Bulwark Takes
The Easy Part of the Iran War Is Over | The Bulwark Podcast
The escalating US-Iran conflict has exposed critical vulnerabilities in American homeland security, strained key alliances, and revealed a profound lack of strategic planning for its long-term geopolitical and economic fallout.
Tim Miller: Trump Sounds Erratic—Especially on War in Iran
Tim Miller dissects the US-Iran war's dubious origins, its severe economic fallout, and the resulting 'civil war' within the MAGA coalition, framing Trump's erratic leadership as a catalyst for political and economic instability.
Former General Gives Brutally Honest Iran War Assessment | Command Post
General Mark Hertling and Ben Parker dissect the ongoing Iran war, highlighting the critical mismatch between US kinetic military objectives and Iran's asymmetric political and economic warfare, emphasizing the lack of a clear US end state.
From MAGA Influencer to Elon Musk Baby Mama (w/ Ashley St. Clair & Cam Kasky) | Bulwark Podcast
Ashley St. Clair, a former right-wing influencer and mother of one of Elon Musk's children, details her journey out of MAGA and her legal battles against XAI, while youth activist Cam Kasky shares his firsthand account of the West Bank occupation and efforts to pass human rights legislation.
Top Trump Aide Quits Over Iran War | Morning Chaser
A top Trump administration official resigned over the Iran war, exposing deep rifts within the MAGA movement and highlighting the war's destabilizing impact on global alliances and the economy.
Trump May Be Trapped by His Own War (w/ Bill Kristol) | The Bulwark Podcast
The US's unilateral war in Iran has severely damaged global alliances, triggered significant economic disruption, and exposed deep rifts within the MAGA movement, leaving the Trump administration in a precarious political and strategic position.
Iran War Consequences: Will Epic Fury be an Epic Failure? (w/ Robert Kagan) | Bulwark on Sunday
Robert Kagan details how the ongoing Iran war has fractured US alliances, empowered adversaries like Russia and China, and left the US facing a critical, high-stakes decision on long-term military commitment in the Middle East.
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.
Live Reaction: Are We Already in World War III? (w/ Tim Mak)
Tim Mak, reporting from Armenia, details how the US-Israel strikes on Iran, driven by internal Iranian drought and US oil price concerns, are depleting critical air defense assets, inadvertently compromising Taiwan's and Ukraine's security and potentially strengthening the Iranian regime.
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.
Trump Clearly Doesn’t Understand His Own War | The Next Level
The hosts dissect how the Trump administration deliberately obscures the realities of war and manipulates public perception, highlighting the dangerous implications of Jared Kushner's undisclosed role in negotiations and the media's complicity.
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.
Lindsey Graham Is Out of Control
Lindsey Graham is leveraging his influence with Donald Trump to aggressively push for military interventions across the globe, celebrating regime change and advocating for a broad 'cleaning out' of perceived 'bad guys' without apparent concern for consequences.
Iran's Regional War Strategy is Failing (w/ Norman Roule) | Shield of the Republic
Former intelligence official Norman Roule details why Iran's current leadership structure makes a US-backed 'Venezuela playbook' for regime change impossible and how Tehran's regional 'messaging attacks' are backfiring, solidifying Gulf state opposition.
BREAKING: Massive Oil Price Increases
Hosts Tim Miller and Jonathan Vlass discuss the immediate and severe global economic fallout from the escalating Iran war, driven by a massive spike in crude oil prices and Trump's unexpected doubling down on the conflict.
Tucker Says Trump Believes the Iran War Polls at 90%
Tim Miller dissects Donald Trump's perceived rationale for military action in Iran, arguing it's driven by personal financial interests and a misinformed belief in overwhelming public support.
Trump Started a War. Congress Just Watched. (w/ Tess Bridgeman) | Illegal News
An expert in international law and national security policy dissects the legal and constitutional violations of the Trump administration's unilateral military actions against Iran, highlighting Congress's failure to assert its war-making authority.
Trump Says He’ll Choose Iran’s Next Leader (w/ Marc Polymeropoulos)
A former CIA officer dissects the Trump administration's chaotic Iran strategy, revealing a dangerous lack of planning, divergence from Israeli goals, and a 'brain drain' within US intelligence agencies.
Sen. Kaine Forces Vote on Iran War Powers Resolution
Senator Tim Kaine details his persistent, decade-long fight to compel Congress to vote on acts of war, specifically highlighting his current War Powers Resolution concerning Iran and the historical reluctance of legislators to take a definitive stance on military engagements.
Mark Hertling and Ruben Gallego: A Rush to War | The Bulwark Podcast
Retired General Mark Hertling and Senator Ruben Gallego critically analyze the US and Israeli military actions against Iran, exposing a lack of clear objectives, inadequate planning, and the high human and financial costs of a rushed intervention.
TNL Live! Iran War Nukes MAGA
The Bulwark hosts dissect the chaotic and contradictory justifications for Trump's war in Iran, highlighting its political vulnerabilities and the administration's lack of a coherent strategy.
Did Israel Drag Us Into the Iran War?
The US administration's rationale for its large-scale military action against Iran is critiqued as incoherent and potentially influenced by Israel's independent actions, while a major conflict between the Pentagon and leading AI firm Anthropic highlights the urgent need for congressional regulation on AI's military and surveillance applications.
Want more on us foreign policy?
Explore deep-dive summaries and actionable takeaways from the best minds across different podcasts discussing this topic.
View All Us Foreign Policy Episodes→Don't see the episode you're looking for?
We're constantly adding new episodes, but if you want to see a specific one from Bulwark Takes summarized, let us know!
Submit an Episode