On this episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with an urgent warning about the looming sale of TikTok to Trump-aligned insiders—a move he calls the “biggest giveaway since the railway grants.” He argues that the American media landscape has been quietly transformed, with political power shifting from legacy outlets to algorithmic platforms loyal to the president.
Then, David speaks with filmmaker Ken Burns about his new documentary series on the American Revolution. Together, they explore the revolution’s competing legacies—liberty and exclusion, heroism and hypocrisy—and how its unresolved contradictions still shape the nation’s identity. Burns reflects on the moral complexity of figures like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the forgotten role of Loyalists and Native nations, and the revolution’s echoes in contemporary America.
Finally, David discusses Benjamin Nathans’s Pulitzer Prize winning book To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause, a history of the Soviet dissident movement and the story of Alexander Esenin-Volpin, who defied tyranny by insisting that Soviet laws be obeyed exactly as written. 
Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at <a href="https://theatlantic.com/listener">TheAtlantic.com/listener</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

The Triumphs and Tragedies of the American Revolution

The David Frum Show

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews