Bulwark Takes

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.
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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.
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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.html
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

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.
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Check out the Lib & Learn podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@LibAndLearn/streams