Bulwark Takes

Sam Stein and Andrew Egger take on Donald Trump's betrayal of American cattle ranchers and farmers as he prioritizes economic relief in the multi-billions to Argentina.

With Donald Trump unceremoniously demolishing the East Wing of the White House to build his gigantic ballroom, Sam Stein and Sonny Bunch discuss cinema’s most iconic White House destruction scenes as the reality of the demolition images unfortunately imitate art.Get 40% off your Calm premium subscription at https://Calm.com/BulwarkTakes.

Sarah Longwell and Sam Stein take on Trump’s latest outrage—a $230 million demand that the Justice Department pay him for investigations into his own crimes. They discuss how Trump installed his own lawyers inside DOJ to approve the payout, why it’s one of his most brazen acts of corruption yet, and what it says about the moral rot at the heart of MAGA politics.Get 40% off your Calm premium subscription at https://Calm.com/BulwarkTakes

Tim, Sam and Will take on the wild world of major MAGA pseudoscience phenomenon—from a $40 million “energy healing” recliner empire to a self-proclaimed alien cabal called The Light System. Tucker Carlson, RFK Jr., and James O’Keefe all make cameos in this true story of conspiracies, bath salts, and the dumbest scam yet to come out of the right-wing "wellness movement."Get 40% off your Calm premium subscription at https://Calm.com/BulwarkTakesRead Will's article: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/bizarre-healing-tv-screen-tycoon-funding-maga-media-unifyd-eesystem

Tim Miller takes on yet another Republican texting racist and antisemitic rhetoric, with Paul Ingrassia, Trump's nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, having texted several obscene and offensive messages.Read More in Politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/20/paul-ingrassia-racist-text-messages-nazi-00613608Read “Anna, Lindsey Halligan Here.” in Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna--lindsey-halligan-here

JVL and Andrew Egger take on Curtis Sliwa's incredibly theatrical, straight-to-camera interview performance with Nate Friedman where he thoroughly takes down failed tennis pro billionaire Bill Ackman as he explains his NYC mayoral ambitions.

Miles Bruner spent years working inside Republican politics until he could no longer look away. In this conversation with Sam Stein, he explains what it took to finally say enough, the moral cost of silence, and why stepping away was the only way forward.Read more from Miles: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/my-last-day-as-an-accomplice-of-the-republican-party-miles-bruner

Sam Stein and Lauren Egan talk with Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin about the massive No Kings 2 protests—more than 7 million Americans in over 2,700 cities—and how Mike Johnson accidentally helped make it happen. Ezra explains what’s driving the movement, why it’s spreading to red America, and what comes next for the fight against Trump’s authoritarianism.

JVL and Andrew Egger take on Trumpworld’s frantic spin after the massive “No Kings” protests — from Soros conspiracies to fake-footage claims to Trump’s “small crowd” delusion.

Jack Cocchiarella takes on Rand Paul’s pathetic display of loyalty to Donald Trump—even after being publicly insulted.

Jack Cocchiarella takes on Donald Trump’s latest disgrace—an AI poop attack on American cities—and calls out the hypocrisy of a man who claims to love America while literally dumping on it.

Sarah Longwell joins Bill Kristol to discuss the success and aftermath of the "No Kings" protests.

Tim Miller takes on Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff’s full MAGA pivot — from “Dreamforce” to “Deportation-as-a-Service.”

The Bulwark is live as Americans rally under the banner “No Kings” — a nationwide protest against authoritarianism and Trump’s bid to crown himself above the law. Join our hosts for real-time coverage, reaction, and analysis.

Sarah Longwell joins Nicolle Wallace on ‘Deadline: Whitehouse’ to take on John Bolton’s indictment, Trump’s continued efforts to target political foes, and what the Young Republicans’ obscene group chat reflects about the current Republican Party.Watch Deadline: White House on MSNBC: https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house

Bill Kristol and General Mark Hertling discuss the sudden early retirement of Admiral Alvin Holsey raising concerns about U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean. Also, the legality and ethics of the attacks, the lack of oversight, and what Hosley’s departure reveals about deepening civil-military tensions within the administration.

JVL and Will Saletan take on Donald Trump’s strange, childlike theology — a worldview where heaven is a reward for “winning” and faith is just another transaction.

Tim Miller is joined by Robby Roadsteamer to discuss his recent arrest at the ICE facility in Portland, Oregon, after a face off with officers turned from singing a rendition of 'Do You Think I'm Sexy' by Rod Stewart to a bombardment of pepper-spray projectiles and being pulled into the ICE facility for detainment.

Sam Stein and Tim Miller take on the indictment of former National Security Adviser John Bolton by a federal grand jury in Maryland. Bolton is accused of sharing classified information with his wife and daughter over email — a move that raises questions about selective justice and the politicization of law enforcement.

Joe Perticone talks with Pentagon reporter Mallory Shelbourne about the Defense Department’s new “pledge” that forced dozens of journalists to turn in their badges. They break down how Pete Hegseth’s team clamped down on press access, why even conservative outlets refused to sign, and what this means for freedom of the press in America.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent went on Charlie Kirk’s show and said the quiet part way too loud: calling Kirk’s assassination a “domestic 9/11” and promising to “compile lists” of left-wing groups to investigate. Tim Miller breaks down how this rhetoric crosses every line and why this “war on terror 2.0” mentality is straight-up un-American.

Tim Miller joins MSNBC’s Katy Tur Reports to talk about Trump’s lawless power plays and why neither side is backing down. They also discuss Marjorie Taylor Greene’s attacks on her own party—torching GOP leadership, blaming “weak men,” and accidentally(?) helping Democrats in the shutdown fight.Watch Katy Tur Reports on MSNBC: https://www.msnbc.com/katy-tur-reports

Tim, Sam and Will reunite to take on the disturbing reporting from Politico exposing leaked messages among Young Republicans joking about gas chambers, racial slurs, slavery, sexual assault, and many other problematic topics.

JVL and Andrew Egger take on Pete Hegseth’s strange, insecure reign over the Department of Defense.

Tim Miller joins MSNBC to talk about the immigration fallout, the absurd smear of the “No Kings” protests, and cracks forming in the MAGA world as Trump’s tactics backfire.

Sam Stein talks with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro about how the Israel-Hamas war finally ended — and why it took two years to get here. Shapiro explains why Donald Trump had the leverage to force a ceasefire when Joe Biden didn’t, how Netanyahu’s political survival instincts prolonged the conflict, and what “phase two” of the ceasefire will really mean for Israel, Gaza, and the region.

Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer take on Glenn Beck’s bizarre claim that FBI agents showed up at his house to “investigate Antifa,” and the right-wing fantasy world that takes him seriously.

Sam Stein and Sarah Longwell take on how Trump has broken every source of resistance that once held him back — from corporate America to Congress — and why cowardice, fear, and fatigue have left him acting untouchable. They discuss the Wall Street Journal story about Trump’s growing power, the CEOs too scared to cross him, and the moment he was even too extreme for RFK Jr.

Will Saletan and Mona Charen take on JD Vance’s reality-bending interviews—where every inconvenient fact becomes “left-wing” and every lie gets a new excuse. From calling governors criminals to dismissing real corruption as “media reports,” Will and Mona expose how MAGA’s gaslighting has replaced truth with loyalty.

Jack Cocchiarella takes on JD Vance’s excruciating Sunday-show performance—from dodging questions about the $50,000 bribe to getting booted off the air by George Stephanopoulos.

Trump wants you to think he’s inevitable. He’s not. Jack Cocchiarella takes on how Trump and Kristi Noem are turning ICE into a private army — recruiting extremists, spreading propaganda, and selling power through fear.

Bill Kristol and Tom Joscelyn take on the Trump administration's plan to crush dissent.

Sam Stein takes on the shocking Friday night purge inside the federal government—with mass firings at the CDC, Education Department, and more—explaining what really happened, why it breaks every precedent, and why insiders need to speak up now.- Secure Tip Line: https://thebulwark.com/tips- Sam Stein’s Signal Handle: asteinindc.09

Jack Cocchiarella and Tim Miller take on Jesse Watters, Fox’s extremely suspicious "guests," and the right-wing propaganda turning cruelty into entertainment.

Tim Miller and Sarah Longwell go off on House Speaker Mike Johnson — the “Eddie Haskell of MAGA.” They call out his fake piety, his loyalty to Trump over the country, and his awful attempt to brand peaceful protesters as “anti-American.”

Tim Miller is joined by George Retes, a U.S. Army veteran and American citizen who was wrongfully arrested and brutalized by ICE while simply trying to get to work. George shares his harrowing story of being surrounded by agents, pepper-sprayed, dragged from his car, locked in a detention center, and even placed on suicide watch—missing his young daughter’s birthday in the process.Read more about George's story: https://newsletter.ofthebrave.org/p/im-a-us-citizen-and-a-veteran-ice

Sam Stein is joined by Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii to discuss the ongoing government shutdown amid Russ Vought's government control, and the situation in Chicago with the Texas National Guard and Trump calling for the mayor and governor’s arrest. Plus, Schatz’s surprising recent retweets of Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Tim Miller breaks down Joe Rogan’s rare moment of moral clarity on immigration, where Rogan slams the idea of deporting longtime residents and families. Tim explains why this clip could shift the conversation, and why even some conservatives don’t want to be the “bad guys” in America’s immigration fight.

Sam Stein and Will Sommer break down one of RFK Jr.’s strangest moments yet: suggesting during a Trump cabinet meeting that circumcision might cause autism. The pair unpack the pseudoscience behind RFK’s claim, the misuse of disputed Danish studies, and the way his comments echo the administration’s earlier Tylenol panic.

Andrew Egger and Will Sommer take on of the most surreal events of the Trump era: a White House “roundtable” where Trump met with right-wing influencers to discuss Antifa as if it were an organized terror group. Egger and Sommer expose the theater behind the event, the made-up claims of an “Antifa hierarchy,” and the absurd partnership between DHS and online agitators. It’s part authoritarian propaganda, part farce, and all dangerous.

Lauren Egan sits down with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to look beyond D.C. and see what the government shutdown really means for Americans far from Capitol Hill. Mayor Lucas explains how tens of thousands of federal workers in the Midwest are going unpaid while still expected to work, and how that strain ripples through food pantries, healthcare, and housing programs. He calls out the moral hypocrisy of a government that enforces bills on citizens but refuses to pay its own. The conversation also turns to Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to blue cities and his bizarre threat to move World Cup games.

Candace Owens and Dinesh D’Souza are in the weirdest feud on the internet, and somehow it involves farm animals. Then Candace brings up a dream she had where she was visited by a ghost. JVL, Sarah, and Will try to make sense of MAGA’s new reality show.

JVL and Andrew Egger take on Donald Trump’s latest threats to jail his political opponents—including governors and protesters—as he sends National Guard troops into Chicago.

Sam Stein and Will Sommer take on Candace Owens leaking Charlie Kirk’s texts, the “New Charlie Kirk” Brilyn Hollyhand’s failed debut, and MAGA turning on Trump’s own lawyer.Read Will Sommer's newsletter — False Flag:https://www.thebulwark.com/s/false-flagGet 30% off your first order from Soul at https://GetSoul.com with promo code BULWARKTAKES.

Tim Miller joins Nicolle Wallace on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House to discuss the alarming National Guard escalation in Chicago, DHS using Zach Bryan’s music as propaganda, and his interview with Kevin Clancy from Barstool Sports.Watch Deadline: White House on MSNBC – https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-houseGet 30% off your first order from Soul at https://GetSoul.com with promo code BULWARKTAKES.