The Secret Podcast

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusive...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL talk about Trump’s big renaming spree and how crazily dystopian everything is. Then they dig in to the big question: Is there a crackup happening in MAGA? And if so, is it being driven by a clash of the elites? Or the amorphous coalition drifting apart? The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusivel...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL talk about the weakness of corporate media, the greatness of Martina Navratilova, and how Donald Trump is slowly morphing into the Crypt Keeper. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. To watch or listen to future episodes and join the Secret community in the comment...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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 they’ve got from being at the annual Bulwark all-hands get together. Warning: Emo JVL is a bit much. The Secret Podcast with JVL a...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL talk about Brazil’s ability to prosecute coup plotters, Trump’s ballroom, mortality, and the glories of the Macy’s Day Parade. It’s a super-sized Thanksgiving show cooked up with loads of love. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. To watch or listen to future epis...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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 s...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah is away, so Catherine Rampell sat down with JVL to talk about the Epstein emails, Trump’s new ways of paying off his friends, and what life is like at The Bulwark. It’s a pretty fun show! The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. To watch or listen to future episodes and join...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL is half-delirious from the shingles vaccine and Sarah Longwell is dragging him through one of the wildest weeks in politics. From massive Democratic wins to Jeff Flake’s fantasy-land op-ed, Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar ego trip, and the jaw-dropping humanitarian fallout from dismantling USAID. They break down why R...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL and Sarah talk about Socialism, Jersey, Virginia, MTG, and the Heritage Foundation’s panic that someone might think they don’t approve of white nationalist Nick Fuentes. It’s a whole thing. You’ll love it. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. To watch or listen to future ep...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL and Sarah talk about the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, Graham Platner, Canada, and the Reagan Foundation trying to retcon St. Ronnie to fit with Trumpism. Also with a tease of Saturday’s Focus Group and the next Bulwark Movie Club episode on Rounders. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is excl...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL ambushes Sarah with The Darkness. It’s a fun-filled episode with the indictment of John Bolton, the decimation of the Pentagon press corps, another extra-legal killing off the coast of Venezuela, the resignation of the head of SouthCom, and the weaponization of the IRS. Good times. The Secret Podcast with JVL and...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Live from New York, Sarah Longwell, JVL and Tim Miller tear into America’s culture of cowardice—from billionaires hiding in Hawaii to Merrick Garland’s endless hesitation. They discuss into how Trump’s intimidation works, why “lawfare” backfired, and why too many Democrats STILL seem afraid to fight. Note: This bonus...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com This week we did something we haven’t done on this show for a couple of years: We just . . . hung out and asked each other questions. Some stuff about life. Some stuff about The Bulwark . Some stuff about the world. Honestly it was just nice to be together. Hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed visiting with...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com The government is shut down, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. JVL and Sarah Longwell dig into why this is the moment for Democrats to fight, not fold. From Trump’s reckless threats to use the military against American citizens, to his embrace of Project 2025, to the GOP’s sheer incompetence in running the government...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL talk about big-tent liberalism—who’s in and who’s out of the l-word tent. JVL goes on a riff quasi-defending Henry Kissinger, which you are absolutely going to hate. And then we get the main event: JVL doesn’t think [gestures broadly] all this is fixable. Sarah has a plan to fix it. Who’s right? The Secr...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL talk media consolidation, JVL’s solidarity problems, and Cardinal Dolan’s appearance on Fox. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. To watch or listen to future episodes and join the Secret community in the comments become a Bulwark+ member today.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL talk about the president’s response to Charlie Kirk’s murder and why it’s so dangerous. Then we go deep on how to react in moments of crisis: Can you be too nice? How do you balance truth and compassion? What is the impact of timing? And was JVL right to turn the comments off for the first 24 hours? Do u...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL go through the Epstein Birthday Book in detail. We tell you what’s actually in it, no euphemisms. And what it means for Trump and 2026. But before you ask: It’s Tuesday. So no Rebecca. NYC and D.C. friends don’t delay! Grab your seats today for our Bulwark Live shows in October. Go to TheBulwark.com/even...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL go long on the economy, The People, double standards, RFK, and . . . Hamilton. It’s a super-sized Secret pod. In the comments, we want you to talk about whether or not the double-standard is real—is it true, as JVL proposes—that voters obsess over Democratic mistakes while waiving away Republican insanit...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Another dark week: Trump toys with occupying Chicago, the FBI under Kash Patel ignores domestic terrorism, RFK Jr. runs HHS with conspiracy theories, and even the CDC is led by a political crony. JVL and Sarah Longwell ask the hard question, what if our democracy is already too broken to fix? The Secret Podcast with J...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com It’s a weird Secret pod this week. Sarah (and half of The Bulwark ) are on vacation and then we had breaking news this morning when the FBI raided John Bolton’s house. So Tim and I taped a little topper for you and then the rest of the show is a recording of the livestream we did this morning right after the Bolton ne...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL defend the honor of Baby Boomer protestors and debate the merits of anti-fascist sandwich throwing before hunkering down for a loooong conversation about whether Trumpism is a perversion of conservatism, or a fulfillment of it. ICYMI: JVL's Triad on Trump and Conservatism with a followup in Friday’s Tria...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Bill Kristol fills in for JVL during this extra super secret edition of the Secret Podcast. Trump’s economy is cracking under its own weight—grocery prices, tariffs, and a sputtering job market are chipping away at his support. Could these numbers spell trouble for 2026? The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclus...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL give you the mega-show you’ve been waiting for: Trump’s $200 million presidential palace ballroom! Tariff TACOs! Kamala’s book! Hunter Biden! Vegas, Baby! All this and Sydney Sweeney, too. It’s a super-sized go-home show as JVL heads out for vacation. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively...