For more than 10 years, Trump has been showing us how skilled he is at sowing division and riling people up. Alan sees the kind of tribal mentality that Trump has fostered on his own reality show, "The Traitors," where contestants make incredibly stupid decisions because they don't want to deviate from the pack. The actor takes the opportunity to urge people to vote, protest, and stay vigilant in the face of the Republicans' campaigns of hate against immigrants and trans people. (And that includes Vance's dumb, dated gay jokes.) Plus: Rep. Garcia of the House Oversight Committee is preparing to get the gavel in January. He's already teed up new Epstein legislation, and he's planning to end the cover-up of 3 million Epstein documents, many of which have to do with Donald Trump. Also on the target list: the Trump family's business deals and the donors to the ballroom.

Alan Cumming and Rep. Robert Garcia join Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

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show notes:

• "The Traitors" on NBC

• Alan's show, "Tip Toe," on Starz

• October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

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Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Will Sommer give an update on the MAGA influencers caught pushing a false story about Texas Democrat James Talarico, and why those behind the smear may face few consequences. They also examine court documents revealing how Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski allegedly fed false information to Laura Loomer to smear a government employee, raising questions about how political disinformation spreads without traditional media scrutiny.

Plus, the trio breaks down Ben Shapiro’s growing conservative movie business, including why Hollywood stars like Rob Lowe are signing on to his films. And an update on Anthony Constantino, a Trump-obsessed Republican whose rap songs and devotion to the president have drawn attention to his campaign for Congress.

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Mike Johnson sure sounds afraid of what might come out when the House—under Democratic control—actually does its job and investigates the corruption of this administration. Democrats should start with the families of Trump officialdom who've been making bank since Inauguration Day. And as the Guilfoyle firing shows, everyone in Trumpland is expendable. Plus: Republicans have got nothing to offer voters but bribery and bigotry, Talarico shows the right way to disarm MAGA lies, the Elon-Putin-Trump Axis of Evil is together again, and George—in his first week back with The Bulwark—passed a cognitive test just like our president.

George Conway joins Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• Trump talking to Ken Bone in 2016; evidence of his current mental decline

• Ossoff on Chris Hayes’s show

• Miss South Carolina at the Miss Teen 2007 pageant

• October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

• Closing Song: Orville Peck - “It’s the End of the World”

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Tim Miller gives his take on Elon Musk’s return as the biggest campaign donor of the 2026 midterms, funneling $276 million into Republican groups, including $158 million to help Republicans hold the Senate. After threatening to launch his own political party and breaking with Donald Trump, Musk is back in the GOP’s corner.

Tim looks at how Musk’s spending, Trump’s return to X, the administration’s dealings with Russia, and Ukraine’s loss of critical Starlink access point to a renewed alignment between Trump, Musk, and Vladimir Putin. He also looks at how powerful tech executives, including Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, and Marc Benioff, are sucking up to with Trump as the tech industry’s influence over politics and public discourse grows.

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Elon is now pitching in to help POTUS sabotage Ukraine while Trump makes a payout to Putin and works on his next self-enrichment scheme. A Cooper victory in North Carolina would be key to a potential Democratic Senate majority—a first step to reining in Trump—but the former governor warns Tim that Republicans have historically been undercounted in the polls and his lead should not be taken for granted. Plus: Scheiber in his recent book has the backstory on the radicalization of recent college grads, who tend to support the DSA and think America has too much power. And at a time when even white collar professionals identify with the working class, Trump's economic messaging sounds even more ridiculous.

Roy Cooper and New York Times reporter Noam Scheiber join Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• Cooper’s campaign site

• Noam’s book, “Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class”

• JVL on Trump screwing the housing market

• This week’s “The Next Level”

• Link to send to elected Democrats on behalf of Maryam Tahmasebi and her family

• The Jay Kang piece that Tim referenced about Noam’s book

• October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you.

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Tim, Sarah, and JVL are back together for a super-sized, off-the-rails show. They wish Kimberly Guilfoyle well after she was forced out of the Trump administration, dig into the background of our new White House Press Secretary, discuss the DHS raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar's home, discuss the right-wing meltdown over James Talarico's absence from the campaign trail, and gloat about the GOP pulling resources out of some key House races.

Then, they go behind they paywall, and it REALLY gets fun: They watch Katie Zacharia's entire White House press briefing (all 15 minutes), and give their minute-by-minute commentary. Then: Sarah and JVL ask Tim whether he's reconsidered his stance on a take that got MANY Bulwark listeners mad a few months ago.

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This premium ad-free version of The Next Level is exclusively for Bulwark+ members.

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Americans are living in a more dangerous world now because of Donald Trump. Not only because of his now-expanding war in the Middle East, but also through his reckless advocacy of AI. And in his desperation over the midterms, he's cut a sinister deal with Putin, the very same man helping Iran to kill Americans. Rice tells Tim this is not the time to be complacent over the good polling numbers. Just go vote. Plus, Democratic strategist Jackie Rosa checks in from South Texas on the electoral landscape there and offers up some advice on how Dems should talk to Latino voters.

Susan Rice and Jackie Rosa join Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• JVL on Trump's desperate, weak deal with Putin

• “The Next Level” podcast out later today

• Tim’s updated candidate list

• Bobby Pulido’s campaign site

• Johnny Garcia's campaign site in TX-35

• October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you.

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Not only did the lamest of October surprises blow up in the faces of Ken Paxton and the rightwing loons desperate to get Talarico on something, Greg Abbott is now in a tight race with his Democratic challenger, Gina Hinojosa. And all the money pouring in to prop up Paxton could be better spent on Senate races in Alaska and Kansas. This would be a great time for the Democratic Governors Association to steer (a lot) more funding Hinojosa's way.

Plus: Bill and Tim share their long shots, POTUS can't quit showing how much he's in the tank for Putin, MBS is finding out the hard way how the Trump family treats their business partners, don't be distracted by DHS's clownish authoritarianism in raiding Ilhan Omar's home, and the Iranian family that Tim has been advocating for is still in the Dilley detention center.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• Will Sommer and Andrew on MAGA’s Talarico breakdown

• Bill in “Morning Shots” on thinking beyond the midterms

• Bill’s “Bulwark on Sunday” with Ron Brownstein

• Brendan on the Trump superfan running in upstate New York

• Blake Gendebien’s campaign site (NY-21)

• Gina Hinojosa’s campaign

• Tim's piece on Maryam Tahmasebi and her family

• Bulwark LIVE in Atlanta on Oct. 20

• Closing Song: MJ Lenderman - “She’s Leaving You”

• The Bulwark store

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Tim Miller takes a closer look at Ohio Senate candidate Jon Husted, whose carefully crafted moderate persona masks a record of corruption allegations, MAGA loyalty, and political opportunism. From his ties to Ohio’s utility scandal and donations from Jeffrey Epstein associate Les Wexner to his opposition to releasing the Epstein files, Husted has plenty of explaining to do.

Tim also examines Husted’s role in bringing data centers to Ohio, his support for the Iran war and Trump’s tariffs, his dismissive comments about people living in poverty, and his decision to hire a political director with a history of Nazi imagery and white nationalist associations. As Husted tries to appeal to both MAGA Republicans and swing voters, Tim makes the case for why Ohioans should reject his candidacy and send Sherrod Brown back to the Senate.

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While the cult of Trump is dragging Republicans' popularity down, the Democrats have good, ideologically diverse candidates running all over the place. And voters aren't stupid: They know Trump's war and his tariffs are why prices are higher. But high-profile polling misses in recent years still haunt Dems, so Adam takes a deep dive into whether Republicans are doing better than the polls are showing. Plus: Derek explains how AI is making our lives more expensive and ponders why people behind AI think it's the most dangerous thing in the world yet still keep trying to build it as fast as possible. And no, AI does not have feelings.

Derek Thompson and Adam Carlson join Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

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show notes:

• Derek's "The 26 Most Important Facts About AI and the Economy"

• Sam's interview with the guy who snitched on Guilfoyle

• Tim's Take on Vance discussing socialism

• Nate Silver on Derek's "Plain English" pod

• The New Yorker video, "Josh's Wedding," that Tim referenced

• Johnny Garcia's campaign site in TX-35

• Katy Padilla Stout's campaign site in TX-23

• October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Closing song: Orville Peck's "It's the End of the World"

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you.

Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members.

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Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Democratic strategist Lis Smith join a live audience at Dartmouth for a spirited debate about Trump’s collapsing political fortunes, the GOP’s future under JD Vance, the Democrats’ struggle to rebuild their coalition, and the wide-open 2028 presidential race. Plus, a sobering question: What happens if Trump loses Congress and decides to go rogue?

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Tim Miller gives his take on JD Vance’s fumbling attempt to define socialism and the hypocrisy at the heart of MAGA’s attacks on Democrats. Asked why socialist candidates are gaining ground across the country, Vance pivots to immigration and transgender athletes instead of explaining what socialism actually means.
But while Republicans warn that Democrats are bringing socialism to America, the Trump administration is expanding government control over the economy, intervening in private enterprise, and using the power of the state to target political enemies.

Tim explains why the administration’s own policies undermine its anti-socialist rhetoric, how Vance’s answer exposes the weakness of MAGA’s midterm message, and why the word games are more than just a political joke.

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The king of the birther conspiracy knows he needs to round up the white male vote, so he's serving up one of his old faves—straight-up anti-Muslim bigotry. And he's added a new one: Making Americans pay for another political ad, this time about what a tough guy he is. But Trump also has another corruption problem, courtesy of Trump Jr.'s ex-fiancée, Amb. Kimberly Guilfoyle, who seems to have a habit of calling in very expensive favors. Plus: Rubio is laying the groundwork for 2028, Hegseth is lobbying to keep his job after the midterms, the Democratic establishment is coming together for El-Sayed, Bibi has been very bad for Israel, and Trump has created a long-term security crisis for the West as a result of his Iran war.

Susan Glasser joins Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• Susan on Hegseth declaring victory in the wrong war

• The NYT on Iran forcing Trump and Hegseth to retreat

• Sam's interview with the guy who snitched on Guilfoyle

• Susan's 'Political Scene' podcast

• Trump falling asleep during the Susan Dell photo-op

• Will Sommer on the Andrew Tate eel-sex problem

• October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Closing song: MJ Lenderman's "She's Leaving You"

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE show in Atlanta on Oct. 20

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

  
  

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Florida's Democratic nominee for the Senate says average Americans right now are living in the dreams of oligarchs and the super-rich, and it's time for regular people to live their own dreams. The progressive maverick promises to fight to help all Floridians—regardless of party—to be healthy, prosperous, and safe. And while Republicans like to point out Nixon's DSA affiliation, the Trump administration itself is acting socialist, while also sending immigrants back to countries like Cuba and Venezuela. Plus: Nixon weighs in on Vance's racist dog whistle, and Tim praises Troy Jackson's debate performance against Susan Collins—who seemed out of touch and was forced to play defense over Trump, the war, and the stupid tariffs.

Angie Nixon joins Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• Angie’s campaign site

• October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE shows, including Atlanta on Oct. 20

• Closing Song: The War on Drugs - “Suffering”

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

  
  

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Destroying trust in the government is one of Trump's key sources of power, but Michael reports from the front lines of the deep state that there still are good employees serving the public interest. In his new book, Michael celebrates some of the heroes who either managed to survive DOGE—or were stupidly pushed out despite the vital roles they filled. And the absolute failures of DOGE raise serious questions about how Elon could be trusted to run any enterprise. Plus: Trump sure sounded like he was inviting Iran to bomb two big blue cities, and Republicans are rushing money to South Carolina and a very GOP district in Kentucky. Seems like Tim and Bill were onto something with their long-shot midterms picks on Monday.

Michael Lewis joins Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• Michael’s new book, “Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State”

• Tim’s ‘Take’ on how Trump’s corporate enablers should be worried about 2027

• Michael’s post-Katrina piece, “Wading Toward Home”

• “The Fifth Risk,” Michael’s book on Trump 1.0

• Michael on Sam Bankman-Fried, “Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon”

• October Surprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE shows, including Atlanta on Oct. 20

• Closing Song: MJ Lenderman - She’s Leaving You

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

  
  

As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you.

Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members.

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Tim Miller gives his take on the Democrats who are already arguing against investigating Donald Trump’s corporate allies, warning that accountability cannot be sacrificed in the name of avoiding political “retribution.” He argues that companies and executives who participated in or benefited from Trump’s corruption should face scrutiny, and that Democratic oversight in 2027 will be critical to uncovering what actually happened.

If Democrats want to restore the rule of law, he argues, they need to make clear that corruption has consequences, including for the powerful people and companies that helped enable Trump.

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Like all good demagogues, Trump's appeal works when he's got someone to blame. But it's on his watch that we've got a war-related global food crisis brewing and mass layoffs in Ohio—where Trump just happened to hold a rally over the weekend. So, POTUS is focused on getting his family more money through a new bribery scheme while Republicans struggle to demonize Dems and throw away resources on Paxton. Plus: Bill and Tim share their new long shot picks (in South Carolina, Florida, and Kentucky), Thom Tillis is a coward and a weakling, online trolls claiming The Bulwark is trying to get Dems more hawkish on the war really ought to catch one of our podcasts, and Russia's got a worrisome plague outbreak.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• Andrew in “Morning Shots” on the Pierre Damas Bel funeral vs. Trump’s rally

• Andrew joins Bill for “Bulwark on Sunday”

• Follow “Bulwark Takes” for breaking and developing news

• Washington Sun on Trump meme coin/bribery scheme

• The WSJ on the brewing global food crisis

• Tim’s new candidate list

• October Suprise: The Bulwark is 30% off

• Upcoming Bulwark LIVE shows, including Atlanta on Oct. 20

• Closing Song: The War on Drugs - “Suffering”

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

  
  

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Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Daily are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members.

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Tim Miller takes on Vivek Ramaswamy’s attempt to show off his strength at a campaign event, then turns to Jon Ossoff’s message to young voters about why they can’t afford to give in to despair and the case for turning frustration and rage into political action. Plus: Tim’s thoughts about James Baldwin and the long history of people overcoming seemingly impossible odds.

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What is going on with Trump's legs? He appears to be wearing a brace and a recent video shows him standing in a most unnatural way—as though he is mid-exorcism. But his apparent health issues don't seem to be stopping the administration from re-escalating against Iran with an additional 10,000 troops on their way to the region. Meanwhile, Trump's son-in-law, Jared (AKA the point person on the Gaza peace deal) turns out to be a war profiteer heavily invested in Israeli bomb-making companies. Plus: Some of the recent polls have been too rosy for the Dems, Islamophobia may be at play in the Michigan Senate race, Tim makes the case for regime change in Eritrea, and the cabal of guys at the All-In podcast—who bought their access to Trump—are some of the loudest voices pushing for his all gas, no breaks approach to AI.

Tommy Vietor joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

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show notes:

• Tommy’s “Pod Save the World”

• Recent video of Trump standing

• Closing Song: Orville Peck - “It’s the End of the World”

• The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

• The Bulwark store

  
  

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Finally, some accountability in Washington: Sen. Eric Schmitt’s general counsel and poster-holder is in career limbo after the infamous basketball mix-up in the Jack Smith hearing. And Americans seem to be holding Trump responsible for their economic frustrations—he’s below the Bush Line. Josh Barro explains: We’re not in a recession, but people feel stuck because borrowing costs are higher. Big budget deficits are inflationary, the president’s war of choice is making things worse, and our leaders don’t have a plan to deal with any of it. Plus, JVL explains why the markets are finally pricing in the risk of Trump’s war, and he and Tim discuss the weirdos running our government, Hegseth’s obsession with masculinity, and the importance of shame in a liberal democracy.

Josh Barro and Jonathan V. Last join Tim Miller.

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show notes:

• Part one and part two of Tim’s list of Democrats who can win Red America

• TIME’s interview of Trump

• Subscribe to JVL’s Triad

• JVL on oil risk premiums

• Jodi Kantor for The New York Times on the public shaming of John Roberts

• Closing Song: The War on Drugs - Suffering

  
  

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