Has academia lost its way? Professor and historian Niall Ferguson joins Preet to talk about the danger of ideological orthodoxy in universities, the state of free speech in America, and the rise of illiberalism. Plus, why he started his own school. 

Then, Preet answers questions about president Trump’s mental acuity, the staying power of Trump’s EOs, and how to battle hopelessness. 

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. 

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on Threads, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 669-247-7338 to leave a voicemail. 

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Editorial Producer: Noa Azulai; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Deputy Editor: Celine Rohr; Technical Director: David Tatasciore; Audio Producers: Matthew Billy and Nat Weiner.

REFERENCES AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

THE INTERVIEW: 

• Niall Ferguson website
• Niall Ferguson, “The Vibe Shift Goes Global,” The Free Press, 12/12/24
• Santiago Pliego, “Vibe Shift,” Substack, 2/24/24
• University of Austin homepage 

Q&A:

• Preet’s AMA on Reddit