Bulwark Takes

A Quarter of DOJ’s Lawyers Left. What Comes Next Is Worse. (w/ Melissa Murray) | Bulwark Podcast
NYU Law Professor Melissa Murray dissects the Supreme Court's 'evisceration' of the Voting Rights Act, the weaponization of the shadow docket, and the alarming exodus of lawyers from the Department of Justice, arguing these actions undermine American democracy and the rule of law.

Trump Wants $1 BILLION in Taxpayer Money for His Ballroom | Morning Shots Live
The Bulwark hosts dissect how Republicans are pushing a $1 billion taxpayer-funded 'East Wing modernization' for Trump's vanity ballroom, while simultaneously navigating a tense standoff with Iran and Ukraine's surprising resilience.

MAGA’s Iran War Is Cracking Apart | Shield of the Republic
This episode dissects the Trump administration's Iran strategy, revealing internal power struggles, geopolitical realignments, and the evolving nature of modern warfare, while questioning the long-term viability of current approaches.

Bulwark on Sunday: Nobody Believed Orbán Could Lose. Then It Happened. (w/ H. David Baer)
H. David Baer, a scholar of Hungarian politics, details how Peter Maguiar's unexpected landslide victory against Viktor Orban offers critical lessons for democracies facing authoritarian challenges, particularly regarding systemic change and popular engagement.

AI Isn’t the Problem—Big Tech Is (w /Josh Tyrangiel) | How to Fix It
Journalist Josh Tyrangiel argues that AI holds immense potential for government efficiency and public service, but its beneficial deployment is often stifled by bureaucratic inertia and the self-serving agendas of major tech companies.

Marc Elias: Reagan Called the VRA the "Crown Jewel of American Liberty." His Party Destroyed It.
Marc Elias, head of Democracy Docket, details how a recent Supreme Court decision effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act, enabling Republican governors to unilaterally cancel ongoing elections and redraw maps to diminish minority voting power.

These Trump Voters Think He Staged His Own Assassination Attempt (w/ David Frum) | Focus Group
Even disaffected Trump voters and Democrats are convinced that recent alleged assassination attempts on Trump were staged, highlighting a profound crisis of trust fueled by the former president's own rhetoric.

Secret Podcast Preview: JVL Wants Every Trump Voter to Know One Thing...
JVL and Sarah Longwell dissect the evolving political landscape, from Trump voter regret and the gerrymandering 'arms race' to the rise of populist candidates and the core mission of preserving liberal democracy.

Stop Being Scared of Trump. He's Pathetic. MOCK HIM! (w/ Adam Kinzinger) | Bulwark Podcast
Tim Miller and Adam Kinzinger critically dissect the Trump administration's foreign policy failures in Iran, the escalating national debt, and the brazen corruption of the Trump family, advocating for mockery as a potent political weapon.

Receipts Live: Catherine Rampell & JVL on Oil Price Spikes, Awful Inflation, Record Debt
As gas prices soar and inflation persists, the hosts dissect how the ongoing war with Iran and the administration's economic policies are directly fueling a looming economic crisis, challenging the traditional view of presidential economic influence.

Are Democrats Blowing an Easy Way to Win? (w/ Rotimi Adeoye) | The Focus Group
Rotimi Adeoye proposes a 'House by 30' federal housing plan to address youth economic anxiety and re-engage young voters with concrete, visible promises.

Every Lawyer in America is Laughing at Todd Blanche (w/ Kate Shaw) | Illegal News
The Supreme Court's latest ruling effectively dismantles the Voting Rights Act, while the Department of Justice under the current administration exhibits unprecedented politicization through controversial legal filings and actions.

Jon Ossoff: Trump's Son-in-Law Is On the Saudi Payroll (Plus: Luke Thomas) | Bulwark Podcast
Senator Jon Ossoff and combat sports analyst Luke Thomas dissect the systemic political corruption in the US, the politicization of the Justice Department, the disastrous Iran war, and the transactional alliance between Donald Trump and the UFC.

Crazy Eyes Kash Patel is Utterly Screwed | Tim's a Streamer Now
The host dissects the absurdity of James Comey's 'seashell' indictment and Trump's economic policies, while offering sharp critiques on Democratic Party strategy and the 'doomerism' among young progressives.

Trump Is Drowning—And There’s Nothing the GOP Can Do About It (w/ John Heilemann) | Bulwark Podcast
John Heilemann and Tim Miller argue that Donald Trump's political standing is irrevocably damaged, with nothing the GOP can do to reverse his declining approval, while media companies continue to self-censor out of fear of retribution.

Watch the GOP Media Machine Flip the Switch (w/ Lib & Learn)
Tim Miller and the Lib and Learn hosts dissect the Republican media's coordinated response to political events, the Democratic Party's strategic missteps, and the evolving role of performance in modern politics.

Laura Loomer’s Feud with Candace Owens is BANANAS (w/ Carol Leonnig & Will Sommer) | Bulwark Podcast
This episode exposes the politicization of the Justice Department and Secret Service under the Trump administration, alongside the escalating, bizarre feuds and criminal entanglements within the right-wing media ecosystem.

America Looks Weak Right Now (w/ Bill Kristol) | The Bulwark Podcast
Tim Miller and Bill Kristol dissect the White House Correspondents' Dinner incident, the ongoing Iran War, and Trump's declining political standing, arguing that America's global position and domestic political landscape are in flux.

Can Iran Take More Pain Than Us? | Shield of the Republic
This episode dissects the US-Iran war's stalemate, revealing a dangerous mutual incomprehension between leaders and deep dysfunction within the US defense establishment and its alliances.

White Supremacy on the Right (w/ Tom Joscelyn) | Bulwark on Sunday
This episode exposes how white supremacist and white nationalist ideologies, once fringe, have become mainstream in MAGA politics, exemplified by figures like Elon Musk and the Trump administration.

The Trillion Dollar Retirement Time Bomb (w/ Alanna McCargo) | How to Fix It
Alanna McCargo from the Clinton Foundation discusses how inclusive capitalism, particularly employee ownership and profit sharing, offers a bipartisan solution to income inequality, AI displacement, and the impending 'silver tsunami' of retiring business owners.

America Feels Like A Powder Keg (w/ Jessica Tarlov) | The Focus Group
This episode unpacks the profound political divisions in America, revealing how voters across the spectrum feel angry, sad, and financially strained, and explores strategies for bridging these divides through direct engagement and a focus on material concerns.

Trump's War Could Cost Him EVERYTHING (w/ Nicholas Kristof) | The Bulwark Podcast
Nicholas Kristof and Tim Miller dissect the catastrophic geopolitical and economic fallout of the Iran war, arguing it has weakened US strategic positions, empowered hardline regimes, and exacerbated global crises, all while highlighting the domestic political implications for the US.

BREAKING: Worst Consumer Sentiment in History; DOJ Drops Criminal Probe of Chair Powell | Receipts
This episode dissects the political weaponization of the Department of Justice against the Federal Reserve Chair and the partisan distortion of consumer confidence data, highlighting the erosion of independent institutions and free markets.
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