Bulwark Takes

Tim Miller takes a trip into the lion’s den, joining Blake Neff and Andrew Kolvet on The Charlie Kirk Show for a spirited debate about Trump’s record. Tim pushes back on the idea that Trump has delivered, laying out that the president has broken his promises on affordability, foreign wars and draining the swamp. The conversation gets heated as Tim challenges the hosts over immigration enforcement,...

Sam Stein, Will Sommer, and Tim Miller unpack another week of MAGA absurdity, from James O’Keefe facing felony charges over an alleged voter fraud stunt to right-wing influencers churning out bizarre AI videos about Democrats and the Cheesecake Factory. The trio also break down a pastor’s bizarre prayer for the deportation of a MAGA commentator, and a Tennessee congressional candidate defending un...

Bill Kristol talks with Ezra Levin, co-director of Indivisible and a leading organizer of No Kings, about why Trump’s attacks on the movement have failed, Meta’s suspicious four-hour shutdown of its Instagram account during a massive early-voting push, and the growing demands for answers from Congress. They also discuss how Trump’s corporate allies enable his authoritarian agenda—and why Democrats...

Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) break down the growing risks of Trump’s Iran war, including the possibility of renewed strikes after the midterms, the danger of pushing Gulf allies toward China, and the military’s growing logistical challenges. They examine why Iran may be preparing to fight back even harder, how the Houthis could threaten American interests long after the Iran war en...

Catherine Rampell and Andrew Egger break down Donald Trump’s latest campaign strategy: promising taxpayer-funded benefits to voters and threatening to withhold money from states that don’t deliver Republican victories. From $5,000 checks and billions in potential investments to veterans’ Camp Lejeune settlements, Trump is making government funding conditional on political loyalty. Catherine and An...

Will Sommer speaks with Mississippi shrimper Maynard Dubuisson, a longtime Donald Trump supporter who says soaring diesel prices are pushing fishermen and small businesses to the brink. The war in Iran has sent fuel costs soaring, forcing shrimpers to conserve fuel and produce less, and threatened the local economy. Dubuisson says working-class Americans aren’t worried about tax cuts. They’re worr...

With one week until Election Day, Bill Kristol and Andrew Egger break down the Senate races that could deliver Democrats a historic midterm wave. From James Talarico’s fight against Ken Paxton in Texas to surprising opportunities in Mississippi, Kansas, and Florida, they examine how Trump’s unpopularity, rising prices, and Elon Musk’s spending are reshaping the map.  Plus, how Trump’s latest attem...

Will Saletan uses Trump's own words to expose the contradictions behind the Iran war. Trump says he obliterated Iran's nuclear program, claims the threat is under control, and admits the U.S. could leave now. So why is the war still going eight months later? Trump says he wants a guarantee Iran will never build a nuclear weapon, but he also admits he may have gone too far in killing the country's...

Sam Stein and Will Sommer break down Donald Trump’s 1,300-word meltdown over Bill Maher. Plus, MAGA data guru Data Republican is so worried about the GOP’s early voting numbers that she won’t share them with her followers, right-wing influencers scramble to spin election results in Serbia and Brazil, and a pro-ICE conservative is now set to be deported. Also, Newsmax’s new Trump nostalgia show ser...

Mike Rogers’s disastrous Meet the Press interview was a masterclass in political desperation. Catherine Rampell and Jonathan Cohn break down his increasingly absurd attempts to dodge questions about Trump, his contortions over tariffs hurting Michigan, and his ugly attacks on Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed.

Could Democrats really flip Senate seats in deep-red states like Mississippi, South Carolina, and Florida? Bill Kristol and Lauren Egan examine the expanding Senate map, surprising opportunities, and whether Democratic optimism is getting ahead of reality.

Texas Republicans are facing a nightmare scenario: Ken Paxton could lose, rural turnout is lagging, and the GOP may have to spend $400 million defending a state it once took for granted. Tim Miller talks with Republican operative Garrett Fulce about the growing anxiety inside the Texas GOP, the possibility of a Democratic upset, and why Garrett himself just voted for a Democrat.

#ad Go to https://zbiotics.com/bulwarktakes and use code BULWARKTAKES at checkout for 15% off your first order of ZBiotics probiotics. Tim Miller responds to Elon Musk’s threats to The Bulwark’s after Musk said “if you want to live by the sword, that is how they will die too.” Then, Tim also takes on Iowa Republican congressional candidate Joe Mitchell, who gave Donald Trump a homemade “Man of the...

Sarah Matthews joins Nicolle Wallace to discuss the Trump DOJ’s removal of thousands of January 6 records, the effort to preserve the evidence, and what it could mean for the midterms. They also examine Trump’s broken promises, his family’s growing wealth, and why young men who helped return him to office are increasingly feeling betrayed. Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/...

The battle for Congress is heating up ahead of the midterms. Tim Miller talks with North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton about key House races, rural voters, and gerrymandering. Plus, Sam Stein joins Rep. Nikema Williams in Georgia to discuss voter turnout, Trump's election interference, and what's at stake in November. For a limited time, Tempo is offering 60% off your first box!...

Tim Miller, Sam Stein and Will Sommer give their takes on the latest chaos from the MAGA universe. Top Trump allies Chris LaCivita and James Blair had to hand over their six-figure consulting fees from a pro-Russian Balkan politician to Trump’s presidential library are right-wing influencers embarrassed themselves while campaigning for Serbia’s strongman. Plus, Republican Senate candidate Mike Col...

Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow joins Sam Stein for her take on how a fabricated poll had real consequences for her Senate campaign, drying up donations, rattling volunteers, and prompting reporters to ask when she would drop out. They examine how fake polling can distort media coverage, influence donors, and shape the narratives surrounding elections, even when the numbers are completely...

Vivek Ramaswamy has dragged Amy Acton’s estranged mother into the Ohio governor’s race to smear her daughter — even though the mother’s husband was charged with raping Acton when she was just 12. Now Trump and JD Vance are backing the attack, with Trump calling Acton “defective” and demanding Republicans fall in line. Will Sommer and Andrew Egger give their takes on the ad’s horrifying backstory a...

Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) give their takes on Pete Hegseth’s surprise visit to Israel days before Benjamin Netanyahu’s election and amid the possibility of new strikes against Iran. They also discuss the strain of sending a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East and the damage Hegseth’s office caused to a historic globe once used by Dwight Eisenhower. Plus, Trump...

Tim Miller sits down with David Mauricio, the newly minted Jubilee Surrounded star, to break down his viral clashes with MAGA debaters. Mauricio explains why he came out swinging, how Trump’s defenders struggled to answer questions about the president’s corruption, and why one debater’s attempt to question his citizenship backfired. Plus, Mauricio confronts woman who casually admits she was at the...

Ben Parker and Michael Weiss dissect Steve Witkoff’s praise of Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” and JD Vance’s defense of the Trump envoy, exposing the weakness and incompetence behind the administration’s Russia diplomacy. They examine how Trump’s desperation for a deal with Putin is leading to concessions on sanctions, undermining Ukraine, and rewarding Russian aggression.  Plus, Michael expla...

How do democracies fall apart, and why do the people who could stop it so often look the other way? CNN’s Dana Bash joins Sarah Longwell to examine the elections that changed history, including the fatal miscalculation that helped bring Hitler to power and its disturbing echoes in Trump’s Republican Party. They also explore how a handful of votes might have prevented Trump’s rise, why Democrats ne...

Jonathan Cohn sits down with Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to discuss his admiration for Barack Obama, the shortcomings of the Obama presidency, and the lessons he hopes to carry into the Senate. El-Sayed explains why he believes Obama made it possible for people like him to run for office, where he thinks Obama fell short on health care and other issues, and why Democrats need to stop...

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes #sponsored Donald Trump claims Russia has been “fine” in Ukraine, and Michael Weiss, who has witnessed Russian atrocities firsthand, is furious. Weiss and former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos examine Trump’s increasingly alarming alignment with Putin, reports that Elon Musk interfered wit...

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅: https://zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes #sponsored Sam Stein and Will Sommer break down the disgusting attack ad targeting Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton, featuring her estranged mother accusing her of lying. When Acton was 12, her stepfather was accused of sexually abusing her and was indicted by a grand jury be...