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We are here: Trump is openly defying the Supreme Court while sitting side-by-side with a Latin American strongman who openly mocked our judicial system from inside the Oval Office. Trump so badly wants his one-man rule and Republicans keep helping him, while corporate America keeps trying to get on his good side. Meanwhile, the intimidation is chilling free speech on college campuses and within immigrant communities. 

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes

• JVL's emergency Triad from Sunday
  
  
• JVL's latest Triad
  
  
• The latest Focus Group on the fighting mood among Dem voters 
  
  

Trump has effectively imposed a trade embargo on China, which means that after the inventory runs out, American retail will soon dry up. And since Europeans are already bypassing U.S. military contractors to beef up their defense spending —El Salvador is our only ally now— Trump is likely to do something desperate, like firing the Fed chair or seizing Greenland. American presidents decades from now will still be cleaning up what Trump did to this country in 2025. David Frum breaks down the insanity and stupidity of the vision behind the tariffs regime as well as the deep feelings of betrayal in Canada. If globalism means peace, prosperity, and commerce, then let's be globalists.

 David Frum joins guest host Jonathan V. Last for the weekend pod.
show notes

• David's new Atlantic podcast
  
  
• David on screw manufacturing and the absurdity of Trump's tariffs
  
  
• David on how the tariffs will make smuggling great again
  
  
• Tim's playlist
  
  

Just before he paused the tariffs on Wednesday, an unusual spike in activity on the S&P 500 prompted speculation that Trump was orchestrating an insider trading scheme. After the markets closed, he joked with *the* Charles Schwab about how the financier had made $2.5 billion in trades that day. Meanwhile, Trump ordered the DOJ to investigate two former officials he regards as enemies—this comes on the heels of his efforts to intimidate law firms from taking on clients who oppose him. Plus, Trump's long obsession with white South Africans, and do Democrats listen too much to grassroots activist groups?

Andrew Weissmann and Patrick Gaspard join Tim Miller.

show notes

• Andrew's Substack
• Rep. Steve Horsford questioning whether the tariff pause was market manipulation

The White House is pumping out a lot of happy talk about countries wanting to make deals over the tariffs, but the tumult Trump has created has spread to the bond market. And that may be a sign that he has people so spooked about the U.S. economy that our Treasuries are no longer seen as a safe bet. Meanwhile, China has a lot of leverage here and may be using it. 

Plus, the Democrats' candidate recruiter for the midterms, Colorado's Jason Crow, discusses how to win back working class voters. 

Catherine Rampell and Rep. Jason Crow join Tim Miller.

show notes

• Catherine's column, "Who will tell Trump he’s naked?"
  
  
• Catherine's column on the Senate GOP tax plan
  
  
• NYT profile of Jason Crow 
  
  

When it comes to biomedical research, America is already great. We are the world's leader in the field. But the Trump administration is gutting research and innovation on things like cancer, Alzheimer's, and arthritis—and the amputation of our scientific expertise under RFK, Jr. has been about as thoughtful as the tariffs rollout. Meanwhile, when it comes to the developing budget bill, Medicaid is getting some surprising red state support from people like Josh Hawley. Plus, when people willfully choose ignorance as a way to cope with an uncertain world.

Professor Mark Lilla and The Bulwark's Jonathan Cohn join Tim Miller. 
show notes

• Mark Lilla's new book, "Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know"
  
  
• Mark's website
  
  
• Jonathan on Trump's cuts at child-care programs like Head Start
  
  

Part of the reason for the market bloodbath is because the finance wizzes didn't factor in that Trump would actually do the truly moronic thing he kept saying he would. Their shock over his recklessness is intensifying the crash. Meanwhile, a trio of administration fools trying to defend the tariffs—Lutnick, Bessent, and Hassett—showed there is no grand design to the trade war, White House infighting is getting hot enough that even Elon is subtweeting Trump, and the folks we elected over on the Hill could actually do something to try to stop the market carnage. Plus, new reporting on our government's kidnapping of migrants, Republicans in North Carolina are trying to steal a supreme court seat, and where is JD Vance?

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes

• JVL on the end of the American Age 
  
  
• Lauren on the backlash against Dems in major law firms who are bending the knee 
  
  
• 60 Minutes segment on migrants sent to the Salvadoran penal colony 
  
  
• Tim's 'Bulwark Take' responding to the 60 Minutes report 
  
  
• Tim talking with AEI's Stan Veuger about Trump's terrible tariff math
  
  
• The book, "The Captive Mind" by Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz 
  
  

It's been great to live in America since World War II, but Trump is in the process of blowing up that whole order. Even Canada is looking to lead a new alliance, because how can other countries trust us after voters put the stupidest convicted American back in charge? And never forget that Russia is not on the tariff list—despite the fact that the US does more trade with Russia than a number of other countries on the list. Meanwhile, Trump opted to head to a golf tournament instead of attending the dignified return of the four dead servicemen who were killed in Lithuania. Plus, 9/11 truther Laura Loomer is running the National Security Council and we're still bombing the Houthis.

Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes

• Video of Lithuanians paying homage to the four American soldiers who died in a training accident
  
  
• Tim's playlist
  
  

The market plunge is just pure Trump chaos, and perfectly matches his record as a businessman. From his numerous bankruptcies and many failures—including his airline, his casinos, his university, his water, and his steaks—he's been running one long con. And the supposedly smart people who should have known better put him back in power, somehow thinking he would never do something like destroy global trade. Meanwhile, in Michigan, where there have already been job losses directly caused by Trump's tariff war, State Senator Mallory McMorrow announced she's running for the U.S. Senate—saying she's had enough of the leadership and the bullshit in DC.

Bloomberg's Tracy Alloway and Mallory McMorrow join Tim Miller.
show notes 

• Tracy's Bloomberg podcast, "Odd Lots"
  
  
• Mallory McMorrow's Instagram
  
  
• Mallory's new book, “HATE WON’T WIN: Find Your Power and Leave This Place Better Than We Found It.” 
  
  

Musk was so high on his own supply that he thought he and his money were magic—but Wisconsin voters turned out in droves to prove to him just how toxic his brand and DOGE are. Meanwhile, the Dem base is looking highly engaged as they keep showing up for special elections in numbers Republicans used to deliver in off-cycle races.
Plus, Cory Booker's epic filibuster, Mike Johnson gets owned by moms, and China will fill all the vacuums Trump is creating in science, foreign aid, and trade. Sam Stein joins Tim Miller.

The administration admits it mistakenly sent a Maryland father with protected status to the Salvadoran penal colony—but at the same time, it says the federal courts have no jurisdiction over him because he is now in a foreign country. If some of us have no due process, that opens the door to none of us having due process. Meanwhile, Trump's administration seems hellbent on destroying the U.S.-led world order, Marco Rubio is acting very un-American, and we actually do have long-standing protocols for how a president's national security team should discuss a military strike. Plus, Mother Jones reporters show the absurdity of ICE's assertions about migrant gang membership.

Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, along with Noah Lanard and Isabela Dias, join Tim Miller.
show notes

• Atlantic piece on the Maryland father sent to El Salvador
  
  
• Tim's Bulwark Take on ICE's 'mistaken' deportation
  
  
• Mother Jones on the shoddy tattoo evidence being used to disappear migrants
  
  

If Joe Rogan is the voice in the wilderness on the disappearing of migrants to El Salvador, then the Democratic leadership really needs to rethink its cautiousness. Meanwhile, the Bluffer-in-Chief is musing about a third term and Elon seems to be skirting the law in Wisconsin over an election he claims will determine the fate of civilization. Plus, the tariffs threats are rattling the markets, Trump's gullibility with Putin is coming through loud and clear, and why does JD hate Europe so much? 

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes

• The Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial on Boston Common
  
  
• Official trailer for the film, Glory
  
  
• Texas Democrat Veronica Escobar on the deportations to El Salvador
  
  
• Elon in a cheesehead

• *Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Go to surfshark.com/thebulwark for 4 extra months of Surfshark.
  

Trump is siccing the thought police on the Smithsonian, he's got an FBI task force set up to protect Elon's car company, and he's turning random tattoos into gang insignia—unless they're on Pete Hegseth. Meanwhile, Greenlanders did not come to play, Elise Stefanik gets benched, the DOJ won't do its real job, and next week's elections are making Republicans nervous. Plus, courage is contagious—make them come after everybody. Amanda Carpenter joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

Amanda Carpenter joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes

• "Hands Off" demonstrations on April 5
  
  
• Protect Democracy's "If You Can Keep It" newsletter
  
  
• Tim and JVL on JD and Usha Vance's Greenland trip
  
  
• MTG lashing out at a British reporter
  
  
• Tim's playlist
  
  

Trump so far is not delivering on his promised spike in deportations, but he is creating a permission structure where we lock up people without due process in a foreign gulag—and where masked, plainclothes officers in unmarked cars can grab an international student off the street because of her speech. Meanwhile, a Rolex-wearing Kristi Noem is shooting videos in front of people we've turned into hostages, the mainstream media is struggling to respond to the moment, we can't count on judges siding with the Constitution, Republicans refuse to be honest, and far too much of the public is not paying attention. 

Jon Lovett joins Tim Miller.
show notes

• FDR's "Rendevous with Destiny" speech
  
  

No matter how hard Republicans try to spin the sharing of top secret military attack plans on an insecure app, the colossal f***up of an administration that claimed it was rooting out incompetence is plain on its face. And while Jeffrey Goldberg told Tim Tuesday that he was mulling over releasing the Signal messages, he went ahead and did so after the administration accused him of lying and sneaking into the Signal group chat. Plus, Russia pretends to agree to a cease-fire, Breitbart kind of grows up, and a new book examines Capitol Hill's craziness—including Trump's control of the House GOP, Nancy Mace's delusions of grandeur, and Schumer's infinite faith in the Republican Party of old.

Michael Weiss, Ben Smith, and Annie Karni join Tim Miller.

show notes

• Annie's new book, "Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man with Rats in His Walls Broke Congress"
  
  
• Ben's pod, "Mixed Signals"
  
  
• More on Tulsi's Vatican trip paid by a Belgian businessman with ties to the Kremlin
  
  
• Ben's interview with Megyn Kelly at Semafor Events
  
  
• Phillips O'Brien's Substack piece on the “Black Sea Ceasefire” 
  
  

Senior members of Trump's Cabinet got caught sharing attack plans—down to details of who they were planning to kill, and with what kind of weapons, while also wishing Godspeed to our soldiers—and now they'll say anything to get out of the jam they put themselves in. Also, JD Vance openly questioned the judgement of the president in front of those very senior Cabinet members. Meanwhile, vengeance has long been a defining feature of Trump, but the habits of his heart have also infected his supporters. And they've become a moral freak show cheering on deportations of families and starving Africans. Jeff Goldberg and Pete Wehner join Tim Miller.

show notes

• Jeff's original scoop on getting texted war plans (gifted)
• Pete's piece on Trump's insatiable appetite for revenge
• Trump's 1992 interview with Charlie Rose
  
  

Bill Kristol joined Tim Saturday in Arizona to rip the atrocious behavior of our government—depriving even lawful Venezuelan migrants of due process, and shipping them off to a mega-prison in San Salvador where they may be being tortured. Any Democratic politician failing to speak out on this is wrong politically, morally, and ethically. Meanwhile, the DOJ is gearing up to charge Tesla vandals with domestic terrorism and Trump sent a Putin fanboy and very useful idiot, Steve Witkoff, to negotiate over Ukraine. Plus, AOC, Bernie, and Bill 2003 vs. Bill 2025. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Time magazine piece on the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador
  
  
• Sam talking with Lindsay Toczylowski, who represents Andrys, the gay barber and Salvadoran prisoner
  
  
• Photos of Andrys as a barber/makeup artist
  
  
• Call your Democratic senator: 202-224-3121.
  
  
• Immigrant Defenders Law Center
  
  
• The immigrants' rights division of the ACLU
  
  

Trump loves to complain about the deep state while Elon claims he's rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse with all his mass firings. But DOGE should be looking higher up the food chain to target the graft: for example, the South African immigrant whose car company would not have gotten off the ground without the taxpayer money he still collects. In contrast, government workers are mainly mission-driven and they're not in it for the money. Michael's new collection of essays takes a look at some of the characters who populate our federal workforce, including people performing small miracles without fame and glory. Plus, the risk of Trump politicizing economic data and his plan to destroy whatever trust people still have in the government.

Michael Lewis—and Sarah Vowell, who profiled a record keeper at the National Archives for the new book—join Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes

• The new book, "Who Is Government: The Untold Story of Public Service"
  
  
• Tim's "Bulwark Takes" on some of the men taken taken to the El Salvador prison camp
  
  
• Adrian's "Huddled Masses" newsletter on ICE deportations based on tattoos
  
  
• George Conway emergency pod on the Paul Weiss law firm caving to Trump
  
  
• Michael's book, "Losers: The Road to Everyplace but the White House"
  
  
• Tim's playlist
  
  

Trump is a vessel for frustration over the status quo, but he is not a vehicle for a solution—since he has no idea about how to make things better for anyone besides himself. He's made clear that his personal interests come before the country's, and he's willing to trade away the superpowers that made America the globe's Dream Team. The Democrats need to seize the moment to argue for a smarter, more humane way to do efficiency. Plus, the Maryland governor shares his disgust over DOGE's disrespect of veterans and discusses his commitment to elevating boys and men.

Gov. Wes Moore joins Tim Miller.
show notes

• Richard Reeves on Moore's commitment to help boys and men
  
  
• New York magazine on David Shor's 2024 election data 
  
  

The Art of the Deal guy gave a master class on how to get worked over by Putin: First, wait around for an hour like an obedient puppy only to have your ceasefire proposal summarily rejected. Then, watch the Kremlin issue a statement that flatly contradicts your claims of what transpired during the phone call on Ukraine. Will there ever be a point when Putin embarrasses Trump so much that he has to defend his manhood? Plus, the possible interpretations of John Roberts's rebuke of Trump, and the administration's sacrifice of even more U.S. power—by silencing the Voice of America.

Ben Wittes joins Tim Miller.
show notes

• Ben's Lawfare piece on Trump destroying the Voice of America
  
  
• Tim's and Sam's interview with Tim Mak on the Trump-Putin phone call
  
  
• NYT story on the possibly deleted data on kidnapped Ukrainian children (gifted)
  
  

The fastest growing demographic class in America is billionaires—we've gone from 500 to 2,500 in the past 10 years. And they know the cheapest, easiest way to get richer: Give a million bucks to Mr. Pay-to-Play in the Oval Office. Meanwhile, maybe just maybe POTUS's confidant in Moscow deposited some cash in his Swiss bank account AKA TrumpCoin, and that's why he is working so hard to get Ukraine to surrender. Also, Dems really need to focus on one or two issues to counter Trump's flood the zone strategy: like the threat to Social Security or questioning why Elon is not applying DOGE to his own Tesla subsidies. Plus, young men are the most anxious, depressed, and obese generation in history and we've really got to help them. 

Jessie Tarlov and Scott Galloway join Tim Miller.
show notes
Raging Moderates podcast

Trump is taking liberties with our country's role in the world as a land of hope and opportunity by summarily locking up and deporting law-abiding immigrants—including people with legitimate asylum claims, people here on proper visas, and people with minor errors in their paperwork. And it's all being done with intentional cruelty to convey the message: Don't even think of coming to Fortress America. Meanwhile, his tone-deaf billionaire treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, is mocking Americans for wanting cheap TVs. Plus, Schumer postpones his book tour as Democrats look elsewhere for a fighter, and Trump throws a late-night tantrum about Biden's pardons.

show notes:

White House sizzle reel of immigrants being sent to penal colony in El Salvador
Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick

Trump & company aren't even attempting to create a pretext for why they're punishing the free speech of political opponents. They are basically confessing in writing to violating the First Amendment. At the same time, the administration claims it's throwing a Hamas supporter out of the country in the name of fighting antisemitism—while giving jobs to the 'right kind' of antisemites. Plus, MAGA turns on Amy Coney Barrett, Trump sees Canada as 'our Ukraine,' and we're looking at a party that is governing like it will never give up power.

David French joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes

• David's column on Trump's attack on the First Amendment (gifted)
• Post that David referenced that was retweeted by Jessica Riedl
• Tim's playlist

Democrats are stuck with two terrible options: Either facilitating a government shutdown or allowing Republicans to pass a spending bill that would defund D.C.'s police and schools. Meanwhile, CEOs are getting rattled by Trump's tariff and trade-war chaos, a 'Hispanic Hibernation' is leading to job loss, and Marco Rubio is turning Hamas supporter Mahmoud Khalil into a martyr—as the campus free speech warriors go missing. Plus, California congressman Jimmy Gomez joins Tim to discuss how Dems need to finesse their 'relatable' skills, and man up against the billionaire establishment. 

Sam Stein and Rep. Jimmy Gomez joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Morning Shots on Puma cutting jobs because of a 'Hispanic Hibernation'
  
  
• The Bulwark's tip line
  
  
• Mona on the Mahmoud Khalil case
  
  

Putin has been named a war criminal because of the Russian way of war in Ukraine—bombing Kyiv and other cities, attacking civilians and first aid workers, and destroying infrastructure. The administration's pause on aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine made the US complicit in those crimes. Meanwhile, Trump does not have any leverage to force Russia to comply with the proposed cease-fire. Plus, the escalating trade war with the EU harms our national security, our allies' hesitancy to share intelligence because of Tulsi, and the South African DOGE bro's laughably absurd attack on Mark Kelly.

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Hertling's Bulwark piece on the damage of Trump's pause on aid and intel sharing with Ukraine
  
  
• Hertling's Bulwark piece on a frozen conflict in Ukraine
  
  
• Andrew's interview with Sen. Mark Kelly
  
  

To find out what's really going on in Trumpistan, the AP is out and random lifestyle Instagrammers and MAGA conspiracy posters are in. Meanwhile, hothead Dan Bongino couldn't join the FBI until he fulfills his commitments to his podcast advertisers, Seb Gorka—the new counterterrorism chief—is a prank caller, and RFK Jr. resurfaced to ordain beef tallow fries a healthy food choice. Plus, did Elon go to Trump with tears in his eyes, and ask, "Sir, will you buy one of my cars?"

The Bulwark's new Senior Reporter Will Sommer joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Ben Dreyfuss tribute to Kevin Drum
• Tim's 2024 interview with Julie K. Brown about Jeffrey Epstein
• Bloomberg story on Don Jr's plans to monetize MAGA (gifted)
• New International Version of Proverbs 1:33
  
  

This time around, Trump has dispensed with the ribbon-cutting side of being president—he's just not giving average Americans anything to feel good about. Instead, his administration is defunding the police, freeing criminals, and welcoming home the alleged sexual predator Tate brothers. Meanwhile, Trump is also shrugging off the economic news even as Maria Bartiromo is raising the threat of a recession. Plus, our allies and trading partners are infuriated, and we've officially become one of the bad guys in Ukraine.


S.E. Cupp joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Tim joined Bill for the "Bulwark on Sunday"
  
  
• "Bulwark Takes" on Apple Podcasts
  
  
• The Noah Smith piece Tim referenced
  
  

They end up sounding ridiculous whenever they try—like the treasury secretary saying that access to cheap goods is not part of the American dream. At the same time, Trump’s circle of plutocrats don't seem to mind that the stock market is tanking. And while the administration is cutting Ukraine off from US intelligence to serve up an unjust peace, the Pentagon is on a CTRL-F "gay" delete rampage. Plus, Dems need to skip the kooky TikToks, and the SpaceX rocket explosion was only one part of Elon's very bad day. 

Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes

• Tom's piece about Dems acting too normal (gifted)
  
  
• Tim's interview with a reporter in Ukraine
  
  
• Clip from French senator's speech calling out Trump and Elon
  
  
• MAGA hat guy thinking he's gone into the lion's den at Disney World
  
  
• Debris from the latest SpaceX rocket explosion reentering the atmosphere over the Bahamas
  
  
• Tim's playlist
  
  

Donald Trump is hurting the American people. The DOGE cuts are not only waging war on jobs, they're also harming the American public and undermining the safety, health, and economic well-being of everyday Americans. And by cowering to his favorite bully in Moscow, Trump is prepping the US to be a subservient partner of Russia. Plus, John Fetterman joins Tim to share his opposition to the campaigns against both transgender athletes and soldiers, and to chastise Dems for the way they received the POTUS in Congress.

Sen. John Fetterman and Neera Tanden join Tim Miller.

show notes

• Fetterman's tweet after the Senate blocked a ban on transgender athletes 
  
  
• Fetterman's video on Trump's trans military ban 
  
  
• Fetterman's tweet after Trump's address to Congress 
  
  
• Neera's Center for American Progress 
  
  

Once upon a time, presidents used to take tough questions from the press, but the current White House occupant can't handle any scrutiny from cantankerous reporters. And on his sad and sulking days, he needs warm and fuzzy Newsmax in the press pool to envelop him with flattery. Meanwhile, the joint session of Congress address has become basically pointless, SCOTUS blocks Trump's usurpation of power by one single vote, and at Trump's behest, the CIA is punishing Zelensky because he won't cooperate with the administration's disinfo campaign. 

Plus, Democrats need to show voters they are genuinely furious. And if you've thought about running for office, now is the time to jump in—particularly in districts the Dems have tended to ignore.

Amanda Litman and Jim Acosta join Tim Miller.
show notes
The Jim Acosta Show
Amanda's 'Run for Something'
When reporters rallied around Fox after Obama White House tried to shut it out

Trump is anti-American and seems to hate this country: How else can his behavior be explained? The tariffs, the austerity, the threat of a default, along with the corruption and grift— it feels like we're at the beginning stage of something that could go very, very bad. Meanwhile, Trump may not have the cards himself on Ukraine. Europe and the rest of the West have the economic might to continue to back Ukraine. And if that coalition maintains a united front, it would have the power to reject a 'peace' deal imposed by the US and Russia. 

James Carville and Michael Weiss join Tim Miller.
show notes

• Carville's NYT piece on his advice to the Dems (gifted)
  
  
• Michael's piece on Europe backing Ukraine alone
  
  
• A Cybertruck getting pelted at the Orpheus parade in NOLA Monday night
  
  

Trump is trying to chuck the post-WWII order and firmly pivot American foreign policy away from Europe and toward Putin—the poor guy who got dragged into totally-not-a-hoax Russia Russia Russia. And Lil' Marco and Lindsey rushed to defend Trump and JD against Zelensky, who dared to question in the Oval Office whether Putin could be trusted in any ceasefire deal. At the same time, DOGE is putting the lives of malnourished children and pregnant women at risk in the name of cost-cutting while Trump is planning to use taxpayer money to prop up crypto, so he and his cronies can personally profit off it even more.


Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes

• Sam joins Bill for the most recent "Bulwark on Sunday"
  
  
• More on the USAID memo laying out Rubio's failure to provide life-saving foreign aid
  
  

Tim has a new Gen Z podcast, co-hosted by Cameron Kasky. The most recent episode is called "Nazi Parties Aren't Ragers," and features guest Joshua Rush, a former Disney Channel star turned political operative.

Covid-19 locked up Gen Z during their formative years, and the GOP offered them a party. Sure, there’s some Nazism mixed in with the drinks, but during a loneliness pandemic, you take what highs you can get. Tim and Cam discuss how Covid helped push Gen Z right. Plus, Joshua Rush defends the activist tactics of Gen Z and explains how— in the face of nonstop nihilism—he still has optimism for the future of America.

Joshua Rush joins Tim Miller and Cameron Kasky.

show notes
FYPod page

Forget the Epstein files hullabaloo. Members of the Trump administration, perhaps at the urging of Barron Trump, seem to have directly intervened to get the travel ban lifted on the Tate brothers, who are charged with rape and sex trafficking in Europe. Meanwhile, a "Keep Christ in Christmas" extravaganza is being planned at the Kennedy Center, where Trump is now chair. Plus, the con behind crypto is going to run out of fools, CEOs are regretting their bet on Trump, Kash wants to run the FBI part-time from Vegas—and the Dems need to try on a little shamelessness and make Trump own the spiraling price of eggs. 


David Frum joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes

• David's new piece on the Tate brothers (gifted)
  
  
• David's "Cautionary Tale for Trump Appointees" (gifted)
  
  
• Nevada Independent story on Kash and the Vegas timeshare megadonor
  
  
• WSJ on Kash's whirlwind start at the FBI
  
  
• Tim's playlist
  
  

The not-so-shadow president's largest Tesla plant is in Shanghai, but the People's Republic of China has the pink slip and can take it back at any time. Meanwhile, China—the world's largest automaker—is working hard to eat into our car industry, and Trump, who fooled enough voters that he was a successful business tycoon, is happily talking about killing subsidies in the critical EV market—except for Tesla of course. Plus, bartender AOC is the best AOC, Bezos is one of the biggest corporate welfare profiteers, and Michael Fanone recounts how he dressed down larping Proud Boy trolls. 

Mike Murphy and Michael Fanone join Tim Miller.
show notes

• Mike's EV Politics Project
  
  
• Hacks on Tap podcast
  
  
• Evan Perez story on Kash's very DOGE demand for a remodeled FBI office
  
  

Republicans are aiming to gut Medicaid to pay for trillions in tax cuts for the richest of Americans, and they're trying to hide it. The Dems need to bring the DC conversation home—hold town halls everywhere, tell voters what would happen, especially in rural MAGA areas where hospitals and trauma centers will close. Meanwhile, Trump is turning chaos at the border into chaos in the streets by having ICE grab people who haven't even committed crimes to pump up his deportation numbers. Plus, Elon's insatiable and scandalous quest for more money, the Dems' evolving media strategy, and how to help maintain mental health during these stressful times. 

Sen. Ruben Gallego and Zerlina Maxwell join Tim Miller.
show notes
Zerlina's show on SiriusXM Progress Channel 127
Zerlina's new Substack
Will Selber's piece that Tim referenced

Trump administration lawyers don't know or won't tell a federal judge who is running DOGE because Elon doesn't formally exist as part of the government he is trying to dismantle. And the administration is likely to lose many of the wrongful termination cases involving forest rangers, researchers, and the like—it will end up paying back wages and not save any money in the process. Meanwhile, we are not exactly confident that the FBI under Kash and meathead Dan will thoroughly investigate the recent bomb threat against Never Trumpers and police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan 6. Ben Wittes breaks it all down. Plus, Lawfare has been crushing it, and it's now out with a new podcast about the history of US-Ukrainian relations, hosted by Nastya Lapatina and Tyler McBrien. 

Ben Wittes, Anastasiia Lapatina, and Tyler McBrien join Tim Miller.
show notes

• Episode 1 of Lawfare's "Escalation"
• Lawfare's home page
• The second episode of the Gen Z FYPod is out!
  

Trump keeps filling out his administration with the unqualified and the inexperienced, including the recent addition of borderline literate hack Dan Bongino at the FBI. Meanwhile, Trump's Friday night DOD purge was another step in embedding autocracy in our government. Plus, Elon's and Vance's efforts to influence the German elections seem to have backfired. And before the Proud Boy drama and the bomb threat at the annual Principles First conference, Tim spoke with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis about the right way to cut government waste and build more houses—and how the Dems should polish their prosperity messaging.

Gov. Jared Polis and Bill Kristol join Tim Miller.
show notes

• Bill's "Bulwark on Sunday" interview with Bob Kagan
  
  
• Principles First's "Declaration of Principles"
  
  

Boos at a Republican town hall in Fulton County, and boos at the White House: We're beginning to see signs of people refusing to be ruled by unelected billionaires, oligarchs and CEOs. This may be the time for Democrats with some heterodox views to run for office. Meanwhile, the supposedly free speech president and his shadow are trying to intimidate people from criticizing them—including a member of Congress and one of Elon's baby mamas. Plus, Trump's advisers seem more worried about Zelensky saying mean things about him than the fact that he wants to hand the spoils to the losing side of the war. 

Rep. Adam Kinzinger joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes

• Tim's interview with CA Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia
  
  
• Sam's interview with FEMA chief who was fired and has now been rehired
  
  
• Evidence of Elon shadow-banning Grimes
  
  
• Kinzinger's substack
  
  
• Tim's playlist
  
  

If Marco Rubio was NOT playing the long game masquerading as a patriotic neocon who gets placed in the State Department to then give Russia everything it wanted, what would he be doing differently? Meanwhile, a Democratic version of the Tea Party may be brewing, the tensions between Elon and Russ Vought are likely to pop out, and a psychoanalyst needs to explain Mitch McConnell. Plus, the Saudis are getting their claws in our sports with a LIV-PGA deal and Trump's astonishingly corrupt involvement. And also -- Trump doesn't know ball.

Pablo Torre and David Graham join Tim Miller.

show notes

• David's forthcoming book, "The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America"
• David's newsletter on the Department of Education
• Pablo's podcast, "Pablo Torre Finds Out"

Crypto should be one of the biggest stories out of the Trump administration, but the crypto guys are really good at making it seem more complicated than it is. Bloomberg's Zeke Faux joins Tim to run down the ins-and-outs, and the players—including the Chinese businessman facing SEC charges who swears the $56 million he gave Trump has absolutely nothing, zero, zilch to do with his case. Meanwhile, we're about to find out how much Republicans really care about the deficit with the coming budget, and the Democrats must not cave. Plus, Elon's crappy math, America would not get anything out of Trump's deal with Russia, and Tuesday's violence in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Zeke Faux join Tim Miller.

show notes

• Zeke's book, "Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall"
• Zeke on Chris Hayes's podcast

Trump is A-OK with all the murder and mayhem Russia has unleashed on Ukraine, and he's making a mockery of all his enablers who claimed he'd do a Reagan-esque kind of deal. Instead, Ukraine wasn't even invited to the "peace" talks, while Trump tries to impose an extortion deal on the Ukrainian people for daring to fight back against the Russian invasion. Plus, the danger to our constitutional system if the main guy in the Oval Office defies a court order, the real live threat to the First Amendment from the White House's lockout of the Associated Press, and the origin story of Trump's obsession with Greenland. 

Susan Glasser joins Tim Miller.

show notes

• Susan's latest New Yorker column
• Tim's new Gen Z politics show, "FYPod"
• The "Bulwark Takes" feed on Apple podcasts
• The NYT story on the Panama hotel that Susan mentioned
• Larry Diamond's piece in Persuasion
  
  

Firing air traffic controllers over a busy holiday travel weekend, cutting a veterans crisis hotline, axing and then rehiring people who maintain and keep our nuclear arsenal safe: Musk and his minions aren't trying to "fix" the government. They're trying to make it more susceptible to Trump's personalized leadership. And the MIA Dems need to get out there and throw some punches since the media loves fights. Meanwhile, the US is now more of a problem than a solution on Ukraine, Elon's massive corruption isn't drawing anywhere near the same attention as Hunter/Burisma—and Bill Cassidy could just vote against Kash or delay his confirmation if he's really worried about the FBI. 

 Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller 
show notes

• Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Eric Edeleman
  
  
• Don Moynihan's newsletter that Bill mentioned
  
  

Unlike the cowardly Republican senators who are rolling over in the face of Kash Patel's bald-faced lies, the men and women of the Justice Department are taking their oaths of office seriously by refusing to comply with a blatantly political order to dismiss corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. Meanwhile, Trump is just over the moon with Vladimir Putin—even though his army is performing quite poorly on the battlefield against Ukraine. Plus, the makeup heir advising Trump on foreign policy, Emil Bove is this moment's cartoon villain, and Pizzagate's Jack Posobiec is somehow inside the administration's inner circle. 

Andrew Weissmann and Michael Weiss join Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes
Support "Orange Ribbons for Jamie" here, formed in honor of Parkland shooting victim Jaime Guttenberg
Details on Zelensky offering Trump a Ukrainian boxer's championship belt
Tim's playlist

While Elon claims he's storming the government to cut waste, he's also getting himself a big fat check for $400 million from the State Department for Tesla armored vehicles—though administration officials are now trying to hide the grift because the Trump glow does not extend to the weird dude. Meanwhile, McConnell may have voted against confirming RFK Jr, but he's the one who drew up the blueprint for breaking the rules. Plus, the asymmetry in passion between MAGA and the resistance, and Alex's new podcast looks at how people are being affected by the policies and promises of Trumpism.

MSNBC’s Alex Wagner join Tim. 
show notes
Trumpland with Alex Wagner
Dave Weigel's piece that Tim referenced
Axios piece that was mentioned

If Republican senators had any shred of dignity left, they'd demand that Kash Patel answer why he brazenly lied under oath to them about the purge of agents at the FBI. Credible sources have come forward to say he was directing the whole thing. Meanwhile, Trump has leveled the playing field so companies doing business overseas can do all the bribing they want. Plus, our modern "boy problem," our genetic wiring to not be loners, and finding a way out of our polarization by seeing we have an obligation to respect and care for other people. 

Carol Leonnig and Bob Putnam join Tim Miller
 show notes

• Bob's "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community"
  
  
• The documentary about Bob, "Join or Die"
  
  
• Bob's co-written book, "The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again"
  
  

The Democratic Party was made for different times, when rules were followed. But to preserve the basic power of Congress, and to prove that the Constitution is worth the paper it's printed on, the troublemakers in the Dem caucus have to get busy fighting over tariffs and a looming budget deal. Besides, Trump's strongest hand is performative outbursts—making threats and pretending he got something in return. Plus, Elon is giving away America's greatness, the EU should call Trump's bluff, and the Democrats should quit chasing donations from the social media companies that broke our democracy.

Former congressman Tom Malinowski joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

Tom's Bulwark piece on how the Democrats should fight

The new administration has been routinely breaking the law, including on Friday when it announced it was cutting funding for universities doing medical research, specifically in violation of legislation passed by Congress last year. And over the weekend, Trump, Musk, and Vance signaled a willingness to ignore court orders—a federal judge on Monday declared that the White House was doing just that in response to his order lifting a freeze on grant spending. Meanwhile, Trump designated himself the Supreme Leader over the Kennedy Center, and canned the national archivist perhaps because the agency happened to notice he was hoarding classified documents. Plus, at a time when we could use some decent role models, Jalen Hurts showed what it's like to win without being petty and consumed by grievance.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.
show notes

JVL's Triad newsletter on how the Dems can win the USAID fight

Partly because of the courts and partly because the White House keeps stepping on rakes or trying to break everything, the Dems who were too chill about Trump pre- and post-election have fully moved into 'threat to the Republic' mode. Meanwhile, angry bureaucrats, particularly at the FBI, are digging in. But don't be sanguine because the administration is still trying to take a wrecking ball to the civil service— anything that goes wrong that involves the government though (like that measles outbreak in Texas) they're going to own from here on out. Plus, Trump's dirty energy policy, the challenge of getting his tax cuts through Congress, and Kanye goes all in on Hitler.

Ezra Klein joins Tim on the weekend pod.

show notes
Ezra's forthcoming book with Derek Thompson, "Abundance"
Ezra's show on YouTube
Measles Outbreak Mounts Among Children in One of Texas’ Least Vaccinated Counties
Tim's playlist

After the dumbest member of the Senate, Tommy Tuberville, was able to block military promotions for months during the Biden administration, Dems should not back down from slowing the roll of Kash and the other remaining abominable nominees. Meanwhile, more federal workers are going to have to speak up—lawsuits don't make good visuals. The nation needs to see the faces of the men and women who are our public servants. Plus, Elon's poll numbers slip, Trump's Gaza gambit is BS, and who is the new DNC Chair, Ken Martin? Michael Steele joins Tim Miller.

With Elon's 20-something operatives running the Treasury Department, it's hard not to feel that we've been severed from reality and a better Earth someplace else. Ben Stiller talks with Tim about metaphysics, avoiding politics in public, and advocating for the millions of people displaced around the world. 

Plus, the origin story of Severance, Adam Scott, John Turturro, and whether the show is a metaphor for life itself. Also, Tim gives a pop quiz, Ben shares his love for the Knicks, and both ponder why there aren't good comedies anymore. 

Ben Stiller joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

Watch Severance
The Albert Brooks film, 'Real Life.'
Trailer for "Real Life'
Ben's New York Times interview
Video of one of Musk's engineers/operatives