1031: Secret Podcast: JD Vance Can’t Control What He Unleashed
JVL is half-delirious from the shingles vaccine and Sarah Longwell is dragging him through one of the wildest weeks in politics. From massive Democratic wins to Jeff Flake’s fantasy-land op-ed, Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar ego trip, and the jaw-dropping humanitarian fallout from dismantling USAID. They break down why Republicans are in full disarray, how Trump’s SNAP showdown is backfiring, and ...
19m Nov 07, 2025
19m
1030: Voters Everywhere Strike Back Against Trumpism
In the first major set of elections of Donald Trump’s second term, voters deliver a rebuke to Trumpism. Democrats win gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, and Zohran Mamdani wins the mayoral race in New York City after Trump endorses Andrew Cuomo. JVL, Sarah Longwell and Tim Miller react on Election Night to what these results mean in the fight against MAGA, assess the leverage Democ...
1hr 16m Nov 05, 2025
1hr 16m
1029: Heritage Foundation Americans | Secret Podcast
JVL and Sarah talk about Socialism, Jersey, Virginia, MTG, and the Heritage Foundation’s panic that someone might think they don’t approve of white nationalist Nick Fuentes. It’s a whole thing. You’ll love it.
30m Oct 31, 2025
30m
1028: MAGA’s Tough-Guy Civil War
JVL, Sarah, and Tim talk about the intra-MAGA war inside immigration enforcement, the bizarre fall of Tom Homan, Stephen Miller’s power games, RFK Jr.’s unhinged HHS drama, Trump teasing war in Venezuela, and the new Democratic memo that’s tearing the party apart. Get 30% off your entire order with Soul at https://GetSoul.com and use code THENEXTLEVEL at checkout. Cancel your unwanted subscri...
1hr 15m Oct 29, 2025
1hr 15m
1027: Trump Starts the Dumbest International Incident… Ever?
Trump’s obsession with tearing up the East Wing turns into a fight over symbolism, willpower, and what it really takes to undo his damage. JVL and Sarah Longwell go back and forth over what matters, what’s just noise, and why elites still won’t stand up to him. Plus: Trump’s love for dictators, Reagan on tariffs, and Canada making him mad again.
30m Oct 25, 2025
30m
1026: Raze the White House Ballroom?
JVL, Sarah, and Tim discuss the drama over Democrat Graham Platner’s “Nazi tattoo,” the Maine Senate race, and the left’s weird obsession with finding their own Trump-style outsider. Plus: Trump’s corrupt White House ballroom, the “No Kings” protests, and just how far America’s slipped into banana-republic territory. Listen to "The Bulwark's Seven-Year War" from Puck: https://puck.news/podcast...
1hr 14m Oct 22, 2025
1hr 14m
1025: Bleak House – Reflections on a Quietly Depressing Week
JVL ambushes Sarah with The Darkness. It’s a fun-filled episode with the indictment of John Bolton, the decimation of the Pentagon press corps, another extra-legal killing off the coast of Venezuela, the resignation of the head of SouthCom, and the weaponization of the IRS. Good times.
21m Oct 18, 2025
21m
Propaganda With OUR Money! Young SICKOS in the Chat! GOP Is SCARED of No Kings!
This week on The Next Level Jonathan V. Last, Sarah Longwell, and Tim Miller discuss the GOP’s accelerating moral collapse. MAGA wants to discredit No Kings protests as “Hate America” rallies, and a racist Young Republicans group chat leak shows how deep the rot goes. They explore how Kristi Noem’s taxpayer-funded ad blitz crosses every ethical line and what it says about ICE’s power in the adm...
1hr 4m Oct 15, 2025
1hr 4m
1024: BONUS Secret: Why Are America’s Billionaires So PATHETIC?!
Live from New York, Sarah Longwell, JVL and Tim Miller tear into America’s culture of cowardice—from billionaires hiding in Hawaii to Merrick Garland’s endless hesitation. They discuss into how Trump’s intimidation works, why “lawfare” backfired, and why too many Democrats STILL seem afraid to fight. Note: This was recorded on Saturday, October 11, 2025.
53m Oct 14, 2025
53m
1023: Secret Podcast: Success in a Failing Country
This week Sarah and JVL did something they haven’t done for a couple of years: they just . . . hung out and asked each other questions. Some stuff about life. Some stuff about The Bulwark. Some stuff about the world. Hope you enjoy listening as much as they enjoyed visiting with each other.
19m Oct 11, 2025
19m
1022: MTG's SHOCK Revolt! Dems Grow a SPINE? Tim's TWINK Strike Force?!
The crew is back together, live in D.C. and fired up. From wild personal stories to real talk about how we face this moment as a country, this episode is all about connection, community, and not giving in to the chaos. When things get dark, we stick together.
1hr 17m Oct 09, 2025
1hr 17m
1021: Is Gavin Newsom the ONLY One Ready for This Fight? | Secret Podcast
JVL and Sarah Longwell zero in on the government shutdown chaos and what it really means. They debate why Democrats can’t afford to play defense, how Trump is openly embracing authoritarian ideas like Project 2025, and the GOP’s sheer inability to govern even as they drive the country toward crisis.
28m Oct 03, 2025
28m
1020: The Worst Case Scenario is Here... And JVL Loves It!
Pete Hegseth calls in the nation’s top generals and admirals so he can lecture them about being in shape and ending wokeness and Donald Trump can speak ominously about “the war from within” and using American cities as training grounds for troops. JVL, Sarah Longwell and Tim Miller react to the supremely weird meeting—and then spend some time reflecting on how the first nine months of Trump’s s...
1hr 6m Sep 30, 2025
1hr 6m
1019: JVL Knows This Will Piss People Off | Secret Podcast
Sarah and JVL talk about big-tent liberalism—who’s in and who’s out of the l-word tent. JVL goes on a riff on Henry Kissinger, which you are absolutely going to HATE. And then we get the main event: JVL doesn’t think [gestures broadly] all this is fixable. Sarah has a plan to fix it. Who’s right?
30m Sep 26, 2025
30m
1018: Theo Von is DONE with Sicko ICE “Snuff Film”! Kimmel Says HELL NO! | The Next Level
Tim, Sarah and JVL are back! They talk about Trump’s mob-style shakedowns of ABC and Disney, Jimmy Kimmel refusing to cave, Kamala Harris admitting "it" about Pete Buttigieg, Trump’s clownish UN meltdown, and the government’s demented social media propaganda. Head to https://ZBiotics.com/NEXTLEVEL and use the code NEXTLEVEL at checkout for 15% off. Go to https://shopremi.com/THENEXTLEVEL and ...
1hr 25m Sep 24, 2025
1hr 25m
1017: The Dark Urge to Root for Collapse | Secret Podcast
JVL and Sarah go head-to-head over the New York Times, Trump’s $15 billion lawsuit, and what solidarity really means when democracy is on the line.
25m Sep 19, 2025
25m
1016: Trump CRIES Over Crab Legs! RICO Against PROTESTERS?! Free Speech Is DEAD!
Tim, Sarah and JVL are BACK! Trump’s allies want to charge protesters with RICO, Kash Patel stonewalls, Trump plays the victim, and MAGA world spins truly nuts new conspiracy theories about Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Get 50% off your first month with Green Chef at https://GreenChef.com/50NEXTLEVEL Get 30% off your order with Soul at https://GetSoul.com and use the code THENEXTLEVEL. For o...
1hr 25m Sep 18, 2025
1hr 25m
1015: Trump Acts Like a Commenter—With Nukes
Sarah and JVL talk about the president’s response to Charlie Kirk’s murder and why it’s so dangerous. Then we go deep on how to react in moments of crisis: Can you be too nice? How do you balance truth and compassion? What is the impact of timing? And was JVL right to turn the comments off for the first 24 hours? Do us a solid, though: Don’t comment on this until you’ve listened to the episode.
19m Sep 12, 2025
19m
1014: Jobs Numbers CRASH HARD! Kamala SLAMS Biden! Netanyahu PLAYED Us?
Tim, Sarah and JVL are back! Trump shrugs at Russian drones, clings to a laughable “hoax” defense on Epstein, and gets played by Netanyahu yet again — while Kamala Harris calls Biden’s 2024 run reckless. To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to https://NakedWines.com/THENEXTLEVEL and use code THENEXTLEVEL for both the code AND PASSWORD. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code THENEXTLEVEL at ht...
1hr 8m Sep 11, 2025
1hr 8m
1013: They All Forking KNEW About Epstein
Sarah and JVL go through the Epstein Birthday Book in detail. We tell you what’s actually in it, no euphemisms. And what it means for Trump and 2026. But before you ask: It’s Tuesday. So no Rebecca.
15m Sep 09, 2025
15m
1012: Your Obedient Servants | Secret Podcast
Sarah and JVL go long on the economy, The People, double standards, RFK, and . . . Hamilton. It’s a super-sized Secret pod. In the comments, we want you to talk about whether or not the double-standard is real—is it true, as JVL proposes—that voters obsess over Democratic mistakes while waiving away Republican insanity? And if it is true, why is it? Remember: We’re not just talking about par...
20m Sep 05, 2025
20m
1011: GOP’s Epstein FREAKOUT! Mace in Tears! MTG Joins the REBELS!
Sarah, JVL and Tim are back! Trump disappears for a weekend and sets off health rumors, Epstein victims speak out on Capitol Hill, and Congress releases “new” files that turn out to be mostly recycled documents. Meanwhile, Trump tries to change the subject with National Guard deployments, a tariff scheme runs into the courts, and GOP leaders flirt with blood-and-soil politics. Get free shippin...
1hr 7m Sep 03, 2025
1hr 7m
1010: Things Fall Apart | Secret Podcast
Another dark week: Trump toys with occupying Chicago, the FBI under Kash Patel ignores domestic terrorism, RFK Jr. runs HHS with conspiracy theories, and even the CDC is led by a political crony. JVL and Sarah Longwell ask the hard question, what if our democracy is already too broken to fix?
26m Aug 29, 2025
26m
1009: Vance is a DORK! MAGA is GAY! Sandwich Man WINS!
Sarah Longwell is back and ready to go! They dive into Trump’s accelerating authoritarian moves, from masked cops snatching people off the streets to purging the Federal Reserve, while Gavin Newsom trolls Trump with meme-style politics that energize Democrats but raise doubts about his 2028 chances. Meanwhile, the DNC looks out of touch, bogged down in land acknowledgments and bad messaging, l...
1hr 16m Aug 27, 2025
1hr 16m
1008: Gavin Goes FULL TRUMP! Tucker DROOLS Over Dictatorship! Trump’s CULT Has COPS?!
JVL, Tim Miller, and special guest Andrew Egger get into the rise of Trump’s cult cops, the right’s open flirtation with Caesarism, and whether Newsom’s new “mean streak” is a weapon or a trap for Democrats. Head to https://greenchef.com/50NEXTLEVEL and use code 50NEXTLEVEL to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months--with free shipping! Go to https://zbiotics.com/NEXTLEVEL a...
1hr 10m Aug 20, 2025
1hr 10m
1007: We Love You, Boomers — Seriously! | Secret Podcast
Sarah and JVL defend the honor of Baby Boomer protestors and debate the merits of anti-fascist sandwich throwing before hunkering down for a loooong conversation about whether Trumpism is a perversion of conservatism, or a fulfillment of it.
23m Aug 15, 2025
23m
1006: PITIFUL GOP Candidate in VA! Goateed LOSER Cooking Books! Leningrad...WHAT?! | Next Level
Sarah, Tim and JVL are BACK! Trump turns a late-night DC fight into an excuse for a full-blown National Guard takeover — complete with a TV personality running the cops. The gang tackles this absurd “Big Balls” pretext, Trump’s upcoming Alaska summit with Putin (and the Billy Joel geography lesson), his bizarre choice of an unqualified weirdo to cook the jobs numbers, and what it all means for...
59m Aug 14, 2025
59m
1005: Trump’s Economy Is Sputtering—Make Him Pay for It!
Bill Kristol fills in for JVL during this extra super secret edition of the Secret Podcast. Trump’s economy is cracking under its own weight—grocery prices, tariffs, and a sputtering job market are chipping away at his support. Could these numbers spell trouble for 2026?
27m Aug 08, 2025
27m
1004: Trump’s Polls Could COLLAPSE! Epstein Cover-Up Keeps ROLLING! Newsom Goes HARD!
Go to https://zbiotics.com/NEXTLEVEL and use NEXTLEVEL at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. Tim, Sarah, and Sam talk Trump’s continuing Epstein nightmare, the GOP’s redistricting chaos in Texas, and RFK Jr.‘s disastrous anti-vax decisions. Plus, Megyn Kelly picks a fight with Sarah, Acosta creeps everyone out by interviewing an AI ghost, and conservatives sudde...
1hr 6m Aug 06, 2025
1hr 6m
1003: The Go-Home for Summer Show | Secret Podcast Preview
Sarah and JVL give you the mega-show you’ve been waiting for: Trump’s $200 million presidential palace ballroom! Tariff TACOs! Kamala’s book! Hunter Biden! Vegas, Baby! All this and Sydney Sweeney, too. It’s a super-sized go-home show as JVL heads out for vacation.
29m Aug 01, 2025
29m
1002: ICE Website Goes Full Fascist! Trump’s Personal Army? Epstein Excuse Blows Up!
Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and JVL discuss the recent ICE job postings. These listings describe positions for “Deportation Officer”, "Criminal Investigator" and "General Attorney". They suggest this is part of a broader strategy to staff a loyalty-vetted enforcement agency with little oversight or transparency. Then back to Epstein, who “stole” a 16-year-old girl from a Mar-a-Lago Spa, to work...
1hr 9m Jul 30, 2025
1hr 9m
1001: Evil Is As Evil Does | Secret Podcast
Sarah and JVL talk about Hulk Hogan, MAGA’s coming pivot on Ghislaine Maxwell, and Derek Huffman, the MAGA dad who joined Putin’s war on Ukraine. And the new Superman movie, too. It’s a doozy. This is a special preview of an episode that’s JUST for paid Bulwark subscribers. If you’d like to hear the full episode, you can subscribe via thebulwark.com (http://thebulwark.com/) , YouTube, or righ...
27m Jul 25, 2025
27m
1000: Trump Spooked! Oval Office Barf! Gen-Z Goes Full Fascist!
Celebrate the chaos with Sarah, Tim and JVL! Trump panics over Epstein revelations and demands Barack Obama’s arrest for “treason,” sending MAGA into conspiracy-theory overdrive. Republicans literally flee Congress to avoid tough votes, Jerome Powell’s Fed independence hangs by a thread, and Gen-Z conservatives openly embrace fascism as their new ideology. Meanwhile, Trump’s Oval Office gets a ...
1hr 6m Jul 23, 2025
1hr 6m
999: Like a Rat in a Trap | Secret Podcast Preview
Sarah and JVL break down the WSJ Trump-Epstein story. Sarah has some rage and JVL has a brand new conspiracy theory involving JD Vance. This is a special preview of an episode that's JUST for paid Bulwark subscribers. If you'd like to hear the full episode, you can subscribe via https://thebulwark.com, YouTube, or right through Apple Podcasts!
19m Jul 18, 2025
19m
Epstein Scandal Keeps Shaking Trumpworld
Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell and JVL debate whether Trump’s reaction to the Epstein files, calling it a “hoax” and lashing out at former supporters, marks a turning point. They explore whether this could crack the deep trust his base has in him, especially conspiracy-driven voters who saw him as the one to expose elites. They also argue Democrats should lean into the issue, pushing for hearings ...
1hr 5m Jul 16, 2025
1hr 5m
Elon’s Bot Goes Full Bigot! Trump’s Tariff Tantrum! Epstein Files “Vanish”
Trump fumbles through a chaotic cabinet meeting, announcing new tariffs and cluelessness to the Ukraine weapons pause. Meanwhile, MAGA world erupts over the Epstein files, Grok turns into a bigoted chatbot, and ICE has transformed into Trump’s personal police force. Special guest Sam Stein joins Sarah and JVL to discuss yet another wild week. show notes  Will Sommer’s False Flag “MAGA World’s ...
1hr 14m Jul 09, 2025
1hr 14m
The Next Level LIVE: Chaos, Cowards, and Alligator Alcatraz
Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and JVL break down the latest news. On today’s show, we will be covering the House vote on Trump’s fugly bill, ICE expansion, and the cowards at Paramount. Get 10% off your first month with BetterHelp at https://BetterHelp.com/THENEXTLEVEL. (https://BetterHelp.com/THENEXTLEVEL) To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to NakedWines.com/THENEXTLEVEL (http://nakedwi...
1hr 6m Jul 02, 2025
1hr 6m
The Next Level LIVE: McConnell’s Threat, Mamdani's Big Win and Iran
Watch Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and JVL break down the latest news. On today's show, we will be covering Mitch McConnell's threats, the Iran war, and the New York City mayoral primary results. For a limited time only, get 60% off your first order PLUS shipping when you head to https://Smalls.com and use code THENEXTLEVEL Go to https://zbiotics.com/NEXTLEVEL and use NEXTLEVEL at checkout for...
1hr 12m Jun 26, 2025
1hr 12m
Can Trump TACO His TACO?
Tim, Sarah, and JVL discuss Trump continuing to TACO causing increasingly slipping support, more Democrats getting arrested over immigration policies, the mixed feedback from Tim’s interview with NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on FYPod, and Tucker Carlson and Ted Cruz’s heated conversation. Show Notes Arrest of NYC Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander (https://youtu.be/EqRkJgxkp...
1hr 27m Jun 19, 2025
1hr 27m
Un-American! Sarah/Tim/JVL Rage On Week of Hell
The gang discuss Trump’s extreme response to protests in L.A., his unsettling rally to a cheering military crowd, and the upcoming birthday parade. Also: Elon Musk’s 3am apology, RFK Jr. dissolving the vaccine board, and Mikie Sherrill’s primary win. Go to https://zbiotics.com/NEXTLEVEL and use NEXTLEVEL at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. Get 15% off OneSkin...
1hr 21m Jun 11, 2025
1hr 21m
MAGA is Imploding in Real Time
Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell and JVL discuss the Elon Musk and Donald Trump breakup thats amplifying throughout all of MAGA, how the primaries for New Jersey governor and New York mayor could shape the future of both parties, Joni Ernst’s comments on everyone dying show how much MAGA is losing their minds, and Curtis Yarvin’s dangerous influence. For an extra 25% off your order and a special gif...
1hr 8m Jun 04, 2025
1hr 8m
Live in Chicago! Pardons, Authoritarianism, and Xanax
Live from Chicago, Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and JVL break down the latest wave of Trump pardons, the rising authoritarian behavior from GOP leaders, and the Democratic Party’s identity crisis. Also, who is the worst (and best?) cabinet member so far, and what comes next. To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to NakedWines.com/THENEXTLEVEL (https://www.nakedwines.com/THENEXTLEVEl) and us...
1hr 5m May 29, 2025
1hr 5m
If Only It Were Opposite Day
The gang discusses the incompetence of Kristi Noem on constitutional matters, Bernie Sanders’ views on the Democratic party, Joe Biden’s campaign mismanagement, the Republican tax bill, and Tesla’s business struggles. Listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from NPR – wherever you get podcasts. Go to Hungryroot.com/THENEXTLEVEL (https://www.hungryroot.com/?promo=THENEXTLEVEL&b=2210&utm_s...
1hr 14m May 22, 2025
1hr 14m
Trump's Dictator Erotica
The gang discuss the extensive corruption of President Trump's Middle East business dealings,  Republicans' focus on state and local tax deductions while letting democracy burn, and the latest revelations on former President Biden old age in office. Go to zbiotics.com/NEXTLEVEL (https://zbiotics.com/pages/am-nextlevel) to learn more and get 15% off your first order when you use NEXTLEVEL at ch...
1hr 16m May 15, 2025
1hr 16m
Beta Trump
The gang talk the latest on President Trump’s obsession with owning Canada and Greenland, new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s based first meeting in the White House, the administrations cruel immigration agenda, and DOGE’s complete failure. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code THENEXTLEVEL at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Go to Quince.com/thenextlevel (http://quince.com/thenextlevel)...
1hr 13m May 08, 2025
1hr 13m
100 Days of Damage
The gang bask in the utterly abysmal first quarter of President Trump’s second presidency. Plus, they react to Gretchen Whitmer and Hakeem Jefferies not understanding the authoritarian moment we’re in, and advise Democrats how they can capitalize on just how unpopular Trump will be come 2028. To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to NakedWines.com/THENEXTLEVEL (http://nakedwines.com/THENEX...
1hr 19m Apr 30, 2025
1hr 19m
Panic! At The Dow Lows
The gang break down the latest developments in the market, and how it’s sent the Trump administration into panic mode. Plus, Trump loses grounds in new immigration polling, Tesla might be unsalvageable, and Pete Buttigieg takes on the manosphere. Buy tickets to our live shows in Chicago (May 28) and Nashville (May 29) here: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/chicago-and-nashville-here-we-come Liste...
1hr 5m Apr 23, 2025
1hr 5m
The Fight Trump Has To Lose
The gang dive into the constitutional crisis as President Donald Trump refuses to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, against the ruling of SCOTUS, Democrats planning a trip to El Salvador to demand the Maryland man's release, Harvard University's refusal to fold to Trump's defunding threats, and Elon Musk's continually disturbing mission to impregnate different women.
1hr 5m Apr 16, 2025
1hr 5m
The Damage Can't Be Undone
Trump has no idea what he’s doing, and America’s financial standing in the world, as well as the security that comes with it, is forever diminished. Note: Today’s episode of TNL was recorded before President Trump rescinded some of his tariffs, which the GOP then claimed was part of his brilliant plan all along. We think this commentary on the chaos, economic uncertainty and long term conseque...
56m Apr 09, 2025
56m
What a Stupid, Stupid Day This Is
The gang discuss President Donald Trump's ridiculous "Liberation Day" declaration and the foolish harm his tariffs will cause, the results of yesterday's Wisconsin election, Sen. Cory Booker's new filibuster record, and more!
58m Apr 03, 2025
58m