Bulwark+ Takes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer discuss a chaotic CNN panel blowup, the strange rise of Scott Jennings as cable news’ go-to defender, and the surreal world of MAGA-themed cruises—from a “Gulf of America” getaway to a gay conservative cruise that left Tim stunned. They talk about the escalating Candace Owens feu...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah Longwell is joined by Kyle Sweetser, a former Trump voter and lifelong Republican who is now running for Senate in Alabama as a Democrat. Sweetser explains how Trump-era tariffs impacted his business, why January 6 pushed him into political activism, and why he believes Democrats can compete in deep red states b...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Catherine Rampell and JVL went live to discuss the week's economic and financial news. Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein talks with Jake Sherman about a week of House chaos that somehow ended in a string of wins—key bills passed, a shutdown quietly ended, and hardliners once again backed down. They break down why the threats never stick, how Mike Johnson keeps his conference in line, and why Republicans are still sticking with...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller talks with Navy veteran and former NASA Chief of Staff Bale Dalton, who’s running for Congress in a deep red Florida district Democrats usually ignore—but may now be in play. They dig into his opponent, Rep. Cory Mills' the mountain of scandals and lies, and why Trump-era chaos could open the door for an up...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Jonathan Cohn are going live to cover Trump's newest Surgeon General nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Fox News contributor and prominent MAHA figure. After pulling Casey Means' nomination, Trump bashed GOP Senator Bill Cassidy for opposing Means. Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Ange...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller was all over MS NOW, talking about Trump’s $400 million “gold ballroom” obsession as his poll numbers slide and voters feel squeezed. He breaks down why the GOP’s usual message machine—coordinated distractions, echo chamber spin, and nonstop attacks—is suddenly falling flat, with backlash over Iran, rising...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim went live to hang out, take questions and talk about some interesting subjects like: Kash Patel's nightmarish few weeks, the coming economic calamity, truly dire approval numbers for Trump, music stuff, and more. Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller unloads on the wave of “false flag” theories spreading after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, calling out how quickly people abandon basic facts when politics takes over. Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events As always: Watch, l...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Will Saletan give their takes on Pete Hegseth’s heated appearance on Capitol Hill, where questions about the $25 billion war with Iran quickly turned into personal attacks and repeated deflections. Hegseth spent much of his time avoiding accountability, focusing instead on blaming Democrats, raising ques...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Conor Kilgore and Rachel Janfaza discuss why Noah Kahan has become a defining voice for Gen Z—and what his music reveals about a generation shaped by COVID, social media overload, and constant comparison. They get into the mental health themes, the push to log off and reconnect with real life, and why so many young pe...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com The Pentagon is under fire after the Jacqueline Smith, ombudsman for Stars and Stripes, says she was dismissed for raising concerns about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. What does this mean for press independence inside the military? As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller joins the Lib & Learn podcast to discuss the WHCD incident, the media spin that followed, and why both parties keep getting the moment wrong. He explains the real problem inside the Democratic coalition, how the GOP’s viral messaging machine works, and what it would actually take for Democrats to win again....

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Ben Parker break down a Bulwark exclusive that the State Department is putting Trump's face on U.S. passports, as part of "America 250." Sam and Ben walk through what the redesign would actually include, why it’s unprecedented, and how it fits into a broader pattern of Trump branding across federal symbo...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sonny Bunch and Catherine Rampell break down a wave of major FCC developments shaping the future of American media. Paramount is asking the FCC to approve up to 100% foreign ownership in a massive media deal that could impact CBS and CNN. Foreign money is flowing deeper into American news—and regulators may be on the...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol are going live at 10am ET to discuss the week's biggest news items. Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein welcomes Axios' Marc Caputo to discuss Florida’s new redistricting map—and the legal storm it’s about to trigger. Governor Ron DeSantis has unveiled a plan that could shift Florida’s congressional delegation from 20–8 to as much as 24–4 in favor of Republicans. But there’s a major problem: Florida’s constitu...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Will Sommer are going live to discuss how Trump’s allies are relentlessly using the WHCD shooting to push the new ballroom, the fascinating details of the individual reactions from Trump cabinet members to the shooting, and the absurd fight at the Substack party. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a com...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Bill Kristol and Tom Joscelyn went live to discuss white supremacy in the online Right and why they're obsessed with attacking the Southern Poverty Law Center. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bu...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Bill Kristol and Sam Stein went live to discuss the aftermath of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, he...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein reacted live to the shooting at the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and Trump's press event afterward. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your pl...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller joins David Pakman for a wide-ranging conversation on Trump’s unraveling, the “MAGA betrayal” moment among anti-war influencers, and what comes next for the right. They discuss why some of Trump’s loudest supporters feel misled, who actually drives conservative media, and how Never Trump has evolved into so...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Catherine Rampell and Sarah Matthews take on the botched White House photo op that went viral. Donald Trump hosted the 2025 NCAA champion Georgia Bulldogs women’s tennis team—but puts them in the background and skips their handshake. They break down the optics, the politics, and what it reveals about the “women’s spor...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Jared Poland give their takes on Trump’s new acting Navy secretary, Hung Cao. From viral podcast clips to resurfaced campaign interviews, Cao leans hard into “alpha male” rhetoric, conspiracy-adjacent claims about witches, and extreme takes on immigration, NATO, and the military. It’s a wild collection o...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah Longwell breaks down California’s chaotic governor’s race, where 61 candidates and a fractured Democratic field could open the door for Republicans. In polls, Xavier Becerra is quietly rising as the “safe” choice with Katie Porter still facing questions about her personal baggage, and billionaire Tom Steyer took...