The Bulwark

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSarah, JVL, and False Flag author Will Sommer (sitting in for Tim) discuss:* Whether Laura Loomer is one of the adults in MAGA-land? I’m Ron Burgundy?* The state of the Iran War.* The ridiculous AI advertisement being run by a Ted Cruz-aligned outside group in Florida (and the whacky candidates in the ad).* The unfolding special Republican primary for Senate in South Carolina* The Michigan Senate race...and how all of...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJoin Sam Stein and HuffPost's Arthur Delaney as they cover the brewing dissatisfaction with Trump's nominee for Attorney General, Todd Blanche.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comRonald Reagan said it best: One of the greatest sources of America's greatness are the people drawn to the country from every corner of the globe, who become American and keep the country young, vital, and modern. But Trump and Stephen Miller are sticking to their absolutist deportation plan without regard to history or its political cost. Meanwhile, we are learning in real time that our trillion-dollar weapons systems are (sometimes) no match for Iran's drones—and that the regime can't re...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comBill Kristol and Andrew Egger went live to cover CNN's reporting that Trump and Elon Musk's cuts through DOGE to the CDC and USAID slowed the response to the cyclosporiasis outbreak, the Pentagon withholding the number of U.S. military injuries from the war with Iran, and why Trump's strategy appears trapped between military escalation and political retreat.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comBrendan Hartnett and Will Saletan put their encyclopedic knowledge of Donald Trump to the test by predicting which words he would use in a major speech. The fake bets produce some eerie wins, one brutal near-miss, and a new appreciation for how quickly prediction markets can become addictive.As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members.Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTrump tried to steal the limelight and the valor of Spain at the World Cup, even as more troops died overseas; Stephen Miller regularly encourages ICE to be violent while Pete Hegseth pushes soldiers to be macho bullies. The leaders in this country are men with no center and no core. Now with the arrest of the Tate brothers in Miami, Trump gets a chance to extend his record of standing by sex pests and assaulters. Plus: Iran and the U...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comWill Sommer and Sam Stein went live to cover Trump refusing to leave Spain’s World Cup celebrations, the MAGA right questioning Trump’s claim that Iran is “obliterated” after deadly attacks on U.S. bases, the Tate brothers arrested in Florida, and Clavicular explaining “looksmaxxing” to Sean Hannity.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comEric welcomes back friend of the show Professor Hal Brands, the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Studies at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. The two discuss Hal’s recent work, beginning with his column in Bloomberg dissecting the key strategic errors that Trump has made in the ongoing war with Iran. Hal then breaks down his recent essay with Michael Beckley in Foreign Affairs, which examines global conflict through the lens of “heartland” and “rimland” coalitions...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJoin Bill Kristol and former DOJ pardon attorney Liz Oyer as they discuss Oyer's testimony at Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing.Read Liz's Substack, Lawyer Oyer: https://www.lawyeroyer.com/

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comMona Charen and Eric Edelman examine how Trump stumbled into the Iran war without a clear plan, alienated allies, strengthened Tehran’s position, and left the United States looking weaker.Inside Israel’s Secret Operation to Cultivate AhmadinejadUS lacks scores of ambassadors in AfricaBulwark Book Club pick for August: Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson. Join Mona Charen and Bill Kristol to discuss this classic that explores racism and slavery. Published in 1894, the novel tells the story of two b...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSam Stein and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) take on the deadly Iranian strike on a U.S. base in Jordan, the mounting American casualties, and a rapidly widening war with no clear path to de-escalation.As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members.Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comOn a week that tested both of them, Sarah and Andrew discuss: Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing, and Trump's prime-time speech on election interference. Andrew walks through the cross-examination Senate Democrats didn't run—the statements that went unchallenged, the follow-ups nobody asked, and the one question about the withheld Epstein files that Blanche has still never answered. Then: why he thinks dismantling the government's election-security apparatus isn't neglect, but the point.Also discussed: the $1.776 billion payout, the document absolving Trump of tax li...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comAmerican politics and politicians are decidedly lower-character than they used to be. So, how did we get here? And why have voters seemingly lowered their expectations?The New York Times’ David French joins the show to discuss Americans’ relationship with low-character politicians like Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump, and how our major political parties have handled candidates like Ken Paxton and Graham Platner in 2026.Show notes:David French: The Platner TrapThere are more...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSam Stein speaks with Rep. Jim Himes about Trump’s election speech, his attacks on voting systems, and the danger of declaring sitting senators illegitimate. They also examine how Trump’s own foreign-interference files document Russia’s efforts to help him, spread the Burisma story, and create chaos in American politics.As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members.Add Bulwark+ Takes feed t...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSarah Longwell and Sam Stein (filling in for JVL) discuss Trump’s tedious (and still scary!) election speech, the documents that undercut his election claims, JD Vance’s cringe appearance on Joe Rogan, Trump voters’ brutal reactions to Vance, and Democrats’ missed opportunities at the Todd Blanche hearing.Finally: There are more tickets to see Sarah and JVL on September 8 in NYC! We are about to sell out the orchestra section—but we want to sell out the balcony, too. It’s...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comThe one presidential election Trump lost was when he was in power and in charge of election integrity. Still, Trump is asking his supporters to believe the most preposterous lie yet: The elections run by Democrats in '16 and '24 were legitimate, but the election he oversaw wasn't. And he seems determined to take matters to the breaking point ahead of the midterms. Plus: Never forget that Jack Smith charged Trump with fraud for knowingly lying about his loss to Biden...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJoin Catherine Rampell and Justin Wolfers as they cover the week's biggest economics and finance news.Check out Justin's Substack, Platypus Economics: https://platypuseconomics.com/

On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Chris Fenton to discuss efforts to pass a federal tax credit that would help reshore American film production and his own made-in-America film, Bad Counselors, which hits theaters next week. Things got a little spicy as we debated some of the downsides of these programs—and, specifically, how they might come to pass; I think the federal government should be working for all of America on this issue rather than picking winners and losers state by state—but something clearly needs to be done. Film production and the culture industry more bro...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJoin Sarah Longwell and Sonny Bunch as they cover Trump's July 16, 2026 prime time speech.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSam Stein speaks with Reuters national security reporter Erin Banco about Trump’s planned election speech, his administration’s moves against federal election officials, and concerns inside his own White House that reviving voting-machine conspiracies could backfire by convincing MAGA voters to stay home.White House weighs releasing controversial intel on China and US elections, sources sayForeign Threats to the 2020 US Federal ElectionsAs always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short vide...