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What the Hell Is Going On

AEI Podcasts
Donald Trump
Israel
Iran
Ukraine
Joe Biden
Russia
Hamas
Democratic Party
Kamala Harris
United States
American Enterprise Institute
Republican Party
NATO
China
Immigration
Biden Administration
Anti-Semitism
2024 Presidential Election
Hezbollah
Trump Administration

The American Enterprise Institute’s Danielle Pletka and Marc Thiessen address the questions we’re all asking in their podcast, “What the Hell Is Going On?” In conversational, informative and irreverent episodes, Pletka and Thiessen interview policymakers and experts, asking tough, probing questions about the most important foreign policy and security challenges facing the world today.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes200Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPoliticsGovernment

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Latest Episodes

Over the weekend, the United States signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran to begin negotiations on a nuclear deal. To understand what a good deal would entail, it is important to assess the status of Iran's nuclear weapons program following ... more

While the world’s attention has been fixed on the war in Iran, the battlefield in Ukraine has largely shifted in Kyiv’s favor. ISW’s George Barros joins us to explain how Ukrainian innovations in drone warfare, logistics, and battlefield technology h... more

In his relentless pursuit of a deal with Iran, Donald Trump has now returned to military escalation, resuming combat operations and warning that the United States will seize Iran’s key oil export hub on Kharg Island. This so-called moderate ceasefire... more

We’re now in the eighth week of a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The Trump Administration is stuck in a holding pattern as Iranian negotiators continue to ignore US redlines and both sides insist on their own superior leverage. The unfortunate reality... more

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Recent Guests

David Albright
Founder and President of the Institute for Science and International Security
Institute for Science and International Security
Episode: WTH Is the State of the Iranian Nuclear Program? David Albright Explains.
General Jack Keane
Four-star Army General, Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst, Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War
Institute for the Study of War / Fox News
Episode: WTH Is Going On with Iran? General Jack Keane Explains.
Adam Kaplan
Acting Associate Deputy Inspector General, USAID Office of Inspector General
USAID OIG
Episode: WTH Are Your Tax Dollars Funding Terrorism? Adam Kaplan Explains.
Howard Husock
Senior Fellow in Domestic Policy Studies
American Enterprise Institute
Episode: WTH Do Democrats Really Oppose Deportations? Howard Husock Explains.
Sarah Isgur
Senior editor at The Dispatch; host of Advisory Opinions; editor of SCOTUSblog; ABC News contributor; author of Last Branch Standing
The Dispatch
Episode: WTH: Did the Supreme Court Gut the Voting Rights Act? Sarah Isgur Debunks.
Marc Cancian
Colonel, Senior Advisor, CSIS Defense and Security Program
CSIS
Episode: WTH: Is the Iran War Depleting Key Munitions? Mark Cancian and Chris Park Explain.
Chris Park
Research Associate, CSIS
CSIS
Episode: WTH: Is the Iran War Depleting Key Munitions? Mark Cancian and Chris Park Explain.
David Hale
Ambassador, career diplomat; distinguished diplomatic fellow at the Middle East Institute
Middle East Institute; former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Lebanon, Jordan; Undersecretary for State for Political Affairs
Episode: WTH Is Going On In Lebanon? Ambassador David Hale Explains.
Miad Maleki
Scholar at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies; US Air Force veteran; former associate director for OFAC
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Episode: WTH: The Iran Blockade? Miad Maleki Explains.

Hosts

Danielle Pletka
Host, AEI policy analyst; co-host focused on foreign policy and security issues.
Marc Thiessen
Co-host of the show; AEI policy analyst and prominent political commentator.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 759 ratings
  • You must listen to this podcast

    I think of all the podcasts I listento each week, this is my favorite and I look forward to it. You need to listen to it if you wanna know more about the Middle East I would hope that in the future they would focus more on China. I think China is our main adversary.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Scholomo ben Yisrael
    United States20 days ago
  • Iran war - 3/19/26

    Great common sense podcast. Go baby go.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Geoplanter
    United States3 months ago
  • Unfollowing b/c Pletka is Awful

    Marc is fantastic and the only reason I listened to this show at all is because of him, but I am unsubscribing. Pletka is pretentious and utterly off putting. She even thinks hard-working taxpayers should pay for NPR. Put a decent person in her place and I will subscribe again.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Marines of 75
    United States5 months ago
  • Very informing

    Great guest today with insight on Venezuela and foreign policy in general . Guests such as this will keep you in the rotation, despite Pletka’s brain dead anti Trump mewlings

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JWtwobeagles1
    Canada6 months ago
  • Superior material

    I love this podcast and it has become one of my favorites. I lead a constitutional conservative forum in my community and this podcast has inspired and informed material that I have used. Please keep up the great work, including interviews and conversations. You may not know it, but you’re helping me out!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    GeoConservative
    United States6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful, data-driven geopolitics with sharp host banter.
Listeners push back on some aggressive takes but value candid analysis.
Polished interviews with high-caliber policy guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#160
Norway/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#207
Israel/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

WTH Is Trump Doing In Iran? Miad Maleki Explains.
Q: What should we do next to maximize leverage and ensure any gains are durable?
The guests discuss maintaining pressure, finishing military objectives, and then transitioning to international support to ensure the Strait can stay open while designing a political transition that reduces the regime's ability to reverse gains.
WTH: Turning the Tide in Ukraine. George Barros Explains.
Q: What has changed and why has it changed, and tell me all the ways that it's good so I can be happy?
The guest outlines several drivers: smarter use of drones, longer-range reach, improved ISR and intel sharing, and a revamped approach to logistics that allows tanks and vehicles to be brought back into action, all while maintaining support from the United States and allies.
WTH: Turning the Tide in Ukraine. George Barros Explains.
Q: Talk to us a little bit about the Ukrainian strategy here and what they're doing and why it's so successful.
George explains that Ukraine has shifted from a purely reactive defense to proactive, integrated operations that combine deep strike capabilities, disruption of Russian logistics, and automation/robotics to reduce human risk while sustaining tempo and maneuver on the battlefield.
WTH Are Your Tax Dollars Funding Terrorism? Adam Kaplan Explains.
Q: How big is the funding at stake and what would you change to fix this?
Kaplan cites billions in aid through UN agencies and urges Congress to condition funding on transparency and vetting, including expanding Inspector General oversight to the UN and tightening the indirect cost rate tracking to prevent fraud and diversion.
WTH Are Your Tax Dollars Funding Terrorism? Adam Kaplan Explains.
Q: Why is the UN's immunity an obstacle to accountability, and what changes do you propose?
The hosts press for reform, with Kaplan describing how privileges and immunities shield information and arguing for a formal agreement to share information at the outset of investigations, followed by the potential for legislation to require vetting and transparency across UN bodies.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About What the Hell Is Going On

What is What the Hell Is Going On about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two seasoned foreign policy voices interview policymakers, generals, diplomats, and analysts to unpack complex security challenges and U.S. strategy abroad. Episodes routinely blend sharp analysis with provocative lines, covering topics from Iran, the Middle East, and NATO to sanctions, elections, and global power dynamics. Noteworthy is the hosts' willingness to push for concrete policy options, often presenting hawkish, decision-forward takes, and drawing on expert guests from AEI, CSIS, and allied institutions. Listeners seeking deeply informed, opinionated, policy-focused conversations about geopolitics and national security will likely find this show highly engaging.

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Which podcasts are similar to What the Hell Is Going On?

These podcasts share a similar audience with What the Hell Is Going On:

1. The Commentary Magazine Podcast
2. Breaking History
3. The McCarthy Report
4. The Editors
5. 3 Martini Lunch – Political Humor & Commentary

How many episodes of What the Hell Is Going On are there?

What the Hell Is Going On launched 7 years ago and published 200 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on What the Hell Is Going On?

Recent guests on What the Hell Is Going On include:

1. David Albright
2. General Jack Keane
3. Adam Kaplan
4. Howard Husock
5. Sarah Isgur
6. Marc Cancian
7. Chris Park
8. David Hale

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