Who is Victor Davis Hanson? Conservative intellectual reveals ‘major operation’ after nine-month ordeal

Victor Davis Hanson, Hoover Institution senior fellow and a prominent conservative commentator and author, has revealed that he will undergo a “major operation” on Tuesday (30 December) after what he described as a lengthy and difficult medical journey.

Hanson, 72, shared the update with listeners on his podcast Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words, saying the procedure follows nearly nine months of uncertainty and diagnosis.

‘A major problem, a major effort’

Speaking candidly, Hanson acknowledged the seriousness of the situation while maintaining a measured tone.

“I’m having a major operation, and I’ve got a major problem, and I’m going to have a major effort to solve it, and that’s all I can do,” he told listeners.

He added that he is receiving treatment at Stanford Medical Center, which he described as the best facility available to him.

“I finally ended up going to the best medical center that I know, Stanford Med, and the people there are wonderful. It’ll work out one way or the other,” Hanson said.

Nine-month diagnostic struggle

Hanson said he had been reluctant to discuss his health publicly, but decided to address it after repeated comments from listeners and viewers about his appearance and voice.

“People have been calling me and saying I don’t look well or I sound hoarse,” he said.

He described the process as prolonged and challenging, stressing that the delay in diagnosis was not due to negligence.

“It’s been a nine-month odyssey. The problem I had was very hard to diagnose, so it’s no one’s fault. It’s been diagnosed through biopsy and everything else,” Hanson said.

Commitment to readers and listeners

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the operation, Hanson struck an optimistic note and emphasized his sense of responsibility to his audience.

“I’ll be fine. At least, I’ll do my best for everybody because I think I have an obligation to all of our readers and listeners that I get wonderful letters from,” he said.

Who is Victor Davis Hanson?

Victor Davis Hanson is a prominent American classicist, military historian, author and conservative political commentator, best known for his writings on ancient warfare, Western civilization and contemporary US politics.

A senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, Hanson has built a decades-long career straddling academia, popular history and political commentary, frequently appearing on Fox News and contributing columns to major US publications.

Admired by supporters for his defence of Western traditions and criticised by detractors for his hardline views, Hanson remains one of the most influential conservative intellectuals in the United States.

Academic background and early life

Born on 5 September 1953, Hanson grew up in Selma, California, in the San Joaquin Valley, where his family had farmed for generations. He earned a BA in classics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and completed his PhD in classics at Stanford University in 1980. Before fully entering academia, Hanson worked as a full-time orchard and vineyard grower, an experience that later shaped his writing on agrarian life and rural America.

Career in classics and military history

Hanson spent much of his academic career at California State University, Fresno, where he helped establish a classical studies programme and earned national recognition for teaching excellence. He later took early retirement to focus on writing and research. His scholarship has centred on ancient Greek warfare, and its influence on Western military traditions, with landmark works such as The Western Way of War, Carnage and Culture and A War Like No Other. His ideas argue that cultural values—rather than race or geography—played a decisive role in the military success of Western societies.

Hoover Institution and public influence

Hanson is currently a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he focuses on military history and contemporary conflict. He also serves as a visiting professor at Hillsdale College and has held fellowships and visiting posts at Stanford, UC Berkeley, and the US Naval Academy. In 2007, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President George W. Bush for his contributions to the humanities.

Political commentary and views

Over the past two decades, Hanson has become a leading conservative voice in American political debate. Once a registered Democrat, he later supported Republican candidates and emerged as a vocal defender of US military intervention abroad, particularly during the George W. Bush era.

More recently, he has been a strong supporter of Donald Trump, authoring The Case for Trump, in which he defends Trump’s populist style and political instincts. His commentary on immigration, race relations, and foreign policy has sparked both a wide readership and significant controversy.

Personal life

Hanson lives on his family farm in California’s Central Valley. He has experienced profound personal loss, including the death of his youngest daughter from leukemia and multiple family members from cancer. Despite these challenges, he has remained active as a writer, speaker and commentator.