Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words
Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words

The Democratic Socialists' Biggest Lie, Michigan's Leftward Shift, and Academia's Plagiarism Problem | VDH

August 10, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Iran negotiations have collapsed repeatedly, military stockpiles are dangerously low, and JD Vance is being reined in after breaking with the administration’s messaging on Israel. Meanwhile, the Democratic Socialists of America just endorsed a plagiarist for Congress, and the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor precinct gave him 100 percent of the vote.

Iran: Collapsing Talks, Leaked Weakness, and a VP Under Pressure

The administration’s Iran policy is in a familiar cycle. President Trump announces that negotiations are progressing well, the talks break down, the U.S. conducts a limited strike, the Iranians beg to return to the table, and then nothing gets resolved. The most recent round of kinetic operations ended on February 28 after 38 days, during which the U.S. claimed to have destroyed 80 to 90 percent of Iran’s missile and drone capacity. But the Pentagon did not know the denominator — 90 percent of what? 10,000 units? 20,000? Iran had hidden “mosquito boats” and drones everywhere, and once they began threatening the Gulf, the Gulf states panicked. They had wanted the U.S. to eliminate Iran entirely, but after seeing the U.S. stop short, they refused to commit their own 600 aircraft.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:00) **Trump Endorses Vance for 2028 Amid Iran Negotiation Concerns** - Trump publicly backs JD Vance as his 2028 successor to preempt a damaging primary fight, after Vance’s comments on Iran negotiations and Israel sparked backlash.
  • 2 (06:14) **U.S. Weapons Depletion and the Iran Negotiation Cycle** - Hanson explains the strategic danger of leaking low missile stockpiles and the pattern of Iran talks breaking down, leading to military action.
  • 3 (10:18) **JD Vance’s Foreign Policy Stance and the MAGA Faction** - Vance is associated with the Tucker Carlson/Candace Owens wing of MAGA, which holds problematic views on Israel, forcing Trump to rein him in.
  • 4 (13:51) **Rand Paul Subpoenas Fauci and the Pardon/Clamency Disparity** - The host questions the pattern of government officials escaping accountability, while Hanson contrasts Democratic and Republican pardon records.
  • 5 (22:51) **Susan Collins Opposes Todd Blanche; Hanson Analyzes Her Motives** - Collins will vote against Trump's DOJ nominee, citing IRS shielding and a weaponization fund, but Hanson argues it’s a cynical political move.
  • 6 (30:29) **El-Sayed Wins 100% in Ann Arbor; Michigan’s Leftward Shift** - The host points to the statistically improbable result as evidence of the ideological fervor behind the socialist candidate.
  • 7 (33:17) **Ted Cruz’s Muslim Brotherhood Hearing and Shifting Constituencies** - Democrats and some Republicans boycotted the hearing, reflecting the growing political power of Muslim voters and the decline of Jewish voters.

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Guests on this episode

Victor Davis Hanson

Show Notes

Socialists are lying to the American people about their backgrounds.

Despite the propaganda they pander to the masses, Democratic Socialists are elites, argue Victor Davis Hanson and Sami Winc on today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”

Victor Davis Hanson and Sami Winc dive into the results of Tuesday's primary elections in Michigan. They argue the Democrat Party is increasingly divided between establishment figures and democratic socialists, discussing radical candidates such as Abdul El-Sayed and Francesca Hong, while examining the broader ideological direction of the party.

They also discuss the challenges of progressive governance, including New York City's proposed government-run grocery stores, the rising cost of universal childcare plans, and Los Angeles' growing public health problems related to homelessness.  

This episode also discusses the plagiarism scandal surrounding a Cambridge University professor, discussing the fall of standards in modern academia. This episode concludes with a discussion of reports that retired U.S. military leaders participated in a Chinese-backed dialogue initiative, raising concerns about national security and the role of retired military officials.  


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Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words

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