The Bulwark Podcast
The Bulwark
Tim Miller and guests discuss the latest political news for the flagship podcast of the Never Trump movement and the reality-based community. Every weekday we provide insightful analysis, political hot-takes, an unabashed defense of liberal democracy and long-form interviews that cut through the "both-sides" BS. Plus a few laughs to help you wash down the crazy.
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Bulwark+ members can get a totally ad-free version of the show delivered right to their favorite podcast player.
Episodes
Mentioned books
44 snips
Feb 5, 2026 • 45min
Marty Baron: Behind the Washington Post’s Demise
Marty Baron, former executive editor of The Washington Post and author, reflects on the paper’s decline and why ownership choices matter. He discusses Bezos’s shifting priorities, the origin of “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” newsroom standards, and a proposed nonprofit future. Short, candid takes on media strategy, political pressure, and preserving journalistic mission.
52 snips
Feb 4, 2026 • 1h 6min
Robert Kagan and Marianne Williamson: Slipping Into Dictatorship
Marianne Williamson, author and spiritual activist, and Robert Kagan, foreign‑policy scholar and Atlantic writer, discuss threats to American democracy and global order. They talk about risks of authoritarian power grabs, the dangers of a return to 19th‑century multipolarity, China and Taiwan, domestic intimidation tactics, and the need for moral and political renewal.
19 snips
Feb 3, 2026 • 55min
Will Stancil: The Heroes of Minneapolis
Will Stancil, a Minneapolis attorney and community activist known for anti-ICE organizing and social media rapid-response, describes neighborhood observers and car patrols that track ICE. He highlights everyday mutual aid from parents and Costco volunteers. He also discusses how recorded evidence shifted public awareness and the online threats and weirdness that followed.
64 snips
Feb 2, 2026 • 50min
Bill Kristol: The MAGA Elites Are Such Frauds
Bill Kristol, veteran conservative analyst and commentator, offers sharp critiques of MAGA elites and establishment collusion. They unpack Immigration enforcement misuses, Epstein documents and elite networks, political weaponization of federal power, and cultural flashpoints from the Kennedy Center to Bad Bunny. Fast-paced commentary on power, cover-ups, and political theater.
83 snips
Jan 30, 2026 • 49min
Michael Steele: A Petty, Punk-Ass President
Michael Steele, former RNC chair and Maryland lieutenant governor, offers sharp political commentary. He dissects chaotic distractions from governance. He questions federal responses to crises and probes corruption risks around appointments and payouts. He highlights threats to election integrity and urges accountability from elected officials.
74 snips
Jan 29, 2026 • 51min
Ta-Nehisi Coates: This Is Armed Identity Politics
Ta-Nehisi Coates, journalist and author known for writing on race and American identity, discusses the origins and risks of Homeland Security language and its power. He revisits Viola Liuzzo and white allyship, critiques media consolidation and the CBS fallout, and condemns Jared Kushner’s exclusionary Gaza plan. Short, incisive conversations about trust, storytelling, and political danger.
72 snips
Jan 28, 2026 • 55min
Adam Serwer and Bobby Pulido: MAGA Got Proven Wrong
Bobby Pulido, Tejano music star and 2026 Democratic candidate from Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, talks border policy, the local economy, and his campaign. Adam Serwer, Atlantic staff writer and author, recounts Minneapolis community ICE-watchers and analyzes MAGA’s political narrative. They discuss protests, enforcement tactics, Second Amendment politics, and how local resistance reshapes national stories.
33 snips
Jan 27, 2026 • 1h 3min
Gov. Tim Walz and Jason Zengerle: The Assault on Minnesota
Jason Zengerle, New Yorker writer and author on Tucker Carlson, explores how Carlson mainstreamed fringe conservative ideas. Gov. Tim Walz, Minnesota governor and former congressman, recounts federal agents’ deployment in Minneapolis and the community’s organized nonviolent resistance. They discuss federal tactics, accountability, media influence, and political networks in short, sharp conversations.
69 snips
Jan 26, 2026 • 46min
Bill Kristol: The Murder of Alex Pretti
Bill Kristol, a longtime political analyst and conservative commentator, joins to dissect the killing of Alex Preddy. They examine the video evidence and agency involvement. They debate accountability, anonymous agents, and selective defense of constitutional rights. They also call out political and corporate complicity and outline possible congressional responses.
31 snips
Jan 23, 2026 • 51min
Mike Murphy: We’re Living in a Nightmare
Mike Murphy, veteran Republican strategist and pollster, offers sharp takeaways on Trump’s Davos 'Board of Peace' theatrics and the geopolitical damage to alliances. He dissects transactional foreign policy, corporate short-termism, threats to the auto and EV sectors, and alarming moves toward government stakes in business. Short, pointed, and often scathing commentary.
