Bulwark Takes

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Donald TrumpGeopoliticsUS Foreign PolicyUS PoliticsForeign PolicyPolitical StrategyPolitical CorruptionIran Nuclear DealRepublican PartyPolitical CommentaryDemocratic PartyExecutive PowerCampaign FinanceConspiracy TheoriesDepartment of JusticeJudicial SystemImmigration PolicyMedia CriticismTrump AdministrationAuthoritarianismDiplomacyElection IntegritySupreme CourtConstitutional LawImmigrationPolitical PolarizationGovernment AccountabilityPopulismDemocratic Party StrategyNational SecurityPrimary ElectionsRule of LawIran ConflictMiddle EastElectionsMilitary StrategyIranEconomic PolicyFederal ReserveMilitary LeadershipDemocracyMedia BiasJustice DepartmentIsraelMiddle East ConflictInternational RelationsPropagandaVoter BehaviorUkraine WarStrait Of HormuzArtificial IntelligencePoliticsCalifornia PoliticsTexas PoliticsJudicial AppointmentsJournalism EthicsCandace OwensRight-Wing MediaJanuary 6thVoter SentimentJD VanceSpaceXElon MuskEconomyEconomic AnxietyU.S. PoliticsPolitical DisillusionmentEpstein Files2028 ElectionPolitical AppointmentsNational IntelligenceInflationCorruptionBirthright CitizenshipTransgender RightsDemocratic Socialists of AmericaPete ButtigiegJudicial ReviewJudicial ReformNational CelebrationsSocial Media InfluenceWatergateEconomic InequalityCorporate Social ResponsibilityGhislaine MaxwellBrexitConservative MediaTrade PolicyTariffsTech IndustryGovernment CorruptionPublic Health PolicyMedia AnalysisCongressional DynamicsCampaign StrategyPolitical EndorsementsMilitary ReadinessNational ServiceCultsGovernment OversightMiddle East PoliticsBureaucracyAmerican HistoryHistorical MemoryPresidential PardonsUS-Israel RelationsIran WarRepublican PoliticsPresidential HealthMiddle East GeopoliticsIsrael-US RelationsCriminal Justice ReformWhite House EventsUFCMAGA MovementPolitical CampaignsGulf StatesIntelligence CommunityLeadershipWealth InequalityAI Impact on JobsEpstein ScandalSubstackSocial MediaMisinformationPolitical NominationsAI in PoliticsLocal PoliticsFilm AnalysisCivil ServiceCongressional OversightGas PricesJournalismCBS NewsIowa PoliticsRussia Ukraine WarPublic PerceptionMedia StrategyConsumer ConfidenceTechnologyFinanceAmerica FirstCuba PolicyCivil Rights
Welcome to MAGA’s Male Beauty Pageant (w/ Amanda Carpenter) | The Bulwark Podcast
Political ComplicityDHS AbusesGovernment Surveillance

Welcome to MAGA’s Male Beauty Pageant (w/ Amanda Carpenter) | The Bulwark Podcast

This episode exposes the deep psychological drivers behind political complicity, the alarming expansion of government surveillance, and the evolving landscape of media control and election interference, all while critiquing the absurdities of modern masculinity and conservative aesthetics.

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The Darkest State of the Union in Years (w/ Susan Glasser) | The Bulwark Podcast
US PoliticsState of the UnionDonald Trump

The Darkest State of the Union in Years (w/ Susan Glasser) | The Bulwark Podcast

This episode dissects Donald Trump's State of the Union address as a performative, policy-empty spectacle, highlighting his administration's escalating attacks on free speech, democratic norms, and media independence, while pursuing contradictory foreign policies.

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Lindsey Graham Berated Denmark’s Prime Minister (w/ Frank Dikötter) | Shield of the Republic
US PoliticsForeign PolicyDiplomacy

Lindsey Graham Berated Denmark’s Prime Minister (w/ Frank Dikötter) | Shield of the Republic

This episode exposes the fragility of US alliances under populist pressures and re-evaluates the true origins of the Chinese Communist Party's rise, challenging long-held Western narratives.

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Trump Wants to Be King of the World (Live from Minneapolis) | The Next Level
US politicsDonald TrumpBoard of Peace

Trump Wants to Be King of the World (Live from Minneapolis) | The Next Level

A live podcast dissects Trump's 'Board of Peace' as a global power grab, exposes America's failing rule of law compared to other nations, and critiques the Democratic Party's timid response to escalating political crises.

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Putin, Bone Saw, and Gnomes: Inside Trump’s ‘Peace’ Board (w/ Michael Weiss) | The Bulwark Podcast
US Foreign PolicyTrump AdministrationIran Conflict

Putin, Bone Saw, and Gnomes: Inside Trump’s ‘Peace’ Board (w/ Michael Weiss) | The Bulwark Podcast

This episode dissects the Trump administration's chaotic foreign policy, from a Supreme Court ruling against his tariffs to the perplexing 'Board of Peace' and the precarious state of US-European alliances amid escalating tensions with Iran and Russia.

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Tina Smith Names the Republicans She Can’t Stand | The Bulwark Podcast
US PoliticsImmigration PolicyAuthoritarianism

Tina Smith Names the Republicans She Can’t Stand | The Bulwark Podcast

Senator Tina Smith and host Tim Miller dissect the current political landscape, criticizing Republican figures for their 'cruelty' and 'authoritarian project,' while also reflecting on Democratic party missteps and the need for leaders willing to 'rock the boat.'

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The Video That Blew Up ICE’s Story (w/ Andrew Weissmann) | The Illegal News
Rule of LawGovernment OverreachCivil Liberties

The Video That Blew Up ICE’s Story (w/ Andrew Weissmann) | The Illegal News

This episode exposes multiple instances where government agencies, particularly under the Trump administration, allegedly abused power, lied, and undermined the rule of law, from seizing election ballots to unlawfully sharing private tax data and retaliating against critics.

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Is George W. Bush a Coward—Or Just Wrong?
George W. BushDonald TrumpPolitical Commentary

Is George W. Bush a Coward—Or Just Wrong?

The hosts dissect George W. Bush's recent Substack essay on George Washington, arguing it's a weak, apologetic response to current political threats and a symptom of a broader failure among establishment figures to confront authoritarianism directly.

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Trump's Polls Are Awful—and the Real Pain Hasn’t Started Yet (w/ Bill Kristol) | Bulwark Podcast
US politicsRepublican PartyDemocratic Party

Trump's Polls Are Awful—and the Real Pain Hasn’t Started Yet (w/ Bill Kristol) | Bulwark Podcast

The hosts dissect Marco Rubio's shift to 'blood and soil' nationalism and his endorsement of Viktor Orban, contrasting it with Democratic responses to a changing global order and examining domestic issues like Trump's struggling approval and government agency misconduct.

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The Real Conflict is Between Decent and Indecent (w/ David French) | Mona Charen Show
Political PolarizationTribalismRule of Law

The Real Conflict is Between Decent and Indecent (w/ David French) | Mona Charen Show

David French and Mona Charen analyze how extreme political polarization, tribalism, and a disregard for the rule of law are eroding American democracy and its international standing, advocating for a focus on liberalism over partisan divides.

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Trump’s DHS Is Eating Itself Alive | Secret Podcast Preview
DHS internal conflictICE operationsTrump administration tactics

Trump’s DHS Is Eating Itself Alive | Secret Podcast Preview

The Bulwark hosts dissect the internal chaos and public perception battle within Trump's DHS, highlighting the strategic blunders of political appointees versus career officials and the broader implications for American democracy.

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Trump’s DOJ Is Hollowing Itself Out and We’ll Pay for It
Department of JusticeRule of LawGrand Juries

Trump’s DOJ Is Hollowing Itself Out and We’ll Pay for It

The Department of Justice is being systematically hollowed out by political pressure and mass resignations, threatening the rule of law and the ability to prosecute real crimes.

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The GOP Dismantled Its Own Humanitarian Legacy (w/ Peter Wehner) | The Mona Charen Show
PEPFARUSAIDHumanitarian Aid

The GOP Dismantled Its Own Humanitarian Legacy (w/ Peter Wehner) | The Mona Charen Show

Peter Wehner and Mona Charen discuss how the Trump administration dismantled the GOP's humanitarian legacy, particularly PEPFAR, and analyze the psychological underpinnings of MAGA support and the effectiveness of civil resistance.

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Trump is Leading America’s Global Collapse (w/ Robert Kagan) | The Bulwark Podcast
US Foreign PolicyInternational RelationsMultipolar World Order

Trump is Leading America’s Global Collapse (w/ Robert Kagan) | The Bulwark Podcast

Robert Kagan argues that Trump's 'America First' policies are dismantling the post-WWII global order, pushing the world towards a dangerous multipolar environment where US allies become adversaries and democratic institutions face deliberate subversion.

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Is Trump Going to Demolish the Kennedy Center?
Political CommentaryCultural InstitutionsArts and Politics

Is Trump Going to Demolish the Kennedy Center?

Donald Trump's 'Truth announcement' of a two-year closure and renovation for the 'Trump Kennedy Center' is framed by hosts JVL and Sunny Bunch as a politically motivated, ego-driven takeover that has disastrously politicized a cultural institution and tanked its attendance.

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Trump’s Blueprint for Breaking Elections (w/ Ian Bassin) | Mona Charen Show
DemocracyAuthoritarianismElection Integrity

Trump’s Blueprint for Breaking Elections (w/ Ian Bassin) | Mona Charen Show

Ian Bassin, founder of Protect Democracy, details how Trump's predictable playbook to subvert elections and undermine democratic institutions can be countered through strategic litigation, state-level reforms, and robust citizen engagement.

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Sarah & JVL Are Furious | Secret Podcast
AuthoritarianismWeaponized DOJPress Freedom

Sarah & JVL Are Furious | Secret Podcast

JVL and Sarah Longwell express outrage over the weaponization of the Department of Justice, the arrest of journalist Don Lemon, and the broader erosion of democratic norms by the current administration, highlighting dangerous hypocrisy in law enforcement.

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Bill Kristol: The Murder of Alex Pretti | The Bulwark Podcast
ICE and CBP actionsFederal overreachConstitutional rights

Bill Kristol: The Murder of Alex Pretti | The Bulwark Podcast

Hosts Tim Miller and Bill Kristol express profound outrage over the murder of Alex Prey by federal agents in Minneapolis, framing it as an act of state-sponsored lawlessness and a direct assault on fundamental American rights, enabled by political and corporate complicity.

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What Replaces the Ayatollahs in Iran? (w/ Christiane Amanpour) | How to Fix It
IranRegime ChangeGeopolitics

What Replaces the Ayatollahs in Iran? (w/ Christiane Amanpour) | How to Fix It

Veteran journalist Christiane Amanpour dissects the complexities of Iranian uprisings, external interventions, and the profound challenges of achieving lasting regime change, drawing on decades of experience covering the region.

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BREAKING: Second Fatal ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
Federal OverreachPolice BrutalityCivil Liberties

BREAKING: Second Fatal ICE Shooting in Minneapolis

Federal agents shot and killed a lawful gun-owning American citizen in Minneapolis, sparking outrage, renewed protests, and a constitutional crisis as local officials demand federal withdrawal and accuse the government of lying and authoritarian tactics.

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TNL LIVE: Sundowning Trump Stumbles Through Press Event | The Next Level
Donald TrumpInternational RelationsGlobal Order

TNL LIVE: Sundowning Trump Stumbles Through Press Event | The Next Level

The hosts dissect a chaotic, hours-long Trump press conference, revealing it as a desperate attempt to boost declining poll numbers and a dangerous display of unseriousness that accelerates the unraveling of the U.S.-led world order.

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An Idiot's Tantrum Is Now U.S. Foreign Policy (w/ Bill Kristol) | The Bulwark Podcast
US Foreign PolicyGreenlandEuropean Tariffs

An Idiot's Tantrum Is Now U.S. Foreign Policy (w/ Bill Kristol) | The Bulwark Podcast

The hosts dissect how the former president's 'tantrums' and 'idiotic' foreign policy decisions, like demanding Greenland and imposing tariffs on allies, are actively damaging US standing and democratic norms.

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Iran’s Regime Hates This Film (w/ Sonny Bunch) | Mona Charen Show
Iranian CinemaDissident FilmmakingAuthoritarianism

Iran’s Regime Hates This Film (w/ Sonny Bunch) | Mona Charen Show

Explore how Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi's latest smuggled film, 'It Was Only an Accident,' uses a gripping narrative to expose the pervasive corruption and moral dilemmas under an authoritarian regime, challenging viewers to confront universal questions of justice and reconciliation.

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Trump's Greenland Text Is Publicly Embarrassing America
US Foreign PolicyInternational RelationsDonald Trump

Trump's Greenland Text Is Publicly Embarrassing America

President Trump's bizarre text to Norway's Prime Minister, demanding Greenland and linking it to his unreceived Nobel Peace Prize, exposed a 'mob boss' approach to international relations that is driving Europe towards China and dismantling the American-led world order.

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