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The Bulwark

Tim Miller and guests discuss the latest political news for the flagship podcast of the Never Trump movement and the reality-based community. Every weekday we provide insightful analysis, political hot-takes, an unabashed defense of liberal democracy and long-form interviews that cut through the "both-sides" BS. Plus a few laughs to help you wash down the crazy.

Bulwark+ members can get a totally ad-free version of the show delivered right to their favorite podcast player.

The Bulwark Podcast

In Greenland, the Trump administration has got tech bros and hedge fund guys running an influence operation there. The aim may be to fulfill Trump's territorial ambitions—or to create a sovereign state run by CEOs. In Venezuela, the administration is imperialistically seizing its gold, oil and other assets with no oversight. And in Brazil, the White House is trying to bring the Bolsonaro family back to power—which may or may not have something to do with Elon being angry about the country's tech regulation laws. In Trump 2.0, informal envoys, private companies, and hardened ideologues are turning American diplomacy upside down. Plus: Putin has played Kushner like a fiddle, don't let the story of Don Jr.'s Russian gangster-funded wedding die, new additions to the Applebaum book club, and we're going to have to bulldoze the ballroom.

Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
 
show notes:

Anne’s Atlantic cover story, “Empire of Grift”
“Whistler: A Novel,” Anne's latest book recommendation
Tim’s book recommendation, “The Disappearers: A Novel”
The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield
The Bulwark store
Tim’s playlist
Closing song - War on Drugs - “Suffering”
 • Try ZipRecruiter to post your job FOR FREE at 
http://ziprecruiter.com/BULWARK
 • 4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.

Anne Applebaum: Globalized MAGA Kleptocracy

Republicans are reeling, the vibes are shifting, and the wave is building. Jesse serves up a particularly optimistic view of the Democrats' chances in the midterms, with even stretch districts now in play. And ahead of Saturday's Ole Miss-LSU game, Wright shares how Mississippians are responding to the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and says that conservative farmers in the state are turning on MAGA. Plus, the love of a father and Ole Miss football, some Magnolia Bowl lore, why 1956 is the linchpin year in college sports history, and predicting the hate ratio on Saturday in Oxford. 

Wright Thompson and Jesse Lehrich join Tim Miller.

show notes:

Wright's books, including "The Barn" and "The Cost of These Dreams"
Wright's ESPN piece on Friday will post here
Jesse's "Nobody Knows Anything" podcast
"Nobody's Listening," Jesse's newsletter
Campaign site for Eliott Rodriguez, Maria Elvira Salazar's opponent
Erick Erickson piece Tim mentioned
Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
The Bulwark Store
 • Try ZipRecruiter to post your job FOR FREE at 
http://ziprecruiter.com/BULWARK
 • 4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.

Wright Thompson and Jesse Lehrich: Hopium and Hate

The Fed raised interest rates to curb inflation, as expected, but mortgage rates are surging and flailing Scott Bessent remains the treasury secretary. Meanwhile, the alarm raised in the AI community is not an op despite the backlash from people like Nvidia's Jensen Huang, who seems to get everything he wants from Donald Trump. Plus, the Europeans who once parked their gold in the US to hide it from the Nazis are now trying to protect it from Trump. 

Catherine Rampell and Stephen Witt join Tim Miller.

show notes:

 • Subscribe to Catherine Rampell's Receipts 
podcast and newsletter on Substack • or follow her new show wherever you get your podcasts: 
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | More • 

Stephen's "This Is Really Bad" piece in the NYT
Stephen's "The Thinking Machine," about Nvidia and Jensen Huang
The latest episode of "The Next Level"
Dan Selsam's statement on Twitter that Tim read from
"If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies," the book Stephen mentioned
Huang's "impromptu" phone call with Trump
 • Closing song - 
Orville Peck - It's the End of the World • 

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NOBLTravel.com • for 46% off your entire order! #NOBL #ad

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio. Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.

Catherine Rampell and Stephen Witt: Can We Avert Economic Disaster and the Robot Apocalypse?

The co-author of the signature book inside Trump 2.0 says the media only knows 5% of what is happening inside the administration—particularly when it comes to national security, the money-making, and the self-dealing. Jonathan does have new reporting about how the administration keeps pretending that our military is not running low on long-range missiles. In reality, the war is costing us a month's worth of Patriots almost every day. Plus: Stephen Miller has become the White House's resident kingmaker, why Trump is turbocharged on AI, and some contentious moments when Tim and Jonathan discuss how to characterize JD's divergent private and public posturing on the war.

Jonathan Swan joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

Jonathan’s “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump”
The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield
 • Closing Song - 
MJ Lenderman - She's Leaving You • 

 • Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BULWARK at 
https://www.oneskin.co/BULWARK
 • #oneskinpod

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio. 
Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.

Jonathan Swan: We Only Know 5%

A Putin bestie who's involved with the kidnapping of Ukrainian children bankrolled Don Jr.'s island wedding for some mysterious reason. Kushner is calling on Ukraine to give in to Putin's territorial demands. And Trump himself is blaming Zelensky for the high cost of diesel even though prices shot up after Trump launched his war of choice. It's the whole Trump family that tends to remind us of their close ties to Russia, Russia, Russia. Meanwhile, POTUS is not troubled by China's involvement with the death of U.S. soldiers in the Mideast. Plus: Adam Hamilton in Kansas was on fire in his debate with Roger Marshall, the list of horrible Republican candidates keeps growing, and the fears about AI have broken wide open.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. 
show notes:

ProPublica on the Russian oligarch bankrolling Don Jr.'s wedding
The Bulwark's campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield
Tim's 'Take' on the debate between Mary Peltola and Dan Sullivan
Bill in "Morning Shots" on AI fears
The NYT on Roger Marshall suing patients for debts
The Trio 'Take' on Brandon Herrera
The Bulwark Store
 • Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to 
www.joindeleteme.com/BULWARK • and use promo code BULWARK at checkout.

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio. Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.

Bill Kristol: It Always Comes Back to Trump/Russia

Rudy Giuliani and others who purport to represent the families of 9/11 victims ginned up the idea that it would be wrong for the Muslim mayor of NYC to attend Friday's memorial at ground zero. Republican politicians and Laura Loomer keep pushing their trash Islamification conspiracy. And a law-abiding Muslim family has been imprisoned for five months because Rubio declared them a national security threat—and most of the media could care less. At the same time, Tucker has a new, large Muslim fan base because they like what he's saying about Gaza and the Palestinians, even though he's a solid anti-Muslim bigot who just hates the Jews more right now. Plus: Trump seems to really like communism, JD has never publicly said he opposes the Iran war but he keeps leaking that he's against the administration's signature foreign policy initiative, and Hunter is a crypto-scamming mess.

Mehdi Hasan joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. 

show notes:

Mehdi’s Zeteo news site
Tim’s piece for the 20th anniversary of 9/11
Tim on the Iranian family Marco is imprisoning
The Bulwark store
Tim’s playlist
 • Closing song - 
Orville Peck - It's the End of the World • 

 • 
Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio. 

Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.

Benefit for Ohio

 • All profits from this event will be donated to those in Springfield who are in need.

 • Own your health for $365 a year. That’s a dollar a day. Learn more and join using my link. Visit 
www.functionhealth.com/BULWARK • and use gift code BULWARK25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.”

Mehdi Hasan: 9/11's Fallout 25 Years Later

As Sarah explains in her new book, Trump has been so successful teaching a new generation of Republicans about the political value of vice signaling that Nazi talk and racism has become the norm among young MAGA edgelords. Disdain for women is also a key element. One former true believer, Pedro, says the right sees all of Trump's corruption and abuse of power as justified because he's focused on the country's true enemies: brown people, immigrants, and their white allies. And Vance buddying up to the racists shows that he is the real heir apparent to Trump. Plus, Tucker is not well, Trump keeps lying about handing out money, Pence can't seem to come to terms with how he enabled this moment we're in, and Pedro's anti-Tim tweets before his Road to Damascus moment.

Sarah Longwell and Pedro Gonzalez join Tim Miller.
show notes:

Sarah's book, "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time"
Pedro's Substack
Pedro's piece in The Nation
 • 
The Bulwark, including Tim, live tonight on YouTube • or 
Substack • 

Cormac McCarthy's "The Road," mentioned by Pedro
 • 
Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio. 
Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship. - TICKET INFO •

Sarah Longwell and Pedro Gonzalez: Meet the Young MAGA Edgelords—and the One Who Got Away

With Republicans in tight races stripping Trump’s name off their campaign websites, the president is in need of some love from Republicans he has summoned to Dallas to celebrate him. The fake convention also conveniently serves as a distraction from the surging price of oil. Plus: Vance may be the source who’s leaking about the missile depletions, Fox is giving more leeway for criticism of Trump, anti-Muslim hysteria is driving the complaints about Mamdani attending the 9/11 memorial in NYC, and Jessica from “The Five” has what she’s calling a “survival manual” for how to talk about politics with your MAGA friends and family members. Also, Tim is furious about the lack of media attention on Maryam Tahmasebi and her family, who are being imprisoned because of their bloodline.

Jessica Tarlov joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

Jessica’s new book, “I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends”
Tim’s piece on the green card-holding family Marco Rubio is imprisoning
NYT on the newly-released 9/11 documents
 • Get 20% off when you go to 
trustandwill.com/BULWARK • 

 • For their buy 1 get 1 50% off deal, head to 
3DayBlinds.com/THEBULWARK •

Jessica Tarlov: POTUS Needs Some Moral Support

From politics to sports, business, and tech, the rich are breaking the rules, looking out for their friends, and still getting rewarded in the end—maybe with the help of a little trip to the White House with a POTUS gift in hand. For the midterms and beyond, Adam is bullish in his new book about the Dems' prospects to win on a grand scale and pass the kind of policies that help regular people. Part of the trick is cooling it on the purity tests over fraught issues like Israel. And in this Trump era, when accountability is so scarce, Pablo shows with his Pulitzer-winning reporting on the LA Clippers that consequences are still possible. Plus: Trump fatigue seems to be settling in, Fetterman only cares about fighting with other Democrats, the NCAA doesn't like capitalism, and the WNBA may be on the cusp of a heyday. 

Adam Jentleson and Pablo Torre join Tim Miller.

show notes

Adam's new book, "Supermajority: How Democrats Can Build Lasting Power"
Sarah's book out today, "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time"
Pulitzer-winning reporting by “Pablo Torre Finds Out” on the Clippers
Chris Murphy on the NCAA asking for an antitrust exemption on player salaries
Lane Kiffin's halftime locker room speech on Saturday
 • 
Pablo's episode on Oz the Mentalist • and 
his episode on Rony Seikaly • 

 • 
COME HANG WITH THE GANG • —Sarah, Tim, JVL, Sam and friends—during our Bulwark LIVE: Good Fight Tour this October 16-20:

 • 
🎤Friday, October 16 at The Senate in Columbia, S.C. • —Will Sommer joins the gang on stage. Is Columbia ready for the Trio?

 • 
🎤Sunday, October 18 at the Carolina Theatre in Charlotte, N.C. • —
special guest Pete Buttigieg • joins the gang with Catherine Rampell and Lauren Eagan.

 • 

🎤Tuesday, October 20 at The Eastern in Atlanta, Ga.—Gen. Mark Hertling and the Morning Shots duo—Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol—join the gang for this final stop.

Tickets are on sale NOW through the links above or through TheBulwark.com/Events. At Bulwark LIVE we can promise you a night of fellowship and politics with lots of laughs—and maybe a few tears too. We’ll keep you sane.

Adam Jentleson and Pablo Torre: This Country Is Being Scammed

With just under two months until Election Day, Tim and Bill revisit the run-up to the midterms in 2006 and 1994, two major wave election cycles where the bottom just fell out from under the party in power. The 1994 blowout was more about the end of an era, while 2006 was about an unpopular war in the Middle East, a scandal, and a disappointed base. What do those wave elections suggest about the prospects for a big blue year in 2026? Plus: Do not miss either the war stories from Tim as a young Republican operative on the campaign trail or Clinton blaming Bill for helping to tank his health care reform plan.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for a special holiday pod.

show notes:

Tim in 2006
 • 
Bill in "Morning Shots" with his Truman-related advice for the Dems

 • 

COME HANG WITH THE GANG—Sarah, Tim, JVL, Sam and friends—during our Bulwark LIVE: Good Fight Tour this October 16-20:

🎤Friday, October 16 at The Senate in Columbia, S.C.—Will Sommer joins the gang on stage. Is Columbia ready for the Trio? 

🎤Sunday, October 18 at the Carolina Theatre in Charlotte, N.C.—special guest Pete Buttigieg joins the gang with Catherine Rampell and Lauren Eagan. 

🎤Tuesday, October 20 at The Eastern in Atlanta, Ga.—Gen. Mark Hertling and the Morning Shots duo—Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol—join the gang for this final stop. 

Tickets are on sale NOW through the links above or through TheBulwark.com/Events. At Bulwark LIVE we can promise you a night of fellowship and politics with lots of laughs—and maybe a few tears too. We’ll keep you sane.

Bill Kristol: A Blue Wave vs. the Toxic Red Tide

Toppling the leader of Venezuela looks to be about greed and Trump's vanity. It's not about national security, and is likely to produce bad outcomes—including more repression of ordinary Venezuelans and more refugees fleeing the country. And even the monetary value of plundering a sovereign country's oil is vastly overstated. Meanwhile, fake imagery of Venezuelans celebrating in response to the US intervention are being shared across social media, and a polymarket bet before the strike smacks of insider trading. Plus, the idiocy of the Donroe Doctrine, JD Vance should shut up, Tim Walz was not ready for national politics, Hegseth looks like a total dork over the censure of Mark Kelly, and Tim reads from the Monday Mailbag.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

show notes

 • 
Will Saletan's guide on the other countries Trump could target

 • 
Monday's "Morning Shots," including Mark Hertling on the "belly-button rule" 

Tim’s 2025 Music Year in Review 

 • Smalls New Year’s Special - get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping, when you head to 
Smalls.com/THEBULWARK • .

 • Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code THEBULWARK at 
mudwtr.com/THEBULWARK • ! #mudwtrpod

Bill Kristol: A Stupid and Insane Foreign Intervention

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