Bulwark+ Takes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah Longwell joins Nicolle Wallace on MSNOW’s Deadline: White House to take on Donald Trump’s dismissal of the affordability crisis, his looping fixation on cognitive tests, and the growing frustration among voters who feel the economic squeeze every day. Sarah breaks down why swing voters aren’t buying Trump’s spin...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein speaks with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) for her take on the fast-moving fight in Congress over extending enhanced Obamacare subsidies, the looming spike in premiums, and why millions could lose coverage if lawmakers fail to act. Shaheen breaks down the competing proposals, the political pressure inside the Se...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Trump wants your kids to have fewer dolls and fewer pencils, but he’ll happily take a new ballroom, a Gatsby party, and a marble-soaked Lincoln bathroom. JVL, Sam Stein, and Sonny Bunch give their takes on the surreal contrast, his obsession with opulence, and why Trump should instead be hosting an HGTV show. As alway...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Will Saletan breaks down Donald Trump’s shocking pardon of Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras convicted of trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States. Since the pardon, Republican senators have been asked to explain it, and the results have been excruciating. As always: Watch,...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller and Andrew Egger give their takes on Donald Trump’s rally at the Mount Airy Casino Resort, where the supposed “affordability” message was instead swallowed by recycled riffs, Somali rants, and compliments about his staffers’ lips. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to shor...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein sits down with CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski to discuss Pete Hegseth’s past comments on military law and unlawful orders. Kaczynski unearthed video of Hegseth defending troops for refusing illegal orders—something he now attacks Democratic lawmakers for saying. Read more of Andrew’s work: https://www.cnn.com/2025/1...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com ProPublica’s Justin Elliott talks with Tim Miller about a fresh set of Trump-connected mortgage records that deserve a closer look. Justin’s story: https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-mortgage-fraud-florida-principal-residences As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos,...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller joins Nicolle Wallace to take on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s 60 Minutes spin, Trump’s meltdown at CBS, and the slowdown in his schedule as images of him dozing off in meetings keep surfacing. Watch Deadline: White House on MSNOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house As always: Watch, listen, and leave a com...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL is joined by Catherine Rampell and Sonny Bunch to give their takes on the wild Warner Brothers takeover drama and the surprising role Jared Kushner is playing in Hollywood’s biggest bidding war. we break down how Kushner and Trump allies are shaping the bidding war and why Paramount and Netflix are fighting over W...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Will Sommer give their takes on the wild Benny Johnson vs. Milo Yiannopoulos feud that started with with gay allegations, lawsuit threats, and MAGA chaos. Even George Santos somehow becomes the voice of reason in this mess. We dig into the political infighting, factional battles over TPUSA’s...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller takes on the jaw-dropping story of GOP Rep. Cory Mills with guest Roger Sollenberger—the reporter who’s spent nearly a year digging through Mills’s financial records, sex scandals, secret religious conversion, and his bizarre “rescue mission” abroad. Read Roger’s article on Substack, “‘George Santos With a...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller takes on the ICE raids unfolding in Louisiana, exposing how the operation leans on cruelty, spectacle, intimidation, and political theatrics instead of real public safety. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for B...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein talks Donald Trump’s chaotic pardons, from Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar to the Honduran ex-president, and the political mess they’ve left for Republicans to attempt to explain. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Bill Kristol is joined by Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia to discuss the boat strikes, what really happened, and the latest intelligence raising new questions. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t car...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein highlights 16-year-old cancer patient Mikaela Naylon, who spent her final days lobbying Congress for the Give Kids a Chance Act, helping revive the long-stalled pediatric cancer research bill, with her story inspiring new momentum and raising cautious optimism it could finally pass. Sam’s piece from Septembe...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Will Sommer take on The Blaze’s spectacular pipe-bomb fiasco—from the bogus gait analysis to the wrongly accused Capitol Police officer and the scramble to retract the story once the real suspect was arrested. They discuss how the piece got published, why it collapsed so fast, and whether a brutal defama...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Ben Parker and Catherine Rampell give their take on the absurdity of Donald Trump receiving the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize, a prize that didn’t exist until it was suddenly handed to the most unlikely recipient imaginable. They walk through the surreal ceremony like the Village People performing, the corruption vibes...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller and JVL take on the wildly conflicting stories coming out of Congress after lawmakers watched the same “double tap” boat strike video—from Jim Himes’ alarm to Tom Cotton’s macho fantasy version. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event arc...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com In a financial crisis, the markets need to trust the Treasury Secretary and the Fed chair. After watching Scott Bessent posture and preen his way through a NYT interview, it’s clear he can’t be trusted with either role. JVL and Tim give their take on just how dangerous it would be if Trump puts someone this political...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Catherine Rampell take on Corporate America’s biggest concern: how to flatter Donald Trump. From Rolex clocks to Diet Coke trophies, and even a resurrected Rush Hour 4, Sam and Catherine walk through the strangest offerings, the economic harm caused by political suck-ups, and why companies would rather b...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline: White House (MSNOW) to break down the escalating pressure campaign in Indiana, the broader redistricting battles, and the latest hardline moves on immigration coming from Trump’s orbit. Check out Deadline: White House on MSNOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house As al...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Andrew Egger take on Trump’s surreal cabinet meeting—the praise parade, the nodding-off moments, the shifting story on the Venezuela strikes, and the loyalty-pledge Pentagon press corps. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Will Saletan take on Trump’s bizarre pardon of the former President of Honduras—how he was nudged into it by friends and fixers, why the story he repeated falls apart, and what this decision means for U.S. credibility, drug enforcement, and the growing pattern of Trump siding with corrupt leaders over th...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Jonathan Cohn and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis take on the FDA’s dramatic “vaccine-death” email, the CDC’s autism web page rewrite, and the turmoil inside RFK Jr.’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—getting into how these moves sow panic, undermine science, and threaten real public-health protections. As a...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling take on the alleged kill order at sea, the Pentagon’s denials, Trump’s contradictory comments, and the White House attempt to blame it on Admiral Bradley. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusi...