The Panetta Institute for Public Policy Announces the 2025 Leon Panetta Lecture Series – What Will Be the Legacy of the Trump Era? Live, In-Person Events Featuring John Kerry, Bob Rubin, Susan Schwab, Jeff Sessions, Janet Napolitano, Alejandro Mayorkas, Nick Burns, Chris Christie, John Kirby, James Carville and Mary Matalin Among Others

The Panetta Institute announces its live, in-person events for the 2025 Leon Panetta Lecture Series.  Subscriptions are available for the forums, which will take place at the Monterey Conference Center on Monday evenings this spring.

This year’s theme will ask the question What Will Be the Legacy of the Trump Era?  Secretary Panetta will moderate each of the sessions.  Joining him in these important discussions is an impressive list of speakers discussing the new administration’s impact on the economy, the rule of law, foreign policy, and governance of our democracy.

The events for the 2025 season are as follows:*

      Monday, March 17 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Tariffs, Tax Cuts, Debt, Inflation – What Will Be the Economic Legacy of the Trump Era? with Christina Romer, former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers; Bob Rubin, former U.S. Secretary of Treasury; Susan Schwab, former U.S. Trade Representative; and Kevin Warsh, former member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

      Monday, April 14 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Constitution, Immigration, Law and Order, Pardons – What Will Be the Law Enforcement Legacy of the Trump Era? with Alejandro Mayorkas, former Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Janet Napolitano, former Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security and former governor of Arizona; Chuck Rosenberg, former U.S. Attorney; and Jeff Sessions, former U.S. Attorney General.

      Monday, May 19 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.   Russia, China, the Middle East, the Panama Canal  – What Will Be the Foreign Policy of the Trump Era? with Nick Burns, former U.S. Ambassador to China; John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State; John Kirby,former National Security Communications Advisor; HR McMaster, former National Security Advisor; and Rex Tillerson (invited), former U.S. Secretary of State.

    Monday, June 9 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bipartisanship, Gridlock, Checks and Balances, Stability or Chaos – What Will Be the Governing Legacy of the Trump Era? with James Carville, former advisor Clinton campaign; Chris Christie, former Governor of New Jersey; and Mary Matalin, former White House advisor to President George W. Bush.

“President Trump has now entered his second term as president promising a “Golden Age” for America.  He has promised change and issued a record number of executive orders.  His first term saw a great deal of chaos and unpredictability,” said Panetta Institute Chairman Leon E. Panetta.  “Will that happen again or will he provide the leadership to turn crisis into opportunity?  What will be the legacy of the Trump Era?  We will discuss these and other questions related to our economy, law enforcement, foreign policy, and governance of our democracy with our distinguished panel of speakers.”

Leon Panetta Lecture Series subscriptions include tickets to all four live events and are available for $400.  Individual tickets sell for $100.  To order a subscription or individual ticket, call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200 to pay with a credit card.

For additional information on tickets, subscriptions or broadcast details, please call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200.

*  All dates and speakers subject to change.

The Panetta Institute for Public Policy Honored U.S. Senators Angus King and Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher at 2023 Jefferson Lincoln Awards On Saturday November 11, 2023

The Panetta Institute for Public Policy announced the recipients of its 2023 Jefferson-Lincoln Awards. The 2023  annual awards was presented to U.S. Senator Angus King (I) of Maine, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D) of Minnesota and U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher (R) of Wisconsin.  The honors were  conferred at a black-tie gala dinner held at The Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach on Saturday, November 11, 2023.

Commenting on the honorees, Institute Chairman and Co-Founder Leon E. Panetta said, “our democracy is under threat.  Political theatrics have taken the place of governing and the victims of this vacuum of leadership are the American people. We need elected officials who understand their responsibility to the American people and to our democracy. The Panetta Institute honors three leaders who put duty before party and have shown the courage and integrity in their stewardship of our democracy.”

The November 11 celebration also served as the premier fundraiser to help support The Panetta Institute for Public Policy and its mission to attract thoughtful men and women to lives of public service, inspiring them to a high standard of conduct and equipping them with the practical skills of self-government.  The gala featured a gourmet four-course meal and award-winning wines.  For more information on purchasing seats for the gala or sponsoring a table call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200.

Panetta Institute Survey Shows Students’ Outlook on the Future and the Direction of the Nation are at an All –Time Low

No Longer Believe the American Dream is Achievable

In the twenty-third year of its nationwide survey of college students, the Panetta Institute for Public Policy has found that college students’ outlook on the state of the nation is at a historic low. Deeply dissatisfied with the country’s political leadership, 70% of students believe the country is on the wrong track and a staggering 76% are uncertain or concerned about the future of the country.  Both results are all-time lows in the history of the Panetta Institute Poll.

Students are deeply concerned about the future and the survey results suggest that many have all but given up on achieving the traditional American Dream.  Thirty-eight percent believe they will be worse off compared to their parents, the lowest result in the history of the survey.  Seventy percent of college students believe that it is harder for them to achieve the American Dream than it was for their parents and 38% believe they will be worse off financially than their parents.  At least 3 in 10 college students want to achieve the following, but don’t believe they will be able to do so:  have enough money to retire comfortably (38%); be debt free (33%); own a business (32%); or own a home (31%).  Thirty-two percent of students believe that they will not be able to retire and will instead “always be working.”

Click here for a complete report on this year’s findings.2023 Survey Report (6-2-23).

The theme for the annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series for 2023 was The Presidency and a Divided Congress:  Can They Govern?

Live In-Person Events Featured John Boehner, Douglas Brinkley, Liz Cheney Steny Hoyer, David Petraeus, Bob Gates, Annette Gordon-Reed and Bob Woodward, Among Others

The Panetta Institute announced a return to live in-person events for the 2023 Leon Panetta Lecture Series.

This year’s theme focused on The Presidency and a Divided Congress: Can They Govern?  Joining Secretary Panetta in these important discussions was an impressive list of speakers covering economic issues, foreign policy and defense, partisan politics and history. “After two years of Democratic control of the presidency and both houses of Congress, the 118^thCongress returns the nation to the realities of a divided government,” said Institute chairman Leon E. Panetta.  “A single party has controlled the White House and the Congress only three times in the last three decades.  But, at a time when so much is at stake can the nation afford the risks associated with a do-nothing Congress?  Will the Congress act to raise the debt limit and avoid damaging our economy?  Can we avoid an economic recession?  Will the new Congress remain unified in support of the war in Ukraine?  Will the Congress work together and avoid gridlock?  Finally, are there lessons we can learn from history that can guide us forward in this divisive time.  I’ll pose these questions to our impressive list of speakers.”

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