Bulwark Takes

Trump Wants to Invent a Fake Reality (w/ Anne Applebaum) | The Bulwark Podcast
Anne Applebaum details how Hungary's Viktor Orban employs 'post-reality' politics and disinformation to maintain power, a model increasingly adopted by the American far-right, while critiquing Trump's chaotic foreign policy and the breakdown of international relations.

The Next Level LIVE: Trump Extends Civilian Annihilation Threat For Two Weeks
Hosts JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller dissect Trump's 'deal' with Iran, framing it as a catastrophic foreign policy defeat driven by political desperation and external influence, while exposing deep-seated corruption and hypocrisy within the administration.

BREAKING: Trump Threatens Genocide in Iran | Morning Shots Live
Former President Trump's escalating threats against Iran, culminating in a post interpreted as genocidal, expose a dangerous political crisis, fracturing his base and challenging the military and Congress.

Trump’s Iran Endgame Fantasy | Shield of the Republic
This analysis dissects the US President's flawed Iran strategy, revealing the high risks and unclear objectives of potential military ground operations and the broader implications for US credibility and regional stability.

This is Beyond Mere Incompetence (w/ Robert Kagan) | The Bulwark Podcast
Robert Kagan details how the ongoing US military action in Iran, initiated under the Trump administration, is dismantling the post-WWII global order, isolating the US, and empowering rivals like China and Russia.

Trump is Struggling | Secret Podcast Preview
Hosts JVL and Sarah Longwell dissect how Trump's political maneuvers, including cabinet shake-ups and a widely panned Iran speech, reveal a struggling presidency amidst escalating foreign policy crises and rising oil prices.

Tim Miller, Sam Stein, JVL and Mark Hertling React to Trump's Iran Address
A panel of analysts dissects a recent presidential address on Iran, framing it as an incoherent, contradictory, and strategically damaging 'Truth Social rant' with severe economic and geopolitical consequences.

Possible Ground Troops in Iran, Trump Speech Preview and The Slow-Motion Destruction of NATO
This episode critically dissects the Trump administration's 'flailing' military strategy in Iran and its accelerating 'slow-motion destruction' of NATO, drawing parallels to past military miscalculations.

Trump Needs Approval for This War (w/ Michael O'Hanlon) | Shield of the Republic
Michael O'Hanlon dissects the assertive and often contradictory nature of US defense strategy throughout history, from continental expansion to modern challenges in AI and industrial capacity.

Trump Won’t Stop—Because He Can’t Look Weak | Secret Podcast Preview
Trump's desperate need to avoid appearing weak is driving dangerous escalation in the Iran conflict, threatening the petrodollar system and the collapse of the US-led world order.

Is Trump’s Movement in a Death Spiral? (w/ Michael Steele) | The Bulwark Podcast
Veteran Republican strategists Michael Steele and Tim Miller dissect the perceived 'death spiral' of the Trump movement, arguing that current economic and political decisions demonstrate a profound disregard for national stability and an alarming focus on culture wars over tangible solutions.

The 5 Most Unhinged Things Trump Said in One Cabinet Meeting
Hosts Sam Stein and Andrew Egger dissect a recent Trump cabinet meeting, ranking the five most 'unhinged' and factually dubious statements made by the former president and his allies, from Sharpie rants to alarming claims about nuclear weapons and NATO.

Trump’s Support is About to Crater | The Next Level
The hosts critically analyze Trump's handling of the Iran conflict, arguing it is a self-inflicted economic disaster that will erode his base, while also dissecting the ideological void and financial motivations within the modern conservative movement.

Trump’s Story on the Iran War Changed 5 Times in 48 Hours (w/ Bill Kristol) | The Bulwark Podcast
The hosts dissect the Trump administration's chaotic and contradictory handling of the Iran conflict and the DHS shutdown, arguing it led to economic instability and exposed a dangerous level of incompetence and political opportunism.

BREAKING: Trump Blames Hegseth for Iran War, Insults Widower
Donald Trump's erratic handling of the Iran conflict, marked by shifting threats and self-serving narratives, reveals a leadership style detached from geopolitical realities and economic consequences.

Trump Calls Iran War an “Excursion” and Brings Up Pearl Harbor To Japan
Donald Trump's Oval Office meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister devolved into a series of gaffes, including calling the Iran conflict an 'excursion' and referencing Pearl Harbor when seeking Japan's help.

Trump’s Iran War Could Send Prices Soaring (w/ Kenneth Rogoff) | How to Fix It
Harvard Professor Kenneth Rogoff details how escalating US debt, attacks on Federal Reserve independence, and geopolitical instability in the Middle East threaten the dollar's global reserve status and could trigger a domestic economic crisis.

Trump Says Iran Is Finished—Then Asks the World for Backup
The hosts dissect President Trump's contradictory statements on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, alongside FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr's explicit threats to revoke broadcast licenses for 'fake news,' highlighting a perceived authoritarian shift in US foreign policy and media control.

Would You Trust These Idiots With a War? | Secret Podcast Preview
The hosts sharply critique the current US government's perceived incompetence and lack of seriousness in handling the escalating conflict with Iran, drawing stark comparisons to historical leaders like Churchill and the Nuremberg trial figures.

Tim, JVL, and Katie Couric: Trump, Iran and Manosphere Drama
Katie Couric joins Tim Miller and JVL to dissect the Trump administration's chaotic Iran strategy, its domestic political fallout, and the 'manosphere's' surprising reaction to the conflict.

Trump's Swing Voters Don't Want Another Middle East War (w/ Bill Kristol) | The Focus Group
Swing voters who supported Trump in 2024 express deep skepticism about a new Middle East war with Iran and are increasingly influenced by mainstreamed conspiracy theories, particularly concerning the Epstein files and Israel.

Saagar Enjeti on Trump: “Greatest professional disappointment in my life” | Bulwark Podcast
Saagar Enjeti, a prominent right-wing populist, expresses profound disappointment with Donald Trump's foreign policy decisions, particularly on Iran and Israel, framing them as a betrayal of 'America First' principles and a failure of the movement to influence policy.

Joe Rogan Says Trump “Betrayed” His Base Over Iran War
Joe Rogan's perceived betrayal by Trump's Iran policy sparks a discussion on the recurring 'betrayal' narrative among populist supporters and the psychological defenses against admitting misjudgment.

Is Trump Already Getting Tired of His Iran War? | Morning Chaser
The hosts dissect the Trump administration's approach to the Iran conflict, arguing Trump is seeking an exit despite maximalist objectives, and then pivot to the emerging political and regulatory challenges of rapidly advancing AI.
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