BOMBSHELL: FBI Director Reportedly Drinking, Missing Work, Sometimes Unreachable

Sam Stein and Jonathan Cohn are going live to cover Trump's newest Surgeon General nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Fox News contributor. After pulling Casey Means' nomination, Trump bashed GOP Senator Bill Cassidy for opposing Means.Exclusive $25-off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES. Promo Code BULWARKTAKESTickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Tim Miller was all over MS NOW, talking about Trump’s $400 million “gold ballroom” obsession as his poll numbers slide and voters feel squeezed. He breaks down why the GOP’s usual message machine—coordinated distractions, echo chamber spin, and nonstop attacks—is suddenly falling flat, with backlash over Iran, rising gas prices, and broken promises piling up.For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.Watch All In with Chris Hayes on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/allWatch Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house

Tim Miller unloads on the wave of “false flag” theories spreading after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, calling out how quickly people abandon basic facts when politics takes over.Exclusive $25-off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES. Promo Code BULWARKTAKES

Sam Stein and Will Saletan give their takes on Pete Hegseth’s heated appearance on Capitol Hill, where questions about the $25 billion war with Iran quickly turned into personal attacks and repeated deflections. Hegseth spent much of his time avoiding accountability, focusing instead on blaming Democrats, raising questions about how he is approaching one of the most consequential national security roles in the world.For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Conor Kilgore and Rachel Janfaza discuss why Noah Kahan has become a defining voice for Gen Z—and what his music reveals about a generation shaped by COVID, social media overload, and constant comparison. They get into the mental health themes, the push to log off and reconnect with real life, and why so many young people feel nostalgic for a world they never actually lived in.Exclusive $25-off Carver Mat athttps://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES. Promo Code BULWARKTAKES

The Pentagon is under fire after the Jacqueline Smith, ombudsman for Stars and Stripes, says she was dismissed for raising concerns about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. What does this mean for press independence inside the military?Read more from Jacqueline's op-ed: https://www.stripes.com/opinion/2026-04-23/stripes-former-ombudsman-pentagon-trying-to-silence-21465037.htmlFor a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sonny Bunch and Catherine Rampell break down a wave of major FCC developments shaping the future of American media. Paramount is asking the FCC to approve up to 100% foreign ownership in a massive media deal that could impact CBS and CNN. Foreign money is flowing deeper into American news—and regulators may be on the verge of signing off. Meanwhile, the FCC is also reviewing Disney’s broadcast licenses following comments made by Jimmy Kimmel, raising new questions about free speech, media pressure, and political influence. All of this comes as critics argue the FCC under Brendan Carr is being used to target Trump’s political enemies.For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Tim Miller joins the Lib & Learn podcast to discuss the WHCD incident, the media spin that followed, and why both parties keep getting the moment wrong. He explains the real problem inside the Democratic coalition, how the GOP’s viral messaging machine works, and what it would actually take for Democrats to win again.Exclusive $25-off Carver Mat athttps://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES. Promo Code BULWARKTAKESCheck out the Lib & Learn podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@LibAndLearn/streams

Sam Stein and Ben Parker break down a Bulwark exclusive that the State Department is putting Trump's face on U.S. passports, as part of "America 250." Sam and Ben walk through what the redesign would actually include, why it’s unprecedented, and how it fits into a broader pattern of Trump branding across federal symbols and institutions. Plus, they break down how we reached out to the White House and State Department for comment and gave them time to respond. Instead, the White House sent the story to Fox News.For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.Read Ben Parker's exclusive report on the new passport design: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/exclusive-state-dept-finalizing-planSubscribe to the Morning Shots newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshotsTickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/eventsHave a tip? We have a secure website for that! https://thebulwark.com/tips

Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol are going live at 10am ET to discuss the week's biggest news items.Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/eventsFor a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.