Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes

Episode: MAGA Media Is Cutting Trump Loose
Date: September 5, 2025
Host: Sam Stein (A)
Guests: Andrew Egger (C), Will Sommer (B)

Overview

This episode delves into an emerging shift within MAGA-aligned and right-wing media: the beginning of a break from unwavering support for Donald Trump. At the center is Will Sommer’s recent article "False Flag," which explores whether the increasingly performative support for Trump in MAGA media is being replaced by a scramble to find new sources of energy, relevance, and audience engagement—possibly signaling a movement toward a post-Trump right-wing media landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Infowars Schism: Owen Shroyer vs. Alex Jones

• [00:27-01:57]
  Will Sommer introduces the recent dramatic split between Alex Jones and his protégé Owen Shroyer. Shroyer publicly quit Infowars, claiming Alex was pressuring him to be more positive about Trump.
  • Quote:

    "Owen went live on X and he said, guys, quitting Infowars. I'm sick of Alex busting onto my set and telling me to be nicer to Trump."
    (Will Sommer, 00:47)

• Sommer links this to a broader trend: younger MAGA media personalities distancing their brand from Trump-focused coverage, looking beyond a single figure for engagement.

2. A New Generation Seeking Distance from Trump

• [01:59-03:10]
  Discussion shifts to other right-wing media voices—such as Nick Fuentes and Candace Owens—who are pivoting away from Trump-centric content.
  • Fuentes is already framing 2028 in terms of not supporting J.D. Vance, labeling him "a pawn of Silicon Valley" (02:44).
  • Candace Owens is focusing on invented “trans murder cults” rather than Trump.

3. Authenticity, Audience Capture, and Reactionary Currency

• [03:12-05:08]
  Egger expands on how right-wing media’s “currency” has shifted from transgressing liberal pieties to obsessively showing allegiance to Trump.
  • Quote:

    "There's a new piety in right wing media which is that everybody just clings to Trump all the time, no matter what...as a defense mechanism against charges that they are like secret neocons or free traders."
    (Andrew Egger, 04:10)

  • There's a sense that, for the next generation, breaking from Trump is becoming its own form of transgressive “street cred.”

4. Comparisons to Past Media Behavior

• [05:08-07:05]
  Sam suggests parallels to how left-wing media would break with Obama when he let them down, noting that audience authenticity came from holding presidents to their promises.
  • The Epstein files controversy is cited as an early instance of right-wing media “breaking” with Trump.

5. The Motivation: Sincerity vs. Audience Share

• [07:51-09:07]
  Andrew Egger casts doubt on these breaks being purely authentic, highlighting the cutthroat competition among right-wing influencers for audience attention.
  • Quote:

    "...all of this is, is sort of like triangulation to a certain extent off of trying to find ways to distinguish themselves and ways to, to like a brand that differentiates. It's for audience share, right?"
    (Andrew Egger, 07:54)

  • Loyalty to Trump often served as a useful brand, but now differentiating requires finding a new angle as cracks appear in Trump-world unity.

6. Case Study: National Conservatism Conference (NatCon)

• [09:07-11:00]
  Egger reports on a policy debate at NatCon, with divisions emerging on the US relationship to Israel. Clinging to Trump’s foreign policy becomes a tool even among competing factions to discredit rivals as insufficiently “America First.”

7. James O’Keefe’s Odd Turn

• [11:16-15:13]
  Will Sommer details a new James O'Keefe sting targeting the DOJ over Epstein file redactions, which surprisingly is not overtly favorable to Trump.
  • O’Keefe has over-invested in the Epstein case, sometimes pursuing narratives that backfire on Trump allies rather than Democrats.
  • Quote:

    “A little embarrassing for the administration... it makes you wonder, why is James O'Keefe going after the Justice Department?”
    (Will Sommer, 13:46)

• Discussion follows about the increasing risk and confusing cross-currents in these right-wing media stunts.

8. A Coming Post-Trump Media Landscape?

• [15:39-17:12]
  Panelists discuss whether these shifts are because MAGA media perceives Trump as a “lame duck,” and whether different factions are jockeying for position in anticipation of 2028 or Trump's possible exit from the scene.
  • Anticipation of an intense, open “civil war” among Trump-aligned figures once Trump leaves.
  • Quote:

    “...there will be no obvious sort of figurehead and the knives will have to come out and it will be open war and it's going to be a lot of this stuff and, and it will be interesting to cover, if nothing else.”
    (Andrew Egger, 16:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Will Sommer, observing Shroyer's defection:

  "For 10 years, Owen Schroyer's been sucking off the Infowars tick. And then you want to try to stab your mother in the back because you're a big boy leaving the nest. Well, guess what? ... Your mother is going to do piss on you."
  (Will Sommer quoting Alex Jones, 01:20)

• Andrew Egger on sincerity and branding:

  "They have such radical views and radical stated beliefs, we assume that that means they are incredibly sincere... he has been obsessed with preserving his brand and the brand of the Gripers..."
  (08:09)

• On the right-wing media commentariat's future:

  "Who's gonna get knifed when their candidate loses? Lots to look forward to."
  (Will Sommer, 16:14)

• Sting operation warning from Will Sommer:

  "Look, folks, if you work for the government, if you're in the media... if you're a middle aged guy...watch out for these much younger women, these au pairs...James o' Keefe is being sued about these tactics right now."
  (Will Sommer, 17:21)

Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:27 — Infowars split, Owen Shroyer exits
• 01:59 — New generation of right-wing influencers (Fuentes, Owens)
• 03:12 — Egger on "currency" of right-wing media and Trump’s waning brand value
• 05:08 — Comparing MAGA media to lefty media’s relationship with Obama
• 07:51 — Egger on the real motivations (authenticity vs. audience jousting)
• 09:07 — Recap of NatCon conference and intra-right disputes
• 11:16 — James O’Keefe’s new sting against DOJ, an unusual break with Trump favorability
• 15:39 — Anticipating the next era: post-Trump, open-faction fights
• 17:21 — Will Sommer’s caution on O’Keefe-style sting operations

Conclusion

The episode contends that while MAGA media still loudly supports Trump, the strategic calculus is shifting. Content creators—especially a new generation—see more value in distinguishing themselves via controversy, direct attacks, and a search for the "next big thing" rather than simple loyalty to Trump. This transition foreshadows coming media frenzies as right-wing factions compete in a future Republican Party unmoored from Trump’s dominance. Throughout, the discussion blends keen observation with a slightly sardonic, insider tone—highlighting both the farcical and consequential aspects of MAGA media’s ongoing evolution.