Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes – GOP Operative Explains Why He Finally Quit the Party (w/ Miles Bruner)
Host: Sam Stein (The Bulwark)
Guest: Miles Bruner
Release Date: October 21, 2025
Overview
In this compelling episode, Sam Stein interviews Miles Bruner, a Republican operative who recently published a personal essay explaining his decision to leave the GOP after a long career. Bruner details his progression from enthusiastic young Republican to disillusioned party insider and ultimately to a public critic calling on colleagues to do the same. The conversation candidly explores the personal, professional, and moral complexities of exiting the party under Donald Trump, offering a rare look behind the scenes at the compromises and rationalizations that enable political inertia—and what finally breaks it.
Miles Bruner’s Political Background
[01:07 – 02:17]
- Career Arc: Miles spent six years as a senior fundraising strategist with a D.C. digital fundraising firm and previously worked for a California state senator.
- Early Motivations: Not from a particularly political family; his interest started as a high-school “speech and debate nerd.”
"Picture Alex P. Keaton for the Bush years. That was me, going Fridays in a suit and tie with a briefcase." (Miles, [01:47])
[02:14 – 03:33]
- What Drew Him In: Post-9/11 patriotism and the excitement of Republican politics under George W. Bush.
- Early Experiences: Began with “grunt work,” like data entry and press release drafting, gradually taking on campaign analysis and district director duties.
The Reality of Political Work
[04:11 – 05:51]
- Behind the Scenes: Politics was far less glamorous than TV shows suggested:
"I went into the office in dickey shorts and some rundown T-shirt. Sometimes I would sleep in the office." (Miles, [05:10])
- Invisible Labor: Most work was behind the scenes—mobilization, press releases, copywriting, etc.
The Trump Era and Moral Compromises
Initial Responses to Trump
[05:51 – 09:59]
- Dismissal Becomes Dread: Initially dismissed Trump as a “flash in the pan” but experienced the first unease after the infamous McCain comments:
"When he mentioned, ‘I don't respect people who've been captured,’ and we kind of hemmed and didn’t say anything, that was the first time where I thought, ‘There’s something here, we’re missing something.’" (Miles, [06:48])
- Office Atmosphere: Background confusion and efforts to avoid alienating potential Trump voters.
Rationalizing and Swallowing Doubt
[10:49 – 11:41]
- Navigating ‘Compromises’: Repeatedly chose to stay silent or compartmentalize during events like Charlottesville and the government shutdown, partly out of financial necessity ("student loans, survival").
"Charlottesville, that was almost a breaking point for me because again, we said something kind of, but also didn’t. We took down a mention of it on Facebook, but kept something up on Twitter." (Miles, [11:14])
[11:41 – 12:35]
- Sense of Responsibility: Rarely justified staying as being the “sane” one at the table; more about economic realities in later jobs.
January 6th, Trump’s Comeback, and the Breaking Point
The Capitol Riot and Aftermath
[12:35 – 14:54]
- Cognitive Dissonance: Watched the insurrection unfold from home, initially comforted by the belief that Trump would face consequences:
"It seemed like he was going to be a political pariah… the institutions held and my role was kind of minimal in all this, so I could just kind of move on and continue to collect my paycheck." (Miles, [13:38])
- Emotional Exhaustion: By the time Biden took office, Miles rationalized staying for personal reasons, including starting a family and building financial security.
Dobbs Decision and Personal Impact
[14:54 – 16:51]
- Personal Crisis and Policy Reality: A failed pregnancy experience made national abortion policy personal after the Dobbs decision, illuminating the stakes of issues he previously compartmentalized.
"People really don’t fully understand the implications until it happened to them, and so yeah, I fully get that criticism." (Miles, [16:30])
The Final Decision to Leave
[17:52 – 20:19]
-
Trump’s Return: The normalization of Trump's return and his front-runner status was another deepening point of unease.
-
Paralysis and Rationalization: Even as the reality sank in, Miles procrastinated ("I'll put that on hold for another month... next thing you know, two years").
"Now I'm responsible for someone, and the prospect of starting a new career and just completely starting from scratch, that can be overwhelming." (Miles, [18:43])
[20:19 – 21:21]
- Breaking Point: Ultimately, seeing National Guard troops on the streets and reflecting on his own responsibility to his child pushed Bruner over the edge.
"There's no way I would be able to tell our kid in the future with any sense of moral clarity why I didn't say anything at this moment in time. All I would be able to say is like, well, I did it for a paycheck, and that wasn't acceptable to me anymore." (Miles, [20:56])
The Call to Action and Message to Colleagues
[22:25 – 23:18]
- Encouragement: Bruner frames his essay as a letter to others who are struggling, hoping to spark a ripple effect:
"It wasn't one person who had done it. It took many people over many years… [I] hope it's just a step on the way and helps them eventually make that decision when it matters." (Miles, [22:43])
[26:50 – 27:45]
- To Those Still Compromising: Addresses those justifying staying:
"It's terrifying to leave that kind of network and then start over from scratch. But if you truly believe in what we originally got into politics for… it’s time to take a serious consideration…" (Miles, [26:50])
Social and Professional Costs
[24:25 – 25:17]
- Social Fallout: Bruner’s social network is diffuse, mostly supportive, so he hasn’t experienced major personal repercussions—yet.
[25:29 – 26:11]
- Going Public: The reaction to publishing his piece felt "a lot to take in," and his coping strategy is to avoid online debates:
"One of my friends just said, 'go outside, touch grass.'" (Miles, [26:11])
Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments
- "It kind of felt a little punk rock at the time... but it was this belief in American exceptionalism." (Miles, [02:17])
- "The institutions held and my role was kind of minimal... I could just continue to collect my paycheck." (Miles, [13:56])
- "You can go through a lot. You can make moral compromises. And that seems to be part of the theme of this piece." (Sam Stein, [16:51])
- "I told my wife that there's no way I would be able to tell our kid in the future... All I would be able to say is like, well, I did it for a paycheck and that wasn't acceptable to me anymore." (Miles, [20:56])
Key Segments & Timestamps
- Introduction and Bruner’s Background: [00:00] – [03:38]
- Early Republican Enthusiasm: [02:17] – [03:38]
- The Reality of Political Work: [04:11] – [05:51]
- Trump’s Rise and Internal Dilemmas: [05:51] – [09:59]
- Rationalizing and Surviving Trump Years: [10:49] – [14:54]
- Dobbs Decision and Personal Inflection Point: [14:54] – [16:51]
- Trump’s Return and The Breaking Point: [17:52] – [21:21]
- A Call to Action for Other Operatives: [22:25] – [23:18], [26:50] – [27:45]
Conclusion
Miles Bruner’s story is an intimate look at the inner calculations and personal costs behind political loyalty—even as that loyalty becomes untenable. He urges others grappling with similar doubts to reflect deeply and reconsider their allegiances, no matter how intimidating leaving may seem. This episode offers empathy, firsthand candor, and a call for moral seriousness in an era when “keeping your head down” is no longer tenable.