The Next Level

To get the full episode, become a paid member of the Bulwark on Substack, YouTube or Apple Podcasts. The U.S. government is ordering employees out of Israel and Iraq, the latest signal that war with Iran is approaching. Larry and David Ellison just bought Warner-Discovery and CNN.  Sarah and JVL also talk about the new John Fetterman in Maine and the primary in Texas. As well as the Kansas law tar...

Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL run through a packed episode: explosive new questions about the Epstein files and whether Trump’s DOJ is shielding him, the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling (and the three justices who would green-light almost anything), and what it means for the midterms. They also discuss Kristi Noem’s completely fabricated “cannibal” story, Laura Loomer pressuring Trump to go af...

JVL, Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and Sam Stein team up, live in Minneapolis, to dish on how Donald Trump kicked off his new Board of Peace by threatening to go to war with Iran and why other countries are holding people accountable in Epstein-related cases while elites in the United States have dealt with few consequences. Plus, Bill Kristol crashes the party to sling some takes about the potential...

Sarah and JVL discuss the Wall Street Journal exposé on Kristi Noem, Corey Lewandowski, and the internal fight over whether ICE raids should be loud and viral or quiet and deniable. They talk about why humiliation has become the price of loyalty in Trump World, why Biden is suddenly polling better than Trump on the economy, and what the backlash in Minneapolis tells us about how this moment could...

JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller relish Trump’s losing streak—from +6 approval to –14—and why slipping GOP support could signal a Bush-style collapse. They also get into inflation backlash, the White House’s “Don’t Be a Panican” spin, and the early cracks forming inside MAGA. Is this the start of a 2006-level wave? Get $30 off your first box and free Croissants for life when you visit https://W...

Donald Trump posts an overtly racist video, Republicans briefly squirm, and the usual defenses start to crack. JVL and Sarah Longwell explain why this moment exposed GOP cowardice, how Trump’s vanity and distractions are starting to cost him politically, and what billionaire media self-destruction says about power, accountability, and the institutions being hollowed out. Paid members of The Bulwar...

JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller talk about the new Epstein file releases and what they reveal about elite weakness, Peter Attia’s emails, the effort to rehabilitate Epstein after prison, and why this isn’t “cancel culture.” They also discuss what the FBI's raid of an election center in Georgia and Donald Trump's talk about nationalizing elections means for the midterms and beyond. Right now, S...

JVL and Sarah came in hottt today, angry about . . . all of it? Journalists are now being arrested. Masked DHS agents are still terrorizing Minneapolis. The worst “free speech” people you know are building a state media ecosystem. And the Melania movie is here. Paid members of The Bulwark get access to the FULL episode of The Secret Podcast. Join today on Apple Podcasts, Substack or YouTube.

Sarah, Tim and JVL join to talk about the fallout in Minnesota after Trump pulls Greg Bovino and installs Tom Homan, how voters are reacting, global blowback on Greenland, and what's next. For a limited time, save up to $300 on the Tovala smart oven when you order meals 6+ times, by visiting https://Tovala.com/NEXTLEVEL and using code NEXTLEVEL.

JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss the latest—from Trump's sinking poll numbers and the Greenland spectacle to escalating ICE actions and local resistance. They also talk about new focus-group findings showing Gen Z Trump voters cooling on JD Vance (and warming to Marco Rubio), react to the White House’s use of AI imagery in political messaging, and critique Jared Kushner’s glossy “Dubai for Gaza” red...

Sarah, JVL and Tim discuss the low-energy, never-ending Trump event and the end of their will to live. They also go deep on how Trump’s obsession with Greenland is threatening to torch America’s relationships with its allies and completely realign the world order. To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to https://NakedWines.com/THENEXTLEVEL and use code THENEXTLEVEL for both the code AND PASSWO...

Sarah and JVL discuss the Minneapolis shooting and the growing backlash to ICE tactics, the collapse of public support for Trump across key polls, MAGA’s “comply or die” hypocrisy, a potential split between “MAGA” and “non-MAGA” Republicans, the political damage of masked federal force, and farce surrounding the Trump’s “gift” of a Nobel Peace Prize.

Sarah, Tim and JVL discuss the ICE killing in Minneapolis and the escalation that followed, including DOJ prosecutors resigning rather than smearing the victim’s family. They also talk about JD Vance’s eagerness to defend state violence, Trump’s pressure campaign against Jerome Powell, the broader pattern of unchecked power, and why Democratic candidates like Mary Peltola fit their states while ot...

Sarah and JVL talk about the new video from the ICE agent as he killed Renee Good. It’s tough and they’re not sure quite where we go from here. Is the rule of law real? Or is everything might makes right? Also: Trump probably gets away with Venezuela, too. Good times. Paid members of the Bulwark get access to full episodes of the Secret show.

Sarah, Tim and JVL discuss the legality and consequences of the Venezuela operation, the emerging split between “America First” and “Trump First,” Stephen Miller’s grotesque worldview, and why Greenland suddenly feels less hypothetical. They also debate the legacy of neoconservatism and Iraq, MAGA influencer drama, and GOP dysfunction in Congress. Get up to 30% off OneSkin with the code THENEXTLEV...

JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller look ahead to what’s next—and it (mostly) isn't pretty. From Trump’s plans for the Fed and crypto chaos, to billionaire media consolidation, and some truly unhinged foreign policy ideas, they game out what could break, what might finally collapse Trump’s support, and why things probably have to get worse before they get better. Go to https://Quince.com/thenextle...

New Epstein files have dropped, and the fallout is growing. Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL discuss what’s new in the latest release, why the DOJ’s clumsy redactions and selective disclosures made things worse, and how the accumulating evidence and hypocrisy are starting to break through to voters. They also talk about Trump’s distraction tactics, JD Vance’s political viability, and why the ol...

Sarah Longwell, JVL, and Tim Miller discuss the jaw-dropping Vanity Fair interviews Susie Wiles gave to Vanity Fair and what they reveal about how Trumpworld actually operates, the Epstein and Maxwell fallout, the backlash to Trump’s remarks about Rob Reiner, MAGA’s internal fractures, Elon Musk’s role in dismantling USAID, and why this moment feels different from past Trump controversies. Susie W...

Donald Trump isn’t just attacking the press, he’s trying to own it. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss how Trump is using merger approvals, billionaire allies, and corporate pressure to bend major media companies to his will, from CNN and CBS to the broader tech and news ecosystem. They explain why media consolidation creates a dangerous opening for political intimidation, how this power play has noth...

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This a preview of The Secret Podcast, where Sarah and JVL go off-leash and uncensored in an intimate conversation. The full episode is available for paid Bulwark members on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube! Sarah and JVL are in meat-space talking about the Donald J. Trump buildings coming soon to a town near you. And also why liberalism needs to fight. But the big topic is all of the feelings...

Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL get through a chaotic week in Trump’s Washington: Elise Stefanik and Mike Johnson tearing each other apart, Hegseth’s shifting alibis for a possible war crime, Trump nodding off while his cabinet members freelance policy, and a fresh round of immigration extremism that targets even legal residents. They also discuss population-collapse warnings, the “narco-terro...

Note: Sarah and JVL recorded this episode on Wednesday, November 26. JVL and Sarah Longwell break down why pardoning January 6 felons might be the most dangerous move of his presidency yet. By promising protection to anyone who commits crimes on his behalf, Trump is building a loyalty pipeline straight out of a mob movie… and the Supreme Court is giving him the cover he needs.

Trump’s revenge crusade is collapsing in real time. Botched prosecutions, clown-car legal teams, foreign bot armies propping up MAGA influencers, and a GOP in full-blown identity crisis. JVL, Sarah Longwell and Tim Miller talk about Trump’s latest humiliations, the Marjorie Taylor Greene detonation, the Mamdani Oval Office shocker, and the wild bot-farm revelations shaking the right. Oh and Trump...

Trump crossed a line, again. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss Trump’s latest tantrum: calling for Democratic senators to be put to death after they released a video reminding service members they don’t have to follow illegal orders. Yes, really. Then we get into the Epstein-email panic, why Trump suddenly pretended to support releasing documents he fought for years, and what’s really pressuring him...