Sam Stein sits down with CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski to discuss Pete Hegseth’s past comments on military law and unlawful orders. Kaczynski unearthed video of Hegseth defending troops for refusing illegal orders—something he now attacks Democratic lawmakers for saying.

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Read more of Andrew’s work: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/08/politics/hegseth-trump-warned-unlawful-orders-kfile

ProPublica’s Justin Elliott talks with Tim Miller about a fresh set of Trump-connected mortgage records that deserve a closer look.

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Justin’s story: https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-mortgage-fraud-florida-principal-residences

JVL is joined by Catherine Rampell and Sonny Bunch to give their takes on the wild Warner Brothers takeover drama and the surprising role Jared Kushner is playing in Hollywood’s biggest bidding war. we break down how Kushner and Trump allies are shaping the bidding war and why Paramount and Netflix are fighting over Warner Bros. and CNN.

Get 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library at https://Calm.com/BULWARKTAKES.

Sam Stein, Tim Miller, and Will Sommer give their takes on the wild Benny Johnson vs. Milo Yiannopoulos feud that started with with gay allegations, lawsuit threats, and MAGA chaos. Even George Santos somehow becomes the voice of reason in this mess. We dig into the political infighting, factional battles over TPUSA’s legacy, and how the right-wing influencer world weaponizes sexuality for power. Is Benny’s “traditional family man” persona under threat?

Get 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library at https://Calm.com/BULWARKTAKES.

Tim Miller takes on the jaw-dropping story of GOP Rep. Corey Mills with guest Roger Sollenberger—the reporter who’s spent nearly a year digging through Mills’s financial records, sex scandals, secret religious conversion, and his bizarre “rescue mission” abroad.

Get 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library at https://Calm.com/BULWARKTAKES.

Read Roger’s article on Substack, “‘George Santos With a Gun’: The Untold Story of Cory Mills, A Mercenary In Congress”: https://substack.com/home/post/p-180742305

Tim Miller takes on the ICE raids unfolding in Louisiana, exposing how the operation leans on spectacle, intimidation, and political theatrics instead of real public safety.

Sam Stein talks Donald Trump’s chaotic pardons, from Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar to the Honduran ex-president, and the political mess they’ve left for Republicans to attempt to explain.

Bill Kristol is joined by Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia to discuss the boat strikes, what really happened, and the latest intelligence raising new questions.

Sam Stein highlights 16-year-old cancer patient Mikaela Naylon, who spent her final days lobbying Congress for the Give Kids a Chance Act, helping revive the long-stalled pediatric cancer research bill, with her story inspiring new momentum and raising cautious optimism it could finally pass.

Sam's piece from September 2025, "Elon Musk Torpedoed a Beloved Pediatric Cancer Bill. It’s Yet to Recover.": https://www.thebulwark.com/p/elon-musk-pediatric-cancer-bill-congressional-inertia-give-kids-a-chance

Sam's piece from December 2024, "Elon Killed the Budget Deal. Cancer Research for Kids Was Collateral Damage.": https://www.thebulwark.com/p/elon-musk-killed-budget-deal-children-cancer-funding-collateral-damage

Sam Stein and Will Sommer take on The Blaze’s spectacular pipe-bomb fiasco—from the bogus gait analysis to the wrongly accused Capitol Police officer and the scramble to retract the story once the real suspect was arrested. They discuss how the piece got published, why it collapsed so fast,  and whether a brutal defamation fight is about to hit The Blaze hard.