The Secrets of Statecraft

American Institutions, Higher Education, Talk Shows, and Nougies with Ben Sasse

Former US Senator and university president Ben Sasse joins Andrew Roberts on Secrets of Statecraft for a candid and very wide-ranging conversation about the state of American institutions and how to revitalize them. Sasse explains why Congress has become weak and dysfunctional, why entitlement spending and debt threaten U.S. stability, and how social media distorts our politics. Sasse also takes on higher education—grade inflation, the replication crisis, and Harvard’s decline—while reflecting on the coming challenges of the AI revolution. In addition, they also discuss the extinction of late-night comedy, foreign policy, tariffs and trade wars and Iran, China, and Russia. And yes, Ben explains to Andrew what a  “nougie” is.

Around The World With Condoleezza Rice | Secrets of Statecraft

Historian Andrew Roberts is joined by former U.S. Secretary of State and current Director of the Hoover Institution Condoleezza Rice for a dive deep into today’s international hotspots—including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, rising tensions with China over Taiwan, and the complex relationships between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Their discussion also covers how leaders draw lessons from history, what might tip the world into a new Cold War, and how nations might address these evolving challenges. Director Rice also gives her thoughts on the rapid rise of artificial intelligence— which includes her recommended read, The Worlds I See by Fei-Fei Li, the Founding Co-Director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute.

Lord (Conrad) Black’s Remarkable Historical Erudition | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution

The Canadian businessman and peer Conrad Black has published the second volume of his political and strategic history of the world, from 14AD to 1648, and it’s a corker.

Sir Niall Ferguson: Time-Knight | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution

Sir Niall Ferguson on time travel, Trump bombing Iran, historical counterfactuals, Doctor Who, The Time Lord, using the past to help the present and future, the University of Austin’s revolutionary experiment, ChatGPT, and God possibly helping to split the atom.

Tim Bouverie and the Diplomacy of World War II | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution

British historian Tim Bouverie discusses the knotty diplomatic dilemmas faced by Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin.

“Well, He Got Beheaded”: Caroline, Countess of Derby, on her Husband’s Family’s Illustrious History | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution

Caroline Stanley, Countess of Derby, is an English aristocrat, art historian, and philanthropist. Affectionately known as “Cazzy,” she is married to Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby, and serves as the chatelaine of Knowsley Hall, the ancestral seat of the Stanley family in Merseyside. In this conversation, which also delves into topics ranging from medieval politics to family connections with William Shakespeare, she primarily discusses her edition of the remarkable travel journals of the 14th Earl of Derby, who travelled extensively in North America in 1824-25.

Statecraft In An Age Of Strongmen | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution

In this unique return visit to Secrets of Statecraft, New York Times columnist Bret Stephens discusses why defending Ukraine is in America’s interest, and reflects on the perils of Western flirtation with authoritarian figures.

Recorded on May 16, 2025.

Daniel Samet on the Realpolitik Behind US-Israeli Relations | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution

A new book, U.S. Defense Policy toward Israel: A Cold War History, takes on the revisionists over what happened in the Cold War.

Recorded on April 16, 205.