Episode Summary: "The Velociraptors Have Learned How To Open Their Cage"

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Host/Author: The Bulwark
Episode Number: 16
Release Date: June 29, 2025
Episode Title: Bulwark On Sunday: The Velociraptors Have Learned How To Open Their Cage

Introduction

In Episode 16 of Bulwark Takes, host Bill Kristol engages in a profound and urgent conversation with Tom Joslin, a seasoned political analyst and senior fellow at Just Security. The episode, titled "The Velociraptors Have Learned How To Open Their Cage," delves deep into the authoritarian tendencies emerging within the Trump administration, exploring the implications for American democracy and constitutional norms.

Setting the Stage: Early Signs of Authoritarianism

Bill Kristol begins by reflecting on the initial weeks of the Trump presidency, emphasizing the systematic approach to consolidating power:

“...those nominations, we fought them. We both stuff. But I mean, if you had told us on, even on November 4th that Trump's going to win and we're going to have Bondi and Patel and Hegseth and Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., I don't think even we might have been doubtful.”
(00:35)

Tom Joslin concurs, highlighting Trump's strategy to place loyalists in key positions to neutralize internal checks:

“He was going to make sure he had loyalists in place. He made sure he wasn't have anybody who was gonna put the brakes on him and what he wanted to do as the head of the executive branch.”
(02:13)

Politicization of the Department of Justice

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the overt politicization and personalization of the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Trump:

Bill Kristol underscores the unprecedented nature of this shift:

“The incredible overt politicization and personalization of that department... it seems to be no signs of it abating either. There was a little bit, oh, well, that'll just be the first few weeks and then it'll calm down to business as usual. But I don't know, I feel like it's why they're just chugging right ahead. And it's Trump's department. It's not the Department of Justice.”
(04:19)

Tom Joslin elaborates on the erosion of ethical and legal boundaries, citing Trump's declaration of himself as the nation's chief law enforcement officer:

“He referred to himself as the nation's chief law enforcement officer in that speech. Now, think about that. Since Watergate, we've had this wall separating Department of Justice from the White House when it comes to prosecutions. But Trump really comes in and he says, there's no wall. I am the nation's chief law enforcement officer. I'm going to dictate, you know, how things go here.”
(04:27)

Pardoning January 6th Participants: An Orwellian Reversal

The conversation intensifies as they examine Trump's pardoning of January 6th participants:

Bill Kristol expresses deep concern over the normalization of such actions:

“It feels like it's been more normalized than not. And finally, I'll let you talk, because I really want to hear you on this...”
(06:30)

Tom Joslin describes the pardons as a dangerous reversal of the narrative, positioning the government as the antagonist and supporters as victims:

“By pardoning all the January Sixers, what he was saying was, yeah, you're right, you know, the government was the bad guy here. You guys were the good guys and the victims. And that's a type of Orwellian reversal of the narrative.”
(08:36)

The Role of Conspiracy Theories in the Trump Project

A central theme is the strategic use of conspiracy theories to galvanize support and undermine trust in established institutions:

Bill Kristol underscores the strategic targeting of conspiracy-minded individuals:

“...the best way to get someone to believe in a conspiracy that you want them to believe in 2020 election was rigged is to find people who believe in other conspiracies.”
(10:51)

Tom Joslin reinforces this by citing RFK Jr.'s nomination as a prime example of leveraging conspiracy theories for political gain:

“His nomination and confirmation... shows how powerful as a political constituency this online conspiracism is.”
(11:21)

Aggressive Immigration Policies and Authoritarian Infrastructure

The discussion shifts to the Trump administration's stringent immigration policies, highlighting the construction of an authoritarian infrastructure aimed at mass deportations:

Tom Joslin warns of the catastrophic implications of mass deportations, describing them as a pathway to authoritarianism:

“The path to an authoritarian regime does lie in mass deportations... if they were actually to follow through on that and do do that, think about what it would entail... that whole infrastructure, that whole process.”
(15:58)

Bill Kristol adds concern over the substantial funding allocated for ICE and border control, suggesting the build-up of authoritarian mechanisms:

“They're building up the authoritarian infrastructure.”
(16:15)

Corruption and Financial Grift within the Administration

A critical examination of Trump's financial dealings reveals alarming levels of corruption and grift:

Tom Joslin dissects Trump's financial filings, exposing extensive income from dubious crypto offerings and foreign investments:

“He made more than $57 million in cash from selling really kind of dubious crypto sort of offerings to the public.”
(28:11)

Bill Kristol draws parallels between Trump’s financial malpractices and the long-discussed Hunter Biden laptop controversy, emphasizing the magnitude of Trump's corruption:

“What Hunter Biden was running or the Bidens were running, it just insignificant compared to the sons we're talking... $57 million... dwarfs anything that was on Hunter Biden's laptop.”
(31:05)

Future Implications and the Threat to Constitutional Norms

Both Kristol and Joslin express grave concerns about the future trajectory of the Trump administration and its potential to further erode constitutional safeguards:

Bill Kristol highlights the administration's aggressive use of military force domestically and the lack of checks by Congress and the courts:

“They’re in no rush to demobilize anyone... they're doing it. And the courts are, for now, at least, not stopping them.”
(24:14)

Tom Joslin warns of the fundamental threat to constitutional rights, emphasizing the erosion of due process and free speech:

“Our fundamental rights, our constitutional order and our constitutional rights are at risk... what they're doing is really a fundamental threat to the constitutional rights that conservatives are supposed to value.”
(37:09)

Conclusion: The Urgent Need for Vigilance and Resistance

In their concluding remarks, Kristol and Joslin underscore the imperative to recognize and combat the administration's authoritarian maneuvers:

Tom Joslin uses a vivid metaphor to illustrate the precarious situation:

“The Velociraptors have learned how to open their cage. And they did. They learned how to open the cage. And so they're out now and they're strutting their stuff and it's going to take a lot of effort to put them back in the cage.”
(40:43)

Bill Kristol reinforces the urgency, calling for imaginative and steadfast resistance to safeguard democratic principles:

“...this is such a, I think important conversation, I hope useful one for people and one that really just... we need to really think imaginatively about what they're doing.”
(37:30)

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Bill Kristol (00:35): “If you had told us on November 4th that Trump's going to win and we're going to have Bondi and Patel and Hegseth and Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., I don't think even we might have been doubtful.”

• Tom Joslin (04:27): “I am the nation's chief law enforcement officer. I'm going to dictate, you know, how things go here.”

• Tom Joslin (08:36): “By pardoning all the January Sixers, what he was saying was, yeah, you're right, you know, the government was the bad guy here. You guys were the good guys and the victims. And that's a type of Orwellian reversal of the narrative.”

• Tom Joslin (15:58): “The path to an authoritarian regime does lie in mass deportations... that whole infrastructure, that whole process.”

• Tom Joslin (28:11): “He made more than $57 million in cash from selling really kind of dubious crypto sort of offerings to the public.”

• Tom Joslin (37:09): “Our fundamental rights, our constitutional order and our constitutional rights are at risk.”

• Tom Joslin (40:43): “The Velociraptors have learned how to open their cage. And they did. They learned how to open the cage. And so they're out now and they're strutting their stuff and it's going to take a lot of effort to put them back in the cage.”

Final Thoughts

This episode serves as a critical examination of the Trump administration's drift towards authoritarianism, highlighting the dangers posed by politicized institutions, the strategic use of conspiracy theories, aggressive immigration policies, and rampant corruption. Kristol and Joslin call for heightened vigilance and proactive measures to defend constitutional norms and democratic institutions against these encroachments.