The Bulwark

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein takes on the breaking news that a federal judge has set limits on ICE’s violent tactics against peaceful protesters in Minnesota. Also breaking, the DOJ has reportedly launched an investigation into Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, claiming conspiracy to impede federal officers. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller takes on the rough stretch for Trump as leaked internal polling shows his immigration tactics backfiring, ugly ICE footage sparks public backlash, and even the White House admits the optics are hurting them. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Official Mississippi doesn't really want to talk about the murder of Emmett Till—or teach about the murder of Emmett Till. Almost 71 years later, the intentional attempt to erase the crime lives on. On this MLK Day weekend, Wright joins Tim to discuss the role of history and black history in our public consciousness. Meanwhile, Trump and MAGA are busy trying to rewrite the history of modern-day political violence, including the thuggery of ICE agents. Plus, a ranking of the best SEC college towns, a tribute to Bob Weir, the impact of tariffs on farmers—and this year's Mardi Gras— and even the White House is starting to get concerned about the optics of Trump's deportation operation. ESPN's Wright Thompson joins Tim Miller for the holiday weekend pod. show notes * Wright's book, "The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi" * JVL on Trump stashing America's money in Qatar * Wright's documentary he did with Mickey Hart, "Rhythm Masters" * Marc Caputo on White House concerns about the optics of deportation * Tim's playlist As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah and JVL discuss the Minneapolis shooting and the growing backlash to ICE tactics, the collapse of public support for Trump across key polls, MAGA’s “comply or die” hypocrisy, a potential split between “MAGA” and “non-MAGA” Republicans, the political damage of masked federal force, and farce surrounding the Trump’s “gift” of a Nobel Peace Prize. The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for members of Bulwark+. To watch or listen to future episodes and join the Secret community in the comments become a Bulwark+ member today.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Trump’s immigration issue is unraveling and even his own private polls show trouble. Viral videos of ICE raids and protests are driving public backlash, leaving Trump’s team worried about optics… but not about policy. Sam Stein is joined by Marc Caputo of Axios to break down the numbers, the backlash, and what it could mean for Trump’s next moves. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Chuck Klosterman to discuss all things football and his new book, aptly titled Football. (Please buy a copy for yourself and your friends; you’ll thank me, and then your friends will thank you.) We hit on an array of topics, including but not limited to the potential demise of the sport, the ways in which television and football are a perfect match, why streaming services are spending billions to acquire the rights to NFL and NCAA games, how gambling and fantasy football have fundamentally changed our relationship to the sport, and trying to think through how we think about football and why it matters. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam and Sonny give their takes on an embarrassing scene at the White House in which Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado handed Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal and Trump accepted it. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com JVL and Andrew Egger give their takes on Donald Trump repeatedly floating the idea of canceling elections and why calling it a "joke" is dangerously naive. From past attempts to overturn results to testing how far his party will follow him, they break down why this isn’t just trolling. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

For some reason, the president thinks he is winning the news cycle by occupying a great American city and ordering his agents to violently confront U.S. citizens. But polling and anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise. At the same time, Dems have got to stop tying themselves up in knots over what language to use about ICE. Just keep the messaging fight focused on Trump, Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, and ICE. Plus, a strike on Iran is looking less likely, Jeff Bezos is a chicken and should sell The Post, the administration is pushing food rationing, our European allies are planning military exercises over the threat to Greenland, and what happened to the Epstein files? Sam Stein joins Tim Miller. show notes * Lauren on the battle among Dems over the term, "Abolish ICE" * The reporter who applied to be an ICE agent * Sam's piece about the Dougs * Tim and Sam debating the worst Cabinet members * Send tips from on the ground in MN to bulwarkpodcast@thebulwark.com As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com President Trump said he may invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 in response to protests and ICE activity in Minneapolis. Ben Parker is joined by retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling to explain what the Insurrection Act actually allows, when it has been used in U.S. history, and why this situation is fundamentally different. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Mark Hertling and Bill Kristol discuss the war in Ukraine, including deliberate civilian targeting through winter blackouts, why U.S. disengagement is helping Putin more than any battlefield victory, and how infighting with NATO over Greenland is weakening the alliance from within. They also examine Europe’s response, the rise of the Nordic–Baltic security bloc, the global consequences of American strategic vacuums, the limits of military action in Iran, and risks around the Pentagon’s embrace of AI tools like Elon Musk's Grok. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller gives his take on a wave of disturbing ICE confrontations, including Minneapolis agents threatening civilians and a California protester who was shot in the face and left blind. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein talks with Lauren Egan about her scoop on a new Democratic memo warning lawmakers to steer clear of “Abolish ICE.” They give their takes on the latest polling on ICE, political fear from voters, and why Democrats seem unwilling to use funding leverage even as public opinion shifts. Dems Are Begging Their Own to Drop ‘Abolish ICE’Half of Americans think ICE is making American cities less safe, CNN poll findsMore Americans view the ICE shooting in Minnesota as unjustified than say it is justified‘Disgusting’: Minnesota Senate Race Gets Hostile After ICE Shooting As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com To the people who have actually served in war zones—and been up close and personal in real do-or-die situations—the masked, heavily armed agents who are stalking our streets are thugs and cowards. And they would be nobodies without the badges and guns that have been gratuitously handed to them. Meanwhile, amid all the action around Venezuela, Russia's relentless attacks on Ukraine's power sources in the dead of winter is being overlooked by much of the American media. And Trump's talk about Greenland has the Swedes talking about making nuclear weapons. Plus, airstrikes on Iran alone would miss the strategic mark, Trump still hasn't stopped eight-plus wars, and the Havana Syndrome is real. Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling joins Tim Miller. show notes * Mark's piece on Iran * Mark calling for ICE agents to remove their masks * The most recent episode of Sarah's 'Illegal News' pod with Asha Rangappa * Follow "Bulwark Takes" to get the latest "Command Post" from Mark * Daniel Dale's fact check of Trump * Send tips from on the ground in MN to bulwarkpodcast@thebulwark.com As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah Longwell sits down with Asha Rangappa—a lecturer at Yale Law School and co-host of the “It’s Complicated” legal podcast—to discuss Venezuela, Jack Smith's congressional testimony, the Minneapolis shooting, and the many other high-profile lawsuits and investigations that have already popped up in 2026. Watch, listen and leave a comment. Access to this show’s community comments and ad-free editions are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Bulwark+ member can listen ad-free on your podcast player of choice—click SET UP here. The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell, formerly known as George Conway Explains It All (to Sarah Longwell), is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Leave us a review and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ so more people can find this important show from The Bulwark.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Catherine Rampell and Sam Stein take on Trump’s Detroit Economic Club speech on Tuesday so you don’t have to. From tariffs and credit card caps to pitching Socialist-style ideas, they unpack what’s real, what’s bluster, and what it means for everyday Americans. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller returns to "Piers Morgan Uncensored" to give his take on the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. While Nick Shirley and Will Chamberlain defend the officer’s actions as justified, even Joe Rogan and Tim Dillon said this one crossed a line. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah, Tim and JVL discuss the ICE killing in Minneapolis and the escalation that followed, including DOJ prosecutors resigning rather than smearing the victim’s family. They also talk about JD Vance’s eagerness to defend state violence, Trump’s pressure campaign against the Federal Reserve and Jerome Powell, the broader pattern of unchecked power and why Democratic candidates like Mary Peltola fit their states while others don’t. Watch, listen, and leave a comment. This ad-free video version of The Next Level is exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Click the learn about setting up this show, ad-free, on your podcast player of choice. You can find The Next Level wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add The Next Level to your podcast player of choice, here. And help more people find this show by leaving us a review and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Trump's low approval ratings may be giving people the idea that he is weak and disempowered. But Trump backed into a corner could well be more unconstrained and more dangerous—and it could also fuel his imperialist ambitions toward Greenland, an island he has been obsessed with owning since his first term. Meanwhile, DHS always knew people would die because of their mass deportation efforts and it still wholly accepted the risk of its military-style operations. But the opposition on the street is building. Plus, a year after the LA fires, a look at the role of disinformation in the disaster, the slow recovery, and the lack of emergency planning by government officials. Jacob Soboroff and Susan Glasser join Tim Miller. show notes * Tim on the new videos coming out of Minneapolis * Jacob's book, "Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America’s New Age of Disaster" * Susan's latest New Yorker column * Friday's episode of The New Yorker's 'Political Scene' podcast * Susan’s book with Peter Baker, “The Divider” As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller joined Nicolle Wallace on Deadline: White House to discuss why the killing of Renee Good—and the administration’s decision to release the video—may be a political turning point. What was supposed to project strength instead exposes a strategy that alienates swing voters, activates non-activists, and turns immigration from a GOP advantage into a liability.Watch Deadline: White House on MSNOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.