Bulwark Takes - podcast cover

Bulwark Takes

The Bulwarkwww.thebulwark.com
{"_":"The news cycle doesn’t slow down, and neither does The Bulwark. Bulwark Takes brings you bite-sized takes on the news of the day from the entire Bulwark team, including Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and Bill Kristol, and more.
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Episodes

Trump Shivs Sen. Bill Cassidy

JVL, Sam Stein, and Joe Perticone give their takes on how Trump abruptly endorsed a primary challenger to Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. Even after Cassidy bent over backward to confirm RFK Jr., Trump still decided it was time to end him.

Jan 21, 202615 minEp. 535

Tim Miller: Sorry Sen. Murkowski, This Is Your Party Now

Tim Miller joined MSNOW’s Deadline: White House with Alicia Menendez to talk about why Republicans admitting Trump is wrong—on Greenland, tariffs, and foreign policy—means nothing when they refuse to act. Plus, why a viral Minnesota man’s firsthand account of ICE hits harder than any talking point.

Jan 20, 202610 minEp. 534

ICE Dragged an Old Man Into the Snow. Now DHS Is Lying About It.

Sam Stein and Tim Miller give their takes on the disturbing footage of ICE agents detaining an elderly U.S. citizen in Minneapolis with no warrant, no explanation, and no apology. The raid went wrong at every step and DHS is still defending it. Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/TAKES and use promo code TAKES at checkout.

Jan 20, 202618 minEp. 533

Watch Scott Bessent Debase Himself Defending Trump’s Greenland Threats

Will Saletan surgically dissects one of the most embarrassing interviews of the Trump administration: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent twisting himself into knots on Meet the Press to defend Donald Trump’s threats against Greenland and Europe. Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/TAKES and use promo code TAKES at checkout.

Jan 20, 202612 minEp. 532

Trump’s Greenland Text Is Mob Boss Bullsh*t

JVL, Sam Stein, and Andrew Egger give their takes on Donald Trump’s shocking message to European leaders, in which he complains about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and links it to his demands for the U.S. to take over Greenland. They unpack how Trump’s message reflects his strongman worldview, drives allies into China’s hands, and draws uneasy parallels to Putin’s actions in Ukraine. Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/TAKES and use promo code TAKES at ch...

Jan 19, 202629 minEp. 531

EXCLUSIVE: Viral Protester Speaks Out As ICE Turns Minneapolis Into “Military Zone”

Tim Miller is joined by Minnesota resident turned viral protester Chis Ostroushko for his take on the “insane” Minneapolis protests. Chris shares his unfiltered perspective on how ICE has turned the city into a “military zone” and why he felt compelled to speak out and protest. You can follow Chris at MNAngryMan on Instagram and BlueSky: https://www.instagram.com/mnangryman/ https://bsky.app/profile/mnangryman.bsky.social...

Jan 18, 202630 minEp. 529

Football Is Our Last Monoculture... And It's Fragile (w/ Chuck Klosterman)

Sonny Bunch sits down with writer Chuck Klosterman to talk about his new book Football—and what the sport’s dominance says about America’s shrinking monoculture. Buy "Football" by Chuck Klosterman: https://www.amazon.com/Football-Chuck-Klosterman/dp/0593490649

Jan 18, 202654 minEp. 527

Democrats Think They Can Flip the Senate in 2026 (w/ Sen. Adam Schiff)

Can Democrats flip the Senate in 2026? Lauren Egan is joined by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) about the states that could make it happen, the recruits who are stepping up, and how the DSCC decides when to endorse. From Texas and Florida to Alaska and Maine, Schiff lays out the plan and explains why the midterms may come down to economic pressures and Trump’s chaos.

Jan 17, 202615 minEp. 526

DOJ Targets Tim Walz and Jacob Frey

Sam Stein takes on the breaking news that a federal judge has set limits on ICE’s violent tactics against peaceful protesters in Minnesota. Also breaking, the DOJ has reportedly launched an investigation into Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, claiming conspiracy to impede federal officers.

Jan 17, 202610 minEp. 525

Tim Miller: Trump Can’t Stop What He Started

Tim Miller takes on the rough stretch for Trump as leaked internal polling shows his immigration tactics backfiring, ugly ICE footage sparks public backlash, and even the White House admits the optics are hurting them. Watch Chris Jansing Reports on MSNOW: https://www.ms.now/chris-jansing-reports

Jan 17, 202617 minEp. 524

Private GOP Poll Reveals Trump’s Immigration Support Crumbling

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.

Jan 16, 202612 minEp. 523

Trump Just Accepted Someone Else’s Nobel Peace Prize

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.

Jan 16, 202613 minEp. 522

Trump Suggests CANCELING 2026 Elections

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.

Jan 16, 202618 minEp. 521

Trump Threatens to Invoke the Insurrection Act

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.

Jan 15, 202620 minEp. 520

Putin Escalates His Cruel War Against Civilians | Command Post

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...

Jan 15, 202631 minEp. 518

ICE Shot a 21-Year-Old in the Eye and Blinded Him

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.

Jan 15, 202616 minEp. 519

Democratic Memo Warns That “Abolish ICE” Is Politically Toxic

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, 202616 minEp. 517

Trump’s “Economy” Speech Went off the Rails

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, 202617 minEp. 516

Even Joe Rogan & Tim Dillon Say the Minnesota Shooting Was Wrong

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, 202610 minEp. 515

Disturbing New Videos Show ICE Harassing Minneapolis Residents

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, 202619 minEp. 513

Tim Miller: People Don't Like This Insanity

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, 20269 minEp. 514

BREAKING: DOJ Threatens Fed Chair With Criminal Charges

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, 202639 minEp. 511

Trump Wants to Take a Nobel Prize That Isn’t His

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, 202611 minEp. 511

Tim & JVL: America Used to Know This Was Wrong

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, 202633 minEp. 509

The Right is Now AGAINST Free Speech on Campus (w/ Alex Bronzini-Vender)

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, 202626 minEp. 508
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