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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

Trump's low approval ratings may be giving people the idea that he is weak and disempowered. But Trump backed into a corner could well be more unconstrained and more dangerous—and it could also fuel his imperialist ambitions toward Greenland, an island he has been obsessed with owning since his first term. Meanwhile, DHS always knew people would die because of their mass deportation efforts and it still wholly accepted the risk of its military-style operations. But the opposition on the street is building. Plus, a year after the LA fires, a look at the role of disinformation in the disaster, the slow recovery, and the lack of emergency planning by government officials.

Jacob Soboroff and Susan Glasser join Tim Miller.

show notes

Tim on the new videos coming out of Minneapolis
Jacob's book, "Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America’s New Age of Disaster"
Susan's latest New Yorker column
Friday's episode of The New Yorker's 'Political Scene' podcast
Susan’s book with Peter Baker, “The Divider”
 • 
The National Review piece on Greenland Susan referenced

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Susan Glasser and Jacob Soboroff: A Dangerous Lame Duck

Grandpa Trump looked like he was losing the pep in his step at the end of the year. But with him threatening the independence of the Fed, justifying the killing of an American in cold blood for teasing a federal agent, and toying with the idea of taking an ownership stake in oil companies, he's now dramatically ratcheting up his authoritarian tendencies. At the same time, he's losing sight of America First through his Venezuela distraction—and opening the door to challenges from MAGA true believers like Steve Bannon. Plus, Dems are playing a good hand in Alaska with Mary Peltola, Bill is a resist lib, and the heartwarming desire for freedom from the Iranian people.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

show notes

Monday's "Morning Shots," including Mark Hertling's contribution
Mary Peltola's Senate campaign launch

Bill Kristol: This Is Accelerationist Authoritarianism

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says ICE descended on his city with hopes of rounding up undocumented Somalis. When agents couldn't find any, they started driving around terrorizing people. And now with the killing of Renee Good, they are clearly making the city less safe. But federal officials are also lying about Good's actions before the shooting and her character—and with their bold claims of absolute immunity for ICE agents. More broadly, the administration is trying to intimidate ordinary citizens from documenting the masked agents deployed around the country. Plus, Trump is acting like a conqueror from the Middle Ages when he claims a right to Venezuela's oil, Putin is trying to mask the weakness of Russia's economy, Europeans are back to being anxious over Greenland, and Iranians are taking to the streets again.

Anne Applebaum and Mayor Jacob Frey join Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes

Tim’s ‘Bulwark Take ‘on the new footage from Minneapolis
Anne's latest pod episode about how federal agents are violating the rights of Americans
Anne's latest piece on Venezuela
Tim's interview with George Retes
Tim's playlist
 • Anne’s “book club” recommendations:

The Captive Mind
The Oppermanns
The Director
The Choice of Comrades
What We Can Know

Anne Applebaum and Jacob Frey: Using Lies to Justify Violence

Most law enforcement departments train officers not to stand in front of vehicles—or shoot at moving ones—but masked ICE agents in Minneapolis did just that after descending on Renee Good's Honda Pilot and spitting out conflicting instructions to her. Not only did the president of the United States lie about the condition of the officer who shot her, Vance and Noem disparaged the deceased 37-year-old mother of three. Meanwhile, Americans are not down with the idea of the US running Venezuela. And the manosphere podcast world, which helped Trump win the election, is now feeling disillusioned and embarrassed about his betrayal of his "peace president" promise—along with his handling of the Epstein files. Plus, a discourse on white people, a consideration of Epstein's influence with the rich and powerful, and a meaty exchange over Kamala courting the Liz Cheney wing while bypassing the left's demands on Gaza. 

Ryan Grim joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

Drop Site news
Ryan's 2022 piece on progressive advocacy groups
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Ryan Grim: An Unconscionable Reaction to a Summary Execution

Biden and Merrick Garland thought Trump would just go away, but malignant narcissists must be made to leave. And with Congress not fulfilling its constitutional obligation to hold Trump accountable for running the country like a mob boss, newly minted congressional candidate George hopes to join those Democrats on the Hill who aren't afraid to investigate—and impeach—the president and his miscreants. Meanwhile, Trump is rambling about postponing the midterms as he orders the military to commit piracy at sea.

George Conway joins Tim Miller to discuss his congressional race, his return to New York, Yimbyism, and Mamdani.

show notes

George's campaign website
The latest episode of TNL

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George Conway: Trump Is a Vampire

Trump wanted to alpha male and take some oil, Hegseth wanted to bomb something, Rubio wanted Maduro gone, and aggrieved Stephen Miller wanted to bully the weak. The White House eventually settled on Venezuela as the best place to take out its aggressions and drive home its anti-immigration message. And now the administration finds itself depending on an acting Venezuelan president who has a long history of being extremely anti-American. Jonathan and Tim take a deep dive into the back story of our latest international intervention. Plus, the State Department is trying to deport an activist against online hate as a favor to Elon Musk.

Imran Ahmed and The New Yorker's Jon Blitzer join Tim Miller.

show notes

 • 
Jon's reporting on Venezuela's acting president

 • 
Jon on the administration's chaos in the Caribbean 

 • 
Imran's Center for Countering Digital Hate 

 • 
"Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here," Jon's book— recommended by a number of Tim's guests 

 • 
Bill and Tom Joscelyn's retrospective on the fifth annivesary of Jan 6

Jonathan Blitzer: The Stars Aligned Against Venezuela

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 

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Bill Kristol: A Stupid and Insane Foreign Intervention

Only six months ago, the wheels felt like they were coming off of America, and our democracy experiment. But since the Epstein case broke wide open, the wheels started to come off Trump instead. And he's not just lost his way in politics but in the broader culture too—with his despicable words about Rob Reiner, his trying to get Jimmy Kimmel fired, and his pedophile cover-up. At the same time, we are likely stuck with his family grift, which will last for generations. Over on the Democratic side, the left has the momentum but there is room for a McCain-style reform candidate. Meanwhile, JD may be too repellant to win the presidency and the expectations for Mamdani are likely unrealistic. Plus, some love for Oasis, Geese, and Cameron Winter—and some hope that people are longing for something tangible in their music again. People need a rock star. 

John Heilemann joins Tim Miller for the year-end pod.

show notes:

John's "Impolitic" podcast
John's columns at Puck
Tim's 2025 Music Year in Review
Filmmaker Charles Curran's recut of the Melania trailer with Miss Piggy
Shane Gillis on how we got Trump
Tim's playlist

John Heilemann: The Year Is Ending a Lot Better than It Started

The DOJ is releasing random Epstein documents to distract the public, while also intentionally covering the faces of men in images. It's also pulling docs that reveal Trump's name. Epstein's victims think the government's messy release is all designed to protect their not publicly-known perpetrators. Meanwhile, more victims are coming forward to Julie, THE reporter who got the Epstein matter reopened after her investigation of his 2008 deal that no other modern pedophile would ever have received. Ghislaine Maxwell is key to understanding the whole case, Republican donors may be named in the files, and Trump flew on the Epstein plane eight times. 

Julie K. Brown joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

Julie's Substack
Julie's reporting at the Miami Herald
"Perversion of Justice," Julie's investigation into Epstein
The NYT on Epstein's wealth
Robert Draper on MTG's break with Trump, referenced by Tim

Julie K. Brown: Hiding the Truth in the Epstein Files

After a campaign built on the promise that Trump was going to look out for his voters, he started his administration getting sidetracked by DOGE and Musk's phony ideas about saving money. After that petered out, he got distracted by his need to put his name all over the place. In the process, he's totally forgotten to help his people—or even fake trying to help them. Meanwhile, Trump is trapped in a Groundhog Day of his own making on Ukraine-Russia. Plus, his bruising has now moved to his left hand, Melania can't speak English, the DOJ is still working to find the 'real' people who made the rioters descend on the Capitol, the withholding of information in the Epstein case is worse than the redactions, and Dems need to forcefully call out the Medicaid fraud in Minnesota. 

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

Monday's "Morning Shots," including what Andrew learned from his extended family
The 12 Days of Christmas, Bulwark style
Addison's piece on America's two Christmases
Bill's "Bulwark on Sunday" with Ryan Goodman
 • Phrase Tim and Bill referenced: “Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.”

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Bill Kristol: Trump Has Lost the Plot

Rep. Ritchie Torres joins Tim Miller to discuss how to win working-class voters, his Dickensian upbringing, and Israel under the microscope of 24-hour news. Plus, mental health, Pride, and Trump as the GOP's new lord and savior. Then, Ben Smith talks about Americans fragmenting the media universe, and the Epoch Times grift.

show notes:

Torres talking about being a Zionist after being heckled

New Yorker piece on Guo Wengui that Ben mentioned

Ritchie Torres and Ben Smith: Pride and Priors

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