The Moynihan Report

In this wide-ranging and candid interview on The Moynihan Report, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joins Michael Moynihan for a deep dive into the personal history that shaped his worldview, the complexities of American foreign policy, and the future of progressive politics in NYC.The conversation begins with a moving reflection on de Blasio’s father, a World War II veteran who lost his leg at the Battle of Okinawa. De Blasio opens up about how his father’s subsequent struggle with PTSD and alcoholism deeply influenced his own understanding of war, mental health, and the importance of family.The discussion then pivots to a heated but respectful debate on US imperialism and interventionism. Moynihan and de Blasio spar over historical US involvement in Latin America, specifically the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, whom De Blasio defended as seeking a third way between US capitalism and Soviet communism, and the morality of overthrowing sovereign leaders. They also tackle the episode's "ripped from the headlines" topic: the recent US extraction of Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela. De Blasio argues that even surgical removals of foreign leaders set a dangerous precedent that could embolden rivals like China and Russia.Finally, de Blasio reflects on his two terms as Mayor, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the emotional toll of the job, which he managed with a philosophy he calls "don't look down." He offers a ringing endorsement of rising progressive star Zohran Mamdani, debating Moynihan on the feasibility of Mamdani's boldest proposals, including free buses, rent freezes, and public grocery stores.

Maduro is in a Brooklyn jail cell, but Venezuela is far from free.In this episode of The Moynihan Report, Moynihan returns to the mic to unpack the historic arrest of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. While the Trump administration is taking a victory lap, the reality on the ground in Caracas suggests the celebration is premature and potentially dangerous. We are joined by exiled Venezuelan journalist Germania Rodriguez Polio (formerly of Vox and the Daily Mail) to discuss why the removal of one dictator might have simply cleared the path for a more ruthless, efficient operative: Delcy Rodriguez.While the New York Times and other mainstream outlets are busy branding Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as a shrewd operator with leftist credentials who is softening her tone, Germania reveals the terrifying truth. Delcy isn't a reformer; she is a SEBIN (secret police) operative and the architect of the draconian "Law Against Hate." We analyze why Western media consistently falls for the reformer narrative in socialist regimes and why Delcy’s rise could mean a darker chapter for Venezuelan human rights.Germania shares her shocking personal story of being escorted out of the Daily Mail after refusing to delete a video criticizing the New York Times’ coverage of the Venezuelan regime. We dig into the concept of Venezuela’s "fake opposition," figures who play the part of democrats while maintaining the status quo, and how major media organizations silence dissenting voices to maintain access or appear objective.Why are some American conservatives defending a socialist dictatorship? Moynihan reacts to a bizarre clip of Tucker Carlson defending the Maduro regime, exposing the growing fracture in the American Right. We discuss the absurdity of the "Horseshoe Theory," where the far-left and far-right unite in their hatred of the West, leading figures like Tucker to confuse a brutal, impoverished police state with a traditionalist society.Finally, we ask the hard question: Will Trump save or sell out Venezuela? With the administration already eyeing Venezuela’s oil reserves, there is a real fear that the US will accept a "stabilized" dictatorship under Delcy Rodriguez in exchange for energy deals. We discuss what needs to happen next, including the release of over 900 political prisoners, to ensure this intervention doesn't end in betrayal.

Michael Moynihan talks with Cambridge historian Brendan Simms about his biography Hitler: A Global Biography. Simms dismantles the WWII revisionism currently popular on social media: The idea that Churchjill was the war's true antagonist. Simms explains why Hitler declared war on the U.S., his obsession with German emigration to the United States, and how Nazi ideology was fueled by a deep-seated hatred of international capitalism. Hitler: A Global Biography is available here.Brendan Simms is Director of the Centre for Geopolitics at University of Cambridge and a prolific author on European geopolitics, past and present, and his principal interests are the German Question, Britain and Europe, Hitler’s global anti-semitism, Humanitarian Intervention and state construction.

Devon Archer explains what it was like to be caught between Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump, and how power, access, and consequences actually played out behind the scenes.In this extended interview, Archer speaks firsthand about his relationship with Hunter Biden, the reach of Joe Biden’s influence, and how the Trump era changed the legal and political stakes. He reflects on business dealings, loyalty, fallout, and what happens when proximity to power turns into liability.This conversation is not about accusations or defenses. It’s about the real-world consequences of political access and what it feels like to be caught in the middle as alliances shift and scrutiny intensifies.

Michael interviews Adam Irving, grandson of David Irving and head of Irving Books, the publisher managing his grandfather’s catalog. The conversation looks at David Irving’s trajectory from bestselling World War II historian to a figure discredited for Holocaust denial and racist distortion. Michael probes how Adam handles the responsibility of publishing work widely condemned for distorting the historical record and what it means to run a business in the shadow of that legacy.

Today's episode features journalist and author Jamie Kirchick, who dissects the rise of the populist, far-right movement on both sides of the Atlantic and the accompanying decay of mainstream conservative politics. The discussion focuses on the rapid ascent of parties like Germany's AfD, noting that their success is driven by failure to integrate immigrants and the subsequent Danish model adopted by mainstream parties to curb their influence. Domestically, Moynihan and Kirchick characterize figures like Tucker Carlson as "the most dangerous antisemite in America right now" and a fusion of "every awful ideology," exploring his influence over politicians like JD Vance and the MAGA wing's adoption of pro-Russian, anti-capitalist, and isolationist foreign policy that demands a revisionist view of World War II. Finally, the episode touches on historical revisionism, previewing an interview with the grandson of Holocaust denier David Irving, and questions the utility of debunking misinformation in the current, high-speed digital environment.

Michael Moynihan sits down with Robby Soave to discuss Trump’s liberal use of pardons. Technically, Trump has the power to dole out pardons as he pleases (and he has), but is this verging on dictatorship? Using Trump’s extraordinary move to pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, Michael and Robby will delve into how Trump wields pardons as a tool for personal and political “justice.”Subscribe to the YouTube!

This episode is a wide-ranging, candid chat where Michael Moynihan and guest columnist Eli Lake dive deep into the messy overlap of culture and politics today.They start with a fun intellectual detour, dissecting the punk rock ethos and suggesting that the anti-authoritarian, norm-defying spirit actually makes Socrates the original punk. This cultural lens is quickly applied to modern politics, where they discuss how the rise of figures like Nick Fuentes and his followers is basically a political version of punk rock. They argue that this shock-jock, transgressive style is a direct reaction to the illiberal social pressures of recent years (think: Black Squares and trigger-happy social media bans).The conversation then hits the controversial shift of Tucker Carlson, pointing out his "horseshoe" alignment with figures from the radical left, like Noam Chomsky. They suggest Tucker's appeal comes from his genuine rejection of his old Washington world.Finally, the talk gets serious about the Constitution, as Moynihan and Lake criticize the Trump administration's foreign policy; specifically the unauthorized use of the military in Venezuela against drug boats. Lake argues this overreach, done without Congressional approval, is a dangerous move that could undermine the foundations of the Republic by setting a precedent for presidents to start wars without a proper legal or democratic say.Subscribe to the YouTube!

Meghan McCain sits down with Michael to unpack the surge of right-wing podcasts and personalities dominating the media landscape. Big voices like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly are changing the tone—and the reach—of the conservative movement. Are they expanding the base or losing the middle? Here’s what you need to know.Subscribe on YouTube!