logo
episode-header-image
Yesterday
1h 10m

Sam Stein and Talmon Smith: Brain Drain

THE BULWARK
About this episode
The resignations of senior leaders at the CDC is a calamity. People with decades of expertise in infectious disease are leaving the agency because the new director—who Trump just appointed—refused to get on board with RFK's anti-vax crusade, including limiting access to Covid boosters. And Wednesday's violence in Minneapolis may be a sign that the FBI should be keeping its eye on the threats from domestic terror instead of arresting day laborers at Home Depot. Meanwhile, Trump's threat to the Fed's independence could pose a real risk to the stability of the U.S. Plus, more on the shifting attitudes about Israel among Dems, the latest attack on Kyiv is another reminder of how much Putin is mocking Trump, and remembering Katrina 20 years later.

Sam Stein and the NYT's Talmon Smith join Tim Miller.

show notes

Up next
Aug 27
Jake Sullivan: Trump Is Making China Great Again
A year ago, China was globally isolated and its economy was struggling. But once Trump was back in office pursuing his own personal and political gain, the U.S. brand got tossed in the toilet and the view from Beijing got pretty sweet. Trump has allowed China to buy American micr ... Show More
59m 24s
Aug 26
Susan Glasser: An Exercise in National Humiliation
Some rando far-right social media suck-up, who Trump rewarded with an appointment to his administration, is pushing mortgage fraud investigations of Adam Schiff, Tish James, and now Fed governor Lisa Cook. Trump claims he's fired Cook based on a tweet—but will any institution sta ... Show More
50m 41s
Aug 25
Bill Kristol: March to Dictatorship
Trump and his people have used the summer months to up the despot game—sending armed troops into the streets, taking over the police in D.C., and promising to export the same tactics to even more blue cities. And the attempted deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda shows t ... Show More
51m 25s
Recommended Episodes
May 12
Global Conflicts Dominate Trump Agenda Ahead of Trip Abroad
First: Open conflict. The U.S. and China hold high stakes trade talks. And Trump gears up for a trip to the Middle East as he looks to cut deals and broker ceasefires. Can he rein in the crisis he pledged to solve? Plus: Resistance. As the Democratic Party struggles with a winnin ... Show More
43m 13s
Apr 2025
Trump's Triumphant Stock Market Surge & the Battle for Texas Water
Oval Office Visit Senator Ted Cruz's Visit: Senator Cruz spent about two hours with President Trump in the Oval Office, discussing various topics and receiving a challenge coin from the President. Stock Market Surge Tariffs and Stock Market Impact: President Trump paused tariffs ... Show More
36m 2s
Jul 4
GOP cheers passage of Trump’s Medicaid-cutting bill
Tonight on The Last Word: Republicans vote for the Trump bill they criticized. Also, The New York Times reports Vladimir Putin is rebuilding his wealth as Donald Trump eases sanctions. And Rep. Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats will “press on” fighting for Americans. Rebecca Cooke, ... Show More
42m 4s
Mar 2025
The Weekend Democrats Went to War — Against Each Other
Warning: This episode contains strong language.Over the past few days, a routine debate over government funding has exploded into an angry showdown over the Democrats’ identity in the Trump era, and whether their current leadership is right for the moment.Catie Edmondson, who cov ... Show More
30m 54s
Aug 2024
The Republican Plan to Challenge a Harris Victory
At the Democratic National Convention, party officials are celebrating polls showing that Kamala Harris is now competitive with Donald Trump in every major swing state across the country.But in one of those swing states, Republicans have laid the groundwork to challenge a potenti ... Show More
28m 13s
Dec 2024
AOC Loses to the Gerontocracy
House Democrats choose not to elevate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, arguably the party's most compelling messenger, to Ranking Member on the House Oversight Committee—instead selecting 74-year-old Gerry Connolly, a committee lifer with no national reach. Jon and Dan discuss the magni ... Show More
1h 9m
Oct 2024
How Democrats Could Win The House
While Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are vying for the White House, neither will be able to make good on their campaign promises if they don’t also get some help from their respective parties in Congress. Control of both the Senate and the House ar ... Show More
18m 39s
May 23
Did Republicans Just Lose the House?
In the middle of the night, the House narrowly passes Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," a witch's brew of tax cuts for the wealthiest and benefit cuts for the neediest, sending it on to the Senate. Jon and Dan talk about what Democrats can do to stop the bill—and the upside of Republ ... Show More
1h 16m