Bulwark+ Takes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Adrian Carrasquillo give their takes on the record-breaking Super Bowl halftime show by Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rican superstar delivered a joyful, confident, massively popular performance and MAGA promptly lost its mind. The trio break down why Bad Bunny’s show worked, why Kid Rock’s conservati...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller takes on a stunning National Review series that details the scale of Trump’s crypto corruption—dwarfing anything ever alleged about Biden—and explains how Trump’s crypto business operated as a pay-to-play system for foreign money, why Republican oversight collapsed, and why it matters that conservatives are...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Senior CNN political analyst Ron Brownstein joins Bill Kristol to discuss the Democrats chances of winning the Senate during the 2026 midterms. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes fee...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller, Catherine Rampell, and Will Sommer give their takes on the rise of the infomercial wing of the GOP. From ShamWow and MyPillow to the ambassador selling blood-flow vitamins and miracle sleep aids, they unpack how selling stuff became a political credential and why Trump’s brand of politics made it inevitabl...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Andrew Egger and Joe Perticone give their takes on the growing wave of House Republicans announcing their exits as the midterms approach. They break down why Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei and others are heading for the door, how Trump’s iron grip over Congress has made life miserable even for Freedom Caucus hardliners, and...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller and Adrian Carrasquillo joined Nicolle Wallace to relish the moment JD Vance was loudly booed at the Winter Olympics. They also talked about MAGA’s meltdown over Bad Bunny to growing signs of global and cultural rejection, and how Trumpworld’s behavior is turning into a real political liability. Watch Deadl...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Andrew Egger react to Trump's racist video last night depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. As the White House defends the post, Republicans like Sen. Tim Scott are "praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House" and calling for it be removed...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller and Catherine Rampell give their takes on the crypto crash, why Bitcoin and meme coins are plunging, and what the sell-off says about speculation, interest rates, and the broader economy. They break down why crypto hasn’t held up as an inflation hedge, how rising rates are squeezing risky assets, and why Tr...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer give their takes on the chaotic scandal surrounding far-right influencer Elijah Schaefer. After disappearing from his online show, Schaefer reemerged with a black eye, paranoid Rumble rants, and a series of increasingly bizarre videos, including wandering through a flooded hotel....

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller joins Katy Tur on MS NOW with his take on what the newly released Epstein documents reveal about Jeffrey Epstein, but about how few powerful adults were willing to say no, draw a line, or walk away when it mattered. Tim also responds to Steve Bannon’s threats for ICE to surround the polls ahead of the 2026...

Sam Stein and Andrew Egger react to Trump's latest craziness at the National Prayer Breakfast and his interview with NBC's Tom Llamas. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com In this edition of Command Post, Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) joins Ben Parker to break down the surprising clash between the Department of Defense and Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts). Secretary Hegseth is threatening to cut support for Scouting America over DEI policies and integrated troops, but is this real...

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 why Democrats may actually be winning the fight over DHS and ICE funding, even as critics on both the left and right accuse Democratic leadership of weakness. With a partial government shutdown looming, Democrats managed to fund the rest of the government while isolating...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein, JVL, and Semafor’s Max Tani react to the Washington Post laying off roughly one-third of its newsroom staff, cutting entire desks, and shutting down major areas of coverage—including foreign bureaus during an active war. They break down what happened, who made the decisions, and why this collapse didn’t hav...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller and Sam Stein give their takes on Donald Trump’s explosive White House press conference, where he lashed out at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, dismissed questions about the Epstein files, and once again showed how comfortable he is attacking female reporters. They explain why Trump’s treatment of Collins was especi...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein gives his take on the good news out of Congress. After years of inexplicable delays, political dysfunction, and gut-wrenching defeats, the Give Kids a Chance Act has finally passed and is set to become law. The bipartisan bill will expand pediatric cancer research by allowing the FDA to study combination dru...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer give their takes on the latest wave of Trumpworld absurdity, as the 2020 election conspiracy crowd suddenly snaps back into focus after an FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia. They unpack Trump promoting a conspiracy about Italian satellites, the apparent sidelining of Ed Martin,...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller join Nicolle Wallace to talk about the shifting politics of immigration, Trump’s comments about “taking over” voting in “at least 15 places,” and special-election results in Texas. Watch Deadline: White House on MSNOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bu...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL and Sonny Bunch give their takes on Trump’s sudden decision to shut down the Kennedy Center for two years after politicizing it, slapping his name on it, and driving ticket sales to historic lows. They break down how an iconic, nonpartisan arts institution ended up with pandemic-level attendance, why artists and a...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Jonathan Cohn give their takes on the alarming return of measles in the United States. The disease is spreading again, with major outbreaks in South Carolina and hundreds of cases appearing nationwide. They break down why falling vaccination rates are driving this preventable crisis, how government leade...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Will Saletan takes on Todd Blanche’s Sunday show appearances, where Trump’s former lawyer—now running the Justice Department—defends mass deportations, self-issued warrants, foreign money flowing to Trump, and openly political prosecutions, despite promising the Senate none of this would happen. As always: Watch, list...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Sarah Longwell discuss Epstein releases and other news. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here .

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller and Sarah Longwell react to the “Greater Than” ad campaign, a polished rebrand of the push to roll back gay marriage. They watch the ads, break down the claims about children and families, and explain why the argument doesn’t hold up—factually, morally, or politically. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sonny Bunch saw "Melania" so you don’t have to and it’s no surprise that it’s not good. Sonny is joined by JVL to give their takes on why the movie makes no sense as a business proposition, Donald Trump’s central role in shaping its purpose, and the decision to put the project in the hands of Brett Ratner, a director...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller and Sam Stein give their takes on the explosive revelations from the recently released Epstein files. They delve into the disturbing connections of high-profile figures, including Howard Lutnick and Elon Musk, Bondi's lack of involvement in today's presser, and what the latest docs dump says about Trump’s r...