{"_":"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. \n\n","$":{"audioboom:html":"1"}}
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Ben Parker and Sonny Bunch give their takes on the news that a federal judge's ruled that Trump's name must be removed from Kennedy Center. They examine the legal battle, the mass exodus of performers, the uncertain future of upcoming seasons, and how Trump's efforts to remake the Kennedy Center may have backfired. Read more from Sonny's piece: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-day-and-a-nation-at-the-kennedy-center Watch Sonny's conversation with Josef Palermo's on the Kennedy Center: https://www....
Tim Miller reacts after the official White House account suggested he should be investigated under FARA over his commentary on the Iran war. He also breaks down the Trump administration’s escalating use of the DOJ against critics, including a criminal investigation against E. Jean Carroll, and explains why he believes the White House is lashing out as the Iran negotiations unravel.
JVL and Sam Stein give their takes on CBS News firing Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega, and top executives at 60 Minutes. Plus, they break down why the changes at CBS News appear tied to corporate merger politics from Trumpworld and what the shakeup says about the future of independent journalism in America.
JVL and Sonny Bunch take on Trump's "Freedom 250" disaster—the washed-up acts already bailing on the Great American State Fair, the UFC cage being built on the White House lawn, and why the whole spectacle looks less like a birthday party and more like something straight out of The Boys.
Sam and Will went live at 11am ET to cover the week's biggest developments in the right wing fever swamp. Get 50% off of a new Bulwark+ subscription for the next year, that’s everything we offer on our website, by going to thebulwark.com/sanity – this is a limited time offer.
Andrew Egger and Will Saletan give their takes on Trump’s latest cabinet meeting spectacle, from his bizarre rant about the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, potentially bombing Oman, and Pete Hegseth pitching a staggering $1.5 trillion defense budget. As Trump’s poll numbers slide and Republicans brace for a brutal midterm environment, the White House still seems trapped in a reality-defying loyalty pageant.
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker went live on Wednesday at 10:30am ET to cover the latest on the war in Iran and Pete Hegseth's graduation speech at West Point where he blamed “foolish and feckless leaders” for promoting diversity. Programming note: On June 8 at 7pm ET, Mona Charen and Mark Hertling will kick off the Bulwark Book Club with a live chat about Mark’s book, If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal. This livestream is for Bulwark+ subscribers on Substack and YouTube....
Sam Stein and Will Saletan give their takes on Donald Trump’s latest visit to Walter Reed, the White House’s growing secrecy around his health, and the bizarre effort by the White House to defend footage of the president appearing to fall asleep during meetings. They discuss Trump’s repeated medical checkups, his confusing answers about MRIs and CAT scans, comparisons to the Biden health debate, and why transparency matters when it comes to the president of the United States.
Andrew and Bill went live at 10am ET on Tuesday to cover the notable deflections over the weekend from a small group of GOP Senators about a potential deal with Iran, the worsening approval ratings for Trump and the war, and the reported potential plan by the U.S. to have Iran send its enriched uranium to Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, or China. Read more from Morning Shots: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-iran-war-was-a-failure-deal-ceasefire-hormuz-nuclear-program-senators-wicker-graham-cruz Ge...
Jasmine poses Triad readers’ questions to JVL: How can we stop Trump's slush fund? Will AI discourse dominate the 2028 campaign? Why does Trump keep turning down Iran's proposals to end the war? What is the true definition of populism? All that and more (like whether JVL thinks his best friend, Sarah Longwell, should run for Senate in Pennsylvania) in this week’s mailbag. Paid members of the Bulwark can get the full episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube or Substack.
Van Lathan joined Tim Miller at the Los Angeles live show to break down the SCOTUS VRA ruling and what it really means for the Deep South—including a conversation with his 88-year-old grandmother who thought the civil rights battle was already won. Plus: Van's gym run-in with Theo Von, whether MAGA can be deprogrammed, and why he's not the one to do it (but Tim might be).
Ebola is back. Hantavirus is spreading. So Sonny Bunch and Jonathan Cohn revisited three pandemic "classics"—And the Band Played On, Contagion, and Outbreak—to see which one we're actually living in.
Before the DNC released its unfinished autopsy report on May 21, The Bulwark published an exclusive behind-the-scenes article with an accounting of what happened inside the Biden and Harris presidential campaigns in 2024. It was written by Rob Flaherty who served as deputy campaign manager. Flaherty had been interviewed for the autopsy and, before anything was released from the DNC, felt it was critical to pull back the curtain on his view that Democrats ran a campaign built for a world that no ...
Catherine Rampell welcomes former DHS official Doug Rand to take on Trump’s purposely chaotic new green card policy, why legal immigrants and Silicon Valley are panicking, and how the administration may be using confusion and fear to push people out of the country. Listen to Doug Rand's podcast, 'The Melting Pod' — https://meltingpod.org/
Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, Sam Stein, Van Lathan, Brian Tyler Cohen, Jon Favreau, Jane Coaston and Erin Gloria Ryan appeared on stage LIVE in Los Angeles on May 21, 2026. The Bulwark hosted a live quiz pitting the two teams against each other on the most obscure—and embarrassing—chapters of recent political history. Plus: the DNC autopsy gets roasted, California goes on trial, and JD Vance receives the takedown he deserves.
Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer descend into the strangest corners of MAGA internet culture: January 6 reparations, Hunter Biden teaming up with Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes feuding with Tucker Carlson, and the surreal “Beartaria” compound where the internet’s saddest men are trying to build a right-wing utopia. Plus: San Diego Republican drama, burglar twinks, and more deeply cursed political lore.
Join Catherine Rampell and JVL at 12:30pm ET as they go live to discuss the biggest political, financial and economic stories of the week. Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/BULWARKTAKES to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
Tim Miller and Andrew Egger are going live to give their takes on Tulsi Gabbard’s resignation from the Trump administration. Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/BULWARKTAKES to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
Catherine Rampell is joined by Thomas Florsheim Jr., whose company makes the president’s favorite shoe brand, to discuss what Trump’s tariff agenda has meant for his business. From skyrocketing import costs to supply-chain chaos to millions paid in tariffs, Thomas explains why reshoring production to the United States still doesn’t make economic sense. He describes the scramble to move manufacturing between countries, the hidden costs businesses face from constant policy uncertainty, and why his...
Will Saletan gives his take on Todd Blanche’s embarrassing performance as Donald Trump’s acting Attorney General, and why his public defenses of the administration keep collapsing under scrutiny. From reviving debunked 2020 election claims to arguing that indictments themselves are proof of guilt, except when it comes to Trump, Blanche repeatedly finds himself trying to justify glaring double standards in real time. Will walks through Blanche’s interviews, the James Comey indictment, Trump’s pub...
Join Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and Sam Stein live on the Bulwark tour bus, as they head to Los Angeles. Get 20% off your first order, plus free shipping during the Memorial Day Sale at https://www.bollandbranch.com/bulwarktakes with code bulwarktakes.
Jonathan Cohn is joined by Dr. Craig Spencer to break down the growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, why global health officials are sounding the alarm, and how Trump-era cuts to public health infrastructure could affect the response. Spencer is an emergency medicine physician and Ebola survivor. During the historic 2014 outbreak, he treated patients and then contracted Ebola himself, became one of the most visible voices during that crisis. Dr. Spencer explains why this outbreak has experts...
JVL and Andrew Egger give their takes on Donald Trump’s bizarre comments about wanting to be prime minister of Israel, his relationship with Netanyahu, and his supposed “99%” approval rating in Israel. They also break down the growing MAGA divide over Israel and Iran, Thomas Massie’s defeat, and why Trump’s political instincts may finally be slipping. Plus: the Republican backlash to Trump’s billion-dollar ballroom and what it says about a president governing like he has nothing left to lose. Te...
Donald Trump turns 80 next month, but Democrats still seem reluctant to make his age and health a political issue. Sam Stein and Lauren Egan give their takes on the questions about Trump’s bruised hands, dentist visits, public appearances, and why the overall transparency about Trump's health hasn't become a bigger story even after Republicans spent years relentlessly attacking Joe Biden over age and decline. Plus: Sam attempts to test Trump’s concealer explanation himself. Read more from Lauren...
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker went live on Wednesday morning to give their takes on NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's comments about the Strait of Hormuz and the reported plan by the U.S. and Israel to install Mahmoud Ahmadinejad back to power in Iran. Plus, Ben and Mark break down why Pete Hegseth's decision to pull troops out of Poland makes no sense and dismiss Vance's ridiculous comments about Trump and Ukraine. Text TAKES to 64000 for your 2 free gifts with the purchase of ...
Donald Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton over John Cornyn in the Texas Senate primary has left Senator Cornyn politically humiliated after years of seeking Trump's approval, exposing the shifting loyalties within the Republican party. The episode delves into Trump's consistent efforts to undermine election confidence and his use of political tactics to solidify his base. Additionally, it examines the significance of challengers like Thomas Massey and the emerging opportunity for Democrat James Talarico in Texas, given Paxton's controversial past.
This episode breaks down Rep. Thomas Massie's primary loss to a Trump-backed challenger, exploring how Massey's supposedly Trumpian stances like releasing Epstein files and opposing foreign wars ultimately led to his defeat due to Trump's shifting loyalties. The hosts delve into the unprecedented spending in the primary, the use of AI in attack ads, and the shocking lack of vindictiveness from Republicans whose careers are ended by Trump. They also analyze Massie's concession speech and ponder the future of the Republican party under Trump's continued influence, particularly regarding emerging 'America First' coalitions.
