Steve Witkoff’s Groveling to Putin Was Painful to Watch (w/ Michael Weiss)

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc:https://zocdoc.com/ bulwarktakes #sponsoredTim Miller and David Pakman take on Trump’s plummeting poll numbers, the White House putting Pakman on its official “Media Offenders” list, and the creators who Pakman says are now afraid to interview him because they fear becoming targets themselves. They also discuss how algorithms reward outrage and misinformation, the coming flood of synthetic political content, and Pakman’s new book, Pay Attention, about what the attention economy is doing to our politics and our brains.David Pakman’s new book, Pay Attention: How the Algorithms and Media Wars Are Suppressing Truth and Rewiring Your Brain:https://davidpakman.com/davids-books/The David Pakman Show:https://davidpakman.com/

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc:https://zocdoc.com/bulwarktakes #sponsoredThe White House is trying to defend Donald Trump’s decision to ban major news organizations from covering the White House and the policy is already producing some pretty absurd results.JVL and Will Sommer discuss Trump’s crackdown on the press, including a Newsmax broadcast where viewers couldn’t hear the president because the press pool wasn’t there to provide audio. They also examine the upcoming court fight over White House press access, the administration’s new White House app, and the question of whether Democrats should respond by restricting access for outlets like Fox News and Newsmax.Plus, JVL and Will debate the broader problem facing the press: Trump’s escalating efforts to favor friendly media, punish outlets he dislikes, and blur the line between journalism and political propaganda.

Ready to be seen? Check that appointment off your to-do list with Zocdoc ✅ : https://zocdoc.com/ bulwarktakes #sponsoredWill Sommer and Sonny Bunch take on Trump’s escalating war on the press, the TV networks pushing back on his White House ban, and the growing signs that even some longtime allies are getting sick of the chaos. Plus: Trump’s plan to put snipers in his giant D.C. arch, the bizarre MAGA fight over Indian Americans, Turning Point’s James Fishback problem, and the very questionable Lauren Boebert allegations.

Sam Stein and Will Saletan take a look at Donald Trump’s latest architectural fever dream: a 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington Cemetery that Trump says will double as a “top grade Military Complex,” complete with drones and snipers. They dig into the bizarre location, the questionable military rationale and Trump’s claim that the project came at the “strong request” of the military. As Sam and Will point out, this is an enormous armed monument sitting near Reagan National Airport, the Pentagon and Arlington Cemetery. What could possibly go wrong?Then they turn to Trump’s escalating crackdown on the press. CNN, MS NOW and Politico lost White House credentials after Trump objected to their coverage, and Republicans defended the move. And if you think the press should simply accept this as the new normal, Sam has a story from the Obama years that offers a different lesson.

Sam Stein and former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos give their takes on the flurry of international headlines over the weekend. The Houthis have escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on Riyadh, while Ukraine has launched a major wave of drone and missile strikes on Moscow and Russian energy infrastructure.They also discuss the Trump administration’s response to the Saudi crisis, the U.S. role in Ukraine, Russia’s escalating attacks and sabotage efforts across Europe, and the prospect of a brutal winter for Ukraine.

Tim Miller is back with another installment in his continuing series on the Republican candidates running in key races across the country. This time it’s Michael Whatley, Trump’s handpicked Senate candidate in North Carolina, whose record includes appointing a convicted child sex offender to a state GOP committee, hard-line abortion politics, financial interests tied to policies he supports, and questions about his role in Hurricane Helene recovery. Plus, Tim digs into the ugly story behind an anti-Roy Cooper ad featuring a grieving father who says he was misled about how his story would be used.Explore more in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdXT8ySfDKu0

Bill Kristol talks with Robert Kagan about how Trump’s Iran war is accelerating America’s retreat from the world, leaving allies to fend for themselves while China and Russia gain room to maneuver. They also discuss Trump’s unfinished ambitions in Greenland, Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington, and Kagan’s warning that the breakdown of the postwar order could move much faster than Washington is prepared for.

Donald Trump has banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, and this time, he followed through. Will Saletan and Will Sommer discuss Trump’s escalating attack on the press, his claim that the outlets can return if they start covering him more favorably, and what the crackdown could mean for journalists across Washington.They also discuss the First Amendment implications of viewpoint-based press access, Trump’s broader use of legal and regulatory pressure against media organizations, the FCC’s actions under Brendan Carr, and the White House’s decision to elevate openly partisan right-wing media while shutting out mainstream news organizations.

Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) break down the latest developments in the Iran war, including reports that AI-generated intelligence nearly led the U.S. military to board a Chinese vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. They discuss the dangers of relying on false intelligence, the importance of human oversight, and what can happen when bad information makes its way into military decision-making.They also examine reports that the Pentagon may be undercounting U.S. military deaths in the Middle East, as well as the growing cost of the Iran war. Plus, sensitive F-35 parts that were supposed to be shipped to the United States somehow ended up in Hong Kong.Finally, Ben and General Hertling fact-check President Trump’s claims about the massive amount of Venezuelan oil the U.S. supposedly secured, including his claim that America got 65 billion barrels of oil and 500 years’ worth of supply. Hertling explains what the deal actually entails and whether it constitutes a war crime.A quick note: Paid members of the Bulwark give us the freedom to follow the news wherever it leads, including stories that don’t just chase an algorithm. That’s why we can spend real time with experts like General Hertling on stories we think deserve your attention. If you think this kind of coverage is worthwhile, please consider becoming a paid members on Apple Podcasts, YouTube or Substack.

Bill Kristol talks with Nathaniel Zelinsky, the lead counsel challenging Trump’s efforts at the Kennedy Center, about the president’s demolition threats, the judge putting new limits on what the administration can do, and what happens if Trump simply refuses to obey a court order. Zelinsky explains why this fight over one building could become a much bigger test of the rule of law.