The Bulwark Podcast

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.
show notes

Jane's podcast, "What A Day"

Barron's on how there's only one enforcement lawyer left in the Chicago CFTC

Crooked Media on Substack

Tickets are now on sale for our LIVE shows in Dallas on March 18 and in Austin on March 19. Plus, a small number of seats are still available for our second show in Minneapolis on February 18. TheBulwark.com/Events.

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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.
show notes

Monday's "Morning Shots"

Bill's "Bulwark on Sunday" with Ron Brownstein

Tim's 'Bulwark Take' on the National Review's reporting on Trump's corruption

Tim and Andrew on how Dems may be winning the DHS funding fight

Tickets are now on sale for our LIVE shows in Dallas on March 18 and in Austin on March 19. Plus, a small number of seats are still available for our second show in Minneapolis on February 18. TheBulwark.com/Events.

For their buy 1 get 1 50% off deal, head to 3DayBlinds.com/THEBULWARK.

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.
show notes:

David on ending immunity for federal agents

Chris Geidner on government lawyer Julie Le

David's tweet about "tradlife"

Tim, Sam, and Will Sommer on Elijah Schaefer

JVL on the Beatitudes in "The Triad"

David's recent piece on liberalism

The NYT on Katie Britt

Tim's playlist

Tickets are now on sale for our LIVE shows in Dallas on March 18 and in Austin on March 19. Plus, a small number of seats are still available for our second show in Minneapolis on February 18. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/bulwark-events

The massive layoffs at Jeff Bezos's Washington Post involve more than just the financial situation at the paper. The Amazon founder's real priority is keeping Donald Trump happy so the money keeps flowing from his lucrative government contracts. And the man worth $260 billion will do what it takes, even if that means hollowing out a great news organization and potentially turning it into a MAGA-friendly outlet. Maybe having the economy so dependent on government contracts—with an erratic, megalomaniac at the top of the food chain—is not such a good idea. The former executive editor at The Post says Bezos should turn the paper into a nonprofit. Plus, the origin story of "Democracy Dies in Darkness," and the profiteering and corruption in the administration is not getting the press attention it deserves.
Marty Baron joins Tim Miller.
show notes

Marty's book, "Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and The Washington Post"

Tickets on sale Friday for our live shows in Dallas and Austin in March, and our second Minnesota show is selling out. Go to: TheBulwark.com/Events.

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Donald Trump is going to do everything he can to hold onto his near monopoly on power after the midterms. Beyond his scheme to invoke the Insurrection Act through a riot he’s trying to will into being in Minneapolis, he could also declare foreign election interference—or claim there was skullduggery afoot in Los Angeles or Georgia precincts. Anything to stall or stop the new Congress from being seated. Who’s going to stop him? Meanwhile, America will get the short end of the stick under his stupid new National Security Strategy. Plus, Dem elites since 2016 have failed to appreciate the economic despair among so many Americans, and some spiritual guidance for getting back to the moral and political pillars of the Declaration of Independence.
Marianne Williamson and Bob Kagan join Tim Miller.
show notes

Bob's recent piece in The Atlantic

Marianne's Substack

Due to popular demand, we've added a second show in Minneapolis on Wednesday, February 18. Tickets are now on sale at TheBulwark.com/Events.