The Bulwark

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?Leave a comme

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

We know so many of you love reading, so we are excited to share with you that we are starting a monthly book club with Mona Charen.Mona’s first pick: retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling’s book, If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime JournalBuy Mark's book: Here Get a signed copy of Mark’s book: Here Read more

(Photo illustration by The Bulwark / Photos: Getty, Shutterstock, FBI.gov)FBI wades into the MAGA civil warTrump world has been roiled for nearly a year with internal divisions—over Israel, Jeffrey Epstein, the Charlie Kirk assassination, and on and on.But now, the Trump loyalists appear to have realized something: They control the world’s leading law enforcement agency and can use it to settle these meddlesome internal squabbles!Last week, the FBI promised to investigate one of the

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, Ca

Todd Blanche did one singular thing that particularly pleased Donald Trump: He organized and executed the Epstein cover-up. Democrats must ruthlessly hang Blanche's dirty work on every Republican senator who's willing to confirm him as AG. That includes his moving Ghislaine Maxwell to a cushier prison, the millions of documents he's not releasing, and his complete disregard for the survivors. Plus, Bill Pulte is the linchpin in Trump's plot to interfere with the midterms, Pratt lost fair and squ

(Photo illustration by The Bulwark / Photos: Getty, Shutterstock)1. CovfefeMaybe you haven’t seen Trump’s appearance yesterday on Meet the Press yet but OMG it’s a trainwreck. People are fixated on the fact that Trump walked out on Kristen Welker, but honestly that’s the least worrisome aspect of the interview.The United States is at war and the president is non compos mentis.We’re going to talk about what has to be the most batshit insane presidential interview in

Sam Stein and Will Sommer went live to 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.Leave a commentAs always: Watch, liste

This weekend saw a series of worrisome escalations between Israel and Iran, with the battered, beleaguered ceasefire in the region threatening to give way entirely. On Sunday, Israel carried out strikes against Hezbollah forces in Beirut, prompting Iran to fire missiles at Israel for the first time since April. President Donald Trump urged Israel not to return fire and for both sides to “stop shooting,” but Israel nevertheless responded, launching airstrikes against Iran itself early

President Donald Trump salutes as a U.S. Army carry team moves a flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor at Dover Air Force Base on March 7, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)WHEN KRISTEN WELKER ASKED PRESIDENT TRUMP this weekend whether he would consider bringing American troops home from the Middle East, his answer was striking: “It costs us very little to keep them there,” he said, later adding, “But I t

A monument to Russian war dead at at a massive burial site of Russian soldiers in the rural Volga region of Kostroma, on October 20, 2025. (Photo by Andrey Borodulin/AFP via Getty)HEMINGWAY FAMOUSLY OBSERVED in his 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises that one goes bankrupt “gradually and then suddenly.” The same can be said of armies. Sometimes they’re routed in great, decisive actions, like the French in 1940, but often their ability to fight is eroded slowly over time by many facto

Eric and Eliot dissect the latest jackassery before pivoting to the war with Iran. They offer differing assessments of the negotiations and discuss the prospects for a lasting ceasefire. Next, they return to the Russia-Ukraine war and reflect on the staggering Russian casualty levels and severe economic toll the war continues to inflict on Russia. They discuss the under-reported and dangerous nuclear developments on the Korean peninsula before closing with the books they're currently reading.Eri

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 5 launch date would be a disaster. Plus: Hertling on getting caught in an Iraqi sandstorm, the Coast Guard’s impossible mission in The Perfe

(Photo illustration by The Bulwark / Photos: Getty, Shutterstock)THE CONTINUOUS WAVE of public controversy surrounding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner has given way to a private wave of recriminations over how the party’s marquee Senate race ended up in such a tenuous place.And within the fractious and competitive world of Democratic operatives and consulting firms, it is the Philadelphia-based ad firm chiefly behind Platner’s rise that has taken it most on the chin.Fight Agenc

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.Leave a commentAs always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclu

Tom Joscelyn joins Bill Kristol for Bulwark on Sunday.Leave a commentAs always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members.Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here. Read more

(Photo illustration by The Bulwark / Photos: Getty)A PRETTY BIG JOLT just hit one of this year’s most critical Senate races. And I don’t mean the one in Maine.On Friday, Michigan’s chapter of the United Auto Workers announced it was endorsing Abdul El-Sayed’s bid to become the Democratic nominee for the state’s open Senate seat. El-Sayed is the former public health director for Detroit and Wayne County, a Bernie Sanders–backed progressive whose campaign mantra

A banner of Donald Trump’s face hangs from the Department of Justice building on June 3, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)PRESIDENT TRUMP’S $1.776 BILLION weaponization fund to compensate January 6th rioters for their troubles is now (probably—perhaps mostly) dead. But that doesn’t mean that you should stop paying attention to it.It’s not just that the fund could eventually be brought back to life, as Trump himself has expressed a desire

John Avlon sits down with Seth Bodnar, independent candidate for U.S. Senate from Montana, to talk about why a Green Beret veteran and former university president is betting that the two-party system has finally broken down enough to make a third path viable. They cover the Iran war, the rigged ballot access game, dark money flooding Montana's Democratic primary, China buying American farmland, the healthcare cost crisis, and what one independent senator could actually do with the right leverage

Mona Charen and Will Saletan on Texas's political earthquake: Paxton's shocking primary win, whether Democrat James Talarico can actually flip the state, the YOLO Republicans finally speaking up too late, and what Bill Cassidy's post-loss laugh tells you about everything.Leave a commentBulwark Book Club: Mona will interview retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling abour his book, If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal.Join the conversation! Drop your questions or comments about the book