Podcast · 67 episodes
The David Frum Show
by The Atlantic · English
To defend democracy, one has to believe in it. To believe in democracy, one has to understand it. Where it came from. How it works. What’s true. What’s not. What others did before you. How it could be better. How to make a difference. Each week, The David Frum Show digs deep into the big questions people have about our society, explains the progress Americans have made together, and reminds us that the American idea is worth defending.
Latest episodes
How Trump Could Threaten the 2026 ElectionHow Trump could undermine the 2026 U.S. election through threats to election administration, federal power use, and election-law changes; also discusses U.S.-China relations and the decline of…30 Sep 2026 · 51 min
Trump’s Desperate Diesel Plan Will BackfireDavid Frum argues President Trump’s reported plan to ban diesel exports to lower U.S. diesel prices will backfire politically and economically.26 Sep 2026 · 10 min
How to Argue in the Trump Era Without Losing Your MindDavid Frum opens with the Belleville, Ontario synagogue shooting on Yom Kippur and argues that “don’t conflate Jews here with Jews there” rhetoric can function as incitement; he also claims Israel is…23 Sep 2026 · 1 h 12 min
All episodes
How Trump Could Threaten the 2026 ElectionHow Trump could undermine the 2026 U.S. election through threats to election administration, federal power use, and election-law changes; also discusses U.S.-China relations and the decline of…30 Sep 2026 · 51 min · 11 chapters
Trump’s Desperate Diesel Plan Will BackfireDavid Frum argues President Trump’s reported plan to ban diesel exports to lower U.S. diesel prices will backfire politically and economically.26 Sep 2026 · 10 min · 4 chapters
How to Argue in the Trump Era Without Losing Your MindDavid Frum opens with the Belleville, Ontario synagogue shooting on Yom Kippur and argues that “don’t conflate Jews here with Jews there” rhetoric can function as incitement; he also claims Israel is…23 Sep 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 22 chapters
Trump Has Turned America Into a Credit RiskThe episode argues that U.S. borrowing costs have risen because investors increasingly doubt America’s “creditworthiness” or trustworthiness under Donald Trump—linking higher 10-year Treasury yields…19 Sep 2026 · 10 min · 7 chapters
The Atrocities That Shaped the Modern Middle EastHow “brutal simplification” and nationalism after the Ottoman era drove minorities out or into mass killing across the modern Middle East, shaping today’s states and conflicts.16 Sep 2026 · 59 min · 24 chapters
Did America Win the War on Terror?David Frum argues that the “war on terror” is not over and assesses 25 years since 9/11. Topic: whether America “won,” plus what he would advise in the immediate aftermath.12 Sep 2026 · 13 min · 5 chapters
Inside the White House on 9/11John McConnell, former Cheney speechwriter, recounts his 9/11 day inside the West Wing/White House complex, then discusses how the Bush administration responded in speeches and policy, including…9 Sep 2026 · 59 min · 18 chapters
How Trump Lost AsiaThe episode argues that Donald Trump’s approach has weakened Western democracies’ position in the Indian Ocean and Pacific, and that Trump-era wealth and corruption pose long-term risks to American…2 Sep 2026 · 58 min · 14 chapters
What Are Jewish Voters Supposed to Do?The episode argues about what Jewish voters “are supposed to do” in Michigan politics amid rising anti-Semitism in the Democratic Party, especially after the Temple Israel attempted attack and…26 Aug 2026 · 1 h 2 min · 22 chapters
Was Herbert Hoover America’s Most Misunderstood President?The episode argues that Herbert Hoover is often reduced to “hard times” and Great Depression blame, but his broader legacy includes major innovations in humanitarian relief and federal emergency…5 Aug 2026 · 1 h 3 min · 25 chapters
The Fight That Could Decide 2028The episode argues about how political and economic power is reshaping institutions and public life—starting with Trump’s forced-labor tariffs and expanding into Jonathan Chait’s defense of Barack…29 Jul 2026 · 1 h · 25 chapters
Why Are Groceries So Expensive?Why groceries feel so expensive, and whether the problem is “food price inflation” or broader inflation—plus what drives specific items like beef and eggs, and how tariffs, wars, and labor shortages…22 Jul 2026 · 52 min · 15 chapters
Social Security Is Running Out of TimeThe Social Security Trust Fund is projected to run out in late 2032; without action, benefits would be cut about 22%.15 Jul 2026 · 55 min · 17 chapters
Is the Left Driving Women Away?Shannon Watts argues that progressive politics is increasingly “blue MAGA”: misogynistic, outrage-rewarding online dynamics and ideological purity tests are driving women away from the Democratic…8 Jul 2026 · 52 min · 19 chapters
The American Experiment Is Worth Believing InOn the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the episode argues that the “American idea” still matters, even amid current political “grime,” and uses past crises to suggest reform and…1 Jul 2026 · 57 min · 28 chapters
Did Trump Surrender to Iran?The episode frames the U.S.-Iran “memorandum of understanding” as the aftermath of a failed Trump war—arguing the U.S.24 Jun 2026 · 56 min · 19 chapters
Cuba Is Collapsing. Will Trump Invade?Cuba’s deepening energy and economic collapse, how it’s affecting daily life and journalism, and what the U.S. might do under Trump (invasion vs “slow squeeze”). The episode also argues that J.D.17 Jun 2026 · 1 h 8 min · 25 chapters
Republicans vs. the Fourteenth AmendmentThe episode connects two anniversary-driven political shocks—Brexit (2016) and the 14th Amendment (passed June 1866)—to argue that attempts to “regain control” through isolation or constitutional…10 Jun 2026 · 1 h 1 min · 29 chapters
How to Save the Supreme Court From ItselfThe episode argues the U.S. Supreme Court is undermining constitutional democracy—especially voting rights, election fairness, anti-corruption enforcement, and separation of powers—while using the…3 Jun 2026 · 52 min · 26 chapters
Has Trump Corrupted the Military?Whether the Trump administration has “corrupted” the U.S. military—especially in how wars are planned and how senior commanders are managed—plus related claims about operational performance in an…27 May 2026 · 50 min · 17 chapters
Trump’s Iran War: America's Loss Is China’s WinDavid Frum and military historian Phillips O’Brien discuss (1) alleged constitutional/corruption issues in Trump’s reported creation of a $1.776B discretionary fund, (2) how Ukraine’s war with Russia…20 May 2026 · 57 min · 19 chapters
What Happens if the U.S. Defaults?A conversation about U.S. default risk and how debt, deficits, and inflation could undermine trust in the dollar; also broader themes of economic polarization, public confidence in capitalism, and…13 May 2026 · 56 min · 21 chapters
How to Survive Losing a ChildA conversation about surviving the sudden death of a child and what grief is like “from the inside,” including how families stay together, how people misunderstand or avoid grieving parents, and how…6 May 2026 · 1 h 8 min · 23 chapters
Who Is the Real Base of the Democratic Party?The episode argues that the Democratic Party’s “base” can’t be reduced to the loud, highly educated, urban online left.29 Apr 2026 · 55 min · 22 chapters