Newt talks with former FBI counterintelligence special agent Wayne Barnes, whose 29-year career included working KGB espionage, running double agents, recruiting hostile intelligence officers, and debriefing Cold War defectors before becoming a private investigator, signature expert, and specialist in recovering stolen impressionist paintings. Barnes recounts his path from inner-city Philadelphia through Penn State and Villanova Law into the FBI, where high scores on a language aptitude test led to Romanian training in Monterey and a Washington Field Office posting focused on Eastern Bloc counterintelligence. Barnes’ book, “A Traitor in the FBI: The Hunt for a Russian Mole,” documents his investigation to uncover an internal FBI spy for the Russians, Robert Hanssen. After he wrote the book, it was a seven-year struggle to get it through FBI pre-publication review. An initial submission in 2016 was returned almost entirely redacted except for half a page, leading to multiple trips to Washington, wording changes, and securing permission from 32 named individuals before final clearance.

Newt talks with former FBI counterintelligence special agent Wayne Barnes, whose 29-year career included working KGB espionage, running double agents, recruiting hostile intelligence officers, and debriefing Cold War defectors before becoming a private investigator, signature expert, and specialist in recovering stolen impressionist paintings. Barnes recounts his path from inner-city Philadelphia through Penn State and Villanova Law into the FBI, where high scores on a language aptitude test led to Romanian training in Monterey and a Washington Field Office posting focused on Eastern Bloc counterintelligence. Barnes&rsquo; book, &ldquo;A Traitor in the FBI: The Hunt for a Russian Mole,&rdquo; documents his investigation to uncover an internal FBI spy for the Russians, Robert Hanssen. After he wrote the book, it was a seven-year struggle to get it through FBI pre-publication review. An initial submission in 2016 was returned almost entirely redacted except for half a page, leading to multiple trips to Washington, wording changes, and securing permission from 32 named individuals before final clearance.

Join Newt Gingrich, former U.S. Speaker of the House and Ph.D. historian, for the most diverse, informative, and entertaining podcast available. Every episode is an education.

Join Newt Gingrich, former U.S. Speaker of the House and Ph.D. historian, for the most diverse, informative, and entertaining podcast available. Every episode is an education.

Newt's World

Episode 969: Wayne Barnes on “A Traitor in the FBI”

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fd0b258f-6fbf-4a5f-bc5a-b431003221e7/transcript

Newt talks with Carl DeMaio, California State Assemblymember, representing District 75, and Chairman of Reform California. They discuss the California governor’s race and the “top two” primary election system. DeMaio describes the risk that Republican candidates may face by potentially being shut out of the general election if no Republican candidates receive a 35% share of the primary vote. After candidate Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race, establishment Democrats are coalescing their support around Xavier Becerra, while billionaire Tom Steyer continues to spend millions of his own money on his campaign. DeMaio urges Republicans to vote for the Republican candidate that is polling the highest to secure a position in the runoff election. They also discuss the details of the California Voter ID Initiative; a proposed 2026 constitutional amendment DeMaio co-authored that would require voter identification and citizenship verification in all future California state elections.

Newt talks with Carl DeMaio, California State Assemblymember, representing District 75, and Chairman of Reform California. They discuss the California governor&rsquo;s race and the &ldquo;top two&rdquo; primary election system. DeMaio describes the risk that Republican candidates may face by potentially being shut out of the general election if no Republican candidates receive a 35% share of the primary vote. After candidate Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race, establishment Democrats are coalescing their support around Xavier Becerra, while billionaire Tom Steyer continues to spend millions of his own money on his campaign. DeMaio urges Republicans to vote for the Republican candidate that is polling the highest to secure a position in the runoff election. They also discuss the details of the California Voter ID Initiative; a proposed 2026 constitutional amendment DeMaio co-authored that would require voter identification and citizenship verification in all future California state elections.

Episode 973: Carl DeMaio on the California Governor’s Race

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1d3c59ba-6fb1-4991-8e4d-b43d01635245/transcript

Newt talks with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21st), Chairwoman of the House Republican Leadership, about her new book, “Poisoned Ivies: The Inside Account of the Academic and Moral Rot at America’s Elite Universities.” They discuss how America’s elite universities, once proud symbols of academic excellence, have become centers of far-left indoctrination and division. Stefanik traces her own political and professional trajectory, from volunteering for the New York Republican State Committee at age 14 and ultimately running as a 28-year-old underdog who has become a long-serving New York Republican in Congress. Drawing on her experience as a Harvard alumna, Stefanik argues that many elite universities have shifted from liberal leaning but pluralistic to ideologically lopsided, with a dramatic imbalance between Democratic and Republican faculty and a growing culture of political indoctrination over academic rigor. Stefanik’s participation in the hearing with university presidents was a historic turning point in the national debate over higher education. She concludes by expressing her hope, both as a policymaker and as a parent, that this earthquake in public awareness will help restore American universities to global excellence.

Newt talks with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21st), Chairwoman of the House Republican Leadership, about her new book, &ldquo;Poisoned Ivies: The Inside Account of the Academic and Moral Rot at America&rsquo;s Elite Universities.&rdquo; They discuss how America&rsquo;s elite universities, once proud symbols of academic excellence, have become centers of far-left indoctrination and division. Stefanik traces her own political and professional trajectory, from volunteering for the New York Republican State Committee at age 14 and ultimately running as a 28-year-old underdog who has become a long-serving New York Republican in Congress. Drawing on her experience as a Harvard alumna, Stefanik argues that many elite universities have shifted from liberal leaning but pluralistic to ideologically lopsided, with a dramatic imbalance between Democratic and Republican faculty and a growing culture of political indoctrination over academic rigor. Stefanik&rsquo;s participation in the hearing with university presidents was a historic turning point in the national debate over higher education. She concludes by expressing her hope, both as a policymaker and as a parent, that this earthquake in public awareness will help restore American universities to global excellence.

Episode 972: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik on “Poisoned Ivies”

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e0e95f80-59f8-431c-a9ce-b4380033fc2f/transcript

Newt talks with Brian Blase, President of the Paragon Health Institute, about their new report, “The Hospital Cost Crisis: How Government Policies Drive Consolidation, Undermine Competition, and Fuel Soaring Prices.” Hospital prices have increased three times faster than inflation and more than twice as fast as worker wages since 2000, making rising hospital prices a major threat to middle-class families. Their discussion highlights that hospital care now totals about $1.6 trillion annually, roughly one-third of national health expenditures, and that large hospital systems deploy substantial lobbying resources, including over $115 million in federal lobbying in 2025 alone, to preserve favorable policies and block reforms. Blase explains how cost-based reimbursement in Medicare historically encouraged hospitals to increase costs, fueling administrative bloat and higher spending, a dynamic that still persists when higher hospital costs trigger higher government payments. He argues that Medicare’s centrally set prices and cost-based methodologies distort the entire healthcare market. Policies that pay more for the same service in a hospital than in a physician’s office further drive consolidation and higher prices. As potential solutions, their conversation emphasizes price transparency.

Newt talks with Brian Blase, President of the Paragon Health Institute, about their new report, &ldquo;The Hospital Cost Crisis: How Government Policies Drive Consolidation, Undermine Competition, and Fuel Soaring Prices.&rdquo; Hospital prices have increased three times faster than inflation and more than twice as fast as worker wages since 2000, making rising hospital prices a major threat to middle-class families. Their discussion highlights that hospital care now totals about $1.6 trillion annually, roughly one-third of national health expenditures, and that large hospital systems deploy substantial lobbying resources, including over $115 million in federal lobbying in 2025 alone, to preserve favorable policies and block reforms. Blase explains how cost-based reimbursement in Medicare historically encouraged hospitals to increase costs, fueling administrative bloat and higher spending, a dynamic that still persists when higher hospital costs trigger higher government payments. He argues that Medicare&rsquo;s centrally set prices and cost-based methodologies distort the entire healthcare market. Policies that pay more for the same service in a hospital than in a physician&rsquo;s office further drive consolidation and higher prices. As potential solutions, their conversation emphasizes price transparency.

Episode 971: The Hospital Cost Crisis

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/099cdfe9-6d7a-40be-aab7-b43601670d8c/transcript

Episode 969: Wayne Barnes on “A Traitor in the FBI”

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