David Frum

“That’s not the America that I believed in and that I chose to merge my fate with.” — David Frum on Trump’s predatory foreign policy What does it mean to be an American? It’s a slippery question — especially for those of us born outside the United States. Take, for example, David Frum , the Toronto-born writer and Presidential speechwriter who coined the phrase “Axis of Evil” in 2002. Back then, it included Iran, Iraq and North Korea. Today, one wonders if Frum, who has written two powerful jeremiads about Donald Trump, would include what he calls this "fascoid" in this exclusive club. Frum still lives part of the year on Loyalist Parkway in Ontario — a road honouring British troops fleeing the American Revolution. From his deck, what remains of the Canadian in Frum gazes across Lake Ontario at the American shore. The lights on the other side of the lake, he admits, are more glittering. But unlike Nick Carraway in his favourite American novel The Great Gatsby , David Frum isn’t seduced by all that glitters. Carraway, Frum says, is an unreliable narrator impressed by the gangster glamour of Jay Gatsby. But Gatsby, like Donald Trump, Frum reminds us, is a criminal. And Gatsby, perhaps also like Trump, is at least part of the answer of what it means to be an American. Five Takeaways • Loyalist Parkway: Canada as the Product of the American Revolution: Frum spends part of the year on Loyalist Parkway in Ontario — a road named for the refugees who fled the American Revolution northward and settled across Lake Ontario. Canada, in his telling, is the product of what he calls the American civil war that nobody calls that: the revolution of 1776. It was, for the Loyalists, a shattering loss. From his house, he looks across the lake at the American shore. There is something brighter there, more glittering, more charged. That particular Canadian vantage point — attracted to and slightly outside of America — is where Frum and Zakaria both live. • Predatory America: Trump vs the American Tradition: America is currently at war with Iran. Trump’s stated aim, in Frum’s analysis, is purely predatory — to take Iran’s oil, enrich the United States by impoverishing Iranians, plunder like a bandit. He compares this to Trump’s Venezuela policy. Frum’s verdict: that is a president against the American tradition. George W. Bush — whatever the failures of the Iraq war — went to Iraq to overthrow a dictatorship and bring a better future. He went in the name of American ideals. Trump invokes no ideals. He just wants the oil. • The Axis of Evil Defence: Andrew raises the uncomfortable parallel: Frum coined “axis of evil,” worked for Bush, helped set the fuse for the wars that led, arguably, to the current moment. Frum’s defence is structural. The Iraq war of 2003 was the continuation of a conflict that began when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. Bill Clinton nearly returned to war with Iraq in 1994 and struck it in 1998, for the same reason: Iraq’s violation of the 1991 armistice. Bush was following that path. He went to war in the name of ideals. He didn’t go to steal Iraq’s oil. That is the American tradition, even in failure. • Nick Carraway Is an Unreliable Narrator: The conversation’s most surprising section: Frum on The Great Gatsby . Nick Carraway, Frum argues, is not a reliable guide to Gatsby’s moral complexity. He is a narrator seduced by gangster glamour — who constructs moral explanations for an attraction he knows he shouldn’t feel. The tell: Nick is horrified by the glamour one night, then thrilled the next morning to fly in Gatsby’s private seaplane. Gatsby is a criminal. And Gatsby is, for Fitzgerald, a symbol of America: a self-invented perso

The U.S. war with Iran is not—despite promises from the White House—over. Nonetheless, premier national commentator David Frum is ready to declare a loser: Donald Trump. Together Harry and David piece through the interlocking personal failings of the president that foretold a winnable war against a far weaker enemy would become a debacle. And the two tackle how those traits shape Trump’s more successful pursuits: self-enrichment, going around the Constitution, and Mar-a-Lago-ifying the nation’s capital. Mentioned in this episode: David's columns: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/ David's piece "Why Trump Lost": https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/05/why-trump-lost-iran/687291/ David's podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDamP-pfOskNgMNI1eg0pajQfRu-q3NUO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Atlantic’s David Frum helps Matt unpack the biggest political stories of the week under Trump’s second term — from shaky foreign policy wins to domestic self-inflicted wounds. During this conversation, David and Matt cover a TON of ground, including: — Trump’s tentative Iran deal and the Strait of Hormuz: Why Frum says the U.S. has already lost strategic dominance and Iran remains in control — Shocking Democratic Senate candidate problems: The “Nazi tattoo” contender in Maine and the leading candidate in New Jersey with Al-Qaeda ties — and how this poisons the national brand — Trump’s gaudy White House renovations, gold-leaf excess, and the cage-fight spectacle for America’s 250th anniversary — a stark contrast to 1876 and 1976 celebrations — The proposed $250 bill featuring Donald Trump and what it reveals about narcissism and drift from founding principles — Jill Biden’s “horrified” debate night account — stroke fears, the cover-up, and lessons on vice-presidential succession failures from Obama to Harris — Newt Gingrich now calls the Clinton impeachment a mistake — Frum’s takedown of the revisionism and character questions — Pentagon preparations for potential Cuba action — humanitarian opportunity or another Trump distraction/war? — Justice Department investigating E. Jean Carroll’s case funders (Reid Hoffman) and the weaponization pattern — J.D. Vance grading the Pope’s AI encyclical and why Frum says the VP should stick to non-controversial issues — 2026 Midterm outlook: Democratic popular vote edge vs. GOP gerrymandering advantage — and why candidate quality could cost Dems the Senate Subscribe to Matt Lewis on Substack: https://mattklewis.substack.com/Support Matt Lewis at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattlewisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattLewisDCTwitter: https://twitter.com/mattklewisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattlewisreels/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhSMpjOzydlnxm5TDcYn0A– Who is Matt Lewis? –Matt K. Lewis is a political commentator and the author of Filthy Rich Politicians. Buy Matt's books: FILTHY RICH POLITICIANS: https://www.amazon.com/Filthy-Rich-Politicians-Creatures-Ruling-Class/dp/1546004416TOO DUMB TO FAIL: https://www.amazon.com/Too-Dumb-Fail-Revolution-Conservative/dp/0316383937 Copyright © 2026, BBL & BWL, LLC

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Usually, an assassination attempt outside a dinner with the president would be a HUGE news event. Instead, the voters in our focus groups weren't talking much about it, and when we brought it up, we heard a LOT of conspiracy theories. We also talked to some Republican voters about whether '86' is really a violent threat, as this week's indictment against James Comey alleges. Atlantic staff writer David Frum joins Sarah for a wide-ranging conversation on the week's events, voters' reactions, and keeping American democracy strong for the long haul. By David’s wife, Danielle Crittenden: Dispatches from Grief: A Mother’s Journey Through the Unthinkable By David Frum: The David Frum Show MAGA’s Strange Quiet After the Shooting Get tickets to The Bulwark's May live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles ! Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September! Watch, listen, and leave a comment . Hit that like 🤍 button and share this episode with a friend. Ad-free editions are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Upgrade now to listen without ads and to join the community in the comments. The Focus Group with Sarah Longwell is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Click to find the show or add this podcast to your player of choice, here .

Usually, an assassination attempt outside a dinner with the president would be a HUGE news event. Instead, the voters in our focus groups weren't talking much about it, and when we brought it up, we heard a LOT of conspiracy theories. We also talked to some Republican voters about whether '86' is really a violent threat, as this week's indictment against James Comey alleges. Atlantic staff writer David Frum joins Sarah for a wide-ranging conversation on the week's events, voters' reactions, and keeping American democracy strong for the long haul. By David’s wife, Danielle Crittenden: Dispatches from Grief: A Mother’s Journey Through the Unthinkable By David Frum: The David Frum Show MAGA’s Strange Quiet After the Shooting Get tickets to The Bulwark's May live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles !

We had a chaotic start to the new year with Donald Trump invading Venezuela and kidnapping dictator Nicolás Maduro. We’re joined by The Atlantic's David Frum to help us make sense of and give us important context on the situation. Trump says that America is running the country and might be there for years to come. It sounds more like old-fashioned imperialism than a democratic transition. Trump has openly admitted that this is about oil. He says he's taking Venezuelan oil and putting it into a special account controlled only by the President. Isn't it the job of Congress to appropriate how money is spent in this country? We also discuss the administration's plans for Greenland. Are we actually prepared to seize it from our NATO ally, Denmark? Trump says yes. How crazy is that?! Al also shares his thoughts on the horrific situation in his home state of Minnesota as ICE’s reckless aggression led to the murder of Renee Good. READ David Frum in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/ LISTEN to The David Frum Show: https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/the-david-frum-show/ SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS: Bundle up with some warm weather clothes from Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at https://www.quince.com/Franken Visit American Giant to get their Classic Full Zip Hoodie and other cold weather staples. Get 20% off of your first order with code FRANKEN at checkout! https://www.american-giant.com

Trump and the people around him want to use the Kirk assassination to suppress their political opposition. And Trump is clearly laying the groundwork for cracking down on people he doesn't like—peaceful protesters, Dem fundraisers—while also offering rhetorical comfort to potential vigilantes on the right. Meanwhile, we are witnessing the danger of having an incompetent person atop the FBI, who alternates his time between posting for clicks and purging the bureau of highly qualified personnel for political cred. Plus, Vance is running for the 2028 nomination every day, the raid on the Georgia Hyundai plant shows the incoherence and stupidity of Trump's economic vision, and as Putin tests the resilience of NATO, the White House is playing politics in Poland. David Frum joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes Frum's "Trump Is No Nationalist" piece Bill's tribute to Georgia police officer David Rose Bob Kagan's "The Beginning of the End of Nato" Tim referenced The poem, "For Whom the Bell Tolls" Tim's playlist Frum's podcast Bulwark Live in DC and NYC at TheBulwark.com/events . Tix on sale next week for extra Toronto show!

David Frum is a staff writer at the Atlantic and host of “The David Frum show” podcast. He is the author of ten books, most recently TRUMPOCALYPSE: Restoring American Democracy. David has been active in Republican politics since the first Reagan campaign of 1980. From 2014 through 2017 he served as chairman of the board of trustees of the leading UK center-right think tank, Policy Exchange. In 2001-2002, he served as speechwriter and special assistant to President George W. Bush. This conversation has such deep personal meaning to me, as David and i talked not just about politics, but also about loss and grief and his emotional journey these past seventeen months as he and his family mourn the devastating loss of his daughter Miranda, 32. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on how world leaders are beyond furious at Donald Trump’s behavior and Meiselas speaks with David Frum from The Atlantic who just launched The David Frum Show with The Atlantic and Frum shares his observations. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump has effectively imposed a trade embargo on China, which means that after the inventory runs out, American retail will soon dry up. And since Europeans are already bypassing U.S. military contractors to beef up their defense spending —El Salvador is our only ally now— Trump is likely to do something desperate, like firing the Fed chair or seizing Greenland. American presidents decades from now will still be cleaning up what Trump did to this country in 2025. David Frum breaks down the insanity and stupidity of the vision behind the tariffs regime as well as the deep feelings of betrayal in Canada. If globalism means peace, prosperity, and commerce, then let's be globalists. David Frum joins guest host Jonathan V. Last for the weekend pod. show notes David's new Atlantic podcast David on screw manufacturing and the absurdity of Trump's tariffs David on how the tariffs will make smuggling great again Tim's playlist

Notorious RINO and Atlantic writer David Frum joins Jamie Weinstein to explain why he’s voting for Kamala Harris this election. Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush and a longtime critic of Donald Trump, believes that the current Republican Party no longer reflects conservative principles and has been overtaken by populism. The Agenda: —Frum’s history with conservatism —Donald Trump as a “unique danger” —Frum’s personal connection to the Gaza hostages —Assessing Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s foreign relation strategy — Is J.D. Vance dangerous ? —Is Frum still a border hawk? —Canada’s new leaders are emerging after housing crisis —What to make of campus protests over Gaza Show Notes: — Frum for The Atlantic : Women Can Be Autocrats, Too The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch ’s offerings—including members-only newsletters, bonus podcast episodes, and weekly livestreams— click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Schaeffer In Conversation with Former Speechwriter and Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, Staff Writer for The Atlantic, and New York Times Bestselling Author David Frum. _____ LINKS https://davidfrum.com https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/ _____ David Frum is a staff writer at the Atlantic. Frum is the author of ten books, most recently TRUMPOCALYPSE: Restoring American Democracy (HarperCollins, 2020). His first book, Dead Right, won praise from William F. Buckley as “the most refreshing intellectual experience in a generation” and from Frank Rich in the New York Times as “the smartest book written from the inside about the American conservative movement.” In National Review, John Podhoretz hailed Frum’s history of the 1970s, How We Got Here, as “an audacious act of revisionism, written in a voice and style so original it deserves to be called revolutionary.” Arianna Huffington said of Frum’s 2012 novel, Patriots, “David Frum is someone who fearlessly speaks his mind, regardless of where the chips may fall, so it’s no surprise he’s able to convey so much truth in his fiction.” Frum’s memoir of his service in the George W. Bush administration, The Right Man, was a New York Times bestseller, as was his 2018 book, Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic. David Frum has been active in Republican politics since the first Reagan campaign of 1980. From 2014 through 2017, Frum served as chairman of the board of trustees of the leading UK center-right think tank, Policy Exchange. In 2001-2002, he served as speechwriter and special assistant to President George W. Bush. David Frum holds a BA and MA in history from Yale and a law degree from Harvard, where he served as President of the Federalist Society. He and his wife Danielle Crittenden Frum live in Washington DC and Wellington, Ontario. They have three adult children. _____ I have had the pleasure of talking to some of the leading authors, artists, activists, and change-makers of our time on this podcast, and I want to personally thank you for subscribing, listening, and sharing 100-plus episodes over 100,000 times. Please subscribe to this Podcast, In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer, on your favorite platform, and to my Substack, It Has to Be Said . Thanks! Every subscription helps create, build, sustain and put voice to this movement for truth. Subscribe to It Has to Be Said. The Gospel of Zip will be released in print and on Amazon Kindle , and as a full video on YouTube and Substack that you can watch or listen to for free . Support the show _____ In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer is a production of the George Bailey Morality in Public Life Fellowship. It is hosted by Frank Schaeffer, author of The Gospel of Zip . Learn more at https://www.thegospelofzip.com/ Follow Frank on Substack, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube. https://frankschaeffer.substack.com https://www.facebook.com/frank.schaeffer.16 https://twitter.com/Frank_Schaeffer https://www.instagram.com/frank_schaeffer_art https://w