The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

Editor’s note: Jonah Goldberg has vanished somewhere in the Swiss Alps. While search-and-rescue teams brave the mountains, we’re re-airing a Remnant classic with fan favorite Yuval Levin. This episode first aired March 26, 2025. Not since Thomas Jefferson podcasting alone has a guest been so wise as Yuval Levin, who joins Jonah Goldberg to discuss the trend of Lebowskian communication mishaps, the danger of obsessive abstraction in Trumpian times, and the promise of connecting with the median voter. Show Notes:—The Atlantic: "Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans"—Yuval on The Ezra Klein Show—Yoni Appelbaum on The Remnant—National Review: "Look on My Works, Ye Mighty, and Despair!"—Yuval for The Free Press 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Jonah’s travels continue, guest host Kevin Williamson is joined by Dan Wang, author of Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future, for a discussion of China’s approach to engineering in the 21st century, what living in Shanghai during the pandemic was like, and the future of U.S.-China relations. Show Notes:—Dan Wang’s website—Kevin for The Dispatch: “Understanding China’s Engineering Empire” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Editor’s Note: Jonah is traveling this week, but he pre-recorded this episode with Claire Lehmann on September 8 to make sure you got your Remnant fix. Claire Lehmann, founder of Quillette and contributing writer for The Dispatch, joins Jonah Goldberg to discuss the radicalization of young women, the new wave of wokeness championed by figures like Zohran Mamdani, and why Australia is a terrifying continent filled with creatures that want you dead. Show Notes:—Claire Lehmann for The Dispatch: "The Next Generation of Wokeness"—Claire Lehmann for The Dispatch: "When Women Are Radicalized" 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Goldberg dissects the inflammatory ‘war’ rhetoric coming from both the right and left following the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk, the rise of political violence in recent years, and the various forms of killing throughout human history. But first, Jonah wants you to know he’s not an arsonist. Show Notes:—Jonah Goldberg for National Review: Debate Amongst Yourselves—Charles Fain Lehmann on The Remnant—Justice Amy Coney Barrett on Advisory Opinions 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Goldberg sits down with Graeme Wood of The Atlantic to break down Iran’s recovery after its 12-day war with Israel, the chances of regime change, and what’s next for Israel in Gaza. Plus: Why honor among nations still matters. Show Notes:—The Neighbor From Hell—For Iranians, War With Israel Still Looms Large 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Stirewalt joins Jonah Goldberg to unpack the Frasier-esque undertones of Donald Trump’s birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ capitulation on vaccine mandates, and the “mean girls” dynamic inside the Trump administration. Show Notes:—Seth Masket's Substack on the popularity of the presidency 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Goldberg ruminates on the recent exchange between Ted Cruz and Tim Kaine on the celestial origins of rights, the idea of “heritage Americans,” and Donald Trump’s dying relationship with Modi. Show Notes:—Cass Sunstein on The Remnant—Michael Warren reporting on the NatCons—Friday's Dispatch Podcast—Friday’s G-File Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice week continues with Charles Fain Lehman, Manhattan Institute fellow and Dispatch contributing writer, joining Jonah Goldberg for a discussion on drug addiction, legalized gambling, and porn. Show Notes:—Charles for The Dispatch: “The Sports Gambling Backlash Is Here”—Charles for The Dispatch: “It’s Time to Prosecute Pornhub” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Carney, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Jonah Goldberg to unpack his latest investigative reporting on a local brothel, and they discuss the cronyism lurking behind tariffs as well as misconceptions common on both the left and the right about encouraging Americans to have more children. Show Notes:—Read Tim's book: Family Unfriendly: A Critical Examination of Overparenting and Its Consequences—Read Tim's reporting on the Falls Church brothel 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Goldberg addresses the ‘thoughts and prayers’ backlash following the tragic school shooting in Minneapolis, examines fractures within the Trump coalition, and continues the Dispatch Roundtable’s discussion of how bad Franklin D. Roosevelt was as a president. Show Notes:—In Defense of Thoughts and Prayers—Michael Brandon Doughtery's article for National Review—Friday's Dispatch Roundtable—Daniel McCarthy's response to Jonah 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Goldberg is joined by Cass Sunstein, legal scholar and author of Manipulation: What It Is, Why It’s Bad, What to Do About It, to define liberalism once and for all (it means being a mensch), explain the role of “nudging” in public policy, and defend the “abundance” agenda. Show Notes:—Sludge: What Stops Us from Getting Things Done and What to Do About It 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lord Daniel Hannan of Kingsclere joins Jonah Goldberg for a royal breakdown of new speech laws in the United Kingdom and to provide a history lesson on the Conservative Party. Show Notes: —⁠Hannan's website⁠ 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠by clicking here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Goldberg ruminates on the FBI search of John Bolton’s home, the uselessness of political labels, and how the ghost of Joseph McCarthy and the Soviet Union still haunts us. Plus: More I-told-you-so’s from Liberal Fascism and Suicide of the West. Show Notes:—The Atlantic’s profile of Laura Loomer—James Kirchick on Tucker Carlson—Charles Fain Lehman on guaranteed income programs—Wednesday’s G-File—Fact check on Trump’s “six wars” claim 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carole Hooven, evolutionary biologist and nonresident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Jonah Goldberg to discuss the differences between gender and sex, homosexuality in the animal kingdom, and epigenetics. 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmett Rensin, author of The Complications: On Going Insane in America, joins Jonah Goldberg for a candid conversation on the state of our mental health institutions, the history of the insanity defense and his own challenges navigating care while living with schizoaffective disorder. Show Notes:—Rensin's essay for The Dispatch 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Goldberg analyzes the strategic chess match between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin before diving into the federal takeover of D.C.’s streets and the president’s takeover of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Show Notes:—Kevin Williamson's Wanderland on postmodernists—Jonah's G-File on postmodernists—Megan McArdle in the Washington Post on crime—Grayson Logue for The Dispatch: “What’s Next for the Bureau of Labor Statistics?” 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Goldberg invites Barry Strauss, author of Jews vs. Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World’s Mightiest Empire, to discuss the clashes between these two ancient worlds, focusing on key events like the Siege of Masada and the Bar Kokhba revolt. Discover how these uprisings not only challenged Roman authority but also shaped the cultural and political landscape of current events. Show Notes:—Read Strauss’ other books 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. David Keith, professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago and founder of Carbon Engineering, joins Jonah Goldbergto explain the controversy surrounding geoengineering. Together, he and Jonah brainstorm ways to decarbonize the economy, argue over the fine print of climate policy, and wonder if humanity can fix the planet without accidentally turning it into a giant Easy-Bake Oven. Show Notes:—Dr. Keith's bio 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. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With his memory fading, Jonah Goldberg is fed up with his difficulty with remembering things, and pundits and politicians’ refusal to tell the truth. He ruminates over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Hamas acting as a prison gang, tariffs, and bias in the mainstream media. Show Notes:— Hamas G-File — Old Fictions, New Fictions G-FileT he 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 Jonah’s G-File newsletter, regular livestreams, and other members-only content—click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Continuing the counterprogramming tradition, Phillip Muñoz, the Tocqueville professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame, joins Jonah Goldberg to discuss the remarkable revolutions of the American Founding, the allure of postliberalism, and the proper place of religious authority. Plus: Their thoughts on cultural shifts and virtue. Show Notes:— Phillip Muñoz’s bio— Muñoz's National Affairs article—Jonah's Next 250 article on the American Revolution—Irving Kristol's article on the free society 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 Jonah’s G-File newsletter, regular livestreams, and other members-only content—click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices