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Tim Miller
Hey, everybody. Tim Miller from the Bulwark here just got off MSNBC with Chris Jansen, who's just the best. We were talking about how Jeff Bezos is trying to kind of nudge out Elon Musk and get more government contracts for his Blue Origin program. We talked about all the ways that he is doing that, including inviting Trump to his wedding this weekend, which I could not give a fuck less about by the way. And they're doing it in Venice and just let the people of Venice be okay. I want to play the clip for you. I want to kind of revise and extend my remarks. It's daytime msnbc, so, you know, we're doing news. I didn't get to everything. I wanted to get to just about how grotesque Bezos's behavior is. So I want to play the clip for you. And then on the backside, I am going to go off a little bit, so stick around for that.
Teddy Schleifer
Tim, as we've been watching with bated breath, breathlessly, in fact, what's happening in Venice, we've seen protests popping up around Bezos wedding. Trump is no stranger to protests against the ultra wealthy. He sees protesters often, in fact, everyone who doesn't agree with him generally as the enemy. Is this something that could actually make Trump sympathetic to Jeff Bezos?
Tim Miller
Yeah. I just want to say for the record, I have not been watching the Bezos wedding coverage with bated breath. So to each their own. To each their own. Look, could it make them sympathetic to Bezos? Yes. I don't know. Look, I, it's. This whole situation to me feels very decadent, very skeezy and just a sign of American kind of the decline of the American government. And the idea that a. That the government can't do this itself, that our own space program is so behind that we have to outsource this, this to private companies is concerning that the, the two total, two of whatever, two of the three richest men in the world who like feel like they need to butter up Donald Trump to get enough resources to run their companies. I Mean, that is not a healthy way to run business. So it is our reality, though. And I do think that Trump likes the attention. Trump likes to get buttered up. And I think that it would not be surprising to me if he becomes more sympathetic to Bezos if Bezos continues to play this game and invite him to the wedding and do all this stuff.
Teddy Schleifer
Tim Miller, Teddy Schliefer, more to come on this, for sure. Thank you both so much. Appreciate it.
Tim Miller
All right, so we covered the basics there. Yeah. I just. In general, this makes me feel bad about our society that, like, this is how things are working. It is. It feels very feudalist, you know, not the space part, but, like, the rich oligarchs have to go to the leader and beg and gain his favor and suck up to him. It's like, it isn't Ayn Rand capitalism, let me tell you that much. There's a. There's another level of grossness that. That I just wasn't able to get to in the time allotted there, and that is that Jeff Bezos still owns the Washington Post. Last I checked, he's doing a $40 million documentary on Melania for Amazon. At a moment where nobody's getting political documentaries greenlit because people are worried about getting involved in politics. The one that they are doing is what I'm sure will be a lavish, you know, ode to the great Melania. So Jeff Bezos is suckling up to Melania, doing free propaganda for her at his own, on his own dime, his own company's dime. He's inviting Donald Trump to his second wedding in Venice. He is going to the White House. They are his. His team is meeting with Susie Wiles. He's meeting with Trump. He's calling him. And you own the newspaper that's supposed to be holding this guy to account. Like where you're firing a bunch of opinion writers who are anti Trump. That is grotesque. That is a conflict. Like, that's not just a conflict. How can you own a media outlet and claim it is defending democracy or even prioritizing accuracy or holding the people in power to account when meanwhile, you're doing everything you can to just suck on the little orange toes of the man in power because you want more money for your space project? How much money is Jeff Bezos worth? Let's pull this up. Let's just. Jeff Bezos net worth. 227 billion. 227 billion. See, what's Amazon value right now? 2.2 trillion. You need government contracts. You got to suck up to Donald Trump. You Got to humiliate yourself and suck up to Donald Trump for government money. Like, you can't go raise it, you can't spend it. You need to suckle on the teat of government and Donald Trump, and it's just pathetic. It's embarrassing. It's not really how things should be working in this country. To me, I find the whole thing makes me. The whole thing makes me gag. Jeff Bezos. Everything about Jeff Bezos makes me gag. I say, this is somebody who loves Amazon. I'm not an Amazon person. I love Amazon. Great innovation, great company. You've gone too far. You've let it all get to your head. Okay? Like this whole thing that you need to be the spaceman now and you need all of us to be the ones to subsidize your little dick space dreams. No, I'm against it. That's a no for me. And I find the whole thing really, really gross. So there you go. You will not be getting Bezos wedding updates here on the Bulwark YouTube feed. I'm sure there are other places on the Internet if you care what people are wearing to that monstrosity. I don't. So if you want, though, more passionate takes on the news of the day, we'll see you all soon.
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Release Date: June 27, 2025
Host: The Bulwark Team (Primarily Tim Miller and Teddy Schleifer)
In the latest episode of Bulwark Takes, host Tim Miller delves into the intricate dynamics between billionaire Jeff Bezos and former President Donald Trump. The conversation centers around Bezos's strategic maneuvers to secure government contracts for his aerospace venture, Blue Origin, highlighting his efforts to cultivate a closer relationship with Trump.
Tim Miller opens the discussion by referencing his recent appearance on MSNBC with Chris Jansen, where they explored Bezos's attempts to overshadow Elon Musk by attracting more government contracts for Blue Origin. A focal point of the conversation is Bezos’s invitation to Trump for his upcoming wedding in Venice.
Tim Miller [00:30]: “We were talking about how Jeff Bezos is trying to kind of nudge out Elon Musk and get more government contracts for his Blue Origin program... including inviting Trump to his wedding this weekend, which I could not give a fuck less about by the way.”
Miller expresses his indifference towards the personal aspects of Bezos's actions but emphasizes the broader implications of such alliances.
Teddy Schleifer joins the conversation, bringing attention to the public protests against Bezos's wedding in Venice. He questions whether these demonstrations could influence Trump to develop a more sympathetic stance towards Bezos.
Teddy Schleifer [01:20]: “Is this something that could actually make Trump sympathetic to Jeff Bezos?”
Miller responds by expressing skepticism about any potential sympathy. He criticizes the portrayal of the current socio-political climate as "decadent" and "skeezy," pointing out the unhealthy dependency of wealthy individuals on political favor to advance their business interests.
Tim Miller [01:48]: “This whole situation to me feels very decadent, very skeezy and just a sign of American kind of the decline of the American government... It is our reality, though. And I do think that Trump likes the attention.”
Miller underscores his view that Bezos's actions are symptomatic of a broader decline in governmental integrity and autonomy.
The conversation deepens as Miller critiques Bezos's acquisition of The Washington Post and his production of a documentary on Melania Trump. He highlights the conflict of interest and the undermining of journalistic integrity that arises when a media outlet owned by a billionaire becomes a tool for personal or political agendas.
Tim Miller [02:57]: “Jeff Bezos still owns the Washington Post... he's doing a $40 million documentary on Melania for Amazon... He's inviting Donald Trump to his second wedding in Venice... And you own the newspaper that's supposed to be holding this guy to account.”
Miller accuses Bezos of hypocritical behavior, leveraging his media ownership to propagate favorable narratives while simultaneously seeking political favoritism to benefit his business ventures.
Miller delves into the economic aspects, calculating Bezos's net worth and the valuation of Amazon to emphasize the disparity between his wealth and his dependency on governmental contracts.
Tim Miller [02:57]: “Jeff Bezos net worth... 227 billion. See, what's Amazon value right now? 2.2 trillion... You need government contracts. You got to suck up to Donald Trump... it's just pathetic. It's embarrassing.”
He portrays Bezos's actions as a stark departure from "Ayn Rand capitalism," suggesting that such behavior erodes the foundational principles of free enterprise by intertwining immense personal wealth with political influence.
Towards the conclusion, Miller shares his personal disdain for Bezos's actions, reflecting on the broader societal implications. He criticizes the spectacle of billionaires needing to engage in political favoritism to advance their private ambitions, labeling it as "feudalist" and "gross."
Tim Miller [02:57]: “Everything about Jeff Bezos makes me gag. Like this whole thing that you need to be the spaceman now and you need all of us to be the ones to subsidize your little dick space dreams... I find the whole thing really, really gross.”
Miller concludes by distancing The Bulwark from supporting Bezos's endeavors, emphasizing the podcast's commitment to providing passionate and principled takes on current events.
The episode paints a critical portrait of Jeff Bezos's attempts to intertwine his business interests with political favor, raising concerns about the erosion of ethical standards in both the business and media landscapes. Through incisive commentary and pointed critiques, Tim Miller and Teddy Schleifer underscore the troubling implications of such alliances for American democracy and societal integrity.
Notable Quotes:
Tim Miller [00:30]: “...inviting Trump to his wedding this weekend, which I could not give a fuck less about by the way.”
Tim Miller [01:48]: “This whole situation to me feels very decadent, very skeezy and just a sign of American kind of the decline of the American government.”
Tim Miller [02:57]: “Jeff Bezos still owns the Washington Post... he's doing a $40 million documentary on Melania for Amazon... How much money is Jeff Bezos worth? 227 billion... It's just pathetic. It's embarrassing.”
Tim Miller [02:57]: “Everything about Jeff Bezos makes me gag... I find the whole thing really, really gross.”
This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and critical viewpoints presented in the episode, providing a clear and engaging overview for listeners and non-listeners alike.