Real Talk with Marissa Streit | PragerU

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health and Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, joins this new episode of Real Talk to discuss how the COVID-19 response became politicized, why public trust in science and public health institutions declined, and his efforts to remove DEI initiatives and other political priorities from the NIH. Dr. Bhattacharya reflects on the criticism he faced for opposing lockdowns and vaccine mandates during the pandemic and outlines his vision for returning the NIH to its core mission: funding world-class biomedical research that advances scientific innovation, improves health, and extends human longevity.

00:00 - Dr. Jay Bhattacharya on COVID, Censorship, and the NIH

01:57 - Why Dr. Jay Spoke Out During COVID

04:07 - Why Public Health Cannot Just “Move On”

06:50 - Can Americans Trust the NIH Again?

10:00 - How Do You Reform a $50 Billion Institution?

11:05 - How Politics Entered the NIH

15:14 - Is the NIH Banning Words and Blocking Research?

17:30 - Is the NIH Funding Safe Science Instead of Breakthrough Ideas?

22:10 - How Dr. Jay Is Changing NIH Grant Funding

26:16 - Is Peer Review Broken?

30:08 - Who Gets to Decide What Is True in Science?

33:45 - Why Replication Matters

35:31 - How the NIH Plans to Fix the Replication Crisis

39:07 - Is America Still Leading Biomedical Innovation?

42:15 - Cancer Research, Immunotherapy, and Medical Breakthroughs

44:01 - Gene Editing, Sickle Cell, and the Future of Cures

47:12 - How Should Parents Think About Vaccines After COVID?

50:04 - Why Do We Still Vaccinate for Rare Diseases?

America is not just a place on a map. It is a covenant built on liberty, E Pluribus Unum, and In God We Trust. That is what turns people from every background into one people, one nation, and one American nation. If we want to preserve this country for our children, then every one of us has a responsibility to live out those values and pass them on.

Join PragerU CEO Marissa Streit as she interviews some of the most significant thought leaders and influential figures from around the world.

Real Talk explores the biggest cultural, political, and social issues of our time through candid conversations that challenge assumptions, spark ideas, and bring clarity to complex topics.

Follow Marissa on social:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marissastreitofficial/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/marissastreit/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marissastreit
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/
PragerU: https://www.prageru.com/shows/real-talk/
PragerU Español: https://www.youtube.com/@esPragerU

Listen to Real Talk with Marissa Streit on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
New episodes drop every Wednesday!

Spotify: https://l.prageru.com/407PQ51
Apple Podcasts: https://l.prageru.com/4u4hX2B

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Historian Raymond Ibrahim joins this NEW episode of Real Talk to discuss the history of jihad and the erasure of the Christian roots of the Middle East. Ibrahim argues that many modern narratives about Islamic conquest, the Crusades, and “peaceful coexistence” ignore primary historical sources. We also discuss modern atrocities, including the Islamic slaughter of Christians in Nigeria, the Muslim Brotherhood, Europe’s immigration crisis, and why he believes the West must stop viewing Islam through a naïve framework.

00:00 - Islam Historian Raymond Ibrahim on Islam, History, and the West

01:13 - Who Are the Coptic Christians?

03:28 - How Islam Conquered Much of the Christian World

07:27 - What Modern Historians Get Wrong About Islamic Conquest

13:40 - Is Jihad a Reaction to the West or Part of Islamic Doctrine?

19:22 - What Is the Muslim Brotherhood?

30:34 - Were the Crusades a Response to Islamic Jihad?

39:17 - Is Europe Facing an Invasion or an Invitation?

46:38 - Is Islam Compatible with the West?

58:19 - The Christian Genocide in Nigeria the Media Ignores

Follow Marissa on social:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marissastreitofficial/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/marissastreit/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marissastreit
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/
PragerU: https://www.prageru.com/shows/real-talk/
PragerU Español: https://www.youtube.com/@esPragerU

Listen to Real Talk with Marissa Streit on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
New episodes drop every Wednesday!

Spotify: https://l.prageru.com/407PQ51
Apple Podcasts: https://l.prageru.com/4u4hX2B
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

General Keith Kellogg and Meaghan Mobbs join this NEW Real Talk episode to discuss America’s strategy in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. General Kellogg has been at the forefront of the Trump administration’s negotiations with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Meaghan Mobbs served as a U.S. Army paratrooper and volunteered in Ukraine during the ongoing war. Together, they offer a firsthand perspective from the front lines of the conflict and the negotiations that remain unresolved.

00:00 General Keith Kellogg and Meaghan Mobbs on America’s Role in the World
00:54 Is America Still a Force for Good?
02:44 How 9/11 Inspired Meaghan Mobbs to Serve
05:16 Why America’s Military Sacrifice Must Be Taught
08:07 Should Young Americans Visit Normandy?
10:11 What It Was Like Advising President Trump on Russia and Ukraine
14:03 What Does Putin Really Want?
17:30 Did NATO Provoke Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine?
21:09 Why Should America Care About Ukraine?
25:52 America First, Moral Clarity, and Military Sacrifice
28:33 Did Zelensky Steal U.S. Aid?
30:58 Are Russia and China Psyoping Americans?
34:36 Why Are Some Americans Repeating Pro-Russia Narratives?
39:17 What Did Biden and Trump Get Right and Wrong on Ukraine?
41:34 How Trump Negotiates with Dictators
44:12 Why America Needs Long-Term Courage in War
45:32 Does Congress Lack the Courage to Lead?

Follow Marissa on social:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marissastreitofficial/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/marissastreit/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marissastreit
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/
PragerU: https://www.prageru.com/shows/real-talk/
PragerU Español: https://www.youtube.com/@esPragerU

Listen to Real Talk with Marissa Streit on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
New episodes drop every Wednesday!

Spotify: https://l.prageru.com/407PQ51
Apple Podcasts: https://l.prageru.com/4u4hX2B
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Counterterrorism Chief Sebastian Gorka joins this NEW Real Talk episode to discuss the threats facing America at home and abroad, from jihadists and cartels to communism and left-wing political violence.

We also tackle the rise of socialism among young Americans, the decline of free speech in the UK, and why the Trump administration's clear-eyed understanding of radical Islam and political Islam sets it apart from every administration before it.

Join PragerU CEO Marissa Streit as she interviews some of the most significant thought leaders and influential figures from around the world.

Real Talk explores the biggest cultural, political, and social issues of our time through candid conversations that challenge assumptions, spark ideas, and bring clarity to complex topics.

Follow Marissa on social:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marissastreitofficial/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/marissastreit/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marissastreit
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/
PragerU: https://www.prageru.com/shows/real-talk/
PragerU Español: https://www.youtube.com/@esPragerU

Listen to Real Talk with Marissa Streit on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
New episodes drop every Wednesday!

Spotify: https://l.prageru.com/407PQ51
Apple Podcasts: https://l.prageru.com/4u4hX2B
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Panama City Mayor Mayer Mizrachi joins this NEW Episode of Real Talk to explain why Panama matters far more to America than most people realize. We discuss the history of the Panama Canal, America’s role in Panama’s independence, and the rise of Chinese influence across Latin America. President Trump’s focus on the canal signaled that America was finally paying attention to this important small country because of its strategic location. Mayor Mizrachi also shares his remarkable personal story of surviving illness, political persecution, and six months in a Colombian maximum-security prison before becoming the mayor of Panama City.

00:00 Why Panama Matters to America
00:59 The U.S., Colombia, and the Birth of Panama
03:57 Is American Intervention Always Bad?
08:06 Why Trump Focused on the Panama Canal
10:35 China’s Growing Influence in Latin America
13:28 Who Controls the Ports Around the Canal?
17:20 The Panama Canal, Trade Routes, and Global Power
29:35 How Mayer Mizrachi Became Panama City’s Anti-Politician Mayor
37:12 From Political Prisoner to Mayor of Panama City
1:06:13 Why America First Cannot Mean America Alone

Follow Marissa on social:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marissastreitofficial/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/marissastreit/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marissastreit
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/
PragerU: https://www.prageru.com/shows/real-talk/
PragerU Español: https://www.youtube.com/@esPragerU

Listen to Real Talk with Marissa Streit on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
New episodes drop every Wednesday!

Spotify: https://l.prageru.com/407PQ51
Apple Podcasts: https://l.prageru.com/4u4hX2B
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices