Victor Davis Hanson: The Left’s ‘Assassination Chic’ and the Inevitability of Another Attack

Podcast: Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words
Host: Victor Davis Hanson | The Daily Signal
Date: November 28, 2025

Overview of the Episode

In this episode, Victor Davis Hanson, historian and commentator, delivers a sweeping analysis of current political and cultural threats facing the West, with a particular focus on Europe, the rise of nationalist parties, the Russian threat, free speech, “lawfare,” and the alarming normalization of political violence. With his characteristic depth and a historical lens, Hanson unpacks the complex state of Western civilization, the tension between ideological movements, and the fragility of the values underpinning democracy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Political Right’s Ascent in Europe

• The Generational Divide:
  Hanson explains the disillusionment of Europe’s youth, who reject progressive, bureaucratic dogma handed down by older generations.

  “This young generation that's coming up is being lectured in their universities and their popular culture by this baby boomer, people my age and younger who had a lot more opportunities…they're saying, I don't want to hear this anymore. All I want is a house.” (10:54)

• Economic & Social Drivers:
  A stagnant, hyper-regulated economy, unaffordable housing, and high energy costs under “green” policies propel youth toward right-leaning parties promising change—especially in Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, and the Netherlands.

• Censorship & Lack of Individual Freedom:
  Hanson shares anecdotal evidence of invasive bureaucracy in Europe, with government surveillance and restricted free expression fueling conservative backlash.

Notable Quote:

“Anytime you have a third of the country and you want to deny them a right to express themselves politically, you're going to be in trouble.”
(09:23)

2. Historical Roots of “The West” and Its Pillars

• Etymology and Worldview: Hanson traces the notion of “the West” back to ancient Greece and Rome, emphasizing the chauvinism embedded in the division of East and West and noting how language around “Occidental” and “Oriental” has since turned politically charged.
  (05:43–08:04)

• Western Pillars Under Threat:
  The episode is framed around the decline or safeguarding of consensual government, individualism, and freedom (especially free speech) as the core of Western identity.
  (01:36)

3. Russia’s Threat and Europe’s Response

• European Complacency and Disarmament:
  Since the end of the Cold War, most of Europe reduced defense spending, banking on perpetual US protection.

• The Trump Factor:
  Hanson credits Trump’s confrontational style with spurring NATO members to rearm (“He was shouting and screaming at them for their own good…”), and explains the American dilemma over continued support for Ukraine.
  (20:50)

• Eastern vs. Western Europe:
  Eastern European countries (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, etc.) are more vigilant due to historical suffering under Nazi, Soviet, and Ottoman domination—making them more pro-American and anti-Russian than their Western neighbors.
  (33:32–37:38)

Notable Quote:

“The only thing that's made them rearm…it's Putin, period. And they are terrified of him.”
(38:42)

4. Free Speech, Social Media, and AI

• Differences in Free Speech Traditions:
  Hanson contrasts the American tradition of liberty with the French/European tradition of ‘equality of result,’ arguing that Europe’s constitutions lack protection for speech comparable to the US Bill of Rights.
  (40:18)

• Big Tech and Censorship:
  Social media companies tailor their censorship to local laws—more restrictive in Europe, more open (but under left-leaning pressure) in the US.

• AI as a Double-Edged Sword:
  The proliferation and programming of AI pose a new challenge to balanced information. AI models overwhelmingly draw from left-leaning sources, shaping “false reality.”

Notable Quote:

“AI…can be very good or it can be very dangerous. It depends on who programs it and for what purpose.”
(49:00)

5. Lawfare and the Erosion of Democratic Norms

• The Dilemma of Retaliatory Prosecution:
  Hanson presents the conservative debate over whether to practice ‘lawfare’ (politicized legal action):

  “There's a little angel on the right...Don't do that. We're better than that...And then there's a little devil...It's called deterrence, dummy.”
  (60:22)

• Cases Against Trump and Political Adversaries:
  Recent indictments against left-wing figures (Comey, Brennan, Bolton) are discussed as a test of whether the right can or should mirror the left’s legal tactics.

• Jury Composition and Legal Venue:
  Trials in partisan jurisdictions, he argues, reveal whether prosecutions are substantive or politically motivated.

Memorable Exchange:

“I tend to have the Old Testament point of view, eye for an eye rather than the Sermon on the Mount on this particular case.”
(Hanson, 61:18)

6. Assassination Culture and "Assassination Chic"

• A Worrying Pattern:
  Multiple recent assassination attempts and politically-motivated killings (of Trump, Charlie Kirk, others) are discussed—all with perpetrators motivated by leftist or activist ideologies.
  (76:26–80:29)

• Encouragement & Lax Security:
  Social media, lax law enforcement, and the left’s rhetoric have, according to Hanson, created an environment where violence is implicitly encouraged, and perpetrators are often “canonized.”

• Legal and Cultural Consequences:
  Weak consequences for political violence, a therapeutic justice system, and operatic celebration of attackers embolden further attacks.

Notable Quote:

“We have assassination chic right now.”
(83:19)

• Broader Trend of "Insurrection Chic":
  Retired generals breaking norms, left-wing officials flouting federal law, and social pressure to resist authority all contribute to what Hanson sees as a new normal of civil unrest and institutional breakdown.
  (83:19–87:20)

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “This young generation...they're saying, I don't want to hear this anymore. All I want is a house.”
  (10:54, Victor Davis Hanson)

• “Every time you have a third of the country and you want to deny them a right to express themselves politically, you're going to be in trouble.”
  (09:23, Victor Davis Hanson)

• “AI…can be very good or it can be very dangerous. It depends on who programs it and for what purpose.”
  (49:00, Victor Davis Hanson)

• “Assassination chic right now.”
  (83:19, Victor Davis Hanson)

• “I tend to have the Old Testament point of view, eye for an eye rather than the Sermon on the Mount on this particular case.”
  (61:18, Victor Davis Hanson)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 05:43–08:04: Definition and history of “the West” and “Occidental”
• 09:23–12:10: Why Europe is swinging right; generational and economic unrest
• 18:35–20:50: European defense policy, NATO, and the Trump factor
• 33:32–37:38: Eastern Europe’s historical vigilance against Russia
• 40:18–49:00: Free speech differences, big tech, and AI bias
• 60:22–71:43: Lawfare, prosecutorial politics, and cases against political actors
• 76:26–83:19: Rise of assassination attempts, causes and consequences
• 83:19–87:20: “Insurrection chic” and fraying institutional norms

Final Thoughts

Victor Davis Hanson paints a sobering picture: the West’s foundational freedoms are under siege by internal cultural, legal, and technological forces. Europe’s rightward turn is a rebellion against stasis and overreach; free speech faces existential threats from both government and technology; lawfare and political violence are fast-normalizing. Hanson’s message—equal parts warning and call to engagement—is that these trends threaten not just the health of the West, but its very survival.

“I don't think it's going to stop until people on the conservative side say I can't just worry about my family, my community, my church. I don't like to get involved in politics. I got to get involved because these people mean business.”
(53:34)

[End of summary]