The Bulwark Daily

As Trump’s war of choice continues to expand in the Middle East, it’s clear that the president is desperate not to show how weak he really is. The administration is out of time and out of both strategic and rhetorical options in Iran. Another sign that he is flailing: Trump is trying to ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House press pool. But other TV outlets are pushing back in solidarity, forcing Trump to choose between two of his favorite things: punishing his critics and dominating the airwaves. Plus why the triumphal arch would be the silliest possible place for a military installation, Trump’s American Idol-style vote on what to call AI, and the unaddressed, ongoing education crisis.
Sitting in for Bill Kristol, Andrew Egger joins Tim Miller on the Monday pod.
show notes:

Tim’s conversation about the latest AI news with Stephen Witt

Tim and JVL’s 2023 conversation with Reid Hoffman

Andrew in today’s “Morning Shots” on AI

Dan Selsam’s statement

Nikole Hannah-Jones on her daughter’s public school education

The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

The Bulwark Store

Song of the Day: MJ Lenderman - “She’s Leaving You”

For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping, when you head to Smalls.com/THEBULWARK.

In Greenland, the Trump administration has got tech bros and hedge fund guys running an influence operation there. The aim may be to fulfill Trump's territorial ambitions—or to create a sovereign state run by CEOs. In Venezuela, the administration is imperialistically seizing its gold, oil and other assets with no oversight. And in Brazil, the White House is trying to bring the Bolsonaro family back to power—which may or may not have something to do with Elon being angry about the country's tech regulation laws. In Trump 2.0, informal envoys, private companies, and hardened ideologues are turning American diplomacy upside down. Plus: Putin has played Kushner like a fiddle, don't let the story of Don Jr.'s Russian gangster-funded wedding die, new additions to the Applebaum book club, and we're going to have to bulldoze the ballroom.
Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.

show notes:

Anne’s Atlantic cover story, “Empire of Grift”

“Whistler: A Novel,” Anne's latest book recommendation

Tim’s book recommendation, “The Disappearers: A Novel”

The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

The Bulwark store

Tim’s playlist

Closing song - War on Drugs - “Suffering”

Try ZipRecruiter to post your job FOR FREE at http://ziprecruiter.com/BULWARK
4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.

Republicans are reeling, the vibes are shifting, and the wave is building. Jesse serves up a particularly optimistic view of the Democrats' chances in the midterms, with even stretch districts now in play. And ahead of Saturday's Ole Miss-LSU game, Wright shares how Mississippians are responding to the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and says that conservative farmers in the state are turning on MAGA. Plus, the love of a father and Ole Miss football, some Magnolia Bowl lore, why 1956 is the linchpin year in college sports history, and predicting the hate ratio on Saturday in Oxford.
Wright Thompson and Jesse Lehrich join Tim Miller.
show notes:

Wright's books, including "The Barn" and "The Cost of These Dreams"

Wright's ESPN piece on Friday will post here

Jesse's "Nobody Knows Anything" podcast

"Nobody's Listening," Jesse's newsletter

Campaign site for Eliott Rodriguez, Maria Elvira Salazar's opponent

Erick Erickson piece Tim mentioned

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield

The Bulwark Store

Try ZipRecruiter to post your job FOR FREE at http://ziprecruiter.com/BULWARK
4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.

The Fed raised interest rates to curb inflation, as expected, but mortgage rates are surging and flailing Scott Bessent remains the treasury secretary. Meanwhile, the alarm raised in the AI community is not an op despite the backlash from people like Nvidia's Jensen Huang, who seems to get everything he wants from Donald Trump. Plus, the Europeans who once parked their gold in the US to hide it from the Nazis are now trying to protect it from Trump.
Catherine Rampell and Stephen Witt join Tim Miller.
show notes:

Subscribe to Catherine Rampell's Receipts podcast and newsletter on Substack or follow her new show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | More 

Stephen's "This Is Really Bad" piece in the NYT

Stephen's "The Thinking Machine," about Nvidia and Jensen Huang

The latest episode of "The Next Level"

Dan Selsam's statement on Twitter that Tim read from

"If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies," the book Stephen mentioned

Huang's "impromptu" phone call with Trump

Closing song - Orville Peck - It's the End of the World

NOBL gives you real travel peace of mind — security, design, and convenience all in one. Head to NOBLTravel.com for 46% off your entire order! #NOBL #ad

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio.  Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.

The co-author of the signature book inside Trump 2.0 says the media only knows 5% of what is happening inside the administration—particularly when it comes to national security, the money-making, and the self-dealing. Jonathan does have new reporting about how the administration keeps pretending that our military is not running low on long-range missiles. In reality, the war is costing us a month's worth of Patriots almost every day. Plus: Stephen Miller has become the White House's resident kingmaker, why Trump is turbocharged on AI, and some contentious moments when Tim and Jonathan discuss how to characterize JD's divergent private and public posturing on the war.
Jonathan Swan joins Tim Miller.
show notes:

Jonathan’s “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump”

The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield

Closing Song - MJ Lenderman - She's Leaving You

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BULWARK at https://www.oneskin.co/BULWARK
#oneskinpod

Bulwark LIVE: Benefit for Springfield
Some moments require you to step up. Some require you to show up. That’s why The Bulwark is coming to Ohio. 
Join Tim, Sarah, JVL, Sam and friends Friday, September 25 at the Dayton Masonic Center for an evening of politics and fellowship.