Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

@firinglineshow.bsky.social

A rigorous contest of ideas in the Firing Line tradition, every week on PBS with Margaret Hoover.

Listings: http://to.pbs.org/39hI6Tf
Youtube: http://bit.ly/FLMYT4
Podcast: http://bit.ly/FLMH4
App: http://to.pbs.org/3C32LZ8

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 11, 2026, 12:33 PM

"I wanted to find a way to build a relationship with the president and some of the people in his Cabinet that was a productive relationship," says Thom Tillis. "But was always mindful of the fact that if I'm not constantly watching how I operate, I could... be easily disposed of."

bit.ly/3UjzAyr

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 6:59 PM

Has MAGA abandoned the principles of the Republican Party?

“We have to overcome this period of populism that has really unmoored us from most of the principles of the Republican Party,” says Sen. Thom Tillis, who still supports President Trump.

FULL EPISODE: bit.ly/4ynYYkM

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 12:33 PM

"I still think we’ve got a shot at keeping the Senate, but I do believe the House is lost."

Sen. Thom Tillis assesses the GOP's midterm prospects--and what the results could mean for the party and the president.

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@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 8:39 PM

As Republicans brace for the midterms, Sen. Thom Tillis takes aim at what he calls the “MAGATS”—Make America Great Again Trump Sycophants who surround #Trump, including officials he voted to confirm.

“They're just not up to this task.”

TONIGHT at 8:30 p.m. ET

Watch on YouTube: bit.ly/4gKe6lw

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 7:51 PM

Sen. Thom Tillis says confirming Pete Hegseth is the biggest regret of his career. He admits his instincts about Hegseth were right. So why didn’t he vote no? "This wasn't about just Pete Hegseth... The Democrats were dying to come up with a narrative that the wheels were falling off the bus."

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 1:08 AM

Sen. Thom Tillis tells Margaret Hoover that President Trump’s legacy and the Republican Party are “inextricably linked." So he defends Trump to “save the Republican Party” from a populism that has “unmoored” it from its principles.

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 8:23 PM

Once upon a time, loyalty meant saying “no” to the president.

At a 1987 #FiringLine presidential forum, retired Gen. Alexander Haig defined loyalty as having the courage to tell a president “what your conscience tells you he must hear, not what you think he wants to hear.”

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 7:29 PM

Why did Sen. Thom Tillis vote to confirm Pete Hegseth against his instincts?

Tillis takes aim at “sycophants” surrounding President Trump, explains why he still stands by the president, and confronts the biggest regret of his Senate career.

FRIDAY on @pbs.org

Local listings: to.pbs.org/39hI6Tf

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 3:17 PM

Trump is the world’s second most powerful person—behind Xi Jinping, says Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. “That probably bothers the president.” When asked about Trump’s comments that Iran could attack American cities, Tillis said the president needs to understand "the weight of his words."

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 7, 2026, 6:14 PM

Sen. Thom Tillis says there’s a “risk” President Trump could challenge the seating of members of Congress after the midterms if Republicans lose close races. “If we go beyond what the norms are in the state and then try to say you can’t swear these people in, I think that’s a risk,” Tillis says.

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 7, 2026, 1:47 PM

Sen. Thom Tillis says he is working to get Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth out of the Pentagon “in the next 89 or 88 days” before leaving the Senate. “Look at all the reasons why Hegseth needs to go,” Tillis tells Firing Line, saying “an increasing number of people” have lost confidence in him.

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 6:59 PM

Danny Meyer says “no tax on tips” increases pay inequality at restaurants. The Shake Shack founder calls the idea—supported by both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in 2024—a “bipartisan political ploy” to win Nevada.

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 12:33 PM

Danny Meyer tried to eliminate tipping. He learned Americans don’t want to give it up. Meyer ended tipping at his restaurants to close the pay gap between servers and kitchen staff. Five years later, he abandoned the experiment. “I learned that Americans like their tips.”

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 5, 2026, 6:59 PM

"It was bringing art to Madison Square Park while trying to restore and revive that park that actually led to Shake Shack."

Danny Meyer reflects on the lessons learned from following his passion and opening a small burger shack that grew into a global brand.

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@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 5, 2026, 12:33 PM

"I think what's challenging is that when you get into the Instagram-friendly pictures that are all over the place, you don't really know what it tastes like," says Danny Meyer of food influencer culture.

"It just became a viral appearance of something. I love when food is real."

bit.ly/3U5DUkL

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 4, 2026, 6:59 PM

"Restaurants are people too, and the people who work in restaurants are deeply feeling people because they go to work every day trying to make other people happy."

Danny Meyer explains why a bad review can be devastating for a restaurant--even if it doesn't hurt business.

bit.ly/4djVfNh

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 4, 2026, 3:57 PM

Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer explains his theory of “Enlightened Hospitality”: Treat your team well, and they’ll take better care of your customers. “We do a better job for our customers…if first the people who work in the restaurant love working with one another.”

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 4, 2026, 12:33 PM

"I just felt like a complete failure for everything I had always worked at and believed in."

Restaurateur Danny Meyer recalls the first time he had to close down one of his restaurants--and what he learned from it.

Follow on Spotify: bit.ly/3U5DUkL

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 3, 2026, 6:59 PM

"We have more connectivity than ever, and yet there seems to be less human connection happening than ever," says Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer.

"Restaurants are an antithesis to that, and I feel really, really happy about that."

FULL EPISODE: bit.ly/4dkf8E5

@firinglineshow.bsky.social Oct 3, 2026, 12:33 PM

"You think when you come to one of our restaurants, we're selling food. That's almost beside the point. We're selling how did we make you feel?"

Danny Meyer explains why he sees hospitality--not food and wine--as the primary product his restaurants sell.

Follow on Apple: bit.ly/4djVfNh

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