The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

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. Sho...

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 Lon...

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 Rev...

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...

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 Lear...

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:...

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,...

Jonah Goldberg invites Nuke LaLoosh LARPer Chris Stirewalt to discuss the biggest political gaffes of 2025, debate whether House Speaker Mike Johnson is a human in a lizard suit or a lizard in a human suit, and name the most punchable faces from the past year. Show Notes:—Jonah's interview with Rahm Emmanuel The Remnant is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics,...

Caving to popular demand for more talk about Straussians, Jonah Goldberg sits down with Laura Field to discuss the ideas driving the New Right. Follow Laura and Jonah as they fall down rabbit holes and explore digressions in the complicated story of 20th-century conservatism, the rise of MAGA, and the intellects behind Trumpism. Shownotes:—Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right—Remnant on...

Having a bad end of the year? You’re not alone. Listen to Jonah take on those who say there’s a war on Christmas, meander through some economic punditry (no, he is not an expert), and cheer on Ben Shapiro from the very lonely sidelines. Plus: We’re rooting for you, Ben Sasse. Show Notes:—A Pilgrim's Calling—Democrats Are Thrilled That Trump Will Hit the Midterms Trail The Remnant is a production o...

With antisemites coming out of the woodwork and everyone all a-muddle about ‘Christian Zionism,’ there’s only one thing to do: break the glass and get Russell Moore. Join Russ and Jonah Goldberg as they wrestle with the baffling dynamics of our time, including Evangelical fads, far-right ascendence, groyper catering, religious revival, and the possibility of a new anti-tech party. Shownotes:—Herit...

She’s back folks! Amid unprecedented fanfare, Megan McArdle returns to The Remnant to discuss our economic situation, perceptions of generational inequity, free-range kids, civil rights, and what we owe the dead. Shownotes:—Megan’s last appearance on The Remnant—President Trump addresses the nation—NYT Sierra Club piece—Megan’s piece about her brother—Dispatch Pod on Megan’s article—Megan on nosta...

At the end of a long day, Jonah Goldberg lights a Montecristo and reflects on the passing of Norman Podhoretz, Megan McArdle’s weighty abortion article, the limits of ideas, originalism and Burkeanism, Trump’s egomania, and his pride in The Dispatch. Shownotes:—Tevi Troy on Norman Podhoretz—GLoP Culture Pod—“My Negro Problem—And Ours”—Friday’s Dispatch Pod—Megan McArdle’s article—Tuesday’s Dispatc...

The Manhattan Institute’s Jesse Arm joins Jonah Goldberg to talk about the makeup of the new GOP, the future of the parties, 2028, and perception vs. reality in American politics. Shownotes:—Commentary Magazine Podcast with Jesse Arm—The New GOP: Survey Analysis of Americans Overall, Today’s Republican Coalition, and the Minorities of MAGA—George Will at the Washington Post—Arm’s Interview with Ri...

Jonah Goldberg invites Rahm Emanuel, former Chicago mayor and ambassador to Japan, aboard The Remnant to talk about the culinary wonders of Japan, the need for a more centrist politics, income inequality, and Rahm’s case for banning social media for America’s youth. Shownotes:—Jessica Riedl on seizing billionaire wealth—Rahm in Politico on a youth social media ban—Ro Khanna on CNN talking about Ti...

His head all aswirl with yet-to-be-released Remnants, Jonah Goldberg moseys on down to the swamp for a swim with the punditry alligators. Jonah covers the Indiana redistricting that was not, gunboat diplomacy, nonexistent mustard-gas whores, evil AI, amending the Constitution, and the d-bag of the year. Shownotes:—Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right—The Arena with Kasie Hunt—Dead metap...

On today’s episode, Jonah Goldberg is joined by James M. Bradley, the greatest living biographer of President Martin Van Buren. Together, they cover the institutionalization of the parties, the rise of Jacksonian populism, the early Free Soil Party, the Mexican-American War, the Revolutions of 1848, and the features and bugs of our modern party system. Shownotes:—Martin Van Buren: America's First...

The Remnant coup d’état continues as Kevin Williamson sits down with journalist Colin Woodard to talk about our country’s most deeply seated cultural divisions. Woodard and Williamson cover Texas, the Puritans, Appalachia, Donald Trump’s ethnonationalism, regional Covid-19 trends, and shifting party geography. Shownotes:—Nations Apart: How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America—American Nati...

After doing public penance for his recent absences from The Remnant, Jonah Goldberg launches into the important issues of the day, tackling sandwiches, the Oregon coast, Mitt Romney’s alligator fakeness, the laws of war, and his own misanthropic tendencies. Plus, get Jonah’s definition of the word ‘punditry’ and The Remnant’s Spotify stats. Shownotes:—Commentary podcast with Jesse Arm—Charles Hilu...

Aaron Maclean, senior fellow at Hudson Institute and host of the School of War podcast, joins guest host Steve Hayes to discuss the anxiety-inducing analysis of the types of people who make up Trump’s foreign policy coalition. Is there any room for old-school Republicans, or have isolationists completely taken over? Show Notes:–Angus MacLean – father, soldier, liberator–TMD’s reporting on Pete Heg...

Captain Jonah Goldberg has invited Sarah Isgur aboard The Dispatch’s flagship podcast, HMS Remnant, to hatch a plot to populate The Lone Star State with Loxodonta. Along the way, they discuss porn, iPhones, the youth, Death by Lightning, Matthew Mcconaughey, and the insatiable Chinese lust for rhino horn. Plus, a scandal-provoking announcement about The Remnant’s release schedule. Shownotes:—Last...

Jonah Goldberg ruminates on the Trump administration's prospective peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, why dogma is necessary in a society, and the most nationalistic holiday of the year. Show notes:—Jonah’s column on the peace deal—Friday’s G-File Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on The Remnant Jonah Goldberg indulges two of his favorite hobbies: competing in TV nerdery with John Podhoretz (grand poohbah of Commentary) and bashing the Straussians. John and Jonah cover the Claremont Institute, the decline of TV and cinema, Death by Lightning, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Shownotes:—Commentary Podcast—GLoP Podcast—Fritz Feld doing the ‘pop’—Jonah’s Claremont Review...

Economist William Easterly makes his debut on The Remnant to talk with middle-aged nobody Jonah Goldberg about free trade, USAID, human agency, colonialism, and Chinese liberalization. Shownotes:—Easterly’s website—Violent Saviors: The West’s Conquest of the Rest—Easterly’s recent paper touching on Lee Kuan Yew—Excerpts from Edmund Burke’s speech on India—Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Tr...

His Curmudgeonship Jonah Goldberg is holding court to pontificate about the troubles in the land, and he isn’t wanting for material. Jonah covers his recent takes on Richard Nixon and the pardon power, as well as the Epstein files, tariffs, impeachment, and what awaits in 2028.Plus: Jonah’s Star Trek-laced takes on infinite energy, instant food generation, and the elimination of work. We’re runnin...