In desperate need of a Remnant guest, Jonah Goldberg puts on his trucker hat, drives out to the sleaziest rural bar you can imagine, and dunks Chris Stirewalt’s head into a horse trough. Listen to Jonah and Chris blow the smoke about irony, gallows humor, Iran, Trump’s fashion failures, ties in restaurants, voter ID, the Ken Paxton-John Cornyn race in Texas, Bill Clinton flirting with Nancy Mace, the stolen 2020 election, and Sen. Markwayne Mullin. Show Notes: — Introduction to Ben Sasse’s podca...
Mar 11, 2026•1 hr 13 min
Historian and friend of The Remnant Allen Guelzo has taken a breather from battling for the soul of the West to argue with Jonah Goldberg about the American founding, Edmund Burke, and—horror of horrors—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. Join Jonah and Dr. Guelzo as they explore Western civilization, barbarism, tradition, Marxism as romanticism, the Enlightenment, Locke, Lincoln, the great-man theory of history, and the fundamental cause of the Civil War. Show Notes: — The Golden Thread: A History o...
Mar 09, 2026•1 hr 39 min
After one heck of a week, Jonah Goldberg has a lot to unpack. Jonah visits the advantages of having Congress on board for war, the case for attacking Iran sooner rather than later, Marco Rubio’s Israel gaffe, Pete Hegseth’s chest thumping, Kristi Noem’s entrance into the dust bin of history, Trump’s corrupt “industrial policy,” the Anthropic/Pentagon dustup, and primary elections in the Lone Star State. Note: If you’re in the Baton Rouge area, Jonah will be speaking at LSU on March 20 as part of...
Mar 07, 2026•1 hr 23 min
With bombs falling, missiles flying, and the Ayatollah six feet under, there’s only one man Remnant listeners want on the show. Ken Pollack joins Jonah Goldberg to talk about the feasibility of regime change from the air; the precedents of Kosovo, Operation Desert Fox, and Libya; Iranian social cohesion; the risk of Balkanization; the threat Turkey poses; President Donald Trump’s fear of blowback; the administration’s reason for attacking now; and what happens from here. Show Notes: — Previous R...
Mar 03, 2026•1 hr 16 min
With Captain Jonah Goldberg three sheets to the wind and capsized upon the Caribbean sands, inveterate scallywag Kevin Williamson has seized the helm of HMS Remnant and plotted a course for the far east. Kevin is joined in his journey by Andrew Collier, a Senior Fellow at Harvard's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, wherein they discuss China’s bizarre real-estate situation, Xi Jinping’s economic mindset, Beijing's 2020 crackdown on its tech firms, and what it’s like doing busi...
Mar 02, 2026•50 min
Rum-brained and sunburned, Jonah Goldberg posts up poolside to ruminate on the Caribbean's cruise economy, Woodrow Wilson, how we think about history, Trump’s condo-salesman vanity, the ongoing war in Ukraine, J.D. Vance as the “fraud czar,” and the journalistic ethics of Polymarket. Show Notes: — Wednesday's G-File — AO pod wherein David French acknowledges his intellectual debt to Jonah — Remnant - The Great Cancellation of Woodrow Wilson — Jonah’s book Liberal Fascism — Dan McLaughlin - “The ...
Feb 28, 2026•1 hr 16 min
In need of some good ol’ fashioned conservative inside baseball, Jonah Goldberg turns to the only man he can: Richard Reinsch. Jonah and Richard dive deep into GOP history, examining how the Nixon era serves as a prism through which we can view the MAGA moment, before debunking the recent “white-culture” phenomenon and arguing for a conservatism built on the Declaration of Independence’s immortal words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Shownotes: — Reins...
Feb 25, 2026•1 hr 7 min
On today’s episode, Jonah spoils himself by conversing with historian Sophia Rosenfeld about the history of choice, changes in the meaning of freedom, the significance of the mundane, and the American Revolution’s impact on Europe. Shownotes: — The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life — Jerry Muller: The Mind and the Market: Capitalism in Western Thought — Moscow On The Hudson Coffee Coffee Coffee — FDR: Second Bill of Rights — Milton Friedman: Free to Choose: A Personal Statement ...
Feb 23, 2026•1 hr 7 min
Jonah Goldberg, about to escape the icy north for some sun-soaked R&R, is feeling boisterous. After reveling in his new favorite art form—Donald Trump’s “Truths” set to music—Jonah piles on Jesse Jackson, Iran, the Justice Department, Napoleon III, and Notre Dame, crescendoing with his critique of “white culture” and right-wing identity politics. Shownotes: — Jonah on CNN’s The Arena talking smack about sleazy democrats — Financial Times —“Why Iran is betting on war” — Nick Catoggio's Boilin...
Feb 21, 2026•1 hr 18 min
The Remnant is proud to bestow its newly formed, not-really-endowed chair of lexicography upon Scrabble legend and word nerd Stefan Fatsis. For his first act as chair, Stefan joins Jonah Goldberg to talk about the role of professional lexicographers, whether dictionaries should be normative or descriptive, how dictionaries handle controversial words, and the threat that the digital age poses not only to the dictionary, but to knowledge itself. Show Notes: — Unabridged The Thrill of and Threat to...
Feb 18, 2026•1 hr 11 min
The sun comes up, a new day dawns, and Cass Sunstein publishes another book. Today he joins Jonah Goldberg on The Remnant to discuss the six separations of power that undergird our republic, along with unitary executive theory, democracy, and electoral mandates. Shownotes: — Separation of Powers: How to Preserve Liberty in Troubled Times — Yuval Levin’s book: The Great Debate: Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine, and the Birth of Right and Left — Jonah in National Review : “The Bluto-Burke Connection Rev...
Feb 16, 2026•1 hr 10 min
Fresh off of arguing with Steve Hayes about the different places one can keep a ferret, Jonah Goldberg ruminates on cameras in Congress, choosing between party and principle, Apple News’ First Amendment rights, Kristi Noem’s blanket, the Hayekianism of Burke, Yoram Hazony’s foolishness, and RFK Jr.’s crackpottery. Plus, you should preorder Sarah Isgur’s book. Shownotes: — Friday’s Dispatch Podcast — WSJ piece on Kristi Noem, Corey Lewandowski, and DHS — Cass Sunstein’s book on separation of powe...
Feb 14, 2026•1 hr 19 min
Hyped up on cold medicine and battling delirium, Jonah Goldberg sets off with Elliott Abrams on a globe-trotting adventure in foreign policy covering Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, India, and more. Along the way they discuss the nature of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, the consequences of American unpredictability, Americans' conceptions of human rights abroad, the utility of the term “neoconservative,” and the lies the U.N. was founded on. Show Notes: — Elliott Abrams profile — "Further Back ...
Feb 11, 2026•1 hr 2 min
Back by popular demand, the great jurist-philosopher and godfather of American conservatism Robby George has returned to The Remnant to set Jonah Goldberg straight about truth, natural law, and the common good. Jonah and Robby talk about the Western tradition, the age of feelings, different kinds of rights, the death penalty, new paganism, and Robby’s desire to fight for the soul of conservatism. Shownotes: — Seeking Truth and Speaking Truth: Law and Morality in Our Cultural Moment — George Varo...
Feb 09, 2026•1 hr 15 min
The Ruminant is vindicated!!! After years of Steve Hayes and The Fair Jessica griping about Jonah’s peculiar habit of ruminating alone in his basement, new stats have proved their skepticism decidedly misplaced. Tune in to learn all about it, along with Jonah’s thoughts on the terms ‘progressive’ and ‘fascist,’ the Melania movie, Trump’s state-capitalism, The Washington Post , and hypocrisy as a violation of the American creed. But first, some sad news… Shownotes: — Friday’s Dispatch Pod — Megan...
Feb 07, 2026•1 hr 13 min
Every once and a while, The Remnant rewards a faithful listener by bringing him on the show. Well, assuming he’s a national security expert. One such lucky listener is Eli Lake, who joins Jonah Goldberg to talk about the Shah of Iran, the Ayatollah, the current state of play in Islamic Republic, President Trump, and B.S. levels in our politics. Shownotes: — Eli’s piece: “Reza Pahlavi: Iran’s Reluctant Prince” — Eli’s Breaking History podcast — Remnant with Ken Pollack — Iranian Commander's Daugh...
Feb 04, 2026•1 hr 24 min
Today on The Remnant , university-reform eggheads Ben and Jenna Storey join Neanderthal-in-remediation Jonah Goldberg to talk about civic education and recent efforts to rejuvenate American higher ed. Jonah and the Storeys cover university governance, the relationship between civics and the liberal arts, the significance of postliberalism, and the reasons for thinking seriously. Show Notes: — Center for the Future of the American University — Ben and Jenna Storey’s book - Why We Are Restless — R...
Feb 02, 2026•1 hr 13 min
Jonah Goldberg, haggard and weary, returns from his cross-country blizzard travels grateful to sit once again in his misanthrope’s podcasting den and record a Ruminant . Jonah unpacks his recent conversation with Pete Buttigieg, exposes the number of unfortunate careers launched by John Podhoretz, takes down Yoram Hazony and the NatCons, and analyzes the fallout from the Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis. Shownotes: — Remnant on Tucker Carlson — Remnant with Matt Franck — Steve Hayes in The Di...
Jan 31, 2026•1 hr 24 min
Jonah Goldberg was proudly perusing his long list of previous Remnant guests when he discovered a crucial omission! Where is Matt Franck??? In today’s episode, Jonah and Matt have a long overdue sit-down to chew over some important problems, including people’s motivations for going MAGA, unitary executive theory, the pardon power, the Senate’s role in preserving federalism, and what constitutional amendments they would support. Shownotes: — Matt Franck’s Public Discourse page — Remnant with Laur...
Jan 28, 2026•1 hr 9 min
When Captain Jonah Goldberg goes missing during his icy search for the Northwest Passage, first mate Steve Hayes commandeers The HMS Remnant and steers her into troubled waters. Joined by The Dispatch 's John McCormack, Steve invites aboard journalist Jason Zengerle to discuss his new book on the fascinating and unnerving career of Tucker Carlson. Together, the trio cover the creation of The Daily Caller , Tucker’s Trump-fueled comeback at Fox , and his ultimate embrace of Nick Fuentes and the e...
Jan 26, 2026•1 hr 25 min
As Jonah Goldberg gears up to brave the coming snowpocalypse, he pauses to consider the times, reflecting on President Donald Trump’s waste of political capital over Greenland, the long-term effects of college protest culture, the creepiness of antisemitic thinking, and—most importantly—his takes on Star Trek and America’s great sitcoms. Shownotes: — The most recent Dispatch Pod — Katie Pavlich interviews Trump for NewsNation — Last week’s G-File — NYT post-mortem on Biden immigration policy — “...
Jan 24, 2026•1 hr 22 min
Elliot Williams returns to The Remnant in triumph to discuss his new book, Five Bullets . Jonah Goldberg and Elliot brave technical difficulties to discuss the Bernie Goetz case, the blackout of ‘77, Rupert Murdoch, Trump’s political origins, and the echoes of ‘80s New York today. Shownotes: — Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York's Explosive '80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial That Divided the Nation — Most recent appearance of Elliot Williams on The Remnant The Remnant is a produc...
Jan 21, 2026•55 min
Ken Pollack, vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute, joins Jonah Goldberg to discuss the reality of regime change in Iran, what’s next for the Iranian nuclear program, and the politics around taking Greenland. The Agenda: –Historical patterns of uprisings in Iran –Is this different? –It’s the economy, stupid! –Potential military strategies –Understanding the Iranian threat –Iran’s nuclear program –The shah’s complex legacy –Greenland, now what? Show Notes: – Monday’s TMD on Iran ...
Jan 19, 2026•1 hr 37 min
Jonah Goldberg starts this Ruminant off with a bang by defending his take on the ICE shooting, then jumping headfirst into his thoughts on Labor Department posts and Woodrow Wilson’s fascistic America. He also muses on his father’s defense of the Shah, takes on right- and left-wing antisemitism, and tries out a new metaphor for Donald Trump. Plus, listeners will be treated to ... a confession. Shownotes: — Jonah’s take on the Minneapolis ICE shooting on The Dispatch Podcast — Advisory Opinions o...
Jan 17, 2026•1 hr 20 min
In her debut appearance at Le Bistro Remnant , Rebecca Newberger-Goldstein serves up a philosophical Smörgåsbord for Jonah Goldberg, including the four forms of mattering, the distinction between humans and other animals, the brilliance and depression of William James, and the principle of entropy, all with a little bit of Spinoza sprinkled in. Shownotes: — The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us — Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity — 36 Ar...
Jan 14, 2026•1 hr 7 min
Jonah Goldberg is joined by Ken Burns, the prolific American filmmaker behind documentaries on the Civil War and American Revolution. The two discuss the importance of historical narratives, why George Washington is so pivotal, and whether Jonah would have been a Loyalist or Patriot. Show Notes: — Washington Monthly 's review of The American Revolution (2025) — Jonah's Next 250 essay: "The American Revolution Was a Really Big Deal" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 12, 2026•1 hr 16 min
Jonah Goldberg ruminates on the Trump administration's response to the ICE shooting in Minneapolis, the use of the word "regime," and where nationalism goes wrong. Show Notes: — Wednesday's G-File — Friday's Dispatch Podcast The Remnant 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 access to all of Jonah’s G-File newsletters— click here ....
Jan 10, 2026•1 hr 13 min
Jonah Goldberg is joined by returning guest Matt Ridley, author of Birds, Sex and Beauty: The Extraordinary Implications of Charles Darwin's Strangest Idea . The two discuss the beauty of birds and the distinction between natural selection and sexual selection, how species evolve to adapt to city life, and the origins of the COVID-19 virus. Show Notes: — Matt's previous appearance on The Remnant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 07, 2026•1 hr 12 min
In the second installment of The Remnant ’s unofficial presidential-biographers series, Jonah Goldberg powwows with Lindsay Chervinsky about John Adams, the Alien and Sedition Acts, unwritten laws, the pardon power, and the centrality of the Continental Army to the development of American identity. Plus, Jonah asks Lindsay about his favorite libertarian urban myth. Shownotes: — Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic — List of vice presidents of the United S...
Jan 05, 2026•1 hr 10 min
Jonah Goldberg ruminates on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's inauguration speech and the mayor's strange appeal to the "warmth of collectivism." He then reviews Paul Thomas Anderson's film One Battle After Another and explains how the Minnesota fraud story is discrediting some mainstream journalists. Show Notes: — The Remnant with Chris Stirewalt The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch , a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative ...
Jan 03, 2026•1 hr 13 min
