This American President

How have American presidents managed the most destructive weapons ever created? In this episode, Dr. Anthony Eames, Director of Scholarly Initiatives at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, joins me to examine the history of nuclear weapons through the decisions of U.S. presidents—from Truman and Eisenhower to Reagan and beyond. We discuss the logic of deterrence, the rise of arms control treaties, and the moments when the world came dangerously close to nuclear war. How have presidents managed this extraordinary power—and what lessons still matter today? A Voice in Their Own Destiny: Reagan, Thatcher, and Public Diplomacy in the Nuclear 1980s https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Their-Own-Destiny-Diplomacy/dp/1625347103/   JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if today’s leading voices took a fresh look at the lives of America’s presidents and first ladies—searching for lessons that still speak to the challenges we face now? That’s the idea behind In Pursuit, a new initiative to discover history’s greatest lessons by revisiting America’s first 250 years and distilling insights that can inspire and inform our future. Bringing together former presidents and first ladies alongside historians, scholars, and cultural leaders, In Pursuit offers clear, accessible reflections on leadership, character, and civic responsibility—grounded in history, but aimed squarely at the present moment. In this episode, Dr. Colleen J. Shogan shares how this ambitious project came to life—and why revisiting the American story may be essential to shaping its next chapter. In Pursuit https://www.inpursuit.org   JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost:

What American president would take a demotion and become a congressman after leaving the White House? The answer is John Quincy Adams. In this episode, we interview Bob Crawford, bassist for The Avett Brothers, about his new book on America's sixth president.  America's Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Founding-Son-President-Political/dp/1638932603   JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump has ordered strikes on Iran. In this episode, scholar Randall Fowler discusses how we got to this critical moment. He examines the history of U.S.–Iran relations — from the 1953 coup and the 1979 Islamic Revolution to sanctions, nuclear diplomacy, and today’s military action — with a focus on how each American president shaped the path to this moment. More Than a Doctrine: The Eisenhower Era in the Middle East https://www.amazon.com/More-Than-Doctrine-Eisenhower-Middle/dp/1612349978 Securing the Prize: Presidential Metaphor and US Intervention in the Persian Gulf https://www.amazon.com/Securing-Prize-Presidential-Metaphor-Intervention/dp/1643365509/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0   JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On January 3, 2026, the United States captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, ending his corrupt reign over the South American country. What led President Donald Trump to order this dramatic intervention? Franklin Camargo is Venezuelan-American political commentator who fled his native country in 2019. In this episode, Camargo discusses his remarkable journey, the capture of Maduro, and what Venezuelans really think about America. https://www.prageru.com/presenters/franklin-camargo JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FDR is often ranked by historians as one of the two or three greatest presidents. In recent years, he sometimes lands at the top spot. In this episode, Professor David T. Beito explores whether that ranking is deserved. FDR: A NEW POLITICAL LIFE https://www.amazon.com/FDR-Political-David-T-Beito/dp/1637700695 JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If J.D. Vance gets elected to the White House in 2028, he will be the first president in over a century to have facial hair. In this episode, Theodore Pappas discusses the surprising history of hair and the American presidency.  COMBING THROUGH THE WHITE HOUSE: HAIR AND ITS SHOCKING IMPACT ON THE POLITICS, PRIVATE LIVES, AND LEGACIES OF THE PRESIDENTS https://www.amazon.com/Combing-Through-White-House-Presidents/dp/1400246156 JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard shares an update on his book project. https://www.richardmlim.com JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is there evil in the world? How do you stop it? In this episode, No Spin News host Bill O'Reilly discusses his new book about the most evil people in all of history. CONFRONTING EVIL: ASSESSING THE WORST OF THE WORST https://www.amazon.com/Confronting-Evil-Assessing-Worst/dp/1250374049/ref=sr_1_3 JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the biggest myths in American history center around the lives of the presidents. In this episode, historian Larry Schweikart tackles some of the biggest misperceptions about America's chief executives. A PATRIOT'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES: FROM COLUMBUS'S GREAT DISCOVERY TO AMERICA'S AGE OF ENTITLEMENT https://www.amazon.com/Patriots-History-United-States-Entitlement/dp/1595231153/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“His single minded mission was to elevate the United States as a leading world power… he was dedicated to the ideal of American greatness.” That is how today's guest, Bret Baier, describes President Theodore Roosevelt in his new book, To Rescue the American Spirit. In this episode, we interview Mr. Baier on how Roosevelt shaped the American Century. TO RESCUE THE AMERICAN SPIRIT: TEDDY ROOSEVELT AND THE BIRTH OF A SUPERPOWER https://www.amazon.com/Rescue-American-Spirit-Superpower-Presidential/dp/0063360756 JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we interview Allen Estrin, the co-founder and executive director of Prager University, about the life of Charlie Kirk and about Estrin's new book on the presidents of the United States. THE HONEST BOOK OF PRESIDENTS: THE MEN WHO SHAPED AMERICA https://www.amazon.com/Honest-Book-Presidents-Prager-University/dp/0063430274/ JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's both the famous vacation spot in the world, and the site of some of the most earthshaking events in modern history. It is Camp David. On this episode, former chaplain and historian at Camp David, Charles Ferguson, explains what it's like to be in his iconic presidential retreat. PRESIDENTIAL SECLUSION: THE POWER OF CAMP DAVID https://www.amazon.com/Presidential-Seclusion-Power-Camp-David/dp/1493091468 JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He was the brilliant engineer and humanitarian who saved millions of lives during World War I, revolutionized the American economy, and was elected the 31st president of the United States. And yet, this same man left office with his reputation in shambles, blamed for his country's stunning decline during the Great Depression. In this episode, we discuss history's verdict on Herbert Hoover.JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentFacebook: facebook.com/ThisAmerPresInstagram: instagram.com/thisamericanpresidentTwitter: twitter.com/ThisAmerPresCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Almost every American president has sworn on the Bible to faithfully execute their duties and uphold the Constitution. But what did our presidents actually think about the Bible? Historian Carl J. Richard has just written a book on that very subject. He joins us to discuss the impact of history's most famous book on history's most powerful office.  SO HELP US, GOD: AMERICAN PRESIDENTS AND THE BIBLE https://www.amazon.com/So-Help-Us-God-Presidents/dp/B0DGC6XMHF/ JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Herbert Hoover was a revolutionary figure in American politics -- for many, he represented a new era, in which experts and engineers would dominate the highest levels of government. Upon Hoover's election to the presidency in 1928, millions of Americans were thrilled at the prospect of the "Great Engineer" engineering solutions to the nation's problems. Those hopes, however, would be dashed by the Great Depression. In this episode, we cover how Hoover sought to rescue his country from the worst economic crisis in modern history. JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentFacebook: facebook.com/ThisAmerPresInstagram: instagram.com/thisamericanpresidentTwitter: twitter.com/ThisAmerPresCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April 2025 will be remembered as the month when President Donald Trump declared war against the entire world -- a trade war to be exact. Whatever one thinks about his decision, it was a bold move that few chief executives would be willing to do. But he's far from the only president to take such drastic action. In this episode, attorney Jonathan Stokes and I discuss five other presidents who, similarly, had the audacity to take on the world.  For more information on attorney Jonathan Stokes: https://stokesstemle.com/attorneys/jonathan-h-stokes/ JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few presidents entered office more distrusted than America's 21st chief executive, Chester A. Arthur. But one American, Julia Sand, believed that he could rise to the occasion. What ensued was one of the most surprising and unlikely episodes in presidential history -- one that is the basis of a new documentary from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, titled Dear Mr. President: The Letters of Julia Sand. In this episode, I interview the producer of the documentary, Destry Edwards.  Dear Mr. President: The Letters of Julia Sand https://cei.org/letters-of-julia-sand/ JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A president in cognitive decline. A beleaguered Vice President. A party in shambles. An ex-president on the verge of the greatest political comeback in American history. And a lot of cat and dog memes. The 2024 presidential election featured all this, and more. In this episode, Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes take us behind the scenes in some of the biggest moments of America's craziest election.  FIGHT: INSIDE THE WILDEST BATTLE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE https://www.amazon.com/Fight-Inside-Wildest-Battle-White/dp/006343864X JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Herbert Hoover emerged from World War I with a reputation as the greatest living humanitarian. He would spend the 1920s applying his brilliance and organizational abilities to transforming the American economy. In this episode, we cover Hoover's superhuman efforts during the Roaring Twenties.JOIN PREMIUMListen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremiumFOLLOW USwww.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresidentFacebook: facebook.com/ThisAmerPresInstagram: instagram.com/thisamericanpresidentTwitter: twitter.com/ThisAmerPresCREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealArtist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.