Andrew Egger and Will Sommer take on the chaos erupting inside the January 6th world now that Trump's $1.776 billion "weaponization" slush fund is real — including two MAGA lawyers in an all-out war over who gets to skim 30% off the rioters' windfall, and one miraculous lung recovery that happened to coincide with the fund's announcement. Make today a good day, and get yourself some Soul gummies. Right now, Soul is offering 30% off your entire order! Go to https://GetSoul.com and use the code BU...
May 19, 2026•18 min•Ep. 865
Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol went live to discuss the terms of Trump’s $1.776 billion slush fund for his fans, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defending the outrageous fund to Congress, Trump’s slipping poll numbers. Plus, amid a war in Iran and surging gas prices, Trump has his eyes on one thing: the ballroom. Make today a good day, and get yourself some Soul gummies. Right now, Soul is offering 30% off your entire order! Go to https://GetSoul.com and use the code BULWARKTAKES....
May 19, 2026•46 min•Ep. 864
Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Will Sommer are finally doing it live—and before they hit the stage in San Diego, they’re warming up with the week’s most unhinged news from MAGA World. Trump is amplifying bizarre (flattering?) information about Thomas Massie’s sex life. Hunter Biden is going on Candace Owens. And a January 6th grifter made a miraculous recovery the moment reparations money appeared. The Trio is live in San Diego on Wednesday, May 20th—grab your tickets at https://thebulwark.com/event...
May 19, 2026•15 min•Ep. 863
Tim Miller takes on Trump's last-minute decision to stand down from a planned military strike on Iran, and why the real story isn't the diplomacy, it's who's doing the asking. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE told Trump to hold off, and he said yes. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.
May 19, 2026•13 min•Ep. 862
Andrew Egger and Joe Perticone give their takes on Trump’s shocking new $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” settlement fund, a scheme that could funnel taxpayer money to January 6 defendants and other Trump allies. They explain how the administration rushed the deal to avoid judicial scrutiny, why Congress likely won’t stop it, and how Republicans could end up politically trapped ahead of a tough midterm season defending payouts to convicted rioters. Stop putting off those doctors appointments a...
May 18, 2026•24 min•Ep. 861
Sam Stein and Will Sommer went live to cover Trump withdrawing his $10B lawsuit against the IRS, the $1.7B slush fund for MAGA allies, Trump’s bizarre Bible reading, Laura Loomer’s fight with Thomas Massie that includes accusations of swinging and cocaine, and groyper drama involving a witch that you need to hear to believe. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes to find and instantly book a doctor you love today....
May 18, 2026•53 min•Ep. 860
Tim Miller and Cameron Kasky join together in New Orleans for a weekend potpourri: the most expensive congressional primary in history (and why a Parkland survivor is rooting for the libertarian gun guy), Eric Metaxas declaring God's divine will is being spent on Trump's ballroom, and why Trump's Iran threats stopped meaning anything weeks ago. Plus: oil at $107, the parliamentarian strikes back, and Tim gets caught on Geese Reddit.
May 18, 2026•16 min•Ep. 859
Bill Cassidy tried to survive Trump’s wrath after voting for his impeachment. It didn’t work. Sam Stein and Sarah Longwell take on Cassidy’s crushing third place finish, Lindsey Graham’s comments about “Trump’s party,” and what it means for Republicans who cross Trump.
May 17, 2026•16 min•Ep. 858
Rob Flaherty, deputy campaign manager of Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, joins Bill Kristol for Bulwark on Sunday to discuss his massive article on the missing DNC autopsy, what really sunk the campaign, and the future of elections.
May 17, 2026•43 min•Ep. 857
Will Saletan takes on Donald Trump’s own words on the Iran war, gas prices, inflation, and the economy — and methodically shows how Trump keeps contradicting himself on camera. From $300 oil to “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” this is a devastating walkthrough of Trump’s economic and political logic.
May 16, 2026•12 min•Ep. 856
Tim Miller talked to Nicolle Wallace on MS Now to give his take on Trump’s embarrassing summit in China, where Trump praised Chinese President Xi Jinping and left with no results for ending the war in Iran. Plus, Tim gave his take on the proposed $1.7 billion fund tied to Trump allies and January 6-related figures, raising fresh concerns about corruption, political favoritism, and taxpayer money being directed toward controversial recipients. Refresh your everyday with luxury you’ll actually use...
May 16, 2026•16 min•Ep. 854
Tim Miller is joined by Johnny Garcia, a Democrat running in Texas’s 35th Congressional District, where a closely watched runoff on May 26 could help decide control of a key House seat. Garcia, a deputy sheriff and former hostage negotiator, outlines his background in law enforcement and his pitch to working-class voters who are struggling with rising costs and economic uncertainty. They also talk about the unusual dynamics of the race: Republicans are reportedly spending significant money to bo...
May 16, 2026•17 min•Ep. 855
Catherine Rampell and JVL went LIVE to give their takes on Trump's reported plans for a secretive $1.7 billion taxpayer-funded slush fund that could quietly reward Jan. 6 defendants and Trump political allies behind closed doors. Refresh your everyday with luxury you’ll actually use. Head to https://Quince.com/BULWARKTAKES for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Read Catherine Rampell's newsletter, 'Receipts' — https://www.thebulwark.com/s/receipts Read...
May 15, 2026•49 min•Ep. 853
Tim Miller takes on reports that Kash Patel is snorkeling at Pearl Harbor, rigging the most wanted list, and jetting his girlfriend around Europe on your dime. Meanwhile Trump just created a $1.7 billion slush fund for his criminal allies—no Congress required.
May 15, 2026•10 min•Ep. 851
Joshua Doss joins Sam Stein to discuss why Black voters are abandoning the Democratic Party, how Republican redistricting may have accidentally handed organizers their most powerful message in years, and why the voters Democrats need most are the ones they've ignored the longest.
May 15, 2026•28 min•Ep. 850
Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and JVL are doing a bonus not-quite-TNL to take on Trump’s staggering $10 billion lawsuit scheme against the federal government, the MAGA civil war over Thomas Massie, and the surreal Capitol Hill bar confrontation involving Rand Paul’s son, antisemitic insults, and Kentucky Republican chaos. Plus, JD Vance launches an “anti-fraud” task force while Trump’s allies chase billions and pardon money. Just announced: San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and our own MAGA culture expe...
May 14, 2026•22 min•Ep. 849
Sam Stein and Will Sommer give their takes on the report from NOTUS that Senator Rand Paul’s son confronted Congressman Mike Lawler in a drunken late-night exchange that reportedly included anti-Semitic remarks, a rant about Thomas Massie’s Kentucky primary, and even complaints about the SALT cap. The two unpack the growing MAGA civil war surrounding Massie, the influence of figures like Tucker Carlson, and why Trumpworld appears determined to crush one of the few Republicans willing to openly d...
May 14, 2026•13 min•Ep. 848
Sam Stein and Will Sommer give their takes on the explosive Senate hearing where Senator Chris Van Hollen pressed FBI Director Kash Patel over his reported heavy drinking, leak hunts, and polygraph tests inside the FBI. What started as a bizarre exchange about an alcohol “AUDIT test” quickly spiraled into accusations, evasions, and some very awkward denials. The two unpack Patel’s combative performance, the administration’s growing paranoia over leaks, and why Donald Trump may see Patel as too u...
May 13, 2026•10 min•Ep. 847
Tim Miller gives his take on the troubling pattern involving several January 6 defendants who were pardoned by Donald Trump and have since been re-arrested or charged with new crimes in the last year. Recent cases include allegations ranging from assault and harassment to child sexual exploitation charges, as well as violent threats against elected officials, including Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes to find...
May 13, 2026•16 min•Ep. 846
Sam Stein is joined by Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, for his take on Trump’s war in Iran, the $29 billion estimate of the cost of the war, the $1.2 trillion cost to make a “Golden Dome” style defense, and Congressman Smith’s plan to investigate the U.S. strike on an Iranian girl’s school that killed over 100 people. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes to find and instantly book a doctor you love today....
May 12, 2026•34 min•Ep. 845
Jonathan Cohn and Andrew Egger are going live to cover the breaking news that FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has resigned. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes to find and instantly book a doctor you love today. Read Jonathan Cohn's The Breakdown Newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/the-breakdown Read Morning Shots: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshots Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwa...
May 12, 2026•28 min•Ep. 844
Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol went live at 10am ET to discuss Trump's insane overnight Truth Social posts about how “Dumacrats Love Sewage” and how Barack Obama should be prosecuted for treason. Plus, the Trump family's latest grift is their non-existent cellphone Trump Mobile, despite collecting $59 million in deposits. And, Catherine Rampell joins Andrew to break down the latest inflation numbers, the highest in nearly three years. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://...
May 12, 2026•53 min•Ep. 843
Sam Stein joined Katy Tur on MS Now to break down the Trump administration’s increasingly desperate messaging on the economy as prices keep climbing and voters feel the squeeze. As top Trump economic adviser Kevin Hassett pointed to soaring credit card spending as proof the economy is “strong,” Trump is now proposing a federal gas tax holiday, and is considering easing tariffs on beef imports. Text TAKES to 64000 for your 2 free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose. By Texti...
May 11, 2026•11 min•Ep. 842
Sam Stein and Will Sommer went live at 10am ET on Monday, May 11 to discuss the golden statue of Trump just unveiled at his golf club, the Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy going on a 7-month road trip, Trump's obsession with painting the reflecting pool, and the UFC fight next month on the White House lawn. Text TAKES to 64000 for your 2 free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose. By Texting 64000, you agree to receive recurring automated marketing messages from Pocket ...
May 11, 2026•39 min•Ep. 841
Sonny Bunch and Lt. General Mark Hertling (Ret.) break down the greatest war movies ever made from "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down" to "Gettysburg" and "Patton." But this isn’t just a movie ranking. Hertling explains what these films reveal about leadership, combat, strategy, sacrifice, and the real human cost of war. Drawing on decades of military experience, he discusses which movies got war right, what Hollywood still misses, and why stories about combat still matter today.
May 10, 2026•50 min•Ep. 840
In a special pre-recorded edition of Bulwark on Sunday, Bill Kristol and Sarah Longwell discuss the Virginia redistricting shock, the fight for the 2026 Senate map, Trump’s falling approval numbers, and why Democrats have a much bigger opening than they realize. They also talk about inflation, tariffs, the Iran war’s effect on gas prices, Trump voter backlash, and why Democrats need to stop panicking and start campaigning like they’re trying to win power back.
May 10, 2026•36 min•Ep. 839
Tim Miller reacts to the escalating fight over redistricting and voting rights after appearances on 'All In with Chris Hayes' and 'Katy Tur Reports,' breaking down the Louisiana and Tennessee map battles, canceled votes, and why he believes Republicans are trying to rig the midterms in plain sight. Plus, Tim discusses the Iran war, Trump’s obsession with getting a deal, and why Iran and Russia may see weakness in Trump’s “day-by-day” political style All In with Chris Hayes: https://www.ms.now/al...
May 09, 2026•14 min•Ep. 838
JVL is joined by SiriusXM's The Catholic Channel host Katie McGrady to break down one of the strangest diplomatic moments of the year: Secretary of State Marco Rubio meeting Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican and gifting him a crystal football paperweight. They unpack the awkward exchange, why the Trump administration seems uneasy with the first American pope, and how previous presidents and diplomats handled papal gifts with a lot more thought. ON SALE NOW: Bulwark Live is coming to San Diego on May 2...
May 09, 2026•17 min•Ep. 837
Sam Stein and Sarah Longwell break down the shocking Virginia Supreme Court decision overturning the state’s new redistricting maps and what it means for the battle for control of the House in 2026. Democrats believed Virginia was their biggest answer to Republican-led mid-cycle gerrymandering in states like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Sam and Sarah explain why the decision is such a major setback for Democrats, how Republicans are redrawing districts across the South, and whether Democrats c...
May 08, 2026•18 min•Ep. 836
Catherine Rampell and JVL went live at 12:30pm ET to discuss the week's economic and financial news. For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES. Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events...
May 08, 2026•27 min•Ep. 835
