The Bulwark

•

Channel • 16 Shows

History

History

Updated weekly
Politics

Politics

Updated weekly
Film Interviews

Film Interviews

Updated weekly
Politics

Politics

Updated weekly
Film Reviews

Film Reviews

Updated weekly
Politics

Politics

Updated weekly
News

News

Updated 08/05/2023

22/05/2025

How to Practice Productive Statecraft

With Eliot still on the road, Eric welcomes Dennis Ross, Counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and former Director of Policy Planning under James Baker, Special Middle East Envoy under President Clinton among several other high level national security positions at State, Defense and the White House under Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, and Obama. Dennis is also a prolific author including his memoir of Middle East diplomacy, The Missing Peace, Doomed to Succeed - a history of U.S.-Israel relations, and most recently Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2025). They discuss why Dennis chose to update his 2005 book on Statecraft, his choice of case studies including German Reunification, the First Gulf War, Bosnia, the Iraq War and the Syria policy debacle under President Obama. He describes the contending schools of thought about America's role in the world, including America First, Restrainers, Realists, and Liberal Internationalists and their differences over the use of force, alliances, as well as the role of interests and values in American foreign policy. He outlines the habits of good statecraft, including proper assessments, use of leverage and coercion, Presidential leadership and empowering lower level officials while avoiding groupthink. Along the way they discuss Afghanistan, Libya, the war in Ukraine and Dennis's assessment of President Trump's trip to the Middle East and his policy approach to the war in Ukraine and changing Vladimir Putin's calculus about war termination.Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World:https://a.co/d/j8C7WcHShield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

22/05/2025

•

1h 1m
04/04/2025 · BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Some Terrible Ways to "Fix" Theaters

This Variety piece may have broken Sonny’s spirit: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/movie-theaters-texting-smoking-weed-1236347824/ Listen and see why.

04/04/2025 · Bonus

•

18 min
03/06/2025 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Is Trump’s Judicial Empire Crumbling?

On this week's Just Between Us, guest host Andrew Egger is joined by JVL to discuss how Trump’s second-term power plays—like politicizing law enforcement and the DOJ—are breaking institutional norms, with dangerous implications.

03/06/2025

•

54 min
18/07/2025

Why Anime Is Taking Over Pop Culture

On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Crunchyroll EVP Mitchel Berger to talk about anime’s increasing popularity with those yearning for community. We reference a report on the state of anime several times; you can read it here. The long and the short of it, though, is that anime is increasingly popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, which will likely come as no surprise to anyone who has seen the wall of manga in their local Barnes and Noble. From theatrical rollouts in the United States and around the world to the 17-million-subscriber-strong Crunchyroll streaming service to the sold-out Anime Expo in Los Angeles earlier this month, it’s an enormous segment of the market that holds a deep attachment to younger audiences. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, I hope you share it with a friend!

18/07/2025

•

43 min
04/03/2025 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

How to Handle the Mad King?

Andrew Egger and Mona talk about Vice President JD Vance’s controversial remarks about European military contributions and Trump’s freeze on military aid to Ukraine. They also explore the ludicrous “fentanyl from Canada” claim, Trump’s unpredictable tariff policies, including new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.

04/03/2025

•

36 min
12/10/2024

The Movie Donald Trump Doesn't Want You to See

I’m joined by Gabriel Sherman, the writer of The Apprentice, on this week’s episode. Sebastian Stan plays Donald Trump in this movie in theaters now about the future president’s relationship with noted legal fixer and possible evil supervillain Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). The movie’s path to distribution is almost as interesting as the film itself: following production and a decent response at Cannes, it found itself in limbo as the original financier got cold feet and studios worried about reprisals from Donald Trump if he were to win the presidency again. We discussed all that and more in our chat; if you found it interesting, I hope you share it with a friend!

12/10/2024

•

42 min
17/06/2025 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Why This Israel-Iran Conflict Feels Different

On this week's Just Between Us, JVL joins Mona to revel in the wonders of Yellowstone National Park before shifting to the Israeli-Iranian conflict. They explore why Israel may have struck now, citing Iran’s weakened proxies and the regime’s vulnerability. They also debate potential U.S. involvement, MAGA-world divisions, and the GOP’s unstable coalition of oligarchs and “takers.” A focus group discussion highlights how resentment and entitlement influence political loyalties.

17/06/2025

•

46 min
13/05/2025 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Whites Only

JVL and Mona discuss the welcome mat for white Afrikaners (sp?), the Middle East corruption tour, and the neo-con Pope!

13/05/2025

•

42 min
19/04/2024

Will Dysfunctional House GOP Do the Right Thing?

Lawfare's Ben Wittes joins the group to discuss Iran's attack on Israel, Congress's action on Ukraine, Trump's NY trial, and the Supreme Court. highlights / lowlights Mona: The Great Hypocrisy of the Pro-Life Movement (David French, NYT) Bill: Efforts to reform the insurrection act. Linda: Restoring Civics in Higher Education (Wilfred McClay, AEI) Ben: Mona is given an award, but Chatham House Rules. Damon: The Retconning of January 6 by people who knew better

19/04/2024

•

1h 1m
17/09/2020

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood with Chris Fenton

This week, Sonny talks to “Feeding the Dragon” author Chris Fenton. For seventeen years, Fenton served as president of DMG Entertainment Motion Picture Group and GM of DMG North America, internationally orchestrating the creative and business activities of DMG—a multi-billion dollar global media company headquartered in Beijing. He is currently CEO of Media Capital Technologies and a Trustee of the US-Asia Institute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17/09/2020

•

48 min

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.

0.0 (0)

HISTORY
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/

0.0 (0)

POLITICS
Sonny Bunch hosts The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood, a new podcast featuring interviews with folks who have their finger on the pulse of the entertainment industry during this dynamic—and difficult—time.

0.0 (0)

FILM INTERVIEWS
Here’s the elevator pitch: It’s “Left, Right, and Center” meets “Siskel and Ebert.” Three friends from different ideological perspectives discuss the movies and controversies (or nontroversies!) swirling around them. You'll have to sign up for the Substack to get bonus episodes and you can do that at movieaisle.substack.com.

0.0 (0)

FILM REVIEWS
“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.

0.0 (0)

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