How Trump Dismantled the World’s Most Life-Saving Aid Program with Peter Wehner

Launched in 2003, PEPFAR has saved over 25 million lives and stood as one of America’s most celebrated bipartisan achievements. But under the Trump administration's second term, this global health initiative faces near-total collapse. In this urgent conversation, Peter Wehner—a veteran of three Republican administrations and a key PEPFAR advocate—explains how executive orders, the gutting of USAID, and MAGA-driven misinformation have jeopardized millions. Wehner, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and contributor to The Atlantic and The New York Times, also reflects on the unraveling of U.S. soft power, the erosion of moral clarity in the evangelical world, and how Christians should respond to mass suffering abroad.

From the devastation of Africa’s healthcare infrastructure to the ideological reshaping of the GOP, this episode is a powerful wake-up call for anyone concerned with human dignity, public health, or the soul of American politics.

👤 Guest Bio
Peter Wehner is a contributing writer for The Atlantic and The New York Times and a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He served in three Republican presidential administrations, including as deputy director of speechwriting and director of strategic initiatives under President George W. Bush. A key advocate for PEPFAR, he continues to write and speak on faith, politics, and democracy.

The Republican Betrayal of PEPFAR: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/republican-pepfar-renewal/675433/

AMERICA’S MAD KING: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/04/donald-trump-authoritarian-actions/682486/

PEPFAR: https://www.state.gov/pepfar/