Bulwark Takes: Detailed Summary of "Trump’s New Conspiracy Is So Dumb, He Must Think You Are Too"

Episode Information:

• Title: Trump’s New Conspiracy Is So Dumb, He Must Think You Are Too
• Host/Author: The Bulwark
• Release Date: July 25, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of Bulwark Takes, host Will Saletan delves into former President Donald Trump's latest conspiracy theory. Moving beyond his well-known claims about the 2020 election being stolen, Trump introduces a new narrative implicating former President Barack Obama and others in election rigging schemes spanning both the 2016 and 2020 elections.

Trump’s Old Conspiracy Theory: The 2020 Election Was Rigged

Will Saletan begins by recapping Trump's persistent allegations regarding the 2020 election:

• July 1, 2025:

  Donald Trump: "Election in 2020 was rigged. Millions and millions of votes." (00:47)

• July 3, 2025:

  Donald Trump: "They cheated and rigged the election." (00:50)

• July 6, 2025:

  Donald Trump: "The election was totally rigged." (00:55)

• Recent Week:

  Donald Trump: "I ran again, I got cheated. They rigged the election." (01:01)

Saletan points out the futility of these claims, referencing former Attorney General Bill Barr’s stance during Trump's first term:

• Bill Barr:

  "I made it clear I did not agree with the idea of saying the election was stolen and putting out this stuff, which I told the president was bullsh." (01:16)

Saletan emphasizes that Trump's narrative about the 2020 election has been thoroughly debunked, undermining its credibility.

Introducing Trump's New Conspiracy Theory: The 2016 Election Rigged by Obama

Saletan transitions to Trump's new conspiracy theory targeting the 2016 election:

• Trump at a Reception:

  Donald Trump: "She has all the documents. She has everything that you need. And she found out that Barack Hussein Obama led a group of people and they cheated in the elections, and. And they cheated without question." (01:44)

Saletan highlights the absurdity of this claim, noting that Obama was not the Democratic candidate in 2020 and had left office four years prior. This raises questions about Trump's actual intent and the viability of his theory.

• Trump:

  "Barack Hussein Obama is the ringleader. Hillary Clinton was right there with him, and so was sleepy Joe Biden, and so were the rest of them. Comey Clapper, the whole group. And they tried to rig an election, and they got caught. And then they did rig the election in 2020, and." (02:33)

Saletan questions the timeline and logic, as rigging the 2016 election after it occurred defies practicality.

Analyzing the Claims: The Gabbard Connection

Saletan examines the foundation of Trump's new conspiracy, which supposedly relies on documents released by Tulsi Gabbard:

• Tulsi Gabbard on Sean Hannity:

  "President Trump had already won, correct?" (03:28)

  "This treasonous conspiracy was directed by President Obama just weeks before he was due to leave office, after President Trump had already gotten elected." (03:41)

Gabbard's statements are scrutinized to reveal contradictions:

• The conspiracy allegedly took place after the 2016 election, contradicting Trump's claim that Obama’s group tried to rig that election before it happened. Saletan points out this inconsistency, highlighting the implausibility of the timeline.

Linking to Jeffrey Epstein and Conspiracy Diversion

Saletan posits that Trump's shift to such a far-fetched conspiracy could be an attempt to divert attention from other scandals, specifically the Epstein files:

• Trump Responding to Epstein Files Inquiry:

  "I don't really follow that too much. It's. It's sort of a witch hunt, just a continuation of the witch hunt. The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold. Tulsi Gabbard." (05:03)

Saletan interprets this as Trump maneuvering to shift focus away from the Epstein case by promoting an untenable conspiracy theory involving Obama. Furthermore, during the same reception, Trump advises congressional Republicans on handling tough questions:

• Advice to Republicans:

  "And you should mention that every time they give you a question that's not appropriate, just say, oh, by the way, Obama cheated on the election." (05:41)

Conclusion: Assessing Trump's Credibility

In wrapping up, Saletan expresses skepticism about Trump's motivations and the plausibility of his narratives:

"I don't know how much Trump knew about Epstein or whether he had anything to do with the sexual abuse. And I don't know if Trump is trying to cover it up, but I do know that when somebody is so desperate to change the subject that they try to sell you a conspiracy theory that requires time travel, they probably got something to hide." (05:49)

Saletan concludes that Trump's erratic shift to an implausible conspiracy theory likely indicates an attempt to obscure more serious issues, casting doubt on his integrity and the truthfulness of his claims.

Key Takeaways:

• Persistence of Debunked Claims: Trump's repeated allegations about the 2020 election being stolen continue to lack credible evidence.
• Introduction of a New, Implausible Conspiracy: Shifting focus to Obama and the 2016 election presents a narrative that defies logical timelines and factual accuracy.
• Potential Diversion Tactics: The move may serve as a strategy to distract from other controversies, such as the Epstein files.
• Critical Analysis Underscores Lack of Credibility: The episode emphasizes that Trump's new theory is unfounded and likely serves ulterior motives.

This comprehensive analysis by Will Saletan provides listeners with a clear understanding of the evolution and implications of Trump's conspiracy theories, reinforcing the necessity of scrutinizing such claims critically.