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**The Next Level**

Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and Jonathan V. Last bring their signature political insight and banter to the masses in The Next Level podcast. Tune in to hear them discuss the news of the week, break down campaigns and elections, and wade into pop culture feuds. www.thebulwark.com

Latest Episodes:

1047: JD Vance Picked the Ugliest Fight on Purpose Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

Sarah, Tim and JVL discuss the ICE killing in Minneapolis and the escalation that followed, including DOJ prosecutors resigning rather than smearing the victim’s family. They also talk about JD Vance’s eagerness to defend state violence, Trump’s pressure campaign against Jerome Powell, the broader pattern of unchecked power, and why Democratic candidates like Mary Peltola fit their states while others don’t.

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1046: Secret Podcast: The Government Keeps Shooting Civilians Jan 10, 2026

Show notes

Sarah and JVL talk about the new video from the ICE agent as he killed Renee Good. It’s tough and they’re not sure quite where we go from here. Is the rule of law real? Or is everything might makes right?

Also: Trump probably gets away with Venezuela, too. Good times.

Paid members of the Bulwark get access to full episodes of the Secret show.

1045: Venezuela Exposes the Lie of America First Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

Sarah, Tim and JVL discuss the legality and consequences of the Venezuela operation, the emerging split between “America First” and “Trump First,” Stephen Miller’s grotesque worldview, and why Greenland suddenly feels less hypothetical. They also debate the legacy of neoconservatism and Iraq, MAGA influencer drama, and GOP dysfunction in Congress.

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1044: When Fox News Starts Saying "Trump is Bad" (and Other Wild Predictions) Dec 31, 2025

Show notes

JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller look ahead to what’s next—and it (mostly) isn't pretty. From Trump’s plans for the Fed and crypto chaos, to billionaire media consolidation, and some truly unhinged foreign policy ideas, they game out what could break, what might finally collapse Trump’s support, and why things probably have to get worse before they get better.
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1043: Trump's DOJ Utterly Bungled the Latest Epstein Release Dec 24, 2025

Show notes

New Epstein files have dropped, and the fallout is growing. Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL discuss what’s new in the latest release, why the DOJ’s clumsy redactions and selective disclosures made things worse, and how the accumulating evidence and hypocrisy are starting to break through to voters. They also talk about Trump’s distraction tactics, JD Vance’s political viability, and why the old Trump bargain isn’t holding anymore.
NOTE: The Justice Department in a tweet later on Tuesday, after the episode was taped, said that the alleged letter from Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar was determined by the FBI to be fake.

1042: Why Did Susie Wiles Do These Interviews? Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

Sarah Longwell, JVL, and Tim Miller discuss the jaw-dropping Vanity Fair interviews Susie Wiles gave to Vanity Fair and what they reveal about how Trumpworld actually operates, the Epstein and Maxwell fallout, the backlash to Trump’s remarks about Rob Reiner, MAGA’s internal fractures, Elon Musk’s role in dismantling USAID, and why this moment feels different from past Trump controversies.

Susie Wiles, JD Vance, and the “Junkyard Dogs”: The White House Chief of Staff on Trump’s Second Term (Part 1 of 2)

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-1

Susie Wiles Talks Epstein Files, Pete Hegseth’s War Tactics, Retribution, and More (Part 2 of 2)

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-2
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1041: Fear the Reaper | The Secret Podcast Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

Donald Trump isn’t just attacking the press, he’s trying to own it. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss how Trump is using merger approvals, billionaire allies, and corporate pressure to bend major media companies to his will, from CNN and CBS to the broader tech and news ecosystem. They explain why media consolidation creates a dangerous opening for political intimidation, how this power play has nothing to do with conservatism and everything to do with control, and why independent outlets like The Bulwark matter more than ever in an era where money, media, and government are colliding.

1040: Republicans Can Smell Trump’s Weakness Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

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1039: The Feelings Show | The Secret Podcast Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

This a preview of The Secret Podcast, where Sarah and JVL go off-leash and uncensored in an intimate conversation. The full episode is available for paid Bulwark members on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube!
Sarah and JVL are in meat-space talking about the Donald J. Trump buildings coming soon to a town near you. And also why liberalism needs to fight.
But the big topic is all of the feelings they’ve got from being at the annual Bulwark all-hands get together. Warning: Emo JVL is a bit much.

1038: Mike Johnson’s Speakership Is Hanging by Dental Floss | The Next Level Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL get through a chaotic week in Trump’s Washington: Elise Stefanik and Mike Johnson tearing each other apart, Hegseth’s shifting alibis for a possible war crime, Trump nodding off while his cabinet members freelance policy, and a fresh round of immigration extremism that targets even legal residents. They also discuss population-collapse warnings, the “narco-terror” fantasy, JD Vance’s pathetic theatrics, and Tim’s interview with Olivia Nuzzi.
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The Next Level

Susie Wiles, JD Vance, and the “Junkyard Dogs”: The White House Chief of Staff on Trump’s Second Term (Part 1 of 2)

Susie Wiles Talks Epstein Files, Pete Hegseth’s War Tactics, Retribution, and More (Part 2 of 2)

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