Policy Punchline

Trey Gowdy is a former federal prosecutor and Congressman from Greenville, South Carolina. Known for his ability to persuade, question, and debate in courtrooms and Congressional hearings, Mr. Gowdy rose to fame within the Repubican Party. He resigned in 2018 when he could no longer tolerate the hyper-partisanship and polarization of political discourse. In this interview, Mr. Gowdy discusses the state of America’s political discourse, how both constituents and politicians should be blamed for fueling polarization, social media’s outsized role in shaping people’s beliefs, and his optimism and pessimism for this election season and beyond. Mr. Gowdy had a stellar career as a prosecutor, achieving the highest performance rating possible for a federal prosecutor two years in a row. His recently published book, "Doesn’t Hurt to Ask: Using the Power of Questions to Communicate, Connect, and Persuade," provides guidance to those who wish to become effective communicators. Mr. Gowdy talks about how politicians m