The Ayaan Hirsi Ali Podcast

Ayaan speaks with Speaker Newt Gingrich about growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, and how life differs today. They also discuss divisions among both the Democratic and Republican parties, what Biden should do about the situation in Ukraine, and the biggest long-term threat to America. Speaker Newt Gingrich is Chairman of Gingrich 360, a multimedia production and consulting company based in Arlington... Source

Ayaan speaks with Megan Phelps-Roper about leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. They discuss how we can bridge the divide and have empathetic conversations across ideological lines. Megan Phelps-Roper was raised in the Westboro Baptist Church, the Topeka, Kansas church known internationally for its daily public protests against members of the LGBTQ community, Jews, other Christians, the military... Source

Ayaan speaks with Paulina Neuding about rising crime rates in Sweden, humiliation robberies against children, and what Swedish identity looks like today. They consider the social cost of speaking up, and how not saying anything is far more harmful. Paulina Neuding is a journalist based in Stockholm, Sweden. Ms. Neuding’s work, which focuses mainly on immigration and integration... Source

Ayaan speaks with Michael Shellenberger about the drug addiction crisis taking over major U.S. cities. They also discuss the results of the Virginia elections, the potential of a political realignment and the COP26 conference. Michael Shellenberger is the founder and president of Environmental Progress and is the author of Apocalypse Never and San Fransicko. He has been working as a climate... Source

Ayaan speaks with Lawrence Krauss about the new religion of wokeism and how it spread throughout academia. They discuss the impacts that political correctness and cancel culture have on science, and what it means for the future. Lawrence Krauss is an internationally known theoretical physicist. He is President of The Origins Project Foundation and host of The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss. Source

Ayaan speaks with Katharine Birbalsingh about the importance of schools providing both a classical education and a place of belonging for children. Katharine explains how and why she established Michaela Community School. They also discuss the American obsession with race and how that is affecting education. Katharine Birbalsingh is Headmistress and co-founder of Michaela Community School in... Source

Ayaan speaks with LTG H.R. McMaster about foreign policy challenges and threats, the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the recent purging of members from military boards. LTG H. R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s... Source

Ayaan speaks with William McGurn about President Biden’s disastrous policy in Afghanistan. They discuss Biden’s speech declaring the end of the war, who really made the decision to leave Afghanistan, and the consequences that the U.S. faces from a botched withdrawal. William McGurn is a writes the weekly “Main Street” column each Tuesday for The Wall Street Journal, is a member of the paper’s... Source

Ayaan asks Joe Lonsdale if we should rebuild or reform failing institutions. They also discuss Joe growing up in Silicon Valley, tech and the media, and whether or not the word “nerd” is still a derogatory term. Joe Lonsdale is the managing partner at 8VC, a US-based venture capital firm which manages several billion dollars in committed capital. He was an early institutional investor in many... Source

Ayaan speaks with Valerie Hudson about patriarchy and its expressions throughout history. They also discuss dangerous practices that hold women back, such as child marriage, polygamy, and exclusion from inheritance. Valerie M. Hudson is a University Distinguished Professor and holds the George H.W. Bush Chair in the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public... Source

Ayaan invites Yasmine Mohammed back on to discuss why the Canadian authorities would not help her escape her forced marriage to an Al-Qaeda terrorist. They discuss other examples of governments failing young, vulnerable girls. Yasmine Mohammed is a Canadian human rights activist who fights for the rights of women living within Muslim-majority countries, as well as those who struggle under... Source

Ayaan speaks with Yasmine Mohammed about her marriage and escape from a man in Al-Qaeda. Yasmine Mohammed is a Canadian human rights activist who fights for the rights of women living within Muslim-majority countries, as well as those who struggle under religious fundamentalism, in general. She founded the nonprofit, Free Hearts Free Minds, which provides mental health support for members of the... Source

Ayaan speaks with Nicholas Kristof about human rights abuses against women and girls around the world. They discuss his recent article, “ A 14-Year-Old Bride, Wed to Her Rapist, Playing on a Jungle Gym,” and dive into the subjects of child marriage, forced marriage, and female genital mutilation. Nicholas Kristof has been a columnist for the New York Times since 2001. He graduated from Harvard... Source

Ayaan speaks with Helen Joyce about her new book, Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality. They discuss the rapid rise of gender-identity ideology, the differences between the US and UK, and much more. Helen Joyce is The Economist’s Britain editor. She joined the paper in 2005 as an education correspondent, and between 2010 and 2013 was the Brazil correspondent, based in São Paulo. Since then she has... Source

Ayaan speaks with Winston Marshall soon after he left the band, Mumford & Sons. They discuss his work helping Hong Kongers integrate into the UK, his interest in speaking up for the Uighurs in China, and much more. This episode was recorded on June 28th, 2021. Winston Marshall was the banjo player in the popular rock band, Mumford & Sons, from 2007-2021. In March, Winston tweeted “Congratulations... Source