The Bulwark

Bulwark Takes

News EN ↓ 500 episodes

The news cycle doesn’t slow down, and neither does The Bulwark. Bulwark Takes brings you bite-sized takes on the news of the day from the entire Bulwark team, including Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and Bill Kristol, and more.

Author

The Bulwark

Category

News

Podcast website

www.thebulwark.com

Latest episode

Jul 11, 2026

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Episodes

Montana’s GOP Leaders Suddenly Bailed (w/ Ryan Busse) 08.03.2026

Lauren Egan is joined by Ryan Busse, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Montana’s 1st District, for his take on the stunning shakeup in Montana politics. Within days, Rep. Ryan Zinke announced he won’t seek reelection and Sen. Steve Daines revealed he’s retiring, throwing the state’s political landscape into turmoil. Busse talks about why he believes the race is now wide open and how Democrats...

Trump’s Iran Post Is Unhinged and Alarming 07.03.2026

Tim Miller takes on Trump’s latest Truth Social rant about Iran—where the president calls Iran the “loser of the Middle East,” talks about the country potentially “collapsing,” and signals the war could escalate even further. He also reacts to Tucker Carlson’s claim that Trump believes the war is polling at 90% support, and what that might mean for where this conflict is headed.

The GOP Scandal So Twisted They Can’t Spin It 07.03.2026

Will Sommer and Joe Perticone give their takes on Rep. Tony Gonzales’ sudden retirement after he admitted to an affair with a subordinate staffer. They also discuss the emerging Republican candidate to replace him, who's based his campaign on a hardline pro-gun rhetoric and previously touted ownership of Mein Kampf.

Trump Says He’ll Choose Iran’s Next Leader (w/ Marc Polymeropoulos) 06.03.2026

Tim Miller talks with former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos about the rapidly escalating situation with Iran and the chaos surrounding the Trump administration’s strategy. Trump has floated the idea of choosing Iran’s next leader, while reports suggest the U.S. may be considering covert support for Kurdish groups that could amount to regime change. They also discuss the growing “brain drain” acro...

BREAKING: Jobs Report Show MAJOR Miss; Warning Signs for Economy 06.03.2026

JVL and Catherine Rampell are going live to discuss the disappointing new jobs report.

Oh God, ANOTHER Racist GOP Group Chat Leaked 06.03.2026

Tim Miller and Will Sommer give their takes on why a stolen truck full of Tucker Carlson’s nicotine pouches has led to an escalating feud with Laura Loomer, another racist group chat scandal that has rocked young Republican and Candace Owens’ increasingly bizarre conspiracy series that now includes a theory involving youth travel basketball. You MUST read Will's False Flag newsletters: https://www...

BOMBSHELL: Trump Fires DHS Sec. Noem; Sen. Mullin Tapped as Replacement 05.03.2026

JVL, Tim Miller and Andrew Egger are going live to cover Trump firing Kristi Noem.

Pam Bondi’s Revenge Tour Is a Total Bust 05.03.2026

Tim Miller gives his take on The New York Times reporting that the Trump Justice Department’s failed to build a criminal case over President Biden's use of an “autopen." Biden and his aides are just the latest in a growing list of revenge investigations that have fizzled under Pam Bondi’s DOJ. From Biden to Obama to Mark Kelly and Jim Comey, the indictments never seem to materialize.

RFK Jr. Picks a Fight With Dunkin’—And New England Isn’t Having It 05.03.2026

Sam Stein, JVL, and Catherine Rampell give their takes on why HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is demanding “safety data” from Dunkin' over its sugar-loaded iced coffees and why that fight could hit differently in Massachusetts. From 115 grams of sugar to 48-ounce coffee buckets, the crew taste-tests a truly unholy Dunkin order and debates whether this is public health policy or just another fr...

LIVE REACTION: Hegseth Press Event, Iran War Updates (w/ Tom Nichols) 04.03.2026

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.), Tom Nichols, and Ben Parker are LIVE to discuss the war with Iran—especially the bigger strategic question: what comes after the airstrikes. They react to Pete Hegseth’s press conference, and answer audience questions about escalation, the point of no return, and how the U.S. and Israel actually coordinate in wartime.

Sarah, Tim and JVL Went to See Minneapolis for Themselves 04.03.2026

Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and JVL traveled to Minneapolis to see what’s happening outside the Whipple detention center, where local volunteers and protesters say ICE activity hasn’t slowed despite official claims.

Tim Miller: MAGA Influencers Don’t Know How to Defend This War 04.03.2026

Tim Miller goes back into the lion’s den on Piers Morgan’s panel to debate Trump’s escalating war with Iran. Tim notes something surprising: even some of Trump’s biggest MAGA allies sound conflicted about the war. Watch Piers Morgan Uncensored: https://www.youtube.com/piersmorganuncensored

Sen. Kaine on Iran War: “Have we learned nothing?” 04.03.2026

Sam Stein talks with Senator Tim Kaine as he forces a Senate vote to block Trump from waging war with Iran without congressional approval. Kaine says lawmakers are ducking their constitutional duty and warns the administration’s rationale echoes the run-up to Iraq. If senators want this war, he argues, they should have the guts to put their names on it. Delegate smarter and grow faster. Post your...

Texas Votes: Crockett vs. Talarico! How MAGA Will Texas Go? 04.03.2026

Join Sarah Longwell, JVL, Tim Miller, Lauren Egan and more for Bulwark's LIVE coverage of the Texas primary elections. The biggest contest is the U.S. Senate primary, with Republicans John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, and Wesley Hunt, and Democrats Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico competing for their parties’ nominations.

GOP Senators Suddenly Discover Kristi Noem Is a Problem 04.03.2026

Sam Stein, JVL and Andrew Egger give their takes on the chaotic and dramatic Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Republican senators sharply questioned Noem over her leadership at DHS, ICE's deadly actions in Minnesota, and her department’s $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem front and center. They also debate a bigger question: Is Noem being set up...

Tulsi Gabbard Believes in Nothing 03.03.2026

Will Saletan revisits Tulsi Gabbard’s past warnings that Trump “lied” about ending wars—and compares them to her current role defending new bombings in Iran and moves in Venezuela. Delegate smarter and grow faster. Post your job for free at https://Upwork.com and connect with top freelance talent today.

LIVE: Did Israel Drag Us Into the Iran War? | Morning Chaser 03.03.2026

Bill Kristol and Andrew Egger are going live to discuss Israel and the war in Iran, Congressional war powers, the growing split between hawks and “America First” within MAGA, and the DoD/AI question.

NEW POLLS: Trump’s Iran War is Deeply Unpopular 03.03.2026

Tim Miller and Sarah Longwell take on the early polling after Trump’s strikes on Iran—and the warning signs for his coalition. Independents are overwhelmingly opposed, soft Trump voters are wavering, and the “America First” brand is colliding with a foreign war. Is this the start of a political fracture inside MAGA? Find a doctor you’ll love. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes to find and insta...

Trump Can’t Control His Own Base on Iran War 02.03.2026

Sam Stein and Will Sommer discuss MAGA’s growing anger over the war in Iran. Is this a temporary wobble, or the start of a deeper split between isolationists and hawks?

We’re at War. Why Is Trump Silent? 02.03.2026

Tim Miller and Sarah Longwell discuss the deafening silence from President Donald Trump and his administration after the U.S. strikes in Iran. As of Sunday evening, no one from the White House has laid out to the American public the case or any clear objectives for the major assault. Three U.S. service members have been killed with others severely wounded. Note: Shortly after this taping, The New...

Ted Cruz Faceplants on the Case for War With Iran 01.03.2026

Sam Stein and Will Saletan watched the the Sunday shows and give their takes on the spin after the U.S. strikes on Iran, zeroing in on the mixed messaging from Republican lawmakers defending the action. From Lindsey Graham insisting it’s “not our job” to shape Iran’s future, to Ted Cruz struggling to define an imminent threat, the hawkish case for war raises more questions than it answers. They un...

Where Does the Iran War Go From Here? 01.03.2026

Tim Miller and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) join Bill Kristol to discuss the latest developments in Iran.

Trump Floats Putting Ted Cruz on the Supreme Court 01.03.2026

Tim Miller takes on Trump’s Texas rally—from floating Ted Cruz for the Supreme Court to teasing a “third term” and congratulating a scandal-plagued congressman. Then he relishes a staggering Truth Social filing: $3.7 million in revenue, $712 million in losses.

What Happened to Anthropic Could Happen to Any AI Company (w/ Hayden Field) 28.02.2026

Hayden Field of The Verge joins Andrew Egger to discuss the Pentagon’s fight with Anthropic and what it means for the future of AI. After Anthropic drew red lines around autonomous weapons and domestic mass surveillance, the Department of Defense responded by labeling the company a “supply chain risk” -- a designation typically reserved for foreign adversaries. Read more from Hayden Field in The V...

Trump Goes to War: Iran Strike Breaks Promise of No Regime Change 28.02.2026

Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, JVL and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) go live to discuss Trump's attacks on Iran.

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