PODCAST · news
The Next Level
by The Bulwark
Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and Jonathan V. Last bring their signature political insight and banter to the masses in The Next Level podcast. Tune in to hear them discuss the news of the week, break down campaigns and elections, and wade into pop culture feuds. www.thebulwark.com
Episodes
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1126: Secret Podcast: So Many Bad Things
Sarah and JVL talk about: The Media obsessing over the wrong problem with Katie Zacharias. The Alina Habba - Ric Grenell cage match. Kimberly Guilfoyle’s stylist Ruby Rhod Fancy James. Another big inflation jump. And that’s before they get into Senate polling numbers looking really bad for...
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1125: Trump Insiders Are Already Trashing the New Press Secretary
Note: We're doing something a little different today. Paid members of the Bulwark get exclusive access to a extra, super, jumbo-sized TNL with a play-by-play breakdown of Katie Zacharia's disastrous press conference. It's a lot of fun, and you should definitely join to see it. You can join on…
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1124: Secret Podcast: Elon Musk Came Crawling Back to Trump. JVL Explains Why.
The Secret Podcast is available exclusively to paid members of The Bulwark on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube. Elon Musk threatened to destroy Trump’s Republican allies. Now he’s spending hundreds of millions to keep them in power. Sarah Longwell and JVL discuss Musk’s humiliating surrender,...
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1123: Secret Podcast: Is He the One We’ve Been Waiting For?
Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available exclusively to paid members of The Bulwark. You can join on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and at https://thebulwark.com. If you want to join, you're in luck: We’re running a 30% off October Surprise sale, so it’s a great time to get the full Secret...
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1122: MAGA’s Racism is Blowing Up Its Own Coalition
Will Sommer joins Sarah and JVL for a wild, wild show. They congratulate Kash Patel on his engagement, discuss JVL's Triad on the White House reporter-turned-press staffer from Real America's Voice. Then: Megyn Kelly's ghoulish rant against Cornell's Jane Doe, and whether we're happy to see John...
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1121: Secret Podcast: Tale of Two Interviews
Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available exclusively to paid members of the Bulwark. Join on Substack, YouTube or Apple Podcast. Sarah and JVL are back apart, as God intended. And there’s lots happening: - The new jobs report is bad! - Should Democrats try to impeach Pete Hegseth?…
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1120: Things Are Going So Badly for Trump, Even JVL Has Hope
Tim, Sarah, and JVL are all together in-studio. It turns out things are so bad for the GOP, even JVL is hopeful. They discuss Marjorie Taylor Greene calling BS on the GOP's 'caravan' tactic, whether Pete Hegseth could be the administration's fall guy for the Iran war, and a new Marist poll…
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1119: Suddenly, Democrats Have a Path to a HUGE Senate Majority
Live from benefit supporting the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and JVL dig into the quieter tactics behind Trump’s deportation crackdown, what Sarah’s Ohio focus groups are saying about Vivek Ramaswamy, Sherrod Brown, John Husted, and Amy Acton, and just how...
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1118: Secret Podcast: Ten Lesbians Walk Into a Bar...
Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available exclusively to paid members of the Bulwark on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube. JVL is already in Ohio. Sarah is about to run to the airport. It’s a wheels-off kind of show. This week: - The government seems to have lied to a court again. - JD...
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1117: Furious Republicans are Finally Breaking with a Weakened Trump
Sarah's back from the book tour! The gang discusses Sarah's Focus Group Newsletter, George W. Bush's fundraiser for Republican Senate candidates (we thought he was staying out of politics?) Then they get into Trump's ban on CNN, MSNOW, and POLITICO from the White House press pool, and whether we...
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1116: Secret Podcast: We’re Living in an Insane Asylum
Sarah and JVL are together again and JVL is raging. The president of the United States accused the Democratic party plotting to assassinate him and . . . everyone just pretends it didn’t happen. Diesel prices are going to the moon. Trump wants to demolish the Kennedy Center. Joe Manchin came back...
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1115: JVL Has an Idea for How Democrats Can Make MAGA’s Life Hell
JVL's on the west coast for Sarah's book event, and he, Tim, and Andrew Egger discuss Mitch McConnell's triumphant (?) return to the Senate, Donald Trump casually floating conspiracy theories over the Butler, PA assassination attempt, and Thomas Massie's articles of impeachment against Pete...
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1114: Secret Podcast: Trump's 2026 Message: Everything's Fine!
The Secret Podcast is a special bonus just for paid members of The Bulwark. If you like this preview, become a member at thebulwark.com, on YouTube, or through Apple Podcasts. JVL and Bill Kristol look at the increasingly messy fight to succeed Trump, from JD Vance and Don Jr. to Tucker Carlson…
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1113: Trump’s Imaginary Presidency Is Going Just Great
Tim, Sarah, and JVL discuss Trump's Labor Day Weekend with his favorite person, Corey Lewandowski's possible ‘light extortion,’ and whether Trumpworld will circle the wagons around him. Plus: why the GOP's midterm convention shows Trump losing his fastball, ABC News's bizarre framing of Rudy...
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1112: Secret Podcast: The Senators Who Suck
Today Sarah and JVL try to figure out who’s worse: John Fetterman or Susan Collins. (Give us your answer in the comments.) Also, the Big Orange Arch is coming. And we chew over Doug Sosnik’s recommendations for the Democratic party. It’s a big show. Weight Loss by Hims offers access to affordable...
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1111: Ken Paxton Is Running One of the Worst Campaigns in America
Tim, Sarah, and JVL discuss the U.S. Supreme Court letting Trump’s ballroom go ahead (for now), why JVL thinks John Roberts is the Susan Collins of the Supreme Court, and whether Sarah is warming up to tearing down the ballroom in 2029. Plus: Trump says Kristen Welker should be punished for...
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1110: Secret Podcast: Mark Cuban Thinks He Could Run as a Republican. Tim Has Some Bad News.
Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are a special perk just for paid members of the Bulwark. We put almost every video out for free, because we don't think you can save the country from behind a paywall. This is one of the rare things we do reserve just for members. Come ride with us. - Full...
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1109: All MAGA Media Can Talk About Now is Trans Sports
Tim, Sarah, and JVL are back together for a JAM-PACKED show. They discuss: -Dolly Parton's passing and her legacy. -America's war (not the Iran war, our trade war with Canada), and why the rest of the world can't count on American anymore--even if Democrats win in 2028. -Sarah's Focus Group…
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1108: Secret Podcast: Is Jon Ossoff the One We’ve Been Waiting For?
The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for paid members of the Bulwark on YouTube, Substack and Apple Podcasts. --- Sarah and JVL did a BIG show today. Sample awesome: Sen. Darlene Graham says that voters in South Carolina don’t care about Taiwan—they care about boys playing girls...
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1107: Melania May Be Behind MAGA’s Natalie Harp Freakout
Tim, JVL, and Andrew Egger discuss: -(Yet another) story of a former Trump voter seeing a loved one run into the immigration policies he voted for. -The faux outrage from MAGA-world at Sen. Jon Ossoff pointing out that Donald Trump and Natalie Harp travel together a lot. -Karoline Leavitt leaving...
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1106: Secret Podcast: American Stasi
Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available only to paid members of The Bulwark. You can join on Substack, YouTube or Apple Podcasts! Lots of stuff this week. (1) There are still balcony seats left for the Best Friends Show in NYC on September 8. Come sell out the 92nd Street Y with us! You...
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1105: Tucker Carlson Learned the Most Dangerous Lesson From Donald Trump
Tim, Sarah, and JVL are BACK TOGETHER after a month apart. They discuss: -Bill Cassidy’s pathetic, weepy floor speech before casting the deciding vote to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General. -What Tucker Carlson is up to these days…from interviewing Hunter Biden, to a monologue that sounds a...
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1104: Secret Podcast: The GOAT Episode
Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available exclusively to paid members of The Bulwark. Join on Substack, Apple Podcast or YouTube! JVL and Tim did a GIANT show this week. Uncanny Callista Gingrich. Thom Tillis publishes his burn book. Tucker’s running for president. Burrito discourse. And...
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1103: Michigan Senate Primary Becomes a Late-Night Nail-Biter
Sam joins Tim and JVL to discuss: -Live results from the (unexpectedly close) Michigan Senate primary, and discuss what an Abdul El-Sayed or Haley Stevens win would mean for November. -The horrifying child abuse allegations against Rep. Max Miller, and his disastrous CNN interview. -Trump's anger...
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1102: Secret Podcast: You Can See the Bush Line from Your House
Sarah and JVL have a It’s a super-sized, instant classic: The Trump administration is using ChatGPT for everything. Why are Cornyn and Tillis even bothering with their fake protest of Todd Blanche? The Dem Senate map is looking . . . possible? Trump has raised $800 million from “donors” since...
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1101: The WHCD Walked Straight Into Trump’s Trap
Sarah, JVL, and Catherine Rampell discuss: - Mitch McConnell's SECOND proof of life photo, and what's really going on with him. - The White House Correspondents' Dinner do-over, Trump's comments about Kaitlan Collins, why anyone goes to it anymore, and how the whole thing seems to be playing into...
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1100: Secret Podcast: The Second Iran War?
Paid members of the Bulwark get access to FULL episodes of the Secret Podcast. You can join via Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube. Big show today: It’s the dawn of Streamer JVL? Plus: Some questions for Tom Homan about shooting January 6 insurrectionists; Haley Stevens and authenticity; and…
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1099: This Deranged New Campaign Ad Creeped Us Out!
Sarah, JVL, and Will Sommer (sitting in for Tim) discuss: Whether Laura Loomer is one of the adults in MAGA-land? I'm Ron Burgundy? The state of the Iran War. The ridiculous AI advertisement being run by a Ted Cruz-aligned outside group in Florida (and the whacky candidates in the ad). The...
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1098: Secret Podcast: Trump Voters Say JD Vance Gives Them the Willies
Sarah Longwell and Sam Stein (filling in for JVL) discuss Trump’s tedious (and still scary!) election speech, the documents that undercut his election claims, JD Vance’s cringe appearance on Joe Rogan, Trump voters’ brutal reactions to Vance, and Democrats’ missed opportunities at the Todd…
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1097: Sarah’s Latest Focus Group Almost Broke JVL’s Brain
The whole gang is back together, for the last time until August. Tim, Sarah, and JVL discuss: - Two more killings by ICE officers. JVL asks whether we're getting numb to this. No one on this show is numb. - Trump's aborted plan to toll the Strait of Hormuz--and whether it was an act of war.…
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1096: Secret Podcast: Republicans Screamed About Socialism. Then Trump Did This.
Sarah and JVL are back together, looking at Trump’s NATO disgrace, wondering if Mitch McConnell is really talking to people on the phone about detailed policy questions, and analyzing the factional fight in the Democratic party between the people trying to elect Democrats and the insurgents…
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1095: Even Marjorie Taylor Greene Doesn’t Buy the McConnell Story
Tim, Sarah, and Sam Stein (filling in for JVL) take on the political stories dominating the headlines: • Mitch McConnell is alive and taking calls (maybe, probably?)—despite Laura Loomer’s reports to the contrary.. • Platnerdämmerung; the enormous irresponsibility of the Platner candidacy will…
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1094: Secret Preview: It's 100x Worse Than Watergate—and Republicans Still Won't Quit
Full episodes of the Bulwark Podcast are available to paid members of The Bulwark via YouTube, Substack, and Apple Podcasts. Sarah Longwell and Bill Kristol (filling in for JVL) take on America’s 250th birthday under Trump—and how far the GOP has fallen from Reagan’s “you can become an American”…
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1093: Trump Will Put a PSYCHO on the Court—If He Gets a Chance
Sarah, Tim, and Andrew Egger (filling in for JVL) discuss: -The Supreme Court's ruling upholding birthright citizenship. -NPR's retracted report that Justice Alito was retiring. -The DSA-aligned Democratic candidates winning primaries in New York City, and whether Democrats are headed for a giant...
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1092: Secret Podcast: The Last Temptation of Sarah Longwell
The full episode of Secret Podcast is available to paid members of the Bulwark on YouTube, Substack and Apple Podcasts. It’s a special show this week where JVL gives Sarah a series of impossible choices. Will she choose institutionalism, or Secretary Mayor Pete? Will she endorse the political...
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1091: JD Vance Called His OWN Iran Policy “Complete Idiocy”
Tim is sick, but he's strapping on his football helmet. Tim, Sarah, and JVL cover: -The mysterious 79 year-old receiving non-public weight loss drugs (and if not Trump, who?) -The latest revelations from Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman's new book. -Tucker Carlson supposedly leaving the…
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1090: Secret Podcast: JD Vance. Ross Douthat. 'Nuff Said.
The Iran war deal is falling apart (already). Israel is turning on Trump. And the two most insipid trad-Cath poasters in America are podcasting together again. Plus: JVL (finally) explains his disdain for the NYT’s DEI Trump apologist. Read JVL's Triad newsletter:...
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1089: Ben Shapiro's Tears Aren't Enough. The Iran War Hawks Owe Us More.
JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller discuss the Iran "deal" that isn't really a deal—a memorandum of understanding that lifts sanctions immediately and hands Iran $300 billion while punting everything else down the road. Then: the war hawks who drummed up the Iran war—Thiessen, Graham, Levin, the...
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1088: Secret Podcast: We've Got a Situation
A super-sized Secret this week: Sarah and JVL are coming to the legendary 92nd Street Y in New York on September 8. Come and hang out with them in JVL’s back yard! It’s possible he’ll have the championship belt! (Tickets on sale here.) JVL actually thinks the Iran deal might be real this time.…
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1087: LIVE: Booed at the NBA Finals, Stormed Off NBC—Trump Is DOWN BAD
The gang is back together, and the U.S. and Iran are back at war...maybe? Tim, Sarah, and JVL discuss the latest in Iran, Donald Trump storming off of Meet the Press, the 'stolen election' freakout in Los Angeles, Todd Blanche's nomination as Attorney General, and JVL's Triad about former DHS...
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1086: Even TRUMP Thinks Netanyahu Went Too Far? | The Next Level
Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and JVL talk about the week's biggest stories: Trump installs a meme stock grifter as acting Director of National Intelligence, the $1.8 billion weaponization slush fund may be dying (or just hibernating), Tina Peters walks free and heads straight to Steve Bannon, Scott...
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1085: Secret Podcast: A Cage Fight for America's Soul
Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available to paid members of the Bulwark, on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube. Sarah and JVL talk about the ongoing meltdown of Trump’s Freedom 250 event; the inappropriateness of putting a UFC cage fight on the White House lawn; John Cornyn’s sudden...
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1084: Texas Primary Results! Megyn Kelly Turns on Trump?!
Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and JVL went live to cover the Texas primary runoff election, Megyn Kelly (maybe?) turning against Trump, and much more. Visit http://upwork.com/THENEXTLEVEL right now and post your job for free.
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1083: Secret Podcast: The Walls Are Closing In
Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available to paid members of The Bulwark via Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Substack. Sarah is in the City of Angels; JVL is in the Big Apple;) and they have A LOT to catch up on. Gas is at $4.65. Trump is at -22 in the latest Fox poll. The Senate said no to…
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1082: Trump Could Tarnish the GOP for YEARS to Come
Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and Sam Stein debate whether Democrats should just “let Trump cook” as his approval numbers crater, Republicans start breaking ranks, and the MAGA coalition begins to fracture. Plus: Rubio takes heat over Iran, the gang ranks Trump’s worst cabinet members, and they…
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1081: Secret Podcast: Trump's $1.7b Friends and Family Fund
The Secret Podcast is available exclusively to paid subscribers of The Bulwark. You can join on Apple Podcasts, Substack or YouTube! Last night news broke that President Trump would drop his $10b lawsuit against the IRS if the people who work for him at the Justice Department would create a $1.7b...
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1080: Should the Next Democrat Punish Red States? JVL Says... Maybe
JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller discuss the Virginia redistricting ruling, what it means for elections this November, and whether Democrats need to start playing as dirty as their opponents. Plus: the Iran war is a strategic catastrophe that most Americans don't understand yet, and what Bob...
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1079: Secret Podcast Preview: The Primary Was Over Before It Started
The full episode is available exclusively to paid members of The Bulwark. You can join on Apple Podcasts, Substack or YouTube. Sarah and JVL had a big show planned for you. Lots of different subjects. Important news. Funny stories. The whole nine. And then everything derailed as they went SUPER...
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1078: This is The Stupidest War You Can Possibly Imagine
Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and Sam Stein (filling in for JVL) discuss the Trump administration’s assertion that the effort to protect ships in the Strait of Hormuz is "separate and distinct" from the larger war effort in Iran. Plus, they get into the drama over Ken Martin’s time as DNC chair, the...
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1077: Secret Podcast: JVL Wants Every Trump Voter to Know, THIS IS YOUR FAULT!
Full episodes of the Secret Podcast are available to paid members of the Bulwark on Substack, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss the signs that voters are starting to regret their Trump vote—and why that doesn’t mean politics is getting any simpler. Gas prices are rising…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and Jonathan V. Last bring their signature political insight and banter to the masses in The Next Level podcast. Tune in to hear them discuss the news of the week, break down campaigns and elections, and wade into pop culture feuds. www.thebulwark.com
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The Bulwark
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Next Level have?
The Next Level currently has 399 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Next Level about?
Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and Jonathan V. Last bring their signature political insight and banter to the masses in The Next Level podcast. Tune in to hear them discuss the news of the week, break down campaigns and elections, and wade into pop culture feuds. www.thebulwark.com
How often does The Next Level release new episodes?
The Next Level publishes regularly with 399 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Next Level?
You can listen to The Next Level on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Next Level?
The Next Level is created and hosted by The Bulwark.
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