Bulwark Takes

The Bulwark

The news cycle doesn’t slow down, and neither does The Bulwark. Bulwark Takes brings you bite-sized takes on the news of the day from the entire Bulwark team, including Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and Bill Kristol, and more.

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500 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes500

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February 28 · 24 min
What Happened to Anthropic Could Happen to Any AI Company (w/ Hayden Field)
Hayden Field of The Verge joins Andrew Egger to discuss the Pentagon’s fight with Anthropic and what it means for the future of AI. After Anthropic drew red lines around autonomous weapons and domestic mass surveillance, the Department of Defense responded by labeling the company a “supply chain risk” -- a designation typically reserved for foreign adversaries. Read more from Hayden Field in The Verge, "We don’t have to have unsupervised killer robots" Read more from Andrew Egger's Morning Shots, "AI Death Machines. No Human Oversight. What Could Go Wrong?"
February 28 · 1 hr 20 min
Trump Goes to War: Iran Strike Breaks Promise of No Regime Change
Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, JVL and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) go live to discuss Trump's attacks on Iran.
February 28 · 17 min
62% Say Trump is Using the Presidency for Cash
Tim Miller joins Nicolle Wallace to discuss a stunning new reality: Americans are leaving the country at record levels, the U.S. may be facing population decline, and Trump’s “golden age” looks more like national humiliation. From the Qatari jet embarrassment to foreign-backed media consolidation and escalating tensions with Iran, the conversation covers how corruption, chaos, and bad optics are colliding. Plus: brutal new polling that shows majorities questioning Trump’s honesty, competence, and abuse of power. Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house
February 27 · 14 min
Last Time He Had a Mob. Now He Has Congress.
Donald Trump isn’t just attacking voter ID opponents—he’s laying the groundwork to reject the midterms if Republicans lose. Will Saletan traces the throughline from 2020 to now: the claim that Democrats can only win by cheating, the endless escalation from voter ID to reopening old elections, and the growing chorus inside the GOP repeating the same message.
February 27 · 46 min
Most CORRUPT Takeover Yet? Trump-Backed Paramount to Buy Warner Bros.
Sam Stein, JVL, Catherine Rampell, and Sonny Bunch respond to Paramount taking over Warner Bros. Discovery after Netflix walked away. The deal, still pending regulatory approvals, would put CNN, HBO, and CBS under one Trump-backed company.
February 27 · 22 min
Zohran Knows EXACTLY How to Play Trump
Tim Miller and Andrew Egger give their takes on the shocking and strangely stylish White House visit by Zohran Mamdani, who met with Trump to discuss housing plans. They break down Mamdani’s strategy of engaging Trump directly, the optics of the now-viral meeting photo, and whether Mamdani managed to “mog” the president or simply played to Trump’s ego. Is Mamdani’s approach political genius, dangerous flirtation with Trump’s brand, or just effective results-oriented dealmaking?
February 27 · 31 min
Tim and Will Torture Sam With Candace Owens’ Moronic “Documentary”
Tim Miller, Will Sommer and Sam Stein give their takes on down two of the strangest—and most troubling developments in MAGA media right now. First: Nick Shirley promotes a gross "documentary" targeting Jewish people and why anti-Semitic tropes keep surfacing in so-called investigative content. Then the trio goes deep on the premiere of Candace Owens’s “Bride of Charlie” series about Erika Kirk. Owens attempts to build a murder conspiracy out of birth certificate discrepancies, Swedish Freemasons, Marine Corps symbolism, charter schools, bees, gambling great-grandmothers, and Jewish Studies departments. Does any of it amount to evidence? Or is this what happens when engagement becomes the only goal?
February 26 · 27 min
Does Trump Even Know What Soldiers Fight For? | Command Post
In a new edition of Command Post, Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling and Ben Parker give their takes on Trump’s military-heavy State of the Union address, including Trump’s claim that Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated” even as he suggests military action. They break down how the speech leaned more on ceremony and applause lines than on strategy, vision, or a clear explanation of U.S. national security goals. Former General Hertling also explains why praising military service without explaining its purpose risks misunderstanding the meaning of sacrifice, and why the State of the Union is meant to be more than a performance, it’s supposed to inform Congress and the American people about the country’s direction. Have a question that you'd like us to consider for a future episode of Command Post? Send an email to commandpost@thebulwark.com. Please include your name, how to say it and where you're located.
February 26 · 19 min
Democrats Investigate DOJ Over Epstein Files Involving Trump (w/ Roger Sollenberger)
Tim Miller is joined by reporter Roger Sollenberger to discuss Sollenberger’s reporting on Epstein-related records connected to Donald Trump. Roger breaks down the documents from a survivor who allegedly accused Trump of abuse as a minor, the interviews conducted by the FBI, and claims that portions of the investigative files were held by DOJ. They also examine document logs, slideshow materials listing prominent names associated with the Epstein investigation, and allegations that transparency obligations required by law related to the Epstein files were not met. Roger Sollenberger Substack DOJ Deleted Record Revealing That Maxwell Holds Potential Blackmail Over Trump DOJ Removed Record of Multiple FBI Interviews with Underage Trump Accuser, Epstein Data Shows
February 26 · 18 min
Easiest Money Ever: Bet Against Elon!
Sam Stein, Sonny Bunch, and Ben Parker give their takes on a Wall Street Journal story about a DC tax policy expert who made nearly $500,000 betting that Elon Musk wouldn’t actually cut federal spending, a wager that turned out to be almost free money. They break down how the bet worked, why it was such a lock, how political betting markets create openings for insider trading, and just how absurd some of these political wagers have become. Get 30% off your order with Soul at https://GetSoul.com with promo code BULWARKTAKES.
February 25 · 15 min
Pete Buttigieg Shreds Trump’s “Affordability” Fantasy
After the State of the Union, Tim Miller spoke with Pete Buttigieg for a rapid-fire breakdown of the speech. They took on affordability, immigration, corruption, AI, corporate capitulation to Trump, and what Democrats need to do differently. Get 30% off your order with Soul at https://GetSoul.com with promo code BULWARKTAKES.
February 25 · 3 hr 18 min
LIVE: State of the Union Coverage From the Bulwark (W/ Pete Buttigieg)
Join Sam Stein, Tim Miller, Andrew Egger Joe Perticone, and more for real-time reaction and analysis as President Trump delivers his State of the Union address. One more thing: special guest Pete Buttigieg will join the panel after the address.
February 24 · 14 min
Trump’s War on Republican “Traitors”
Will Saletan gives his take on Donald Trump’s escalating war against anyone who refuses to show total loyalty, including his own appointees. After the Supreme Court ruled against Trump on tariffs, the president lashed out at the justices, even targeting justices he nominated. But it’s not just the Supreme Court, it’s also Jerome Powell, Republican senators, governors, and lawmakers who dared to exercise independent judgment. In Trump’s eyes, if you cross him, you’re a traitor.
February 24 · 42 min
Trump’s Polls Stink. Will SOTU Turn Them Around?
Bill Kristol and Andrew Egger are going live to discuss Trump’s brutal poll numbers and the political stakes of his State of the Union address.
February 24 · 17 min
Candace Owens’ “Bride of Charlie” Series Looks Utterly Wacko
Candace Owens just dropped a trailer for her new “Bride of Charlie” series—and it is something else. Tim Miller and Will Sommer discuss the wild claims, the "handler" plotline, the Romania detour, and the right-wing civil war it’s fueling. Plus: Tucker Carlson’s latest White House visit, his clash with Mike Huckabee over Israel and Iran, and why parts of MAGA are threatening to revolt.
February 24 · 14 min
America’s Deportation Obsession, Caught on Tape (w/ Drew Harwell)
Sam Stein is joined by Drew Harwell of The Washington Post to talk about his reporting on one of the most disturbing viral stories of the year. Ben Palmer, a Nashville comedian, set up a fake ICE deportation tip line and watched as Americans flooded it with calls. The callers weren’t trolls. They were neighbors, coworkers, even a kindergarten teacher, calmly trying to get families deported. What began as a prank by Palmer turned into a horrifying window into people's worst instincts. Read more from Drew's reporting: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/02/20/fake-ice-tip-line-viral/
February 23 · 35 min
Did Taxpayers Just Fund Kash Patel’s Olympic Getaway?
Sam Stein and Will Sommer go live to discuss the Kash Patel Olympics controversy—from the FBI jet questions to that now-viral hockey locker room moment. Plus: the blowback from Tucker Carlson’s sit-down with Mike Huckabee, and a James Fishback update after Byron Donalds labeled him a fake groyper.
February 22 · 33 min
Bill and Tim Couldn’t Wait Until Monday
Bill Kristol and Tim Miller go live on Sunday—fresh off their Minneapolis trip. Read JVL's The Triad newsletter, "What I Saw at the Battle of Minneapolis"
February 22 · 26 min
Minnesota Superintendent Fires Back at JD Vance Over Child Detentions
Sam Stein is joined by Columbia Heights Superintendent Zena Stenvik for a sobering conversation about what happened when ICE began targeting families in her school district. After multiple students were detained, including five-year-old Liam Ramos, Stenvik describes how her community mobilized, how schools shifted to online learning out of fear, and why she says “we can never normalize this.” It’s a firsthand account of how Trump's national immigration policy collides with real kids, real classrooms, and real consequences.
February 21 · 27 min
Are Americans Getting a Refund from the Illegal Tariffs?
Catherine Rampell is joined by Obama’s former U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman for his take on Friday’s landmark Supreme Court ruling that struck down Trump's emergency tariffs. They explore the implications of the court’s decision on executive power, the future of U.S. trade policy under Trump, and what it means for American consumers.

Bulwark Takes

What Happened to Anthropic Could Happen to Any AI Company (w/ Hayden Field)

Trump Goes to War: Iran Strike Breaks Promise of No Regime Change

62% Say Trump is Using the Presidency for Cash

Last Time He Had a Mob. Now He Has Congress.

Most CORRUPT Takeover Yet? Trump-Backed Paramount to Buy Warner Bros.

Zohran Knows EXACTLY How to Play Trump

Tim and Will Torture Sam With Candace Owens’ Moronic “Documentary”

Does Trump Even Know What Soldiers Fight For? | Command Post

Democrats Investigate DOJ Over Epstein Files Involving Trump (w/ Roger Sollenberger)

Easiest Money Ever: Bet Against Elon!

Pete Buttigieg Shreds Trump’s “Affordability” Fantasy

LIVE: State of the Union Coverage From the Bulwark (W/ Pete Buttigieg)

Trump’s War on Republican “Traitors”

Trump’s Polls Stink. Will SOTU Turn Them Around?

Candace Owens’ “Bride of Charlie” Series Looks Utterly Wacko

America’s Deportation Obsession, Caught on Tape (w/ Drew Harwell)

Did Taxpayers Just Fund Kash Patel’s Olympic Getaway?

Bill and Tim Couldn’t Wait Until Monday

Minnesota Superintendent Fires Back at JD Vance Over Child Detentions

Are Americans Getting a Refund from the Illegal Tariffs?