Bulwark Takes

Andrew Egger and Catherine Rampell look back at the first anniversary of Trump’s “Liberation Day,” the administration’s infamous tariff rollout. From tariffing penguins to gold bars from Switzerland, "Liberation Day" has proven to be a bust. The Supreme Court ruled them illegal and companies are still waiting for refunds, while the White House fiddles with new versions of the same failed policies....

Trump delivered a highly anticipated address on Iran, but instead of clarity, viewers got a confusing, low-energy speech that raised more questions than it answered. JVL and Andrew Egger give their takes on why the speech felt so off, from Trump abandoning his usual rambling to awkwardly sticking to a teleprompter and recycling his own Truth Social posts. They dig into the lack of a clear strategy...

Sam Stein, Sarah Longwell, JVL and Will Sommer react to the breaking news that Trump has fired Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Sam Stein, JVL and Mark Hertling were live to reacting to President Trump's April 1st address on the war in Iran.

Will Saletan takes on Pete Hegseth’s conduct during a wartime briefing campaign that keeps veering off course. Instead of focusing on strategy or coalition-building, he’s taking shots at past presidents, the press, and even U.S. allies.

Sam Stein, JVL, and Andrew Egger give their takes on the newly unveiled “Donald J. Trump Presidential Library” that Trump now himself admits will “most likely” be a hotel. The crew digs into the absurd renderings, including the giant gold statue, an oversized ballroom, and even the Qatari plane overhauled to become Air Force One in the lobby. They also break down how valuable land originally owned...

Command Post Live! Mark Hertling and Ben Parker are going live to discuss Trump’s speech tonight, the prospect of ground troops in Iran, and Trump’s slow-motion destruction of NATO.

Sam Stein and Will Saletan take on a judge’s decision to halt Donald Trump’s plan to build a massive White House ballroom, Trump’s fixation on the project, how often he brings it up in public, and the bizarre moments where it overtakes everything else—even during major national and global events.

Andrew and Bill discuss the morning's news.

Tim Miller breaks down the surreal viral moment of Lindsey Graham at Disney World—and why it’s more than just a weird photo. He also joined Nicolle Wallace to talk about the government shutdown and rising global tensions, and argues it reflects something deeper about accountability and leadership.

Sam Stein talks with former top intelligence official Sue Gordon to break down the fast-moving Iran crisis—and why the U.S. may not have the intelligence it needs for what comes next. Drawing on decades at the CIA, Gordon explains the growing intel gaps, the risks of escalation, and why bombing Iran is the easy part compared to what follows. As tensions rise and off-ramps shrink, the big question...

JVL and Sarah Longwell give their takes on the shocking new UMass poll showing Donald Trump at just 33% approval, only one point away from the “Bush line.” As the Iran war drags on, gas prices rise, and inflation worsens, they dig into what’s really driving Trump’s downfall and whether it signals real movement with voters. Plus, they react to Brendan Carr openly celebrating media firings as a poli...

Will Sommer and Andrew Egger are going live to cover a strange weekend at CPAC, where sparse crowds, defensive spin, and open infighting raised questions about where the MAGA movement stands right now. Plus: Clavicular went to jail...again!

Will Saletan takes on a series of moments showing how Donald Trump is pushing past basic limits of presidential power—from putting his face on coins and signature on currency to calling judges “criminals” and claiming he doesn’t need Congress for war or NATO decisions. As millions joined “No Kings” protests, the pattern becomes hard to ignore: a president who treats the rules as optional, surround...

Tim Miller gives his take on Donald Trump’s latest Truth Social spiral and why he's boosting pro-war voices like Mark Levin, who’s floating plans that sound more like a uranium heist than a real strategy. Tim breaks down how Trump’s feed has become a window into his decision-making, why the signs point toward escalation and possible troops on the ground, and how the war is already causing global d...

The Bulwark's own Jim Swift joins Bill Kristol to talk about No Kings.

Sonny Bunch and Adrian Carrasquillo take on The Pitt’s ICE episode—how a single raid transforms the ER, triggers fear across patients and staff, and mirrors real-world reporting on immigration enforcement. They discuss the show’s attempt at “balance,” the ripple effects of fear, and why dramatized storytelling can land harder than traditional coverage. They also explore the reaction online, the pr...

Join JVL, Catherine Rampell, Andrew Egger, and many, many others from The Bulwark for live "No Kings" rally coverage.

Sam Stein takes on a series of bizarre Trump appearances, ranging from crude jokes and made-up stories to comments that may have revealed something far more serious. The pattern raises a bigger question: when the president speaks, how much of it is real?

Tim Miller was on MS NOW's Deadline: White House to explain why Trump’s Iran decision may be doing lasting damage to his own coalition. From GOP infighting to failed election interference efforts and another Democratic win in Washington, MAJOR cracks are starting to show.

Sam Stein and Tim Miller give their takes on the latest fiasco for FBI Director Kash Patel after Iran-linked hackers breached his email and released a trove of personal messages and photos. From embarrassing photos during a trip to Cuba to serious counterintelligence concerns, it’s another brutal moment for a guy already struggling to prove he’s up for the job.

JVL and Catherine Rampell are going live on Trump’s economic messaging, falling consumer confidence, and rising recession fears driven by oil prices.

Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer give their takes on Kash Patel’s girlfriend, a country music “sensation,” over her bizarre Twitter rant about Michael Flynn, Candace Owens fights with MAGA media darling Nick Shirley, and comedian Druski mocks Erika Kirk in viral video. Text TAKES to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose....

Sam Stein and Andrew Egger watched an hour-and-a-half long Trump cabinet meeting and it was a mess. From ranting about $1,000 pens and fake gold columns to personal attacks on Gavin Newsom’s dyslexia and Jerome Powell, Trump spent more time complaining about the Kennedy Center than he did on foreign policy. We break down the top five most unhinged things that happened during Thursday's meeting. Te...

Tim Miller talks with Ezra Levin—co-founder of Indivisible— about Saturday's “No Kings” protests. They get into whether protests actually work, how movements grow beyond a single weekend, and why discipline, nonviolence, and even humor can throw off an authoritarian playbook. Plus: the rising threat of political violence, how organizers are preparing for it, and what comes next if this keeps growi...