Bulwark Takes

Sam Stein speaks with Dr. Aasma Shaukat, Alex Pretti’s former boss, about the moment she learned he’d been killed, and what kind of coworker and caregiver he was.

Sam Stein, The Bulwark's managing editor, takes on Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino’s Orwellian inversion of reality in the aftermath of the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and intensive care nurse. Sam digs into Bovino’s Sunday interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, where Bovino reframes the victim as the aggressor and dismisses what videos of the killing show.

Bill Kristol, Sam Stein and Adrian Carrasquillo have a live discussion of the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

Over the past week, there’s been a surge of ICE activity in Maine and one incident in particular has captured national attention. A corrections officer recruit was detained by ICE in the middle of the street and his car was left running in the cold. Tim Miller spoke to witness Ben Bozeman, who captured the shocking footage and stepped in to help return the officer’s car.Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce, whose recruit was detained, called ICE’s actions “Bush League policing.” We reached out to the Cumberland County Sheriff's office Friday afternoon and spokesperson said that they have not been given any information about the status or whereabouts of their colleague.

Sarah Longwell is joined by Andrew Weissmann for his reaction to the second killing of a civilian in Minnesota by federal agents. Andrew is professor of practice at the NYU School of Law who served as lead prosecutor in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office from 2017 to 2019, and was General Counsel for the FBI from 2011 to 2013. They discuss the roles of the First and Second Amendments in the case, the contradictions and falsehoods issued by the government, and why it is important for people to continue speaking out and come forward with any video evidence in cases like this.

Tim, Sarah and Andrew react live.

Tim and JVL are live reacting to the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis.

Tim Miller gives his take on one of the most morally disgraceful moments of the Trump presidency. Trump told protesters in Iran that America had their back. He encouraged them to stay in the streets and keep fighting a brutal theocratic regime. Then the Iranian government began executing them by the thousands and the United States walked away. Now, in the middle of that crackdown, the Trump administration is planning to deport Iranian asylum seekers back to Iran, including gay men who face execution simply for who they are.Please contact your senators and representatives: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

Will Saletan carefully dissects Jack Smith’s congressional testimony and shows how House Republicans used the hearing to distort the investigation and shield Donald Trump.

Tim Miller and Pod Saves America’s Jon Favreau give their takes on JD Vance’s latest performance defending ICE raids, child detentions, warrantless home entries, and racial profiling allegations. We walk through the facts JD Vance ignored, the lies he told calmly and confidently, and why this version of Trumpism that’s cooler, smoother, and more deliberate may be even more dangerous.Jon Favreau is the host of Pod Save America. Subscribe to their channel for more podcasts, videos and analysis.

Tim Miller gives his take on the latest New York Times/Siena poll and the results should worry Trump and the Republican Party. Trump's much-touted 2024 coalition is unraveling, especially among young voters and non-white voters who helped power his return to office. The MAGA realignment didn’t stick with 56% of Americans disapproving of Trump's job as president.

Lt. General Mark Hertling (Ret.) is joined by Ben Parker for a Command Post edition of Bulwark Takes, breaking down the national security fallout from Trump’s chaotic Davos remarks and growing global instability. As Russia escalates its war on Ukraine, Hertling explains why Putin’s threats keep working on Trump and why allies are alarmed about his recent Greenland rhetoric. We also examine the dangerous implications of preparing troops from Alaska and North Carolina for possible deployment to Minnesota.

Sam Stein and Catherine Rampell give their takes on Trump backing off his threat to occupy Greenland after the markets flinched, calling the "concept of a deal" a victory, when it's really just the status quo being restored.

Tim Miller and Will Sommer give their takes on the disturbing viral night out that brought together the worst corners of the manosphere and the alt-right. From Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes to Clavicular and a new crop of livestreamers, the group’s Miami club crawl featured Nazi salutes, extremist chants, and nonstop “aura farming” all broadcast straight into people’s social media feeds.

JVL, Sam Stein and Andrew Egger react live to Trump’s rambling and combative speech at Davos on January 21, 2026.

Tim Miller is joined by journalist Caolan Robertson, reporting from Davos, to explain how Russia is escalating its war by targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, why this winter is becoming a humanitarian catastrophe, and how Moscow’s economy is finally starting to crack under the cost of war.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 checkout.

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

Trump’s polls are slipping, but his authoritarian project keeps accelerating. Does his unpopularity matter, and on which issues is he most vulnerable—Greenland, NATO, ICE or the economy?

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

JVL and Will Saletan break down Donald Trump’s escalating threats against Europe as he pushes to “conquer” Greenland, claiming “World Peace is at stake!”

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 of AI tools like Elon Musk's Grok.

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.

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-memoHalf of Americans think ICE is making American cities less safe, CNN poll findshttps://www.cnn.com/2026/01/14/politics/ice-minnesota-cnn-pollMore Americans view the ICE shooting in Minnesota as unjustified than say it is justifiedhttps://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/53878-more-americans-view-ice-shooting-minnesota-unjustified-than-justified-january-9-12-2026-economist-yougov-poll‘Disgusting’: Minnesota Senate Race Gets Hostile After ICE Shootinghttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/minnesota-ice-senate-race_n_6967c68ee4b0141cc9b1e8ac

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.

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.

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://Quince.com/BULWARKTAKES.

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

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.

Jack and Tim take on Jake Tapper’s on-air fact-checking of Kristi Noem, the rush to label a protester a “domestic terrorist,” and the dangerous argument that being in a car now justifies lethal force.

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.

Bill and Sam discuss the Minneapolis killing and other items from a very eventful week.

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.

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.

Correction, January 9, 2025, 3:35 p.m.: The footage from the perspective of ICE agent Jonathan Ross played in this video appears to have come not from a body camera, as mentioned in the video, but from the phone Ross was holding during the incident.Tim Miller breaks down newly released footage appearing to be from the ICE officer who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis.

Donald Trump’s approval numbers are sinking and the cracks are showing in places that once kept him afloat. Sarah Longwell and Andrew Egger giver their takes on why Trump is bleeding support among young men, struggling far beyond his MAGA base, and facing growing backlash over his unilateral intervention in Venezuela. We texted 1,000 Americans about U.S. actions in Venezuelahttps://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2026/venezuela-maduro-poll-trump-military/Manospheres of Influencehttps://puck.news/why-young-men-are-souring-on-trump/?sharer=390630&token=53008331bc2ed20edb3afe09938aa6c0

Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Andrew Egger react live to JD Vance defending the ICE officer who fatally shot Minnesota woman Renee Good.

Tim Miller gives his take on the Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by Donald Trump, who has not only avoided accountability, but is now running for Senate. This extremist attacked Capitol police, threatened Muslims and Jews, and continues to spread hate.Show notes: In the New Year, take ownership of your health with ZocDoc, at https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES.

Sam Stein sits down with Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) to break down the recent Maduro operation in Venezuela, the challenges of coordinating military and political strategy, and what the U.S. would actually gain from Greenland. Mark will break down the biggest stories involving the military in a series of chats right here, every Thursday, in a special series.In the New Year, take ownership of your health with ZocDoc, at https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES.