
Biography
Charles C. W. Cooke is a senior editor at National Review and the host of The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast.
Charles C.W. Cooke

Trump’s Ballroom, Fauci’s Fifth & the Pardon Power
The hosts debate the limits of executive power, the authority of the courts and Congress, and whether America’s expansive presidential pardon power has finally gone too far.

Zeus’s Law: What The Odyssey Gets Right—and Wrong
'The Odyssey'—its departures from Homer, its moral themes, and its spectacular scale.

Bibi, Beer, and Mount Rushmore
Richard Epstein, John Yoo, and Charles C. W. Cooke unpack recent legal controversies.

Richard Epstein Fixes Soccer
Can the world’s most popular sport be improved? Richard Epstein thinks so, and argues that soccer’s rules are overdue for reform.

The Supreme Court’s Grand Finale: Birthright Citizenship, Women’s Sports, and Campaign Finance

SCOTUS Decision Day, Part 1: Geofencing, Mail Ballots, and the Administrative State
Charles C. W. Cooke, Richard Epstein, and John Yoo break down the decisions handed down today, beginning with the Court’s treatment of presidential removal power in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Roundup at The Supreme Court
Charles C. W. Cooke and Richard Epstein break down the Supreme Court’s 'Roundup v. Monsanto' decision, arguing that the case was widely miscast as a simple fight between big business and cancer victims.

Elon Musk, Inequality, and the Politics of Envy
Richard Epstein takes on the growing obsession with billionaires, wealth taxes, and economic “justice,” arguing that making the rich poorer will not make the poor richer.

Trump’s Iran Gamble Is Backfiring
Richard Epstein weighs in on war, deterrence, and the limits of modern military strategy.

Into the Gerrymandering and Slush Fund Legal Thunder Dome
A conversation about whether America’s political system is fundamentally broken — and whose fault it is.

A Turning Point For Section 2: SCOTUS Reins in the Voting Rights Act
Charles C. W. Cooke and Richard Epstein break down the Supreme Court’s latest Voting Rights Act decision, examining the ruling in 'Louisiana v. Callais.'

Birthright, Free Speech, and War: Law Talk Live at UT Austin
In this episode of Law Talk Live—recorded at the University of Texas at Austin and hosted by the Civitas Institute—Charles C. W. Cooke, John Yoo, and Richard Epstein debate some of the most contentious constitutional questions of the moment.

The Half-War
Richard Epstein examines the unfolding U.S. confrontation with Iran through both a strategic and constitutional lens, arguing that President Trump’s approach reflects a deeper tension between military necessity and political constraint.

The Slippery Slope of Social Media Liability
The conversation ranges from contributory liability and First Amendment concerns to the deeper question: who is responsible when harm flows through a network?

Tax the Rich . . . Until They Leave: Mamdani and Rent Control
Richard Epstein addresses NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s push for rent control and higher inheritance taxes.

Who’s More Libertarian? Iran, Guns, and the Limits of Law
John Yoo, Richard Epstein, and Charles C.W. Cooke dive into the legal firestorm surrounding U.S. actions in Iran.

Iran, Regime Change, and the War Powers Act
Richard Epstein defends the U.S. strike on Iran as a necessary act of preemptive self-defense.

The Trouble With Tariffs
The Law Talk crew breaks down what the Court actually decided, why Trump’s emergency-tariff theory failed, and how trade law, constitutional structure, and basic economics collided in the case.

Greenland, Guns, and Money
Richard Epstein, John Yoo, and Charles C.W. Cooke debate Trump’s Greenland gambit

Peak Trump: War, Antitrust, and Third Terms
The Law Talk crew reconvenes for a wide-ranging debate over presidential war powers, congressional passivity, and how far modern practice has drifted from constitutional text.

Supreme Court Preview: Sports, Speech, and Separation of Powers
Charles C.W. Cooke, John Yoo, and Richard Epstein discuss the new Supreme Court docket and what it means for the country.

Trump v. Everyone: War on Drugs, War on Courts, War on the Fed
A new episode of Law Talk featuring Richard Epstein, John Yoo, and Charles C.W. Cooke.

Surf’s Up: Roman Law and Beach Houses
Episode 4 of The Libertarian with Richard Epstein and Charles C.W. Cooke

Israel vs. New York Times
Episode 3 of The Libertarian with Richard Epstein and Charles C.W. Cooke.

Law Talk’s 2025 Supreme Court Recap
Richard Epstein, John Yoo, and Charles C.W. Cooke unpack one of the most consequential Supreme Court terms in recent memory.

Insurrections, The Militia Cause, and Getting Dunked on By Charles Barkley
Professors Richard Epstein and John Yoo, joined by Charles C.W. Cooke, dive into the legal chaos surrounding the use of federal troops during civil unrest.

Law Talk: Does AI Dream of Constitutional Rights?
Welcome to Law Talk with Richard Epstein and John Yoo. Our show is hosted by Charles C. W. Cooke.
We are a community of scholars exploring the ideas and institutions that create flourishing societies.
The Civitas Institute is part of the University of Texas at Austin.
Independent thought, civil discourse, reasoned deliberation and intellectual curiosity are central to our ethos.
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The Hard Limits on DOGE
Thatcher and the Conservative Party, Fifty Years Later