Bulwark Takes

Sam Stein and Will Saletan take on the messy first day of U.S.-Iran talks—Trump's threat to seize the Strait of Hormuz and kill negotiators, JD Vance appearing to get publicly snubbed, and the Lebanon clause that may have handed Hezbollah a veto over the whole deal.

Jonathan Cohn reports from South Beach on the fight over a beloved LGBTQ landmark, the history of Miami Beach’s queer community, and how a symbol many thought was gone ended up becoming permanent. Read more in The Bulwark

Bill Kristol sits down with Civil War historian Kevin Levin to examine Trump’s effort to reshape America’s story ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Read Civil War Memory

JVL and Sonny Bunch take on the bizarre saga of Washington’s algae-filled Reflecting Pool and John Cafaro the Trump-connected donor who landed the contract to fix it. Plus, an unexpected detour into wrestling history, Paul Bearer, and why this whole scandal feels more like a cartoon than real life. Looking for a Father's Day gift? Consider a membership to The Bulwark's website. Learn more at https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe

Join Catherine Rampell and JVL live as they cover the week's economic and financial news. The Bulwark makes a fantastic Father's Day gift: Learn more at thebulwark.com/subscribe

Will Saletan takes on JD Vance's TV blitz defending the Iran nuclear deal—and checks his claims against the actual text.

Sam Stein, Tim Miller and Will Sommer take on an insane MAGA scandal in DC—fake Secret Service badges, a strip club blowup, tearful confessions about an Iran airstrike that never happened, and an arrest that finally brought the whole charade crashing down. Plus: what exactly is going on with Kari Lake's face? Read Will Sommer's False Flag newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-shocking-arrest-of-a-maga-pit-bull-fake-secret-service-pal-ryan-fournier-jordan-daley Bulwark website subscriptions make a fantastic Father's Day gift! Learn more at https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe

Sam Stein, Brendan Hartnett and Sarah Matthews are going live to cover the mess at Trump's renovated Reflecting Pool.

Tim Miller and JVL attempt to read JD Vance’s new memoir 'Communion' and discover a book full of contradictions, self-owns, political rationalizations, and some very revealing clues about the vice president’s worldview. Buy Vance's new book (or don't!): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GTQ68YZN

Journalist Michael Weiss, editor of The Insider, and retired CIA veteran Marc Polymeropoulous take over The Bulwark for the kind of conversation they have with each other every day about the intelligence world, what the hell is happening in the United States and what it means around the globe. As they started recording, Trump was wrapping his bizarre Wednesday speech at the G7 Summit defending his deal with Iran. Marc and Michael go off about the news conference and turn to a riveting conversation about what is different about the war with Iran compared to the continuing show of strength in Uk

Sam Stein, Andrew Egger, and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.), went live to cover Trump's appearance at the G7 conference. Plus, the gang reacts to the U.S. unveiling the text in their official MOU with Iran.

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker are joined by Tom Nichols to discuss the week's military news. Read more from Tom Nichols: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/2026/06/trump-g7-comments-misunderstsand-middle-east/687569/ Buy Mark's book here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1966786727/?tag=bulwark08-20

Sam Stein and JVL give their takes on a bombshell new report from the Washington Post showing Trump's White House ballroom project could cost more than $600 million with taxpayers footing half the bill. They break down the ballooning price tag, the demolition of the East Wing, and whether a future president should just tear the whole thing down. Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/bulwarktakes to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.

Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol are going live to cover the week's biggest news. Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/bulwarktakes to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.

Sam Stein and POLITICO’s Chris Cadelago take on reports that the Trump Justice Department is investigating Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. They discuss what's actually known about the probe, the long-running Trump-Newsom rivalry, and whether the investigation is a legitimate corruption case or the latest example of Trump targeting his political opponents. Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch during their Annual Summer Event. For a limited time, get 20% off sitewide at https://BollAndBranch.com/bulwarktakes with code bulwarktakes. Exclusions apply.

Tim Miller is joined by journalist and YouTuber Caolan Robertson, reporting from Kyiv after one of Russia's most devastating attacks on Ukraine in months. Caolan witnessed the aftermath firsthand as Russian missiles and drones struck the Dormition Cathedral, a historic monastery and church complex more than 1,000 years old and one of the most significant sites in Christian history. They discuss Putin's escalating campaign against Ukrainian civilians, the hypocrisy of Russia's self-proclaimed defense of "Christian values," and what life is like in Ukraine as Russia intensifies its terror attack

Will Sommer and Sam Stein went live to unpack last night's gross UFC fight at the White House, Eric Trump's alleged betting scandal, MAGA allies unhappy about a proposed Iran deal, James Fishback calling his opponent Byron Donalds a "slave," and Spencer Pratt now becoming the Joker after losing the LA mayor's race. Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch during their Annual Summer Event. For a limited time, get 20% off sitewide at BollAndBranch.com/bulwarktakes with code bulwarktakes. Exclusions apply.

With Eric on vacation, Eliot welcomes Kenneth Pollack, VP for Policy at the Middle East Institute, to the show. Ken outlines MEI's mission before providing analysis on the current state of the Iran war. They discuss the difficulty of ending a conflict when both sides believe they are winning, and whether we are on the cusp of significant concessions or escalation. They explore whether the war was a good idea badly executed or a bad idea badly executed. The pair also speculate about what a successfully prosecuted war effort would have looked like before turning to the likely trajectory of the I

Tim Miller and JVL give their takes on Trump's announcement that he's reached a deal with Iran. Pakistan says the deal will be signed on Friday.

Will Saletan gives his take on the Trump administration’s victory lap over a potential Iran agreement and explains why the supposed deal sounds remarkably similar to the nuclear deal Trump spent years attacking. After Pete Hegseth and Mike Waltz hit the Sunday shows to sell Trump’s foreign policy “win,” Will examines the White House's contradictions and what the administration may not be telling you.

Bill Kristol and Ryan Goodman discuss Bill Pulte, FISA, Todd Blanche, and the legality of the Iran War.

The Bulwark's Brendan Hartnett reported live from the Kennedy Center at 2:30 AM on Saturday morning, where Rep. Joyce Beatty—who sued Trump in December after being silenced during the board vote to add his name to the building—joins him to watch it finally come back down, following a federal judge's ruling that only Congress has the authority to rename the memorial.

Tim Miller and political streamer Destiny take on Bulwark Podcast clip that radicalized an anti-communist, Elon's first trillion, Trump's kakistocracy cabinet, why Democrats keep walking into far-left media ambushes, and whether the rest of us have any idea what to do about any of it.

Tim Miller recaps his appearance on Deadline: White House with Nicole Wallace, then delivers his personal thoughts about Pride. Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house

Pete Hegseth's latest workout video was supposed to showcase strength. Instead, it was sloppy, in poor form, and seems to show Trump administration officials more determined to become fitness influencers than lead a country. Will Sommer and Joe Perticone give their takes on Hegseth's viral bench press session, RFK Jr.'s airport pull-up stunts, Kash Patel's workout videos, and the broader obsession with macho posturing in MAGA politics.

Bill Kristol, Sonny Bunch and Brendan Hartnett went live to cover the court ordered removal of Trump's name from the Kennedy Center. Watch Sonny's conversation with Kennedy Center whistleblower Josef Palermo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rEDNCdqYzg Read Sonny's piece on the dismantling of the Kennedy Center: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-day-and-a-nation-at-the-kennedy-center

Join Catherine and JVL at 12:30pm on Friday to discuss the week's economic and financial news. Read Catherine's 'Receipts' newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/receipts Read JVL's 'Triad' newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/thetriad

Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer are back and the FBI is coming after Will! How much time is Kash Patel's bureau spending on posting memes than fighting crime? Then, RFK Jr. sits down with a wellness guru whose résumé includes injecting stem cells into his own penis. Naturally, he's now dispensing health advice from the Health and Human Services podcast studio. And finally, the man leading the push to draft former Border Patrol official Greg Bovino for a 2028 presidential run is facing a felony meth charge after a bizarre motel incident. Plus: Candace Owens starts another right-wing infl

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker are going live to cover President Trump's post threatening an invasion of Iran's Kharg Island. Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat, Aspen, and Walden frames at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES. Promo Code BULWARKTAKES

Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Sonny Bunch give their takes on the New York Times bombshell surrounding the Trump White House’s frantic effort to manage the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Behind the several meetings in the Situation Room, JD Vance looks ahead to his own 2028 prospects, Dan Bongino screamed at Pam Bondi, and Susie Wiles and Stephen Chung were left trying to contain damage that keeps multiplying. The only consistent goal was protecting Donald Trump from whatever the files might say. Make today a good day, and get yourself some Soul gummies. Right now, Soul is offering 30% off

JVL, Andrew Egger and Ben Parker are going live to discuss Trump's June 10th press event where he said he "loves" inflation and claimed to reveal military secrets about oil in Iran. Make today a good day, and get yourself some Soul gummies. Right now, Soul is offering 30% off your entire order! Go to https://GetSoul.com and use the code BULWARKTAKES.

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker are discussing the week's major military and foreign policy news. Make today a good day, and get yourself some Soul gummies. Right now, Soul is offering 30% off your entire order! Go to https://GetSoul.com and use the code BULWARKTAKES.

Join Sam Stein and Bill Kristol as they cover the evening's primary elections: Maine, South Carolina, and more. Plus, the latest on Iran and Trump digging his heels in on the appointment of Bill Pulte. Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat, Aspen, and Walden frames at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES. Promo Code BULWARKTAKES

Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol went live to cover Trump falling asleep after getting booed at the NBA Finals, Mike Johnson and the GOP launching back into election-fraud conspiracy theories, and an update to the Pentagon's fighting with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat, Aspen, and Walden frames at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES. Promo Code BULWARKTAKES Read more from Morning Shots: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/hegseth-loses-his-holy-war-defense-mormonism-lds-christianity-lee

Jonathan Cohn interviewed all three major Democratic candidates in Michigan’s high-stakes Senate race—Abdul El-Sayed, Mallory McMorrow, and Haley Stevens—to compare their views on healthcare, electric vehicles, government spending, and the future of the Democratic Party. Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat, Aspen, and Walden frames at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES. Promo Code BULWARKTAKES Read more on the Michigan Senate race: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/issues-that-could-decide-michigan-senate-race-interviews-mcmorrow-stevens-el-sayed

Tim Miller gives his take on Donald Trump's appearance at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, where the president was met with a chorus of boos from Knicks fans. Tim breaks down the reaction inside MSG, the even harsher response from fans gathered outside to watch the game, and the attempts by Fox News to spin away what everyone could plainly hear. Why does Trump's movement always seem to need validation and why can't they just admit when the crowd turns against him? Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to https://Quince.com/bulwarktakes for free shipping on your order and 365-day

Sam Stein went on MS Now to give his take on the lawsuit trying to stop Donald Trump’s planned UFC event at the White House, the legal questions surrounding it, and why it’s yet another example of Trump blurring the line between public office and private interests. His longtime ally Dana White is involved, Trump holds a financial stake in UFC’s parent company, it's on federal property, and they're having it be a nationally televised by another Trump ally. Then, Sam dives into a new report on FBI Director Kash Patel’s continuing search for evidence of a supposed “deep state” conspiracy against

Andrew Egger is joined by Casey Michel, author of the forthcoming book United States of Oligarchy: How America's Wealthiest Ally with Dictators, Weaken the U.S., and Destroy Democracy, to examine how Jared Kushner became a walking conflict of interest at the center of American foreign policy. From cultivating relationships with Saudi royals and Gulf autocrats while serving in the White House to launching a multibillion-dollar investment fund backed by foreign governments after leaving office, Casey walks through how Kushner went from being a laughingstock in the Middle East to a billionaire. P

Sam Stein and Will Sommer give their takes on the flurry of stories across the right-wing fever swamp. They discuss: Mike Lee blasting Pete Hegseth for snubbing Mormons, Kash Patel launching attacks against Judicial Watch, Republicans claiming fraud because Spencer Pratt is losing in the LA mayoral race, Lauren Boebert sounding off on a Fox News reporter, and whether Albania’s PM could be ousted over Jared and Ivanka’s luxury resort. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to https://Quince.com/bulwarktakes for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Sonny Bunch and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) review Pressure, the new film about the D-Day weather decision that nearly derailed the largest invasion in history. They discuss what Eisenhower was really up against: a catastrophic dress rehearsal, a ghost army commanded by Patton, alliance politics, and a lone British meteorologist telling him the June 5th launch date would be a disaster. Plus: Hertling on getting caught in an Iraqi sandstorm, the Coast Guard's impossible mission in The Perfect Storm, the Eagle Claw debacle in Argo, and the Benghazi chaos of 13 Hours—and what all of these have

Tim Miller reacts to Donald Trump’s combative NBC interview, where the president lashes out at the press, revives election conspiracy theories, defends his Jan. 6 compensation fund, dismisses farmers’ economic pain, and makes fresh promises on gas prices and Iran. By the end, the interview devolves into a shouting match—and Trump storms out.

Tom Joscelyn joins Bill Kristol for Bulwark on Sunday.

Sam Stein and Brendan Harnett take on the most important research project in American political journalism: documenting every time Donald Trump has publicly lost his mind over how handsome a man is. After over 100 documented instances, it's fair to say we have a pattern on our hands. The president  cannot stop slow-panning across a room full of guys and narrating what he sees. We're not here to judge. We're here to document

Donald Trump has spent years giving his critics material. Will Saletan brings together some of his favorite Bulwark Takes videos covering Trump's most absurd interviews, bizarre conspiracy theories, embarrassing gaffes, and unforgettable Fox News trainwrecks. From anchors desperately trying to coach him through interviews, to the dumbest lies he's said about elections, to his strange relationship with Vladimir Putin, there is no shortage of moments that go from comical to infuriating. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES to find and instantly bo

Catherine Rampell and Jonathan Cohn give their takes on the return of the flesh-eating parasite screwworm. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has already blamed the Biden's border and immigration policies as a potential cause after saying in November that it was under control. But is that the full story? We examine whether DOGE-related staffing cuts and the broader erosion of international cooperation may have played a role in weakening surveillance and response systems. Plus, beef prices are already at record highs, and ranchers are warning of even more disruption ahead if the outbreak spre

Catherine Rampell and Sam Stein went live to cover the week's financial and economic news. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES to find and instantly book a doctor you love today. Read Catherine Rampell's 'Receipts' newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/receipts

Hunter Biden is back online and he’s not just lurking. He’s posting, replying, and diving headfirst into viral Twitter debates with users big and small. JVL, Sam Stein, and Sonny Bunch give their takes on whether Hunter’s unexpected social media renaissance is just chaos…or something more strategic. Could this be a redemption arc? A political liability? Or even the beginning of a strange new media career? Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.

Tim Miller takes on the Senate vote that kept Trump’s controversial $1.8 billion fund alive, exposing the Republican lawmakers who condemned it in public and then helped save it behind closed doors. Plus, the growing controversy surrounding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, and Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s luxury island project in Albania as questions about corruption and self-enrichment continue to mount. Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house

CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan joins Sam Stein and Will Sommer to discuss his new reporting on the Groypers, the followers of white nationalist streamer Nick Fuentes. Donie spoke to two Groypers who defended Fuentes sexist and racist views. But shortly after they spoke, the two were admonished by Fuentes and faced calls by other supporters to be doxxed because of how they looked. Sam, Will and Donie break down what it actually means to be a Groyper and how online extremism, irony, and nihilism blur together. Watch more of Donie’s work: https://www.cnn.com/videos/title-2600247

As House Democrats look to reclaim the majority in 2026, DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene joins Joe Perticone to unveil four new Democratic target districts and explains why her party believes the political map is expanding. DelBene discusses emerging pickup opportunities in New Jersey, California, Nebraska, and Florida, including the growing controversy surrounding Tom Kean Jr., who has been absent from public view for months. Plus, Joe also asks Florida's newly redrawn congressional map and whether DelBene and the DCCC is supporting Debbie Wasserman Schultz in her controversial new district. Read Jo