David Frum: What It Means to Be American

Thought Leader: David Frum

April 8, 2026

In this episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his thoughts on the nearly two decades of economic turmoil that has caused younger generations to lose faith in American institutions and led to the rise of populism in the United States. David argues that as the country stands on the precipice of a Donald Trump–manufactured economic crisis, perhaps we will learn to appreciate the basic ideas that led to prosperity in the 1980s and ’90s.

Then David is joined by CNN’s Fareed Zakaria to reflect on the American ideals that captivated David and Fareed when they first immigrated to the U.S. and whether they still ring true today. As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, David and Fareed discuss whether this country remains the same one they moved to many years ago and whether America has strayed from its foundational principles.

Finally, David concludes the episode with an examination of Italo Calvino’s 1972 novel, “Invisible Cities,” and a discussion about our postliterate society.

David Frum is one of North America’s leading voices of dispassionate, analytic, and independent conservatism. His articles in The Atlantic have been hailed as the most prophetic and insightful studies of U.S. global leadership, open international trade, and democratic institutions with a message that is pro-enterprise and post-partisan.

Frum’s wit, historical insight, and deep understanding of politics, economics, and governance are familiar to viewers on CNN, MSNBC, to television viewers across the English-speaking world, as well as in Europe and India – and of course to his more than 1 million Twitter followers. Whether speaking to a concert hall of 3,000 people or an informal seminar of 12, whether joined in friendly or high-tension debate, Frum is always an entertaining and enriching speaker, at his best when faced with the most unexpected questions. To host him for an event, contact WWSG.