Bulwark Takes — "Trump’s Own Fans Are Furious"

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Date: March 12, 2026
Host: The Bulwark team, including Tim Miller and Katie Tuur
Main Guests/Voices: Mark McKinnon, Dave Weigel, Ashley Parker, Richard Stanley (Trump voter), Joe Rogan, Andrew Schultz

Episode Overview

This episode explores the brewing discontent among Donald Trump’s own supporters during his second term, specifically in response to broken campaign promises, rising living costs, and the administration’s initiation of the Iran war. Hosts and guests discuss first-hand reactions from Trump voters, shifts in public sentiment, backlash against key policies like mass deportations, and the resulting political turbulence for the Republican Party as the midterms approach.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Trump’s Base Shows Frustration

• Opening (01:00) — Tim Miller sets the stage, noting a "half baked effort" by Republicans to walk back their "mass deportation" agenda as it’s proving unpopular in the midterms.
• Miller’s Take:
  • “I think there is a category of people that for some godforsaken reason joined Trump for the third election. I think those people are jumping off the boat. But I think there’s also a category of people that are just going to be like pissed, screw you, Trump. And aren’t going to show up.” (01:45)
  • The impact may be less on Trump personally, but significant for down-ballot Republicans.

On-the-Ground Voter Perspectives

• Man-on-the-Street Interview with Richard Stanley (02:50–05:00)
  • Rising Costs: Richard expresses disappointment that Trump’s promise of $3 gas has become $5 gas, refuting the claim that increases are “small.”
    • “It was almost at $2 and something cents… it’s 5.50 a gallon. We don’t want off of hopes and dreams.” (03:29)
  • Safety & War: Skeptical about claims of increased safety due to war, says he feels no safer.
    • “As far as being safe at this point in time, anybody can do anything. So as far as safety, he ain’t doing nothing for my safety.” (03:50)
  • Broken Promises & Nostalgia for Biden:
    • “I missed my Uncle Joe… it was a whole lot calmer than this. It didn’t affect my day-to-day life. … Now I couldn’t even show you $5 in my pocket. This whole thing’s got a recession going on.” (04:29)

Policy Failures and Republican Backpedaling

• Katie Tuur breaks down Trump’s record (05:04):
  • Dismantling of government agencies and health regulations, leading to a measles outbreak.
  • Initiation of global tariff wars, saber-rattling with allies (including Canada), and bizarre Greenland/Nobel Prize episodes.
  • Lawless foreign policy: extraction of Venezuela’s leader, bombing “drug boats,” pardoning convicted traffickers.
  • Mass deportations, disregard for due process, and even American citizens caught in the dragnet.
    • “He hasn’t even kept his promise to lower prices, a fact that is only made worse by the war. A war that you just heard Richard say is not worth it.” (06:04)

Conservative Commentators Feel Betrayed

• Joe Rogan (07:32):
  • “This just seems so insane based on what he ran on. … This is why a lot of people feel betrayed, right? He ran on no more wars and these stupid, senseless wars. And then we have one that we can’t even really clearly define why we did it.”
• Andrew Schultz (08:06):
  • “I really don’t think there’s anything that gets America to support the war … Americans don’t give a. Americans can’t. … they don’t care about what’s happening in Iran.”
• Tim Miller & Panel Discussion:
  • Surprise at the widespread claims of betrayal, given Trump’s prior saber-rattling and withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, which set up current conditions.
  • Many supporters “fooled,” but others always saw Trump as a “charlatan.”
  • “No foreign wars” message was fundamental to Trump’s coalition; its violation could cost crucial support.

Core MAGA vs. Broader Coalition (09:47–11:30)

• Lifestyle Brand Loyalty:
  • “People who say they’re MAGA are for this [the war]. … That’s like a lifestyle brand that they’re a part of. And so they’re gonna go along for everything.” (10:54)
  • Newer, less-devoted supporters ("Joe Rogan and Andrew Schultzes") are out, which could hurt Republicans in the midterms.

Political Calculus and Messaging Failures

• Mass Deportation Backlash (11:41–13:50)
  • Republican strategists attempt to refocus messaging away from "mass deportations" toward "removing violent criminals."
  • In practice, the extreme policies are visible and impacting ordinary lives, especially in communities with mixed-status families.
  • Quote:
    • “It would probably be better for the Republicans to just own it and try to gin up their own base that way, rather than doing this thing that no one’s going to buy.” (13:50)
  • Republicans still have not figured out how to motivate the base without repelling the broader electorate.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Tim Miller (01:45):

  • “There is a category of people…jumping off the boat. But I think there’s also a category [who] are just going to be like pissed, screw you, Trump. And aren’t going to show up.”

• Richard Stanley (04:29):

  • “I missed my Uncle Joe… I was a nobody. And I was balling then. Now I couldn’t even tell you, I couldn’t even show you $5 in my pocket.”

• Katie Tuur (06:04):

  • “He hasn’t even kept his promise to lower prices, a fact that is only made worse by the war. A war that you just heard Richard say is not worth it.”

• Joe Rogan (07:32):

  • “This is why a lot of people feel betrayed…he ran on no more wars… then we have one that we can’t even really clearly define why we did it.”

• Panelist (13:50):

  • “It would probably be better for the Republicans to just own it and try to gin up their own base that way, rather than doing this thing that no one’s going to buy.”

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:00: Tim Miller’s intro and summary of Republican midterm positioning
• 02:50–05:00: Richard Stanley, Trump voter, outlines his anger and disappointment
• 05:04–06:20: Katie Tuur’s rundown of Trump’s recent record and increasing voter disillusionment
• 07:32–08:45: Joe Rogan and Andrew Schultz air feelings of betrayal over Trump’s war policies
• 09:47–11:30: Discussion on core MAGA supporters vs. broader coalition fallout
• 11:41–13:50: Analysis of Republican messaging, mass deportation backlash, and the party’s strategic bind

Overall Tone and Conclusion

The episode is brisk, biting, and laced with dry humor—typical of The Bulwark’s style. Hosts lean into both dismay and schadenfreude at the GOP’s turmoil, focusing on how Trump’s own base is fracturing under the weight of broken promises and unpopular policies. Disenchantment among both everyday voters and handpicked influencers signals mounting danger for Republican fortunes as the midterms loom.

Summary Takeaway

Trump’s coalition is splitting, not only on the fringes but potentially at its core, driven by war fatigue, pocketbook pain, and an administration seemingly indifferent to its original promises. The Republican Party faces a critical moment: attempts to pivot messaging aren’t fooling an electorate living with the real-world consequences of Trump’s presidency. As one guest put it, the strategy “might be clever… but that’s not going to work. People have seen the policy.”