The Mona Charen Show

Trump Bombed Iran—Then Gave It Everything It Wanted (w/ Andrew Fox) | Mona Charen Show

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 presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky about her book, “Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic.”

Book Club: “If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal” (w/ Mark Hertling)

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 those who serve.Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MONACHAREN at https://www.oneskin.co/MONACHAREN #oneskinpodBuy Mark's book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1966786727/?tag=bulwark08-20Get a signed copy: https://www.ballastbooks.com/ballast-bookstore/if-i-dont-return

Trump's Tough-Guy Act Is Finally Falling Apart (w/ Will Saletan)

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 in Canada, too.

Trump's Staggering Corruption Is Finally Catching Up to Him (w/ Jonathan Chait)

Jonathan Chait of The Atlantic joins Mona to discuss the incredible scope and scale of Trump’s corruption—from the $4 billion the Trump family has added to its net worth since January 2025, to the $1.776 billion “weaponization” slush fund, to the dozens of DOJ officials who quit rather than follow corrupt orders. They trace how a century of progressive-era reforms that kept American government relatively clean is being systematically dismantled, and why the mafia-style loyalty-and-punishment logic now governing federal law enforcement is more authoritarian than merely corrupt. Plus: are Senate Republicans finally showing a spine? And is the Democratic Party’s new obsession with monopolies as the root of all evil a winning strategy—or a trap?Make laundry day the best day of the week! Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code MONA at https://laundrysauce.com/MONA #laundrysaucepodRead Jonathan’s article on the $1.8 billion slush fund: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/trump-anti-weaponization-fund-january-6/687215/Read Mona’s article on Trump’s corruption: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-corrupt-is-trump-here-are-the-numbers-trades-chips-nvidia-pardons-settlement-fund

Danielle Crittenden on Losing Her Daughter

Mona Charen is joined by her dear friend Danielle Crittenden for a powerful and honest discussion about the journey that led Danielle to write a book titled Dispatches from Grief. Danielle’s daughter died suddenly in early 2024 at the age of 32. Mona and Danielle talk about the shock of the loss, the ongoing emotional and physical pain of grief, the power of religious rituals and how eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has helped with Danielle’s healing.Show notes:Danielle’s book Dispatches From Grief: A Mother’s Journey Through The UnimaginableWe know so many of you love reading, so we are excited to share with you that we are starting a monthly book club with Mona Charen.Mona’s first pick: retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling’s book, If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal.Join the conversation! Drop your questions or comments about the book for Mona to explore with Gen. Hertling here. We’ll pin this post to the top of The Mona Charen Show page on the site.Programming note: June 8 at 7pm EDT, Mona will interview retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling about his new book If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal live on Substack. Watch your inbox for details.