Bulwark Takes

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Marc Polymeropoulos and Michael Weiss give their takes on the ProPublica report that a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin secretly bankrolled Donald Trump Jr.’s lavish Bahamas wedding. They examine the counterintelligence implications of a Putin-connected figure giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to the president’s son, including the potential for leverage, access, compromise and influence inside Trump’s inner circle.
They also discuss the oligarch’s connections to Russian ultra-nationalist groups and the war in Ukraine, including ties to an organization accused of helping abduct Ukrainian children. Plus, Mark and Michael explore what the FBI, Congress and national security-minded Republicans should do with the revelations and why the growing normalization of Russian influence could pose an even bigger threat.
A quick note: We know Russian counterintelligence isn’t exactly algorithm bait. But when a story like this breaks, we want to be able to call up people who have spent their careers inside this world and give them the time to explain what everyone else is missing. Paid Bulwark members make that kind of work possible: not just chasing the biggest audience, but putting real expertise behind stories that deserve serious attention.

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Sam Stein and Will Sommer dig into the bombshell ProPublica report that a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin secretly bankrolled Donald Trump Jr.’s lavish Bahamas wedding. Then, they take a critical look at 60 Minutes’ investigation into the booming business of lobbying for presidential pardons, including its undercover sting of Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman. Plus, Will explains the bizarre circumstances surrounding the sudden resignation of Trump ally Joe diGenova’s resignation, and the latest saga involving MAGA influencer Matt Tardio and his bizarre “Antifa got me high” defense.
All that, plus the truly strange story of Jacob Wohl’s dad and a very weird MAGA calendar.
Read more from Will: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/maga-influencer-matt-tardio-defense-antifa-got-me-high

Sam Stein and Will Saletan take on Mike Johnson’s defense of Republican congressional candidate Brandon Herrera despite the gun YouTuber’s grotesque comments about women and children—and the stark contrast with how Democrats police their own candidates. They also dissect Donald Trump’s proposed $5,000 payout if Republicans retain Congress, then debate the administration’s lack of urgency as AI insiders warn of catastrophic risks and Johnson invokes competition with China to resist rapid regulation.

Tim Miller breaks down two political moments from the weekend that caught his attention. First, he takes on the backlash from a Texas Republican candidate over viral photos of Indian American students celebrating a football game at the University of Texas, and why Republicans should be forced to answer for openly racist rhetoric from a candidate for statewide office.
Then Tim turns to the Alaska Senate race and the debate between Mary Peltola and Dan Sullivan. He highlights Peltola’s argument that the Iran war is driving up fuel costs for Alaskan fishermen and families, as well as a viral debate moment when Sullivan has to look to Peltola for his answer during a yes-or-no question.
To get tickets for upcoming Bulwark events—including our show for Springfield, OH—go to https://thebulwark.com/events.
Relevant Links:
Bo French’s posts about UT students / John Cornyn’s response:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/cornyn-bo-french-ut-students-tweet-22429931.php
Bo French’s previous controversial poll:
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article309580905.html
Alaska Senate fisheries debate — Mary Peltola vs. Dan Sullivan: https://www.c-span.org/program/campaign-2026/alaska-us-senate-candidates-debate-fisheries-industry/685130
Kansas Senate debate — Roger Marshall vs. Adam Hamilton:
https://www.kwch.com/2026/09/10/candidates-kansas-governor-us-senate-debate-live-kansas-state-fair/

Bill Kristol and Richard North Patterson trace how America went from a seemingly conventional political system to Trump’s second term, where the institutions and powerful people expected to serve as guardrails have often failed to stand up to him. They look at the GOP’s transformation, economic insecurity, the capitulation of business and legal elites—and why the millions of ordinary Americans showing up for “No Kings” and other grassroots resistance give them reason for hope.