Bulwark Takes
Bulwark Takes
June 1, 2026

Even Republicans Hate Trump’s America 250 Lineup | MAGA Mondays

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Quick Read

The hosts dissect the chaotic failure of Trump's 'America 250' celebration, the bizarre internal politics of the Proud Boys, Greg Bovino's open association with European neo-Nazis, and the unfolding drama of James Fishback's campaign and ex-girlfriend's 'revenge tour.'
Trump's 'Freedom 250' event collapsed as artists refused to participate, leading to internal MAGA criticism.
A Proud Boys splinter group was disavowed for being 'cowards' after a public confrontation, revealing bizarre internal rules and priorities.
Former Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino is openly associating with European far-right figures advocating for the deportation of non-white citizens.

Summary

This episode of MAGA Mondays uncovers the disarray surrounding Donald Trump's 'Freedom 250' anniversary celebration, where A-list (or even B-list) musical acts refused to perform, leading to a 'shambolic' event that even right-wing pundits criticized. The discussion then shifts to the Proud Boys, detailing a comical incident where a splinter faction was disavowed by the main group for being 'cowards' after being run out by protesters, contrasting it with the 'real' Proud Boys celebrating at a nativist's grave. The hosts express outrage over former Border Patrol official Greg Bovino openly associating with European far-right figures advocating 'remigration,' highlighting the trauma he inflicted in his past role. Finally, they delve into the bizarre political campaign of James Fishback, whose abrupt marriage and dismissive treatment of his new wife are overshadowed by his ex-girlfriend's cryptic online 'revenge tour,' and touch on Candace Owens' trip to Russia and the right-wing media's superficial attacks on James Tallarico.
This episode offers a critical lens into the current state of the MAGA movement and the broader American political right. It exposes the organizational incompetence and cultural isolation of Trump-aligned initiatives, the internal absurdities and extremist connections within far-right groups like the Proud Boys, and the alarming normalization of figures like Greg Bovino associating with neo-Nazis. The segment on James Fishback illustrates the blend of personal drama and political opportunism in contemporary campaigns, while Candace Owens' Russia trip highlights the growing alignment of some American right-wing figures with authoritarian foreign powers. The discussion on James Tallarico underscores the trivial and often bigoted nature of attacks in right-wing media, revealing a focus on superficial 'culture war' issues over substantive policy.

Takeaways

  • Donald Trump's 'Freedom 250' anniversary event faced widespread artist cancellations, leaving only 'washed-up has-beens' and drawing criticism from within MAGA circles.
  • The official Proud Boys organization disavowed a local chapter that appeared at an ICE facility, labeling them a 'splinter faction' and 'cowards' for retreating from protesters.
  • Former Border Patrol official Greg Bovino is openly collaborating with European far-right leaders promoting 'remigration,' a policy to deport non-white citizens.
  • Political candidate James Fishback's campaign is marked by an abrupt marriage, dismissive treatment of his new wife, and a public 'revenge tour' by his ex-girlfriend, 'Crypto Barbie.'
  • Candace Owens traveled to Russia to speak at an economic forum alongside Vladimir Putin and Alexander Dugin, raising questions about her affiliations.
  • Right-wing media, including Ben Shapiro, launched superficial attacks on politician James Tallarico, criticizing his eating habits and speculating about his identity.

Insights

1Trump's 'America 250' Celebration Collapses Due to Artist Boycott and Poor Organization

Donald Trump's planned 'Freedom 250' event, intended to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America with musical acts, faced a mass exodus of performers like Martina McBride, Milli Vanilli, and Vanilla Ice. These artists reportedly withdrew due to the event's political association with Trump and its 'shambolic' organization. This failure led to internal criticism from MAGA figures like Matt Walsh, who lamented the inability to attract credible talent, highlighting the movement's cultural isolation.

Martina McBride, Milli Vanilli, and Vanilla Ice bailed from the event. Matt Walsh criticized the 'washed up has-beens' and the right's inability to attract famous people. Rep. Tim Burchett suggested John Rich, Kid Rock, and Lee Greenwood as replacements.

2Proud Boys Disavow 'Splinter Faction' After Embarrassing Public Appearance

A small group of Proud Boys, described by hosts as 'big men with guts' in their early 50s, appeared at the Delaney Hall ICE facility in New Jersey carrying a tray of cookies. They were quickly run out by left-wing protesters. The main Proud Boys organization subsequently disavowed this group, claiming they were a 'splinter faction' associated with a federal informant and did not represent the 'real Proud Boys,' who were celebrating their 10th anniversary at the grave of nativist 'Bill the Butcher.'

Six Proud Boys appeared at Delaney Hall ICE facility, carrying a Costco tray of cookies. They were run out by protesters. The Proud Boys issued a communique disavowing them, citing association with federal informant Danny Mack and their 'cowardly' retreat.

3Former Border Patrol Official Greg Bovino Associates with European Neo-Nazis

Greg Bovino, a former Border Patrol official known for his intimidating tactics, traveled to Portugal to attend a meeting of the European far-right. This gathering focused on 'remigration,' an extremist concept advocating for the deportation of non-white people, even if they are citizens of European countries. Bovino was seen associating with prominent far-right figures like Martin Sellner and American white nationalist Jared Taylor, drawing a strong condemnation from the hosts for his open embrace of fascist ideology.

Greg Bovino flew to Portugal for a European far-right meeting focused on 'remigration.' He was pictured with Martin Sellner and Jared Taylor. The conference organizer runs 'Reconquista,' a group drawing on the legacy of expelling Muslims and Jews from Spain.

4James Fishback's Campaign Plagued by Personal Drama and Ex-Girlfriend's 'Revenge Tour'

Political candidate James Fishback, described as 'racist' for his comments about Byron Donalds, recently had an abrupt marriage to a new woman, replacing his previous public girlfriend, 'Crypto Barbie' (Francesca Rain). Fishback has been observed making dismissive remarks to his new wife on the campaign trail. In response, Francesca Rain has launched an online 'revenge tour,' posting cryptic and 'sinister' videos threatening to 'reveal all' about Fishback, though her revelations have so far been vague and more akin to 'fin dom' content, leading to speculation and online mockery.

Fishback had an abrupt marriage, replacing 'Crypto Barbie' (Francesca Rain). He told his new wife to 'stand there and look pretty' and criticized her short introduction. Francesca Rain released 'Fishback Files version V1' videos, threatening to expose him.

5Candace Owens Attends Russian Economic Forum with Putin and Dugin

Candace Owens traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, to speak at a 'Russian eco economy Davos' event. She appeared alongside high-profile figures such as Vladimir Putin and Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin, from whom the hosts suggest she draws many of her ideas. This trip, which Owens initially framed as a 'religious' visit with her Russia-loving husband, has raised significant questions about her affiliations and potential influence, especially given focus group data indicating a growing appetite for her as a political candidate among Trump voters.

Candace Owens attended a Russian economic forum in St. Petersburg, speaking alongside Vladimir Putin and Alexander Dugin. Focus groups indicate an organic interest in Owens as a future political candidate among Trump voters.

6Right-Wing Media Engages in Superficial Attacks on James Tallarico

Right-wing media outlets and figures have launched a campaign to discredit James Tallarico by portraying him as a 'freak,' making baseless accusations about his gender identity, sexual orientation, and dietary choices. Ben Shapiro, for instance, mocked Tallarico for eating a turkey leg with a napkin, comparing it to eating pizza with a fork and knife. The hosts criticized these attacks as superficial and irrelevant, arguing that voters should focus on substantive issues rather than a candidate's eating habits or personal appearance.

James Tallarico was accused of being transgender, gay, or vegan. Jesse Watters claimed he 'has soy milk instead of blood.' Ben Shapiro mocked him for eating a turkey leg with a napkin, comparing it to eating pizza with a fork and knife.

Quotes

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"What a mess. They invited a bunch of washed up has-beens. And now we washed up has-beens are bailing on them. Yet another reason why the right wing get literally any famous person we can approach is 'retarded'."

Matt Walsh
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"If you looked at this like at the inauguration or a year ago, do you think Martina McBride wouldn't have been willing to perform at sort of a vaguely Trump-themed event? No, of course she would have. But now we can see that Trump is so unpopular that even Milli Vanilli, people with the worst reputation in American music history, they're like, I can't risk this."

Will Summer
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"I'm not going to feel bad about criticizing how heavy the Proud Boys look. Um is there anything else that I missed on that? Like what is So what what what what's going to happen now? Like there's some factionalism?"

Sam Stein
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"There's something crazy about the idea when we look back that we allowed this man who openly associates with these people to basically be in charge of our immigration policy. Obviously the results were tragic."

Sam Stein
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"If you are reducing your vote in this race to whether or not your candidate properly appreciates meat, then I think you got some self-reflection to do."

Sam Stein

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