The Parliament

The Parliament

The Parliament is a national security and international affairs podcast from the Davis Institute at The Heritage Foundation that goes beyond headlines to examine how power works, featuring expert voices on the policies and strategies shaping U.S. leadership.
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Episode's summary

The war against Hamas in Gaza after the brutal Oct. 7th terrorist attacks was arguably the first global information war. Battles over narratives waged just as intensely as the kinetic war, constantly obscuring what is actually true. Apart from claims of “genocide” nowhere was this more apparent than in the informational battle over a supposed “famine” and humanitarian aid. At the center of this battle came the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; a United States supported private company that was the only successful initiative to get humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians without getting it to Hamas. In spite of its success, GHF was entrenched in controversy due to efforts by the UN and Media to brand GHF as a problematic organization. In this episode, Darion sits down with the Executive Chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, Johnnie Moore, to unpack this controversy and to get a better sense of the realities in Gaza surrounding humanitarian aid. If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National…

Episodes

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The Battle Over Aid in Gaza | Johnnie Moore

The war against Hamas in Gaza after the brutal Oct. 7th terrorist attacks was arguably the first global information war. Battles over narratives waged just as intensely as the kinetic war, constantly obscuring what is actually true. Apart from claims of “genocide” nowhere was this more apparent than in the informational battle over a supposed “famine” and humanitarian aid. At the center of this battle came the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; a United States supported private company that was the only successful initiative to get humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians without getting it to Hamas. In spite of its success, GHF was entrenched in controversy due to efforts by the UN and Media to brand GHF as a problematic organization. In this episode, Darion sits down with the Executive Chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, Johnnie Moore, to unpack this controversy and to get a better sense of the realities in Gaza surrounding humanitarian aid. If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National…

13 Oct 2026
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October 7: How did we get here? | Alex Welz

October 7th 2023 was a watershed moment for the world. Everything has changed, not just in the Middle East, but around the world. In today’s episode, Darion invites Alex Welz, Senior Research Fellow for the Middle East and North Africa at The Heritage Foundation, to the show to discuss what the Middle East looks like now compared to October 6th, 2023. They also discuss how we got to such a low point in western sentiment towards the Jewish State, and what we can learn from these last 3 years. If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll actually want to read): https://www9.heritage.org/Davis-Dispatch-Newsletter_Subscription-Page.html

28 Sep 2026
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Preventable: A Powerful Testimony | Lora Ries

On March19, 2026,18-year-old Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman was murdered by an illegal alien. Sadly, this tragedy is just one of many. Last week, The Heritage Foundation produced a powerful 20-minute documentary, Preventable, to share Sheridan’s story with the world from the perspective of her family and examine the policy breakdowns that preceded her death. In this episode of the Parliament, Darion speaks with Heritage’s Director of Border Security and Immigration Lora Ries about Sheridan’s story, Lora’s experience with the documentary, and what the case reveals about the state of immigration enforcement in the United States. Watch the powerful testimony of Sheridan’s family in our new 20-minute documentary, Preventable. Learn more about the Gorman family’s campaign to honor their daughter’s memory and her extravagant heart here. If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll…

14 Sep 2026
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The Border Went Viral: How Social Media Fueled the Ceuta Crisis | Amine Ghoulidi

What happens when a social media campaign can move thousands of people toward an international border before governments, journalists, or even the platforms themselves fully understand what's happening? Just weeks after thousands of primarily young Moroccan men surged toward the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Darion Ouliguian sits down with Heritage Foundation Visiting Fellow Amine Ghoulidi to examine one of the most fascinating migration stories of the year. Was Ceuta simply another border crisis, or was it something new entirely? Together, they explore the role social media played in mobilizing migrants, how online narratives shaped public understanding of the event, who may have been behind the campaign, and what the incident reveals about the future of migration, information warfare, and border security. Most importantly, they discuss whether similar tactics could be used at other sensitive borders around the world (looking at you, U.S.–Mexico border). If you enjoy this conversation and want more analysis on…

31 Aug 2026
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Peace in the South Caucuses | Narek Mkrtchyan

On the eve of the 1-year anniversary of the historic signing of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Framework for Peace and Cooperation, Darion sits down with the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States, H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan. In this episode of the Parliament, Darion speaks with the Ambassador about how this historic end of decades of hostilities came about, and what has changed in the region. They also discuss American involvement through TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) which helps link the South Caucuses to Central Asia, transforming the regional dynamics and energy flows. They of course dive into the Iran conflict, and what this peace plan will bring in the future, and how Americans will also gain from it. Help us celebrate a momentous triumph for peace and prosperity in the world with this special interview! If you want to follow more of what we are doing in the National Security space at Heritage, sign up for our biweekly newsletter (I promise it’s a newsletter you’ll…

17 Aug 2026