August 8, 2025 • 6 mins
In today’s Report:
Andrew Roberts and Condoleezza Rice discuss the international security landscape and how leaders can best apply the lessons of history to current policy challenges.
Russell Berman and Kiron Skinner suggest that the Trump administration should consider applying diplomatic pressure on France as it undermines US foreign policy in the Middle East.
And Liz Truss speaks with Jon Hartley about her time as UK prime minister and the challenges she sees for Britain’s economy and governance in the years ahead. Hoover Daily Report | August 8, 2025
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
>> Male (00:00):
Welcome to the Hoover Daily Report.
Ideas Advancing Freedom It's Friday,August 8, 2025.
>> Female (00:05):
In today's report, Andrew Roberts and
Condoleezza Rice discussthe international security landscape and
how leaders can best apply the lessonsof history to current policy challenges.
Russell Berman and Kyron Skinner suggestthat the Trump administration should
consider applying diplomatic pressure onFrance as it undermines US Foreign policy
in the Middle East.
(00:25):
And Liz Truss speaks with John Hartleyabout her time as UK Prime Minister and
the challenges she sees for Britain'seconomy and governance in the years ahead.
>> Male (00:34):
Around the world With Condoleezza Rice,
Historian Andrew Roberts is joinedby former US Secretary of State and
current Director of the HooverInstitution, Condoleezza Rice, for
a dive deep into today's internationalhotspots, including Russia's invasion
of Ukraine, Russia rising tensionswith China over Taiwan, and
the complex relationships between Russia,China, Iran and North Korea.
(00:59):
Their discussion also covers howleaders draw lessons from history,
what might tip the worldinto a new Cold War, and
how nations might address these evolvingchallenges to security and prosperity.
Director Rice also shares herthoughts on the rapid rise of
artificial intelligence and providesa reading recommendation on the topic.
The Worlds I See but by Fei-Fei Li,
the founding co-director ofStanford's Human Centered AI Institute.
(01:23):
Lee and Rice are both involved inthe Stanford Emerging Technology Review,
a technology policy educationinitiative co produced by
Hoover's Technology Policy Accelerator andthe Stanford School of Engineering.
>> Female (01:34):
France is no U.S. partner in the Middle east, quote Repeating the same
mantra of the two states without engagingwith the political reality is a recipe for
continued failure,argue Senior Fellow Russell A.
Berman and research fellow Kyron K.
Skinner.
In response to a recently concludedUnited nations conference on a two
state solution to the Israel Palestineconflict, Berman and
(01:57):
Skinner suggest that building onthe Abraham Accords model, where political
rapprochements are understood as gatewaysto economic cooperation and integration,
would be a better solution tothe long standing regional friction.
The authors say that France, with itsdeclared intention to recognize Palestine
at the UN General assembly next month,is subverting US Foreign policy
(02:19):
to the extent that the Trumpadministration should respond.
Noting French reliance onUS Security assistance in Europe and
in the Indo Pacific,Berman and Skinner write,
if the French leadership chooses tosubvert American interests and initiatives
in the Middle east, it would be reasonablefor the US to reduce support for France.
>> Male (02:40):
Liz Truss, former UK Prime Minister on Politics and
the Economy in the United Kingdom fora new Episode of Capitalism and freedom in
the 21st century, Policy Fellow JohnHartley and Liz Truss discuss the former
UK Prime Minister's upbringing and herearly interest in economics and politics.
Hartley asks Truss about her pro growthpolicy vision for the United Kingdom,
(03:03):
her premiership in the 2022UK guilt crisis, and
the state of free speech in the UK andthe Anglosphere.
Truss also shares her views on the Starmerlabor government, the role of the UK and
its allies in the worldamidst the rise of China and
the future direction of politics andthe economy in the uk.
Stressing the need for comprehensivegovernance reforms, Truss says,
(03:25):
we're not competitive enough,our energy isn't cheap enough,
our taxes are too high,our welfare state doesn't work.
Unless there is some kind of miracle,
it's hard to see howthe show stays on the road.
>> Female (03:35):
Weapons Clear away the cobwebs In a new essay for
Defining Ideas,visiting fellow Vivek Lal calls for
comprehensive reforms to the US Defenseestablishment's foreign military sales and
international security assistancepolicies and procedures.
Lal, the chief executive at aerospace anddefense contractor General Atomics,
(03:56):
recounts how his firm offered Ukraine itsMQ9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system for
just $1 back in 2023.
Unfortunately, Lal notes,despite Ukraine's urgent need of and
the clear strategic valuein deploying the MQ9,
General Atomic's offer stalled out inthe bureaucratic morass of the Pentagon.
This must change, says Lal.
(04:17):
He maintains that in an era ofincreasingly tense geopolitical
competition, quote, washington needs toact decisively to overhaul the outdated
systems strangling its defense industry.
This isn't just a matter ofbureaucratic housekeeping.
It's imperative to supporting the nationalsecurity of both the United States and
its partners.
>> Male (04:37):
Why DEI was already Dying President Trump's executive orders banning
diversity, equity, inclusion orDEI related racial and gender preferencing
have ostensibly doomed the DEI industry,writes Senior Fellow Victor Davis Hansen
in a new essay published athis Blade of Perseus site.
But DEI was already on its last legs.
Half of all Americans no longer approveof racial, ethnic or gender preferences.
(05:02):
In the piece, Hansen shows why rigid DEIpolicies introduce many undesirable and
impractical calculations intoorganizational management.
Hansen also stresses the negative effectof such policies on a multiracial and
multiethnic societylike the United States.
>> Female (05:21):
Michael McConnell awarded 2025 Notre Dame Prize for
Religious Liberty Senior fellowMichael McConnell was awarded the 2025
Notre Dame Prize for
Religious Liberty at the 2025Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit.
The annual award honorscontributions to religious liberty.
In a video accompanying the awardannouncement, various distinguished legal
(05:42):
scholars praise McConnell for his singularcontributions to legal understanding
of the U.S.constitution's treatment of religion.
McConnell, a former federal judgeis also lauded by his peers for
his depth of impact across legal advocacy,academia and judicial practice.
>> Male (05:58):
Featured Research Initiative Taiwan in the Indo Pacific Region
the Hoover Project on Taiwan in the IndoPacific Region supports research and
public dialogue about Taiwan'sdemocracy and society and
the pivotal position Taiwan occupiesin a vast majority strategic and
increasingly integratedswath of the world.
The project is co chaired by DistinguishedVisiting Fellow Admiral James O.
(06:20):
Ellis Jr. Andsenior fellow Larry diamond and
managed byResearch Fellow Karis Templeman.
>> Female (06:25):
That's your Hoover Daily report for Friday, August 8, 2025.
Each weekday we bring you researchanalysis and commentary focused on public
policy, national security, and the ideasshaping American society and government.
The Hoover Institution at StanfordUniversity is grounded in constitutional
principles with a commitment tosustaining the safeguards of the American
(06:47):
way of life.
Thank you for listening.
For links to all the articles andinterviews mentioned today,
visit Hoover.org HDR.
Welcome to the Hoover Daily Report.
Ideas Advancing Freedom It's Friday,August 8, 2025.
>> Female (00:05):
In today's report, Andrew Roberts and
Condoleezza Rice discussthe international security landscape and
how leaders can best apply the lessonsof history to current policy challenges.
Russell Berman and Kyron Skinner suggestthat the Trump administration should
consider applying diplomatic pressure onFrance as it undermines US Foreign policy
in the Middle East.
(00:25):
And Liz Truss speaks with John Hartleyabout her time as UK Prime Minister and
the challenges she sees for Britain'seconomy and governance in the years ahead.
>> Male (00:34):
Around the world With Condoleezza Rice,
Historian Andrew Roberts is joinedby former US Secretary of State and
current Director of the HooverInstitution, Condoleezza Rice, for
a dive deep into today's internationalhotspots, including Russia's invasion
of Ukraine, Russia rising tensionswith China over Taiwan, and
the complex relationships between Russia,China, Iran and North Korea.
(00:59):
Their discussion also covers howleaders draw lessons from history,
what might tip the worldinto a new Cold War, and
how nations might address these evolvingchallenges to security and prosperity.
Director Rice also shares herthoughts on the rapid rise of
artificial intelligence and providesa reading recommendation on the topic.
The Worlds I See but by Fei-Fei Li,
the founding co-director ofStanford's Human Centered AI Institute.
(01:23):
Lee and Rice are both involved inthe Stanford Emerging Technology Review,
a technology policy educationinitiative co produced by
Hoover's Technology Policy Accelerator andthe Stanford School of Engineering.
>> Female (01:34):
France is no U.S. partner in the Middle east, quote Repeating the same
mantra of the two states without engagingwith the political reality is a recipe for
continued failure,argue Senior Fellow Russell A.
Berman and research fellow Kyron K.
Skinner.
In response to a recently concludedUnited nations conference on a two
state solution to the Israel Palestineconflict, Berman and
(01:57):
Skinner suggest that building onthe Abraham Accords model, where political
rapprochements are understood as gatewaysto economic cooperation and integration,
would be a better solution tothe long standing regional friction.
The authors say that France, with itsdeclared intention to recognize Palestine
at the UN General assembly next month,is subverting US Foreign policy
(02:19):
to the extent that the Trumpadministration should respond.
Noting French reliance onUS Security assistance in Europe and
in the Indo Pacific,Berman and Skinner write,
if the French leadership chooses tosubvert American interests and initiatives
in the Middle east, it would be reasonablefor the US to reduce support for France.
>> Male (02:40):
Liz Truss, former UK Prime Minister on Politics and
the Economy in the United Kingdom fora new Episode of Capitalism and freedom in
the 21st century, Policy Fellow JohnHartley and Liz Truss discuss the former
UK Prime Minister's upbringing and herearly interest in economics and politics.
Hartley asks Truss about her pro growthpolicy vision for the United Kingdom,
(03:03):
her premiership in the 2022UK guilt crisis, and
the state of free speech in the UK andthe Anglosphere.
Truss also shares her views on the Starmerlabor government, the role of the UK and
its allies in the worldamidst the rise of China and
the future direction of politics andthe economy in the uk.
Stressing the need for comprehensivegovernance reforms, Truss says,
(03:25):
we're not competitive enough,our energy isn't cheap enough,
our taxes are too high,our welfare state doesn't work.
Unless there is some kind of miracle,
it's hard to see howthe show stays on the road.
>> Female (03:35):
Weapons Clear away the cobwebs In a new essay for
Defining Ideas,visiting fellow Vivek Lal calls for
comprehensive reforms to the US Defenseestablishment's foreign military sales and
international security assistancepolicies and procedures.
Lal, the chief executive at aerospace anddefense contractor General Atomics,
(03:56):
recounts how his firm offered Ukraine itsMQ9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system for
just $1 back in 2023.
Unfortunately, Lal notes,despite Ukraine's urgent need of and
the clear strategic valuein deploying the MQ9,
General Atomic's offer stalled out inthe bureaucratic morass of the Pentagon.
This must change, says Lal.
(04:17):
He maintains that in an era ofincreasingly tense geopolitical
competition, quote, washington needs toact decisively to overhaul the outdated
systems strangling its defense industry.
This isn't just a matter ofbureaucratic housekeeping.
It's imperative to supporting the nationalsecurity of both the United States and
its partners.
>> Male (04:37):
Why DEI was already Dying President Trump's executive orders banning
diversity, equity, inclusion orDEI related racial and gender preferencing
have ostensibly doomed the DEI industry,writes Senior Fellow Victor Davis Hansen
in a new essay published athis Blade of Perseus site.
But DEI was already on its last legs.
Half of all Americans no longer approveof racial, ethnic or gender preferences.
(05:02):
In the piece, Hansen shows why rigid DEIpolicies introduce many undesirable and
impractical calculations intoorganizational management.
Hansen also stresses the negative effectof such policies on a multiracial and
multiethnic societylike the United States.
>> Female (05:21):
Michael McConnell awarded 2025 Notre Dame Prize for
Religious Liberty Senior fellowMichael McConnell was awarded the 2025
Notre Dame Prize for
Religious Liberty at the 2025Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit.
The annual award honorscontributions to religious liberty.
In a video accompanying the awardannouncement, various distinguished legal
(05:42):
scholars praise McConnell for his singularcontributions to legal understanding
of the U.S.constitution's treatment of religion.
McConnell, a former federal judgeis also lauded by his peers for
his depth of impact across legal advocacy,academia and judicial practice.
>> Male (05:58):
Featured Research Initiative Taiwan in the Indo Pacific Region
the Hoover Project on Taiwan in the IndoPacific Region supports research and
public dialogue about Taiwan'sdemocracy and society and
the pivotal position Taiwan occupiesin a vast majority strategic and
increasingly integratedswath of the world.
The project is co chaired by DistinguishedVisiting Fellow Admiral James O.
(06:20):
Ellis Jr. Andsenior fellow Larry diamond and
managed byResearch Fellow Karis Templeman.
>> Female (06:25):
That's your Hoover Daily report for Friday, August 8, 2025.
Each weekday we bring you researchanalysis and commentary focused on public
policy, national security, and the ideasshaping American society and government.
The Hoover Institution at StanfordUniversity is grounded in constitutional
principles with a commitment tosustaining the safeguards of the American
(06:47):
way of life.
Thank you for listening.
For links to all the articles andinterviews mentioned today,
visit Hoover.org HDR.
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