The Bulwark Podcast

They end up sounding ridiculous whenever they try—like the treasury secretary saying that access to cheap goods is not part of the American dream. At the same time, Trump’s circle of plutocrats don't seem to mind that the stock market is tanking. And while the administration is cutting Ukraine off from US intelligence to serve up an unjust peace, the Pentagon is on a CTRL-F "gay" delete rampage. Plus, Dems need to skip the kooky TikToks, and the SpaceX rocket explosion was only one part of Elon's very bad day. Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.show notes Tom's piece about Dems acting too normal (gifted) Tim's interview with a reporter in Ukraine Clip from French senator's speech calling out Trump and Elon MAGA hat guy thinking he's gone into the lion's den at Disney World Debris from the latest SpaceX rocket explosion reentering the atmosphere over the Bahamas Tim's playlist

Donald Trump is hurting the American people. The DOGE cuts are not only waging war on jobs, they're also harming the American public and undermining the safety, health, and economic well-being of everyday Americans. And by cowering to his favorite bully in Moscow, Trump is prepping the US to be a subservient partner of Russia. Plus, John Fetterman joins Tim to share his opposition to the campaigns against both transgender athletes and soldiers, and to chastise Dems for the way they received the POTUS in Congress. Sen. John Fetterman and Neera Tanden join Tim Miller. show notes Fetterman's tweet after the Senate blocked a ban on transgender athletes Fetterman's video on Trump's trans military ban Fetterman's tweet after Trump's address to Congress Neera's Center for American Progress

Once upon a time, presidents used to take tough questions from the press, but the current White House occupant can't handle any scrutiny from cantankerous reporters. And on his sad and sulking days, he needs warm and fuzzy Newsmax in the press pool to envelop him with flattery. Meanwhile, the joint session of Congress address has become basically pointless, SCOTUS blocks Trump's usurpation of power by one single vote, and at Trump's behest, the CIA is punishing Zelensky because he won't cooperate with the administration's disinfo campaign. Plus, Democrats need to show voters they are genuinely furious. And if you've thought about running for office, now is the time to jump in—particularly in districts the Dems have tended to ignore.Amanda Litman and Jim Acosta join Tim Miller.show notesThe Jim Acosta ShowAmanda's 'Run for Something'When reporters rallied around Fox after Obama White House tried to shut it out

Trump is anti-American and seems to hate this country: How else can his behavior be explained? The tariffs, the austerity, the threat of a default, along with the corruption and grift— it feels like we're at the beginning stage of something that could go very, very bad. Meanwhile, Trump may not have the cards himself on Ukraine. Europe and the rest of the West have the economic might to continue to back Ukraine. And if that coalition maintains a united front, it would have the power to reject a 'peace' deal imposed by the US and Russia. James Carville and Michael Weiss join Tim Miller.show notes Carville's NYT piece on his advice to the Dems (gifted) Michael's piece on Europe backing Ukraine alone A Cybertruck getting pelted at the Orpheus parade in NOLA Monday night

Trump is trying to chuck the post-WWII order and firmly pivot American foreign policy away from Europe and toward Putin—the poor guy who got dragged into totally-not-a-hoax Russia Russia Russia. And Lil' Marco and Lindsey rushed to defend Trump and JD against Zelensky, who dared to question in the Oval Office whether Putin could be trusted in any ceasefire deal. At the same time, DOGE is putting the lives of malnourished children and pregnant women at risk in the name of cost-cutting while Trump is planning to use taxpayer money to prop up crypto, so he and his cronies can personally profit off it even more. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes Sam joins Bill for the most recent "Bulwark on Sunday" More on the USAID memo laying out Rubio's failure to provide life-saving foreign aid

Tim has a new Gen Z podcast, co-hosted by Cameron Kasky. The most recent episode is called "Nazi Parties Aren't Ragers," and features guest Joshua Rush, a former Disney Channel star turned political operative.Covid-19 locked up Gen Z during their formative years, and the GOP offered them a party. Sure, there’s some Nazism mixed in with the drinks, but during a loneliness pandemic, you take what highs you can get. Tim and Cam discuss how Covid helped push Gen Z right. Plus, Joshua Rush defends the activist tactics of Gen Z and explains how— in the face of nonstop nihilism—he still has optimism for the future of America.Joshua Rush joins Tim Miller and Cameron Kasky.show notesFYPod page

Forget the Epstein files hullabaloo. Members of the Trump administration, perhaps at the urging of Barron Trump, seem to have directly intervened to get the travel ban lifted on the Tate brothers, who are charged with rape and sex trafficking in Europe. Meanwhile, a "Keep Christ in Christmas" extravaganza is being planned at the Kennedy Center, where Trump is now chair. Plus, the con behind crypto is going to run out of fools, CEOs are regretting their bet on Trump, Kash wants to run the FBI part-time from Vegas—and the Dems need to try on a little shamelessness and make Trump own the spiraling price of eggs. David Frum joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.show notes David's new piece on the Tate brothers (gifted) David's "Cautionary Tale for Trump Appointees" (gifted) Nevada Independent story on Kash and the Vegas timeshare megadonor WSJ on Kash's whirlwind start at the FBI Tim's playlist

The not-so-shadow president's largest Tesla plant is in Shanghai, but the People's Republic of China has the pink slip and can take it back at any time. Meanwhile, China—the world's largest automaker—is working hard to eat into our car industry, and Trump, who fooled enough voters that he was a successful business tycoon, is happily talking about killing subsidies in the critical EV market—except for Tesla of course. Plus, bartender AOC is the best AOC, Bezos is one of the biggest corporate welfare profiteers, and Michael Fanone recounts how he dressed down larping Proud Boy trolls. Mike Murphy and Michael Fanone join Tim Miller. show notes Mike's EV Politics Project Hacks on Tap podcast Evan Perez story on Kash's very DOGE demand for a remodeled FBI office

Republicans are aiming to gut Medicaid to pay for trillions in tax cuts for the richest of Americans, and they're trying to hide it. The Dems need to bring the DC conversation home—hold town halls everywhere, tell voters what would happen, especially in rural MAGA areas where hospitals and trauma centers will close. Meanwhile, Trump is turning chaos at the border into chaos in the streets by having ICE grab people who haven't even committed crimes to pump up his deportation numbers. Plus, Elon's insatiable and scandalous quest for more money, the Dems' evolving media strategy, and how to help maintain mental health during these stressful times. Sen. Ruben Gallego and Zerlina Maxwell join Tim Miller.show notesZerlina's show on SiriusXM Progress Channel 127Zerlina's new SubstackWill Selber's piece that Tim referenced

Trump administration lawyers don't know or won't tell a federal judge who is running DOGE because Elon doesn't formally exist as part of the government he is trying to dismantle. And the administration is likely to lose many of the wrongful termination cases involving forest rangers, researchers, and the like—it will end up paying back wages and not save any money in the process. Meanwhile, we are not exactly confident that the FBI under Kash and meathead Dan will thoroughly investigate the recent bomb threat against Never Trumpers and police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan 6. Ben Wittes breaks it all down. Plus, Lawfare has been crushing it, and it's now out with a new podcast about the history of US-Ukrainian relations, hosted by Nastya Lapatina and Tyler McBrien. Ben Wittes, Anastasiia Lapatina, and Tyler McBrien join Tim Miller. show notes Episode 1 of Lawfare's "Escalation" Lawfare's home page The second episode of the Gen Z FYPod is out!

Trump keeps filling out his administration with the unqualified and the inexperienced, including the recent addition of borderline literate hack Dan Bongino at the FBI. Meanwhile, Trump's Friday night DOD purge was another step in embedding autocracy in our government. Plus, Elon's and Vance's efforts to influence the German elections seem to have backfired. And before the Proud Boy drama and the bomb threat at the annual Principles First conference, Tim spoke with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis about the right way to cut government waste and build more houses—and how the Dems should polish their prosperity messaging.Gov. Jared Polis and Bill Kristol join Tim Miller.show notes Bill's "Bulwark on Sunday" interview with Bob Kagan Principles First's "Declaration of Principles"

Boos at a Republican town hall in Fulton County, and boos at the White House: We're beginning to see signs of people refusing to be ruled by unelected billionaires, oligarchs and CEOs. This may be the time for Democrats with some heterodox views to run for office. Meanwhile, the supposedly free speech president and his shadow are trying to intimidate people from criticizing them—including a member of Congress and one of Elon's baby mamas. Plus, Trump's advisers seem more worried about Zelensky saying mean things about him than the fact that he wants to hand the spoils to the losing side of the war. Rep. Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.show notes Tim's interview with CA Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia Sam's interview with FEMA chief who was fired and has now been rehired Evidence of Elon shadow-banning Grimes Kinzinger's substack Tim's playlist

If Marco Rubio was NOT playing the long game masquerading as a patriotic neocon who gets placed in the State Department to then give Russia everything it wanted, what would he be doing differently? Meanwhile, a Democratic version of the Tea Party may be brewing, the tensions between Elon and Russ Vought are likely to pop out, and a psychoanalyst needs to explain Mitch McConnell. Plus, the Saudis are getting their claws in our sports with a LIV-PGA deal and Trump's astonishingly corrupt involvement. And also -- Trump doesn't know ball. Pablo Torre and David Graham join Tim Miller. show notes David's forthcoming book, "The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America" David's newsletter on the Department of Education Pablo's podcast, "Pablo Torre Finds Out"

Crypto should be one of the biggest stories out of the Trump administration, but the crypto guys are really good at making it seem more complicated than it is. Bloomberg's Zeke Faux joins Tim to run down the ins-and-outs, and the players—including the Chinese businessman facing SEC charges who swears the $56 million he gave Trump has absolutely nothing, zero, zilch to do with his case. Meanwhile, we're about to find out how much Republicans really care about the deficit with the coming budget, and the Democrats must not cave. Plus, Elon's crappy math, America would not get anything out of Trump's deal with Russia, and Tuesday's violence in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Zeke Faux join Tim Miller.show notes Zeke's book, "Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall" Zeke on Chris Hayes's podcast

Trump is A-OK with all the murder and mayhem Russia has unleashed on Ukraine, and he's making a mockery of all his enablers who claimed he'd do a Reagan-esque kind of deal. Instead, Ukraine wasn't even invited to the "peace" talks, while Trump tries to impose an extortion deal on the Ukrainian people for daring to fight back against the Russian invasion. Plus, the danger to our constitutional system if the main guy in the Oval Office defies a court order, the real live threat to the First Amendment from the White House's lockout of the Associated Press, and the origin story of Trump's obsession with Greenland. Susan Glasser joins Tim Miller. show notes Susan's latest New Yorker column Tim's new Gen Z politics show, "FYPod" The "Bulwark Takes" feed on Apple podcasts The NYT story on the Panama hotel that Susan mentioned Larry Diamond's piece in Persuasion

Firing air traffic controllers over a busy holiday travel weekend, cutting a veterans crisis hotline, axing and then rehiring people who maintain and keep our nuclear arsenal safe: Musk and his minions aren't trying to "fix" the government. They're trying to make it more susceptible to Trump's personalized leadership. And the MIA Dems need to get out there and throw some punches since the media loves fights. Meanwhile, the US is now more of a problem than a solution on Ukraine, Elon's massive corruption isn't drawing anywhere near the same attention as Hunter/Burisma—and Bill Cassidy could just vote against Kash or delay his confirmation if he's really worried about the FBI. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller show notes Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Eric Edeleman Don Moynihan's newsletter that Bill mentioned

Unlike the cowardly Republican senators who are rolling over in the face of Kash Patel's bald-faced lies, the men and women of the Justice Department are taking their oaths of office seriously by refusing to comply with a blatantly political order to dismiss corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. Meanwhile, Trump is just over the moon with Vladimir Putin—even though his army is performing quite poorly on the battlefield against Ukraine. Plus, the makeup heir advising Trump on foreign policy, Emil Bove is this moment's cartoon villain, and Pizzagate's Jack Posobiec is somehow inside the administration's inner circle. Andrew Weissmann and Michael Weiss join Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes Support "Orange Ribbons for Jamie" here, formed in honor of Parkland shooting victim Jaime Guttenberg Details on Zelensky offering Trump a Ukrainian boxer's championship belt Tim's playlist

While Elon claims he's storming the government to cut waste, he's also getting himself a big fat check for $400 million from the State Department for Tesla armored vehicles—though administration officials are now trying to hide the grift because the Trump glow does not extend to the weird dude. Meanwhile, McConnell may have voted against confirming RFK Jr, but he's the one who drew up the blueprint for breaking the rules. Plus, the asymmetry in passion between MAGA and the resistance, and Alex's new podcast looks at how people are being affected by the policies and promises of Trumpism. MSNBC’s Alex Wagner join Tim. show notes Trumpland with Alex Wagner Dave Weigel's piece that Tim referenced Axios piece that was mentioned

If Republican senators had any shred of dignity left, they'd demand that Kash Patel answer why he brazenly lied under oath to them about the purge of agents at the FBI. Credible sources have come forward to say he was directing the whole thing. Meanwhile, Trump has leveled the playing field so companies doing business overseas can do all the bribing they want. Plus, our modern "boy problem," our genetic wiring to not be loners, and finding a way out of our polarization by seeing we have an obligation to respect and care for other people. Carol Leonnig and Bob Putnam join Tim Miller show notes Bob's "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community" The documentary about Bob, "Join or Die" Bob's co-written book, "The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again"

The Democratic Party was made for different times, when rules were followed. But to preserve the basic power of Congress, and to prove that the Constitution is worth the paper it's printed on, the troublemakers in the Dem caucus have to get busy fighting over tariffs and a looming budget deal. Besides, Trump's strongest hand is performative outbursts—making threats and pretending he got something in return. Plus, Elon is giving away America's greatness, the EU should call Trump's bluff, and the Democrats should quit chasing donations from the social media companies that broke our democracy.Former congressman Tom Malinowski joins Tim Miller.show notes:Tom's Bulwark piece on how the Democrats should fight

The new administration has been routinely breaking the law, including on Friday when it announced it was cutting funding for universities doing medical research, specifically in violation of legislation passed by Congress last year. And over the weekend, Trump, Musk, and Vance signaled a willingness to ignore court orders—a federal judge on Monday declared that the White House was doing just that in response to his order lifting a freeze on grant spending. Meanwhile, Trump designated himself the Supreme Leader over the Kennedy Center, and canned the national archivist perhaps because the agency happened to notice he was hoarding classified documents. Plus, at a time when we could use some decent role models, Jalen Hurts showed what it's like to win without being petty and consumed by grievance. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes JVL's Triad newsletter on how the Dems can win the USAID fight

Partly because of the courts and partly because the White House keeps stepping on rakes or trying to break everything, the Dems who were too chill about Trump pre- and post-election have fully moved into 'threat to the Republic' mode. Meanwhile, angry bureaucrats, particularly at the FBI, are digging in. But don't be sanguine because the administration is still trying to take a wrecking ball to the civil service— anything that goes wrong that involves the government though (like that measles outbreak in Texas) they're going to own from here on out. Plus, Trump's dirty energy policy, the challenge of getting his tax cuts through Congress, and Kanye goes all in on Hitler. Ezra Klein joins Tim on the weekend pod. show notes Ezra's forthcoming book with Derek Thompson, "Abundance" Ezra's show on YouTube Measles Outbreak Mounts Among Children in One of Texas’ Least Vaccinated Counties Tim's playlist

After the dumbest member of the Senate, Tommy Tuberville, was able to block military promotions for months during the Biden administration, Dems should not back down from slowing the roll of Kash and the other remaining abominable nominees. Meanwhile, more federal workers are going to have to speak up—lawsuits don't make good visuals. The nation needs to see the faces of the men and women who are our public servants. Plus, Elon's poll numbers slip, Trump's Gaza gambit is BS, and who is the new DNC Chair, Ken Martin? Michael Steele joins Tim Miller.

With Elon's 20-something operatives running the Treasury Department, it's hard not to feel that we've been severed from reality and a better Earth someplace else. Ben Stiller talks with Tim about metaphysics, avoiding politics in public, and advocating for the millions of people displaced around the world. Plus, the origin story of Severance, Adam Scott, John Turturro, and whether the show is a metaphor for life itself. Also, Tim gives a pop quiz, Ben shares his love for the Knicks, and both ponder why there aren't good comedies anymore. Ben Stiller joins Tim Miller.show notes:Watch SeveranceThe Albert Brooks film, 'Real Life.'Trailer for "Real Life'Ben's New York Times interviewVideo of one of Musk's engineers/operatives

If the Chinese hacked the U.S. government the way private citizen Elon has, it would be a major act of cyber warfare. And since Elon is a government contractor, he's now in a position to make policy calls that benefit his own companies and hurt his competitors—following the Russian oligarch model. We are in a completely lawless realm, and this is likely to continue until he is stopped. Meanwhile, government employees are being forced to choose between conforming or protecting the public. Plus, Elon is also sabotaging America's soft power and influence in Africa while he and the other tech overlords plot how to derail Europe's effort to regulate them. Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller.show notes Wired article on the young, inexperienced engineers helping Elon Anne's 2020 piece about complicity (gifted) Josh Marshall's piece about Elon's operative *already* rewriting code at the Treasury Department Book Anne mentioned, "The Captive Mind" Anne's piece, "Europe's Elon Musk Problem" (gifted)

The president of the United States is putting his Jan 6 accomplices in charge of the Justice Department and the FBI, and clearing out any officials who would be willing to investigate the administration. It's anti-democratic, it's a coup, and it's allowing Elon and his 20-something DOGE buddies to act with impunity as they illegally access classified information and the Treasury's payment system. Meanwhile, the White House can't even get its messaging straight on the tariffs as they sabotage our relationship with allies in the process. Plus, the ethnic scapegoating continues and the Dems at the DNC go all Portlandia when they need to be fighting the aspiring authoritarians. Will Saletan and Scott Lincicome join Tim Miller.show notesTim's interview with J.J. McCullough on Canada's retaliatory tariffs

While Republican senators worked to protect Kash Patel from answering some ver-wee hard questions at his confirmation hearing, not one of them had the audacity to suggest that he is the best person to lead the FBI. Meanwhile, the new administration is clearing out some of the most seasoned and effective veterans at the bureau who will be needed during a crisis. Plus, Elon is trying to get our private financial records at the Treasury Department, and Paramount is so worried that mean Mr. Trump would block a merger deal that it's ready to settle his frivolous, written-in-crayon lawsuit against "60 Minutes." Also, Tim makes an earnest plea to Sen. Bill Cassidy from the heart of New Orleans. Andrew Weissmann joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.show notesWeissmann's and Mary McCord's podcast, "Main Justice"Weissmann's Substack pageTim's playlist

Republican senators don't care that Trump's nominees are lying—like Kash pretending he didn't know a Nazi-adjacent podcaster whose show he's been on eight times—because the confirmation process to them is all a game and truth is irrelevant. And nominees are also mad-flipping on their signatures issues: RFK, Jr. on vaccines, Tulsi on Edward Snowden, and Kash on the Jan 6 cop beaters. Meanwhile, RFK knows embarrassingly little about the programs he'd be administering, Democrats should try combat on for size, and the Fox hosts/reality show stars turned in quite a performance after the first plane crash in 16 years. Tommy Vietor joins Tim Miller.

Trump is trying to seize powers he doesn't have—like unilaterally rewriting laws and deciding on his own how he wants to spend money Congress appropriated for a particular purpose. Will the Supreme Court stop him? And if it rules against him, will he obey the court's orders? Plus, the money angle behind RFK, Jr.'s conspiracies, and Elon's attempt at a mass buyout is not about making the government leaner and meaner. He's trying to replace good, smart people with lackeys and flunkies, like Tucker Carlson's son. Mona Charen joins Tim Miller. Mona Charen joins Tim Miller. show notes Mona's piece on RFK and his anti-vax damage in Samoa Bulwark piece on Trump's high-speed power grab Adrian Carrasquillo's newsletter on Trump turning schools into immigration battlegrounds

The directives putting a pause on federal grants and the firing of career DOJ prosecutors is about trying to make the entirety of the federal government the tool of the man occupying the presidency. And it's all illegal and unconstitutional. Meanwhile, Trump is exactly the kind of broken sociopath who can dominate the war for attention—the defining resource of our time. Plus, a rundown on DeepSeek, the new Chinese AI model, and why Bitcoin fans aren't more angry about the worthless, scammy Trump and Melania coins. Chris Hayes and Alex Kantrowitz join Tim Miller.show notes Chris's new book, “The Siren's Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource." Undercover video of Russ Vought on Project 2025, from August 2024 Alex's "Big Technology" on Substack Alex's "Big Technology" podcast

Gullible Republicans have really been proving what they're made of recently, including Susan Collins, who claims Trump wants to root out corruption, even though his whole life has been a fraud—the water, the university, and "The Apprentice," just for starters. Meanwhile, the presidents of Mexico and Colombia are showing that they're not going to bend over in service of Trump's vanity. Plus, JD's Johnny-come-lately Catholicism, and the tech titans's clash with DEI may be helping the US lose the lead in AI. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.show notes:Colombian President Gustavo Petro's statement on Twitter (hit translate post)Timothée Chalamet on SNL

Trump launched his first week back in office signaling to loyal followers that they are free to break the law on his behalf, while telling political opponents—including John Bolton and Mike Pompeo—that he'll put their lives at risk. Meanwhile, an office full of white faces is not evidence of a meritocracy, a shortage of VA nurses or prosecutors at the DOJ is not government efficiency, and Putin is different from the man he was during Trump's first term. Plus, the dangers of the word "invasion" in the immigration context. David French joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.show notes:John Mulaney's 'horse in the hospital' skitTweet from Dan Crenshaw that Tim referencedDavid's latest newsletter (gifted)Tim's playlist

Emotionally-stunted video game boys, who are also government contractors and/or quasi government officials, are fighting on Twitter, a POTUS who went all the way to SCOTUS to get immunity for presidents now would like the last president investigated, and America's premiere scientific research institution, the NIH, can't tell us about the bird flu—a widespread and potentially deadly virus that could mutate into a human pandemic. Meanwhile, the assault on immigration has stepped up, with raids now permitted at churches and schools. And DHS is targeting anyone who can be deported, regardless of whether or not they're a security threat. Adrian Carrasquillo and Sam Stein join Tim Miller.show noteshttps://x.com/arelisrhdz/status/1881397640849678362

All those CEOs cartwheeled down to Mar-a-Lago and then dutifully lined up at Trump's inauguration because they were fed up with social justice warriors and labor having more power—even if their bottom lines were never harmed in the process. Now, they want their next adrenaline rush and more government money without any pesky regulations hampering their highfalutin space-exploration dreams. But they may just pine for those DEI training sessions after the coming populist economic backlash. Stephanie Ruhle joins Tim Miller.

Trump tried to pencil out literal words in the Constitution and then freed 1,500 violent insurrectionists—while the media attempted to normalize it all. Meanwhile, much attention is being paid to Elon's salute, and not enough to the facts that he has an office at the White House, he's a government contractor, and paid a quarter of a billion dollars to get Trump elected. Plus, other Trump executive orders were pissy and petty, the 80s can no longer be called the decade of greed after Monday's Hunger Games vibe, and the Democrats are going to have a hard time resisting a risky 'eat the rich' path. Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller. show notes Tom's piece from Monday on the police responding to Jan 6 Tweets about the price of eggs v attending the inauguration, which Tom referenced LAST DAY: Make The Bulwark your home for coverage of Trump 2.0. Get 2 months FREE on an annual subscription of Bulwark+ now for exclusive content, ad-free commentary and more:

Trump wants us to believe that nothing matters, so we'll brush off all his corruption and grifting as though everybody does it. That's what aspiring authoritarians always do, including the guy who didn't place his hand on a Bible when he was sworn in today. Meanwhile, Trump just launched probably the biggest scam in the history of the presidency with his memecoin—ordinary people will lose real money, nothing like the small-ball amounts he scoops up with his shoes, mugs, and digital baseball cards. Plus, Biden's pardons, Trump's Day One executive orders, and seizing the means of content production with TikTok. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes: Mark Hertling on the challenges of executing "shock and awe" TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY: TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY: Make The Bulwark your home for coverage of Trump 2.0. Get 2 months FREE on an annual subscription of Bulwark+ now for exclusive content, ad-free commentary and more. https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe

Trump governed as a wartime president against blue America, so expect him to keep stirring up culture battles—but the Dems have to avoid getting drawn into them. Kamala and the party were undone in '24 by looking like they cared more about niche issues than putting food on the table. Meanwhile, Biden has left Trump a lot of room to consolidate a bigger coalition than he's ever had. Plus, for Republicans shrugging off climate change and threatening to withhold fire aid to California, here's a news flash: extreme weather is coming to a neighborhood near you. Ron Brownstein joins Tim Miller for the weekend show notes Ron's piece on 'late regime' presidencies Ron's interviews with Kamala's advisers Tim's interview with Rep. Jim Himes The book Ron referenced, "The Politics Presidents Make" Tim's playlist

Pam Bondi is likely to sail to confirmation—even if she's an election denier and pretends she was born yesterday—because she meets the simple qualifications of being a lawyer and former prosecutor, and because she's not a frat paddle come to life i.e. Matt Gaetz. But the fact that she wasn't able to clearly state that the U.S. is her client, not Donald Trump, is a giant red flag. Ditto for his personal lawyers also coming on board. Plus, the ominous removal of Mike Turner from the House intelligence committee, how Biden's farewell address stacked up, and what the locked-up shampoo bottles at CVS say about blue-state governance.Melissa Murray and John Avlon join Tim. show notes John's "How to Fix It" podcast Melissa's "Strict Scrutiny" podcast Biden's farewell address John's book, "Washington's Farewell"

Being secretary of defense is one of the hardest jobs on the planet. But after Pete Hegseth was plucked from a part-time Fox & Friends gig, Republican senators could only kiss his ass and act starstruck during his confirmation hearing—all to ensure he takes their calls when they need military equipment or contracts in their states. Meanwhile, Nancy Mace has been a con artist from the beginning, Trump nominated Nazi-curious Joe Kent to run the National Counterterrorism Center, and Tulsi thinks Edward Snowden is a hero. Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Adam Kinzinger join Tim Miller.show notesTim's piece on Joe Kent courting the racist fringe vote when he ran for Congress

Real estate is everything in Los Angeles. Karen Bass's absence from the city when the fires broke out, and now her seeming aloofness, has instantly made her look unfit for the job of mayor. Even Gavin Newsom is distancing himself from Bass. Meanwhile, while we wait on the facts behind the fires, all the Silicon Valley VC guys and Elon need to shut the f*** up. Plus, Mike Johnson is a disgrace, Zuck has no inner core of values, and TikTok Zoomers need to get a better understanding of free speech and fascism. Venice resident Peter Hamby joins Tim Miller. show notes Mayor Bass ignoring a reporter's questions Peter's Puck piece on Karen Bass "Ecology of Fear" by Mike Davis Tim's interview with reporter Liz Weil on wildfires Zuck being awkward at the UFC fight Peter referenced

Trump's favorite judge, Aileen Cannon, has been attempting to exercise authority she doesn't have over Jack Smith's required report on his investigations of the Jan 6 case and the hoarding of classified docs—but she'll be a model of loyalty that Trump will expect for all his judicial appointments. Meanwhile, it's a big week of hearings for his nominees, Wray could do more to oppose the politicization of the FBI, and what is up with Fetterman? Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.show notesBob Kagan's Atlantic piece on Ukraine that Bill referenced

"Mother" Pence is owed an apology. She snubbed Trump so hard and so beautifully at Jimmy Carter's funeral—and wasn't about to make nice with the man who was all-in on Jan 6 rioters trying to lynch her husband. Meanwhile, the catturd crowd is mad at Amy Coney Barrett for not falling in line, and running off to Greenland while American neighborhoods are on fire is not America First. Plus, the risks of Trump dominating the battlespace with all the stupid stuff. Amanda Carpenter joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes: Amanda's and Protect Democracy newsletter Amanda's book, "Gaslighting America" Tim's playlist charity links: LA Fire Department Foundation California Fire Foundation Los Angeles Regional Food Bank United Way "Watch Duty," the nonprofit app that's been providing invaluable, real-time fire information

Americans have been spending more time alone—and less time doing face-to-face socializing—than we have for at least 60 years. And our alone time is impacting the economy, our politics, and our personalities, particularly among young people. Meanwhile, the fires in Los Angeles are a heartbreaking reminder that the California landscape was meant to burn—and it will keep happening whether we like it or not. Plus, the mystery around the sister of Sam Altman. Derek Thompson and Liz Weil join Tim Miller. show notes Derek's piece, "The Anti-Social Century" Derek's forthcoming book with Ezra Klein, "Abundance" Arlie Russell Hochschild's book, "Strangers in Their Own Land," referenced by Derek Hochschild's "Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right" "Palaces for the People" book Derek mentioned Liz's ProPublica piece on megafires Liz's piece, "This Isn't the California I Married" Liz's reporting on Sam Altman's sister, Annie

Trump talked a lot more about Hannibal Lecter during the campaign than one of his actual top priorities: extending his 2017 tax cuts. With those $4.5 trillion in cuts set to expire by the end of the year, that's the first major item of business for congressional Republicans. But how they get paid for will affect people's lives. Tim takes a deep dive into the reconciliation process that would allow Republicans to make deep cuts to programs without having to work with Democrats. Plus, the billionaire plutocrats staffing the new administration and the potential for corruption. Rep. Brendan Boyle and Liam Donovan join Tim Miller.

Mark Zuckerberg is doing all he can to get an audience with the big man at Mar-a-Lago, including praising Trump's (faux) free speech bona fides and restructuring Meta to eliminate fact-checking. Maybe it's because Zuck wants to show his middle finger to the mean tech reporters—or maybe it's because Trump threatened to imprison Zuck. Plus, the conspiracies around Jan 6 v 9/11, and the potential threat to our financial system from crypto. Charlie Warzel joins Tim Miller. show notes: Charlie's piece on internet brain rot Charlie's piece on crypto and the potential nightmare in Trump 2.0

Kash Patel's Jan 6 lie requires FBI officials to have been able to see into the future: to *know* that Trump would lose in 2020 and then try to get Congress to reverse the election results. And they also would have to have known they could get thousands of people to attack the Capitol—just to make MAGA look bad. Are GOP senators really going to clear this conspiracy theorist extraordinaire to run the bureau? Plus, the martyrology around Jan 6 and the mass exodus of journalists from The Washington Post. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.show notes:Tom Jocelyn and Norm Eisen on KashSgt. Gonell's reflection on Jan 6Michael Kruse on Al Gore and Mike Pence

New Orleans is the most special city in America, but it's a place that also breaks your heart. Local leaders will have to reassure the world that the French Quarter is safe. Plus, Mike Johnson is bound up in a Gordian Knot, and Democrats are petrified of the wrath of leading progressive interest groups in DC— it's like the Dem Party's version of Trump's Twitter ire. Jonathan Martin joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes Glen David Andrews leading a second line to reopen Bourbon Street on Thursday Jonathan's interview with Sen. Brian Schatz Tim's playlist

Apart from the death and carnage on New Years Day in New Orleans, Americans revealed another darkness once again: an eagerness to pin violence on someone who doesn't share their political world view. Meanwhile, Republicans rushed to attack the FBI as a way to justify confirming Kash Patel. Plus, Trump has tossed populism aside as he preps to be openly oligarchical, and the real threats TV journalists face. David Frum joins Tim Miller.show notes Chart shared by Marc Andreessen that Tim referenced The poem Churchill quoted during WWII that David mentioned

While some media outlets may be moving to accommodate Trump out of fear he'll target them, The Bulwark will not be recalibrating. We'll keep providing the (sometimes funny) content you expect, we'll try not to chase Trump's bait (Canada, Greenland, Panama), and we'll disaggregate the real from the trolling. Plus, when one of the worst people in the world makes a good point, and how much is Trump stuck with Elon? Sarah and JVL join Tim for the last show of 2024. Happy New Year!show notes The NBC News president’s comment on their Nebraska bread story that JVL referenced NBC segment on the Omaha bakery

MAGA v DOGE, the Christmas gift that keeps on giving, is an early sign of the coming infighting that could diminish Trump's power—we're definitely not seeing signs of an iron fist amid all that golfing and DJ-ing at Mar-a-Lago. Meanwhile, the world he'll be dealing with is far less stable than it was in 2017. Plus, a Carter appreciation, love for Chalamet's Dylan portrayal, and anticipation of a wild January.Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.show notes Tim's Bannon interview Tim's dispatch from AmericaFest & Kari Lake Part Deux Bill's conversation with Eric Edelman The Post on retribution advocate Ivan Raiklin (gifted) Sonny's review of Chalamet's "A Complete Unknown"