Pete Hegseth Embarrassed America on D-Day (w/ Bill Kristol) | Bulwark Podcast

Trump's immediate public calls for Israel not to retaliate after Iranian attacks, communicated through media outlets before directly to Israeli leadership, indicates a significant and growing gulf between the US and Israel. His primary motivation appears to be securing a 'deal' to end hostilities, even if it means compromising US alliances and allowing Iran to regain influence over proxies and potentially advance its nuclear program. This approach is framed as a 'Groundhog Day' scenario, characterized by Trump's desire to avoid continued conflict at the expense of long-term strategic interests and US credibility.

Trump urged Israel not to return fire and for both sides to stop shooting, communicating this to reporters like Barack Ravid before contacting PM Netanyahu. Israel responded with air strikes despite Trump's pleas. The hosts suggest Trump's actions show a greater gulf between the US and Israel than is publicly acknowledged, and that he 'really really really doesn't want to continue' the war. Iran's demand for Israel to stop attacking Lebanon is being treated seriously, impacting Israel's long-standing strategy against Hezbollah.

Trump's temper tantrum and premature departure from a 'Meet the Press' interview with Kristen Welker, particularly when questioned about the 2020 election, reveal extreme sensitivity to challenges to his false claims. This behavior is attributed to a deep-seated defensiveness, akin to a child caught in a lie, rather than a strategic political move. The hosts argue that his obsession with the 2020 election is not just 'weird' but a precursor to future attempts to subvert democratic processes, making any challenge to his narrative a significant trigger.

Trump 'could not handle the tough questions from Kristen Welker and had a temper tantrum, stormed off' when asked about the 2020 election. The hosts compare his reaction to 'a child having a tantrum' when caught in a lie, suggesting he 'sort of know[s] that they have you' but refuses to concede.

The nomination of Todd Blanch as Attorney General is highly contentious due to his central role in organizing and executing the Epstein cover-up. His public defense of Epstein, including referring to him as 'Mr. Epstein' and stating that 'it isn't a crime to party with Mr. Epstein,' raises serious concerns about his suitability for the nation's top law enforcement position. The hosts argue that confirming Blanch would signal approval of the cover-up and ensure its continuation, putting Republican senators in a difficult political position.

Todd Blanch 'organized and executed the Epstein coverup. That's his claim to fame.' He visited Ghislaine Maxwell, moved her to a 'nicer facility' as an incentive to 'keep quiet about Trump,' and publicly defended Epstein, stating 'it isn't a crime to party with Mr. Epstein.' The hosts urge senators to 'hang Epstein around his neck ruthlessly' during confirmation hearings.

Pete Hegseth's D-Day anniversary speech in France, which compared migrants 'storming' European beaches to the D-Day invasion, is condemned as 'grotesque' and 'embarrassing.' The metaphor is flawed, as it implicitly casts Hegseth and his allies as the Nazis defending against invaders, rather than the Allies. The speech is seen as a vehicle for promoting the 'great replacement theory' and a 'remigration agenda,' diverting attention from Russia's actual invasion of Ukraine and America's role in defending Europe from fascism.

Hegseth stated, 'Sadly, today different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies... When will European capitals do something about that invasion?' The hosts point out that 'in that metaphor, he's the Nazis' and that he's promoting 'the great replacement theory and the remigration agenda.'

Barry Weiss, a top CBS News executive, is accused of directly intervening in a 60 Minutes story about Renee Good to manipulate its narrative. Specifically, she allegedly requested that protesters be made to 'look more violent' and that Good's car be described as 'driving toward the officer,' despite video evidence to the contrary. This intervention is seen as a blatant attempt to align CBS News's reporting with the administration's preferred narrative, compromising journalistic integrity and demonstrating a 'step down the authoritarian path' where media seeks to please power.

Scott P, a 60 Minutes producer, recounted an email from Barry Weiss to his boss Tanya Simon, asking, 'Can we make the protesters look more violent?' and to describe Renee Good's car as 'driving toward the officer' even though 'the video showed that the officer wasn't standing in front of the car and she wasn't driving toward him.'

The widespread belief among 'center-right folks' and 'MAGA world' that the LA mayoral race was rigged against Spencer Pratt, despite his poor performance, illustrates the self-deception within their political bubble. Pratt's campaign, which focused on 'withering' AI videos making fun of Democrats, failed to appeal to LA's overwhelmingly non-Republican electorate. The conspiracy theories about vote counting are debunked by explaining California's mail-in ballot system and the lack of any logical motive for the incumbent mayor to rig the election in favor of a stronger challenger.

Spencer Pratt 'will not even make the runoff' and received a 'smaller percentage of the vote than Trump did in Los Angeles.' Trump, Megan Kelly, and others shared 'conspiracy theories about the count in the LA mayor's race.' The hosts explain that LA is '60% Democrat and the rest independent,' and Pratt's MAGA campaign was 'not how you appeal to a city' like that.