Bulwark+ Takes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL joins Destiny for his first-ever political stream to talk about how MAGA media manufactures reality, why mainstream outlets keep playing by obsolete rules, and how Democrats kill their own messages before voters ever hear them. 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 Join Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker as they cover the Pentagon lowering the count of US service members killed in the Iran War.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join JVL and special guest Paul Krugman (filling in for Catherine) as they cover the week's biggest stories from the world of economics and finance. For more on Catherine's original reporting, check out her latest Receipts newsletter on how the Trump administration is conspiring to exclude millions of immigrants from...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Ben Parker give their takes on why the DOJ abruptly withdrew its subpoenas against three New York Times reporters and their family members over reporting on security flaws in Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One. But the losses in court don't stop there, the administration also quietly dropped its demand...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Will Sommer break down the double standard at the heart of the GOP right now: Democrats forced Graham Platner off the ballot over disturbing allegations, while Republicans stand by candidates and members with far more documented records. Texas gun-YouTuber Brandon Herrera made disgusting comments about w...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Andrew Egger give their takes on Trump's new threats of war crimes to Iran, the new polling showing MAGA support for the war cratering, and the new U.S.-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement. Plus, they dig into the White House's ever-expanding gold decor of oversized frames, mystery bells, and speculation ab...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Will Saletan breaks down how Donald Trump’s empty threats, reckless boasts, and shifting stories turned his Iran deal into a deadly fiasco—and exposed just how little he understands the war he started. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archive...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker are joined by Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) for her take on the state of the Iran war, U.S. military strategy, and the health of American democracy heading into the midterms. Slotkin, a former CIA analyst with three tours in Iraq, pushes back on Secretary of Defense Pete He...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey just pulled in $124.5 million over its opening weekend, the biggest domestic opening for a live-action film this year. So why has MAGA Twitter spent the weekend insisting it's a woke disaster, a box office fraud, and a betrayal of Homer himself? Sam Stein, Sonny Bunch, and Will Sommer g...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join Sam Stein and HuffPost's Arthur Delaney as they cover the brewing dissatisfaction with Trump's nominee for Attorney General, Todd Blanche.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Bill Kristol and Andrew Egger went live to cover CNN's reporting that Trump and Elon Musk's cuts through DOGE to the CDC and USAID slowed the response to the cyclosporiasis outbreak, the Pentagon withholding the number of U.S. military injuries from the war with Iran, and why Trump's strategy appears trapped between m...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Brendan Hartnett and Will Saletan put their encyclopedic knowledge of Donald Trump to the test by predicting which words he would use in a major speech. The fake bets produce some eerie wins, one brutal near-miss, and a new appreciation for how quickly prediction markets can become addictive. As always: Watch, listen,...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Will Sommer and Sam Stein went live to cover Trump refusing to leave Spain’s World Cup celebrations, the MAGA right questioning Trump’s claim that Iran is “obliterated” after deadly attacks on U.S. bases, the Tate brothers arrested in Florida, and Clavicular explaining “looksmaxxing” to Sean Hannity.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join Bill Kristol and former DOJ pardon attorney Liz Oyer as they discuss Oyer's testimony at Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing. Read Liz's Substack, Lawyer Oyer: https://www.lawyeroyer.com/

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) take on the deadly Iranian strike on a U.S. base in Jordan, the mounting American casualties, and a rapidly widening war with no clear path to de-escalation. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archive...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein speaks with Rep. Jim Himes about Trump’s election speech, his attacks on voting systems, and the danger of declaring sitting senators illegitimate. They also examine how Trump’s own foreign-interference files document Russia’s efforts to help him, spread the Burisma story, and create chaos in American politi...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join Catherine Rampell and Justin Wolfers as they cover the week's biggest economics and finance news. Check out Justin's Substack, Platypus Economics: https://platypuseconomics.com/

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join Sarah Longwell and Sonny Bunch as they cover Trump's July 16, 2026 prime time speech.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein speaks with Reuters national security reporter Erin Banco about Trump’s planned election speech, his administration’s moves against federal election officials, and concerns inside his own White House that reviving voting-machine conspiracies could backfire by convincing MAGA voters to stay home. White House...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker take on the Pentagon's bizarre new testosterone screening program for troops, a promotion list with zero women admirals, and China's quiet power grab as America's alliances crack under Trump. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short vid...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Buckle up. It’s the last Trio video of July—and it’s a big one. The guys start by reacting to Joe Rogan’s interview of JD Vance, in which the Vice President trafficked in Epstein conspiracy theories. Vance also reflected on more important matters, like who’s cooler: Republicans or Democrats? His expertise on coolness...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Join Sam Stein, Bill Kristol and Will Saletan as they cover the Todd Blanche confirmation hearing live.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Lauren Egan speaks with Democratic congressional candidate Cait Conley about taking on Mike Lawler, Trump’s broken promise to avoid new wars, and Lawler’s four votes against reining in the administration’s Iran conflict. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein speaks with Ben Wikler, former chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, about why Trump is not the main character for many voters, how groceries, gas prices, roads, and local relationships shape elections, and his plan for rebuilding Democratic power from the ground up. Buy Ben's book, "This Is The Plan: How...

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 rare triple L: his 20% Strait of Hormuz toll dies within 24 hours, E. Jean Carroll finally collects $5.62 million after his lawyers claimed presidential immunity, and ICE halts vehicle stops after multiple fatal shootings. E. Jean Carroll receives $5.62 million sex abuse, def...