Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes – "Ric Grenell Screamed at Trump’s Gatekeeper. Whoopsie..."

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Host: Tim O'Brien (Bulwark) with Nicole Wallace
Date: February 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives into two main storylines driving political conversation:

• The Trump administration's failed lawfare attacks against six Democratic lawmakers, the cowardice/timidity of most Congressional Republicans in response, and what it signals about the erosion of democratic norms.
• The behind-the-scenes downfall of Rick Grenell, former Trump ambassador and self-styled MAGA loyalist, including an embarrassing temper tantrum that cost him a shot at higher office and left him exiled to a minor role.

Along the way, Tim O'Brien and Nicole Wallace highlight what these events reveal about our political culture, the weakness and complicity of Republican leadership, and the newly emboldened fighting spirit among targeted Democrats.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Failed Grand Jury Indictment of Six Democrats

• Tim O'Brien (01:15): Recaps the administration's failed attempt to indict six Democratic politicians in the DMV area, calling it "a disastrous failure" that the grand jury so thoroughly rejected their case.
  • Points out the administration is still determined to try again—akin to "thank you, sir, may I have another."
• Republican Silence: Noted with disbelief how almost no Congressional Republicans (except for a few retiring or already marginalized) have defended their Democratic peers from apparent political prosecution.
  • Quote (02:20): “Can you imagine working with somebody, being a colleague, and having someone try a sham effort to run them out of the company, and then you don't say anything…? That’s not happening with the Republicans.”
• Mike Johnson’s Weakness:
  • Calls out Speaker Mike Johnson for, in O'Brien's words, "saying they should be jailed for putting out a video where they simply said that members of the military should not follow unlawful orders."
    • O’Brien predicts:
      • Quote (02:56): “This is the beginning of the end of Mike Johnson’s speakership. … He was trying to jail his colleagues, saying they should be jailed…”
• GOP Rationalizations & “Both Sides”-ism:
  • Dismisses Sen. Thom Tillis’s calls for even-handedness, arguing that the Republican lawfare is dramatically worse than anything pursued by Democrats.
  • Chuck Grassley, described wryly as “Grandpa Chuck”, is credited for a rare moment of candor in saying law enforcement should focus on real criminals, not political vendettas.

2. Political Lawfare and Resource Mismanagement

• O'Brien highlights a warped federal focus:
  • Quote (04:07):
    "If you're a rich guy, you have impunity in this country right now. You can do whatever you want. If you're a crypto scammer, you can do whatever you want… Instead, we have all these law enforcement officers and officials and resources going after nonviolent immigrants and imaginary political foes... it’s embarrassing."
• On Speaker Johnson's Motives:
  • Jason Crow, one of the targeted Democrats, is quoted:
    • Quote (~06:00, summarized):
      "Speaker Johnson has been very clear that his longtime selling of his soul to Donald Trump is thoroughly complete at this point..."

3. The Rick Grenell Story: Ambition, Tantrums, and Exile

• Background (07:08):
  • O'Brien delivers a gossipy recounting of Grenell's career:
    • Rose amid the GOP as a rare openly gay figure, but had a reputation for being “a huge fucking pain in the ass for Romney…unappealing to work with… brought nothing to the table, except for drama.”
    • Grenell left the Romney campaign claiming discrimination ("It was all fake drama," says O'Brien.)
• Current “Downfall” (10:10):
  • A Daily Mail exposé reveals Grenell lobbied hard for a vice-presidential slot or Secretary of State in Trump’s next administration, but torpedoed himself after an angry confrontation with Susie Wiles (a powerful Trump gatekeeper).
    • Quote:
      “He screamed at Susie and told her, you're the reason why we're going to lose this election. He berated Susie because he didn’t get a primetime speaking slot. That’s why he doesn’t have a big job. It’s why he was never considered for Secretary of State.”
  • After Grinnell denied the incident, the Daily Mail reports Susie Wiles never confirmed his story, and Grenell abruptly hung up on reporters.
  • Now, Grenell’s only role is running the underused “Trump Kennedy Center”—a demotion O'Brien gleefully describes as “fabric coordinator” for armchair upholstery.
    • Memorable Moment:
      “Tough titties, tough break. Hate to see it. Hate it when bad things happen to bad people.” (12:00)

4. Postscript: How Do You Rebuild After Institutions Are Damaged?

• Nicole Wallace (12:55): Raises the challenge of restoring trust in political and legal institutions after public crises where juries repeatedly reject government cases.
  • Quote:
    “How do you repair the system after they're gone?”
• O'Brien (13:46):
  • Predicts a “house-cleaning” is needed; warns that hacks and loyalists have replaced expertise throughout government.
    • Notes the mass quitting of prosecutors (e.g., “75% of the Minneapolis U.S. attorney’s office has quit already.”)
    • Observes that the Trump movement is now openly recruiting ideologues nationwide for Assistant US Attorney roles, threatening a deeper institutional rot.

5. Newfound Grit Among Targeted Democrats

• Wallace (15:24):
  • Describes how Democratic lawmakers like Sen. Kelly, Slotkin, and Crow have become “steelier and stronger and more direct”, their anger fueling a willingness to fight the Trump administration harder than many seasoned observers have seen before.
• O'Brien (16:29):
  • Sees a new axis in the Democratic party—not left vs. moderate, but “who is ready to fight in this moment ... versus who is not.”
    • Cites how unexpected figures like Kelly have “risen to the occasion.”
    • This “resistance” energy, O’Brien predicts, will redefine internal Democratic debates heading into the next cycle.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tim O'Brien on Republican Complicity (02:20):
  “Can you imagine … someone try a sham effort to run them out of the company, and you don’t say anything? … That’s not happening with the Republicans.”

• On Mike Johnson (02:56):
  “This is the beginning of the end of Mike Johnson’s speakership… he was trying to jail his colleagues, saying they should be jailed for putting out a video…”

• On Resource Allocation Under Trump (04:07):
  “If you’re a rich guy, you have impunity in this country right now… Instead, we have all these resources going after nonviolent immigrants and imaginary political foes…”

• On Rick Grenell’s Fall (10:48):
  “He screamed at Susie [Wiles] and told her, ‘you’re the reason why we’re going to lose this election.’ … That’s why he doesn’t have a big job.”

• On House-Cleaning Government Institutions (13:46):
  “Now this administration has replaced a lot of real expertise with a bunch of hacks … I do think they are going to be putting people in these roles that don’t have the judgment for them…”

• On the New Democratic Fighting Spirit (16:29):
  “Instead of having a left-right divide within the Democratic party … you’re seeing a like who is ready to fight in this moment versus who is not … Slotkin and Crow and Kelly … arise in the moment.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:15] Grand Jury's Rejection of Indictments Against Six Democrats
• [02:20] Tim O’Brien on Republican Cowardice
• [02:56] The Downside of Mike Johnson’s "Crimes" Statement
• [04:07] Critique of Justice Resource Allocation and “Lawfare”
• [06:00] Jason Crow Criticizes Mike Johnson’s Loyalty to Trump
• [07:08] Rick Grenell’s History of Office Drama
• [10:10] Daily Mail Story & Grenell’s Temper Tantrum
• [12:00] Grenell’s Demotion and O'Brien's Schadenfreude
• [12:55] Nicole Wallace on Repairing Institutions
• [13:46] O'Brien on House-Cleaning Federal Government
• [15:24] Wallace: Democratic Lawmakers Growing “Steelier”
• [16:29] O'Brien: Democrats’ New Spirit of Resistance

Tone and Style Notes

• O'Brien's delivery is informally biting, gossipy, and exudes both outrage and dark humor (“tough titties, tough break”).
• The episode blends serious analysis with a sense of relish when political adversaries stumble (“Hate it when bad things happen to bad people”).
• Nicole Wallace offers a more earnest, empathetic note, focusing on institutional integrity and the courage of those under fire.

This episode will appeal to listeners interested in the high drama of political infighting, the state of democratic norms in crisis, and the human side of both political resistance and petty downfall.