A Charlie Rose Global Conversation

The story of Elizabeth Holmes has everything.Money, fame, power, a trial, a movie, a prison, and the promise of changing medicine.It is also about ambition and deception.At the center is a young woman who drops out of Stanford University and creates a company, Theranos, that she claims can prick your finger, take a minimal amount of blood, and tell you everything about your life.That was the beginning. She was lionized as another Steve Jobs in black and the youngest self-made female billionaire. Powerful men like George Shultz, Henry Kissinger, Rupert Murdoch, and others joined the board and invested.Then came the journalism. John Carreyrou published a series of articles in The Wall Street Journal saying the test didn’t work and published a bestselling book, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. Media coverage followed.Then there was a trial, and Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of fraud and went to prison in 2023.But before she goes to prison, she invites a Canadian television performer, Nathan Fielder, and a director, Lawrence Oppenheim, to come live with her, her partner, Billy Evans, and their two children.The documentary, You Can See Everything, released in mid-October, has created a sensation and is being talked about today for the Oscars.A huge amount of press has been devoted to the film and Elizabeth Holmes.She is in prison. John Carreyrou has moved to The New York Times.Here is a conversation with her in 2015, before much of this… before Carreyrou’s investigation, before the trial, and obviously before she went to prison.

Anthony Scaramucci has led an interesting life at the cross section of finance, government briefly, conferences, media and politics. He grew up on Long Island, New York attended Tufts and Harvard Law School worked at Goldman Sachs and formed the firm SkyBridge Capital in 2005.As a political donor he supported Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama, Mitt Romney and then Donald Trump. He worked briefly in the White House for President Trump as Communications Director.Scaramucci is now co-host of a podcast with Katty Kay called: The Rest is Politics U.S. and another one devoted to books called Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci.His new book, published this fall is: “All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to Trump,”

Natasha Lance Rogoff is a journalist, educator, filmmaker, author, and media producer. She has been fascinated by two countries in her life, America and Russia. As a teenager, she changed her name to Natasha in 1982. At 22, she went to Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, as a student and learned the culture and language. She was fascinated by the Russian people, especially artists, and she traveled widely to explore in her documentary films the conflict between art and politics, freedom and power and the end of the Soviet regime. She also worked with Tom Brokaw, NBC and Hedrick Smith of PBS in producing programs on the end of the Soviet Union. She directed and produced Russia for sale, the rough road to capitalism. Then the children's television workshop took notice and asked her to bring Sesame Street, can you believe it, to post Soviet Russia at the end of the Cold War. She became executive producer of Yulitza Cezam, the Russian version of Sesame Street from 1993 to 1997, and faced all the questions of taking a popular American program for children and translated to a Russian program for Russian children. In 2022, she wrote about the experiences in Russia in her book, Muppets in Moscow: The Unexpected, Crazy, True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia. She tells the stories of the nationality clashes, cultural differences, political violence, and the assassination of her Russian broadcast partners as they created Ulitza Ceizam.Today, Natasha is an associate in Harvard's Department of Art, Film and Visual Studies and is married to the distinguished Harvard economist, Ken Rogoff. They have two children and live in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She works at the cross section of technology, media, and education using her experience to explore change. This is an important moment in global politics as the United States, China, Russia, Iran, and much of Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia debate their ambitions and their differences. We will talk about her experiences in Russia, understanding differences in culture and nationality, and how misunderstandings can lead to violence and sometimes war. We will ask about Reagan and Gorbachev, Putin and Trump and the future of free speech on campuses like Harvard and how she answers classic questions on freedom and order, the limits of hate speech in Russia today and after Putin. I am pleased to have her on this program as we initiate a new studio for more in-person conversations.

David Ignatius is theinternationally admired foreign affairs columnist and associate editor for TheWashington Post. He joined the paper in 1986, later served as foreign editor,and has written his twice-weekly column since 1998.

He is also a popular novelist,writing 11 successful books about the world he covers as a reporter andcolumnist. He is hard at work on his 12th.

Ignatius’s strength as acolumnist and novelist is his extraordinary knowledge and access to primaryplayers in espionage and diplomacy around the world who are on the front linesof the global struggle among nations to survive and dominate in peace and war.

David Ignatius graduated fromHarvard College magna cum laude and studied at King’s College, Cambridge. Hehas, in a varied and distinguished career, worked as an editor and reporter atThe Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and was executive editor of theInternational Herald Tribune in Paris.

Ignatius not only writes novelsand a twice-weekly column but also is a commentator for MSNBC, appearing oftenon Morning Joe. He has written frequently about the Iranian War.

This is an important moment inthe world of politics and foreign policy as elections are being held in theUnited States, Israel, and Brazil, wars continue in the Middle East andUkraine, and everyone is trying to assess the future of AI.

We will talk of many things,including President Trump, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Benjamin Netanyahu, warsin Iran and Ukraine, AI, tech leaders, the Trump cabinet, climate, elections,socialism, China, Europe, Greenland, NATO, global intrigue, spying, spies, andspy novels.

Bret Stephens is an opinion columnist for The New York Times. He has held the position since 2017He also writes a column for The New York Times with Frank Bruni in which they engage points of view about political and cultural issues.Stephens was previously a foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor at The Wall Street Journal. In 2013, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. From 2002–2004, he was editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post in Israel.Bret Stephens holds degrees from the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics.This conversation comes at a critical moment when the midterm elections in the United States are in a few weeks, war continues in Iran and the Ukraine, and the debate over AI gets focused.We will talk of many things including the elections, President Trump, Democrats, AI, China, the Iran war, the Ukrainian war, polarization in politics, Israel after 911, and the art of conversation..

Robert D. Kaplan is one of our most interesting experts studying the behavior of nations. He combines the normal analysis of leadership, politics, and culture by looking not just at history and journalism, but also at other factors that influence the plight of countries, including the development of a middle class, mineral access, and geography.He has traveled widely as a foreign correspondent for The Atlantic and written twenty-four books, including Waste Land, The Loom of Time, The Tragic Mind, The Revenge of Geography, Asia’s Cauldron, The Coming Anarchy, and Balkan Ghosts. His latest book, to be published in November, is China Whisperers: The Voices That Have Shaped America’s Views of Its Chief Geopolitical Rival.It is the moment to understand the relationship between the United States and China, the forces shaping how the leadership of both countries views the other, and the possibilities of an agreement between them on trade, AI, and territory.We will talk to Robert D. Kaplan about many things, including the possibility of war between the United States and China and the implications for the human race if there is no cooperation on artificial intelligence as the technology speeds forward.We will also discuss Donald Trump and his view of the world; Xi Jinping and his view of China’s place in the world; tariffs and trade between the two countries; Taiwan, Iran, and Ukraine; alliances with China and alliances with the United States; regions of influence; and what happens to the relationship when there is a change in leadership, whether Xi Jinping or Donald Trump is no longer the leader of his country.

Warren Buffett, one of the greatest investors of all time and a much-admired businessman and philanthropist, announced last week that he was stepping down as Chairman of the Board of Berkshire Hathaway to become Chairman of the Board Emeritus. His son, Howard Buffett, will succeed him as Chairman of the Board. Buffett announced earlier in the year that Greg Abel would become CEO. In his farewell letter, Buffett said, with his gift of common sense, “Father Time always wins.” But he noted, at 96 years old and with his usual insight, “He has been very good to me.” It is very true.Buffett’s financial achievements at Berkshire Hathaway have made him one of the richest people in the world, but he is perhaps even more admired for his courage, philosophy, wisdom, and humor—especially humor. He has done it all while living rather simply in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. His fame has been global, and each year tens of thousands come from around the world to hear the man who has become known as the Oracle of Omaha at the Capitalist Woodstock.They come for the celebration, but also for the chance that they will hear something that will make them, yes, better investors, but perhaps also wiser at life. Who doesn’t want to be a richer and better person? It is not about recommending a stock, but about suggesting a way of doing things.Warren Buffett is too honest with himself and his audience not to acknowledge some failures of omission and choice, but there is one fact that stands out: He is one of a kind, and there is no one on the horizon who is considered the next Warren Buffett. There may be a few with better investment records, but none who combine all his qualities in one person.As we look at a world full of conflict and risk from technology, biology, nuclear threats, and climate, it is a moment to ask: What are the essential qualities we need for the future?We will talk about all the attributes necessary for the challenges ahead and how we convince ourselves to demand the best of them.I have had the good fortune to know Warren Buffett well and to talk to him often on camera and many, many times simply on the phone. Here is one of those conversations on camera from 4/15/2022.

David Brooks, journalist, New York Times columnist, PBS commentator, author, and social analyst, did something few at the top of their game do. He quit his powerful position at The New York Times to write for The Atlantic, host a weekly podcast, and become a fellow at Yale University.When one examines the evolution in his columns, books, and speaking engagements, it is not a surprising decision.To understand his reasons, go no further than his “Time to Say Goodbye” column of January 30, 2026. It should be required reading at all schools. You don’t have to agree; simply listen and have conversations.Brooks has always been interested in the culture beneath politics, and his subject matter has moved from politics to individuals and what makes them tick.He has moved from what politics does to what the individual does, and he has called on his readers to focus more on eulogy virtues than résumé virtues.He calls for a restoration of human relationships—not just how we see ourselves, but how we see others and how others see us.He wants to ask about moral choices more than political choices. He wants to ask what makes a good life.He argues these are the questions that come from the humanities and a liberal education. The final column is a call to arms for him—and for you—to drink deeply from the humanities.David Brooks’ new podcast is “Permanent Questions.”Its first episode was posted on Sunday, September 13.With the midterm elections a few weeks away and the focus on the 2028 presidential election already here, it is a moment to ask: What essential questions are Americans asking about their lives and the life of their country?We will ask David Brooks what questions we should be asking and who can help us answer some of what Brooks and his guests call the “permanent questions.” We will ask how some of these questions come from his personal experiences and others from experts.The first episode of “Permanent Questions” was released on September 13, 2026. The guest was Megan Sullivan, a philosophy professor at the University of Notre Dame, and the subject was “How We Should Lead Our Lives” and “What It Means to Lead a Good Life.”

Michael Morell has been more than a man who had a front-row seat to history.He was a participant in two monumental events as an official of the CIA.Morell spent more than three decades in the CIA and served as an analyst, Deputy Director, and twice as Acting Director.He was with President Bush on 9/11, 2001, as the President’s daily briefer when George Bush learned of the attacks.Morell was with President Obama 10 years later, on May 1, 2011, when the operation was launched that would kill Osama bin Laden.On this 25th anniversary of 9/11, it is an important moment to consider these two events and what has changed between then and now.We will talk about what intelligence agencies knew and should have known leading up to 9/11. We will talk about the events of 9/11 as the U.S. reacted to the attacks. We will talk about the search for and killing of Osama bin Laden, and we will consider the strength of terrorism and the defense against it 25 years after 9/11.Finally, we will ask if the United States has the intelligence service it deserves at a time of increased technology and weapons.Morell, now retired from the CIA, is an important voice in the conversation about national security.

Gloria Steinem came from journalism to add her considerable skills to the battle for women’s equality, which changed the lives of women and became her lifelong passion. She became one of the most visible figures in feminism and remained so all her life.Gloria Steinem died on September 2 at her home in New York City. She was 92.Gloria Steinem, through her magazine, Ms., her friends in media, and her presence, became part of the conversation about most of the social and cultural issues that defined women and society in the second half of the 20th century. She was in the front of a new definition of freedom that defined not just the relationship between the sexes, but a definition of a life that had many women and men evaluating where they stood, choices they had, and what they wanted.Many said they wanted to be judged by achievement, not biology. While active in politics, Steinem spent all of her life as a writer and catalyst.It is an important moment to consider the life of Gloria Steinem, as a hero to many, as the country has a midterm election and prepares for a presidential contest in two years.Gloria Steinem made several appearances on Charlie Rose, often arguing the same issues that define us today…War and peace, national security, the cost of living, justice, power, the rule of law, corruption, and “what’s good for me.”In 2013, Steinem received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian award, from President Obama.

Dolly Parton came out of poverty in the mountains of Tennessee to create huge international success and earn honors in country and pop music, movies, business, and philanthropy. Dolly Parton died on Tuesday, August 25. She was 80.Dolly Parton was, most of all, a songwriter, and she wrote songs about her life, beginning with poverty. Music took her out of the mountains.She became, in her success, something even beyond a star—she became much loved. The New York Times, in its obituary, cited the title of its 2019 story: “Is There Anything We Can All Agree On? Yes: Dolly Parton.”Dolly Parton created a character, but she was the first to say, “That’s not all I am.” In a lifetime in entertainment, she toured the world, hosted television shows, and made movies with Burt Reynolds, Julia Roberts, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin.In 1994, she published her memoir, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business.For all her musical achievements, Dolly Parton was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.In 2006, she received the Kennedy Center Honors.In 2025, her husband, Carl Dean, died.Beyond music, Dolly Parton built Dollywood, a theme park in the Smoky Mountains, distributed books to young people, and supported COVID vaccinations.In a world too often in conflict, it is an appropriate moment to pause and remember a life dedicated to the human spirit.In this conversation from June 5, 2009, Dolly Parton talks about the woman behind the legend.

Mike Murphy wears many hats and possesses many skills, but the one that may fit best is strategist. He has advised some famous and admired Republicans, including John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Tommy Thompson, Chris Whitman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Born in Detroit, he attended the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He now makes his home in Los Angeles and is co-director of the Center for the Political Future at the University of Southern California. Murphy is also co-host of the popular podcast “Hacks on Tap” with David Axelrod and John Heilemann.With primaries choosing candidates for the midterm elections, it is an appropriate moment to ask: What do the politics of 2026 look like as the midterms approach?We will consider many questions the political world is asking about Donald Trump, look at the primaries so far, and examine the fight between center and left as socialists do well in Democratic contests.

Mark Halperin is a journalist whose world is American politics.He is obsessed with explaining the politics, policy and personality of those who inhabit the world of government, and perhaps more, those who participate in the art and science of elections.Halperin has been around politics and government all his life. His father is Dr. Morton Halperin, a distinguished PHD in International Relations from Harvard who served in the Nixon administration.After graduating from Harvard in 1987, Mark Halperin began in journalism at ABC News, working for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. From 1997 to 2007, he was the political director of ABC News. He started The Note, a popular online political newsletter, which showed the promise and possibilities of digital media in political reporting as it explained not just the story but the ambition of newsmakers and the drama behind the story, as well as news about the people in media.Since 1988, over several decades, Halperin covered politics from the state house to the White House and legislatures and courts for a number of major news organizations, including ABC News, Time magazine, Bloomberg News, NBC News and Showtime.Halperin wrote several best-selling campaign books with his reporting partner, John Heilemann.Mark Halperin lost his place after allegations of sexual misconduct. He has come back to a position of influence as editor-in-chief of 2WAY, the interactive political media platform, where he hosts The Morning Meeting and 2WAY Tonight. He also hosts Next Up, a podcast on Sirius, and publishes his political reporting and analysis through a newsletter, Wide World of News.It is an important moment in politics as primaries choose candidates for the midterms and voters get a chance to express their judgment on the first two years of the second Trump administration.We will talk about many subjects, including President Trump, Democratic candidates, policies, socialism, turnout, polls, 2028 candidates, and issues like the Iran war, the Ukraine war, China, cost of living, White House construction, ICE and artificial intelligence.

David McCullough is one of America's best-known, bestselling, and beloved historians. His books include John Adams, The Johnstown Flood, The Wright Brothers, Truman, The Great Bridge, and The Path Between the Seas. They're all the story of America.His varied television presentations have made him a popular chronicler of our people, institutions, and events. He's received Pulitzer Prizes for Truman and John Adams. He garnered a National Book Award for The Path Between the Seas, the creation of the Panama Canal, and wrote a biography of Teddy Roosevelt called Mornings on Horseback.He received the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. McCullough attended Yale and worked at Sports Illustrated and the U.S. Information Agency before devoting his life full-time to writing.He died on August 7, 2022.David McCullough appeared in conversation with me nine times. To celebrate America's birthday, July 4, we go to the archive for a composite of David McCullough conversations.

America is 250 years old.The ideas that shaped it are even older - ideas like freedom, justice, and respect for the rule of law. Others, like equality under the law, have evolved over time.To better understand the American journey from 1776 to 2026, we're turning to historians like David McCullough and journalists like Bret Stephens.Bret Stephens has been an opinion columnist for The New York Times since 2017. Previously, he served as a foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor at The Wall Street Journal. In 2013, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. From 2002 to 2004, he was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post in Israel. Stephens holds degrees from the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics.This conversation comes at a pivotal moment, as many Americans are asking fundamental questions about the state of the American idea—and America itself.We'll explore those questions, including the presidency of Donald Trump. Then, tomorrow, on the Fourth of July, we'll revisit an archival conversation with the late David McCullough.Today, I'm pleased to welcome New York Times columnist Bret Stephens.

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, we're not the only ones marking a major milestone. The legendary filmmaker and comedian Mel Brooks has just celebrated his 100th birthday.We also have something to celebrate - with your help. If Charlie Rose Global Conversations gains 100 more YouTube subscribers, we'll reach 300,000 subscribers, an important milestone for us.If these conversations have added something to your life, please subscribe and help us reach that goal. Your support will help us continue to make everything we do even better.Thank you. And now, back to Mel.Few people have accomplished as much across so many mediums. Mel Brooks has created some of comedy's greatest masterpieces. In this conversation, he joins Carl Reiner, his longtime friend and collaborator, with whom he created the brilliant The 2000 Year Old Man.His 100th birthday is a wonderful occasion to celebrate his extraordinary life and legacy. In this conversation, we explore many of the moments, people, and ideas that made his world so magical.

America celebrates its 250th birthday this July 4, 2026. It has become a time to ask: What is the American idea, and how is it doing after 250 years?Across America, celebrations and evaluations are taking place. Questions are being asked. We have listened to those voices.We begin this evening with the great historian David McCullough, who died in 2022 after receiving two Pulitzer Prizes and two National Book Awards, and who engaged in numerous conversations with me about his books and the significance of knowing history. His last conversation was about his book The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For.As America marks its 250th year, it is a moment to ask: How are we doing?David McCullough talks about many of the ideas and people who make our history. I was proud to know him and call him a friend.

Clive Davis, the music empresario responsible for so many talents in the music industry, died today. He was 94.

It's an interesting time to talk about the life of Clive Davis as the music industry undergoes so many changes because of the digital revolution. We talked of many things including Clive Davis's philosophy of music, what makes a great talent, his famous parties, and the changes in the music industry.

Interviews from Charlie Rose.com: 9/28/20004/5/2013

Alan Greenspan, a powerful voice in shaping the American economy as Chairman of the Federal Reserve for 20 years, died today. He was 100.Greenspan was a champion of capitalism, markets, and managing interest rates to fight inflation. His critics argued he did not do enough in regulating the new financial instruments that were responsible for the financial crisis.Greenspan, along with his wife, the respected NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell, was a well-known mover and shaker in the Washington social establishment. In his earlier life, Greenspan was an intellectual companion of the writer Ayn Rand and, throughout his life, reflected a fierce curiosity about economic theories and political policy.It is an interesting moment to consider the career of Alan Greenspan as a new Fed Chairman, Kevin Warsh, takes office and President Trump often expresses his combative position in favor of lower interest rates.Here is a conversation from 2007 about his then newly published autobiography, The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World.

General David Petraeus is a soldier-scholar of extraordinary talent: a 4-star Army general, battlefield commander, West Point graduate, PhD from Princeton, author of books on warfare, creator of counterinsurgency strategies, and architect of the surge in Iraq. He was famous for building relationships with local populations in war zones.

After service in Iraq and Afghanistan, Petraeus became Director of the CIA. He has held academic appointments at six universities.

He is now an executive with the financial firm KKR.

In 2023, Petraeus co-authored with historian Andrew Roberts Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Gaza.

It is a moment to consider a changing world as wars in Iran and Ukraine continue, the two most powerful leaders in the world met in May in Beijing, and ongoing tension in different nations remains over cost-of-living issues.

We will talk of many things, including the wars in Ukraine and Iran, the competition between China and the United States, the threat of Russia to Europe, the ambition of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Benjamin Netanyahu, changes in how wars are engaged, the impact of technology including artificial intelligence, and always the global economy and the cost of living. We will ask about qualities of leadership and the lessons of our time.

Evan Osnos won the prestigious National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2014 for his book Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China. The rise of China has been a focus of his reporting career, along with American politics and the impact of our wealthiest individuals.Osnos graduated from Harvard and, since 2008, has been a staff writer for The New Yorker. Previously, he was a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, covering the Middle East.He worked in China for both The New Yorker and the Chicago Tribune and witnessed the country’s economic growth within the tight political control of the Communist Party. His subject was often the people impacted by the transformation.Evan Osnos has written several books that reflect his reporting. They are:• The Haves and the Have-Yachts • Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury • Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now • Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China Evan Osnos was in Shanghai and Beijing for the summit meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation.David Ignatius is the internationally admired foreign affairs columnist and associate editor at The Washington Post.He joined the paper in 1986, later served as foreign editor, and has written his twice-weekly column since 1998.From 2000 to 2003, he was executive editor of the International Herald Tribune in Paris.Earlier in his career, he was a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, covering the State Department, the Justice Department, the CIA, and the Middle East.He is the author of twelve spy novels, including Body of Lies, which was adapted into a feature film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.Born into a family shaped by public service, educated at Harvard and King's College, Cambridge, and based in Washington for much of his professional life, he has had a front-row seat to America's actions around the world.He is frequently on a plane, traveling to observe events firsthand, meet personally with newsmakers, and gather insights from his extraordinary sources in the national security arena. He talks to the people who don't talk to the press.

Nicholas Thompson has been one of the definers of thedigital revolution in all of its impact on our life. After graduating fromStanford and engaging in freelance writing, he became editor of NewYorker.com.Later, he became Editor-in-Chief of Wired as the power of social media becamemore pervasive. Now he is the CEO of The Atlantic as artificial intelligencebecomes more involved in our daily life.

Thompson has written two books. The first was The Hawk andthe Dove about Paul Nitze, the hawk, and George Kennan, the dove. Nitze wasThompson’s maternal grandfather.

The second, published in 2025, is The Running Ground aboutThompson’s life as a serious and successful marathon runner. It is much morethan a book about running. It is about his cancer struggle and the emotionalstory of his relationship to his father. Thompson makes running central to hisidentity and attitudes about competition, fear, ambition, and endurance.Nicholas Thompson has achieved great success, but in The Running Ground useshis success in running to explore not only the joy of victory but also itscost.

As we learn more about the progress in artificialintelligence, it is a moment to consider its value and its risk.

We will talk about many things with Nicholas Thompson,including running as a metaphor for life, his relationship with his father, thedigital revolution, social media, and the impact of artificial intelligence onall of us.

Barney Frank was described as legendary and the funniest person in Congress by liberals and conservatives for his actions in Congress from 1981 to 2013, as a smart, quotable, liberal, iconic representative from Massachusetts.He became a pioneer in human rights in 1987 as the first sitting member of the U.S. Congress to voluntarily disclose his sexual orientation, and for his legislative achievements as the co-author of the Dodd-Frank Bill, which overhauled financial regulations after the 2007–2008 financial crisis. Barney Frank died May 19, 2026. He was 86.After graduation from Harvard undergraduate and law school, Barney Frank entered politics as an assistant to the Mayor of Boston, became a state legislator, and then was elected to the U.S. Congress, where he served for 32 years from January 1981 to January 2013, becoming Chairman of the Financial Services Committee and an ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi. While serving in Congress, Frank, in several instances, came under intense criticism for a couple of his social relationships.Barney Frank wrote about his life in his 2019 memoir:“Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage.”Before entering hospice care in April 2026, where he died, Barney Frank wrote his final book, “The Hard Path to Unity.” It sent a message to all political combatants, but especially his colleagues on the left, to find common ground on intractable issues. His message adds to his legacy of finding a solution to difficult issues that all sides can accept.

Richard Haass is one of the best and best-known interpreters and explainers of foreign policy, the relationship between nations, and the management of their ambitions.He has bridged the two poles of diplomacy and public intellectual at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he served as President and is now President Emeritus. A graduate of Oberlin College and a Rhodes Scholar, he served in government under Presidents Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, and then spent 20 years as President of the Council on Foreign Relations.This is a crucial moment to examine the forces at work in foreign policy with the meeting between the President of China and the President of the United States.We will talk about the issues under discussion in Beijing and around the world as two of the most powerful people in the world meet in China and war continues in Iran and Ukraine.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation from 7/23/2004.Ted Turner died May 6, 2026. He imagined himself a great man. He was, in multiple ways. He created a huge institution: CNN. He changed things. After CNN, global news was not the same.He won things. The America’s Cup in sailing is the fiercest challenge, not only against other sailors, but against fast boats and the weather. He fulfilled other men’s dreams: owning a major league baseball team and marrying a beautiful, smart actress.He was a rich man, owning companies and land worth billions of dollars. He was a good man, giving huge amounts of money to philanthropy. He was an admired man and a tragic man, climbing the tallest mountains and falling.He was there for all to see: brash, cocky, driven, opinionated, sometimes unpleasant, and full of himself.And yes, Ted Turner died knowing he had touched lives and made a difference. In the end, that is what makes a great life.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:Bret Stephens is a popular opinion columnist for The New York Times. He has held the position since 2017.He was previously a foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor at The Wall Street Journal. In 2013, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. From 2002–2004, he was editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post in Israel.Stephens holds degrees from the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics.This conversation comes at a critical moment when Iran and America may resume negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, continue the ceasefire, and seek to find an end to the war, which began on February 28, 2026.We will talk of many things, including who is winning the war, the negotiations to end the war, opening the Strait of Hormuz, the price of oil and gasoline, Iran’s nuclear program, and the status of buried enriched uranium.Also President Trump’s war leadership and his conflict with Pope Leo, the war response of the regime in Iran, and the consequences of war.We will conclude with America at its 250th birthday and its relationship with Israel, NATO, European and Gulf allies, and adversaries including Russia and China, whose president—President Xi Jinping—is scheduled to meet with President Trump on May 14–15 in Beijing, China.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:

Bret Stephens is a popular opinion columnist for The New York Times. He has held the position since 2017.He was previously a foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor at The Wall Street Journal. In 2013, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. From 2002–2004, he was editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post in Israel.Stephens holds degrees from the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics.This conversation comes at a critical moment when Iran and America may resume negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, continue the ceasefire, and seek to find an end to the war, which began on February 28, 2026.We will talk of many things, including who is winning the war, the negotiations to end the war, opening the Strait of Hormuz, the price of oil and gasoline, Iran’s nuclear program, and the status of buried enriched uranium.Also President Trump’s war leadership and his conflict with Pope Leo, the war response of the regime in Iran, and the consequences of war.We will conclude with America at its 250th birthday and its relationship with Israel, NATO, European and Gulf allies, and adversaries including Russia and China, whose president—President Xi Jinping—is scheduled to meet with President Trump on May 14–15 in Beijing, China.

We live in historic times and stand at three significant milestones. Year two of President Trump’s second term begins on January 20, 2026. One quarter of the 21st century began on January 1, 2026. And on July 4, 2026, America will celebrate its 250th birthday.I am asking, on camera, a series of extraordinary people to help take the temperature of America in 2026. They come from around the world and from every walk of life spanning policy and poetry and many without fame or fortune. The central question is simple: How are we doing?Jon Meacham is a historian, biographer, speechwriter, commentator, teacher, and Pulitzer Prize recipient. He is an advisor and friend to presidents and the biographer of four American presidents Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and George H. W. Bush and is currently writing about Dwight Eisenhower. He has also written about the friendship between Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, as well as several acclaimed books, including The Soul of America, The Battle for Our Better Angels, and His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope.Jon Meacham teaches at Vanderbilt University and appears frequently on Morning Joe on MSNOW.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:David Ignatius join me for a continuation of a conversation that was posted this week but recorded before the U.S. military’s mission to Venezuela to arrest the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro and his wife.It also occurred before a fascinating interview between President Trump and 5 New York Times reporters on Wednesday evening, January 7, 2026

We begin tonight a series of conversations about the United States military’s mission to arrest the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and bring him to the United States for trial on drug charges. Is it part of the controversial new initiative in American foreign policy?We start with Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times. He is one of the world’s most influential foreign affairs columnists and a speaker at conferences around the world. His ideas are read and sought out by influential leaders in capitals everywhere. His subject is global affairs in all its reality—from war and peace to politics, technology, climate, and biology—as well as the strategy and motivation of the leaders whose actions drive the forces that determine the future. He is the recipient of three Pulitzer Prizes and the author of seven books.This is an important moment to consider the consequences of the United States’ action.Throughout the multiple conversations, we will ask many questions about the mission, including why it was undertaken, the role of oil, what happens now, and the impact on China, Russia, Iran, Europe, and other nations in Latin America. Is it the first of other missions regarding the Western Hemisphere, part of a renewal of the Monroe Doctrine?

* This conversation was recorded on Dec 22nd 2025, before the events in Venezuela. We hope to follow up with David Ignatius soon on Venezuela and more.America is at an interesting moment.We are approaching one year into the second Trump administration and are one quarter of the way through the 21st century. On July 4, 2026, we will celebrate our 250th birthday. I am asking a series of extraordinary Americans - many without fame or fortune, and coming from prose and poetry - to help take the temperature of America in 2026.What is the American idea?What do we stand for?What values do we need to remind ourselves of?How is this country doing politically, economically, culturally, and as a force for good around the world?David Ignatius is the internationally admired foreign affairs columnist and associate editor at The Washington Post.He joined the paper in 1986, later served as foreign editor, and has written his twice-weekly column since 1998 - more than 25 years.From 2000 to 2003, he was executive editor of the International Herald Tribune in Paris, while continuing to write his column.Earlier in his career, he was a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, covering the State Department, the Justice Department, the CIA, and the Middle East.He is the author of twelve spy novels, including Agents of Innocence, his first - considered by many who know the agency to be the best description ever written of spycraft and the CIA.Born into a family shaped by public service, educated at Harvard and King’s College, Cambridge, and based in Washington for much of his professional life, he has had a front-row seat to America’s actions in the world.

Freedom was at the heart of America 250 years ago on July 4th, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Freedom of speech was recognized as an American right. It was essential to the responsibility of journalism in America to hold power accountable. How was journalism doing as America celebrates its 250th birthday, enters the second quarter of the 21st century and the second year of the second Donald Trump presidency. Martin "Marty" Barron is America's most celebrated newspaper editor lionized in the Academy Award film spotlight as the executive editor of the Boston Globe, which received a Pulitzer Prize in 2003 for its coverage of the Boston Catholic sexual abuse scandal. In January 2013, he became executive editor of the Washington Post, which was purchased by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos from the legendary Graham family after the death of Katherine Graham. During his editorship, the Washington Post received a number of Pulitzer prizes.Baron retired in early 2021 and wrote his memoir, Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and the Washington Post. He was also executive editor of the Miami Herald and has worked at the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. He has received many journalism honors in addition to the Pulitzer Prizes.

Rob ReinerFrank GehryTom StoppardBill MoyersDiane KeatonJane GoodallRobert RedfordDavid LynchVal KilmerGene HackmanRoberta FlackRichard Chamberlain Terence StampJim LovellGeorge Foreman Charles Rangel Sam MooreJules FeifferBrian WilsonAthol FugardDick CheneyFrederick SmithJames WatsonEdmund White

Fareed Zakaria has spent decades explaining the forces shaping the modern world, and America’s place within it.He is the host of Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN, a weekly international affairs program he has anchored since 2008. He writes a weekly foreign affairs column for The Washington Post. He previously served as Managing Editor of Foreign Affairs and as Editor of Newsweek International.Zakaria is the author of four books: The Future of Freedom (2003), The Post-American World (2008), Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World (2020), and Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present (2024).Born in India, educated at Yale and Harvard, and shaped by the experience of becoming American, he has spent his career thinking about how democracies function, how power is used, and how ideas shape the course of history.

America is at an extraordinary moment in its history.We are one quarter of the way through the 21st century, and in 2026 we will celebrate our 250th birthday.I am asking a series of extraordinary Americans - many without fame or fortune, speaking from lived experience as well as poetry - to take the temperature of America in 2026.What is the American idea?What do we stand for?Which values do we need to remind ourselves of?How is this country doing politically, economically, culturally, and as a force for good in the world?Walter Isaacson has long served as one of America’s great interpreters of ideas, leadership, creativity, and power.He has held senior leadership roles at some of the most influential institutions in American media and civic life, including Editor of TIME, Chairman and CEO of CNN, and President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. He is currently a Professor of History at Tulane University.Isaacson is the author of nine books, including acclaimed biographies of Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, and Elon Musk.His newest book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, steps back from biography to focus on a single line from the Declaration of Independence:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”It is a sentence that has echoed throughout American history—invoked by Lincoln at Gettysburg, challenged by generations who saw its promise unfulfilled, and returned to again and again during moments of national crisis.As America approaches its 250th birthday, Isaacson asks what that sentence still means - and whether it can continue to bind a deeply divided nation.Born in New Orleans, educated at Harvard, and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, Isaacson has spent a lifetime examining how societies innovate, how democracies endure, and how human creativity advances both science and freedom.Walter Isaacson has been - and is - many things:father, husband, teacher, Rhodes Scholar, Harvard graduate, TV commentator, journalist, editor, writer, son of New Orleans, CEO, and yes, biographer - often chosen by the famous when they want their story told.He has been described as a bridge between power and ideas, science and the humanities, the past and the future, and creators and consumers.

America is at an interesting moment. We are one quarter of the way through the 21st century, and in 2026 we will celebrate our 250th birthday. I am asking a series of extraordinary Americans—many without fame or fortune, but rich in experience and poetry—to take the temperature of America in 2026.What is the American idea?What do we stand for?What values do we need to remind ourselves of?How is this country doing politically, economically, culturally, and as a force for good in the world?Bret Stephens has emerged as a translator between the American establishment of both parties and the conservative rank and file, making him a sharp guide to the nation’s path forward. In 2017, he joined The New York Times as an opinion columnist, after a distinguished career at The Wall Street Journal, where he served as deputy editorial page editor from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that, he was a foreign affairs columnist at the Journal and received the Pulitzer Prize in 2013.At just 28 years old, Stephens became editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post, a role he held from 2002 to 2005. Born in New York and raised in Mexico City, he is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics. He has long championed the classical liberal order—free enterprise, free trade, free speech, and the preservation of democratic institutions.In his 2014 book America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder, Stephens warned of the consequences of diminished American leadership. As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, his recent books, columns, and articles reflect a notable evolution in his thinking. He has increasingly analyzed the presidency of Donald Trump not as a historical accident, but as the product of deeper political, economic, and cultural forces.Stephens has argued that part of the Democratic Party’s defeat stemmed from a growing divide between the “economy of words”—lawyers, journalists, and academics—and the “economy of things,” including manufacturers and service workers. He has also become a fierce critic of what he sees as intellectual rot within elite universities, particularly around antisemitism and the erosion of free speech.And perhaps most concerning to many, he now suggests that the United States may be in retreat not only politically, as he argued a decade ago, but more broadly across multiple dimensions of global leadership.

Rob Reiner, who became famous for his acting in All in the Family and was much admired as a director of classic films, was brutally murdered on December 14, 2025, in his Brentwood, Los Angeles, home alongside his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner. He was 78. She was 70.Their deaths are the subject of a homicide investigation. Their son, Nick Reiner, is being held.Rob Reiner, the son of legendary writer-director Carl Reiner, first made it as an actor portraying “Meathead,” the liberal son-in-law, on Norman Lear’s groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family. It earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards and made him a familiar face on American television. The series became a cultural touchstone, sparking discussion around the generational clash of the 1970s.Reiner reinvented himself as a director with an extraordinary streak of films in the late 20th century that have become classics across several genres. He debuted with the rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, followed by the coming-of-age drama Stand by Me, the adventure film The Princess Bride, the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, and the legal thriller A Few Good Men.Reiner’s range made him one of Hollywood’s most versatile and celebrated filmmakers. At the same time, Reiner continued to act in films and on television shows.Reiner’s company, Castle Rock Entertainment, produced a number of popular properties, including Seinfeld and The Shawshank Redemption.In the 21st century, Rob Reiner emerged as a prominent liberal voice and activist, particularly in Democratic politics, gay rights, women’s rights, and children’s issues.

Rob Reiner, who became famous for his acting in All in the Family and was much admired as a director of classic films, was brutally murdered on December 14, 2025, in his Brentwood, Los Angeles, home alongside his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner. He was 78. She was 70.Their deaths are the subject of a homicide investigation. Their son, Nick Reiner, is being held.Rob Reiner, the son of legendary writer-director Carl Reiner, first made it as an actor portraying “Meathead,” the liberal son-in-law, on Norman Lear’s groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family. It earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards and made him a familiar face on American television. The series became a cultural touchstone, sparking discussion around the generational clash of the 1970s.Reiner reinvented himself as a director with an extraordinary streak of films in the late 20th century that have become classics across several genres. He debuted with the rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, followed by the coming-of-age drama Stand by Me, the adventure film The Princess Bride, the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, and the legal thriller A Few Good Men.Reiner’s range made him one of Hollywood’s most versatile and celebrated filmmakers. At the same time, Reiner continued to act in films and on television shows.Reiner’s company, Castle Rock Entertainment, produced a number of popular properties, including Seinfeld and The Shawshank Redemption.In the 21st century, Rob Reiner emerged as a prominent liberal voice and activist, particularly in Democratic politics, gay rights, women’s rights, and children’s issues.

Spike Lee received an honorary Academy award for his “lifetime achievement and significant contribution to cinema recognizing him as a champion of independent film and an inspiration to young filmmakers.”In more than 35 films, he has explored politics, history, sports, music, and culture with a voice that is unique.He rose to prominence in the 1980s as part of the independent film movement, beginning with She’s Gotta Have It and School Daze, and breaking through in 1989 with Do the Right Thing.Among his most notable films are Malcolm X, 25th Hour, Crooklyn, Inside Man, BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods and his latest, Highest 2 Lowest, released in 2025 and starring Denzel Washington with whom he has made more than 5feature films. Spike has also made important documentaries including “4 Little Girls” about the church bombing in Birmingham Alabama and “When the Levees Broke” about the devastation from hurricane Katrina. Spike Lee became famous to millions of Americans because he appeared in commercials he made with Michael Jordan for Nike shoes. He is also a longtime professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he has helped shape a new generation of filmmakers.This is an important moment in American culture. The country is deeply divided, solutions to questions of race continue to be debated, the role of art in public life is being analyzed and cultural institutions are under attack.We will talk of many things—Spike Lee’s early life in Brooklyn, the origins of his voice as a filmmaker, the evolution of independent film, the intersection of politics and storytelling, his collaboraton with Denzel Washingon, his political differences with President Trump and how he thinks about America as It marks it’s 250 Birthday on July 4, 2026. I am pleased to welcome Spike Lee.

Joe Manchin came from immigrant parents and grandparents in in Farmington West Virginia to the Governor’s Mansion in Charleston, and then to the United States Senate in Washington, where he served from 2010 to 2025. Manchin left the Democratic Party in 2024 to register as an independent.During his Senate career, Manchin was known for taking centrist positions and for working with both parties. He often found himself at the center of national attention with huge power as he held the decisive vote especially when President Biden came to the Presidency in 2021. His new book, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense, is part memoir of a political life, a reminder of traditional values, a reflection on how polarization has reshaped Washington, why consensus has grown more difficult, and what it might take to renew trust in American government at a moment when many Americans fear the country is coming apart.This is an important moment for the United States as it approaches its 250th birthday in July. The country is deeply divided, the political center has weakened, and citizens are asking whether our democratic institutions can still meet the challenges ahead in an increasingly competitive world with Chinas.We will talk of many things including Manchin’s roots in West Virginia, the Presidency of Joe Biden and Donald Trump the midterm elections in 2026, the Presidential election in 2028 and what it means to be independent in an age of identity politics and why he still argues for common purpose, common ground, and common sense.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation.Frank Gehry - a great and distinctive architect by any definition - died on December 5, 2025. He was 96.Gehry was perhaps most famous for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the Disney Concert Hall, the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris and his home in Santa Monica, California, connected to chain link fence. He is survived by his wife, Berta, their children and grandchildren, and by unique structures that are truly pieces of art.

Sir Tom Stoppard, the Czech-born British playwright in a nation of brilliant playwrights, made an incredible contribution to the world’s theatre. Stoppard died on November 29 at his home in England. He was 88. Stoppard was taken from then Czechoslovakia in 1939 to Singapore to be with his father a doctor who died during WWII. His mother later married a British journalist, Kenneth Stoppard, and the family moved to England in 1946 Stoppard became a journalist which led him to writing short plays for the stage. His breakthrough play about 2 minor characters from Hamlet was “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”​ It won a Tony award for Best Play and set Stoppard on a brilliant career. Stoppard took on the most complex subjects like math and philosophy and made them theatrical magic. Among his plays were “Jumpers” (1972), about acrobatics and moral philosophy; “Travesties” (1974), on Joyce, Lenin, and modernism; “The Real Thing” (1982), an inquiry into betrayal; and “Arcadia” (1993), on Romanticism, science, and loss.​ Some consider it his masterpieceHe continued into the 21st century with “The Coast of Utopia” (2002) about Russian intelligensia, and “Rock ’n’ Roll” (2006), which linked Cambridge and Prague. In “Leopoldstadt” (2020), he turned to identity with a portrait of Jewish family in Vienna facing war and hadthe author consider his own Jewish history. The writing and conceptual gifts of Stoppard were also expressed in a number of films. He received an Oscar for screenwriting for “Shakespeare in Love” (1998) and continued to make contributions in other film projects.Tom Stoppard was frequently described as the greatestIiving playwright writing in the English language. He wasKnighted in 1997. He legacy of plays is a tribute to his talent, intellect and confidence to make difficult subjects compelling to an audience, all born of the central idea that playwright and audience shared a passionate curiosity.Tom Stoppard is survived by his third wife, Sabrina Guinness and 4 sons.

A Charlie Rose Global Conversation:Tom Freston is very much admired for his winning personality and unconventional leadership of MTV, the culture defining cable tv channel that merged music and television. He added Comedy Central, South Park and Live Aid to his success. It all led to becoming CEO of Viacom and then being fired within a year by Sumner Redstone. Freston has spent his time since then advising a series of friends and clients including Oprah and Bono. His well-traveled life story is told in a new memoir, “Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu.”It is an interesting moment to look at these foundation blocks as we witness media and technology in transition.We will talk of many things including the ideas and people who were part of the Freston journey traveling the world. We will examine the philosophy that made many friends, and we will hear observations on the new world of streaming, podcasting and artificial intelligence as they change media, entertainment, sports, business, medicine, science and politics.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia - widely known as MBS - came to Washington this week to meet with President Trump and business leaders. It is his first visit to America in eight years and seven years after the murder of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi.The Crown Prince also attended a White House dinner and, the next day, met with business leaders at the Kennedy Center.This visit is an important moment for both the Crown Prince and President Trump, given their significance in the region.We will talk about many things, including:The murder of Jamal Khashoggi and President Trump’s comments about it at a press conferenceThe Saudi–American relationship on defense and nuclear issuesThe Abraham Accords and the pursuit of a two-state solutionThe role of China as a tech leaderAnd the broader strategic landscape across the Middle EastKaren Elliott House has been reporting on Saudi Arabia for decades - as a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, foreign editor of The Wall Street Journal, and author of the 2012 book On Saudi Arabia and her biography published earlier this year, The Man Who Would Be King. She also wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal this week titled “MBS Returns to Washington.”

Jonathan Karl is a reporter’s reporter. He is the Chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and co-anchor of This Week, the ABC News Sunday morning program.His new book on the 2024 campaign is Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America. It is his fourth book on President Trump, the previous three were:Front Row at the Trump Show, Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show, and Tired of Winning: Donald Trump and the End of the Grand Old Party.This is a significant moment as the country experiences a prolonged shutdown, the Supreme Court hears arguments on tariffs, both political parties prepare for the midterm elections, and the nation prepares for the presidential election of 2028.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

James Watson, an American scientist and Nobel laureate who was involved in two of the most important scientific achievements of the 20th century, died on Thursday. He was 97.James Watson and Francis Crick received the Nobel prize in 1962 for the discovery of the structure of DNA, the genetic blueprint for life. It is considered one of the most momentous breakthroughs in the history of science. He wrote one of the most noted memoirs in science called the Double Helix published in 1968. He built on that fame by leading the human genome project.Watson was associated with two famous universities. Cambridge and Harvard and led the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.To appreciate his historic achievements as a scientist you have also take note of his controversial life. He was severely criticized for what he said about the intelligence of black people and his failure to give appropriate credit to women in science, especially Rosalyn Franklin who was part of the team that discovered the double helix. When he repeated assertions on racial differences about intelligence on the PBS show American Masters the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory revoked its relationship with Watson.James Watson made five solo appearances with me. Here are those conversations.

The voters have spoken, and we have the first indication of what they think since the election of 2024 which put Donald Trump back in the White House for a second term.Our focus is what these results say and what are their implications for the future.Joining me is Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who has advised candidates including John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeb Bush and now co-hosts the popular political podcast Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and John Heilemann.It’s an important moment; it’s the first time we’ve heard from voters since Donald Trump returned to the White House.We’ll talk about many things: what mattered most to voters, what these results tell us about Donald Trump and the Democrats, one year since the presidential election - and one year before the midterms.We’ll also look at the candidates, including the governor-elect of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, the governor-elect of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, and the mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.We’ll ask whether there are common themes and narratives and what impact these results may have on the midterms and the shaping of future presidential candidates.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

The voters have spoken, and we have the first indication of what they think since the election of 2024 which put Donald Trump back in the White House for a second term.Our focus is what these results say and what are their implications for the future.Joining me in separate conversations Molly Ball, a political reporter who has written for Politico, The Atlantic, TIME, and most recently The Wall Street Journal.She’s the also author of the 2020 book Pelosi: The Path to Power and is now at work on a new book about the political realignment reshaping the country.The other, Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who has advised candidates including John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeb Bush and now co-hosts the popular political podcast Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and John Heilemann.It’s an important moment; it’s the first time we’ve heard from voters since Donald Trump returned to the White House.We’ll talk about many things:what mattered most to voters,what these results tell us about Donald Trump and the Democrats,one year since the presidential election - and one year before the midterms.We’ll also look at the candidates, including the governor-elect of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger,the governor-elect of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill,and the mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.We’ll ask whether there are common themes and narratives and what impact these results may have on the midterms and the shaping of future presidential candidates.We begin with Molly Ball, who joins me from Virginia, followed by Mike Murphy from California.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Remembering the life of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who passed away at age 84. We honor his decades-long struggle with heart disease, and reflect on his significant influence on U.S. foreign policy and national security.

Michael McFaul has spent a lifetime studying Russia and the global contest between great powers.A Rhodes Scholar and Stanford professor, he speaks from the perspective of scholar, diplomat and author.From 2012 to 2014, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Russia under President Obama, after three years on the National Security Council as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs.He writes about this and much more in his new book, Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder.This is a moment in which it is crucial to understand the risks and possibilities of the competition among great powers. We’ll talk about many things - Russia’s war in Ukraine and what it reveals about the limits of Western deterrence, China’s expanding reach across Asia and the global economy, and America’s role in a changing world - including what yesterday’s Trump - Xi in South Korea meeting says about the complex diplomacy now shaping the U.S. - China dynamic.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

John Malone is one of the most important architects and builders of contemporary media.He went from Phi Beta Kappa at Yale to a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins and then jobs at Bell Labs, McKinsey, and Jerrold Electronics before being recruited by Bob Magness to come west to Colorado and grow the cable industry.As CEO of Tele-Communications Inc. and Liberty Media, he played a major role in putting together a series of cable companies and wiring the nation for the internet revolution.He supported Ted Turner at CNN, Rupert Murdoch at Fox, and Barry Diller at IAC. Each has described John Malone as the smartest strategic person they know for his understanding of the impact of technology and finance.He sold TCI to AT&T for $48 billion in 1999.In 2022, he was instrumental in the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, combining a movie studio, HBO, CNN, and cable companies.He also created Liberty Global, a major broadband provider in the world, and acquired Formula One, SiriusXM, Live Nation, and the Atlanta Braves.He tells the story of how he did it and the people who helped in his memoir — Born To Be Wired: Lessons From a Lifetime Transforming Television, Wiring America for the Internet, and Growing Formula One, Discovery, SiriusXM, and the Atlanta Braves. It was written with Mark Robichaux, who wrote his 2002 biography Cable Cowboy.It is a fascinating moment, as the lead story on the front page of The Wall Street Journal today is an announcement by the Board of Warner Bros. Discovery that it is for sale.The announcement follows a bid by Paramount, recently purchased by David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle and the second-richest person in the world.We will talk about many things — especially his memoir, Born To Be Wired — the role he played and the people who helped him, the announcement by Warner Bros. Discovery, the media in transition, the consequence of streaming, the impact of tech companies, the future of artificial intelligence, the news today, and America today as it nears its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.There is no one better to ask about all this than John Malone, the author of Born Wired and the largest stockholder of Warner Bros. Discovery. He is the former Chairman of the Board and now Chairman Emeritus.

Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress whose wit, warmth, and singular style made her one of the most recognizable figures in American film, died on October 11 in California. She was 79.She first came to national attention as Kay Adams in 1972 in The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark portrait of family and power. Five years later she became an icon in Annie Hall, Woody Allen’s modern romantic comedy that seemed to capture an era and, in many ways, her own spirit. She won the Academy Award for that performance.Her characters were eccentric, vulnerable, self-assured, and searching. She brought a rare blend of intelligence and spontaneity to her work in Reds, Marvin’s Room, The First Wives Club, and Something’s Gotta Give.She was also a writer, director, and photographer, a restless creative presence who never stopped reinventing herself. Her influence extended far beyond film: her offbeat sense of fashion, her humor, her voice, all became part of her legend.She adopted two children later in life and spoke often about the joy and grounding they brought her.Diane Keaton joined me several times. She was candid, funny, and unfailingly original, a woman entirely herself on camera and off.For more please visit: www.charlierose.com

Amos Yadlin has spent his life defending the State of Israel - first as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force, then as head of military intelligence, and later as a respected strategic thinker.He was one of eight F-16 pilots who destroyed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981.From 2006 to 2010 he was in charge of intelligence for the IDF.He helped oversee the 2007 Israeli strike that eliminated Syria’s covert nuclear facility, and was head of military intelligence during the cyber operations later revealed as Stuxnet in 2008.He now heads MIND Israel, a national security and strategy think tank.This is a pivotal moment for Israel and the region.A ceasefire is now in effect after two years of war in Gaza. And as we record this conversation, Hamas says it will begin releasing hostages shortly.Israel has completed the first phase of its military withdrawal; and international mediators, led by Washington, Doha, and Egypt, are preparing for a summit in Egypt.We talk about many things -the return of the hostages, the future of the ceasefire and the end of the war as well as what it means for both Israel and Hamas. The future of Israeli security.The weakening of Iran, the damage to Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas, and how to address Israel’s reputation in the world.President Trump is traveling to the summit in Egypt and will address the Israeli Knesset.I am pleased to welcome Amos Yadlin, who joins me from Israel.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

General Stanley McChrystal's story begins as the son of a general and continues through a military career that saw him make important stops as he rose through the ranks - leading a Ranger battalion, serving with the 82nd Airborne, overseeing U.S. counterterrorism operations in Iraq as head of JSOC (the Joint Special Operations Command), and ultimately rising to his final post as commander of all U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan.This is, as you know, an important moment in the United States. The government is on strike, troops are deployed in American cities, there is hope for the release of hostages in Gaza, and Donald Trump may be rethinking Ukraine. I want to talk about big ideas: the U.S. role in the world as America approaches its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026; the changing world order; U.S. competition with China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran; the rise of populism and the challenge to liberal democracy; the internal risks to American institutions from autocracy; active wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan; and the risks posed by a government shutdown, the roundup of immigrants by ICE, and troops patrolling U.S. cities.We'll also look at the lessons of war - from World War II to Korea, Vietnam, the Balkans, the Middle East, and especially Iraq and Afghanistan, where General McChrystal served in command positions. I want to begin with his focus since retiring as a four-star general: teaching leadership at Yale and forming the McChrystal Group to bring lessons from the battlefield to the boardroom, as described in his MasterClass.That brings us to two critical ideas at the center of his message: leadership and character. I want to begin with character - the subject of his 2025 book, UNC Character: Choices That Define a Life.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

David Brooks is one of our most thoughtful and influential writers on American politics and the human aspiration. He is an opinion columnist for The New York Times and a regular commentator on PBS NewsHour, as well as a contributing writer for The Atlantic magazine. Early in his career, he was a reporter and editor at The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek. David Brooks is the author of six books, including Bobos in Paradise, On Paradise Drive, The Social Animal, The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person. He is recognized as a voice who brings moral dimensions to commentary, connecting politics with questions of character and action. As Benjamin Wallace-Wells wrote in The New Yorker, Brooks is “a writer who sees American life as a sea of souls yearning for goodness.” He is also known for the Sydney Awards, his annual selection of the year’s best magazine writing.This is a moment of deep division in American politics and changes in the world order, as well as a time of increasing search for self-awareness by individuals. Donald Trump, in his second term, is testing institutions at home and America’s role abroad. We will begin with these questions: What story defines this moment? What stories has David Brooks pursued? And as the nation approaches its 250th birthday, what is the most important story ahead? We will discuss the news of the day, the future of America, the books and ideas of David Brooks, and what he has learned as a writer, reporter, and man of demanding curiosity.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Jane Goodall, who became a global celebrity for her study of chimpanzees in East Africa, died on October 1ST in Los Angeles. She was 91.In 1957, with no formal academic training, she left secretarial work in England and traveled to Kenya, where she met Louis Leakey, the renowned paleoanthropologist who became her mentor.In 1960, at age 26, she went to the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in what is now Tanzania to study chimpanzees. There she built an extraordinary relationship with wild chimps. She gave them names, observed their personalities, and revealed the complexity of their communities, producing remarkable studies of their family life and environment.Also in 1960, she made a discovery that transformed science. She documented chimpanzees making and using tools to fish termites from mounds, overturning the long-held belief that toolmaking was uniquely human. As she later said, “The longer I was there, the more like us I saw that they were … we’ve been so jolly arrogant to think we’re so special.”In 1965 Cambridge University awarded her a Ph.D. in ethology, even though she had never earned an undergraduate degree.She wrote widely about her work, including her landmark 1971 book: In the Shadow of Man, which brought her Gombe research to a global audience. She also reached millions through National Geographic documentaries and television specials that made her one of the most recognizable scientists of her time.According to the New York Times, the evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould said her work, “represents one of the Western world’s great scientific achievements.”She became an ardent conservationist and advocate for animal welfare, founding the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 and later launching Roots & Shoots, a youth program that continues worldwide today.She was also a pioneer for women in the field. At a time when fieldwork was almost entirely male, she broke barriers, inspired generations.In later years she became one of the world’s leading voices for the environment, traveling constantly to speak about conservation, climate change, and animal welfare.

Sean “P. Diddy” Combs - the well-known music and fashion entrepreneur - faces his sentencing hearing this week. Two member of his defense team, discuss the highly publicized trial of the summer of 2025.Combs’ defense team achieved a significant victory by securing acquittals on the most serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was convicted on two lesser counts of transportation for prostitution under the Mann Act. The trial lasted 43 days, and the jury deliberated for three days. Sentencing is set for October 3.Jonathan Bach is a highly successful trial lawyer who interrogated one of the prosecution’s witnesses during the Combs defense. Alexandra Shapiro - a former Supreme Court clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a former New York prosecutor - is considered one of the most admired and sought-after appellate lawyers in America.Their firm, Shapiro, Arata & Bach, has participated in a number of celebrated cases at both the trial and appellate levels. In full disclosure, they are friends of mine, and Jonathan has represented me in a legal matter.My conversation with Jon and Alexandra is an opportunity to look inside the Combs trial—one of the most publicized cases in recent history. We will also explore fascinating questions about lawyers and the role of trials in American history.Trial lawyers are classic figures in American life, much like the Western cowboy. Throughout U.S. history, they have captured public attention as defenders of both ideas and people. They have been portrayed in movies, on stage, and in iconic films such as To Kill a Mockingbird, and they have played central roles in historic cases like the Scopes “Monkey” Trial and the Nuremberg Trials.Remember historic figures such as John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Clarence Darrow, and Thurgood Marshall—they were all trial lawyers. Consider infamous trials like O.J. Simpson’s, which featured prominent trial lawyer Johnnie Cochran. And remember the many talented women who have argued in courtrooms across America, advancing the cause of equal rights—they, too, were trial lawyers.This is an especially interesting moment to reflect on the Combs trial and the role of trial lawyers as he awaits sentencing.We will discuss many topics, including:What the prosecution charged.How the defense crafted its response—strategically choosing how to make its case without presenting a formal defense.What arguments Combs’ legal team might pursue going forward.For more, please visit www.charlierose.com

The indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night program - which he hosted for more than two decades - reverberated across media, politics, and public conversation.We are at an important moment. The questions go beyond one host or one network. They speak to the balance between government power and individual rights. People on both sides of the political spectrum fear the rise of violence against individuals as a means to stifle speech.We will talk about many aspects of this subject, including the series of events that led to Kimmel’s suspension, the importance and history of the First Amendment, and why these issues are so critical today.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Karen Elliott House knows well the personalities and history of the Middle East conflict from her experiences as a reporter, editor, and author. She received a Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for her reporting on King Hussein of Jordan. She later became foreign editor of The Wall Street Journal and eventually its publisher.She has written two books on Saudi Arabia: the most recent, published in July 2025, The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia; and, thirteen years earlier in 2012, On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines and Future.This is a critical moment to consider the history and future of the region, as the war continues and Israel carries out bombings in retaliation against Hamas.We will talk specifically about the role of Saudi Arabia, its leader, and his actions within the kingdom and the broader region.

Sir Niall Ferguson, born in Glasgow, Scotland, combined his education in history, politics, and economics at Oxford with his passion for debate to become a prominent historian, author, teacher, and documentarian. His works include a two-volume biography of Henry Kissinger, with the first volume published in 2015 and the second scheduled for release in 2027.His ideas and views appear in various media outlets, including the Free Press and Substack, as well as at conferences around the world.

Michael Wolff is a New York writer whose books have been about: media and power, Rupert Murdoch and Fox News and Donald Trump and the Presidency.His most recent is: “All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America”Michael Wolff and James Truman, former Conde Nast Editor,co-hosted a podcast called Fire and Fury.At Jeffrey Epstein’s request, Michael Wolff also recorded many conversations between them for a possible book. Only a small portion of those tapes have been published. Our conversation comes at a moment of controversy involving the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and President Trump, and his administration.My conversation also comes as the Trump administration marks the first six months of its second term.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Gerard Baker is editor at large of the Wall Street Journal and host of WSJ at large on Fox Business. He served as editor-in-chief of the Journal from 2013 to 2018 and now writes the weekly Free Expression column, which explores politics, economics, media, and global affairs.He also held senior roles at the Financial Times and the Times of London and served as a speech writer to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In recent columns, he has warned that America may be witnessing the greatest destruction of its global reputation in history, and that neither political party has reckoned with the discontent, still fueling the populist revolt.We are at an important moment as Donald Trump now looks beyond his first six months and the country confronts questions about America's role in the world, the strength of our institutions, challenges to the press and the political divide that impacts our strength.We'll talk about all of that, including wars that change, world order, cultural forces that change elections and technology that changes the future. For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Douglas Murray is a British journalist, author, and political commentator whose work explores major themes in politics and culture affecting the future of Europe and America.He is an associate editor at the Spectator Magazine, a columnist for The New York Post and a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Douglas Murray has written eight books. He was educated at Eton and Oxford and wrote his first book, "Bosie: A Biography of Lord Alfred Douglas," at age 20.His most recent book On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel and the Future of Civilization was written after months of on the ground reporting in Israel following the October 7th attacks. His other works reflect his interest in the plight of nations include The War on the West: How to Prevail in the Age of Unreason, The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity, The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam. Other titles include Neoconservatism: Why We Need It and Islamophilia: A Very Metropolitan Malady.We are at this moment at an important time as Israeli operations in Gaza continue and the humanitarian crisis remains severe. We will talk about many things including Donald Trump, his 10-year influence on America and global politics, the consequences of war in Gaza and Ukraine, the future of Western liberal values and Murray's self-definition.My interview with Douglas Murray is another global conversation about America from the experience of those in media, politics, technology, entertainment, business, universities, and the law. We will include a variety of voices from the left, right, and center in those conversations.For more please visit: www.charlierose.com

The eyes of the world were on Alaska Friday as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin flew into Anchorage for a three-hour conference about the Ukraine war and then held a press conference without taking any questions.Analysts are trying to decipher the meaning of what was not said and the impact of what was not agreed. An agreement for a ceasefire did not happen. The question remains, do you need a ceasefire to achieve a peace agreement, or do you need a peace agreement to achieve a ceasefire? Angela Stent is a professor, a British born American educated scholar of Russian foreign policy and its relationship to the foreign policy of European countries and the United States. She is Professor Emerita of Government and Foreign Service at Georgetown University. She's also a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Professor Stent is the author of several books, including Putin's World, Russia Against the West, the Limits of Partnership, US Russian Relations in the 21st Century. This is an important moment in the US Russia relationship and the future of the Ukraine War. We will discuss many things including the consequences of the Alaska Summit, the actions of President Trump, the strategy of Vladimir Putin, and the issues at play in a changing world. For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com

Michael McFaul has gone from Montana to Stanford University,to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar,back to Stanford to teach and write,to government as a national security advisor,and then to Moscow as U.S. Ambassador to Russia under the Obama administration from 2012 -2014.Now, he is back at Stanford to teach, write, and reflect on all things Russia,including the growing questions of democracy versus authoritarianism -the subject of his new book, coming out this fall.This is a significant moment to consider the future of Ukraine,as the war continues following Russia’s February 2022 invasion.Efforts by President Trump to end the war led to meetings first with President Putin in Alaska,and then at the White House with President Zelensky and European leaders.We talk about many things -including what happened at the meetings in Alaska and Washington,and what did not happen.We ask what is necessary to secure Ukraine’s interestsand what it will take to encourage Russia to end the war.For more, please visit: www.charlierose.com