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500 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Tom Nichols: America's Problem Child
29 augustus 2025 · 54 min
Trump is like a dysfunctional 8-year-old whose parents are always in the principal's office arguing that their son is a good boy. The media, CEOs, and Wall Street keep giving him a pass for his behavior while his supporters and apologists explain why he just had to set the school on fire. At the same time, he's empowering ideologues behind the scenes who are dismantling the government and executing their policy wet dreams. Plus, Joni Ernst's Senate tenure has been a sham, Vance tries Mickey Mouse Stalinism on for size, and what's going on with the bruising on Trump's right hand? The public has the right to know about the health of a president. Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. Lees meer
Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notesTom's newsletter installment, "President Homelander"
JVL's Thursday 'Triad'
Tom calling Trump 'unmanly' and Vance an 'ass****'
The film, "The Death of Stalin"
Felicia Schwartz's piece on Steve Witkoff
Tim's playlist
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Sam Stein and Talmon Smith: Brain Drain
28 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 11 min
The resignations of senior leaders at the CDC is a calamity. People with decades of expertise in infectious disease are leaving the agency because the new director—who Trump just appointed—refused to get on board with RFK's anti-vax crusade, including limiting access to Covid boosters. And Wednesday's violence in Minneapolis may be a sign that the FBI should be keeping its eye on the threats from domestic terror instead of arresting day laborers at Home Depot. Meanwhile, Trump's threat to the Fed's independence could pose a real risk to the stability of the U.S. Plus, more on the shifting attitudes about Israel among Dems, the latest attack on Kyiv is another reminder of how much Putin is mocking Trump, and remembering Katrina 20 years later. Lees meer
Sam Stein and the NYT's Talmon Smith join Tim Miller.
show notes
Thursday's "Morning Shots"
Tim, Sam, and Will Sommer on a MAGA brawl, the “Bulwark Take” Tim mentioned
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Jake Sullivan: Trump Is Making China Great Again
27 augustus 2025 · 59 min
A year ago, China was globally isolated and its economy was struggling. But once Trump was back in office pursuing his own personal and political gain, the U.S. brand got tossed in the toilet and the view from Beijing got pretty sweet. Trump has allowed China to buy American microchips that could be used against our own national security interests, he caved on his own trade war with the country, and the divisions he's creating with allies in the West have made China's propaganda job a whole lot easier. Plus, the tragedy in Gaza, the evolving U.S.-Israel relationship, the one powerful way to squeeze Putin's war machine, and re-examining Biden's original plan to run for re-election. Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan joins Tim Miller. Lees meer
show notes
Sullivan's piece on Gaza for the Israeli news site, Ynet
Article about Sullivan's comments at The Atlantic Festival in Sept. 2023
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Susan Glasser: An Exercise in National Humiliation
26 augustus 2025 · 51 min
Some rando far-right social media suck-up, who Trump rewarded with an appointment to his administration, is pushing mortgage fraud investigations of Adam Schiff, Tish James, and now Fed governor Lisa Cook. Trump claims he's fired Cook based on a tweet—but will any institution stand up to these McCarthy-like campaigns against his political foes? Meanwhile, Bolton is being investigated because he went on TV and called out Trump's lies about his embarrassing Alaska summit. Plus, the administration is abusing official resources by having Guard troops just stand around in D.C., Putin wants to devour Ukraine by any means necessary, and we are finding out what it's like to have a live-streaming presidency. Susan Glasser joins Tim Miller. Lees meer
show notes
Susan's most recent column
Pam Bondi profile by Ruth Marcus
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Bill Kristol: March to Dictatorship
25 augustus 2025 · 50 min
Trump and his people have used the summer months to up the despot game—sending armed troops into the streets, taking over the police in D.C., and promising to export the same tactics to even more blue cities. And the attempted deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda shows the lengths the administration will go for not submitting to its coercion. At the same time, Vance sounds downright Orwellian on the John Bolton matter, while the White House eyes other major corporations to extort. Plus, Wes Moore punches back, the injustice of the trans military ban, and the emerging signs of a broad Democratic coalition. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. Lees meer
show notes
Kinzinger on how Trump is undermining the Second Amendment
Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' with Col. Bree Fram
Mark Hertling on the purging of military and intel leaders
Just one of Gov. Moore's recent punchy tweets
The book Tim mentioned, "Diary of a Man in Despair"
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Tommy Vietor: Trump's Security State
22 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 10 min
The fears of jack-booted thugs and the military in the streets that filled the fever dreams of numerous people on the right since the 90s have come to pass. Not to mention that these are boom times for private prisons, deportation camps, and huge data centers driving up electricity bills. (We're building things, Marc Andreessen!) Meanwhile, The Bulwark was live on the scene for the FBI raid at John Bolton's house—just the latest installment from Team Trump's pursuit of his enemies. Plus, Alex Jones is worried about Trump's cankles, and Gavin is proving to be a good fighter, but other Dems need to get in the game. Also, Gaza, Israel, and the exaggerated power of AIPAC. Lees meer
Tommy Vietor joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes
Bulwark LIVE for FBI raid at Bolton's home (Substack) or YouTube
Byron Donalds's Cracker Barrel tweet
Third Way's blacklisted words
Joe Rogan takedown
Peter Thiel's antichrist lecture series
Tim's playlist
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Garry Kasparov and Jerusalem Demsas: Democracy Can't Defend Itself
21 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 12 min
While Trump keeps working hard on his own monetization and glorification—and delivers a Watergate practically every hour—the pro-democracy coalition must stay focused on winning next year's midterm elections. Trump is at the point of no return, Congress is becoming the only institution that can stop him, and holding onto that lever of power is his top priority. Meanwhile, not only did Trump look weak in Alaska, he also looked unpresidential. Plus, a new publication focused on the threats from the post-liberal right and left. Lees meer
Jerusalem Demsas and Garry Kasparov join Tim Miller.
show notes
Garry's Substack, "The Next Move"
Jerusalem's "The Argument"
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen slamming the table after losing in June
Trump comparing himself to Nixon
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Adam Kinzinger: Don't Feed the Dictator
20 augustus 2025 · 57 min
Russia is losing the war in Ukraine. More than 1 million Russian troops have been killed or injured, and it's been estimated that it would take another four years and 2 million more soldiers for Putin to conquer the Donbas region. So no, Ben Shapiro, getting Ukraine to sacrifice the region in return for some kind of security guarantee would not be a "masterstroke" for Trump. Meanwhile, red state governors sending National Guard troops to D.C. are disrupting the lives and families of those troops at back-to-school time—just to please Daddy Trump. Plus, the MAGA socialism around Intel, Dems should advise foreign countries to think twice about doing corrupt deals with Trump, and Hegseth's pull-ups don't cut it in the alpha male world he thinks he's making. Lees meer
Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller.
show notesTim on the Louisiana governor sending the National Guard to D.C.
Kinzinger's interview with Jason Riddle
Jonathan Martin on Trump giving Putin more time to stall
FT on Europeans comparing eastern Ukraine to Florida
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David Kirkpatrick: Trump's Self-Enrichment
19 augustus 2025 · 49 min
Back in the day, Trump used to puff up his wealth to get on the Forbes list. Lately though, he doesn't talk about how much money he has, especially now that he and his family have pocketed an estimated $3.4 billion off his time in the White House. The bulk of those billions comes from various crypto-related ventures—and money from foreign nationals and some adjustments at the S.E.C. have helped grease the wheel. At the same time, the Trump Org is making development deals directly with dictators in the Middle East. Meanwhile, his supporters may think they're helping MAGA by buying hats and beer koozies, but their money is all going to Trump. Plus, the European leaders had their flattery game down in the Oval Office on Monday. Lees meer
The New Yorker's David Kirkpatrick joins Tim Miller.
show notesDavid's piece, "The Number: How Much Is Trump Pocketing off the Presidency?”
White House photo of the European's flattery game in action
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Bill Kristol: Authoritarian Takeover
18 augustus 2025 · 43 min
Militarizing the nation's capital is not a distraction, and Democrats really need to stop using that term. Trump is trying to seize power, intimidate the public, and foment violence in the streets. And it's a purposeful MAGA marketing campaign—the masked federal thugs often have a camera person with them as they tase and tackle people. This is a fight that is central to the pro-democracy coalition, and it must become a political loser for Trump. Meanwhile, European leaders are now the ones defending liberty, and Trump may be laying the groundwork for an attempted federal takeover of our elections. Lees meer
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Philip Bump's mapping of crime rates in states sending Guard troops to DC
Masked agents NOT patrolling in DC neighborhoods most impacted by crime
Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Eric
Video of a Russian tank with an American flag
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Hakeem Jeffries: More Is More
15 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 1 min
While Donald Trump delivers chaos, cruelty, and corruption—and Republicans play the facts-and-hypocrisy don't matter game— Democrats have to do more rallies, more town halls, and more hearings, on and off the Hill. And if Leader Jeffries gets the gavel after the midterms, he promises investigations into Trump's huge pay-to-play scheme and says that Kristi Noem will be one of the first people hauled up to Congress to answer for the unlawful round-ups and disappearances of law-abiding immigrants. Plus, the currently missing Mamdani endorsement, the D.C. takeover, the redistricting showdown, and leaning hard into Epstein. Lees meer
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes"Bulwark Takes" feed for updates on the Alaska summit
Tim's playlist
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Michael Weiss: Helsinki in Anchorage?
14 augustus 2025 · 48 min
At the Alaska summit, Putin will likely be angling for a sequel of the Helsinki meeting, the infamous tête-à-tête in 2018 where Trump got rolled and cajoled. And because Trump refuses to accept that his charisma and imaginary friendship with Vladimir will never be enough to close a ceasefire deal, the best outcome for Ukraine is that Putin makes Trump mad by not helping him land his long-sought peace prize. Meanwhile, Russian intelligence has been busy recruiting assets to commit acts of terror and foment unrest in Western countries. Plus, the role of Europe in standing up to Trump, and a hurled sandwich becomes an act of resistance to the takeover of DC. Lees meer
Michael Weiss joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Tim and Bill on the wholesale inflation numbers and Trump's BLS pick
Video of the sandwich thrower or on Instagram
Double agent Kim Philby
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Jason Calacanis: Anarcho Capitalism
13 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 4 min
Tim Cook groveling to Trump with a golden trophy and a dash of MAGA identity politics is probably a sign that we are not currently living in a healthy free-market economy. But business leaders apparently prefer pathetically sucking up to a president than feeling snubbed by one, like they did with Biden. And despite the sluggish job growth, rising prices, and tariff uncertainty, they also say the economy is absolutely totally better than it was in 2024— because they are heavily invested in the TACO rule. Plus, crypto advice, morality never gets in the way of a solid balance sheet, and a debate over whether Trump is dialing back his masked-men deportation regime. Also, is Sam Altman trying to make ChatGPT addictive? Lees meer
Jason Calacanis joins Tim Miller to shed light on what the business world is thinking right now.
Show notes:The "All-In" podcast
Latest episode of "The Next Level"
Tim's interview with Jason in October
"All-In" interview with Vance
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Amanda Carpenter: Fake Emergencies
12 augustus 2025 · 55 min
Trump keeps creating all these phony crises—an 'invasion' at the border, immigrants in the interior, crime in D.C.—so he can put on a show of force for his white base. He's also declaring fake emergencies on college campuses so he can shake them down, or declaring an economic emergency to impose tariffs. Now, he's looking at a 'quick reaction force' to respond to protests. It's all a naked power grab, and a potential prequel to sending in troops during elections. Plus, Trump wants fabricated economic data, his 15% cut of Nvidia's and AMD's chip sales to China quacks like a bribe, and will "Idiocracy" come alive with a UFC Octagon on the South Lawn? . Lees meer
Amanda Carpenter joins Tim Miller.
show notesAmanda on the shakedown of elite institutions
Protect Democracy's 'Democracy Atlas'
JVL on making good trouble
"Bulwark Take" with Jason Furman on E.J. Antoni
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Bill Kristol: The Lawless Administration
11 augustus 2025 · 46 min
Crime is down in D.C., but Trump is using the pretext of an attempted carjacking of "Big Balls," the former 19-year-old DOGE employee, to take over the city's police department and deploy the National Guard. It's a threat to other blue cities, and an ominous sign ahead of 2026 and 2028. Meanwhile, the DOJ has appointed 'a special attorney' and empaneled grand juries to investigate Trump enemies Adam Schiff and Tish James. Plus, it's odd how JD never seems to defend Trump on Epstein, and Putin has already scored a psychological victory by the promise of being welcomed to the United States as an equal—rather than the war criminal he is. Lees meer
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notesCathy's piece on the upcoming Alaska summit
Bill in "Morning Shots" on how Vance keeps drawing attention to the Epstein matter
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Lis Smith: Dems Need to Burn Down the Party Establishment
8 augustus 2025 · 49 min
There's a direct line between when the Democratic Party got nationalized and when it started getting wiped out in red states. Dems need to embrace heterodoxy in their candidates—running in New York City is not the same as running in Nebraska. And the party has to exorcise itself of people like Andrew Cuomo. Plus, the administration has upped the cruelty quotient by denying retirement benefits to longtime trans members of the Air Force, the FBI gets deployed to advance the Republicans redistricting, and avoiding the scam PACs preying on Democrats. Lees meer
show notes
Tim's interview with Andry on Substack or YouTube
Lis's book, "Any Given Tuesday"
Stanford's Adam Bonica on Mothership Strategies
Cook Political Report's 2026 House rankings
Tim's playlist
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Anne Applebaum: What USAID's Absence Looks Like on the Ground
7 augustus 2025 · 49 min
The United States, through USAID, not only supplied a big chunk of the world's humanitarian aid, it also provided almost all of the logistical support for other aid organizations to deliver relief as well. Now in Sudan, where the state has disintegrated and millions of people are trying to flee anarchy and civil war, virtually no Western organization is there to provide food and shelter. And no American is working on trying to end the conflict. Plus, Tim Cook joins the CEO suck-up to Trump, a top, well-regarded FBI official who was trying to hold the line under Kash has been pushed out, and Putin may be trying to pause Ukraine's punishing air war on Russia—but he's not showing any sign that he wants peace. Lees meer
Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller.
show notesAnne's piece on Sudan, “The Most Nihilistic Conflict on Earth”
Anne's wildflower garden
The NYT on the continuing purge at the FBI
Anne's "Autocracy, Inc.," out in paperback Aug. 25
"The Director," book recommendation from Anne
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Zerlina Maxwell and Josh Barro: We Are in a Bad Place
6 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 11 min
Gerrymandering has always been partisan, but what's happening in Texas is straight-up racial politics. Republicans are targeting and trying to disenfranchise black voters while betting that Latino voters will stick with them. And because Trump hasn't had a lot of luck making the furor over Epstein and Ghislaine go away, JD is stepping in to host a totally 100% aboveboard damage control session at his house—with the top officials at the DOJ. Plus, the U.S. had almost zero job growth in May and June, the economy is slowing, and prices are ticking up. Lees meer
Josh Barro and Zerlina Maxwell join Tim Miller.
show notes:
Tim, Sam, and Will Sommer on the MAGA girl meltdown
Zerlina's book, "The End of White Politics"
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Chuck Todd: Is the Economy the Biggest Political Threat to Trump?
5 augustus 2025 · 55 min
Voters in the seven swing states that elected Trump in 2024 thought he'd make the economy better. His perceived strength on the economy is the cornerstone Jenga piece of the whole Trump Tower. And he keeps making the economy worse. Meanwhile, Democratic voters are highly engaged—but just not with the party, whose brand is struggling. Plus, Republicans are still trying to steal the House, and how a stronger, re-imagined local news media can help restore trust in national news. Lees meer
Chuck Todd joins Tim Miller.
show notesChuck's Sunday Night with Chuck Todd on the Noosphere app
The Chuck Toddcast
"The Stranger," Chuck's book about Obama
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Bill Kristol: This Is So Third World
4 augustus 2025 · 57 min
The boss only wants to hear good news: that's the takeaway from Trump's high-profile firing over the weak job numbers. So if a government worker has something bad to report, they now know they'll have to lie to keep their jobs. And this isn't only about key information on the economy—it's also about hurricane forecasts, intel threats, and potential military mishaps. Meanwhile, the Texas redistricting stand-off is fraying the fabric of our democracy. Plus, Fox's own producers think Jeanine Pirro is a reckless maniac, direction from the top was the only way Ghislaine Maxwell could have been moved to a 'Club Fed' prison, and Democrats debate how much to work with Republicans who don't keep their word. Lees meer
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notesToday's 'Morning Shots'
The 'Bulwark Takes' Apple feed
Tim on 'Pod Save America' on Friday
Some of the victims' testimony from Maxwell's trial
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Dan Osborn: Connecting with Working People
1 augustus 2025 · 55 min
Osborn, the populist independent who ran a surprisingly close campaign for a Senate seat in Nebraska last year, is back for another run in the 2026 midterms. A steamfitter and union member, he says he naturally connects with other workers drawing paychecks who are feeling the squeeze. And he likes to point out that his opponent last time took money from corporate donors; but this time, his opponent is a corporate donor—incumbent Pete Ricketts, one of the wealthiest members of Congress. Plus, the pain from tariffs on Main Street, the inhumanity of masked ICE agents, and the peril for Democrats if they can't figure out how to talk to Trump voters. Lees meer
Dan Osborn joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notesTucker talking about home ownership and the American dream
Tim's playlist
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Marc Elias: An Election War Machine
31 juli 2025 · 50 min
Texas Republicans are busy gerrymandering their already gerrymandered congressional map, and other red states are looking to do the same—all aimed at blocking the Dems from winning back the House and shielding Donald Trump at all costs. Meanwhile, the DOJ is trying to get state voter rolls and is laying the groundwork for interfering in the midterms. Democrats need to fight fire with fire in blue states. Plus, the cowardice of Big Law, the power politics behind the Emil Bove confirmation, and the pathetic deference Republicans are showing to convicted sex crimes monster Ghislaine Maxwell. Lees meer
Marc Elias joins Tim Miller.
show notesElias's Democracy Docket
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Franklin Foer: Elon, the Man Who Ate NASA
30 juli 2025 · 45 min
The rise of Elon—and why he is still involved with our government—has everything to do with the dimming of America's one-time crown jewel, NASA. We are now dependent on his rockets and his satellites because Obama and the U.S. government saved SpaceX. Of course, Elon's hypocrisy knows no bounds, because when he had the power, he quickly worked to dismantle the very same government that came to his rescue. The Atlantic's Franklin Foer explains how NASA engineered its own decline, as well as Elon's prophecy about becoming the engineer savior who colonizes Mars. Plus, Zelensky's giant misstep on corruption, and how humanitarian groups need to get back into Gaza to flood it with food. Lees meer
Frank Foer joins Tim Miller.
show notesFrank's reporting on NASA and Musk
Frank on Zelensky's misstep on corruption
Tim's FYPod
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David French: Israel's Humanitarian Obligations
29 juli 2025 · 1 uur 6 min
Gaza is strewn with rubble, the war's end is nowhere in sight, and an entirely predictable humanitarian disaster is unfolding. With daily reports of starvation and malnutrition, Israel must provide a systematic and orderly distribution of large amounts of aid to stem the crisis—and stave off a Mad Max situation. Meanwhile, our abdication on USAID has led to human suffering elsewhere in the world, and Trump's supporters still seem more preoccupied with trans people in women's sports and a swimmer who came in 5th place. Plus, Trump's betrayal of the voters who fervently believed he would expose a global pedophile ring, how being gay has evolved into a 'super sin' among evangelicals, and reading the tea leaves on whether Trump is really getting tougher on Putin or if it's just a mood swing. Lees meer
David French joins Tim Miller.
show notes
David's piece on Christian cancel culture and HBO's "Back to the Frontier."
David's column on MAGA and Epstein
How Israel made the same mistakes the U.S. did in Iraq — David's piece from last year
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Bill Kristol: Trump Is a Moral Monster
28 juli 2025 · 1 uur 5 min
The man who cavorted with Jeffrey Epstein for 15 years never even bothers to feign empathy for Epstein's victims—even a sociopath would fake it. And neither Trump nor his administration and supporters can get their talking points straight on the scandal: The files are a hoax, but Ghislaine Maxwell is going to name names; she's a horrible person, but the public is supposed to believe her; POTUS denies he went to Epstein's island but it would have been a "privilege" if he had. Meanwhile, Trump is tying himself in knots on Gaza and Russia. Plus, former model Stacey Williams tells Tim about briefly dating Epstein, getting groped by Trump, and why she's going public with her story. Lees meer
Bill Kristol and Stacey Williams join Tim Miller.
show notesVideo of Tim's interview with Stacey
Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' interview with Tom Joscelyn
Subscribe to 'Bulwark Takes' here
Lauren on how the Dems plan to use the congressional recess
Peter Strzok on David Frum's podcast
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Andrew Weissmann: It Stinks to High Heaven
25 juli 2025 · 58 min
The deputy attorney general of the United States, who took an oath to help Donald Trump no matter what, is conferring with Jeffrey Epstein's literal partner in crime—a woman who lied about the sex trafficking she orchestrated and participated in. And Ghislaine Maxwell has every motive to exculpate Trump now (and incriminate some other high-profile figure) in return for a pardon or a reduction in her 20-year sentence for sexually exploiting and abusing numerous minor girls, some as young as 14. Meanwhile, JD isn't offering a very vigorous defense of Trump's integrity, the administration is making a giant legal mess for themselves in New Jersey over Alina Habba, and Emil Bove's nomination is all about trying to destroy checks and balances. Lees meer
Andrew Weissmann joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notesWeissmann's Substack
The "Main Justice" podcast, co-hosted by Weissmann and Mary McCord
Tim's playlist
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Mike Murphy: Trump's Kryptonite
24 juli 2025 · 53 min
The one thing Mr. Authenticity was supposed to be was the anti-politician: the guy who would supposedly go after the establishment, clean up Washington, and make a booming economy. Now, Trump's acting just like a typical politician trying to cover-up a scandal—and he's vulnerable to a backlash from the manosphere that went all in on him. Meanwhile, he is getting near-Biden polling numbers on the economy, he's trying to make the Fed chair his scapegoat, and he's the best American president the Chinese auto industry ever had. Plus, Newsom's prospects in '28 and the success of 'change' mayors across the board. Lees meer
Mike Murphy joins Tim Miller.
show notesMike on the EV industry after the passage of the budget bill
Mike on leaving the Republican Party
More clips from the first episode of South Park's new season
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Neera Tanden: Aiding and Abetting Trump
23 juli 2025 · 54 min
Mike Johnson is racing to shut the business of the House down to avoid a vote on releasing the Epstein files. Trump's own criminal lawyer, who's moonlighting as deputy attorney general, will be minding the matter of Ghislaine Maxwell. And Texas is looking to squeeze out some more House seats to try to protect Trump from having to be held accountable on Epstein. Has any other politician ever acted so guilty? But in this moment, the Dems are finally bringing a gun to a gunfight. And for the midterms, they need to commit to Benghazi-style hearings on the contents of the files—and the Republican cover-up. Plus, securing the border without a terror campaign, and recruiting candidates to fill out a bigger Democratic tent. Lees meer
Neera Tanden, at the Center for American Progress, joins Tim Miller.
show notesCAP's new immigration policy platform, co-authored by Neera
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Chris Murphy: Time to Break Norms(?)
22 juli 2025 · 46 min
Republicans are nullifying bipartisan budget deals and planning a mid-decade redistricting to try to hold the House after the midterms. Trump is methodically working to crush dissent in the media, chill major Dem donors, and shut down the party's online fundraising portal, ActBlue. One political party is breaking all the norms, while the other is trying to stick to them. Sen. Murphy tells Tim that democracies die when the rules change and the opposition refuses to adapt. Meanwhile, Trump's detention regime is not only making prison-builders filthy rich, it will also likely draw in ICE candidates eager to abuse their power. Plus, Epstein is a bad story for the administration no matter how you slice it, and Tim shares his thoughts about Hunter. Lees meer
Sen. Chris Murphy joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Sen. Murphy's Substack piece on regulating AI
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Bill Kristol: It's the Crimes and the Cover-Up
21 juli 2025 · 49 min
Our government disappeared hundreds of Venezuelans to a hellish Salvadoran prison for 125 days. When Trump's and Stephen Miller's whole CECOT plan even became too much for the dictator who runs El Salvador, Marco Rubio helped orchestrate a political win for Venezuela's strongman, Nicolas Maduro—who gets to look like a white knight in the hostage exchange. Meanwhile, the administration still has not recovered from its rake-step claim that there was no Epstein list. Did Bondi release her memo because the 1,000 FBI personnel who were made to review the Epstein documents kept finding Trump's name? Cover-ups are hard. Plus, now the Dems have new reasons to not cooperate with Republicans. Lees meer
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Tim and Sam's livestream after Andry and the other Venezuelans were released from CECOT
Bill and Sarah discuss the Epstein timeline for 'Bulwark on Sunday'
Rep. Boyle on not cooperating with Republicans on the budget
Lauren on Democratic messaging for the midterms
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Tom Nichols: Secrets and Lies
18 juli 2025 · 1 uur 3 min
If anyone in America was still thinking that Trump's ties to Epstein were a nothingburger, Trump’s own behavior this week has probably disabused them of that notion. His panicking and flailing around sure seem exactly like how a guilty man would act. And the sudden firing of Jim Comey's daughter, Maurene—who worked on the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases at the DOJ—isn't helping to tamp down the conspiracy theorizing. Meanwhile, Tulsi and Kash are trying to ferret out the unfaithful, and there are still adults in the room when it comes to the Fed. Plus, our nuclear command and control system was organized around the assumption that we would have a sane president, not somebody who has psychotic fantasies about the Unabomber. Lees meer
Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notesTom on the McCarthyist moves by Patel and Gabbard
The president and the nuclear button, part of The Atlantic's August issue
Tom on Hollywood and the fear of nuclear catastrophe
James Clapper was banned from a service dog graduation at the CIA
Tim's playlist
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David Wallace-Wells: The U.S. Is Handing the Baton to China
17 juli 2025 · 1 uur 8 min
While the Trump administration is doubling down on fossil fuels, China is annihilating us in the clean energy space. Right now, 75% of all renewable projects anywhere in the world are being built by a Chinese company. China is dominating the green energy supply chain with solar panels and batteries, and its electric car can charge in five minutes. The U.S. may be betting on AI, but that build-out needs cheap, fast energy—like wind or solar. We may have thought modernity was a Western story, but that may not be the case. Meanwhile, inland flooding could be the new face of the climate crisis, Silicon Valley overlords want to live in a sci-fi novel, and the Epstein story has legs because it's about elite impunity. Lees meer
David Wallace-Wells joins Tim Miller.
show notesDavid on the increasing occurrence of inland flooding, and how we respond (gift)
David's newsletter on the mystery of rich, powerful people hanging out w/ Epstein
David's book, “The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming"
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Ben Wittes and Michael Feinberg: Breakdown at the FBI
16 juli 2025 · 1 uur 6 min
In addition to eviscerating the top leadership at the Bureau, Kash Patel has assigned whole squads of agents to immigration enforcement. Seasoned FBI veterans who used to focus on national security or run RICO investigations are now doing perimeter security during ICE round-ups of kids and grandmas. The administration's purge is draining the Bureau of expertise and apolitical people who did real work defending the rule of law and protecting the country. Plus, do four GOP senators care one iota about the whistleblower allegations against Emil Bove? And will Ukraine finally get badly-needed air defense weapons? Lees meer
Ben Wittes and Mike Feinberg—a former top deputy at the Bureau who was targeted by Dan Bongino—join Tim Miller.
show notesMike's piece on his resignation from the FBI
Ben's Substack
Tim on the threatened cuts to UNICEF
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Brian Beutler: Time to Pop Off, Dems
15 juli 2025 · 1 uur 2 min
The majority of elected Democrats would prefer to talk only about policy, but that's not enough for today's freewheeling new media environment. It's way past time for Dems to figure out how to shoot the sh*t—and stop being the kids at the front of the class who don't know how to talk to the ones in the back. And when it comes to Epstein, Trump & co were either lying about the pedophiles back then, or they're lying now to protect themselves. Plus, make the Republicans own all the healthcare cuts: they are happening because of "Trumpcare." Lees meer
Brian Beutler joins Tim Miller.
show notesBrian's Substack piece on how Dems should talk like regular people
Brian's podcast, Politix
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Bill Kristol: Has Trump Trapped Himself?
14 juli 2025 · 57 min
With the Epstein case, the conspirator-in-chief has finally found a hoax that MAGA isn't buying—and he's risking his credibility among his newer supporters in the manosphere by continuing to hawk it. Meanwhile, Trump may have figured out that Putin has not been nice to him. Plus, troops are still in Los Angeles, immigration laws meant for the border are being applied to gardeners and farmworkers in the country's interior, and there's a big serving of fascism that goes with all the clownishness. Lees meer
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notesTim's interview with Julie K. Brown last year
Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Julie Brown
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Sam Stein: This Is the Country They Want
3 juli 2025 · 53 min
Republicans are creating, and celebrating, an immigration police state financed by their megabill. Our cities will be militarized, we'll have prison camps, more masked agents, and more dehumanization—like their sicko alligator hats. And the motivation all seems to be so Trump has a win and the Dems don't. But this is Stephen Miller's administration now. Expect net zero migration, less tourism, less international business, and a lower GDP. As we head into Independence Day, it's hard to see the Jeffersonian aspirational promise of America right now. Plus, the administration's freeze on some air defense weapons to Ukraine, how a younger Sam used to think about Bill Kristol, and Candace Owens's potential influence on geopolitical affairs. Lees meer
Sam Stein joins Tim Miller for the holiday weekend pod.
show notes
This week's TNL
Adrian on how deportations are impacting the Latin music industry
Will Sommer's new piece that Sam referenced
Thomas Jefferson's letter to Roger Weightman
Tim's playlist
Tim's July 4th playlist
Relief organizations to support, mentioned in the Nick Kristof interview
Helen Keller International
Edesia Nutrition in Rhode Island
Mana Nutrition in Georgia
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Galen Druke: Americans Do Not Like Trump's Deportations
2 juli 2025 · 1 uur 5 min
Trump has moved public opinion against his own immigration policy platform by sending masked agents out to nab people off the street. So, Democrats should skip the last war, and instead push for laws requiring ICE agents to show their faces and wear their names on their badge. And another no-brainer for the midterms, in light of the Big Ugly Bill: they should also grab the green eyeshades and talk up the dangers from the debt and deficit. Plus, the electoral calculations behind slashing Medicaid, a Democratic primary draft for 2028, and what was Murkowski thinking? Lees meer
Galen Druke joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Galen's podcast
Galen's Substack
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E. Jean Carroll and Sarah Longwell: Such a Bad Man
1 juli 2025 · 1 uur 26 min
Ever the journalist, E. Jean took assiduous notes about her two civil suits against Donald Trump, the only occasions he has been held liable for his lies since he became president. And while the origin story of her cases is situated in an infamous department store dressing room, she managed to find a high comedy in the courtroom—her description of Alina Habba is one for the ages. Plus, as the reconciliation bill was moving toward final passage in the Senate, Sarah and Tim discussed the preposterous Frankenstein bill, how Republicans are not listening to their voters, and the worthlessness of Lisa Murkowski. Lees meer
Sarah Longwell and E. Jean Carroll join Tim Miller.
show notes
E. Jean's new book, "Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President"
E. Jean's Substack
Subscribe to "Bulwark Takes" for our reactions to breaking news
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Bill Kristol: Limp Opposition
30 juni 2025 · 54 min
Thom Tillis finally showed some backbone and opposed Trump—because of the giant Medicaid cuts in the Big Fugly Bill—but now he has to self-deport from the Senate. Meanwhile, the bill funds a giant internal police force for Trump, and gives a handout to the Dr. Strangeloves of Silicon Valley who don't want AI regulated. It would also cripple wind and solar energy, which even the ex-shadow president says is insane and destructive. Plus, ICE's racial and ethnic targeting, the plutocrats are the biggest suck-ups, and Peter Thiel—the man who gave us JD Vance—isn't sure he wants the human race to continue. Lees meer
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notesBill's "Bulwark on Sunday" interview with Tom Joscelyn
Douthat's interview with Thiel
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Nicholas Kristof: Gratuitous Cruelty
27 juni 2025 · 1 uur 13 min
A miracle food paste that fights malnutrition in children, that taxpayers have already paid for, is collecting dust in warehouses. Donated drugs for parasitic infections remain undistributed and are nearing their expiration dates. American-purchased ambulances sit idle because they have no gas. USAID was shut down in the name of government efficiency, but instead, we've spent at least $6 billion to dismantle it—and we've killed a lot of kids in the process, despite what Elon and Marco Rubio say. Plus, Elissa Slotkin on her 'Economic War Plan,' and the challenges for Dems on housing, and connecting with the working class. Lees meer
Nick Kristof and Sen. Elissa Slotkin join Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notesNick's piece on the waste Elon created
Nick on the elegant and cheap solutions to global hunger
The response to readers upset that Nick writes about dying kids in Africa
"Chasing Hope," Nick's memoir
Kristof Farms
Tim's playlist
Organizations to support
Helen Keller InternationalEdesia Nutrition in Rhode Island
Mana Nutrition in Georgia -
Michael Weiss and Jonathan Cohn: Animal House at the Pentagon
26 juni 2025 · 1 uur 11 min
Trump was so awestruck by Israel's intel infiltration and air supremacy over Iran that he just had to give himself an executive producer credit. And he's casting his appointees to help create a Hollywood ending—including using his Val Kilmer-esque SecDef to spike the success of the long-teased, "secret" military operation. At the same time, Trump is having trouble leveraging the intelligence community's confirmation of what happened in Iran since he's spent a decade undermining its credibility among his supporters. Plus, NATO gets a little cringe toward Daddy Trump, Ukraine doesn't get the same credit as Israel, and the low-down on the Republican bill that would close rural hospitals and cut healthcare for 11 million people. Lees meer
Jon Cohn and Michael Weiss join Tim Miller.
show notesJon's latest on the reconciliation bill
Michael on Israel's intel infiltration and air dominance over Iran
The Dutch queen mocking trump
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Derek Thompson: Winning Without Anger
25 juni 2025 · 1 uur 5 min
A DSA candidate winning a Democratic primary in New York City is not an ideal laboratory for other Dems to draw lessons from, but Mamdani sounded authentic, he successfully juggled our fragmented media environment, and he had the right message for this cost-of-living moment—as well as the proper amount of party heresy for this anti-establishment age. Meanwhile, the Republican tax and budget bill is shockingly out of step with the affordability crisis we are living through. Plus, the dangers of the coming AI wave, Ozempic may be one of the most astonishing medical breakthroughs in the last 100 years, and would shortening the NBA season reduce player injuries? Lees meer
Derek Thompson joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Derek's Substack
Derek's and Ezra's book, "Abundance"
"Plain English," Derek's podcast
Tim and Bill on the NYC mayor's race
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Nicolle Wallace: The Silence of Republicans Is the Bigger Threat
24 juni 2025 · 54 min
While Trump and his administration are the ones politicizing the rule of the law, ignoring due process, and annihilating democratic norms, it's Republicans leaders saying and doing nothing in response that poses a bigger threat to our country and democracy. Meanwhile, when it comes to the Middle East, we don't know who Trump is talking to—or listening to. Plus, when Bush 43, McCain, and Jeb pushed for immigration reform, the romantic idealism of Aaron Sorkin, and the sounds of kids and dogs. Lees meer
(An unfiltered) Nicolle Wallace joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Nicolle's new pod, 'The Best People'
Matt Gaetz arguing with his mom via text
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Bill Kristol: Trump Is Not the Right Man for a Crisis
23 juni 2025 · 49 min
Tim and Bill may have different takes on the wisdom of the U.S. bombing of Iran's nuclear sites—and on potential regime change—but they see eye-to-eye on the risks of Trump's ego and his incapable advisers in a dangerous situation. And where is the missing enriched uranium? Meanwhile, Stephen Miller's masked goons violently assaulted an immigrant landscaper and father of three Marines in Southern California. Plus, the trans military ban is un-American, local anti-trans laws are trampling all over parents' rights, and why didn't the moderate Dem establishment circle the wagons around a candidate who could've knocked Cuomo out of contention? Lees meer
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller
show notesBill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' with Eric Edelman
Sam's interview with Rep. Jim Himes about the Iran strikes
Landscaper being punched by masked officers in So Cal
gifted:
Bob Kagan on the threat to American democracy from a Trump war on Iran
The Post on the transgender troops who want to keep serving
F*%k your khakis and get The Perfect Jean 15% off with the code BULWARK15 at theperfectjean.nyc/BULWARK15 #theperfectjeanpod
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Mark Cuban: Character Is Destiny
20 juni 2025 · 57 min
What if it had been a Harris-Cuban ticket in 2024? Well, it turns out the billionaire entrepreneur had been seriously considered for the VP slot—and we can all dream of a potentially different outcome in the election. Meanwhile, the current guy in the Oval Office is failing spectacularly at the number one job of a president: to reduce the stress of the American people, and to communicate trust and hope. Plus, the Dems need to market their policies better, why much of the business community capitulates to Trump, a debate over AI, is Thiel trying to undermine the dollar, meme coins are the scum of the earth, Bluesky needs to let people fight—and the joy of shooting hoops with the kids. Lees meer
Mark Cuban joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes
Mark's website
The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company
Tim's playlist
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Mark McKinnon and Dan Shapiro: Mid-Wreckage
19 juni 2025 · 54 min
Because half the country so desperately wanted Trump back, we may now be on the verge of attacking Iran because the fake peacenik president wants some credit for Israel's military accomplishments against Tehran. Meanwhile, decent, hard-working people are being swept up by his anti-American deportation policy, consumers—and home buyers— are continuing to pay for his boondoggle tariffs project, and even Republicans are getting nervous about his big, ugly bill. Plus, how attacking Iran looks from the Israeli perspective, post-Oct. 7. Lees meer
Amb. Dan Shapiro and Mark McKinnon join Tim Miller.
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Ben Rhodes: The World We Made
18 juni 2025 · 57 min
Iran is in a vulnerable spot for a variety of reasons, and Israel sees this as a stars-aligning moment to decapitate the Iranian state. But if the U.S. helps out, we'll face the same questions we did with Iraq and Afghanistan: Who will run the place? As Tucker had to embarrassingly school Ted Cruz, Iran is a giant country. And it could descend into civil war or chaos—and America could be drawn into the 'catastrophic success' of regime change. Plus, MAGA fissures over foreign policy, Tulsi can't be trusted on Iran, and Dems really need to seize this black helicopter moment of masked agents snatching and arresting people, including elected officials Lees meer
Ben Rhodes joins Tim Miller.
show notesTim and Ben at an event two years ago on Ben's book
Ben's book, "After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made"
Tulsi's creepy nuclear war video
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Zohran Mamdani: FYPod Crossover
17 juni 2025 · 1 uur 23 min
NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani joins Tim and Cam for a special edition of the daily pod to discuss making the city more affordable, building more housing, and ending food deserts—as well as antisemitism and Islamophobia. Plus, the murky picture on Iran with a lunatic in the White House, and New York magazine's Kerry Howley on the paranoia and chaos at the Pentagon under Pete Hegseth. Lees meer
Kerry Howley and State Rep. Zohran Mamdani join today's Bulwark Podcast.
show notesFYPod on YouTube
FYPod on Apple
Kerry's story on Hegseth
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Bill Kristol and Terry Moran: True American Spirit
16 juni 2025 · 1 uur 27 min
In contrast to the saddest military junta parade in history, millions of patriotic people took to the streets on Saturday to defend American values and principles against Trump. But the deflated birthday boy now wants to ramp up the militarization of our largest cities on a completely partisan basis to achieve his mass deportation. Meanwhile, folks on the right are showing a vicious irresponsibility about the assassination in Minnesota—Mike Lee in particular should have his head examined since he's showing a complete disregard for the truth. Plus, Terry Moran discusses his firing from ABC, his truth-telling about Stephen Miller, and how Trump is mean, but not that tough. Lees meer
Terry Moran and Bill Kristol join Tim Miller.
show notesBill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' with Seth Moulton
The Michael Scherer piece on Trump's response to Tucker's criticism that Tim referenced
For our video audience, here’s the Substack interview with Moran
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Tom Nichols: Remember the Split Screen
13 juni 2025 · 1 uur 5 min
On Saturday, Trump would like nothing more than images from Los Angeles of tear gas and balaclava-clad anarchists throwing bottles at Marines to complement video of himself in the stands at his military parade, saluting the troops amid a field of flags. That's part of the reason why he chose LA to federalize the Guard—home to numerous adversaries who willingly take his bait. And while tanks are going to roll through DC, wrecking its streets for the big birthday boy, Israel is going after Iran like it went after Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Kristi Noem handled the Padilla incident like a little fascist, and it only just occurred to Trump how the deportations will affect farms and hotels. Plus, a "Les Miz" correction, a 'Godfather' goof, and fighting words over The Beach Boys v. Lou Reed. Lees meer
Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notesWhy Trump deployed troops to LA
Tom's late night piece on Israel's attack on Iran
Tom's "Silence of the Generals" piece
The baptism scene in The Godfather
Tim's playlist