Firing Line with Margaret Hoover kicks off eighth season on PBS with Mike Pence

NEW YORK, July 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- "There are loud voices in and around this administration that would have America pull back from the world stage," warns former Vice President Mike Pence on tonight's Firing Line with Margaret Hoover.

"I want to say this very emphatically," he adds. "The President Trump I served with is not an isolationist."

The interview kicks off the eighth season of Firing Line, a weekly program on PBS in which Margaret Hoover interviews the brightest minds and freshest voices from across the political spectrum. This weekend, President Donald Trump's first vice president assesses the successes and setbacks of his second term to date.

"Mike Pence exemplifies the excellent quality of guest we aim to host on Firing Line," said Margaret Hoover. "He is a man of principle, a lifelong champion of conservative values who has dedicated his life in service to those values on behalf of his home state of Indiana and to the United States of America as Vice President. His principled leadership on January 6, 2021, highlighted his commitment to the Constitution of the United States, and even today, as a private citizen he continues to work to strengthen the rule of law and to engage in the debates that will shape the future of our nation in the years ahead."

Pence sits down with Hoover as he works to influence the White House and the Republican Party to adhere to the conservative principles espoused by leaders like William F. Buckley Jr., the original host of Firing Line, and President Ronald Reagan, while trying to preserve and extend the accomplishments of the first Trump administration.

The former vice president defends Trump's One Big, Beautiful Bill Act despite its costs, he praises the president's ardent support for Israel and shift toward a more aggressive stance on Ukraine, and he continues to draw distinctions with Trump on trade, executive power, and the events of January 6th, 2021.

"I'm very concerned that the current administration is not acting in a manner consistent with the law," Pence says of Trump's refusal to enforce a ban on TikTok.

Next week will bring another new interview with a rising figure in the Democratic Party: Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, who has adopted a leading role in mapping out a fresh centrist agenda to win back working class voters who fled the party for Trump.

After a dynamic and energetic year in which Firing Line tracked a pivotal presidential election, explored how votes are cast and counted across the country, and broke down the dramatic changes implemented by the second Trump administration, the new season will continue to examine the political, economic, and cultural impact of the president's agenda, as well as the effort by Democrats to mount a credible response.

Firing Line's seventh season drew heavy social media engagement, with hundreds of thousands of users viewing posts about election integrity, the effects of tariffs, and the state of the Republican Party. In addition to producing the PBS documentary Counting the Vote, the program returned to Hofstra University for two forums before a student audience and traveled to the University of Southern California to participate in the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future's Warschaw Conference on Practical Politics.

Hoover's interviews garnered headlines from media outlets like Fox News, the New York Post, Mediaite, and The Hill for her confrontation with Bill O'Reilly about his sexual harassment settlements, James Carville lamenting Democrats nominating their "seventh-string quarterback," and Hillary Clinton predicting an October surprise in 2024.

Firing Line continues to build its audience across multiple venues, with increased viewership on YouTube and growth in podcast listeners in its seventh season, as well as the launch of a new Substack newsletter.

The upcoming season will delve into the consequences of Trump's tariff and tax policies, the clash between the political establishment and populists in both parties, and the evolving dynamics that will shape the 2026 midterms. The program will also continue to spotlight prominent and powerful voices in the arts and popular culture.

Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is a revival of the late William F. Buckley Jr.'s program, which he hosted for 33 years on PBS. One hundred years after his birth, the new season of Firing Line promises to honor his legacy.

"On the original Firing Line, William F. Buckley Jr. championed civil and substantive dialogue about the most pressing issues of the day for more than three decades," Hoover said. "I'm looking forward to another year of doing the same as American democracy and the rule of law face new challenges at home and authoritarian regimes pose growing threats to peace abroad."

For more information and to watch episodes of Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, please visit PBS.org, the PBS App or YouTube. Podcast episodes are available on Apple,Spotify, Amazon, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hooveris provided by Robert Granieri, The Tepper Foundation, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Pritzker Military Foundation.

Firing Line with Margaret Hooveris executive produced by Margaret Hoover and Tom Yellin. The WNET Group is co-producer. Neal Shapiro and Stephen Segaller are executives in charge for The WNET Group.

About Margaret Hoover
Margaret Hoover is the host of PBS' Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, a refreshing revival of the television series hosted by William F. Buckley Jr. for 33 years. Hoover is a bestselling author, strategist and political commentator whose experience includes serving on the White House staff of President George W. Bush, on Capitol Hill and on two presidential campaigns. In 2013, Hoover co-founded American Unity Fund, a political organization focused on achieving full freedom and equality for LGBT Americans by working with conservatives.

About The WNET Group
The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York'sTHIRTEEN – America's flagship PBS station – WLIW21, THIRTEEN PBSKids, WLIW World and Create; NJ PBS, New Jersey's statewide public television network; Long Island's only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; newsroom NJ Spotlight News; and FAST channel PBS Nature. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group's award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters and Amanpour and Company and trusted local news programs MetroFocus and NJ Spotlight Newswith Briana Vannozzi. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group's award-winning Kids' Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading nonprofit public media producer for more than 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including multiplatform initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. The WNET Group represents the best in public media. Join us. 

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