Sam Stein talks with Lauren Egan about her scoop on a new Democratic memo warning lawmakers to steer clear of “Abolish ICE.” They give their takes on the latest polling on ICE, political fear from voters, and why Democrats seem unwilling to use funding leverage even as public opinion shifts. Dems Are Begging Their Own to Drop ‘Abolish ICE’ https://www.thebulwark.com/p/democrats-abolish-ice-reform-searchlight-memo Half of Americans think ICE is making American cities less safe, CNN poll finds htt...
Jan 15, 2026•16 min•Ep. 517
Catherine Rampell and Sam Stein take on Trump’s Detroit Economic Club speech on Tuesday so you don’t have to. From tariffs and credit card caps to pitching Socialist-style ideas, they unpack what’s real, what’s bluster, and what it means for everyday Americans.
Jan 14, 2026•17 min•Ep. 516
Tim Miller returns to " Piers Morgan Uncensored" to give his take on the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. While Nick Shirley and Will Chamberlain defend the officer’s actions as justified, even Joe Rogan and Tim Dillon said this one crossed a line.
Jan 14, 2026•10 min•Ep. 515
Tim Miller gives his take on the disturbing wave of videos coming out of Minneapolis and who ICE and CBP are really targeting. Scene after scene shows federal agents confronting ordinary people just trying to live their lives: an Uber driver targeted over his accent, a 17-year-old U.S. citizen tackled to the ground while working at Target, and a DoorDash driver chased into a stranger’s home while armed agents surrounded the house. Get free shipping and 365 day returns with Quince at https://Quin...
Jan 13, 2026•19 min•Ep. 513
Tim Miller joined Nicolle Wallace on Deadline: White House to discuss why the killing of Renee Good—and the administration’s decision to release the video—may be a political turning point. What was supposed to project strength instead exposes a strategy that alienates swing voters, activates non-activists, and turns immigration from a GOP advantage into a liability. Watch Deadline: White House on MSNOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house...
Jan 12, 2026•9 min•Ep. 514
Sam Stein, Catherine Rampell, and JVL provide breaking analysis after Fed chair Jerome Powell released a remarkable video message Sunday night announcing an "unprecedented" criminal investigation into him by federal prosecutors. Powell, in the video, says the probe is because the Fed has been setting interest rates "based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of” President Donald Trump.
Jan 12, 2026•39 min•Ep. 511
Jack and Tim take on Jake Tapper’s on-air fact-checking of Kristi Noem, the rush to label a protester a “domestic terrorist,” and the dangerous argument that being in a car now justifies lethal force.
Jan 12, 2026•22 min•Ep. 512
After the dramatic capture of Venezuela’s dictator Nicolás Maduro, Trump publicly suggested he’d be honored to “accept” the Nobel Peace Prize won by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, as if awards work like trophies, souvenirs, or FIFA medals. Ben Parker and Mona Charen give their takes on the sheer absurdity and Trump’s warped understanding of Venezuela and immigration.
Jan 11, 2026•11 min•Ep. 511
Bill and Sam discuss the Minneapolis killing and other items from a very eventful week.
Jan 11, 2026•37 min•Ep. 510
Tim Miller and JVL give their takes on the shocking Minneapolis ICE killing of Renee Good, the federal government’s handling of state-sanctioned violence, and what it reveals about America’s culture of death.
Jan 10, 2026•33 min•Ep. 509
Tim Miller talks with Harvard student and New York Times op-ed writer Alex Bronzini-Vender about the new campus speech crackdown and why it’s now being driven by Republicans, not the left. They dig into how anti-woke politics and federal pressure are reshaping campus life and how the right has adopted the same speech-policing tactics it once condemned.
Jan 10, 2026•26 min•Ep. 508
Correction, January 9, 2025, 3:35 p.m.: The footage from the perspective of ICE agent Jonathan Ross played in this video appears to have come not from a body camera, as mentioned in the video, but from the phone Ross was holding during the incident. Tim Miller breaks down newly released footage appearing to be from the ICE officer who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Jan 09, 2026•15 min•Ep. 507
Donald Trump’s approval numbers are sinking and the cracks are showing in places that once kept him afloat. Sarah Longwell and Andrew Egger giver their takes on why Trump is bleeding support among young men, struggling far beyond his MAGA base, and facing growing backlash over his unilateral intervention in Venezuela. We texted 1,000 Americans about U.S. actions in Venezuela https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2026/venezuela-maduro-poll-trump-military/ Manospheres of Influence ht...
Jan 09, 2026•27 min•Ep. 506
Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Andrew Egger react live to JD Vance defending the ICE officer who fatally shot Minnesota woman Renee Good.
Jan 08, 2026•33 min•Ep. 505
Tim Miller gives his take on the Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by Donald Trump, who has not only avoided accountability, but is now running for Senate. This extremist attacked Capitol police, threatened Muslims and Jews, and continues to spread hate. Show notes: In the New Year, take ownership of your health with ZocDoc, at https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES .
Jan 08, 2026•12 min•Ep. 504
Sam Stein sits down with Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) to break down the recent Maduro operation in Venezuela, the challenges of coordinating military and political strategy, and what the U.S. would actually gain from Greenland. Mark will break down the biggest stories involving the military in a series of chats right here, every Thursday, in a special series. In the New Year, take ownership of your health with ZocDoc, at https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES ....
Jan 08, 2026•27 min•Ep. 503
The trio is back and 2026 is off to a wild start. Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer give their takes on the calls for Nicki Minaj to be deported, the political influencers for sale creating a reality TV show, and former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino blasting Matt Gaetz in a fiery MAGA feud.
Jan 08, 2026•32 min•Ep. 502
Sam Stein and Tim Miller break down the shocking video from Minneapolis where an ICE agent fatally shot an American woman in her car. Sam and Tim give their take on the deadly escalation of federal ICE operations, and the dangerous spin already coming out from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Jan 07, 2026•16 min•Ep. 501
Sam Stein talks with Rep. Ritchie Torres about the explosive rise of political prediction markets—and the serious corruption risks we face.
Jan 07, 2026•8 min•Ep. 500
Five years after January 6, the diehards came back to the scene of the crime. Pardoned rioters, conspiracy theories, and a fierce counter-protest collided on the National Mall. Jared Poland gives his take to Sam Stein on what he found from reporting on the ground as Americans argue again over what really happened on Jan. 6.
Jan 07, 2026•15 min•Ep. 499
Sarah Matthews was inside Trump’s White House on January 6. Matthews, the former deputy press secretary explains to Sarah Longwell what it was like watching the Capitol attack from the West Wing, why Trump refused to meet the moment, and how that day finally pushed her to resign. Five years later, she reflects on Republican accountability, January 6 fading from public memory, and why Trump’s return to power still shocks her. Go to https://GetSoul.com and use the code BULWARKTAKES for 30% off....
Jan 07, 2026•32 min•Ep. 498
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joins Sam Stein and Lauren Egan to give his take on why Trump’s Venezuela policy risks another disastrous war. A veteran of the Iraq War, Gallego says the administration is lying about its intentions, prioritizing oil interests and deportation deals over stability and democracy. He also discusses his Senate amendment to block military force against Greenland, Trump’s threats to NATO, and what the January 6 anniversary tells us about the state of American democracy. Go t...
Jan 06, 2026•18 min•Ep. 497
Description: Five years after January 6, Bill Kristol sits down with Tom Joscelyn, the lead writer of the House January 6 Committee report, to assess where the country stands today. They give their takes on why January 6 was not an endpoint, but the beginning of a new political reality: one defined by a lack of accountability with sweeping pardons, the normalization of political violence, and a movement that no longer accepts elections or constitutional limits. Go to https://GetSoul.com and use ...
Jan 06, 2026•28 min•Ep. 496
JVL and Jonathan Cohn give their take on the shocking changes coming from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services. The federal government is now recommending fewer vaccines for American children, including RSV and Hep B, while flu, COVID-19, and rotavirus vaccines move to “shared clinical decision-making.” What does this mean for parents, pediatricians, and public health? How could it affect vaccine access, liability, and supply? And is this just the first step in a large...
Jan 06, 2026•18 min•Ep. 495
Senator Mark Warner joins Sam Stein to give his take on the Trump administration’s dramatic actions in Venezuela, congressional oversight, and what comes next. Warner warns that extracting a foreign leader, sidelining Congress, and talking openly about “running” other countries reflects an imperial mindset that America has spent decades trying to move away from.
Jan 05, 2026•15 min•Ep. 494
Sarah Longwell, Lauren Egan, and Jonathan Cohn are going live to discuss the news that Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota and former vice-presidential candidate, is leaving the governor’s race.
Jan 05, 2026•20 min•Ep. 493
Will Saletan takes on Donald Trump’s post-invasion claims about Venezuela and Maduro, putting Marco Rubio into a series of awkward Sunday show cleanups on war powers, oil, and pardons that exposes just how much of Trump’s story doesn’t add up. Read Will's written piece: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/which-countries-will-trump-invade-next-after-venezuela-maduro
Jan 05, 2026•9 min•Ep. 492
Bill Kristol and Sarah Longwell discuss Bill's thoughts on possible paths 2026 could take—from a democratic rebound to a far darker slide.
Jan 04, 2026•53 min•Ep. 491
Sam Stein and Sonny Bunch take on new reporting on Donald Trump’s health—from repeated cognitive tests and confusing medical disclosures to visible signs of aging and a White House press operation that won’t give straight answers. Read the WSJ article: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/as-signs-of-aging-emerge-trump-responds-with-defiance-769c5dcd
Jan 03, 2026•17 min•Ep. 490
Please note: The population of Venezuela was incorrectly stated during this conversation as "about 90 million." It is about 30 million. We regret the error. Sam Stein, Mark Hertling, Sarah Longwell, Ben Parker and Joe Perticone cover the breaking news about the Venezuela regime change operation and react to the Trump administration’s press event.
Jan 03, 2026•2 hr 13 min•Ep. 489
