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The Bulwark

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.

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  • Today · 15 min

    Markets Are Sending Trump a Very Ominous Warning (w/ David Frum)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com David Frum joins Mona Charen to discuss Trump’s cozy relationship with Putin, the absurdity of his Russian diesel deal, and the damage he’s doing to America’s standing in the world. They also discuss why Wall Street considers the U.S. a riskier borrower than Greece, the failure of Trump’s deadly drug boat strikes, and what it will take to repair the damage after Trump. Bulwark Book Club pick for October: The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865–1915. Mona Charen, JVL and the author Jon Grinspan will discuss the book with Bulwark+ members on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET. Drop your thoughts and questions about the book for Mona, JVL and Grinspan in the comments section of this post. If you value long-form shows that resist the rush to the next topic and give deeply knowledgeable guests room to explain not just what is happening but why it matters, consider becoming a paid member of The Bulwark. Your support gives us the freedom to keep making conversations with this kind of depth. With a paid membership, you’ll gain unfettered access to ad-free and member-only editions like this one. Ad-free editions of The Mona Charen Show are exclusively available for Bulwark+ members. Access this member edition in the Bulwark App—now available on Apple and Google. Or set up the ad-free edition of this Bulwark show on your player of choice using your private RSS feed here.

  • Yesterday · 8 min

    The Trio Can't Believe What They’re Hearing About Kimberly Guilfoyle

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Recorded live in Columbia, South Carolina, on October 16, 2026, Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer take a hilarious tour through the latest MAGA madness: Kimberly Guilfoyle’s increasingly messy scandals, Tucker Carlson’s inexplicable horse commentary, James O’Keefe’s $3,000 journalism awards, the mystery of $60,000 in missing beef, and the growing civil war among young Republicans.

  • Yesterday · 39 min

    Generals Must Be Willing to Sacrifice Their Careers | Command Post

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Gen. Mark Hertling and Ben Parker welcome renowned military strategist Eliot Cohen to discuss what makes great leaders, the dysfunction inside Trump’s Pentagon, and the difficult choices facing military officers. Drawing on lessons from Churchill, Afghanistan, and Iraq, they explore why wars go wrong, how to recognize victory, and what history teaches us about military strategy.

  • Yesterday · 9 min

    Some Trump Voters Are Gushing Over This Iowa Democrat (with Elaine Godfrey)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com There are a lot of red states with big elections this year where Democrats are 'sayin' there's a chance,' like Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, or Iowa, where they may have more than just a chance. The Atlantic's Elaine Godfrey joins Sarah to talk about her travels with Iowa's two leading Democratic candidates, the other long shots Democrats are eyeing in red states, and what disaffected Trump voters are saying about all of it. Show links: Sarah's Focus Group Newsletter on Ashley Hinson and the MAGA establishment Elaine Godfrey: A Democrat in Name Only Elaine Godfrey: Democrats Might Actually Win Iowa Elaine Godfrey: The GOP’s Culture-War Hail Mary The Bulwark's October Surprise sale ends soon. Get 30% off your annual subscription through SUNDAY. If you value this kind of in depth coverage and want to show your support for the our work, upgrade now to watch or listen to our premium ad free editions of Bulwark shows—PLUS you’ll get access to Sarah’s Focus Group newsletter too. Each membership ensures we can give away subscriptions to those who can’t afford to join our community. The only way through is together. Full ad-supported episodes of The Focus Group are available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Hit that like 🤍 button and share this episode with a friend. Click here to add the show to your player of choice. This premium edition of The Focus Group is exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Listen or watch ad free via the site, the Bulwark or Substack apps, or set up your personal RSS feed for this show on your podcast player of choice.

  • Friday · 11 min

    Trump-Friendly Influencer Has MAJOR Buyer’s Remorse (w/ Mario Nawfal)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller ventures outside the Bulwark bubble for a candid conversation with Mario Nawfal, a Trump-friendly influencer who’s having serious buyer’s remorse. They discuss Trump’s disastrous Iran war, the voters abandoning his coalition, his increasingly dangerous obsession with his legacy, and his willingness to throw Ukraine under the bus to appease Putin.

  • Friday · 16 min

    Alan Cumming and Robert Garcia: The Traitors Running Our Government

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com For more than 10 years, Trump has been showing us how skilled he is at sowing division and riling people up. Alan sees the kind of tribal mentality that Trump has fostered on his own reality show, "The Traitors," where contestants make incredibly stupid decisions because they don't want to deviate from the pack. The actor takes the opportunity to urge people to vote, protest, and stay vigilant in the face of the Republicans' campaigns of hate against immigrants and trans people. (And that includes Vance's dumb, dated gay jokes.) Plus: Rep. Garcia of the House Oversight Committee is preparing to get the gavel in January. He's already teed up new Epstein legislation, and he's planning to end the cover-up of 3 million Epstein documents, many of which have to do with Donald Trump. Also on the target list: the Trump family's business deals and the donors to the ballroom.Alan Cumming and Rep. Robert Garcia join Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes: * "The Traitors" on NBC * Alan's show, "Tip Toe," on Starz * October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off * Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20 * The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield * The Bulwark store As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Tim Miller’s Bulwark Daily is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Daily to your player of choice, here.

  • Friday · 5 min

    BREAKING: Trump Fires New Press Secretary After Five Days (w/ Judd Legum)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com This is something you won’t find anywhere else: firsthand reporting from the journalist who investigated the story, paired with the perspective of someone who’s actually worked inside Trump’s White House. Become a Bulwark member to support more conversations like this. Five days. That’s how long Katie Zachariah lasted as Trump’s White House press secretary before a disastrous debut, questions about her legal credentials, and a wave of West Wing backstabbing brought her tenure to an abrupt end. Former Trump White House deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews joins Andrew Egger and Judd Legum, whose reporting helped expose Zachariah’s questionable résumé, to explain how it all fell apart, why Trump bears the blame, and what this fiasco reveals about the chaos returning to his White House in the second term.

  • Friday · 18 min

    The Trump Corruption Poll That Should Terrify the White House

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com A quick note: There’s no shortage of people telling you Trump is corrupt. Catherine brings the numbers, the evidence, and, well, the receipts. Support that kind of journalism by becoming a Bulwark member. Even Republicans are starting to notice Trump’s staggering corruption. Catherine Rampell and JVL take on the latest scandals engulfing Trump’s inner circle, new polling showing his own voters recognize the grift, and the economic damage being inflicted on ordinary Americans while Trump’s friends cash in.

  • Friday · 54 min

    Book a Room at the ‘Haunted Hotel’

    I’m rejoined this week by Matt Roller, the showrunner of Netflix’s Haunted Hotel, to discuss the second season of his hit animated show. We talked about the difficulties of getting a new season done in just one year, how the fandom has reacted to the show (and why he tries to avoid letting the fanfic influence his work), and whether or not season three is on the way. If you haven’t watched Haunted Hotel and are a fan of similar shows like Bob’s Burgers or Futurama, you should really check it out. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend! 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

  • Friday · 25 min

    So Many Bad Things

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com 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 Republicans. You want schadenfreude with a side of hopeium? The best friends have you covered. Show notes: * If you have questions for Tim, Sarah and JVL, send them to nextlevel@thebulwark.com and they may answer them on an upcoming episode of TNL. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. Upgrade now to watch (or listen) to this episode and join the Secret community in the comments. New shows drop each Friday. Ride with us!

  • Friday · 10 min

    The Trio: MAGA Influencers Are Running for Cover After Talarico Smear Collapses

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Look, we’ll keep this simple: It’s the Trio. Uncut, ad-free, and uncensored. There could not possibly be a better reason to become a paid member of The Bulwark. Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Will Sommer give an update on the MAGA influencers caught pushing a false story about Texas Democrat James Talarico, and why those behind the smear may face few consequences. They also examine court documents revealing how Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski allegedly fed false information to Laura Loomer to smear a government employee, raising questions about how political disinformation spreads without traditional media scrutiny.Plus, the trio breaks down Ben Shapiro’s growing conservative movie business, including why Hollywood stars like Rob Lowe are signing on to his films. And an update on Anthony Constantino, a Trump-obsessed Republican whose rap songs and devotion to the president have drawn attention to his campaign for Congress.

  • Thursday · 25 min

    Trump’s DOJ Lawyers Could Face a MAJOR Reckoning (w/ Andrew Weissmann)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Let’s be clear about what we’re doing here. The Bulwark exists to fight authoritarianism and defend American democracy. We do that with reporting, analysis, accountability, and by building a community of people who refuse to look away or pretend this is normal. If you believe this fight matters, join Bulwark+ and help us do the work. Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss the FBI raid on Ilhan Omar, Trump’s latest overtures to Putin, and the courts’ efforts to stop his taxpayer-funded campaign ads. Plus, Weissmann explains why simply ordering Trump to stop breaking the rules isn’t enough, and whether DOJ lawyers pursuing politically motivated prosecutions could eventually face disbarment. Watch, listen, and leave a comment.

  • Thursday · 29 min

    James Talarico Utterly Dismantled a Republican’s Religious Ambush (w/ George Conway)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com A quick note: If you appreciate two people who have spent years confronting Trump without pulling punches, support independent journalism like this by becoming a Bulwark member. Mike Johnson sure sounds afraid of what might come out when the House—under Democratic control—actually does its job and investigates the corruption of this administration. Democrats should start with the families of Trump officialdom who've been making bank since Inauguration Day. And as the Guilfoyle firing shows, everyone in Trumpland is expendable. Plus: Republicans have got nothing to offer voters but bribery and bigotry, Talarico shows the right way to disarm MAGA lies, the Elon-Putin-Trump Axis of Evil is together again, and George—in his first week back with The Bulwark—passed a cognitive test just like our president. George Conway joins Tim Miller. Follow Psycho Politics with George Conway:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | More show notes: * Trump talking to Ken Bone in 2016; evidence of his current mental decline * Ossoff on Chris Hayes’s show * Miss South Carolina at the Miss Teen 2007 pageant * October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off * Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20 * The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield * The Bulwark store * Closing Song: Orville Peck - “It’s the End of the World” As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Tim Miller’s Bulwark Daily is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Daily to your player of choice, here.

  • Thursday · 5 min

    Elon Musk Has Dumped $276 Million To Save Republicans

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller gives his take on Elon Musk’s return as the biggest campaign donor of the 2026 midterms, funneling $276 million into Republican groups, including $158 million to help Republicans hold the Senate. After threatening to launch his own political party and breaking with Donald Trump, Musk is back in the GOP’s corner.Tim looks at how Musk’s spending, Trump’s return to X, the administration’s dealings with Russia, and Ukraine’s loss of critical Starlink access point to a renewed alignment between Trump, Musk, and Vladimir Putin. He also looks at how powerful tech executives, including Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, and Marc Benioff, are sucking up to with Trump as the tech industry’s influence over politics and public discourse grows.

  • Thursday · 11 min

    Morning Shots Live: Trump Reportedly Considering Firing Susie Wiles

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Is Donald Trump about to fire the woman who has kept his White House from descending into chaos? Bill Kristol and Andrew Egger cover reports that Trump is considering replacements for Susie Wiles, his retreat from Pete Hegseth’s planned livestreamed execution, and his increasingly alarming efforts to appease Vladimir Putin at Ukraine’s expense.

  • Wednesday · 11 min

    Roy Cooper and Noam Scheiber: We Gotta Rein Trump In

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Elon is now pitching in to help POTUS sabotage Ukraine while Trump makes a payout to Putin and works on his next self-enrichment scheme. A Cooper victory in North Carolina would be key to a potential Democratic Senate majority—a first step to reining in Trump—but the former governor warns Tim that Republicans have historically been undercounted in the polls and his lead should not be taken for granted. Plus: Scheiber in his recent book has the backstory on the radicalization of recent college grads, who tend to support the DSA and think America has too much power. And at a time when even white collar professionals identify with the working class, Trump's economic messaging sounds even more ridiculous. Roy Cooper and New York Times reporter Noam Scheiber join Tim Miller. show notes: * Cooper’s campaign site * Noam’s book, “Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class” * JVL on Trump screwing the housing market * This week’s “The Next Level” * Link to send to elected Democrats on behalf of Maryam Tahmasebi and her family * The Jay Kang piece that Tim referenced about Noam’s book * October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off * Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20 * The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield * The Bulwark store As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Tim Miller’s Bulwark Daily is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Daily to your player of choice, here.

  • Wednesday · 10 min

    Did Trump and DoD Secretly Pull the Plug on Ukraine?

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com There aren’t many shows where a former CIA officer and an investigative journalist with deep sources in Ukraine and the intelligence community can compare notes like this. Help us bring you more of it by becoming a Bulwark member. Marc Polymeropoulos and Michael Weiss give their takes on the growing questions surrounding Elon Musk’s Starlink and his company purposely disrupted Ukraine’s war effort. They examine reports of missed Russian missile warnings, the status of U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine, and why any deliberate disruption could put American personnel at risk. They also discuss the need for congressional oversight and what the controversy reveals about the Trump administration’s increasingly cozy relationship with Vladimir Putin.Plus, they dig into the growing scandal surrounding U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, her ousting, and the allegations of corruption and influence-peddling raising questions about the administration’s vetting process.

  • Wednesday · 7 min

    Command Post: Trump Reportedly Wavering on Livestreamed Execution (w/ Margaret Donovan)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) break down the latest developments in Ukraine, including Russia’s escalating attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the growing rift between Washington and Kyiv, and how Ukraine is imposing mounting costs on Russian forces. They also examine how the Trump administration’s approach is undermining a critical U.S. ally and what the battlefield’s evolution means for the future of modern warfare. Then, former military lawyer and federal prosecutor Margaret Donovan joins Command Post to discuss Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to potentially livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, including the legal questions, national security risks, and concerns about turning a convicted terrorist into a martyr. They also examine the case of Air Force Major Jason Watson, who faces military charges for political speech in uniform and has reportedly spent months in solitary confinement awaiting trial.

  • Wednesday · 49 min

    Trump Insiders Are Already Trashing the New Press Secretary

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim, Sarah, and JVL are back together for a super-sized, off-the-rails show. They wish Kimberly Guilfoyle well after she was forced out of the Trump administration, dig into the background of our new White House Press Secretary, discuss the DHS raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar's home, discuss the right-wing meltdown over James Talarico's absence from the campaign trail, and gloat about the GOP pulling resources out of some key House races.Then, they go behind they paywall, and it REALLY gets fun: They watch Katie Zacharia's entire White House press briefing (all 15 minutes), and give their minute-by-minute commentary. Then: Sarah and JVL ask Tim whether he's reconsidered his stance on a take that got MANY Bulwark listeners mad a few months ago. Watch, listen, and leave a comment.. This premium ad-free version of The Next Level is exclusively for Bulwark+ members.

  • Tuesday · 17 min

    Susan Rice: Vote Like Your Life Depends on It

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Americans are living in a more dangerous world now because of Donald Trump. Not only because of his now-expanding war in the Middle East, but also through his reckless advocacy of AI. And in his desperation over the midterms, he's cut a sinister deal with Putin, the very same man helping Iran to kill Americans. Rice tells Tim this is not the time to be complacent over the good polling numbers. Just go vote. Plus, Democratic strategist Jackie Rosa checks in from South Texas on the electoral landscape there and offers up some advice on how Dems should talk to Latino voters. Susan Rice and Jackie Rosa join Tim Miller. show notes: * JVL on Trump's desperate, weak deal with Putin * “The Next Level” podcast out later today * Tim’s updated candidate list * Bobby Pulido’s campaign site * Johnny Garcia's campaign site in TX-35 * October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off * Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20 * The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield * The Bulwark store As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Tim Miller’s Bulwark Daily is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Daily to your player of choice, here.

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