Podcast Summary: Federalist Radio Hour

Episode: ‘You're Wrong' With Mollie Hemingway And David Harsanyi, Ep. 182: ICE And Iran
Date: January 14, 2026
Hosts: Mollie Hemingway (The Federalist), David Harsanyi (Washington Examiner)
Main Topics: ICE shooting in Minnesota, law enforcement tensions, Iran protests, Planned Parenthood and the Hyde Amendment, media disinformation, and a touch of culture and personal updates.

Overview

This episode offers an in-depth and opinionated discussion of three major topics dominating the headlines:

1. The controversial ICE shooting of activist Renee Goode in Minnesota and the resulting political and cultural fallout.
2. Widespread protests against the Iranian regime and the implications for both policy and global politics.
3. Shifting political attitudes toward Planned Parenthood funding, abortion policy, and the embattled Hyde Amendment.

Throughout, Mollie Hemingway and David Harsanyi provide conservative analysis, debate legal and ethical ramifications, critique media coverage, and ultimately connect these issues to broader questions about rule of law, protest, government accountability, and American values.

1. The ICE Shooting in Minnesota

Background & Incident Description

• Hosts discuss the fatal shooting of activist Renee Goode by an ICE agent in Minnesota, which ignited nationwide debate and social media uproar.
• The hosts express frustration at the polarized interpretations of the event, especially as video footage circulated widely online.

Key Points

• Mollie Hemingway emphasizes the emotional toll of witnessing the shooting and her discomfort with the video’s viral nature.
  • "I don't care who these people are. It's just awful to see someone get shot and killed. I don't want to see things like that." (01:04)
• She criticizes Minnesota’s state government for opposing federal law enforcement efforts, likening state resistance to the "segregated South."
  • "It's weird also to have so much video from so many different angles of something like this...Minnesota is...trying to be hostile to the federal government's law enforcement efforts." (01:04-03:00)
• David Harsanyi challenges both anti-ICE activism and anti-law enforcement rhetoric, calling much of the activist response "hysteria."
  • "The hysteria around ICE...people feel licensed to just act against law enforcement in ways that are incredibly dangerous for themselves." (04:09)
• Both hosts argue that Renee Goode’s choices and activism contributed to the escalation.
  • “Her actions were completely irresponsible…Hitting the gas on your car when you’re surrounded by cops... is going to end tragically, probably for you.” (04:09)
• Hemingway points out a perceived double standard in media characterization of the incident and recounts other activist confrontations with ICE agents.
  • “There were efforts to cause physical harm to ICE agents...so it’s not like it’s going to become a problem. It’s been a problem all year…” (06:42)
• The hosts raise critical questions about First Amendment rights versus illegal interference with law enforcement.
  • “If you don’t like our country’s immigration laws, you have every right to protest…but interfering with law enforcement is not First Amendment protected activity.” (Hemingway quoting J.D. Vance, approx 07:30)
• The discussion extends into BLM riots and media/societal reactions to previous police-involved killings, including the dynamics of race and activism, and criticisms of corporate responses.
• Both agree that tragedy resulted from reckless activism and radical opposition to enforcement, not from calculated murder by law enforcement.

Notable Quotes

• “You certainly can’t expect a guy who’s just been hit by a vehicle to know the state of mind of the driver who has been repeatedly defying police commands.” – Mollie Hemingway (12:46)
• “If you think this is an evil, racist, despicable country...you see this and you go, how could they shoot her?...If you think we are a generally good country...you say, oh, this was a bad situation and she behaved poorly and now she lost her life.” – Mollie Hemingway (14:47)

Timestamps by Segment

• [00:16-04:09] The incident, social media reaction, and law enforcement context
• [04:09-06:42] Legal questions, activism’s role in escalation, and responsibility
• [06:42-17:21] Parallel comparisons to past activism, race & police incidents, and a discussion of the BLM riots’ aftermath
• [17:21-21:54] The Ashley Babbitt case, political and media responses to police shootings
• [21:54-27:10] Critique of media coverage and institutional partisanship

2. Media Criticism and "Information Wars"

Key Discussion

• Both hosts extensively criticize major legacy media for "hoaxes,” disinformation, and aligning with political agendas.
  • “The media rather than restoring trust, is like, what if we just kept going with these hoaxes and scams that we’re running?” – Hemingway (21:54)
  • “We have to be smarter about the information wars that we’re in...you can't give in to these people for a minute. They're monsters.” – Hemingway (24:20)
• They also liken media-driven scandals (Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas) to the current narrative around the ICE shooting, warning against “information ops.”
• Harsanyi remarks on the persistent political homogeneity in major newsrooms, especially the Washington Post.

Timestamps

• [21:54-27:10] In-depth discussion of media bias and disinformation related to policing, Supreme Court nominations, and political reporting

3. Lawfare and the Jerome Powell Grand Jury

Brief Segment on Federal Reserve Chairman Powell

• The DOJ has a grand jury investigating Jerome Powell (Federal Reserve), allegedly over misappropriation or misleading statements to Congress about escalating costs for a new Fed building.
• Harsanyi sees the investigation as likely politically motivated “lawfare” – "I mean, to me the smacks of lawfare." (29:22)
• Hemingway is skeptical, but characterizes Powell as "one of the most partisan hacks leading that bank in a long time." (31:05)
• The exchange becomes a microcosm of the larger debate about independence of institutions versus political accountability.
  • “Independence does not mean that you get to do literally whatever you want, including misappropriation of funds and lying under oath about it, without legal repercussions.” (32:58)

Timestamps

• [28:15-36:33] Discussion of the Powell investigation, lawfare, and the politics of "independence" in the Federal Reserve

4. The Protests in Iran

Background & Current Events

• Massive protests erupt in Iran over both repressive rule and economic hardship; government has responded with violence and shutdowns.
• Harsanyi and Hemingway strongly support the Iranian protesters and lambast both the regime and Western hypocrisy.
  • “Anyone who cares about human rights is on the side of protesters and against the mullahs.” – Harsanyi (37:00)
• They note the silence of Hollywood elites and progressive groups on Iran compared to activism for other global causes:
  • “There was nothing for the Iranian people… [at the Golden Globes,] but there were pro-Hamas pins.” – Hemingway (39:20)
• They contrast Iranian risk-taking for freedom with the “faux bravery” of American celebrities denouncing “fascism” in the U.S.
  • "You can go to an award ceremony...and you're telling people we live in a fascist state freely, without worry that you’re going to end up in prison. Unlike in Iran where the person who's marching might end up dead." – Harsanyi (39:52)

Policy Implications

• Both hosts contemplate the wisdom and timing of U.S. intervention, concluding regime change must be driven by Iranians but expressing openness to targeted, supportive actions.
  • “Regime change always happens the best from within. It’s always the most enduring and best for a country when people themselves set about to change what’s happening, and that is happening.” – Hemingway (47:23)
• They discuss Iran’s role as the main source of instability in the Middle East and the potential global impact should the regime fall.

Timestamps

• [36:57-49:47] Iran protests context, U.S. policy, and regime change
• [49:47-52:27] Discussion of regime change, Trump Doctrine, and comparisons to U.S. historical revolutions

5. Planned Parenthood, The Hyde Amendment, and Pro-Life/Pro-Choice Politics

Recent Developments

• The Trump administration is reported by Politico to have restored millions to Planned Parenthood after a lawsuit was dismissed; hosts express skepticism and concern about the administration’s wavering stance.

Key Concerns

• Both hosts lament what they see as retreat from firm enforcement of the Hyde Amendment (prohibiting federal funding of abortion).
• Hemingway: “That’s literally the lowest possible standard of even pretending to be pro-life…The White House has kind of walked it back a little bit.” (54:10)
• Harsanyi notes that a strong majority of Americans oppose taxpayer funding for abortion and that the Hyde Amendment, once bipartisan, has become needlessly controversial.
  • “You can’t be flexible on the Hyde Amendment because the Hyde Amendment is the law. We’re not flexible on the law.” (57:26)

Impact on Voter Mobilization

• Hemingway warns that the administration’s perceived inattention to the pro-life issue risks demoralizing a critical segment of grassroots Republican activists.

Timestamps

• [52:27-61:04] Planned Parenthood lawsuit, Hyde Amendment, grassroots politics

6. Culture & Personal Updates

Audiobook & Publishing Talk

• Mollie Hemingway announces she’ll be recording the audiobook for her new book on Justice Alito, sharing behind-the-scenes details.
  • "I really wanted to record it...so I'll be recording." (62:00)
• David Harsanyi praises her past works and reveals he’s always picked “a western dude” to narrate his own books.

Cultural Recommendations

• Discussion of comedies (“Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid”), inspirational sports films (“Soul on Fire”), and current streaming shows (“Fallout,” “Landman”).
• Both note frustration with left-wing politics being “gratuitously inserted” into modern television.
• Closing on a light note, they invite listener feedback and urge everyone to “be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray.” (71:40)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• "If you think this is an evil, racist, despicable country...you see this and you go, how could they shoot her?...If you think we are a generally good country...you say, oh, this was a bad situation and she behaved poorly and now she lost her life." – Mollie Hemingway (14:47)
• “You can go to an award ceremony...and you're telling people we live in a fascist state freely, without worry that you’re going to end up in prison. Unlike in Iran where person who's marching might end up dead.” – David Harsanyi (39:52)
• “The Hyde Amendment is the bare minimum. You’re not asking them to pass a law to ban abortions across the country. You’re asking for the bare minimum to be upheld, a law that’s been on the books…” – David Harsanyi (61:04)

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• [00:16-21:54] ICE shooting, activism, law enforcement debate
• [21:54-27:10] Media, information warfare, and establishment bias
• [28:15-36:33] Federal Reserve controversy (Jerome Powell, lawfare)
• [36:57-52:27] Iran protests, Western reactions, regime change talk
• [52:27-61:04] Planned Parenthood, Hyde Amendment, pro-life politics
• [61:22-end] Culture corner, personal updates, light-hearted close

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a fiery, detailed conversation between two conservative journalists dissecting the legal, political, and media dimensions of the ICE shooting controversy, Iran’s protest movement, and the shifting sands of abortion politics in America. Listeners will come away with a sense of how these debates intersect with deeper questions about rule of law, protest, institutional credibility, and the future of American conservatism. The chemistry, candor, and passion of Hemingway and Harsanyi shine through, making this episode essential listening for those seeking a robust, right-leaning perspective on the state of the nation in 2026.