Firing Line

News and Public Affairs Series / 8 Seasons

Join author, activist and commentator Margaret Hoover for a public affairs talk show that delivers a civil and engaging contest of ideas among the brightest minds and voices from across the ideological spectrum.

Watch: S2025 E16

26m 46s

Will Hurd

S2023 E707 / 26m 46s

Moderate Republican presidential candidate Will Hurd challenges prevailing GOP sentiment by taking on Donald Trump. Hurd, a former Texas congressman and undercover CIA agent, discusses immigration, national security, and artificial intelligence.

Vivek Ramaswamy

S2023 E706 / 26m 46s

Entrepreneur and GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy discusses his critique of woke capitalism, his plan to eliminate federal agencies, his opposition to U.S. military support for Ukraine and why he believes America needs a political outsider.

Amul Thapar

S2023 E705 / 26m 46s

Sixth Circuit Judge Amul Thapar discusses his new book defending Clarence Thomas’s originalism, his own presence on the conservative short-list for the Supreme Court, the affirmative action ruling, and ethics questions involving justices.

Lisa Murkowski

S2023 E704 / 26m 46s

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican who defeated a Trump-backed candidate in the midterms, says Alaska’s new voting reforms could help democracy elsewhere. She discusses the 2024 race and indicates how she would vote in a Trump-Biden rematch.

Jewel Kilcher

S2023 E703 / 26m 46s

Singer-songwriter Jewel Kilcher discusses her journey from a troubled upbringing in Alaska to music megastardom, how she saved her own soul by prioritizing her mental health, and her virtual reality platform providing access to mindfulness tools.

Jill Lepore

S2023 E702 / 26m 46s

Harvard historian and journalist Jill Lepore discusses how the past sheds light on present truth-related threats. Lepore critiques the Supreme Court's dismantling of affirmative action, which she says will erode public confidence in the Court.

David French

S2023 E701 / 26m 46s

Conservative New York Times columnist David French, an anti-Trump voice in the GOP, weighs in on the 2024 race, the latest cases and controversies involving the Supreme Court, Trump’s legal troubles, and whether the Republican Party can be redeemed.

Elie Honig

S2023 E652 / 26m 46s

Former federal prosecutor Elie Honig discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the federal indictment against Donald Trump and what to expect of the trials that may take place during the election season. He also weighs in on Hunter Biden’s plea deal.

Jon Meacham

S2023 E651 / 26m 46s

Pulitzer Prize winner and presidential biographer Jon Meacham discusses how today’s leaders compare to their predecessors. Meacham—who has helped craft some key Biden speeches—explains why he backs a Biden reelection bid and weighs in on today’s GOP.

Chris Christie

S2023 E650 / 26m 46s

Chris Christie discusses his newly launched 2024 presidential bid and why he’s taking direct aim at his former friend and boss Donald Trump. He says the DOJ must indict Trump if they have evidence of crimes in the classified documents investigation.

Glenn Loury

S2023 E649 / 26m 46s

Brown economist Glenn Loury says affirmative action and reparations will not solve inequality and defends free speech on college campuses. Loury—who at 33 became Harvard's first Black tenured economics professor—discusses how his views have evolved.

Tim Scott

S2023 E648 / 26m 46s

Newly declared GOP presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott discusses his journey from poverty to the Senate, where he is the only Black Republican. In this 2021 interview, he outlines his vision for opportunity zones, school choice, and police reform.

Charlie Sykes

S2023 E647 / 26m 46s

Charlie Sykes, a founder and the editor-in-chief of the non-partisan news site "The Bulwark," discusses why he disassociated himself from the Republican Party, the challenges of covering Trump, the 2024 race, and whether conservatism can be redeemed.

Felix Salmon

S2023 E646 / 26m 46s

Financial journalist Felix Salmon discusses how Covid created an economic paradigm shift affecting everything from labor markets to millennial investing. He advocates for ending the debt ceiling and says minting money would be better than a default.

Richard Dreyfuss

S2023 E645 / 26m 46s

Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss discusses America's civics crisis and his initiative to restore civics education in public schools. He weighs in on the state of discourse in the country and speaks out against diversity inclusion standards in Hollywood.

David French

S2023 E644 / 26m 46s

Conservative New York Times columnist David French, an anti-Trump voice in the GOP, weighs in on the 2024 presidential race, turmoil at Fox News, whether Trump may go to prison, and the latest cases and ethics questions before the Supreme Court.

Wes Moore

S2023 E643 / 26m 46s

Rising Democratic star and political newcomer Gov. Wes Moore discusses overcoming tragedy to become a Rhodes Scholar, Army captain, bestselling author and Maryland's first Black governor. He details his plans for tackling poverty and crime.

Thomas Chatterton Williams

S2023 E642 / 26m 46s

Author and cultural critic Thomas Chatterton Williams explains why he thinks Americans need to unlearn traditional racial constructs in order to achieve equality. He also discusses the impact of culture wars and wokeness on contemporary politics.

Andrew Weissmann

S2023 E641 / 26m 46s

Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann discusses the 34 felony count indictment of former President and 2024 candidate Donald Trump. He discusses the prosecution’s strengths and weaknesses and what to expect as Trump faces more criminal probes.

Paulina Porizkova

S2023 E640 / 26m 46s

Supermodel and 1980s cover girl Paulina Porizkova discusses aging and ageism, harassment in modeling, her journey out of Communist Czechoslovakia, struggling with mental health, and the breakdown of her marriage to the late Cars' singer Ric Ocasek.

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