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Trump Tried to Secretly Order an Arrest…in Public (w/ Sam Stein) | The Bulwark Podcast

2025-10-09 News & Politics
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The Bulwark
The Bulwark
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Federal Overreach, Media Warfare, and Trump’s Digital Diplomacy Failures

Analyze how federal agents are escalating tensions in major cities, evaluate the bizarre revelation concerning Trump's direct messages, and assess the uncertain future of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

Short Summary

  • Federal operations, particularly ICE activities in Chicago, appear intentionally designed to amplify chaos rather than resolve issues.
  • A Wall Street Journal report confirmed that Donald Trump mistakenly posted a private directive aimed at prosecuting enemies publicly via Truth Social.
  • The conversation balances extreme rhetoric about impending civil war with the reality of local events, illustrating media polarization.
  • The speakers express cautious optimism about the Israel-Hamas hostage deal while doubting its long-term stability due to untrustworthy actors involved.

This episode moves through several political flashpoints, examining the aggressive PR strategy employed by DHS/ICE, which utilizes highly edited content and influencer collaboration to control the narrative around raids. Critically, the discussion dissects the implication of Trump’s digital incompetence regarding official legal directives. Finally, the speakers shift to analyzing the geopolitical instability surrounding the Middle East and domestic conservative media figures employing increasingly extreme language.

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Description

ICE and other armed federal agents are doing their best to incite violence in blue cities so they can help Trump realize his unfulfilled dream from 2020 to impose a military crackdown. At the same time, Trump can only point to what happened in Portland five years ago during Black Lives Matter protests to try to bolster his case. Meanwhile, Comey has a pretty good shot to get his case dismissed—thanks in part to a Truth Social post that was supposed to be a DM to Bondi directing her to go after his enemies. Plus, doubts around the longterm sustainability of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, the butch-up cosplay behind the blowing up of boats off of Venezuela, and the real power of conservative media influencers like Candace and Tucker. Sam Stein joins Tim Miller. show notes Adrian on ICE's propaganda videos https://www.thebulwark.com/p/ice-propaganda-campaign-goes-into-overdrive-portland-chicago-dhs?r=af2rj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Amit Segal's newsletter Tim referenced, "It's Noon in Israel" https://www.amitsegal.net/newsletter/ Katie Porter's interview with local CBS reporter; starts around 13:45 https://youtu.be/MJOhyFViMac?si=D-fMdCOJoNz3x4GJ Save 50% on a SimpliSafe home security system at https://SimpliSafe.com/THEBULWARK. There’s no safe like SimpliSafe. Go to https://MackWeldon.com and get 20% off your first order of $125 or more, with promo code THEBULWARK. Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join

Top Comments (10)

@joemullin749 2025-10-09

These last 9 months have been the longest couple of decades in my life!

970 31 replies
@joanneg4967 2025-10-09

Trump is at war with his own country. That is an automatic disqualification for any peace prize.

858 27 replies
@whatwhatwhat99 2025-10-09

They are ALL drunk with power. Absolutely disgusting

474 10 replies
@Mulchavelli 2025-10-09

I will never ever forgive anyone that collaborated with this regime

457 18 replies
@HEXQuantum 2025-10-09

I live near Portland. There is literally nothing true about what the president said.

410 13 replies
@bongholio82 2025-10-10

The dressing up in absurd costumes while protesting is far more effective than most people realize, especially in the modern age of social media. It never looks good on film when uniformed thugs are kicking the shit out of Barney the Dinosaur

153 1 replies
@diannabryzicki7111 2025-10-10

I am Christian and am extremely disgusted and absolutely sickened by what is done to people by ICE. And more sickening is that other Christians think that this is not only accepted but that they cheer it on. Wretched hateful people.

146 10 replies
@sharondymond.dba.fabledlabels 2025-10-10

To be called repugnant by Stephen Miller is a good character reference, Sam.

115 4 replies
@VoicesEnEspanol 2025-10-10

Judges and prosecutors upholding the law and following the Constitution should not be characterized as “resisting” or “the resistance” against Trump.

47 1 replies
@toncull1cullather-th8kp 2025-10-12

You're right. DO NOT GIVE HIM AN EXCUSE FOR USING THE INSURRECTION ACT. Nonviolent protest only. Be smart!

35 1 replies

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