Trump’s immigration issue is unraveling and even his own private polls show trouble. Viral videos of ICE raids and protests are driving public backlash, leaving Trump’s team worried about optics… but not about policy. Sam Stein is joined by Marc Caputo of Axios to break down the numbers, the backlash, and what it could mean for Trump’s next moves.
Sam and Sonny give their takes on an embarrassing scene at the White House in which Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado handed Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal and Trump accepted it.
JVL and Andrew Egger give their takes on Donald Trump repeatedly floating the idea of canceling elections and why calling it a "joke" is dangerously naive. From past attempts to overturn results to testing how far his party will follow him, they break down why this isn’t just trolling.
President Trump said he may invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 in response to protests and ICE activity in Minneapolis. Ben Parker is joined by retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling to explain what the Insurrection Act actually allows, when it has been used in U.S. history, and why this situation is fundamentally different.
Mark Hertling and Bill Kristol discuss the war in Ukraine, including deliberate civilian targeting through winter blackouts, why U.S. disengagement is helping Putin more than any battlefield victory, and how infighting with NATO over Greenland is weakening the alliance from within. They also examine Europe’s response, the rise of the Nordic–Baltic security bloc, the global consequences of American strategic vacuums, the limits of military action in Iran, and risks around the Pentagon’s embrace o...
Tim Miller gives his take on a wave of disturbing ICE confrontations, including Minneapolis agents threatening civilians and a California protester who was shot in the face and left blind.
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...
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.
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.
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...
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...
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.
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.
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.
Bill and Sam discuss the Minneapolis killing and other items from a very eventful week.
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.
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.
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.
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...
Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Andrew Egger react live to JD Vance defending the ICE officer who fatally shot Minnesota woman Renee Good.
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 .
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 ....
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.
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.
Sam Stein talks with Rep. Ritchie Torres about the explosive rise of political prediction markets—and the serious corruption risks we face.
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.
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....
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...
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 ...
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...
