The Next Level

5.0 (5)
POLITICS
UPDATED WEEKLY

Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and Jonathan V. Last bring their signature political insight and banter to the masses in The Next Level podcast. Tune in to hear them discuss the news of the week, break down campaigns and elections, and wade into pop culture feuds. www.thebulwark.com

5 DAYS AGO

When Fox News Starts Saying "Trump is Bad" (and Other Wild Predictions)

JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller look ahead to what’s next—and it (mostly) isn't pretty. From Trump’s plans for the Fed and crypto chaos, to billionaire media consolidation, and some truly unhinged foreign policy ideas, they game out what could break, what might finally collapse Trump’s support, and why things probably have to get worse before they get better. Go to https://Quince.com/thenextlevel for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

38 min
24/12/2025

Trump's DOJ Utterly Bungled the Latest Epstein Release

New Epstein files have dropped, and the fallout is growing. Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL discuss what’s new in the latest release, why the DOJ’s clumsy redactions and selective disclosures made things worse, and how the accumulating evidence and hypocrisy are starting to break through to voters. They also talk about Trump’s distraction tactics, JD Vance’s political viability, and why the old Trump bargain isn’t holding anymore. NOTE: The Justice Department in a tweet later on Tuesday, after the episode was taped, said that the alleged letter from Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar was determined by the FBI to be fake.

51 min
17/12/2025

Why Did Susie Wiles Do These Interviews?

Sarah Longwell, JVL, and Tim Miller discuss the jaw-dropping Vanity Fair interviews Susie Wiles gave to Vanity Fair and what they reveal about how Trumpworld actually operates, the Epstein and Maxwell fallout, the backlash to Trump’s remarks about Rob Reiner, MAGA’s internal fractures, Elon Musk’s role in dismantling USAID, and why this moment feels different from past Trump controversies. Susie Wiles, JD Vance, and the “Junkyard Dogs”: The White House Chief of Staff on Trump’s Second Term (Part 1 of 2) https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-1 Susie Wiles Talks Epstein Files, Pete Hegseth’s War Tactics, Retribution, and More (Part 2 of 2) https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-2 Get 50% off your first order with Green Chef and a FREE Graza Olive Oil set at https://GreenChef.com/NEXTLEVELGRAZA. Get 30% off your entire order with Soul at https://GetSoul.com, promo code THENEXTLEVEL. Remember to head to https://ZBiotics.com/NEXTLEVEL and use the code NEXTLEVEL at checkout for 15% off. To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to NakedWines.com/THENEXTLEVEL and use code THENEXTLEVEL for both the code AND PASSWORD.

1h 27m
12/12/2025

Fear the Reaper | The Secret Podcast

Donald Trump isn’t just attacking the press, he’s trying to own it. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss how Trump is using merger approvals, billionaire allies, and corporate pressure to bend major media companies to his will, from CNN and CBS to the broader tech and news ecosystem. They explain why media consolidation creates a dangerous opening for political intimidation, how this power play has nothing to do with conservatism and everything to do with control, and why independent outlets like The Bulwark matter more than ever in an era where money, media, and government are colliding.

22 min
10/12/2025

Republicans Can Smell Trump’s Weakness

Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code THENEXTLEVEL at https://laundrysauce.com/THENEXTLEVEL #laundrysaucepod This holiday, give your loved ones the only gift that keeps on giving — health. Go to https://Superpower.com/gift to get a free $49 gift box with your gifted membership. Get free shipping and 365 day returns with Quince at https://Quince.com/THENEXTLEVEL

1h 18m
05/12/2025

The Feelings Show | The Secret Podcast

This a preview of The Secret Podcast, where Sarah and JVL go off-leash and uncensored in an intimate conversation. The full episode is available for paid Bulwark members on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube! Sarah and JVL are in meat-space talking about the Donald J. Trump buildings coming soon to a town near you. And also why liberalism needs to fight. But the big topic is all of the feelings they’ve got from being at the annual Bulwark all-hands get together. Warning: Emo JVL is a bit much.

31 min
04/12/2025

Mike Johnson’s Speakership Is Hanging by Dental Floss | The Next Level

Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL get through a chaotic week in Trump’s Washington: Elise Stefanik and Mike Johnson tearing each other apart, Hegseth’s shifting alibis for a possible war crime, Trump nodding off while his cabinet members freelance policy, and a fresh round of immigration extremism that targets even legal residents. They also discuss population-collapse warnings, the “narco-terror” fantasy, JD Vance’s pathetic theatrics, and Tim’s interview with Olivia Nuzzi. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code THENEXTLEVEL at https://www.oneskin.co/THENEXTLEVEL #oneskinpod Go to https://zbiotics.com/NEXTLEVEL and use NEXTLEVEL at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. Get $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to: https://www.wildalaskan.com/NEXTLEVEL. Get 40% off your entire order during Soul’s Black Friday-Cyber Monday sale at https://GetSoul.com, promo code THENEXTLEVEL.

1h 4m
28/11/2025

The Most Dangerous Part of Trump's Second Term | The Secret Podcast

Note: Sarah and JVL recorded this episode on Wednesday, November 26. JVL and Sarah Longwell break down why pardoning January 6 felons might be the most dangerous move of his presidency yet. By promising protection to anyone who commits crimes on his behalf, Trump is building a loyalty pipeline straight out of a mob movie… and the Supreme Court is giving him the cover he needs.

48 min

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Tim Miller and guests discuss the latest political news for the flagship podcast of the Never Trump movement and the reality-based community. Every weekday we provide insightful analysis, political hot-takes, an unabashed defense of liberal democracy and long-form interviews that cut through the "both-sides" BS. Plus a few laughs to help you wash down the crazy. Bulwark+ members can get a totally ad-free version of the show delivered right to their favorite podcast player.

4.9 (15)

POLITICS
The news cycle doesn’t slow down, and neither does The Bulwark. Bulwark Takes brings you bite-sized takes on the news of the day from the entire Bulwark team, including Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and Bill Kristol, and more.

5.0 (2)

POLITICS
“The Illegal News” is where law meets politics. Each week, Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell (not a lawyer) sits down with a legal expert to unpack how the latest court filings, rulings, and procedural twists and turns of the Trump era are shaping American democracy. These are conversations about justice without the jargon, giving you context for the biggest developments and surfacing the legal (and illegal) moves not getting enough attention. If you're looking for "George Conway Explains It All to Sarah Longwell," George is off on a new adventure, but Sarah will keep you covered.

5.0 (4)

POLITICS
Politicians, pundits, and the media spend a lot of time talking about the problems our country faces but not enough time on how to solve them. Each week, John Avlon and his guests hash out sensible and attainable solutions for some of the most vexing issues confronting our democracy—solutions that will likely emerge from the political center.

0.0 (0)

POLITICS
Unfiltered, uncompromising, unexpected—The Focus Group is a look into what the average voter thinks about politics, policy, and current events. Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark, has conducted hundreds of hours of focus groups all across the country. She and a series of special guests will take you behind the glass to hear what real focus group participants have to say. https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast/focus-group/

5.0 (2)

POLITICS
Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. We probe beyond the hive mind of Washington conventional wisdom on national security and foreign affairs.

4.5 (2)

HISTORY

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Jonathan V. Last

Host
Sarah Longwell

Host
Tim Miller

Host
Olivia Nuzzi

Guest

5

out of 5

5 Ratings

Honest, insightful and funny

13/11/2023

Qsigne

Love this podcast. There’s just something about the honesty of a former Republican that is extremely refreshing, and being a leftie myself, I gain a lot of insight from listening to conservatives I know I can trust to be truthful and intelligent. Also, I just find Tim very funny and relatable :) Podcasts like these show, that when partisanship is not a factor, it’s so much clearer how much more we have in common than apart. We call these times divided, but sometimes I feel like it’s the opposite - a shared purpose across all divides - and that feels truly joyful to me :) (And just a thought, but maybe tell people exactly where to give those stars and reviews? I at least had real trouble finding it on my loathsome Apple Podcasts.)

Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and Jonathan V. Last bring their signature political insight and banter to the masses in The Next Level podcast. Tune in to hear them discuss the news of the week, break down campaigns and elections, and wade into pop culture feuds. www.thebulwark.com