The Parliament

Who controls Poland?On October 30th, while Western Europe was still smoldering, Poland experienced an unprecedented institutional confrontation in the State’s Constitutional Tribunal. Police surrounded the Tribunal as lead judges were expelled. The President of Poland – Karol Nawrocki - turned his plane around to confront the situation personally. The opposition has characterized Prime Minister Tusk’s actions as a coup d’etat. At a minimum, this is a major escalation in Poland’s constitutional crisis. Is Europe in a free fall?In this episode, Darion sits down with the European Affairs Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, Paul McCarthy, to discuss what is actually happening in Poland, and to find out what it means for the rest of the West.If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html 

The riots we are seeing in France—and now Italy and Belgium—are more violent and destructive than anything we’ve seen in decades. While France is known for its lively public demonstrations, what has taken place recently is something truly different, not only in its scale of destruction, but also in who exactly is behind it and what it is ultimately trying to accomplish. If this is a protest for “education,” why is the most ubiquitous symbol the Palestinian Flag?In this episode, Darion sits down with the Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, Nile Gardiner, to discuss what is actually happening in Europe, and to find out if Europe is truly lost.Watch this Heritage event to learn more: https://youtu.be/mWxlkrVIr4UIf you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html 

The war against Hamas in Gaza after the brutal Oct. 7th terrorist attacks was arguably the first global information war. Battles over narratives waged just as intensely as the kinetic war, constantly obscuring what is actually true. Apart from claims of “genocide” nowhere was this more apparent than in the informational battle over a supposed “famine” and humanitarian aid.At the center of this battle came the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; a United States supported private company that was the only successful initiative to get humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians without getting it to Hamas. In spite of its success, GHF was entrenched in controversy due to efforts by the UN and Media to brand GHF as a problematic organization.In this episode, Darion sits down with the Executive Chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, Johnnie Moore, to unpack this controversy and to get a better sense of the realities in Gaza surrounding humanitarian aid.If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html  

October 7th 2023 was a watershed moment for the world. Everything has changed, not just in the Middle East, but around the world.In today’s episode, Darion invites Alex Welz, Senior Research Fellow for the Middle East and North Africa at The Heritage Foundation, to the show to discuss what the Middle East looks like now compared to October 6th, 2023. They also discuss how we got to such a low point in western sentiment towards the Jewish State, and what we can learn from these last 3 years.If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html  

On March19, 2026,18-year-old Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman was murdered by an illegal alien. Sadly, this tragedy is just one of many.  Last week, The Heritage Foundation produced a powerful 20-minute documentary, Preventable, to share Sheridan’s story with the world from the perspective of her family and examine the policy breakdowns that preceded her death. In this episode of the Parliament, Darion speaks with Heritage’s Director of Border Security and Immigration Lora Ries about Sheridan’s story, Lora’s experience with the documentary, and what the case reveals about the state of immigration enforcement in the United States. Watch the powerful testimony of Sheridan’s family in our new 20-minute documentary, Preventable. Learn more about the Gorman family’s campaign to honor their daughter’s memory and her extravagant heart here. If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html 

What happens when a social media campaign can move thousands of people toward an international border before governments, journalists, or even the platforms themselves fully understand what's happening?Just weeks after thousands of primarily young Moroccan men surged toward the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Darion Ouliguian sits down with Heritage Foundation Visiting Fellow Amine Ghoulidi to examine one of the most fascinating migration stories of the year.Was Ceuta simply another border crisis, or was it something new entirely?Together, they explore the role social media played in mobilizing migrants, how online narratives shaped public understanding of the event, who may have been behind the campaign, and what the incident reveals about the future of migration, information warfare, and border security.Most importantly, they discuss whether similar tactics could be used at other sensitive borders around the world (looking at you, U.S.–Mexico border).If you enjoy this conversation and want more analysis on national security, international affairs, and strategic competition, subscribe to the Davis Institute's biweekly newsletter, the Davis Dispatch: Sign Up for the Davis Dispatch

On the eve of the 1-year anniversary of the historic signing of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Framework for Peace and Cooperation, Darion sits down with the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States, H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan.In this episode of the Parliament, Darion speaks with the Ambassador about how this historic end of decades of hostilities came about, and what has changed in the region. They also discuss American involvement through TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) which helps link the South Caucuses to Central Asia, transforming the regional dynamics and energy flows. They of course dive into the Iran conflict, and what this peace plan will bring in the future, and how Americans will also gain from it.Help us celebrate a momentous triumph for peace and prosperity in the world with this special interview!If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html  

The Middle East is rapidly transforming before our very eyes. It seems that every day there is a new major development that would have been impossible to predict just five years ago. While conventional wisdom argued that any attack on Iran by the USA would result in U.S. and Israeli isolation from Arab countries in the region, the opposite has become the reality.  In this episode of the Parliament, Darion invites back the Vice President of National Security at The Heritage Foundation, Victoria Coates, to further explore this new regional landscape and where it seems to be headed.  Will Israel and Lebanon actually achieve peace, and what role does Jordan play in that? Are the gulf countries ready to fully join the fight against Iran? Is Israel becoming more integrated in the region in spite of what the news may lead you to believe?  Listen in to hear the answers to these questions! If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html

In this special audio-only episode, Darion travels to Krakow, Poland to interview former Polish President, Andrzej Duda.  Darion and President Duda discuss everything from major changes in NATO, the future of Eastern and Western Europe, how the war in Ukraine continues to dramatically alter politics on the continent, and why Poland – the 6th largest economy in Europe – can continue to serve as an example for its European neighbors.  Follow former President Duda on X, @AndrzejDuda.  If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read).

After the US and Iran signed the Memorandum of Understanding to stop the war in the Middle East, Israel did not react with optimism. Many supporters of Israel and those who dreamed of a Middle East without the Iranian Mullahs in power were disappointed and angry. Will this be the end of US-Israel relations as we know it? The Parliament makes confusing global geopolitics and American national security accessible.  In this special audio-only episode, Darion travels to Israel where he sits down with Heritage Visting fellows David Aaronson and Asher Fredman to discuss the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East. They dive into how the Israeli government and the Israeli public feel about the MoU, and what they think the future of the alliance will be like.  If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html