The Week Democracy Struck Back

Bill Kristol and Tom Joscelyn argue that the 2026 midterms delivered more than a backlash over prices—they were a rejection of MAGA’s exclusionary vision of America. On this week’s It’s Happening Here, they examine the diverse coalition behind Democratic victories, the limits of culture-war attacks, and why multicultural America offers renewed hope for democracy.But winning an election is only the beginning. Bill and Tom discuss why Democrats must turn their victories into meaningful oversight, accountability, and protection for civil liberties—and why the fight continues through Trump’s remaining two years in office.Subscribe to Home of the Brave for new episodes of It’s Happening Here. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

Molly Jong-Fast joins Tom Joscelyn days before the midterms to discuss why corruption has become a top issue for voters, and how gas prices, tariffs, and the war with Iran have made Trump’s pay-to-play presidency impossible to ignore.If Democrats win, where should oversight start? Jong-Fast argues the answer is the people around Trump: Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and the corporations that cut deals with the administration, from the Paramount-Skydance merger on down. They also discuss reining in Big Tech, repealing Section 230, overturning Citizens United, and why Democrats need to abandon “Team Normal” for real reform.Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

Historian Timothy Snyder joins Bill Kristol and Tom Joscelyn to explain why Russia is losing on the battlefield in Ukraine, and why that makes Donald Trump Vladimir Putin’s best hope. Fresh back from Ukraine, Snyder describes how stalled interceptors, intelligence gaps, and Pete Hegseth’s delays on Patriot missiles are leaving Ukrainian civilians exposed. They also discuss Trump’s lie that Ukraine has done nothing for America, and why this moment offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take on the issue of runaway public corruption here in the US. Listen to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

Donald Trump promised no new wars and claimed he could end Russia’s war against Ukraine in 24 hours. Instead, his war with Iran has sent energy costs climbing while his attempt to blame Ukraine offers Vladimir Putin a political and financial lifeline. Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol examine all of this, plus the Republican Party’s growing extremism problem, Pete Hegseth’s failed push for a public execution, and why the midterms may be a defining test for American democracy.Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol examine how Stephen Miller became one of the most powerful figures in Trump’s White House—and how his influence reaches across the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, State Department, and Pentagon. They discuss reporting on investigations of Miller’s critics, harsh ICE detention policies, the removal of migrant children, the administration’s “remigration” agenda, and military strikes against suspected drug traffickers at sea. They also explain how Congress could expose Miller’s role, demand accountability, and push back against an agenda they argue is reshaping American government.Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast.Get full access to Home of the Brave at https://newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

David Pakman joins Bill Kristol and Tom Joscelyn to discuss Elon Musk’s influence on X, why lies and outrage go viral, and how Democrats can fight back. Drawing on his new book, Pay Attention: How the Algorithms and Media Wars Are Suppressing Truth and Rewiring Your Brain, Pakman explains how algorithms shape our politics—and what it takes to break through.Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol examine President Trump’s dismissal of warnings about artificial intelligence and his rejection of global safeguards. They discuss Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s call to “pace the frontier,” the dangers posed by AI-enabled cyberattacks and bioweapons, and why experts inside the industry are increasingly alarmed. They also explain why Trump’s prepared remarks at the United Nations suggest that treating AI risk as a hoax is now the official position of the U.S. government.Listen now to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol discuss the launch of the Civil Defense Institute, a nonpartisan investigative research organization that hones in on people, organizations, and networks whose conduct undermines civil society and the freedom of Americans to participate in public life.They examine how the Heritage Foundation has promoted Christian nationalist ideology, trace the origins of today’s extremism, and explore why major conservative organizations now openly embrace ideas they would have rejected a decade ago.Check out the Civil Defense Institute here: civildefenseinstitute.orgSubscribe for more episodes of It's Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

Twenty-five years after 9/11, Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol reflect on the attacks, the aftermath, and the consequences still shaping America. They discuss what U.S. leaders misunderstood about al-Qaeda, the political backlash that helped fuel Trump’s rise, and why defending democracy requires more than a return to the old normal.Subscribe for more episodes of It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe

On this week’s episode of It’s Happening Here, hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Kristol discuss the tragedy of Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian immigrant who was legally in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status, subjected to humiliating ICE enforcement, and died in an apparent suicide. They examine how the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy is fundamentally rooted in dehumanization and white nationalist ideology—not in addressing actual crime or immigration concerns.Subscribe to It’s Happening Here, a Home of the Brave podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get full access to Home of the Brave at newsletter.ofthebrave.org/subscribe