Tim Miller and guests discuss the latest political news for the flagship podcast of the Never Trump movement and the reality-based community. Every weekday we provide insightful analysis, political hot-takes, an unabashed defense of liberal democracy and long-form interviews that cut through the "both-sides" BS. Plus a few laughs to help you wash down the crazy. Bulwark+ members can get a totally ad-free version of the show delivered right to their favorite podcast player.
Of course, SCOTUS struck down Trump’s stupid tariffs. Nearly every legal expert in America said they were unconstitutional, but we have had to live with them for more than a year. Now, he’s threatening war on Iran apparently because it’s not fair that Obama got a Nobel and he didn’t. Meanwhile, as we approach the fourth anniversary of Russia’s war on Ukraine, Putin still holds out hope he can seize all of the country. Plus, Marco is working on getting Cuba to be the next domino to fall, Trump’s Board of Peace is pushing a complete fantasy in Gaza, the battle against ICE in Minnesota is not over, and gold medal-winner Alysa Liu—a California lib, and a child of an immigrant—represents the shining city on a hill. She is America. Michael Weiss joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
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The junior senator from Minnesota joined Tim on Wednesday for the first show of a two-night Bulwark run at the historic Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis—the city that caught ICE off-guard with its "radical empathy" and kick-ass organizing skills. It was the "secret sauce" of Minnesotans that looks to have federal agents winding down their operation there. Plus, Democrats need to continue to hold the line on DHS funding, the incompetent clown atop the DoD and other loser Republicans, the Senate is fundamentally broken, and the beauty of retiring to make way for a new generation of leaders.
Sen. Tina Smith joins Tim Miller.
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Tickets are now on sale for our LIVE shows in Dallas on March 18 and in Austin on March 19: TheBulwark.com/Events.
Most Democratic politicians are scared to criticize each other. They also fear dinging former presidents, or the various groups that make up the party’s broad coalition. And too many Dem candidates are afraid to color outside the lines, even if voters want them to be less establishment and more like regular people. Can the party get it together before the midterms? Plus, Trump’s threat of war against Iran, and his reported intent to kill Netflix’s bid to takeover Warner Discovery—potentially giving him power over CBS, CNN, Fox, and TikTok.
The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich joins Tim Miller.
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Tickets are now on sale for our LIVE shows in Dallas on March 18 and in Austin on March 19. Plus, we have a handful of seats still available for tonight's show in Minneapolis. TheBulwark.com/Events.
From FCC Chair Brendan Carr—who keeps trying to silence the political opinions of late night TV comedians, to DHS pressuring social media companies to expose anti-ICE accounts, and to the willingness of serial killer RFK, Jr and his MAHA cohort to stack up dead children so they can keep their antivax con going—it’s clear the shamelessness of MAGA knows no bounds. But even if the coalition that delivered Trump’s victory in ‘24 has been shattered, the Dems have to skip the seven-point policy plans and focus on the economy and Trump’s corruption. And Dem candidates need to do their own tweeting. Plus, the potential legal peril for Kristi and Corey, Virginia went big and bold against Republicans on redistricting, and an homage to Jesse Jackson.
Rick Wilson joins Tim Miller.
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The white Anglo-Saxon supremacy in Trumpland is so over the top that even child-of-Cuban-immigrants Marco Rubio claims America’s common cultural heritage is European. But then with a schizophrenic touch, our secretary of state went on to endorse the reelection of Viktor Orban, who has decidedly turned Hungary away from Western democratic values. In response, some high-profile Democrats weighed in, including AOC from Munich. Plus, we are constantly reminded to not trust anything DHS says, the Dems should not agree to give one more penny to ICE, and Marco: The music of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones would not have existed without African American culture.
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for the holiday pod.
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In addition to protesting and voting, we have another option hiding in plain sight against this administration: our economic power. Scott says resistance should also include unsubscribing—from one or more streaming platforms, from LLMs, or from ride hailing platforms. Stick it to the CEOs who are enabling Trump and take a piece of hide out of Big Tech, especially Tim Cook’s Apple. There should be an economic downside to supporting ICE. After all, the day Alex Pretti was murdered, Cook was at the White House for a “Melania” screening. Plus, the weak job growth numbers under Trump, the shabby state of our healthcare system, the dangers v. the benefits of AI, the unregulated predictions markets are a breeding ground for bad actors, and young men need to get off their screens, and focus on being healthy, smart, and kind.
Scott Galloway joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
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ICE failed in its operation in Minnesota because the people would not bend to their terror campaign. Minneapolis residents also maintained incredible discipline in their resistance and totally let Trump down by keeping a check on any potential riotous behavior. Meanwhile, the El Paso airport closure shows the administration’s continuing communication problems, and Bondi’s performance before the House Oversight Committee was so over-the-top bad, it’s even getting panned on the right. Plus, Bongino is a con artist and a loser, the Dems have an increasing number of pickup opportunities in red states, Nick Fuentes of all people is providing a little clarity on the state of Republicans, and exactly how many pardoned J6 insurrectionists have gone on to commit child sex abuse? We’re losing count.
Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller.
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Not only did Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick go to the Epstein island, a sultan from the UAE, who sent a “torture video” to Epstein, also attended Trump’s first inaugural. That would be the same country where the royal family secretly bought half of the Trump family’s crypto venture—right before he was inaugurated a second time. For some reason, Sultan bin Sulayem was one of six powerful and wealthy men whose names were redacted in the Epstein files by the DOJ. Thank you, congressmen Khanna and Massie. Also, Lauren Boebert saw something in the unredacted files that led her to call for Ghislaine Maxwell to be moved back to a higher security prison. Plus, the administration wants to be feared but also loved, the benefits of being on Bluesky, and a eulogy for The Washington Post’s sports section.
Jane Coaston joins Tim Miller.
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Trump of course hated Bad Bunny's halftime performance, but even he wasn't running the Turning Point alternative at Mar-a-Lago. And a couple of Olympic skiers expressing disapproval of ICE or calling for love and respect for immigrants and their fellow Americans sent MAGA into hyperdrive—with calls for the athletes to be denaturalized and deported. Meanwhile, Kash Patel stopped an investigation into the killing of Renee Good because it could make Trump look bad, and this is the week for Dems to stay on offense over the DHS funding bill. Plus, Jon Ossoff hit the right notes in a key speech in Georgia, the National Review is reporting on Trump's corruption, Lutnick did George Costanza-grade lying over his business ties to Epstein, and no, Tim is not running for Senate.
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
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Trump casually posted a racist video and the White House essentially told Americans to calm down. Convicted felons are being treated better than rounded-up immigrants in detention centers. And the evangelicals' favorite president doesn't seem to understand the meaning of the word, prayer. Still, Republicans on The Hill are seeing the broad unpopularity of ICE's behavior in Minnesota and may be starting to distance themselves from the policies they funded. Plus, a simple measure beyond masks that could really rein in ICE, the extensive structural damage at the DOJ, trads keep rationalizing cruelty, and why is SCOTUS taking so long on the tariffs case? Also, Tim puts David in the squirm chair with a Kid Rock v. Bad Bunny lyrics quiz.
David French joins Tim Miller for the Super Bowl weekend pod.
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