The Mona Charen Show

The Mona Charen Show

After a great five year run on Beg to Differ, Mona Charen brings you a new show dedicated to deepening your understanding of complex issues and trends facing society. Each week she'll engage an expert for a probing discussion that goes past the day's headlines.

Episodes

June 23, 2025 65 mins
Linda Chavez joined Mona Charen to discuss her debut novel The Silver Candlesticks, inspired by a personal revelation during an appearance on Finding Your Roots that her ancestors were secret Jews persecuted during the Spanish Inquisition. The novel explores themes of religious identity, repression, and survival, drawing on her family's history in Spain and the New World, as well as her own experience converting to Judaism. Th...
Mark as Played
Kevin D. Williamson of The Dispatch muses about the voters' culpability for Trump, socialism, and the "Abundance" agenda. They explore the cultural and economic decline of American civic virtue, the bipartisan slide into demagoguery, and Williamson’s disdain for both Trumpism and technocratic central planning. 

Support American family farms and join the Moink Movement today at Moinkbox.com/MONA and get FREE wings FOR...
Mark as Played
June 2, 2025 44 mins
The Atlantic's Jonathan Rauch joins Mona to talk about Trump's Achilles Heel.

Mark as Played
May 26, 2025 50 mins
Jay Nordlinger returns to discuss whether conservatism remains valid in the MAGA era.

Sponsors: Listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from NPR – wherever you get podcasts.

REFERENCES:

Mark as Played
May 19, 2025 60 mins
Economist Noah Smith delves into the myth of the "hollowed out" middle class, the folly of protectionism, and more. He and Mona differ on Trump's handling of Covid and . . . American chocolate.

Support American family farms and join the Moink Movement today at Moinkbox.com/MONA and get FREE wings FOR LIFE.

Oneskin: For a limited time, you can try OneSkin with 15% off using code MONACHAREN 

The Mona C...
Mark as Played
May 12, 2025 86 mins
Columnist and music critic Jay Nordlinger joins Mona for an excursion into classical music. No coat or tie required.

REFERENCES:

Here’s a list of every musical piece played in the episode.

  1. Thomas Tallis – Motet from the Gospel of John
  2. Johann Sebastian Bach – Preludio from Partita in E major for solo violin
  3. J.S. Bach (arr. Rachmaninoff) – Preludio (Bach/Rachmaninoff transcription)
  4. Ludwig...
Mark as Played
May 5, 2025 65 mins
The New Yorker's Susan Glasser joins Mona to discuss Trump's big beautiful deals, the cowardice of the press, and more.

Head to moshlife.com/MONA to save 20% off plus FREE shipping on the Best sellers Trial Pack.

References: 

Mark as Played
Mona talks with Richard Kahlenberg about a proposal to make college admissions more fair in a post race preferences world.

The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add the show to your player of choice, here.

Listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from...
Mark as Played
April 21, 2025 66 mins
The Atlantic's Peter Wehner offers insights into the transformation of the GOP from the party that passed PEPFAR to the MAGA warriors of today.

The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. New shows drop Mondays. Find this show wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube.

Go to Hungryroot.com/CHAREN and use code CHAREN to get 40% off your firs...
Mark as Played
April 14, 2025 67 mins

Greg Lukianoff of FIRE joins Mona to discuss why free speech matters (hint, it's not for the powerful) and how left and right are attempting to destroy it.

The Mona Charen Show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/mona and get on your way to being your best self.

REFERENCES:

The Canceling of the American Mind: Cancel Culture Undermines Trust and Threatens Us A...
Mark as Played
April 7, 2025 65 mins
The Atlantic's Helen Lewis joins Mona to talk about Andrew Tate, backlash to MAGA in Europe, and how polarization suppresses reasonable doubts about treatment of trans kids.

References:
 
When You’re MAGA, They Let You Do It...
Why Trumpworld is just fine with Andrew Tate’s violent misogyny, by Helen Lewis

The Global Populist Right Has a MAGA Problem... In Europe, Trump looks too extreme even for man...
Mark as Played
March 31, 2025 34 mins
In this show before a live audience, Mona talks with Stephen Richer about standing up for reality, tangling with Kari Lake, and his political future.

Head to moshlife.com/MONA to save 20% off plus FREE shipping on the Best sellers Trial Pack.
Mark as Played
David Frum joins Mona to discuss Trump's Canada gripes, how tariffs will/are sabotaging America, NATO, defying court orders, and how best to counter all of it.

Go to Hungryroot.com/CHAREN and use code CHAREN to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life.

REFERENCES:
Why Cede the Flag to Trump? by David Frum in The Atlantic (2017)

Mark as Played
Famed virologist Dr. Paul Offit describes his encounters with RFK, Jr., vaccine misinformation, trust in medicine, and what he fears most.

REFERENCES:

Mark as Played
March 10, 2025 42 mins
The Manhattan Institute's Jessica Reidl explains the fake fiscal posturing of DOGE as well as the ground truths about deficits and national debt. Predictions: More inflation, lower growth, less prosperity.
Get started at FACTORMEALS.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping.
Mark as Played
March 8, 2025 52 mins
Josh Barro joins Mona to discuss where the party needs to change, refocus on practical governance, and how to broaden its appeal to win elections against a rising Republican authoritarian threat.

References

...
Mark as Played
March 3, 2025 54 mins
The Bulwark's Cathy Young joins Mona to discuss where DEI went wrong and also the unfathomable racism of the Trump Administration.

Referenced Works and Sources

  1. Reflections of an Affirmative Action Baby by Steven Carter

    • Discusses the complexities and unintended consequences of affirmative action from a personal and academic perspective.

  2. The Bakke Case (Regents of ...
Mark as Played
February 24, 2025 62 mins
David French joins to discuss upending the NATO alliance, attacks on the rule of law, and how the pardon power was one of the Founders' worst mistakes. 

The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. Ad-free editions are exclusively available for Bulwark+ members. Add the show to your player of choice, here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts and on ...
Mark as Played
February 17, 2025 64 mins
AEI's Michael Strain analyzes the mistakes left and right make about middle class stagnation, quality of life, and other matters. Plus, what is risked when Trump/Musk attack foundational institutions.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/mona and get on your way to being your best self.

Referenced Works & Figures:

  • Michael Strain’s Book...
Mark as Played
February 10, 2025 76 mins
Mona welcomes Renée DiResta to discuss how social media has distorted our perceptions and how to navigates the world of influencers, online mobs, and lairs.

The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. Ad-free editions are exclusively available for Bulwark+ members. Add the show to your player of choice, here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts and...
  • Mark as Played

    Popular Podcasts

      Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.

      On Purpose with Jay Shetty

      I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

      Dateline NBC

      Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

      24/7 News: The Latest

      The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

      The Bobby Bones Show

      Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    Advertise With Us
    Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

    Connect

    © 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.