Podcast
Hold These Truths with Dan Crenshaw
Hosted by Dan Crenshaw · EN
Congressman Dan Crenshaw joins the world's leading experts for deep and insightful conversations about the most important issues facing us today.
77episodes
Episodes
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The Real Conclave: Power, Politics, and the Papal Vote | Dr. Joseph Capizzi
May 6, 2025Summary readyWednesday, May 7th marks the beginning of the conclave – the Catholic Church’s process of electing the next pope. Conclaves have traditionally been portrayed in our culture as shrouded in intrigue and back-room politicking. But, as theology expert Dr. Joseph Capizzi shows us, the 2000-year-old tradition is not that mysterious. He walks us through how cardinals elect a new pope, the political considerations they use to evaluate candidates, and how the Pope’s power in the world has changed over millennia. He evaluates the legacy and controversy surrounding Pope Francis. He explains why the Catholic Church is growing in Africa, Asia, and among young American men. They end with a discussion of how Christian moral theology evolved to address, and ultimately reject, the practice of slavery. Dr. Joseph Capizzi is the Dean of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America. He teaches in the areas of social and political theology, with a special interest in peace and war, citizenship, political authority, and Augustinian theology.
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Global Disorder: Warfare in the 21st Century | Alex Plitsas
Apr 22, 2025Tap to summarizeAlex Plitsas is a counterterrorism expert and Army veteran who ran psychological operations in the Global War on Terror. He joined Rep. Crenshaw for a retrospective on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the decade of Russian escalation that led to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and the evolving threat of the Mexican drug cartels. A clear-eyed look at some of America's greatest national security threats. Alex Plitsas leads the Counterterrorism Project for the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. He serves on the board of the Special Operations Association of America. Follow him on X at @alexplitsas.
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Middle East 101: The "Pragmatic" Terrorists Who Toppled the Assad Regime | Dr. Aaron Zelin
Mar 25, 2025Tap to summarizeHow did a small offshoot of Al Qaeda overthrow a major country in the Middle East and establish a diplomatic dialogue with the United States? Dr. Aaron Zelin is one of the foremost experts on jihadist movements past and present. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the rise of its vanquisher – the jihadist group known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Dr. Zelin analyzes the conditions that led to the shocking revolution in Syria, its geopolitical implications, and the "pragmatic" jihadism of HTS. A comprehensive overview of Sunni extremism, the complex motives of HTS leadership, and how it all fits on the global chessboard. Dr. Aaron Zelin is the Gloria and Ken Levy Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he also directs the Islamic State Worldwide Activity Map project. He is the founder of jihadology.net, where you can find translations and analysis of jihadi source materials. Follow him on X at @azelin.
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EPA: The Real Deep State and How To Fix It | Andrew Wheeler
Mar 7, 202500:50:41Summary readyAndrew Wheeler, former EPA Administrator under President Trump, joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss some of the most promising reforms to fix American’s broken environmental bureaucracy. They discuss the flaws in permitting processes, the inefficiency of federal agencies, and why transparency is the key to faster approvals. They tackle media narratives, climate change policies, and ending the U.S. reliance on China for critical minerals. And Mr. Wheeler shares feasible solutions to cut red tape, improve environmental policy, and put America back in charge of its energy future. The Honorable Andrew Wheeler served as President Trump’s EPA Administrator during his 45th term. In 2022, Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Mr. Wheeler to serve as the director of Virginia’s Office of Regulatory Management, where he implemented process reforms which significantly reduced regulatory requirements. Follow him on X at @AndrewRWheeler.
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SITREP #9: Trump at SOTU, the Ukraine Peace Deal, & the Colony Ridge Crackdown
Mar 6, 202500:19:38Summary readyOn the latest Situation Report, Rep. Crenshaw analyzes President Trump’s first State of the Union address as 47. He covers the latest developments in the Trump’s peace negotiations over Ukraine and Europe’s acceleration of military spending. And he looks at the latest developments in the U.S. crackdown on illegal immigrants and cartel operations. All the real news and clear analysis you need to know in less than 20 minutes. Did the cartels just threaten Dan Crenshaw? Trump’s broad, unapologetic display of his agenda at SOTU Trump’s key demands to Ukraine “Europeans should be able to defend their own continent.” The rationale behind the Critical Minerals Deal Zelensky’s mea culpa following his disastrous White House visit Trump demands Europe accelerate its military spending Drone warfare in Ukraine Next steps in the budget reconciliation process Trump’s gold card immigration visa Trump’s golden dome – a new missile defense system for America Gov. Abbott launches a major crackdown on Colony Ridge Cartel IEDs at the southern border Microsoft’s quantum computing breakthrough
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Make Congress Great Again | Yuval Levin
Feb 28, 202500:57:00Summary readyYuval Levin returns to discuss the institutional failures plaguing Congress, the rise of performative politics, and the art of leadership. They explore the incentives that lead modern politicians to focus more on viral tweets than actual governance, how the Constitution holds the key to unity, and political reforms that could put Congress back on the path to solving America’s biggest challenges. Yuval Levin is the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. His most recent book is American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation – And Could Again.
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Art of the Budget Deal | Dr. Paul Winfree
Feb 22, 202501:07:57Summary readyThe federal budgeting process can be hard for the average American to comprehend - until now. Economist Dr. Paul Winfree walks us step by step through how Congress passes a budget and all the legislative/political hurdles that get in its way. We cover the historical evolution of the budget process leading up to the word you’ve been hearing every day in the news – reconciliation. We look at how presidents from Nixon to Trump influenced the budget process to pass their agendas. We examine some of the most controversial reconciliation bills over the past decade and how they impacted the economy. And we discuss much needed Medicaid reforms, overhauling the tax system with consumption-based taxation and universal savings accounts, and much more. Dr. Paul Winfree is President of the Economic Policy Innovation Center. During the 1st Trump Administration, he was Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council, and Chair of the Deputies Committee that managed policy implementation across federal agencies. He is the author of "The History (and Future) of the Budget Process in the United States." Follow him on X at @paulwinfree.
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SITREP #8: Trump Talks to Putin, Judges Meddle in the Executive Branch, & Goodbye Pennies
Feb 13, 202500:29:29Summary readyThe Situation Report for February 6 – 12. Rep. Crenshaw breaks down the latest developments in U.S. – Mexico relations. He covers President Trump’s most important moves in domestic and foreign policy. He analyzes the blitz of stays issued by federal judges against Trump’s executive orders – and whether they have any constitutional merit. And he explains why Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s battle over OpenAI could have long term implications for the United States. All the real news and clear analysis you need to know in less than 30 minutes. The Mexican Senate approves additional U.S. Special Forces to train the Mexican Marines. It’s officially the GULF OF AMERICA! Trump halts penny production, saving the U.S. hundreds of millions of dollars. Reviewing the constitutional merit of federal district judges putting stays on Trump’s executive orders. Hamas delays the hostage deal and Trump strikes back. The Kingdom of Jordan offers to take in Palestinian children. Turmoil among the tech tycoons: Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and the battle for control over American AI. Trump and DOGE close the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Trump opens negotiations with Putin over Ukraine.
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Eliminate the Department of Education? A Conversation with Dr. Beth Akers
Feb 8, 202500:53:53Summary readyFollowing this week’s major reforms at USAID, the Trump Administration has signaled that the Department of Education (DoEd) is next on the chopping block. Education expert Dr. Beth Akers joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss the implications of eliminating DoEd, some much needed reforms to student loan programs, and the pathway to empowering parents and local communities to revamp K-12 education. Dr. Beth Akers is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on the economics of higher education. She is the author of Making College Pay: An Economist Explains How to Make a Smart Bet on Higher Education. Follow her on X at @DrBethAkers. The layman’s explanation of what the DoEd does Would eliminating the DoEd end education grants? What happens if the DoEd is eliminated? Stats on student loan debt Who benefits from student loan forgiveness? The correlation between student loans and rising tuition Should university endowment programs be taxed? Streamlining student loan programs Opening PELL grants to trade schools and other pathways to a successful career The debate over school choice Rethinking K-12 education and turning state education curriculums into labs of democracy How the USAID reforms are paving the way for broader changes
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SITREP #7: Tariff Battles, Panama Canal, USAID, & “The Gaza Riviera”
Feb 7, 202500:24:58Summary readyThe Situation Report for January 24 – February 5th. Rep. Crenshaw analyzes the recent tariff battles with Colombia, Mexico, and Canada. He covers the U.S. interest in the Panama Canal and how China became a major player in the region. And he explains everything you need to know about what DOGE exposed at USAID and President Trump’s huge announcement about his vision for the future of Gaza and the Middle East. All the real news and clear analysis you need to know in less than 30 minutes. How the tariff battles with Colombia, Mexico, and Canada played out Hope on the horizon for Mexico’s cooperation in fighting the cartels Why the Panama Canal matters to us China’s influence over the Panama Canal DOGE and USAID: The good, bad, and ugly sides of U.S. foreign aid Trump makes moves to dismantle the Department of Education The implications of Trump’s major announcement about Gaza The rationale for redeveloping Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” The latest on Trump’s cabinet nominations The HALT Fentanyl Act Recommended reading: The US Looks South
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