Bulwark Takes

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Why Republicans Are Nervous About Iowa Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Longwell gives her take on the state of the race in Iowa ahead of Tuesday's primary elections. With Donald Trump's approval numbers slipping, farmers feeling the effects of tariffs, and growing frustration with Republican leadership in the state, Democrats believe they have a real opportunity to compete in races that once seemed out of reach. Sarah breaks down what's driving voter anger and looks at Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, the Democratic Senate primary between Josh Turek and Zach Wahls, and why national political observers are suddenly paying close attention to a state that has trended Republican for years. Is Iowa becoming competitive again? And could it be one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 election cycle?

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BREAKING: Trump Taps Unqualified Hatchet Man As New Intel Chief | Morning Shots Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol went live to react to Trump’s shocking decision to install housing official Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence, despite having no intelligence background. They discuss what the appointment says about Trump’s priorities, growing concerns about the weaponization of government power, signs of Republican resistance on Capitol Hill, and whether Trump’s increasingly frustrated behavior signals deeper problems ahead for his presidency.

Scott Pelley: Bari Weiss is “Murdering 60 Minutes" Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

JVL and Will Sommer give their takes on the explosive showdown inside CBS News after Scott Pelley confronted new 60 Minutes executive producer Nick Bilton during his first meeting with staff. According to reporting from Oliver Darcy's Status newsletter, Pelley blasted CBS leadership and declared that Bari Weiss is "murdering 60 Minutes." JVL and Will break down what happened in the meeting, why Bilton appeared unprepared for the backlash, the firing of key 60 Minutes staffers, and what the corporate overhaul could mean for the future of the iconic broadcast. They also discuss why many journalists believe the changes have little to do with digital growth and everything to do with control over the newsroom.

BREAKING: DOJ Will Follow Order To Pause $1.8 Billion Slush Fund Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

Sam Stein and Andrew Egger give their takes on the breaking news that the Trump administration is reportedly pausing and potentially abandoning the controversial $1.8 billion slush fund for January 6 defendants and other Trump allies. Sam and Andrew walk through how the arrangement came together, why judges are now scrutinizing it, and why even Republican lawmakers are growing uneasy with the implications. But just because they said it's "paused," is it actually over?

Even Republicans Hate Trump’s America 250 Lineup | MAGA Mondays Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

Will Sommer and Sam Stein went live on Monday at 10am to cover the outrage from Republicans about artists cancelling on America 250 and Trump making it a rally instead, the Proud Boys bringing cookies to a pro-ICE rally, Trump’s former Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino hanging with white nationalists, and James Fishback’s ex-girlfriend speaking out.

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

This Senate Race Just Got VERY Strange May 31, 2026

Show notes

Catherine Rampell and Will Sommer take on one of the strangest stories in American politics: a mystery candidate named Dan Sullivan has entered the Alaska Senate race—as a Republican—to run against the incumbent Republican senator also named Dan Sullivan. Who recruited him, why does his photo look AI-generated, and why is a Peltola-aligned strategist's name buried in the press release metadata?

Trump vs. The Courts (w/ Nathaniel Zelinsky) May 31, 2026

Show notes

Nathaniel Zelinsky, lead counsel in the Kennedy Center case against Trump, joins Bill Kristol for Bulwark on Sunday to discuss the current situation with Trump and the courts.

Nathaniel Zelinsky is a senior counsel and member of the Washington Litigation Group’s steering committee. He is an appellate lawyer who has handled high stakes cases involving major constitutional questions and multibillion dollar disputes, and has argued at every level of the federal judiciary, including before the Supreme Court.

Sports Were America’s Last Politics-Free Safe Space (w/ Pablo Torre) May 30, 2026

Show notes

Tim Miller and Pablo Torre take on the White House calling Tim an Iranian propagandist, how Trump colonized American sports culture—from SEC stadiums to the White House lawn—and why Democrats keep fumbling the ball on sports politics.

An Epstein Survivor Grades Pam Bondi’s Testimony (w/ Annie Farmer) May 30, 2026

Show notes

Catherine Rampell welcomes Epstein survivor Annie Farmer to discuss Pam Bondi’s closed-door congressional testimony, the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files, and the unanswered questions that continue to fuel demands for transparency. Farmer shares her firsthand perspective on the investigation, the treatment of survivors, concerns about missing documents, and why accountability remains elusive decades after the first warnings about Epstein.

Judge Orders Trump’s Name Removed From the Kennedy Center May 30, 2026

Show notes

Ben Parker and Sonny Bunch give their takes on the news that a federal judge's ruled that Trump's name must be removed from Kennedy Center. They examine the legal battle, the mass exodus of performers, the uncertain future of upcoming seasons, and how Trump's efforts to remake the Kennedy Center may have backfired.

Read more from Sonny's piece: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-day-and-a-nation-at-the-kennedy-center

Watch Sonny's conversation with Josef Palermo's on the Kennedy Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rEDNCdqYzg

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