Bulwark Takes

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Ex-CIA Officer: Natalie Harp Is a Counterintelligence Nightmare Aug 21, 2026

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Michael Weiss and Marc Polymeropoulos discuss Trump’s “economic D-Day” against Iran, the risks of secondary sanctions and a prolonged blockade, and why Tehran may retaliate rather than simply give in. They also examine the bizarre influence and security concerns surrounding Natalie Harp and the dysfunction inside the White House. Plus, Michael and Marc discuss Ukraine’s evolving role as a military technology powerhouse, America’s intelligence support for Kyiv, and Russia’s growing threat to Europe.

The Man Who Taught Donald Trump How to Be a Demagogue (w/ Chris Cillizza) Aug 20, 2026

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Chris Cillizza and JVL use Hulk Hogan and the strange world of professional wrestling to explain Donald Trump’s political dominance, why conventional political skills don’t seem to matter anymore, and why Trumpism may survive long after Trump himself is gone.

Check out Chris Cillizza on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chriscillizza

...and subscribe to his Substack, "So What": https://chriscillizza.substack.com/

Mike Johnson Is Humiliating Himself Trying to Defend Trump’s War Aug 20, 2026

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Will Saletan tracks House Republicans—Mike Johnson, Gabe Evans, Jason Smith—flailing to defend Trump's Iran war and rising gas prices, catching them in contradictions, dubious legal justifications, and outright lies about the economy ahead of the midterms.

Tim Unboxes a Republican Candidate’s “Medical Device” Aug 20, 2026

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Note (August 27, 2026, 3:30 p.m. EDT): FirmTech has requested that we mention that “FirmTech is a health-technology company developing smart wearables that provide objective, personal, and actionable data concerning sexual function, vascular wellness, and broader health,” and that FirmTech’s “patented technology is designed to objectively measure and monitor erectile function.”

Zach Lahn is the Republican candidate for governor of Iowa with a very unusual résumé and some very unconventional positions. Tim Miller and Brendan Hartnett dig into Lahn’s ties to Kansas and the Koch network, his investment in FirmTech and its award-winning “sex tech” device that Lahn insists is not a sex toy, and questions about whether he’s really an Iowan. They also examine Lahn’s opposition to mRNA vaccines, support for a total abortion ban, MAHA politics, his defense of Trump’s tariffs, and the other positions putting him on the far edge of the Republican field.

Read Brendan's article: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/zach-lahn-please-stop-calling-the-award-winning-sex-toy-a-sex-toy-firmtech-iowa-governor-campaign

Watch Tim’s take on Mike Collins: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/republicans-found-a-way-to-blow-georgia

MAGA Scumbag Cory Mills Just Learned What Trump’s Loyalty Is Worth Aug 19, 2026

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Andrew Egger and Lauren Egan break down Florida’s Democratic primaries—and what Angie Nixon’s surprise Senate win means for Democrats in a state they’ve struggled to compete in. They discuss Nixon’s uphill battle against Republican Ashley Moody, David Jolly’s path for governor, and the awkward dynamic of having a self-described democratic socialist and a centrist Democrat at the top of the ticket. Plus, Cory Mills loses his primary despite Donald Trump’s endorsement.

BREAKING: Trump Wants To Meet Kim Jong Un Aug 19, 2026

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Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker went live to cover Trump's newest push to meet North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and Trump contradicting Jared Kushner on Iran. Plus they walk through what a typical Deputies Committee would look like in the NSC.

The Good Fight Tour: https://www.thebulwark.com/events

Tim and Will Infiltrate the Seedy Side of MAGA’s DC Aug 18, 2026

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Tim Miller is back in DC and it's somehow crazier than he left it. With National Guard troops patrolling Dupont Circle, Tim recruits Will Sommer for a scavenger hunt through Trump's Washington: a $500K-to-join MAGA club co-founded by Don Jr., the bar where Rand Paul's son got into it with Rep. Mike Lawler, the strip mall club where Bessent allegedly threatened to punch out Bill Pulte, and a visit to Mitch McConnell's house, where nobody's quite sure who's home.

Read more from Will: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/false-flag

Morning Shots Live: Trumpworld Erupts When Reporter Asks About Natalie Harp Aug 18, 2026

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Andrew Egger and Ben Parker went live to cover the Republican election deniers in 2020 now running for office, the company that put out a bogus poll on purpose, Trump’s latest threats against an American ally, and the White House response to a question about Natalie Harp.

Read Morning Shots: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshots

The Good Fight Tour: https://www.thebulwark.com/events

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A 7-Year-Old Trapped in Hell Is Begging Senator Katie Britt for Help Aug 18, 2026

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Tim Miller shares the story of a Venezuelan family — a pregnant mother, father, and their 7-year-old daughter — who have spent weeks detained at the Dilley detention facility in Texas, despite doing everything the Trump administration has asked of immigrants seeking to leave the country. The family followed every legal step: they applied for asylum, never missed an ICE check-in, and when they decided to return to Venezuela, they went through the official self-deportation process. Instead of being sent home, they were arrested and detained.

For more on the Texas Immigration Law Council: https://txilc.org/

Call Sen. Katie Britt: 202-224-5744

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Trump Explodes at CNN Reporter During Wild Press Conference Aug 17, 2026

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JVL and Andrew Egger give their takes on Donald Trump’s latest chaotic press conference, from his bizarre claims about talking with Kim Jong Un to his demand that South Korea pay up for U.S. protection. They also look at Trump’s latest comments on the Iran war, the state of the USS Abraham Lincoln, and his increasingly strange defense of his White House ballroom. Plus: Trump lashes out at a CNN reporter, calls the press “fake news,” and insists his ballroom will be bulletproof and missile-proof.

Read more from JVL: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/thetriad

Read more from Andrew: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshots

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Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join

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