# Mona Charen

> Mona Charen is a syndicated political columnist, author, and podcast host who has spent four decades at the center of American conservative commentary. A former speechwriter for Nancy Reagan and one of the original Never Trump voices, she writes with unflinching honesty about the GOP's drift toward extremism. Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and host of The Mona Charen Show on The Bulwark, she is one of the few conservative commentators who has maintained intellectual consistency through decades of partisan turbulence.

- **Role:** Senior Fellow at Ethics and Public Policy Center; Host of The Mona Charen Show at The Bulwark
- **Organizations:** Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), The Bulwark, Creators Syndicate, National Review (former), Tikvah
- **From:** New York City, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. with honors, Barnard College, Columbia University, J.D., George Washington University Law School
- **Known for:** Two New York Times bestselling books ('Useful Idiots' and 'Do-Gooders'), Eric Breindel Award for Excellence in Opinion Journalism (2010), Nationally syndicated column in 150+ newspapers over 35+ years

## Career timeline

- **1979** — Began as editorial assistant at National Review
- **1984** — Joined White House as Nancy Reagan's speechwriter in the East Wing
- **1985** — Promoted to Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison (West Wing)
- **1987** — Launched nationally syndicated column; published in 150+ newspapers
- **1988** — Served as speechwriter for Rep. Jack Kemp's presidential campaign
- **1992** — Became regular commentator on CNN's The Capital Gang
- **2003** — Published 'Useful Idiots' - New York Times bestseller
- **2005** — Published 'Do-Gooders' - New York Times bestseller
- **2010** — Received Eric Breindel Award for Excellence in Opinion Journalism
- **2014** — Named Senior Fellow at Ethics and Public Policy Center
- **2016** — Contributed to National Review's 'Against Trump' symposium; became leading Never Trump voice
- **2018** — Published 'Sex Matters'; joined The Bulwark as Policy Editor; famously booed at CPAC for criticizing Trump
- **2019** — Co-hosted 'Beg to Differ' podcast on The Bulwark
- **2023** — Published 'Hard Right: The GOP's Drift Toward Extremism'
- **2024** — Joined Bluesky; 'Beg to Differ' podcast concluded
- **2025** — Launched solo podcast 'The Mona Charen Show' on The Bulwark

## Achievements

- Two New York Times bestselling books ('Useful Idiots' and 'Do-Gooders')
- Eric Breindel Award for Excellence in Opinion Journalism (2010)
- Nationally syndicated column in 150+ newspapers over 35+ years
- Six years as regular commentator on CNN's The Capital Gang
- Speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan (East and West Wing)
- One of the original contributors to National Review's 'Against Trump' symposium (2016)
- Senior Fellow at Ethics and Public Policy Center
- Four published books spanning conservative politics, Cold War history, and feminism

## Latest updates

- **2025-01** — Launched 'The Mona Charen Show' - a solo weekly podcast on The Bulwark focused on in-depth political and cultural conversations
- **2024-11** — Joined Bluesky social media platform as @monacharen.bsky.social
- **2024-01** — Concluded 'Beg to Differ' podcast after a five-year run
- **2023-01** — Published 'Hard Right: The GOP's Drift Toward Extremism', a collection of post-2016 columns documenting Republican radicalization

## Links

- Website: https://substack.com/@monacharen
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mona-charen-2662a123
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/monacharen

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/mona-charen
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-22