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The Mona Charen Show

The Mona Charen Show

The Bulwark 282 Episodes Aug 23, 2026

After a successful five-year run on Beg to Differ, Mona Charen launches a new show focused on deepening understanding of complex societal issues and trends. Each week, she engages an expert for a probing discussion that goes beyond the day's headlines.

Episodes

Trump’s Iran War Blew Up His “America First” Promise (w/ Will Saletan) | Mona Charen Show
Trump’s Iran War Blew Up His “America First” Promise (w/ Will Saletan) | Mona Charen Show Aug 23, 2026 2708 Mona Charen and Will Saletan discuss the fallout from Trump’s Iran war, his attacks on America’s allies, growing trouble for Republicans ahead of the midterms, and the Democratic message that could capitalize on MAGA’s failures.
Bulwark Book Club: ‘Pudd’nhead Wilson’—Was Twain Ahead of His Time? (w/ Mona Charen & Bill Kristol)
Bulwark Book Club: ‘Pudd’nhead Wilson’—Was Twain Ahead of His Time? (w/ Mona Charen & Bill Kristol) Aug 16, 2026 3048 Mona Charen is joined by Bill Kristol to discuss Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson for the August edition of The Bulwark Book Club with viewers. Published in 1894, the novel tells the story of two boys—one born into slavery, the other the master’s son—who were switched in the cradle. They’ll discuss how the book relates to our world today, and whether Mark Twain is more relevant than ever.Get 15% of
America Didn’t Lower the Bar for Character. We Buried It.
America Didn’t Lower the Bar for Character. We Buried It. Aug 9, 2026 2584 Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) joins Mona Charen for a conversation about why character still matters in leadership, how America lost many of the institutions that once helped build it, and what the military can teach about integrity, responsibility, and moral courage in an era of political double standards.Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to https://Q
Trump is Making America Third World (w/ Idrees Kahloon)
Trump is Making America Third World (w/ Idrees Kahloon) Aug 2, 2026 3057 Mona Charen speaks with The Atlantic’s Idrees Kahloon about how Trump’s immigration, university, trade, fiscal, and foreign-policy agenda could weaken the foundations of long-term American prosperity and global influence. They also discuss China, alliances, executive power, political corruption, and Kahloon’s reconsideration of campaign-finance reform in an era of small-donor-driven extremism and
How Democrats Can Win Big (w/ Thomas Edsall)
How Democrats Can Win Big (w/ Thomas Edsall) Jul 26, 2026 2474 Thomas Edsall tells Mona Charen Democrats can recover from Trump's bad ratings by moderating on three fronts: transgender policy (affirm two sexes, restrict sports/prisons/youth surgery), immigration (pro-legal, pro-enforcement), and crime (oppose lenient DAs and no-bail policies). His diagnosis: the party's become too elitist and needs working-class voters back to beat MAGA.If the Democrats Actu
How Badly Has Trump Botched the Iran War? (w/ Eric Edelman)
How Badly Has Trump Botched the Iran War? (w/ Eric Edelman) Jul 19, 2026 3843 Mona Charen and Eric Edelman examine how Trump stumbled into the Iran war without a clear plan, alienated allies, strengthened Tehran's position, and left the United States looking weaker.Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MONACHAREN at https://www.oneskin.co/MONACHAREN#oneskinpodLinks mentioned in this episode:Inside Israel’s Secret Operation to Cultivate Ahmadinejadhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/0
Trump, Platner, and the Mistake America Keeps Making (w/ Will Saletan)
Trump, Platner, and the Mistake America Keeps Making (w/ Will Saletan) Jul 9, 2026 3414 Democrats swore they'd never do what Republicans did with Trump. Then came Graham Platner. Mona Charen and Will Saletan on the fake oysterman, the vetting failure, and the death of shame—plus Trump's World Cup meddling and the loss Mona says America needed.Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to https://Quince.com/mona for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Can
A Belated Appreciation of John Adams
A Belated Appreciation of John Adams Jul 5, 2026 3681 Mona Charen is joined by historian Lindsay Chervinsky—executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library—for the Bulwark Book Club, discussing her book Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic. They cover Adams's besieged first days in office, a cabinet secretly loyal to Alexander Hamilton, the mob of 10,000 outside the president's house, the Ali
This Reporter Calls Trump—And He Answers! (w/ Ed Luce)
This Reporter Calls Trump—And He Answers! (w/ Ed Luce) Jun 28, 2026 2921 Mona Charen and FT columnist Ed Luce dig into Giorgia Meloni's public  dressing down of Trump, the UK's political chaos, and the fallout from Trump's Iran war—including the case that the U.S. is now paying Iran reparations and Israel is boxed into an impossible corner. Plus: Luce's surreal Sunday phone calls with Trump himself.Upcoming: Mona will interview presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsk
Trump Bombed Iran—Then Gave It Everything It Wanted (w/ Andrew Fox) | Mona Charen Show
Trump Bombed Iran—Then Gave It Everything It Wanted (w/ Andrew Fox) | Mona Charen Show Jun 21, 2026 3381 Mona Charen welcomes military analyst Andrew Fox for a conversation on Trump’s Iran ceasefire, whether America squandered its leverage against Tehran, the growing influence of Qatar and Turkey, Israel’s military and political mistakes, Hamas’s strategy in Gaza, and the battle over public opinion that could shape the future of the Middle East.show notes:Bulwark Book Club: Mona will interview presi
Book Club: “If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal” (w/ Mark Hertling)
Book Club: “If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal” (w/ Mark Hertling) Jun 14, 2026 3947 On the inaugural Bulwark Book Club, Mark Hertling joins Mona Charen to discuss his new book—If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal—a journal he began during the Gulf War for his young sons in case he never returned home. Their conversation explores combat, leadership, moral injury, fatherhood, friendship, military culture, and what it means to live a life worthy of the sacrifices made by t
Trump's Tough-Guy Act Is Finally Falling Apart (w/ Will Saletan)
Trump's Tough-Guy Act Is Finally Falling Apart (w/ Will Saletan) Jun 7, 2026 2759 Mona Charon and Will Saletan on Texas's political earthquake: Paxton's shocking primary win, whether Democrat James Talarico can actually flip the state, the YOLO Republicans finally speaking up too late, and what Bill Cassidy's post-loss laugh tells you about everything.Elevate your summer wardrobe: go to https://Quince.com/mona for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available

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