How to Think About U.S. Foreign Aid

Guests: Max Primorac & Christopher D. Heckel Host Scot Bertram talks with Max Primorac, senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, about the history of U.S. foreign aid and how the Trump administration is charting a different path. And Christopher D. Heckel, associate professor of biology at Hillsdale College, gives a primer on invasive plant species across the United States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Larry Arnn Show, Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn interviews Linda McMahon, United States Secretary of Education. The two discuss dismantling the Department of Education, returning education to the states, and the importance of school choice. This interview was conducted on September 7, 2025. Discover more at podcast.hillsdale.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joshua Andrew, Head of School at Atlanta Classical Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, delivers a lecture on the joys and difficulties of leading a classical school. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence seminar, “The Art of Teaching: Mathematics” in October 2024. The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence, an outreach of the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, offers educators the opportunity to deepen their content knowledge and refine their skills in the classroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Megan Wagner, college councilor at Lake Country Classical Academy in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss what parents and teachers should know about college applications, how to tell if a college is right for you, and the kind of activities that college admissions boards look for in students. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the birth of American empire before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad.  In the Spanish-American War, America intervened in the internal affairs of a European colony in the Western Hemisphere. As a result of the war, America acquired territories that it ruled with no intention of admitting to statehood, fundamentally changing the nature of American foreign policy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Larry P. Arnn, President of Hillsdale College, joins Hugh Hewitt on the Hillsdale Dialogues to continue a series on The Second World War, Churchill's sprawling memoir and history of World War II in six volumes.Release date: 5 September 2025See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zak Dombrowski, upper school humanities teacher at Golden View Classical Academy in Golden, Colorado, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss how teachers can help students celebrate Constitution Day, where to find resources for civic education, and how the Declaration of Independence informs the Constitution. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guests: Mark Moyar, Benedict Whalen, & Juliane Malia Hillock Host Scot Bertram talks with Mark Moyar, William P. Harris Chair of Military History at Hillsdale College, about the legacy of the Vietnam War during its 50th anniversary. Benedict Whalen, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, discusses the themes of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald during the novel’s 100th anniversary. And Juliane Malia Hillock, founding principal at Hózhó Academy in Gallup, New Mexico, describes the unique challenges of leading a school in a remote part of the United States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Shipp, headmaster at Seven Oaks Classical School in Ellettsville, Indiana, delivers a lecture on the rewarding life of a classical school leader. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence seminar, “The Art of Teaching: Children's Literature” in September 2024. The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence, an outreach of the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, offers educators the opportunity to deepen their content knowledge and refine their skills in the classroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the early foreign policy decisions of the American republic before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad.  American foreign policy remained fairly consistent throughout the first century of the republic. The early policies centered on growing into a strong nation and maintaining our unique position by preventing European powers from becoming powerful threats in the Western Hemisphere.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.