The Bulwark
The Bulwark is home to Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, Bill Kristol, JVL, Sam Stein, Catherine Rampell and more. We are the largest pro-democracy bundle on Substack for news and analysis on politics and culture—supported by a community built on good faith. www.thebulwark.com
Wall Street Legend Calls Out Scott Bessent
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Stanley Druckenmiller just delivered a brutal public rebuke of his former protégé, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Catherine Rampell is joined by Bob Elliott, co-founder and chief investment officer at Unlimited, for his take on what’s behind Druckenmiller’s criticism and why Bessent’s bond-market strategy may be making things worse. They also discuss Bessent’s failed attempt to push down long-term interest rates, the erosion of confidence in U.S. economic policymakers, and what Druckenmiller’s intervention says about the growing...
All MAGA Media Can Talk About Now is Trans Sports
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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 Podcast episode from Georgia--which Tim found pleasant (for once).-The South Carolina primary runoff, and whether having Donald Trump's endorsement is enough to put a political novice in the Senate.-The first...
What Is Trump’s CIA Director Doing in Moscow?
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CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s surprise trip to Moscow has raised major questions: Is he there to warn Putin, negotiate over Ukraine, or deliver a message about Russia’s escalating covert attacks across Europe? Reporter Michael Weiss and former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos break down Ratcliffe’s unexpected visit, the intelligence warnings about possible Russian provocations against NATO, and the growing campaign of sabotage and attacks targeting European infrastructure. Plus, they turn to the U.S.-Canada trade war and the extrao...
Tracy Alloway and Will Sommer: A Cabinetful of Clueless Grifters
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Yield curve control has gone mainstream (seriously, just ask the Asheville Beatnik with a message for Scott Bessent), so Tracy Alloway is here to explain the latest economic turmoil to Tim. Bessent’s bond buyback gambit seems to have flopped, but apparently, according to the President, there’s always the option of military intervention to bring the market to heel. In the meantime, consumers are going to pay more interest on everything, and there’s no plan to reduce the federal debt...
Morning Shots Live: Trump Is Coming for Lake Ontario
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Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol went live to cover Trump's dumbest idea yet: renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America." Plus, Andrew and Bill give their takes on the Supreme Court's decision Monday regarding Trump's executive order on mail-in voting and ICE deports the wife of an active-duty Army sergeant.
BREAKING: SCOTUS Lets Trump Move Ahead With Mail Voting Crackdown (w/ Richard Hasen & Steve Vladeck)
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Sam Stein is joined by UCLA School of Law's Richard Hasen and Georgetown University Law Center's Steve Vladek to break down the Supreme Court's decision to allow Trump to restrict mail-in voting.
Republicans Don’t Want Trump Anywhere Near the Midterms
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Katy Tur hosts Sam Stein, Mona Charen, and others for a wide-ranging discussion of Donald Trump’s role in the 2026 midterms, his focus on sporting events and legacy projects, turnover in the White House, Jared Kushner’s meeting with Hakeem Jeffries, and the growing political backlash to AI and data centers.
Tim Miller Loses It Over MAGA’s Sick Attack on a Political Prisoner
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Tim Miller breaks down the ugly smears fueling Michigan’s Senate race, why Mike Rogers’ allies have him furious, and how Republicans are scrambling to distract voters from Trump’s struggling economy.Watch On the Line with Alicia Menendez on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/on-the-line
Canada’s Message to Trump: Kiss My Ass
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Andrew Egger and Catherine Rampell give their takes on the latest escalation in Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada. As Trump attacks Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney is looking to deepen economic ties with the European Union, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford fires back with a blunt message of his own to Trump: “Kiss my ass.”
Catherine explains why Trump’s claims about the U.S.-Canada trade deficit don’t add up, how deeply intertwined the American and Canadi...
Rep. Jared Huffman: Pete Hegseth Is Preparing for a Religious War
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Congressman Jared Huffman joins Joe Perticone for his take on the rise of Christian nationalism and the religious movements reshaping the American right. Huffman, the author of "No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism," explains how he believes Christian nationalism has become increasingly powerful and entrenched in American politics, from the events of January 6 to the highest levels of government. They also discuss JD Vance, “just war” theory, the rise of the “Rad Trad” movement, Pete Hegseth’s crusade rh...
Bill Kristol: The Weak Bully Keeps Flailing
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Canada flat-out rejected Trump’s terms in trade talks, so now it looks like we are going to have a trade war with our friends in the Great White North. Sorry, Maine. Sorry, bourbon industry. And in MAGA farm country, ranchers are furious that POTUS is increasing beef imports free of tariffs. Even Tom Cotton has dared to question Trump’s move. And on the other side of the aisle, Democrats should maximize their attacks on ICE, the midterms are looking wave...
MAGA Mondays: Trump Can’t Wave a Flag, MAGA Goes to War With the WNBA
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Will Sommer and Sam Stein went live to cover the IndyCar race in DC, the Republican operative who thought you was being entrapped by the "deep state," Enes Kanter Freedom being ejected from a WNBA game, and Sean Duffy's war against Harvard in his reality tv show.
Shield of the Republic Says Farewell
Eric and Eliot open their final show on the Bulwark with a plethora of jackassery including Trump’s threat to bomb Oman, his curtailing of joint exercises with South Korea, and the Pentagon shuttering access to the Defense Technical Information Center. They also discuss updates in Iran, Russia, and Venezuela before turning to a retrospective of the major international developments during Shield’s five year run on the Bulwark. Finally, they close with reflections about what they got wrong along the way.
Reminder: going forward Shield of the Republic will be available at shieldoftherepublic.com! If you are...
Trump’s War Has Left America Weaker (w/ Michael Wood) | Bulwark on Sunday
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Michael Wood joins Bill Kristol to assess the failed Iran war, the damage to America’s military, and what it reveals about the limits of U.S. power.
Trump’s Iran War Blew Up His “America First” Promise (w/ Will Saletan)
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Mona Charen and Will Saletan discuss the fallout from Trump’s Iran war, his attacks on America’s allies, growing trouble for Republicans ahead of the midterms, and the Democratic message that could capitalize on MAGA’s failures.
Bulwark Book Club pick for September: The Odyssey! Join Mona Charen and Sonny Bunch to discuss Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation and Emily Wilson’s translation of the epic poem LIVE with Bulwark+ members on Wednesday, September 16 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern ti...
Tim Miller Digs Into Andy Biggs’ Record—and Finds Something Disturbing
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Tim Miller runs through the disturbing record of Arizona gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs, from his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 election to his extreme positions on abortion, healthcare, the FBI, and more.
Watch Tims’ video on Zach Lahn, Republican candidate for Iowa governor:
Jon Ossoff is Winning the Voters Democrats Need Most (with Amy Walter)
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Amy Walter returns to the pod for a pundit therapy session. She and Sarah discuss:
* A recent focus group of Georgia swing voters, and what they think of Sen. Jon Ossoff and his opponent.
* The massive polling misses in the Wisconsin and Michigan primaries, and listen to a focus group of Wisconsin voters that tell us (in retrospect) how David Crowley was able to pull of a last minute surge.
* In light of AOC's 'Woke 1...
The Green Party Nominated a Guy Who Never Turned On His Camera
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The Green Party is supposed to be a left-wing alternative to Democrats. So why are Republican-connected candidates showing up on Green Party ballots in competitive races? Andrew Egger and Brendan Hartnett walk through Brendan’s reporting on a series of suspicious Green Party candidates in Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania—including one Michigan candidate who showed up to the party’s nominating convention on Zoom, never turned on his camera, spoke for 33 minutes, and walked away with the nomination. In some of these...
George Conway: For Trump, Harp Strikes a Chord
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Melania had to come out of hiding and practice her English after days of embarrassing coverage of Trump aide Natalie Harp. And now Harp’s newly released gushing notes to POTUS show unparalleled devotion to him. But they also hint at an abusive relationship built around trying to manage his easily-wounded ego with fantasy-grade good news stories. Meanwhile, Michael Cohen reminded everyone that he is a pathetic little lapdog. Plus: Trump is running the country like a socialist, he’s driving up t...
Is Jon Ossoff the One We’ve Been Waiting For?
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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 sports.
* Spoiler: There are exactly zero (0) boys in South Carolina playing girls sports.
* Top CIA analyst Julia Curlee served Trump, Biden, and then Trump again honorably. Then she was fired because some MAGA influencers discovered she was trans.
* What duty do civil servants owe...
Receipts Live: Markets Turn on Trump, Bessent Flails, and Stephen Moore Drools on Live TV
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Catherine Rampell and JVL went live to cover Scott Bessent flailing as he intervenes in the bond market and Catherine's reporting on how Trump's political appointees hijacked the U.S. Census Bureau, numbers that we're supposed to trust. Plus, for more than a decade, Trump promised to pay down the national debt. This week, it grew to $40 trillion.
Life Is a Highway: The Terror of ‘It Ends’
This week’s episode is a real treat: I’m joined by Alex Ullom, the 28-year-old writer/director of It Ends, and he provided a real window into the process of getting a low-budget indie movie made. His story has everything: fundraising from professional magicians; a first cut that didn’t work at all; acceptance into SXSW followed by no offers to buy the movie; a grassroots groundswell that got it the attention of Letterboxd; and, finally, a pickup by leading indie distributor Neon for release this week.
It’s playing in Los Angeles and New York City thi...
Tim Miller: Republicans Know What’s Coming. That’s Why They’re Hiding.
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Tim Miller joins Alicia Menendez on MS NOW to take on the growing questions around Natalie Harp’s access to Trump, why Republicans are hiding from their own voters, and the Trump administration’s increasingly shaky economic message.
This video is sponsored by The New York Times.
Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house
Ex-CIA Officer: Natalie Harp Is an Intelligence Nightmare (w/ Michael Weiss & Marc Polymeropoulos)
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Michael Weiss and Marc Polymeropoulos discuss Trump’s “economic D-Day” against Iran, the risks of secondary sanctions and a prolonged blockade, and why Tehran may retaliate rather than simply give in. They also examine the bizarre influence and security concerns surrounding Natalie Harp and the dysfunction inside the White House. Plus, Michael and Marc discuss Ukraine’s evolving role as a military technology powerhouse, America’s intelligence support for Kyiv, and Russia’s growing threat to Europe.
Trump Just Ordered the Government to Delete the Receipts (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
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Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell to discuss the Trump administration’s move to erase corporate ownership records, the latest developments in the Fauci investigation, how a bizarre election controversy in Alaska led to a DOJ investigation, and what Democrats still need to learn about persuasion in the Trump era.
Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21 at 10am in the East. Head to Th...
David Wallace-Wells: The Politics of AI Are Shifting in Real Time
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Mark the summer of 2026 as the moment when an unlikely supermajority of Americans came together on one issue: their opposition to data centers. This new, big, messy coalition spans the political spectrum and is rooted in a fear that the sociopaths of Silicon Valley will determine the future of our lives, our communities, and our economic prospects. And (most) politicians have noticed which way the wind is blowing. Plus: Carbon emissions are getting better but the planet is still getting warmer...
The Man Who Taught Donald Trump How to Be a Demagogue (w/ Chris Cillizza)
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Chris Cillizza and JVL use Hulk Hogan and the strange world of professional wrestling to explain Donald Trump’s political dominance, why conventional political skills don’t seem to matter anymore, and why Trumpism may survive long after Trump himself is gone. Check out Chris Cillizza on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chriscillizza...and subscribe to his Substack, "So What": https://chriscillizza.substack.com/
Mike Johnson Is Humiliating Himself Trying to Defend Trump’s War
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Will Saletan tracks House Republicans—Mike Johnson, Gabe Evans, Jason Smith—flailing to defend Trump's Iran war and rising gas prices, catching them in contradictions, dubious legal justifications, and outright lies about the economy ahead of the midterms.
Tim Unboxes a Republican Candidate’s “Medical Device”
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Zach Lahn is the Republican candidate for governor of Iowa with a very unusual résumé and some very unconventional positions. Tim Miller and Brendan Hartnett dig into Lahn’s ties to Kansas and the Koch network, his investment in FirmTech and its award-winning “sex tech” device that Lahn insists is not a sex toy, and questions about whether he’s really an Iowan. They also examine Lahn’s opposition to mRNA vaccines, support for a total abortion ban, MAHA politics, his defense...
MAGA Scumbag Cory Mills Just Learned What Trump’s Loyalty Is Worth
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Andrew Egger and Lauren Egan break down Florida’s Democratic primaries—and what Angie Nixon’s surprise Senate win means for Democrats in a state they’ve struggled to compete in. They discuss Nixon’s uphill battle against Republican Ashley Moody, David Jolly’s path for governor, and the awkward dynamic of having a self-described democratic socialist and a centrist Democrat at the top of the ticket. Plus, Cory Mills loses his primary despite Donald Trump’s endorsement.
Read Lauren’s newsl...
Julia Curlee and Errin Haines: Cowards Are Running This Country
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When Trump came back into power, his administration leaned heavily on former CIA analyst Julia Curlee to help safeguard our national security. The first CIA officer to transition openly, Curlee had worked at the highest levels in the White House for years. But once her gender identity became public through a witch hunt, she was hounded out. Curlee talks with Tim about the chaos of Trump’s slash-and-burn firings, the administration’s demonizing of trans people, and how Mike Pence treated her...
BREAKING: Trump Wants To Meet Kim Jong Un
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Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker went live to cover Trump’s newest push to meet North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and Trump contradicting Jared Kushner on Iran. Plus they walk through what a typical Deputies Committee would look like in the NSC.
The Good Fight Tour: https://www.thebulwark.com/events
Melania May Be Behind MAGA’s Natalie Harp Freakout
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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 the White House, and who might come next.-The Florida primary, and how Florida could become competitive in the fall.-Pete Hegseth traveling to Iowa. Is HE running?Plus:-Andrew...
Tom Nichols: Impotence at the White House
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Trump is flailing so badly on Iran. He dispatched Jared Kushner to negotiate with the regime but then denies that any talks are happening at all. He also threatened to bomb one ally and hammered another for not helping him fight his war. And somehow, in all of this, Kushner—a private businessman and a consultant for the Saudis—is meeting with Hamas officials and Netanyahu while also looking out for his own financial interests. Plus: a primer on why we keep...
Tim and Will Tour Where MAGA Goes to Party, Fight & Get Arrested
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Tim Miller is back in DC and it's somehow crazier than he left it. With National Guard troops patrolling Dupont Circle, Tim recruits Will Sommer for a scavenger hunt through Trump's Washington: a $500K-to-join MAGA club co-founded by Don Jr., the bar where Rand Paul's son got into it with Rep. Mike Lawler, the strip mall club where Bessent allegedly threatened to punch out Bill Pulte, and a visit to Mitch McConnell's house, where nobody's quite sure who's home.Read more...
Morning Shots Live: Trumpworld Erupts When Reporter Asks About Natalie Harp
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Andrew Egger and Ben Parker went live to cover the Republican election deniers in 2020 now running for office, the company that put out a bogus poll on purpose, Trump’s latest threats against an American ally, and the White House response to a question about Natalie Harp.
Read Morning Shots: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshots
The Good Fight Tour: h…
A 7-Year-Old Trapped in Hell Is Begging Senator Katie Britt for Help
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...
Trump Explodes at CNN Reporter During Wild Press Conference
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JVL 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 ball...
Andrew Egger: Trump’s Travels with Natalie
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Thanks to a shrewdly-timed Jon Ossoff campaign event, a lot more people are suddenly learning about young and blonde Trump confidante Natalie Harp AKA ‘the human printer’—and one of only three aides who accompanied POTUS on his catering truck-secret flight escape. Meanwhile, Trump is lending a hand to white-collar criminals and expanding his extortion and bribery options with his crypto firm. Plus: the flat-out lies about Fauci and miscarriages, Andrew loves the Great Lakes, the tariffs have done so much damage...
Debunking MAGA’s Outrageous Puppy-Killer Smear Against Abdul El-Sayed
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Jonathan 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 epi...
