The Next Level

Episodes page 2 of 6

1. 1082: Trump Could Tarnish the GOP for YEARS to Come

   22 May 2026 · 51 min · Episode 1082

   Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and Sam Stein debate whether Democrats should just “let Trump cook” as his approval numbers crater, Republicans start breaking ranks, and the MAGA coalition begins to fracture. Plus: Rubio…

2. 1081: Secret Podcast: Trump's $1.7b Friends and Family Fund

   15 May 2026 · 37 min · Episode 1081

   The Secret Podcast is available exclusively to paid subscribers of The Bulwark. You can join on Apple Podcasts, Substack or YouTube! Last night news broke that President Trump would drop his $10b lawsuit against the…

3. 1080: Should the Next Democrat Punish Red States? JVL Says... Maybe

   13 May 2026 · 1 h 25 min · Episode 1080

   JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller discuss the Virginia redistricting ruling, what it means for elections this November, and whether Democrats need to start playing as dirty as their opponents. Plus: the Iran war is a…

4. 1079: Secret Podcast Preview: The Primary Was Over Before It Started

   9 May 2026 · 24 min · Episode 1079

   The full episode is available exclusively to paid members of The Bulwark. You can join on Apple Podcasts, Substack or YouTube. Sarah and JVL had a big show planned for you. Lots of different subjects. Important news.…

5. 1078: This is The Stupidest War You Can Possibly Imagine

   5 May 2026 · 1 h 09 min · Episode 1078

   Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and Sam Stein (filling in for JVL) discuss the Trump administration’s assertion that the effort to protect ships in the Strait of Hormuz is "separate and distinct" from the larger war effort…

6. 1077: Secret Podcast: JVL Wants Every Trump Voter to Know, THIS IS YOUR FAULT!

   1 May 2026 · 49 min · Episode 1077

   Full episodes of the Secret Podcast are available to paid members of the Bulwark on Substack, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss the signs that voters are starting to regret their Trump…

7. 1076: Trump Indicts Comey—AGAIN

   29 Apr 2026 · 1 h 11 min · Episode 1076

   Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and JVL are going LIVE to cover yet another indictment of Jim Comey by the Trump administration. NOTE: If you're getting this late—we apologize! Something went wrong and some of you may not…

8. 1075: Secret Podcast: Trump’s War Runs on Pure Make-Believe

   24 Apr 2026 · 22 min · Episode 1075

   JVL and Sarah Longwell talk about the firing of the Navy secretary mid-conflict and the bizarre “Trump-class battleship” saga, exposing a pattern of impossible promises and chaotic leadership. Plus: the Spirit Airlines…

9. 1074: Tucker Carlson’s “Regret” Is Just Another Scam

   21 Apr 2026 · 56 min · Episode 1074

   Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and JVL celebrate JVL’s Webby win (sort of), and cover Tucker Carlson’s sudden “regret” turn and what it means about MAGA, Donald Trump Jr. as a 2028 front-runner, and the continued disaster…

10. 1073: Secret Podcast: Republicans Are Walking Into a Buzzsaw

    17 Apr 2026 · 31 min · Episode 1073

    JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss a bizarre week where markets surge amid global chaos, Trump feuds with his own allies, and confusion over Iran keeps escalating. They also break down a blowout Democratic win, surging…

11. 1072: Did JD Vance Tell the Pope to Shut Up?

    15 Apr 2026 · 1 h 16 min · Episode 1072

    Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and JVL cover a rough week for Trump, from failed talks with Iran that turned into a naval blockade, to strong signs of real cracks inside his coalition as allies and right-wing media begin…

12. 1071: Secret Podcast: The Podcast Wars

    11 Apr 2026 · 27 min · Episode 1071

    JVL and Sarah discuss the failed ceasefire, Melania’s bizarre Epstein pre-denial, and the growing rift between Trump and "America First" heavyweights like Tucker, Megyn, Candace, and Alex Jones. Is this just another…

13. 1070: LIVE: Trump Extends Civilian Annihilation Threat For Two Weeks

    8 Apr 2026 · 1 h 10 min · Episode 1070

    Sarah, Tim and JVL g to cover Trump's Iran ultimatum and other news. Make today a good day, and get yourself some Soul gummies. Right now, Soul is offering 30% off your entire order! Go to https://GetSoul.com and use…

14. 1069: Secret Podcast: Every Single Person Around Trump Is Expendable

    3 Apr 2026 · 33 min · Episode 1069

    JVL and Sarah discuss Trump’s rambling, unfocused address that failed to clarify any of the war’s goals, even as evidence mounts that the situation is getting worse. They also talk about the Bondi firing, why it may…

15. 1068: Kristi Noem’s Husband Isn’t the Problem

    1 Apr 2026 · 1 h 14 min · Episode 1068

    Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL get into the wild new scandal involving Kristi Noem’s husband—and why the story isn’t what people think it is. They also discuss Trump’s chaotic handling of the Iran conflict, the…

16. 1067: Secret Podcast: Trump Won’t Stop—Because He Can’t Look Weak

    27 Mar 2026 · 35 min · Episode 1067

    JVL and Bill Kristol—filling in for Sarah—discuss escalating Iran conflict, the risky push toward a wider war, and why the real damage may outlast the fighting. They also get into the global fallout—from threats to the…

17. 1066: How Much Pain Before MAGA Turns on Trump?

    24 Mar 2026 · 1 h 08 min · Episode 1066

    Tim Miller, JVL and Sam Stein (filling in for Sarah) discuss Trump’s shambolic approach to the Iran war—no clear objective, mixed signals, and rising economic fallout. As gas prices climb and markets wobble, they ask…

18. 1065: Even Trump’s Cheerleaders Are Saying “Oops”

    20 Mar 2026 · 48 min · Episode 1065

    Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and JVL were live in Austin talking about Trump’s Iran war, the cascading economic fallout, and growing global instability. As gas prices spike and allies react, the conversation turns…

19. 1064: Trump Is About to Own a Disastrous Middle East War | Secret Podcast

    19 Mar 2026 · 17 min · Episode 1064

    Paid members of The Bulwark can watch the FULL episode of The Secret Podcast. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss the Trump administration’s stumble into an Iranian conflict that betrays its "no more wars" promise. They…

20. 1063: Secret Podcast: Would You Trust These Idiots With a War?

    13 Mar 2026 · 29 min · Episode 1063

    Sarah Longwell and JVL talk about what happens if Trump doesn't TACO and pull the plug on the Iran war excursion after things go from messy to bad. Not great! Also: What happens if we know how to reform the system,…

21. 1062: LIVE REACTION: Trump Doesn’t Understand His Own War | The Next Level

    10 Mar 2026 · 1 h 09 min · Episode 1062

    Sarah, Tim and JVL are going LIVE to talk about the escalating air war with Iran and the chaos and dishonesty of Trump’s shifting explanations for it. Wildgrain is offering our listeners $30 off your first box - PLUS…

22. 1061: Secret Podcast: Did Stephen Miller Just Pull Off a Palace Coup?

    6 Mar 2026 · 32 min · Episode 1061

    JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss the chaotic firing of Kristi Noem after a disastrous hearing, the MAGA infighting that may have taken her down, and what it says about how Trump runs his administration. They also talk…

23. 1060: TNL Live! Iran War Nukes MAGA

    3 Mar 2026 · 1 h 11 min · Episode 1060

    Sarah Longwell, JVL, and Tim Miller are going live to talk about the shifting mood around the Iran strikes—how casualties could change the politics, whether 2026 is starting to feel like 2006, and if Trump’s “just do…

24. 1059: Secret Podcast: War with Iran and the Takeover of CNN

    28 Feb 2026 · 27 min · Episode 1059

    To get the full episode, become a paid member of the Bulwark on Substack, YouTube or Apple Podcasts. The U.S. government is ordering employees out of Israel and Iraq, the latest signal that war with Iran is…

25. 1058: They’re Hiding the Epstein Files to Protect Trump

    25 Feb 2026 · 1 h 02 min · Episode 1058

    Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL run through a packed episode: explosive new questions about the Epstein files and whether Trump’s DOJ is shielding him, the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling (and the three justices who…

26. 1057: Trump Wants to Be King of the World (Live from Minneapolis)

    21 Feb 2026 · 56 min · Episode 1057

    JVL, Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and Sam Stein team up, live in Minneapolis, to dish on how Donald Trump kicked off his new Board of Peace by threatening to go to war with Iran and why other countries are holding people…

27. 1056: Secret Podcast: Trump’s DHS Is Eating Itself Alive

    14 Feb 2026 · 26 min · Episode 1056

    Sarah and JVL discuss the Wall Street Journal exposé on Kristi Noem, Corey Lewandowski, and the internal fight over whether ICE raids should be loud and viral or quiet and deniable. They talk about why humiliation has…

28. 1055: Trump is Crashing Out And We're LOVING It

    11 Feb 2026 · 1 h 01 min · Episode 1055

    JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller relish Trump’s losing streak—from +6 approval to –14—and why slipping GOP support could signal a Bush-style collapse. They also get into inflation backlash, the White House’s “Don’t…

29. 1054: Secret Podcast: Divorced Guy Energy Is Ruining America

    7 Feb 2026 · 24 min · Episode 1054

    Donald Trump posts an overtly racist video, Republicans briefly squirm, and the usual defenses start to crack. JVL and Sarah Longwell explain why this moment exposed GOP cowardice, how Trump’s vanity and distractions…

30. 1053: The Georgia FBI Raid Was Just a Dry Run

    4 Feb 2026 · 1 h 11 min · Episode 1053

    JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller talk about the new Epstein file releases and what they reveal about elite weakness, Peter Attia’s emails, the effort to rehabilitate Epstein after prison, and why this isn’t “cancel…

31. 1052: Secret Podcast: Trump Begins Arresting Journalists

    30 Jan 2026 · 19 min · Episode 1052

    JVL and Sarah came in hottt today, angry about . . . all of it? Journalists are now being arrested. Masked DHS agents are still terrorizing Minneapolis. The worst “free speech” people you know are building a state…

32. 1051: LIVE REACTION: Lil’ Greg Bovino Sent Home; Tom Homan In

    27 Jan 2026 · 1 h 12 min · Episode 1051

    Sarah, Tim and JVL join to talk about the fallout in Minnesota after Trump pulls Greg Bovino and installs Tom Homan, how voters are reacting, global blowback on Greenland, and what's next. For a limited time, save up…

33. 1050: Secret Podcast: Trump Is Now Deeply Unpopular

    23 Jan 2026 · 29 min · Episode 1050

    JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss the latest—from Trump's sinking poll numbers and the Greenland spectacle to escalating ICE actions and local resistance. They also talk about new focus-group findings showing Gen Z Trump…

34. 1049: LIVE REACTION: Sundowning Trump Stumbles Through Press Event

    20 Jan 2026 · 1 h 46 min · Episode 1049

    Sarah, JVL and Tim discuss the low-energy, never-ending Trump event and the end of their will to live. They also go deep on how Trump’s obsession with Greenland is threatening to torch America’s relationships with its…

35. 1048: The New Rule is "Comply or Die" | Secret Podcast

    17 Jan 2026 · 24 min · Episode 1048

    Sarah and JVL discuss the Minneapolis shooting and the growing backlash to ICE tactics, the collapse of public support for Trump across key polls, MAGA’s “comply or die” hypocrisy, a potential split between “MAGA” and…

36. 1047: JD Vance Picked the Ugliest Fight on Purpose

    14 Jan 2026 · 1 h 14 min · Episode 1047

    Sarah, Tim and JVL discuss the ICE killing in Minneapolis and the escalation that followed, including DOJ prosecutors resigning rather than smearing the victim’s family. They also talk about JD Vance’s eagerness to…

37. 1046: Secret Podcast: The Government Keeps Shooting Civilians

    10 Jan 2026 · 26 min · Episode 1046

    Sarah and JVL talk about the new video from the ICE agent as he killed Renee Good. It’s tough and they’re not sure quite where we go from here. Is the rule of law real? Or is everything might makes right? Also: Trump…

38. 1045: Venezuela Exposes the Lie of America First

    7 Jan 2026 · 1 h 10 min · Episode 1045

    Sarah, Tim and JVL discuss the legality and consequences of the Venezuela operation, the emerging split between “America First” and “Trump First,” Stephen Miller’s grotesque worldview, and why Greenland suddenly feels…

39. 1044: When Fox News Starts Saying "Trump is Bad" (and Other Wild Predictions)

    31 Dec 2025 · 38 min · Episode 1044

    JVL, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller look ahead to what’s next—and it (mostly) isn't pretty. From Trump’s plans for the Fed and crypto chaos, to billionaire media consolidation, and some truly unhinged foreign policy…

40. 1043: Trump's DOJ Utterly Bungled the Latest Epstein Release

    24 Dec 2025 · 51 min · Episode 1043

    New Epstein files have dropped, and the fallout is growing. Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL discuss what’s new in the latest release, why the DOJ’s clumsy redactions and selective disclosures made things worse, and…

41. 1042: Why Did Susie Wiles Do These Interviews?

    17 Dec 2025 · 1 h 27 min · Episode 1042

    Sarah Longwell, JVL, and Tim Miller discuss the jaw-dropping Vanity Fair interviews Susie Wiles gave to Vanity Fair and what they reveal about how Trumpworld actually operates, the Epstein and Maxwell fallout, the…

42. 1041: Fear the Reaper | The Secret Podcast

    12 Dec 2025 · 22 min · Episode 1041

    Donald Trump isn’t just attacking the press, he’s trying to own it. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss how Trump is using merger approvals, billionaire allies, and corporate pressure to bend major media companies to his…

43. 1040: Republicans Can Smell Trump’s Weakness

    10 Dec 2025 · 1 h 18 min · Episode 1040

    Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code THENEXTLEVEL at https://laundrysauce.com/THENEXTLEVEL #laundrysaucepod This holiday, give your loved ones the only gift that keeps on giving — health. Go to…

44. 1039: The Feelings Show | The Secret Podcast

    5 Dec 2025 · 31 min · Episode 1039

    This a preview of The Secret Podcast, where Sarah and JVL go off-leash and uncensored in an intimate conversation. The full episode is available for paid Bulwark members on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube! Sarah…

45. 1038: Mike Johnson’s Speakership Is Hanging by Dental Floss | The Next Level

    4 Dec 2025 · 1 h 04 min · Episode 1038

    Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and JVL get through a chaotic week in Trump’s Washington: Elise Stefanik and Mike Johnson tearing each other apart, Hegseth’s shifting alibis for a possible war crime, Trump nodding off…

46. 1037: The Most Dangerous Part of Trump's Second Term | The Secret Podcast

    28 Nov 2025 · 23 min · Episode 1037

    Note: Sarah and JVL recorded this episode on Wednesday, November 26. JVL and Sarah Longwell break down why pardoning January 6 felons might be the most dangerous move of his presidency yet. By promising protection to…

47. 1036: Why Trump’s “Enemies” Keep Winning

    26 Nov 2025 · 1 h 15 min · Episode 1036

    Trump’s revenge crusade is collapsing in real time. Botched prosecutions, clown-car legal teams, foreign bot armies propping up MAGA influencers, and a GOP in full-blown identity crisis. JVL, Sarah Longwell and Tim…

48. 1035: Legal Orders | The Secret Podcast

    21 Nov 2025 · 19 min · Episode 1035

    Trump crossed a line, again. JVL and Sarah Longwell discuss Trump’s latest tantrum: calling for Democratic senators to be put to death after they released a video reminding service members they don’t have to follow…

49. 1034: Has Epstein Stopped the Trump 2028 Train?

    20 Nov 2025 · 1 h 17 min · Episode 1034

    Trump’s awful month keeps getting worse: the botched Comey indictment, the Epstein files exploding, Trump snapping at reporters, and signs that the MAGA machine isn’t running like it used to. JVL, Sarah, and Tim talk…

50. 1033: Incentives Matter | Secret Podcast Preview

    15 Nov 2025 · 23 min · Episode 1033

    JVL and Catherine Rampell (filling in for Sarah) dig into the latest Epstein revelations and what they expose about the darker, unsteady corners of the GOP. The conversation traces how a party already splintering under…