Bulwark Takes

Democrats Think They Can Flip the Senate in 2026 (w/ Sen. Adam Schiff)
Senator Adam Schiff outlines the Democratic Party's state-by-state strategy and key issues for flipping the Senate in the upcoming election cycle, emphasizing strong candidate recruitment and economic messaging.

Trump Voters Don’t Know What to Believe About the Shooting (w/ Bill Kristol) | Focus Group Podcast
This episode exposes how political tribalism and misinformation prevent consensus on clear facts, as Trump voters struggle to process events like the ICE shooting and Epstein files, while hosts reflect on their own evolving political views.

A Federal Judge Finally Slams the Brakes on ICE
A federal judge in Minnesota issued a significant ruling restricting ICE tactics against peaceful protesters, while the Justice Department simultaneously subpoenaed state officials for allegedly impeding federal law enforcement, sparking concerns about the weaponization of federal power.

Tim Miller: Trump Can’t Stop What He Started
Tim Miller dissects Donald Trump's transactional approach to foreign policy, his sensitivity to negative media optics on immigration, and the shifting political landscape favoring Democrats in midterm elections.

Republicans Should Be Nervous About Trump's Approval | Secret Podcast Preview
New polling data reveals significant public disapproval of Donald Trump's performance and immigration policies, signaling potential electoral challenges for Republicans.

America Is Flirting With Mob Rule…Again (w/ Wright Thompson) | The Bulwark Podcast
Journalist Wright Thompson connects the historical erasure of Emmett Till's murder in Mississippi to current political violence and historical revisionism, revealing how silence and self-interest perpetuate societal harm and economic decline.

Trump Advisors Freak Out Over Backlash to Viral ICE Videos (w/ Marc Caputo)
Internal GOP polling reveals significant erosion in public support for Trump's immigration policies, driven by viral videos depicting aggressive ICE tactics, causing concern among his advisors despite his continued commitment to mass deportations.

Trump Just Accepted Someone Else’s Nobel Peace Prize
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump, a move the hosts frame as a 'Gollum precious situation' driven by Trump's 'Obama fixation' and ego.

Trump Says We “Shouldn’t Even Have an Election.”
Donald Trump's 'joke' about canceling elections is framed not as a casual remark, but as a deliberate tactic that normalizes authoritarian ideas and tests the boundaries of political acceptability, echoing a broader pattern of 'half-irony' on the political right.

THIS is How Backlash Against ICE Starts (w/ Sam Stein) | The Bulwark Podcast
The hosts dissect the Trump administration's aggressive ICE tactics in Minneapolis, arguing they are a deliberate attempt to instigate chaos, erode civil liberties, and highlight the Democratic Party's internal struggles in mounting an effective response.

What Invoking the Insurrection Act Would Really Mean
A former Lieutenant General explains the Insurrection Act, detailing its historical uses and the dangerous implications of its potential invocation in a context where federal agents are perceived as causing, not quelling, domestic disorder.

Why is Trump Fighting NATO Instead of Putin? | Command Post
Military experts dissect how US policy, particularly regarding Ukraine and Greenland, is inadvertently aiding Putin's strategic goals by dividing NATO and creating global power vacuums.

ICE Shot a 21-Year-Old in the Face and Blinded Him
The host exposes a series of aggressive ICE and CBP actions, including a protester blinded by a 'non-lethal' round and agents threatening citizens, arguing these tactics are politically motivated and eroding public trust.

Democrats Don’t Know What To Do About ICE
Democrats are grappling with a deep internal divide over how to address ICE, balancing the political risks of 'abolish ICE' slogans against increasing public demand for significant reform following recent controversial incidents.

Taking Greenland Would Trigger a NATO Crisis (w/ Mark Hertling) | The Bulwark Podcast
Retired US Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling dissects the geopolitical absurdities of potential US military interventions in Greenland and Iran, highlighting the erosion of alliances and the critical need for comprehensive strategic planning.

Jack Smith Says He Had Trump Dead to Rights (w/ Asha Rangappa) | Illegal News
Legal experts dissect the Trump administration's controversial military actions in Venezuela, Jack Smith's definitive testimony on Trump's criminal intent, and the weaponization of the DOJ against perceived political enemies.

Trump’s “Economy” Speech Went off the Rails
An economist dissects Donald Trump's Detroit Economic Club speech, revealing how his economic claims are misleading and his proposed policies are either illegal, ineffective, or counterproductive to affordability.

Even Joe Rogan & Tim Dillon Called the Minnesota Shooting Wrong
The host details why the Minnesota shooting of Renee Good was an unjustified 'execution-style killing,' highlighting a surprising consensus among figures like Piers Morgan, Joe Rogan, and Tim Dillon who also deemed it wrong.

THIS Is What a Strong Democrat Looks Like | The Next Level
The Bulwark hosts dissect the escalating authoritarian tactics of the Trump administration, from ICE actions in Minneapolis to foreign policy aggression, and analyze effective political responses.

Trump Gave the White House a Tramp Stamp (w/ Susan Glasser & Jacob Soboroff) | Bulwark Podcast
This episode exposes how Donald Trump's unchecked power, enabled by a broad network of individuals and institutions, threatens democratic norms both domestically and internationally, exemplified by his pursuit of Greenland and the militarization of federal agencies.

Disturbing New Videos Show ICE Harassing Minneapolis Residents
Federal ICE and CBP agents are escalating confrontations and harassing Minneapolis residents, including US citizens, with military-style tactics following a controversial shooting.

Trump Hits the Gas on Authoritarian Rule (w/ Bill Kristol) | The Bulwark Podcast
Tim Miller and Bill Kristol dissect recent actions by the Trump administration, framing them as an alarming acceleration towards authoritarianism, particularly targeting the Federal Reserve's independence and escalating ICE's use of force.

Venezuela Was Not Liberated (w/ Quico Toro) | Mona Charen Show
Despite external perceptions of Maduro's downfall, Venezuela's deeply entrenched repressive state and military-backed regime remain intact, making a democratic transition far more complex than often understood.

A Dangerous Start to 2026 | Shield of the Republic
The hosts dissect a volatile global landscape, from aggressive US foreign policy actions and European alienation to internal political shifts in Ukraine and escalating protests in Iran, warning of a perilous 2026.
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