Takeaways from Harvard Kennedy School’s premier arena for debate and discussion
Introduction
May 19, 2026
It’s been a lively year for Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, which boasts a range of student leadership and engagement activities, including its signature speaker series, the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum. At the Forum, wide-ranging views and perspectives are shared and guests must take questions from the audience.
The IOP hosted 77 Forums this academic year with politicians, journalists, cultural figures, and academics. Guests included former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former House Speakers Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy, former Chair of the Federal Trade Commission Lina Khan, Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, Vice President of Ecuador María José Pinto, actress Sophia Bush, sports icon Billie Jean King, psychologist Steven Pinker, Iranian, Sudanese, and Venezuelan human rights activists, the cast of the political drama Veep, filmmaker Mark Kassen, LGBTQI+ activists, former leaders of Germany and the Czech Republic, former White House Press Secretaries Jen Psaki and Dee Dee Myers, and many more.
New series
Celebrating the United States’ Semiquincentennial, the Forum hosted a new series, Consent of the Governed: America at 250 and Beyond, with Harvard historian Jill Lepore hosting conversations exploring the past, present, and future of the American experiment. The first in the series covered unity, disunion, and the future of democracy. The panel featured former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg; 28th President of Harvard University Drew Gilpin Faust; and Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University Eddie Glaude. The second featured former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and focused on the state of democracy and governance.
Another Institute of Politics series, Debate, Debrief, and Dessert, launched this year to provide a venue for guests with differing points of view on an important topic to engage. Afterwards, faculty members debrief the conversation with the audience over dessert. The first session brought public health experts to campus to provide differing perspectives on public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series will continue next fall with a session on diversity in higher education and American life.
Heard in the Forum
Missed the conversations in the Forum? Check out some highlights below.
Tennis legend and activist Billie Jean King, receiving the Center for Public Leadership’s annual Gleitsman Citizen Activist Award, reflected on the “Battle of the Sexes”:
“That’s why you see all these great women athletes. Title IX is responsible. Don’t ever forget it.” —Billie Jean King
Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan discussed the meaning of conservatism:
“What conservatives want to conserve are certain principles and institutions that make us great, that make our society flourish, that make humankind reach its best version of itself.” —Paul Ryan
Journalist Abby Phillip discussed Jesse Jackson’s legacy, politics, and building trust in media:
“People are looking for more authenticity, more transparency in the news. They want the information they’re receiving to feel less polished in some ways and more true to life.” —Abby Phillip
Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel talked about education, Iran, and the future of the Democratic Party:
“The community college is the economic fabric of our country. It’s where 40% of the people who go to college attend. They are not on anyone’s radar, and yet they are the lifeblood of the economy.” —Rahm Emanuel
Security scholars discussed nuclear weapons and arms control at the inaugural Carnesale Convening:
“The conversation among many who are involved in nuclear decisions in Washington is not about the next round of reductions; it’s about whether we should leave the New START limits behind and start building up our nuclear forces to respond.” —Matthew Bunn
Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed Harvard Kennedy School on peace and order in a new era of multipolarity:
“It is difficult to see how recent actions taken by the United States regarding Greenland, Venezuela, or Iran could possibly be compatible with international law.” —Olaf Scholz
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, discussed the surreal experience of accidentally receiving sensitive national security messages (aka “Signalgate”):
“If this was real, and my phone contained information that enemies of the United States could use to kill American pilots, I didn’t know what to do with that. I just sat in my car with the doors locked.” —Jeffrey Goldberg
Congressman Jason Crow called for a new kind of American patriotism:
“The bottom line is you have to unrig the system.” —Jason Crow
Former Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh reflected on leadership, labor, and hockey:
“Having workers better trained is better for the overall economy.” —Marty Walsh
African mayors, including John-Charuk Siafa of Monrovia, Liberia, discussed the present and future of their cities:
“Monrovia is experiencing rapid urbanization faster than infrastructure growth. Originally built for about 300,000 people, the population has more than quadrupled, putting strain on existing infrastructure.” —John-Charuk Siafa
Spencer Cox, governor of Utah, and Jake Auchincloss, U.S. representative from Massachusetts, discussed political polarization:
“If you’re the kind of person who thinks your member of Congress has to agree with you on everything—and you see them even starting to engage with the center or the other side as unacceptable—then you’re part of the problem.” —Spencer Cox
Historian Ken Burns reflected on the American Revolution and untangling history:
“A complicated narrative is really the best antidote to just about anything.” —Ken Burns
Political consultant David Axelrod shared thoughts on the 2028 presidential election:
“I think people are going to demand a system that is genuinely responsive to the concerns of working people.” —David Axelrod
Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson discussed immigration enforcement:
“In my experience, the best immigration policy is one you hear almost nothing about—from either the left or the right.” —Jeh Johnson
CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash discussed what grabs attention in news:
“As much as we use words and our voice, we know it’s the imagery and pictures that really break through.” —Dana Bash
Political analysts Jon Favreau and Scott Jennings examined declining trust in media:
“It’s better for American discourse if we are not all isolated from views that may challenge our own. That’s why this Forum—and the IOP—matters.” —Scott Jennings
Former Vice President Mike Pence and former National Security Advisor John Bolton discussed civic responsibility:
“I have great confidence in the American people. I know people love our Constitution and will hold elected officials at every level to that standard.” —Mike Pence
Czech President Petr Pavel called for the global community to stand up to autocrats:
“It appears we lived in one of the most peaceful periods of modern history not so long ago. Today, that trend has reversed.” —Petr Pavel
Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights fellows discussed global humanitarian concerns:
“Caring about human rights in foreign policy is part of moral leadership. That is a North Star worth fighting for.” —Jessica Stern
Scholars and medical experts, including Dr. Yasser Elamin, discussed civil war and genocide in Sudan:
“Make no mistake, this is a man-made crisis. Rape is being used as a weapon. Starvation is being used as a weapon.” —Yasser Elamin
Venezuelan activists, including lawyer Génesis Dávila, discussed human rights in their country:
“What began as severe human rights violations evolved into crimes against humanity and, ultimately, state terrorism.” —Génesis Dávila
Mayors, including Cherelle Parker of Philadelphia, discussed collaborative problem-solving:
“Democrat, Republican, or Independent—if you want people to get excited about government again, let them see it working in their daily lives in ways they can see, touch, and feel.” —Cherelle Parker
All the 2026 Forums are available on the Institute of Politics YouTube page.