Bulwark+ Takes

Tim Miller shares the story of a Venezuelan family — a pregnant mother, father, and their 7-year-old daughter — who have spent weeks detained at the Dilley detention facility in Texas, despite doing everything the Trump administration has asked of immigrants seeking to leave the country. The family followed every legal step: they applied for asylum, never missed an ICE check-in, and when they decided to return to Venezuela, they went through the official self-deportation process. Instead of being sent home, they were arrested and detained.For more on the Texas Immigration Law Council: https://txilc.org/Call Sen. Katie Britt: 202-224-5744 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJVL and Andrew Egger give their takes on Donald Trump’s latest chaotic press conference, from his bizarre claims about talking with Kim Jong Un to his demand that South Korea pay up for U.S. protection. They also look at Trump’s latest comments on the Iran war, the state of the USS Abraham Lincoln, and his increasingly strange defense of his White House ballroom. Plus: Trump lashes out at a CNN reporter, calls the press “fake news,” and insists his ballroom will be bulletproof and missile-proof.Read more from JVL: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/thetriadRead more from Andrew: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshots

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJonathan Cohn gives his take on the viral “puppy killer” attack against Abdul El-Sayed—and explains how a misleading story about Detroit’s animal control department became a powerful piece of political misinformation. The reality is far different from the headline. El-Sayed inherited an animal control system plagued by neglect and abuse, and the department improved significantly after he took over. Jonathan breaks down how the Daily Mail, right-wing influencers, Republican candidates and Fox News helped spread the story and why this episode is a warning about how easily misinformation can overwhelm the truth.Read more from Jonathan: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/debunking-maga-puppy-killer-smear-against-abdul-el-sayed

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comLt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker went live to cover Trump threatening to bomb Oman, an ally, as a deal to end the war in Iran remains elusive. Plus, Trump praised North Korea over the weekend and cancelled our military drills with South Korea. Read more from Mark: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/canceling-military-exercises-hurts-us-south-korea…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comWill Saletan takes on Kristen Welker’s Meet the Press interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, arguing that Blanche’s evasions on Justice Department independence, Trump’s influence over prosecutions, January 6 pardons, and a proposed compensation fund expose him as a loyalist ready to do the president’s bidding.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comAndrew Egger and Catherine Rampell discuss Sen. Bill Cassidy’s criticism of vaccine policy after his vote to confirm RFK Jr., questions surrounding Mitch McConnell’s prolonged absence, growing support for price controls in the GOP, the political fallout from Trump’s tariffs, and the Navy’s potential multibillion-dollar warship redesign to suit the president’s aesthetic preferences.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comWill Saletan gives his take on how Republicans accused of serious misconduct have learned to survive scandal. All they have do is follow Donald Trump’s example: never resign, deny everything, attack the accusers, call the investigation “political,” and invoke Trump’s own history as proof that they can stay in the fight. From Duncan Hunter and Matt Gaetz to George Santos, Cory Mills and Max Miller, Will walks through how Trump has become the model for Republican politicians facing allegations, investigations and convictions — with endorsements, pardons and political support often waiting on the other side.Read more from Will: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-to-survive-a-republican-scandal-imitate-trump

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller joins Alicia Menendez to discuss widespread calls for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign, Trump’s continued support for him, Democrats’ affordability message, and efforts to recruit stronger young candidates for down-ballot races nationwide.Watch One the Line with Alicia Menendez on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/on-the-line

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comBen Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) give their takes on the growing crisis aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where sailors have endured months at sea with poor food and living conditions, disrupted communications, and little clarity about when they will finally come home. Now, there's been several reports that sailors have considered or attempted jumping overboard. And yet, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the situation “completely misrepresented.”Go to https://thebulwark.com/events for more info on the upcoming Fall tour.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJoin Catherine Rampell and JVL at 12:30pm ET as they go live to discuss the biggest political, financial and economic stories of the week.Read more from Catherine: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-gift-to-the-money-launderers-database-treasury

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comBrandon Herrera is running for Congress in Texas and we’ve discovered a very strange side of his public persona. Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Will Sommer dig into Herrera’s podcast, where he discusses “Lock & Load,” a supplement he says helps men with...something. The trio goes down the bizarre rabbit hole of male-enhancement supplements, the nine-pills-a-day regimen, and the strange world surrounding these products. Plus: Sean Duffy’s son-in-law is running for Congress, a MAGA podcast fight turns physical, and Candace Owens is preparing for a bizarre $300,000 debate.Read more from Will: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-charlie-kirk-murder-business-crass-spectacle-candace-owens-andrew-wilson-debate

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comAndrew Egger and Sonny Bunch take on Trump’s latest attempt to get his name back on the Kennedy Center, his refusal to let go of fights he’s already lost, and what his obsession with credit, legacy, and scapegoats says about a president who increasingly seems stuck doing the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over...Read Andrew’s Morning Shots newsletter:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller takes on Georgia Senate candidate Mike Collins, from his support for taxpayer-funded payouts to January 6 rioters to his ties to white nationalists, racist social media posts, election conspiracies, and bizarre campaign stunts. And when Collins is confronted with questions about the extremists in his orbit, he literally runs away.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSam Stein and Will Sommer look back at the wildest moments from Mike Lindell’s career after the Trump-backed election denier lost the Republican primary for Minnesota governor. From refusing to accept election results and offering a $5 million challenge, to arguing with a kid at the Democratic National Convention, getting served legal papers onstage, and blaming the CIA, Lindell has produced no shortage of memorable moments.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJoin Sam Stein and Lauren Egan for this exclusive, members-only look at the state of primary races ahead of the 2026 midterm election.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comBen Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) discuss an alleged Russian explosive drone at a German airport and the potential implications for NATO, President Trump’s use of a decoy Air Force One amid an Iranian threat, and George W. Bush’s secret 2003 Thanksgiving trip to Iraq. They also answer viewer questions about drone warfare, munitions production, and rebuilding the military after the Trump administration.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comDonald Trump was secretly smuggled out of Turkey last month after U.S. intelligence reportedly warned of a possible Iranian assassination plot, but the journalists and White House staff traveling on Air Force One were left in the dark. Michael Weiss and former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos give their takes on the extraordinary Secret Service operation…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSam Stein and Andrew Egger went live to cover the GOP’s misleading furor with Tony Fauci’s text messages, Trump appearing to sleep as he peddles vaccine misinformation, the elaborate plan that had Trump stowed away in a catering truck amid a threat from Iran, and the new memo from the White House that shows Trump is scared about about Democrats taking b…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comAndrew Egger and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) give their takes on Iran’s sweeping new demands, Trump’s response, and why the prospects for a diplomatic deal are fading. They discuss Trump’s shrinking military options, depleted U.S. weapons supplies, and the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that's left merchant crews trapped at sea for months.Read…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comDonald Trump’s attacks on Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed may be doing the exact opposite of what he intends. Tim Miller gives his take on Trump repeating the same failed strategy Republicans used against him in 2015 and 2016, attacking an outsider in ways that ultimately give them more attention and support. Tim also weighs in on AOC’s comments about “Woke 1.0,” arguing that Democrats need to be more willing to acknowledge where the movement went too far and how that overreach hurt the party politically.Watch The Moment with Katy Tur on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/katy-tur-reports

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comWill Saletan gives his take on Trump’s new NIH director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, becoming a loyalist defender of the Trump administration’s most controversial and absurd health claims. Bhattacharya repeatedly blames Anthony Fauci for COVID-era school closures, declining vaccine confidence and other public-health failures, even when the record doesn’t support those claims. He also refuses to clearly say that vaccines do not cause autism and dodges questions about anti-vaccine misinformation and the CDC shooting. What happens to science when the people running America’s health agencies become more focused on defending Trump and RFK Jr. than following the evidence?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comWill Sommer and Sam Stein went live to cover the right’s freakout over AOC deciding to freeze her eggs, Max Miller refusing to drop out of his re-election bid, Sen. Mike Lee fuming at Coca-Cola, and Trump mocking Joe Biden after it was announced that his cancer had spread.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comBill Kristol welcomes recently retired Col. Bree Fram to discuss Hegseth's leadership and the damage he's inflicting on the United States Military, as well as her own personal experience being forced out of the military after over 20 years of service.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller shares highlights from his MS NOW appearance with John Heilemann and Jessica Taylor—Trump's political struggles, a scorching anti-war ad targeting Mike Rogers, Bill Cassidy's confirmation vote, and a state-by-state look at the Senate map, from Georgia to Texas to Kansas.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller sits down with Isaac Saul, founder of Tangle, to discuss Donald Trump’s plans to build a border wall through and around Big Bend National Park in West Texas. Saul explains why local residents, business owners, sheriffs, and even some Trump-supporting officials are pushing back against the project. Tim and Isaac discuss the environmental damage from construction, the enormous $19.4 billion cost for the new border barriers, and the surprising possibility that new roads and infrastructure could actually make it easier for migrants to navigate the area.Read more from Isaac’s work at Tangle: https://www.readtangle.com/author/isaac-saul/

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comAndy Ogles is officially not returning to Congress after losing his Tennessee Republican primary. Brendan Hartnett and Lauren Egan, give their takes on Ogles’ stunning defeat and why Trump’s endorsement wasn’t enough to save him. We break down Ogles’ history of disgusting, racist and homophobic comments, his controversial $25,000 GoFundMe for a memorial garden that never happened, and how Tennessee’s redistricting helped reshape the race. Plus, Brendan and Lauren talk about what Ogles’ defeat means for Democrats hoping to flip the newly redrawn district and whether Trump’s endorsement is still the force it once was in Republican primaries.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comCatherine Rampell and Sam Stein went live to cover the terrible jobs report this month, the White House's attempt to spin the economy as booming, the bill in the Senate that could give Trump more tariff power, and a federal appeals court blocking construction on Trump's ballroom. Read more from Catherine's newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/senate-voting-to-give-trump-a-tariff

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTucker Carlson has a new message for the Republican Party—and it sounds an awful lot like the opening pitch of a presidential campaign. JVL, Andrew Egger and Will Sommer give their takes on Tucker's sweeping "10-point" vision for America, why he's increasingly distancing himself from Donald Trump, and whether he's laying the groundwork for a 2028 White House run. Plus, we break down Tucker's appeal to disaffected MAGA voters, the growing rift inside Trump's coalition over foreign policy and corruption, and why JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., and the rest of the Republican field should be paying attention.Read more from Will's newsletter: Tucker 2028

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) joins Catherine Rampell to discuss his years-long investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's finances and why he believes major Wall Street banks helped enable Epstein's sex trafficking operation by failing to report suspicious transactions. Wyden explains why he says top bank executives should be held accountable, responds to questions about the 60 Minutes interview that never aired, and lays out what Congress could do if Democrats retake the Senate. Wyden also breaks down his opposition to the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill, arguing that it would hand Trump sweeping new tariff powers that could drive up costs for American consumers.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer take on Laura Loomer’s latest cabinet ambitions, MTG’s over-the-top Vegas wedding, Sean Duffy’s disappearing taxpayer-backed road trip, the bizarre MAHA diet taking hold in Trump’s orbit, Steven Crowder’s defense of fascism, and one congressional candidate’s unbelievable beach brawl.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comLt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Andrew Egger (filling in for Ben Parker) went live to cover reports that the U.S. missile supplies are dwindling, the Russian missile attack on Ukraine, the cyberattacks across several U.S. states, and Oman’s role in a potential deal with Iran.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline: White House to discuss Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings, voter frustration over the economy and the war in Iran, and Democrats’ midterm opportunities. They also consider the limits of Republican campaign spending and the party’s response to abuse allegations against Rep. Max Miller.Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller and producer Ansley Skipper test how much political news made it through Tim’s vacation bubble, from Trump’s White House correspondents’ dinner insults and the Fauci diaries to Canada tariffs, RFK Jr.’s cooking show, and a bizarre lettuce-recall controversy.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comRep. Chuck Edwards faces House Ethics censure over harassment allegations involving young staffers—Christmas tree visits, 30 tubs of ice cream, matching guns, a custom Adam Sandler puzzle. Will Sommer and Sarah Matthews dig into the creepy details, the power dynamics on the Hill, and why GOP colleagues are staying quiet.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comAndrew Egger and Bill Kristol went live to cover the DOJ dropping more Reflecting Pool cases, Senate Republicans advancing Todd Blanche’s vote out of committee, Max Miller defiantly staying in for bid for re-election, and Oman and Iran potentially coming to a deal over the Strait of Hormuz.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller and Sam Stein give their takes on Trump’s chaotic press conference in the Oval Office on Monday, where Trump defended Rep. Max Miller amid domestic violence allegations and lashed out at his longtime friend and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro over her failed Reflecting Pool vandalism case. Is Jeanine Pirro about to be fired? Plus, Trump once again warned Iran that it was their “last chance” for a deal after threatening to commit war crimes against the entire country.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comWill Saletan dismantles RFK Jr.'s disastrous CNN interview, exposing one false claim after another on COVID, vaccines, Anthony Fauci, Donald Trump, and the media. From conspiracy theories to blatant contradictions, the secretary of Health and Human Services spends more time attacking Dana Bash than defending his own claims and the facts don't hold up. If the nation's top health official is still pushing COVID misinformation, Americans deserve to know.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comWill Sommer, Sam Stein and Andrew Egger went live to cover the growing calls on the right for GOP Rep. Max Miller to resign, whether Jeanine Pirro will be fired over the botched Reflecting Pool case, Tucker speaking with foreign agents, and the audience collapse among right-wing MAGA media figures.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comWill Saletan fact-checks the GOP's Fauci diary attacks, debunking RFK Jr.'s vaccine claims, Fox News's selective editing, and conspiracy theories about lab leaks, school closures, and vaccine sabotage—showing why these "gotcha" moments collapse under scrutiny.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJoin Bill Kristol and Ron Brownstein as they cover Trump's awful polling, Democrats' chances in the Senate, and whether we could see a blue Tsunami in November.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSonny Bunch and Bill Kristol take on the dismissed felony vandalism case against Olympic canoeist David Hearn—who was accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool—after government officials acknowledged problems with the work itself. They consider what the case reveals about political pressure, government misconduct, the costs of defending against unjust prosecutions, and Trump’s fixation on remaking Washington.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSarah Matthews joins MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace to break down Trump’s Cabinet meeting, his continued defense of January 6th rioters, and why his obsession with 2020 could hurt Republicans in the midterms. BBC They also discuss Trump’s falling poll numbers, the chaos inside his administration, and how the Texas Senate race could give Democrats a surprising opportunity.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comThe Washington Post is in turmoil once again. Opinion editor Adam O’Neal is stepping down after just over a year, raising fresh questions about Jeff Bezos’s controversial overhaul of the newspaper’s opinion section to focus more on “personal liberties and free markets.” Will Sommer sits down with Semafor media editor and Mixed Signals podcast cohost Max Tani to break down what O’Neal’s departure means, why the Post’s conservative pivot has struggled, and whether the paper’s expensive push into YouTube and podcasting was doomed from the start.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJoin Catherine Rampell and JVL as they cover the week's biggest economics and finance stories.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJasmine poses Triad readers’ questions to JVL: What do you think about the DSA? What can be done to protect the 2030 census from Republican meddling? Why does the right crave authoritarianism? Why did The Bulwark change its website? All that and more (like JVL’s hidden backstory as an opera singer) in this week's mailbag.Link to JVL’s stream with Destiny here!For an printable transcript and a list of questions for the Triad Mailbag head to:Previous Triad Mailbags can be found here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comPresident Trump’s approval rating is collapsing, and new polling shows voters are increasingly unhappy with his handling of the issues that matter most: the Iran war and the economy. Sarah Matthews gives her take on the three new polls showing Trump stuck in the low 30s, with voters questioning his decision to launch military action against Iran, his broken promise to avoid new wars, and his failure to deliver on his pledge to lower costs. Trump is out of touch with everyday Americans and the numbers paint a grim picture for the White House heading into the midterm elections.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJVL and Andrew Egger discuss Todd Blanche’s stalled attorney general confirmation, as Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis seek assurances that the Trump administration will not revive a proposed “anti-weaponization” fund for allies and January 6 defendants. They also consider Trump’s response, Blanche’s political strategy, and the senators’ reluctance to confront the president directly.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSavanna Cannon has become one of the fastest-rising viral personalities in right-wing media, but is politics really what she's selling? Will Sommer joins Brendan Hartnett to break down how Cannon's provocative MAGA videos have ignited a civil war on the right, with conservative influencers arguing over sex appeal, authenticity, and the growing influence of OnlyFans in the MAGA ecosystem. They explore how creators are using political content to build massive audiences, why conservative media can't seem to look away, and what Cannon's success reveals about the incentives driving online right-wing culture.Read more from Will's work: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/right-wing-media-and-onlyfans-are-symbiotic-relationship

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comThe Democratic National Committee is facing growing criticism from within its own ranks—and now one of the party's most prominent fundraisers is speaking out. Sam Stein sits down with veteran Democratic fundraiser Rufus Gifford to discuss why he believes DNC Chair Ken Martin is failing at the two most important parts of the job: raising money and delivering a clear message. Gifford explains why he thinks the committee is spending too much on long-term party-building while critical Senate and House battlegrounds need every available dollar ahead of the midterms.Read more from Lauren's reporting on Ken MartinRead Rufus Gifford on Substack

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJonathan Cohn takes on the Fauci hearing spectacle, where Rand Paul grilled the former NIH chief over newly obtained diaries—and Fauci pled the Fifth. Cohn joins MS Now to separate legitimate oversight from what he calls a political show trial aimed at Trump-era vengeance.