Victor Davis Hanson doesn’t usually do "optimism" in the traditional sense. If you’ve followed his work at the Hoover Institution or his regular appearances on The Victor Davis Hanson Show, you know his baseline is typically "ancient civilizations crumbled for doing exactly what we are doing right now." But in the Victor Davis Hanson latest podcast episodes dropping this January, there’s a weird, almost jarring shift in tone. He’s talking about a 2026 economic "bonanza" while simultaneously recovering from a major cancer surgery that kept him off the air for a brief, tense window at the start of the year.
It’s a lot to process. One minute he’s discussing his recovery—which Condoleezza Rice recently updated the public on—and the next he's dissecting why the American "Jacksonian" foreign policy is back with a vengeance.
The 2026 Economic Boom: Prediction or Provocation?
Honestly, the most talked-about segment from the Victor Davis Hanson latest podcast involves his theory on the "2026 Economic Bonanza." While most of the legacy media is still hand-wringing over post-shutdown jitters, Hanson is doubling down on a massive surge. He bases this on a few specific "pillars" that he thinks are finally aligning.
First, there’s the deregulation. Hanson argues that the current administration's aggressive cutting of "alphabet agency" red tape is finally hitting the bloodstream of the economy. He’s not just talking about big tech or Wall Street. He’s talking about the "Small Time Dude"—the phrase he uses for the middle-class entrepreneur who has been sidelined by DEI requirements and regulatory bloat.
Hanson points to five specific triggers for this 2026 boom:
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- Energy Production: The massive pivot back to domestic fossil fuels and nuclear projects.
- Deregulation: A "plentiful" removal of tax burdens that he claims suppressed productivity for a decade.
- Interest Rates: A move toward "reasonable" stability that allows for long-term capital investment.
- Foreign Investment: Capital fleeing a "deteriorating" Europe and China to find safety in a renewed American market.
- Productivity: The sudden, forced efficiency of a workforce that is finally ignoring "cultural nihilism."
He basically thinks we’re in for a repeat of the late 1940s or the mid-1980s. It’s a bold claim, especially considering he also spent a good chunk of the episode warning about the "dying days" of the Iranian regime and the potential for a massive regional power grab by China.
Health Updates and the "GoodFellows" Connection
You can't really talk about the Victor Davis Hanson latest podcast without mentioning the elephant in the room: his health. On the January 8th episode of GoodFellows, his colleagues Niall Ferguson and H.R. McMaster took a moment to send their best wishes to both Hanson and former Senator Ben Sasse as they both "do battle with cancer."
Hanson has been remarkably private about the specifics, but the Hoover Institution confirmed he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in early January 2026. He’s back to recording now, but you can hear a bit of a rasp in his voice. It hasn't slowed down his output, though. If anything, the "memento mori" vibe of his recent health scare seems to have sharpened his focus on what he calls "civilizational decay."
Radical Islam vs. Socialism: The 2026 "March Madness"
In a move that’s kinda vintage VDH, he’s started a new series that he calls a "March Madness-style" bracket of existential threats. In his latest commentary for The Daily Signal, he paired off 16 "terrible issues" facing the U.S. and acted as the judge.
The big matchup? Radical Islam versus Socialism.
Most people would expect a military historian to point toward the external threat. But Hanson surprised a few listeners by suggesting that the internal threat—the "socialist democratic" impulse—is actually more dangerous because it rots the "immune system" of the country. He argues that a country with a strong sense of citizenship can handle a foreign enemy, but a country that has "dumbed down its students" and "abandoned the nuclear family" is already half-conquered.
Why the "Jacksonian" Label Matters Now
Hanson’s latest deep dive into foreign policy revolves around the "Andrew Jackson" model. He’s been using this to describe the current U.S. stance on the world stage, specifically regarding the recent special forces operation in Venezuela.
"No better friend, no worse enemy."
That’s the mantra. Hanson explains that the U.S. is moving away from "nation-building" (which he loathes) and "isolationism" (which he thinks is impossible). Instead, we’re seeing a 2026 version of the Monroe Doctrine. The message is simple: stay out of our hemisphere, don't mess with our trade, and we won't bother you. But if you cross those lines, the response won't be a diplomatic letter; it'll be a "nighttime operation" like the one that just took down the Maduro regime.
Actionable Insights from the Latest Episodes
If you’re trying to apply Hanson’s 2026 outlook to your own life, here is what he’s essentially signaling:
1. Watch the "Blue State" Exodus
Hanson is convinced that the "signs of renewal" are only happening in Eastern Europe and American Red States. He suggests that the cultural divide is no longer just political; it’s geographic. If you’re looking for economic stability, he’s betting on the places that are "restoring free speech and reinforcing the nuclear family."
2. Prepare for "Coercive Diplomacy"
The world is getting more disorderly, not less. Hanson predicts that 2026 will see more "regional power grabs" by countries like China as they try to test the limits of the new American stance. Don't expect global peace; expect a series of high-stakes "tests" of resolve.
3. The DEI Empire is Cratering
One of the more optimistic notes in the Victor Davis Hanson latest podcast is his belief that the "DEI Empire" is finally collapsing under its own weight. He advises students and professionals to focus on "classical" skills—literacy, math, and historical context—rather than "fashionable nihilism." He thinks the job market is about to value "what you can actually do" over "how you identify" for the first time in a decade.
4. Economic Positioning
With the prediction of an "economic bonanza," the move is toward productivity. Hanson is leaning heavily into the idea that deregulation will lead to a surge in domestic manufacturing.
The big takeaway from Hanson this week? America is at a crossroads where the economy is booming but the "citizenship" is fraying. He’s essentially telling his audience to get their house in order, stay healthy, and ignore the noise of the "elite-driven" globalist culture. It's a grit-your-teeth-and-work kind of message, which is exactly what his fans have come to expect.