The Bulwark Daily

In Greenland, the Trump administration has got tech bros and hedge fund guys running an influence operation there. The aim may be to fulfill Trump's territorial ambitions—or to create a sovereign state run by CEOs. In Venezuela, the administration is imperialistically seizing its gold, oil and other assets with no oversight. And in Brazil, the White House is trying to bring the Bolsonaro family back to power—which may or may not have something to do with Elon being angry about the country's tech regulation laws. In Trump 2.0, informal envoys, private companies, and hardened ideologues are turning American diplomacy upside down. Plus: Putin has played Kushner like a fiddle, don't let the story of Don Jr.'s Russian gangster-funded wedding die, new additions to the Applebaum book club, and we're going to have to bulldoze the ballroom.

Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes:

• Anne’s Atlantic cover story, “Empire of Grift”
• “Whistler: A Novel,” Anne's latest book recommendation
• Tim’s book recommendation, “The Disappearers: A Novel”
• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield
• The Bulwark store
• Tim’s playlist
• Closing song - War on Drugs - “Suffering”
• Try ZipRecruiter to post your job FOR FREE at http://ziprecruiter.com/BULWARK
  4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.
  

Republicans are reeling, the vibes are shifting, and the wave is building. Jesse serves up a particularly optimistic view of the Democrats' chances in the midterms, with even stretch districts now in play. And ahead of Saturday's Ole Miss-LSU game, Wright shares how Mississippians are responding to the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and says that conservative farmers in the state are turning on MAGA. Plus, the love of a father and Ole Miss football, some Magnolia Bowl lore, why 1956 is the linchpin year in college sports history, and predicting the hate ratio on Saturday in Oxford.

Wright Thompson and Jesse Lehrich join Tim Miller.

show notes:

• Wright's books, including "The Barn" and "The Cost of These Dreams"
• Wright's ESPN piece on Friday will post here
• Jesse's "Nobody Knows Anything" podcast
• "Nobody's Listening," Jesse's newsletter
• Campaign site for Eliott Rodriguez, Maria Elvira Salazar's opponent
• Erick Erickson piece Tim mentioned
• Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
• The Bulwark Store
• Try ZipRecruiter to post your job FOR FREE at http://ziprecruiter.com/BULWARK
  4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.

The Fed raised interest rates to curb inflation, as expected, but mortgage rates are surging and flailing Scott Bessent remains the treasury secretary. Meanwhile, the alarm raised in the AI community is not an op despite the backlash from people like Nvidia's Jensen Huang, who seems to get everything he wants from Donald Trump. Plus, the Europeans who once parked their gold in the US to hide it from the Nazis are now trying to protect it from Trump.

Catherine Rampell and Stephen Witt join Tim Miller.

show notes:

• Subscribe to Catherine Rampell's Receipts podcast and newsletter on Substack or follow her new show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | More 
• Stephen's "This Is Really Bad" piece in the NYT
• Stephen's "The Thinking Machine," about Nvidia and Jensen Huang
• The latest episode of "The Next Level"
• Dan Selsam's statement on Twitter that Tim read from
• "If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies," the book Stephen mentioned
• Huang's "impromptu" phone call with Trump
• Closing song - Orville Peck - It's the End of the World
• NOBL gives you real travel peace of mind — security, design, and convenience all in one. Head to NOBLTravel.com for 46% off your entire order! #NOBL #ad
• Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
  Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio.  Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.

The co-author of the signature book inside Trump 2.0 says the media only knows 5% of what is happening inside the administration—particularly when it comes to national security, the money-making, and the self-dealing. Jonathan does have new reporting about how the administration keeps pretending that our military is not running low on long-range missiles. In reality, the war is costing us a month's worth of Patriots almost every day. Plus: Stephen Miller has become the White House's resident kingmaker, why Trump is turbocharged on AI, and some contentious moments when Tim and Jonathan discuss how to characterize JD's divergent private and public posturing on the war.

Jonathan Swan joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

• Jonathan’s “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump”
• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield
• Closing Song - MJ Lenderman - She's Leaving You
• Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BULWARK at https://www.oneskin.co/BULWARK
  #oneskinpod
  

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio. 
Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.

A Putin bestie who's involved with the kidnapping of Ukrainian children bankrolled Don Jr.'s island wedding for some mysterious reason. Kushner is calling on Ukraine to give in to Putin's territorial demands. And Trump himself is blaming Zelensky for the high cost of diesel even though prices shot up after Trump launched his war of choice. It's the whole Trump family that tends to remind us of their close ties to Russia, Russia, Russia. Meanwhile, POTUS is not troubled by China's involvement with the death of U.S. soldiers in the Mideast. Plus: Adam Hamilton in Kansas was on fire in his debate with Roger Marshall, the list of horrible Republican candidates keeps growing, and the fears about AI have broken wide open.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

• ProPublica on the Russian oligarch bankrolling Don Jr.'s wedding
• The Bulwark's campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield
• Tim's 'Take' on the debate between Mary Peltola and Dan Sullivan
• Bill in "Morning Shots" on AI fears
• The NYT on Roger Marshall suing patients for debts
• The Trio 'Take' on Brandon Herrera
• The Bulwark Store
• Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to www.joindeleteme.com/BULWARK and use promo code BULWARK at checkout.
  

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio.  Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.

Rudy Giuliani and others who purport to represent the families of 9/11 victims ginned up the idea that it would be wrong for the Muslim mayor of NYC to attend Friday's memorial at ground zero. Republican politicians and Laura Loomer keep pushing their trash Islamification conspiracy. And a law-abiding Muslim family has been imprisoned for five months because Rubio declared them a national security threat—and most of the media could care less. At the same time, Tucker has a new, large Muslim fan base because they like what he's saying about Gaza and the Palestinians, even though he's a solid anti-Muslim bigot who just hates the Jews more right now. Plus: Trump seems to really like communism, JD has never publicly said he opposes the Iran war but he keeps leaking that he's against the administration's signature foreign policy initiative, and Hunter is a crypto-scamming mess.

Mehdi Hasan joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. 

show notes:

• Mehdi’s Zeteo news site
• Tim’s piece for the 20th anniversary of 9/11
• Tim on the Iranian family Marco is imprisoning
• The Bulwark store
• Tim’s playlist
• Closing song - Orville Peck - It's the End of the World
• Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
  Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio.
  
  Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.
  
  Benefit for Ohio
  
  All profits from this event will be donated to those in Springfield who are in need.

• Own your health for $365 a year. That’s a dollar a day. Learn more and join using my link. Visit www.functionhealth.com/BULWARK and use gift code BULWARK25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.”

As Sarah explains in her new book, Trump has been so successful teaching a new generation of Republicans about the political value of vice signaling that Nazi talk and racism has become the norm among young MAGA edgelords. Disdain for women is also a key element. One former true believer, Pedro, says the right sees all of Trump's corruption and abuse of power as justified because he's focused on the country's true enemies: brown people, immigrants, and their white allies. And Vance buddying up to the racists shows that he is the real heir apparent to Trump. Plus, Tucker is not well, Trump keeps lying about handing out money, Pence can't seem to come to terms with how he enabled this moment we're in, and Pedro's anti-Tim tweets before his Road to Damascus moment.

Sarah Longwell and Pedro Gonzalez join Tim Miller.
show notes:

• Sarah's book, "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time"
• Pedro's Substack
• Pedro's piece in The Nation
• The Bulwark, including Tim, live tonight on YouTube or Substack
• Cormac McCarthy's "The Road," mentioned by Pedro
• Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
  Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio.
  Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship. - TICKET INFO

With Republicans in tight races stripping Trump’s name off their campaign websites, the president is in need of some love from Republicans he has summoned to Dallas to celebrate him. The fake convention also conveniently serves as a distraction from the surging price of oil. Plus: Vance may be the source who’s leaking about the missile depletions, Fox is giving more leeway for criticism of Trump, anti-Muslim hysteria is driving the complaints about Mamdani attending the 9/11 memorial in NYC, and Jessica from “The Five” has what she’s calling a “survival manual” for how to talk about politics with your MAGA friends and family members. Also, Tim is furious about the lack of media attention on Maryam Tahmasebi and her family, who are being imprisoned because of their bloodline.

Jessica Tarlov joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

• Jessica’s new book, “I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends”
• Tim’s piece on the green card-holding family Marco Rubio is imprisoning
• NYT on the newly-released 9/11 documents
• Get 20% off when you go to trustandwill.com/BULWARK
• For their buy 1 get 1 50% off deal, head to 3DayBlinds.com/THEBULWARK

From politics to sports, business, and tech, the rich are breaking the rules, looking out for their friends, and still getting rewarded in the end—maybe with the help of a little trip to the White House with a POTUS gift in hand. For the midterms and beyond, Adam is bullish in his new book about the Dems' prospects to win on a grand scale and pass the kind of policies that help regular people. Part of the trick is cooling it on the purity tests over fraught issues like Israel. And in this Trump era, when accountability is so scarce, Pablo shows with his Pulitzer-winning reporting on the LA Clippers that consequences are still possible. Plus: Trump fatigue seems to be settling in, Fetterman only cares about fighting with other Democrats, the NCAA doesn't like capitalism, and the WNBA may be on the cusp of a heyday.

Adam Jentleson and Pablo Torre join Tim Miller.

show notes

• Adam's new book, "Supermajority: How Democrats Can Build Lasting Power"
• Sarah's book out today, "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time"
• Pulitzer-winning reporting by “Pablo Torre Finds Out” on the Clippers
• Chris Murphy on the NCAA asking for an antitrust exemption on player salaries
• Lane Kiffin's halftime locker room speech on Saturday
• Pablo's episode on Oz the Mentalist and his episode on Rony Seikaly
• COME HANG WITH THE GANG—Sarah, Tim, JVL, Sam and friends—during our Bulwark LIVE: Good Fight Tour this October 16-20:

• 🎤Friday, October 16 at The Senate in Columbia, S.C.—Will Sommer joins the gang on stage. Is Columbia ready for the Trio?
• 🎤Sunday, October 18 at the Carolina Theatre in Charlotte, N.C.—special guest Pete Buttigieg joins the gang with Catherine Rampell and Lauren Eagan.

• 🎤Tuesday, October 20 at The Eastern in Atlanta, Ga.—Gen. Mark Hertling and the Morning Shots duo—Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol—join the gang for this final stop.

  Tickets are on sale NOW through the links above or through TheBulwark.com/Events. At Bulwark LIVE we can promise you a night of fellowship and politics with lots of laughs—and maybe a few tears too. We’ll keep you sane.
  
  

With just under two months until Election Day, Tim and Bill revisit the run-up to the midterms in 2006 and 1994, two major wave election cycles where the bottom just fell out from under the party in power. The 1994 blowout was more about the end of an era, while 2006 was about an unpopular war in the Middle East, a scandal, and a disappointed base. What do those wave elections suggest about the prospects for a big blue year in 2026? Plus: Do not miss either the war stories from Tim as a young Republican operative on the campaign trail or Clinton blaming Bill for helping to tank his health care reform plan.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for a special holiday pod.

show notes:

• Tim in 2006
• Bill in "Morning Shots" with his Truman-related advice for the Dems
  
  

• COME HANG WITH THE GANG—Sarah, Tim, JVL, Sam and friends—during our Bulwark LIVE: Good Fight Tour this October 16-20:

  🎤Friday, October 16 at The Senate in Columbia, S.C.—Will Sommer joins the gang on stage. Is Columbia ready for the Trio?

  🎤Sunday, October 18 at the Carolina Theatre in Charlotte, N.C.—special guest Pete Buttigieg joins the gang with Catherine Rampell and Lauren Eagan.

  🎤Tuesday, October 20 at The Eastern in Atlanta, Ga.—Gen. Mark Hertling and the Morning Shots duo—Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol—join the gang for this final stop.

  Tickets are on sale NOW through the links above or through TheBulwark.com/Events. At Bulwark LIVE we can promise you a night of fellowship and politics with lots of laughs—and maybe a few tears too. We’ll keep you sane.
  
  

Marco Rubio is using dubious powers to create a new class of immigrant political prisoners. Meanwhile, DHS officials are bragging about how they're brutally shackling and frog-marching Haitians who came here under protected status. On this American holiday weekend, David takes a "nerd moment" to explain that the Founders always intended our Constitutional liberties to apply to noncitizens as well—including even despicable Milo Yiannopoulos. Plus: How Trump keeps getting away with his illegal ballroom construction, what normie Texas Republicans are thinking about Paxton vs. Talarico, the risks of legal shenanigans after the votes are all counted in November, and an update on the Iranian green card-holders who've now been detained 150 days. Also, Tim is heartily enjoying the LSU ruling ahead of Saturday's game against Clemson.

David French joins Tim Miller for the holiday weekend pod.

show notes:

• Follow "Bulwark Takes" for the latest releases over the weekend
• David's piece on Marco's tin-pot dictator leanings
• More on the Iranian green card-holders from a local NBC affiiliate in LA
• Tim's playlist
• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

Thom Tillis was the pivotal vote to confirm a buffoon to run the Department of Defense, and now he’s shocked about Hegseth’s incompetency. JD wants everyone to know he’s a Catholic now, but he doesn’t seem to have absorbed even the basic teachings of Catholicism. And Susan Collins claims she has influence with her Senate colleagues over Trump’s agenda—even though on almost every occasion she has made sure that her vote won’t matter. Meanwhile, Trump did a coup in Venezuela with an associate of Jeffrey Epstein. Plus: Tim reads from the mailbag, Trump is repulsed by Ken Paxton, the Antichrist might be walking amongst us, and what would happen if armed, leftwing activists created a sanctuary space in Ohio to protect Haitian immigrants?

JVL joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

• JVL’s ‘Triad’ on the illegal Venezuelan oil deal
• Tim’s ‘Take’ with MAGA pollster Rich Baris
• Pulitzer-winning reporting by “Pablo Torre Finds Out” on the Clippers
• Tim’s interview with Ruby Cramer on MAHA
• Here’s how you can help the city of Springfield and its Haitian Community:
  • Support the Haitian Community Help & Support Center, St. Vincent de Paul, and Second Harvest Food Bank

• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

• Go to Dupe.com today and find similar products for less. It’s 100% free to use. Stop wasting money on brand names and start saving with Dupe.com today.

The Army is currently operating without any Senate-confirmed civilian or military leaders at the top. For Navy secretary, Trump is nominating an election-denying veteran who thinks witches and Wiccans are taking over cities. And when Hegseth is not busy purging the DOD’s leadership, he seems to be under the spell of a Rasputin-like character who failed a polygraph and may have taken the supposedly sober defense secretary out for a bender. Meanwhile, Don Jr. got another Pentagon contract, and the administration keeps ignoring the fact that Russia is helping Iran try to kill American soldiers and sailors. Plus: Tim today launched a new series featuring a younger generation of Democratic operatives who are working hard to win the midterms. First up is Biden White House alum Rodericka Applewhaite.

New Bulwark pod host Michael Weiss and Rodericka Applewhaite join Tim Miller. 

show notes:

• Tim’s candidate recs (which will be updated soon!)
• The Atlantic on Trump being surprised about all the top officers being fired
• ProPublica on Don, Jr.’s Pentagon drone contract
• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

Vaccine skepticism and distrust of pharmaceutical companies long predated RFK, Jr.'s 2024 presidential campaign. But the distrust of mainstream medical authority has now grown so deep that the United States can no longer contain the spread of measles. The country’s measles-vaccination rates have dropped below the threshold for herd immunity. Obviously, Trump’s misleading vax ruminations from the Oval Office have not helped the matter. The New Yorker’s Ruby Cramer discusses her reporting on one family’s frightening medical experience after one parent fell down the MAHA rabbit hole. Plus: The administration has given Big Ag a pass, Democrats should try recapturing health-conscious voters, the overlooked case of an American shot by immigration thugs, and the surprising backstory of Kari Lake becoming ambassador to Jamaica.

Ruby Cramer joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• "The Next Level" pod will be out later today
• Ruby's New Yorker piece, "The MAHA Custody Battle"
• Ruby's reporting on the preschool worker who was shot by Border Patrol
• Ruby on the DNC's Ken Martin
• Eddington, the film Ruby referenced and Sonny recommends
  
  

• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

Trump’s war is far from over, top military leaders are warning Hegseth that prolonged ops in the region are unsustainable, and Americans have been financing Pentagon propagandists who’ve been secretly collecting taxpayer money to try to convince us that things are going great in Iran. This is not the time for congressional Democrats to allow Republicans to easily pass a spending resolution that keeps the government open. At the same time, Trump keeps handing gifts to Democrats—like his sell-out to tech oligarchs and his praise of data centers. Plus: The Venezuelan oil deal is a socialist PR stunt, vile Laura Loomer is trying to bring back the normalization of Islamaphobia, Massachusetts voters should recall the risks of sending an 80-year-old back to the Senate, and Marco really is the worst Cabinet member of all

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

• Monday’s “Morning Shots”
• Will Sommer on the taxpayer-supported Pentagon troll army
• The Post on the Pentagon propagandists collecting taxpayer money
• The WaPo on military leaders warning Hegseth against extended Iran operations
• Sam on last week’s show with Tim
• Sam and Ben on Trump’s new threats to press freedom
• Military Times on the damage done to the U.S. base in Bahrain

The wars in Iran and Ukraine are increasingly entangled, CIA Director John Ratcliffe had to personally deliver a message to Moscow, and Trump is driving our Gulf allies into the arms of China. Meanwhile, the U.S.-Israel relationship keeps mucking up our domestic politics, particularly in Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign in Michigan. But it also turns out that podcast host (and senator) Ted Cruz seems to be pocketing money from the state of Israel itself. Plus: Some Democrats have finally figured out how to deliver speeches again, Vance is always trying to turn himself into something he’s not, the DSA posters sound a lot like the Resistance 1.0, and Enes Kanter is still a POS.

 Ben Rhodes joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

We’ve hit the August doldrums, so Tim is taking the daily pod on a little excursion. The Bulwark community delivered some epic mailbag questions, one of which prompted Sam to make one of the nerdiest confessions ever. Also, Tim and Sam adjust their Cabinet member rankings: Marco is an utter catastrophe, RFK Jr. is failing on all fronts, and Kelly Loeffler is proof that aliens exist. Plus, DeSantis is doing some seemingly dirty dealing down in Florida, ICE arrests are soaring—and here’s hoping that Trump’s super PAC spends millions on ads for the midterms extolling what a great job he’s doing as president.

Sam Stein joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• NYT on the surge in ICE arrests
• Vanity Fair piece on Lutnick that Tim referenced
• The Atlantic on Trump's midterms ad campaign
• Tim's latest 'Take' on Trump's immigration policy
• Sam's 'Take' from May on the DeSantis Medicaid scandal 
• Alien Kelly Loeffler video

• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

The only likely way to end the nightmare of Trump—and Republicans supporting him no matter how much he ruins the country—is for Democrats to win in Republican-leaning states and congressional districts. That means giving moderates the grace to compete for people who voted for Trump. Likewise, moderates also need to recognize that the left will be swing voters in key races this election cycle. Plus: the online brawl over Hasan Piker, Scott Jennings’ desperate campaign to be the new White House press secretary, Trump is widening his attack on the First Amendment to research institutions, and Rob Sand is breaking the candidate mold in Iowa.

Epic poster and Center for American Progress president Neera Tanden joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• The Center for American Progress website
• 'Take' on the CIA director's trip to Moscow (with Weiss & Polymeropoulos)
• Neera's busy Twitter feed
• Jonathan Martin's interview with gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand

The only likely way to end the nightmare of Trump—and Republicans supporting him no matter how much he ruins the country—is for Democrats to win in Republican-leaning states and congressional districts. That means giving moderates the grace to compete for people who voted for Trump. Likewise, moderates also need to recognize that the left will be swing voters in key races this election cycle.

Yield curve control has gone mainstream (seriously, just ask the Asheville Beatnik with a message for Scott Bessent), so Tracy Alloway is here to explain the latest economic turmoil to Tim. Bessent’s bond buyback gambit seems to have flopped, but apparently, according to the President, there’s always the option of military intervention to bring the market to heel. In the meantime, consumers are going to pay more interest on everything, and there’s no plan to reduce the federal debt. Then, for some MAGA drama dessert, Will Sommer joins the pod to talk about Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s dud of a pay-for-play road trip video series, the Trump/Tucker beef, and the feud between a Groyper-adjacent Undersecretary of State and an anonymous MAGA propaganda account that your tax dollars are paying for.

Will Sommer and Tracy Alloway join Tim Miller.
show notes:

• Picture of the Asheville protestor with the yield curve sign
• Tracy’s Odd Lots podcast
• Will and Tim’s DC tour
• Will’s False Flag newsletter on Data Republican
• Catch Tim, Sarah, and JVL on The Next Level later tonight
  
  

Yield curve control has gone mainstream (seriously, just ask the Asheville Beatnik with a message for Scott Bessent), so Tracy Alloway is here to explain the latest economic turmoil to Tim. Bessent’s bond buyback gambit seems to have flopped, but apparently, according to the President, there’s always the option of military intervention to bring the market to heel. In the meantime, consumers are going to pay more interest on everything, and there’s no plan to reduce the federal debt.

Canada flat-out rejected Trump’s terms in trade talks, so now it looks like we are going to have a trade war with our friends in the Great White North. Sorry, Maine. Sorry, bourbon industry. And in MAGA farm country, ranchers are furious that POTUS is increasing beef imports free of tariffs. Even Tom Cotton has dared to question Trump’s move. And on the other side of the aisle, Democrats should maximize their attacks on ICE, the midterms are looking wave-ish, and Hakeem should explain why he would have a conversation with Kushner that did not involve a subpoena. Plus: the Iran war has been a strategic loss for the U.S., Trump’s summer 250 celebrations were a bust, Lindsey’s sister is an empty vessel, and hater Enes Kanter’s campaign against the WNBA is gross and disgusting.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

• Lauren’s piece on Roy Cooper
• Tim’s latest crazy, stupid Republicans ‘Take.’ This time: Andy Biggs
• Bob Kagan on “Iran Unleashed”
• Katie Britt’s contact page for Venezuelan detainees Freddys Revilla and Edgarianny Gervis

• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

• Head to https://forkfulmeals.com/thebulwark for 50% off your first order today!
  

Canada flat-out rejected Trump’s terms in trade talks, so now it looks like we are going to have a trade war with our friends in the Great White North. Sorry, Maine. Sorry, bourbon industry. And in MAGA farm country, ranchers are furious that POTUS is increasing beef imports free of tariffs. Even Tom Cotton has dared to question Trump’s move. And on the other side of the aisle, Democrats should maximize their attacks on ICE, the midterms are looking wave-ish, and Hakeem should explain why he would have a conversation with Kushner that did not involve a subpoena.

Melania had to come out of hiding and practice her English after days of embarrassing coverage of Trump aide Natalie Harp. And now Harp’s newly released gushing notes to POTUS show unparalleled devotion to him. But they also hint at an abusive relationship built around trying to manage his easily-wounded ego with fantasy-grade good news stories. Meanwhile, Michael Cohen reminded everyone that he is a pathetic little lapdog. Plus: Trump is running the country like a socialist, he’s driving up the debt to dangerous levels, he seems determined to muck with the midterms—and the ‘orange man bad' resistance has been right all along.

George Conway joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes:

• Two of Natalie's love notes to Trump
• JVL on the 'human printer'
• Tim's interview with Julia Curlee
• Tim's interview with David Wallace-Wells
•  Katie Britt's contact page for Venezuelan detainees Freddys Revilla and Edgarianny Gervis

• Tim's playlist
  
  Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets are on sale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

Melania had to come out of hiding and practice her English after days of embarrassing coverage of Trump aide Natalie Harp. And now Harp’s newly released gushing notes to POTUS show unparalleled devotion to him. But they also hint at an abusive relationship built around trying to manage his easily-wounded ego with fantasy-grade good news stories.

Mark the summer of 2026 as the moment when an unlikely supermajority of Americans came together on one issue: their opposition to data centers. This new, big, messy coalition spans the political spectrum and is rooted in a fear that the sociopaths of Silicon Valley will determine the future of our lives, our communities, and our economic prospects. And (most) politicians have noticed which way the wind is blowing. Plus: Carbon emissions are getting better but the planet is still getting warmer, the coming El Niño may be the strongest ever, and ICE arrests are dramatically up because Stephen Miller is siccing agents on immigrants who are following the rules.

The New York Times' David Wallace-Wells joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• David's recent newsletter on keeping the world safe from AI
• David on Trump's deportation machine ramping up
• Derek Thompson's recent "Plain English" pod on AI that Tim referenced

Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

Mark the summer of 2026 as the moment when an unlikely supermajority of Americans came together on one issue: their opposition to data centers. This new, big, messy coalition spans the political spectrum and is rooted in a fear that the sociopaths of Silicon Valley will determine the future of our lives, our communities, and our economic prospects. And (most) politicians have noticed which way the wind is blowing.

When Trump came back into power, his administration leaned heavily on former CIA analyst Julia Curlee to help safeguard our national security. The first CIA officer to transition openly, Curlee had worked at the highest levels in the White House for years. But once her gender identity became public through a witch hunt, she was hounded out. Curlee talks with Tim about the chaos of Trump’s slash-and-burn firings, the administration’s demonizing of trans people, and how Mike Pence treated her with dignity and respect when she was his personal briefer. Plus: The 19th’s Errin Haines joins to discuss the Florida primaries, the Dems’ prospects in the South, the real backlash against the Callais decision, and AOC’s Woke 1 comments. And Tim asks The Bulwark community to help Venezuelan detainees Freddys Revilla and Edgarianny Gervis.

Julia Curlee and Errin Haines join Tim Miller.

show notes:

• Katie Britt’s office: 202-224-5744
• Britt’s chief of staff: Sean_Ross@britt.senate.gov and her subcommittee clerk  Dave Roth at at 202-224-4319
• Britt’s Twitter: @SenKatieBritt
• Where Tim shared the letter and drawing that were sent to Britt
• Curlee's Atlantic piece, "The Wrong Kind of American"
• Mona's podcast, where Curlee will also be a guest later this week
• Errin's newsletter, "The Amendment"
• Tim's 'Take' on the detained Venezuelan family

Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale NOW. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

When Trump came back into power, his administration leaned heavily on former CIA analyst Julia Curlee to help safeguard our national security. The first CIA officer to transition openly, Curlee had worked at the highest levels in the White House for years. But once her gender identity became public through a witch hunt, she was hounded out. Curlee talks with Tim about the chaos of Trump’s slash-and-burn firings, the administration’s demonizing of trans people, and how Mike Pence treated her with dignity and respect when she was his personal briefer.

Trump is flailing so badly on Iran. He dispatched Jared Kushner to negotiate with the regime but then denies that any talks are happening at all. He also threatened to bomb one ally and hammered another for not helping him fight his war. And somehow, in all of this, Kushner—a private businessman and a consultant for the Saudis—is meeting with Hamas officials and Netanyahu while also looking out for his own financial interests. Plus: a primer on why we keep troops in South Korea, Hegseth may be mulling a presidential run, and Gen Alpha may save us all.

Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• "The Next Level" podcast—out later on Tuesday
• Tim on another family being held at the Dilley detention facility
• The Gen Alpha TikTok video Tim mentioned
• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale starting August 18. Watch your inbox for details. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.

Trump is flailing so badly on Iran. He dispatched Jared Kushner to negotiate with the regime but then denies that any talks are happening at all. He also threatened to bomb one ally and hammered another for not helping him fight his war. And somehow, in all of this, Kushner—a private businessman and a consultant for the Saudis—is meeting with Hamas officials and Netanyahu while also looking out for his own financial interests.

Thanks to a shrewdly-timed Jon Ossoff campaign event, a lot more people are suddenly learning about young and blonde Trump confidante Natalie Harp AKA ‘the human printer’—and one of only three aides who accompanied POTUS on his catering truck-secret flight escape. Meanwhile, Trump is lending a hand to white-collar criminals and expanding his extortion and bribery options with his crypto firm. Plus: the flat-out lies about Fauci and miscarriages, Andrew loves the Great Lakes, the tariffs have done so much damage that even Sherrod Brown is against them, and Tim has some choice words about the primary challenge against Jared Moskowitz in Florida.

Andrew Egger joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• Catherine's piece on Trump trying to destroy the shell company registry 
• Tim on crazy, stupid Republicans running in the midterms. First up: Mike Collins
• Andrew's critique of Politico's piece on Trump's tariffs in "Morning Shots" 
• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale starting August 18. Watch your inbox for details. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.
  
  

Thanks to a shrewdly-timed Jon Ossoff campaign event, a lot more people are suddenly learning about young and blonde Trump confidante Natalie Harp AKA ‘the human printer’—and one of only three aides who accompanied POTUS on his catering truck-secret flight escape. Meanwhile, Trump is lending a hand to white-collar criminals and expanding his extortion and bribery options with his crypto firm.

When Graham Platner’s campaign was imploding, Republicans made sure to hang him around every Democrat's neck. Now, Democrats need to make Republicans own Rep. Max Miller, the alleged violent domestic abuser. That definitely includes Neverland Ranch fan Mike Lawler. Plus: Tim reads from the mailbag, more and more focus group voters are seeing that Trump only cares about his vanity projects, Joe Rogan does not seem to be following the news, Woke 1 got some things wrong but not "Abolish ICE," Sarah is sounding kind of left on healthcare, and Bill K is mayor of The Bulwark.

Sarah Longwell joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes:

• Pre-order Sarah's book here
• More details on Sarah's book tour
• Latest episode of "The Secret Podcast"
• GoFundMe for Maryam Tahmasebi and her family 
• Tim's playlist 
  
  
• Bulwark LIVE: GOOD FIGHT TOUR with Tim, Sarah, Sam and JVL is coming to the Southeast in October. Tickets go on sale August 21. Bulwark+ members get early access via our presale starting August 18. Watch your inbox for details. Head to TheBulwark.com/Events for details and to get your tickets.
  
  

When Graham Platner’s campaign was imploding, Republicans made sure to hang him around every Democrat's neck. Now, Democrats need to make Republicans own Rep. Max Miller, the alleged violent domestic abuser. That definitely includes Neverland Ranch fan Mike Lawler.

What a way to run a country: ICE thugs will soon have special gloves that deliver an electric shock to people they’re trying to detain; D.C. residents have to contend with National Guard troops on their streets because the president likes fascist theater; and sailors who’ve been at sea for more than 250 days—for a war that no one understands—are trying to kill themselves by jumping overboard. Plus: Most of the media is ignoring that Republicans are running nutso candidates all over the place, Karoline Leavitt has been a pretty talented liar, and what did Trump smell like when he emerged from the catering cart?

Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

• Kinzinger's Substack
• Video of the shock gloves being used
• Bond villain Oddjob 

What a way to run a country: ICE thugs will soon have special gloves that deliver an electric shock to people they’re trying to detain; D.C. residents have to contend with National Guard troops on their streets because the president likes fascist theater; and sailors who’ve been at sea for more than 250 days—for a war that no one understands—are trying to kill themselves by jumping overboard.

Democratic primary voters in Wisconsin didn’t care much for how hard Republicans were working to try to make democratic socialist Francesca Hong the Dems' nominee for governor. That whole strategy helped draw last night’s primary winner, David Crowley, back into the race three weeks ago. Maybe there is not a secret socialist vote in rural America, after all. Plus: the fallout from ICE on key Minnesota races, the Dems are still going to war against their gerontocracy, Nate Silver has some very encouraging polls, and Fetterman could use a Democratic friend. And Tim asks The Bulwark community to help a family of legal immigrants who are currently being held in one of the country’s new internment camps.

Dave Weigel joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• Dave's "Americana" newsletter
• Letter from legal permanent resident, Maryam Tahmasebi, in The Nation
• Tim's recent interview with Jonathan Blitzer on our new internment camps
• Mailbag email
• Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat, Aspen, and Walden frames at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARK. Promo Code THEBULWARK

Democratic primary voters in Wisconsin didn’t care much for how hard Republicans were working to try to make democratic socialist Francesca Hong the Dems' nominee for governor. That whole strategy helped draw last night’s primary winner, David Crowley, back into the race three weeks ago. Maybe there is not a secret socialist vote in rural America, after all.

Trump may have the pardon power, but all those people making bank off of shady contracts from the administration or doing pay-to-play can lose all that money through forfeiture and seizure laws already on the books. Taxpayers are going to want their money back. And why are Chinese nationals continuing to bribe the president of the United States—and does his soft-on-China policies have anything to do with it? Plus: Trump used a catering cart to sneak out of Turkey, the Dems need to do a better job highlighting the fact that the White House is doing socialist-style company takeovers, and the National Guard will now be in DC until 2029.

Amanda Carpenter joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• Amanda's Bulwark piece on undoing Trump's age of corruption
• Amanda's event with Protect Democracy and Vox on Aug. 19
• NYT story on Chinese national who gave $100 million to Trump's cryptocurrency company
• CATO on the government's ownership stakes in companies

Trump may have the pardon power, but all those people making bank off of shady contracts from the administration or doing pay-to-play can lose all that money through forfeiture and seizure laws already on the books. Taxpayers are going to want their money back.

The party is sticking with Max Miller despite the very credible domestic abuse allegations. Not only is this a gift to his Democratic opponent, Brian Poindexter, in that red district in Ohio, it’s also likely to impact the Senate and governor's races there as well. Meanwhile, Tucker and MTG are talking about creating a third party for 2028. And Trump is losing to Iran so badly he can’t even make a coherent argument about the war for his biggest fans. Plus: the ankle monitoring of Haitian immigrants is very Soviet-era Eastern Bloc, defense contractors don’t want Ukraine making Patriot missiles because they can do it for less money, Trump is literally giving Mexico territory so he can build his corrupt border wall through Big Bend National Park, and Tim keeps his promise and shares some history on bananas.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

• Tim’s candidate list, including Ohio’s Brian Poindexter
• Monday’s “Morning Shots”
• Bill and Eric Edelman on the munition depletions
• Tim and Isaac Saul on the bulldozing of Big Bend
• Jim on the governor’s race in Ohio
• NYT profile of Brian Poindexter
• Bill’s “Bulwark on Sunday” with Col. Bree Fram
• Atlantic piece on Ukraine becoming a military powerhouse
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The party is sticking with Max Miller despite the very credible domestic abuse allegations. Not only is this a gift to his Democratic opponent, Brian Poindexter, in that red district in Ohio, it’s also likely to impact the Senate and governor's races there as well. Meanwhile, Tucker and MTG are talking about creating a third party for 2028. And Trump is losing to Iran so badly he can’t even make a coherent argument about the war for his biggest fans.

Tim got his hopes up that Bill Cassidy was going to come out against Blanche as AG. But of course, the senator showed once again that Republicans will do anything to stay on Team Trump—including turning our government into a corrupt, gangster oligarchy. Never mind that ordinary Americans are still dealing with the stink bombs Trump dumped on our economy with his tariffs and failed war: We’ve got lousy job numbers and higher prices across the board. Plus: The deportation of legal immigrants is a moral stain on our country, Russia’s energy crisis has backed Putin into a dangerous corner, and Trump is on a goldmaxxing spree. Susan Glasser joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes:

• Catherine’s latest “Receipts” newsletter
• Sam and Catherine on the jobs numbers
• Evan Osnos’ New Yorker piece, “The Future, Made in China”
• Tim’s playlist

Tim got his hopes up that Bill Cassidy was going to come out against Blanche as AG. But of course, the senator showed once again that Republicans will do anything to stay on Team Trump—including turning our government into a corrupt, gangster oligarchy. Never mind that ordinary Americans are still dealing with the stink bombs Trump dumped on our economy with his tariffs and failed war: We’ve got lousy job numbers and higher prices across the board.

POTUS has always used lies to great advantage, but his fakery can’t disguise the dangerous reality that the United States is running out of missiles. What a time for Trump to don an SNL-grade wig. Meanwhile, AIPAC may be evolving into a Trump super PAC, Max Miller keeps showing everyone he’s a sociopath, the GOP Islamophobia is looking very 2002, and Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo accidentally admits Trump is looking out for the billionaires. Plus: The new Democratic Senate nominee from Kansas, pastor Adam Hamilton, joins Tim to discuss that sleeper race and how incumbent Roger Marshall is all about championing Trump and not the people of Kansas.

Sam Stein and Kansas Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Adam Hamilton join Tim Miller.

show notes:

• Inc.'s profile of The Bulwark
• Adam Hamilton's website
• Brian Poindexter's website (Dem running against Max Miller.)
• Trump's new wig

POTUS has always used lies to great advantage, but his fakery can’t disguise the dangerous reality that the United States is running out of missiles. What a time for Trump to don an SNL-grade wig. Meanwhile, AIPAC may be evolving into a Trump super PAC, Max Miller keeps showing everyone he’s a sociopath, the GOP Islamophobia is looking very 2002, and Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo accidentally admits Trump is looking out for the billionaires.

The polling was way off, but suburban Dem voters in Michigan nonetheless showed that they’re sick of the party establishment and enraged by Trump, the war, the lies, and the corruption. AIPAC didn’t read the room. But party leaders are sounding united behind El-Sayed and Jane predicts he’ll bring a Mamdani-like energy to his campaign against Mike Rogers. Meanwhile, Republicans are sticking with sh*tbag Max Miller. Plus: Federal agents are threatening Americans for speaking out against ICE, Vance is always looking for a way to signal that he hates the war, and what other former podcast hosts can try to segue to elected office?

Jane Coaston joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• Jane's podcast, "What A Day"
• El-Sayed with influencers Monday night
• Photo of Chuck Edwards
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The polling was way off, but suburban Dem voters in Michigan nonetheless showed that they’re sick of the party establishment and enraged by Trump, the war, the lies, and the corruption. AIPAC didn’t read the room. But party leaders are sounding united behind El-Sayed and Jane predicts he’ll bring a Mamdani-like energy to his campaign against Mike Rogers.

Sam Altman wants a supercomputer to talk to his kid so he doesn’t have to. Elon thinks Grok can make a better Odyssey than Christopher Nolan. And Silicon Valley has been cultishly hyping AI so much that they’ve lost the plot. Regular people are sick of all the synthetic slop, they don’t trust the tech titans, and their opposition to data centers is just the tip of the iceberg of a growing tech backlash. The political winds are shifting just in time for the midterms, so Elon's dumping more than $100 million to try to overcome them.

The Atlantic’s Charlie Warzel joins Tim Miller.

show notes:

• TNL live at 9pm ET on Tuesday's primaries on YouTube or Substack
• Lauren on data centers in Democratic campaigns
• Charlie's "The Myth of SpaceX"
• Politico on the growing backlash against the AI buildout
• Jasmine Sun on how LLMs don't write well