Bulwark Takes

Sam Stein and Jared Poland give their takes on Trump’s new acting Navy secretary, Hung Cao. From viral podcast clips to resurfaced campaign interviews, Cao leans hard into “alpha male” rhetoric, conspiracy-adjacent claims about witches, and extreme takes on immigration, NATO, and the military. It’s a wild collection of moments, including comments about “peeing standing up,” calling ICE on people, and KKK hoods. Cao’s rise to the top ranks of the Pentagon raise serious questions about judgment and leadership under Pete Hegseth.
Get tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sarah Longwell breaks down California’s chaotic governor’s race, where 61 candidates and a fractured Democratic field could open the door for Republicans. In polls, Xavier Becerra is quietly rising as the “safe” choice  with Katie Porter still facing questions about her personal baggage, and billionaire Tom Steyer took most of the heat on the debate stage. All of this as Republicans, like Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, stand to benefit from the split in a chaotic jungle primary.

Catherine Rampell and JVL are going live to cover the week's biggest developments in the world of finance and the economy.
Read Catherine Rampell's 'Receipts' Newsletter
Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May

Tim Miller appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored and got into a heated on-air clash with a right-wing “pastor” while dismantling the case for Trump’s war with Iran.
Watch more Piers Morgan Uncensored: https://www.youtube.com/piersmorganuncensored
Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sam Stein and Will Sommer break down a chaotic day involving Kash Patel. First, Patel snaps at a reporter when pressed about his own lawsuit, turning a simple question into a total meltdown. They also dig into the Justice Department’s indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center, explaining the allegations and why the case is already raising serious questions. Finally, they examine a troubling development: the FBI questioning a New York Times reporter after a story about Patel’s girlfriend.
Read more from Will's newsletter False Flag: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/false-flag
Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: https://thebulwark.com/events