ALL the Stories Are Bad for Trump! (w/ Jonathan Chait) | The Bulwark Podcast

No matter how often Trump tries to change the subject, he keeps getting caught in his own attempted diversions. He blames Somali immigrants for importing bribery, corruption, and lawlessness while he sits behind the resolute desk taking a million dollar bribe to bitch about a new bridge. Or he showcases the US men's hockey team while his lying FBI director gets caught red-handed pretending he just happened to be in Italy when the team was playing. And the more Trump tries to run away from the Epstein case, the more blatant the administration's cover-up becomes. Plus, distancing from the craziest parts of the DSA is part of the anti-authoritarian project, Mamdani and AOC have avoided some of their fan base's worst impulses, Newsom put his name on a number of policies that will dog his ambitions, and the Dems need to reclaim improving public schools as one of their key issues. The Atlantic’s Jon Chait joins Tim Miller. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/THEBULWARK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Show Notes: Tim's 'Bulwark Take' on the Epstein records connected to Trump: https://open.substack.com/pub/thebulwark/p/democrats-investigate-doj-over-epstein?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web Jon on the new Michigan-Canada bridge: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/trump-detroit-windsor-bridge/685967/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share Jon on the 2028 problems for Gavin: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/gavin-newsom-record-democrat-california/685423/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share Jon on the corrupt circumstances around Bari at CBS: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/bari-weiss-cecot-60-minutes/685450/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share Tim on David Frum's podcast: https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/02/david-frum-show-tim-miller-counterculture/686141/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share Chapters: 00:00:14 Welcome, Events & Hot Dog Suit Correction 00:01:08 Guest Switch-Up & Jonathan Chait Joins 00:02:15 Epstein Cover-Up & Trump Vulnerability 00:06:19 Hockey, FBI Optics & Political Damage 00:07:51 Trump Voter Amnesia & Polling Shift 00:10:01 Iran War Strategy & White House Leaks 00:13:40 Netanyahu Nuclear Warnings Over Time 00:18:20 Canada Bridge Monopolies & Trump Corruption 00:28:09 Crypto, China & Direct Payoffs 00:31:04 Ad Break: Quince 00:33:13 CBS, Media Pressure & Authoritarian Playbook 00:40:54 AOC, Mamdani & Coalition Politics 00:54:02 Education Reform & Southern Gains Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join Chapters: 00:00:00 Epstein files and the Trump cover-up 00:07:52 Voters already disowning their Trump vote 00:10:01 War with Iran? Tactic without an objective 00:18:04 Corruption watch: the Canada bridge fight 00:28:12 Crypto as a direct pipeline for influence 00:31:33 Ad break: Quince 00:32:54 CBS, Fox, and media pressure from the White House 00:39:00 AOC, coalition politics, and the DSA factor 00:50:42 Newsom’s California record as a liability 00:54:07 The Southern education surge and what Democrats missed