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The David Frum Show

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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.

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The David Frum Show
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Is an AI Recession Coming?

On this week’s Saturday edition of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses the possibility of an AI bubble and the bleak forecast for the American economy under President Trump.

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The David Frum Show
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Will the Tech Oligarchs Turn on Trump?

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts on the growing calls for Medicare for All. David discusses how Medicare for All might actually work, why it’s impractical, and why it is fundamentally a promise Democrats cannot keep....

The David Frum Show
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Who Profited From Trump’s Plans?

On this Saturday episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses the series of amazingly well-timed trades in the oil market that raise urgent questions about corruption inside the Trump administration.

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The David Frum Show
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How Trump Is Selling Out Ukraine

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses President Trump’s announced diesel deal with Russia, the administration’s abandonment of Ukraine, and why Trump is giving up so much to gain very little.  Then, David is joined from Kyiv by I...

The David Frum Show
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Did Marco Rubio Just Start His 2028 Campaign?

On this week’s Saturday episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s speech at the Acropolis in Greece and what it means for the future of the Republican Party.

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The David Frum Show
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Why American Cities Cost So Much and Deliver So Little

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts on the sudden recall of 12 B-1 bombers from their base in the south of England to the mainland of the United States. He asks what prompted the move and why the Trump administration re...

The David Frum Show
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Are You Better Off Under Trump? The Numbers Say No

In this Saturday episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum explains why President Trump’s approval rating has sunk so far just two years into his second presidency.

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The David Frum Show
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How Trump Could Threaten the 2026 Election

In this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts about the recent state visit by the Chinese president Xi Jinping to the United States. David discusses President Trump’s embarrassing behavior at the dinner and how he has isol...

The David Frum Show
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Trump’s Desperate Diesel Plan Will Backfire

On this week’s Saturday bonus episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses President Trump’s reported plan to ban diesel exports. David explains why the proposal is ill-conceived, how it could backfire, and what it reveals about the administration’s fundamental misunderstanding of the global economy.

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The David Frum Show
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How to Argue in the Trump Era Without Losing Your Mind

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his reaction to the shooting at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Ontario on Yom Kippur. David discusses the rise of violence against Jews around the world, and why condemnations of anti-sSemitic vio...

The David Frum Show
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Trump Has Turned America Into a Credit Risk

In this Saturday episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum explains why rising borrowing costs in the United States are not just an economic warning sign but also a measure of America’s declining trust under Donald Trump.

Photo:  Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images

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The David Frum Show
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The Atrocities That Shaped the Modern Middle East

On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with a discussion of the seemingly forgotten attack on the Yazidi people by ISIS in 2014.  Then, David is joined by historian Simon Sebag Montefiore to discuss his new book, “The Cauldron:...

The David Frum Show
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Did America Win the War on Terror?

In the debut Saturday episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum reflects on the quarter century of warfare that has followed September 11, 2001, and asks whether the United States won its War on Terror.

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The David Frum Show
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Inside the White House on 9/11

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum is joined by John McConnell, the longtime senior speechwriter for President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, to discuss their memories of September 11, 2001—25 years later. 

Then, David ends with a discussion of “American Pastoral,” a novel by Philip Roth, and what we can learn about domestic terrorism from the book.

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Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/Listener.

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The David Frum Show
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How Trump Lost Asia

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with a discussion of how Donald Trump has enriched himself and his family during his presidencies. David discusses how these ill-gotten gains bring up difficult questions about the future of American d...

The David Frum Show
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What Are Jewish Voters Supposed to Do?

On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts on the blowing up of trade talks between the U.S. and Canada, and President Trump’s reckless trade war against Canada. David discusses how this trade war hurts not only America...

The David Frum Show
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Was Herbert Hoover America’s Most Misunderstood President?

In this episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his reaction to the Justice Department’s decision to drop its case against the Olympian David Hearn. He argues that the prosecution was baseless from the start and, using the classic “prisoner’s dil...

The David Frum Show
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The Fight That Could Decide 2028

In this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his reaction to President Trump’s latest round of tariffs and explains why he believes they are weakening America’s economy and its alliances. Then, David is joined by his Atlantic colleag...

The David Frum Show
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Why Are Groceries So Expensive?

On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts questioning whether the Trump administration has any plan at all to meet the challenge of debt and deficits.  Then, David is joined by Vincent Smith, director of agricult...

The David Frum Show
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Social Security Is Running Out of Time

On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his reaction to the recent ICE shooting in Maine. Then, David is joined by Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, to discuss the future of Social Sec...

The David Frum Show
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Is the Left Driving Women Away?

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses the recent allegations toward Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner. David warns Democrats that if they don't exercise caution with candidate selection, they risk losing winnable races in the ...

The David Frum Show
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The American Experiment Is Worth Believing In

In this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. David discusses how he hopes Americans can find a future where we rediscover how much there is to be proud of in ...

The David Frum Show
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Did Trump Surrender to Iran?

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts on why American progressives have seemingly abandoned the fight against climate change. He wonders if, after Trumpism is defeated, Americans can go back to solving issues that really ...

The David Frum Show
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Cuba Is Collapsing. Will Trump Invade?

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts on Trump’s new Iran deal and how it affects the future of the Republican Party and J. D. Vance’s presidential aspirations. David discusses the predicament that Vance finds himself in ...

The David Frum Show
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Republicans vs. the Fourteenth Amendment

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts on the Brexit vote, which was cast 10 years ago this month. David explains why Brexit has not only been a failure but has led to years of political instability in the U.K. in the deca...

The David Frum Show
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How to Save the Supreme Court From Itself

In this episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts on growing extremism in the Democratic Party. Frum compares this to the paranoia and conspiratorial thinking that cost the Republican Party dearly in the 2010s and cautions the Democrat...

The David Frum Show
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Has Trump Corrupted the Military?

On this week’s episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts about the recently reported peace talks between the United States and Iran. David argues that these reported talks indicate the United States is losing the war in Iran, and that ...

The David Frum Show
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Trump’s Iran War: America's Loss Is China’s Win

On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his reaction to President Trump’s shocking settlement with the IRS and his new $1.8 billion slush fund for victims of political “weaponization.” Then, David is joined by Phillips O’Brien, ...

The David Frum Show
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What Happens if the U.S. Defaults?

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his reaction to recent reporting surrounding the Trump family’s “patriotic,” Trump-branded cellphones. David explains how this is yet another instance of the most powerful sowing doubt about the f...

The David Frum Show
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How to Survive Losing a Child

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” David is joined by his wife, the writer Danielle Crittenden, to discuss her new memoir, “Dispatches From Grief,” and the loss of their daughter Miranda. 

Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/Listener.

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