Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes – “The Most Unhinged 24 Hours of the Trump Era (So Far)”

Date: November 15, 2025
Host: Sam Stein (Managing Editor, The Bulwark)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Sam Stein breaks down what he calls “the most unhinged 24 hours of the Trump era (so far),” highlighting an avalanche of scandals and chaotic moments in and around Trump’s White House over the course of a single day. Sam examines mounting reports of brazen corruption, erratic Trump behavior, and a rapidly intensifying cycle of payoffs, vendettas, and infighting.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cascade of Scandals in a Single Day

• RFK Jr. and Psychedelics: News broke that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly still using psychedelics and may have even smoked DMT. ([01:11])

  • Sam Stein: “RFK Jr. ... still uses psychedelics. I thought that was really wild and may have even smoked. I don't even know how to pronounce this. ... It’s a drug that makes you feel like you're close to death. Don't smoke it.”

• Deputy FBI Director Hiring: Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino’s hiring raised eyebrows after reports that he may not have taken a polygraph test before getting the position. ([01:41])

• President and the Epstein Files: Trump publicly demanded that the Attorney General investigate Democrats named in the Epstein files—and the AG promptly complied by appointing someone to do it. ([01:57])

• DHS Secretary and Ad Contracts: The DHS Secretary allegedly steered millions in ad contracts to a firm tied to herself. ([02:15])

• Settlements and Payoffs: Multiple new reports of government settlements with Trump allies and Republicans:

  • DOJ reportedly in discussions to pay Michael Flynn $50 million to settle past legal troubles. ([03:14])
  • Republican senators tucked a provision into government funding to sue the DOJ for $500,000 each for phone record metadata access—“just a payoff.” ([03:34])
  • Potential $230 million settlement for Trump himself.
  • Qatar allegedly sending Trump a jet for his presidential library. ([04:00])

  Sam Stein: “Any one of these alone would have been a salacious scandal, but it all happened in a 24 hour period. And yet, that’s not even the main thing on my mind.” ([02:25])

2. Unusual Alarm from Pro-Trump Figures

• Sam notes the reaction from MAGA-aligned influencer Mike Cernovich, who voiced how blatantly corrupt things have become—even from his vantage point.

  • Cernovich Tweet: “The talk of everyone was how overt the corruption was. It's at levels you read about in history books in nearly every department. ... Do people just think Democrats will never win and they'll all get away with this?” ([02:51])

  Sam Stein: “You don't normally hear people say stuff like that from that side of the ledger, even though it's true.” ([03:03])

3. The Swiss Gift Scandal

• Swiss delegation lobbied to reduce Trump’s heavy tariffs (39%) by gifting him opulent presents:
  • A special Rolex desktop clock
  • A one-kilogram personalized gold bar, inscribed with “45” and “47”
  • Gift value: More than $130,000, accepted “on behalf of the presidential library” for legality. ([04:36])
• Result: Swiss tariffs are slashed to 15% soon after the gifts are given.
• Contextualizes this as part of a pattern: “Everyone is lavishing this president with gifts. It is blatant corruption, the likes of which we've honestly never seen.” ([05:42])

4. Trump’s Erratic Personal Behavior and Vendettas

MRI Mystery and Medical Transparency

• Trump was pressed about why he had an MRI recently—his response was evasive and bizarre.

• Clip played: Trump claims the MRI yielded “the best result” the doctor had ever seen but provides no details.

  Trump: “I had an MRI. The doctor said it was the best result he has ever seen as a doctor. ... I have no idea what they analyze, but whatever they analyze, they analyzed it well. ... I aced [the mental acuity test]. I got a perfect score.” ([07:02–07:47])

  • Sam Stein’s reaction: “The most innocent explanation is he doesn’t know what he got an MRI of... If that were actually the case, it’s kind of alarming. But it’s the arrogance—he doesn’t have to be transparent about very basic stuff.” ([07:47])

Going After Critics

• On Tom Massey: Trump lashes out at the Congressman (a Republican calling for Epstein files to be released) in personal and derogatory terms regarding his marriage.

  • Trump: “Did Thomas Massey ... get married already? ... His wife died, yeah, he remarried. What a jerk. Boy, that was quick. ... Anyway, have a great life, Thomas. ... I suppose his wife will soon find out that she stuck with a loser.” ([08:15])

• On Marjorie Taylor Greene: Trump “unendorses” her after she presses for Epstein file transparency and criticizes him publicly.

  • Resorts to playground insults, calling her “Marjorie Taylor Brown … because green grass goes brown when it’s not watered.”

  Sam Stein: “If someone talked like this in your normal life, you would be like, this dude has got issues. ... This guy doesn’t think anyone should oppose him, everyone should kiss the ring and get in line.” ([09:21])

5. Overarching Themes and Warnings

• Pattern of Authoritarian Corruption: Sam threads everything back to a thesis: Trump increasingly surrounds himself with payoffs, accepts bribes “for the presidential library,” and expects total loyalty—or else.

• Everyone Must Pay Homage: Members of Congress, law firms, even foreign countries must “bribe him, show him love, affection, and lavish him with gifts” or risk being targeted.

• The World We Live In: These behavior patterns are so extreme that even Trump loyalists like Cernovich can’t ignore them anymore.

  Sam Stein: “We have a president who believes ... they need to pay homage to him. ... If they don’t, he’s gonna smack them down, whether it’s through tariffs or through a social media post. ... It’s starting to stand out to the point where people like Mike Cernovich no longer can ignore him.” ([10:36])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sam Stein on the sheer abnormality:
  “This is madness, people. Like, utter madness. But it worked.” ([05:31])
• Mike Cernovich tweet, read by Sam Stein:
  “It’s at levels you read about in history books in nearly every department.” ([02:59])
• On personal attacks:
  “If someone talked like this in your normal life, you would be like, this dude has got issues.” ([09:20])
• Sam Stein closing:
  “That’s my rant for this Saturday morning. ... Check back later.” ([11:06])

Important Timestamps

• 00:30 – Sam Stein intro and quick list of the day’s scandals
• 01:11 – RFK Jr. psychedelic/drug report
• 01:41 – Dan Bongino polygraph story
• 02:25 – Fairfax: “Any one of these alone would have been a salacious scandal…”
• 02:51 – Mike Cernovich tweet reaction
• 03:34 – Settlement/payoff stories
• 04:36–05:31 – Swiss delegation gold bar scandal
• 07:02–07:47 – Trump’s MRI explanation and mental acuity brag
• 08:15 – Trump goes after Tom Massey
• 09:21 – Sam’s reaction to Trump’s personal slights and vendetta politics
• 10:36 – Overarching warning about Trump’s authoritarian tendencies

Summary Takeaway

This episode paints a picture of a presidency unmoored, where scandal follows scandal and the breaches of basic ethical and political norms are so habitual that even die-hard allies are openly disturbed. Through a highly engaging, incredulous, and at times darkly humorous style, Sam Stein makes the case that these 24 hours are a new low—“the most unhinged” yet in the Trump era.

Note: For more on the fallout with Marjorie Taylor Greene, Sam promises deeper coverage later in the day.