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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comPresident Trump’s approval rating is collapsing, and new polling shows voters are increasingly unhappy with his handling of the issues that matter most: the Iran war and the economy. Sarah Matthews gives her take on the three new polls showing Trump stuck in the low 30s, with voters questioning his decision to launch military action against Iran, his broken promise to avoid new wars, and his failure to deliver on his pledge to lower costs. Trump is out of touch with everyday Americans and the numbers paint a grim picture for the White House heading into the midterm elections.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJVL and Andrew Egger discuss Todd Blanche’s stalled attorney general confirmation, as Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis seek assurances that the Trump administration will not revive a proposed “anti-weaponization” fund for allies and January 6 defendants. They also consider Trump’s response, Blanche’s political strategy, and the senators’ reluctance to confront the president directly.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSam Stein and George Conway discuss James Comey’s challenge to the “8647” prosecution, Donald Trump’s Supreme Court bid to overturn E. Jean Carroll’s $83 million defamation judgment, and the administration’s push for new restrictions on mail-in voting. They also cover the withdrawal of subpoenas targeting New York Times reporters and the delayed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.Watch, listen and leave a comment.The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Leave us a review and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ so more people can find this important show from The Bulwark. Access to this show’s community comments and ad-free editions is available exclusively for Bulwark+ members here and on the Bulwark App—available now in the Apple and Google App stores.Bulwark+ members can also listen ad-free on your podcast player of choice—click SET UP here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSavanna Cannon has become one of the fastest-rising viral personalities in right-wing media, but is politics really what she's selling? Will Sommer joins Brendan Hartnett to break down how Cannon's provocative MAGA videos have ignited a civil war on the right, with conservative influencers arguing over sex appeal, authenticity, and the growing influence of OnlyFans in the MAGA ecosystem. They explore how creators are using political content to build massive audiences, why conservative media can't seem to look away, and what Cannon's success reveals about the incentives driving online right-wing culture.Read more from Will's work: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/right-wing-media-and-onlyfans-are-symbiotic-relationship

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comAt the very least, Hegseth's refusal to acknowledge that it was our Tomahawk missile that killed 120 schoolchildren on the very first day of the war makes him unfit to serve as secretary of defense. Army JAG veteran Margaret Donovan says civilian casualties are a tragic reality in war and the public has the right to know what went wrong. The U.S. military prides itself on its excellence and precision, and that is what separates our fighting forces from those of our enemies. But Hegseth is also dragging this vital institution down because of the munition depletions, the lack of dignity being shown to fallen soldiers, his hare-brained schemes and war crimes in the Caribbean, and his undermining of military discipline by brushing off recent dangerous flyovers in civilian areas.Margaret Donovan joins guest host Bill Kristol.As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comThe Democratic National Committee is facing growing criticism from within its own ranks—and now one of the party's most prominent fundraisers is speaking out. Sam Stein sits down with veteran Democratic fundraiser Rufus Gifford to discuss why he believes DNC Chair Ken Martin is failing at the two most important parts of the job: raising money and delivering a clear message. Gifford explains why he thinks the committee is spending too much on long-term party-building while critical Senate and House battlegrounds need every available dollar ahead of the midterms.Read more from Lauren's reporting on Ken MartinRead Rufus Gifford on Substack

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim’s back next week but in the meantime enjoy this ad-free preview of The Bulwark Podcast—today with JVL and Robert Kagan. Upgrade to watch the full show—ad free—and join the Bulwark community in the comments. Ride with us.At a little-noticed conference on political violence a couple of weeks ago, Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller employed the dehumanizing rhetoric of the Soviets and Nazi mastermind Joseph Goebbels to attack the left. And while they might want us to think they were just talking about the DSA, it sure seems that they meant Democrats generally—including those who might be legitimately protesting Trump's efforts to try to steal an election. Plus: Iran is not acting like it fears the United States, Lindsey Graham probably did more harm than good, and the Fauci drama is the latest example of the MAGA double standard about telling the truth. Bob Kagan joins guest host JVL.Show notes:* JVL's 'Triad' on Trump's best option on Iran* Bob's articles at The AtlanticAs always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comJonathan Cohn takes on the Fauci hearing spectacle, where Rand Paul grilled the former NIH chief over newly obtained diaries—and Fauci pled the Fifth. Cohn joins MS Now to separate legitimate oversight from what he calls a political show trial aimed at Trump-era vengeance.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comLt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.), Ben Parker and special guest Ret. Rear Adm. John Kirby went live to discuss the U.S. intercepting an attack by Iran, Trump’s response to the attacks, and the concern on U.S. missile stockpiles as the war drags on. Drawing on his own experience in the Navy, John breaks down what it’s really like to defend the Strait of Hormuz, why Iran continues to threaten global shipping despite months of U.S. strikes, and how a lack of clear strategy is putting American readiness at risk.Plus, a look at how the Pentagon’s silence and the White House’s inconsistent public statements are undermining public trust at a moment when Americans deserve honest answers about the war.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comSarah, JVL, and Catherine Rampell discuss:- Mitch McConnell's SECOND proof of life photo, and what's really going on with him.- The White House Correspondents' Dinner do-over, Trump's comments about Kaitlan Collins, why anyone goes to it anymore, and how the whole thing seems to be playing into Trump's hands.- The drama inside the Democratic National Committee, and how (and whether) having a strong national party committee matters anymore.- The proposed new primary calendar for the 2028 Democratic primaries.- The final stretch of the Michigan Senate primary.Get your tickets to Sarah's How to Eat an Elephant book tour in September!Watch, listen, and leave a comment.This ad-free video version of The Next Level is exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Click the learn about setting up this show, ad-free, on your podcast player of choice. Or watch in the new Bulwark App—available now in the Apple and Google App stores.