Since joining the Senate in 2013, he’s sounded the call for policies, like education freedom and limiting burdensome regulations on small businesses, that bring an abundance of opportunity to every American family.

Red state governors and lawmakers must be equipped with the resources to advocate for conservative policies. Today’s guest, Theo Wold shares what he has learned from taking the battle to the Idaho state legislature—and why more conservatives need to do the same. Theo Wold is a former deputy assistant to the president for policy in the Office of American Innovation in the Trump administration. Wold clerked at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for Judge Janice Rogers Brown and the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for Judge Jose Antonio Fuste. He has also lectured at the Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala. Presently, Theo serves as solicitor general of Idaho.

The Heritage Foundation has been helping the conservative movement fight for America for 50 years. In a conversation with Texas Values President Jonathan Saenz, Kevin breaks down the strategy needed for the movement to tackle today's political problems. Sharing insight from his time as President of Wyoming Catholic College and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Kevin lays out what it means to be on offense and how Heritage is playing a key role in shifting the Overton Window of conservative policy.

What is missing from America’s China policy? Renowned China expert Dr. Michael Pillsbury joins Kevin for an in-depth discussion into the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party and the new Cold War that China has initiated while American leaders have remained complacent. Described as the “leading authority on China” by President Trump, Dr. Michael Pillsbury currently serves as the Senior Fellow for China Strategy at the Heritage Foundation and is one of the foremost expert minds on China strategy. Before joining Heritage, Pillsbury served as Director for Chinese Strategy at the Hudson Institute. Pillsbury has held senior positions in the Defense Department, served on the staff of numerous US Senate committees, and served in a number of presidential administrations. Pillsbury is also author of the international best-selling book “The Hundred-Year Marathon: China’s Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower.”

One only needs to recall the “Summer of Love” to understand the Left's nefarious intentions in their efforts to defund the police, leverage rogue prosecutors, and stoke further flames of division across our nation. These actions only harm the very communities that the left-leaning reformers claim to be helping. Conservatives must lead the way in advocating for policies that prioritize public safety and ensure American cities remain safe. Kevin and Rafael unpack the misconceptions of public safety and discuss the path forward for public safety as a whole.