Bulwark Takes

Trump Has ANOTHER New Plan to Buy Off Voters Before the Midterms

Bulwark Takes

Show Notes

Catherine Rampell and Jonathan Cohn give their takes on Donald Trump’s latest checks to Americans, including $500 payments to some ACA marketplace enrollees and $90 payments to certain Medicare recipients. They explain where the money is coming from, why the ACA payments may lack clear legal authority, and how diverting money from healthcare outreach could further undermine the Affordable Care Act. Plus, Catherine and Jonathan discuss reports of a possible plague outbreak in Russia, what is known about the death of a laboratory worker, and why the Trump administration’s retreat from global health programs and international cooperation could leave the U.S. less prepared for the next major outbreak. Get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to https://www.talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. Match with a licensed therapist today at https://www.talkspace.com and use promo code SPACE80.

More from Bulwark Takes

Oct 22, 2026

Vivek Ramaswamy has dragged Amy Acton’s estranged mother into the Ohio governor’s race to smear her daughter — even though the mother’s husband was charged with raping Acton when she was just 12. Now Trump and JD Vance are backing the attack, with Trump calling Acton “defective” and demanding Republicans fall in line. Will Sommer and Andrew Egger give their takes on the ad’s horrifying backstory and the shameless decision to turn Acton’s childhood trauma into a campaign weapon. Plus, Glenn Beck, Megyn Kelly, and Ben Shapiro twist themselves into knots defending the ad, while some Ohio Republicans struggle to explain how this is acceptable politics. As Trump attacks Gov. Mike DeWine for condemning the spot, the MAGA media machine faces a familiar choice: acknowledge the facts or defend their guy at any cost.

Oct 22, 2026

Ben Parker and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) give their takes on Pete Hegseth’s surprise visit to Israel days before Benjamin Netanyahu’s election and amid the possibility of new strikes against Iran. They also discuss the strain of sending a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East and the damage Hegseth’s office caused to a historic globe once used by Dwight Eisenhower. Plus, Trump threatens to withhold compensation for victims of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune if Republicans lose the midterms.

Oct 22, 2026

Tim Miller sits down with David Mauricio, the newly minted Jubilee Surrounded star, to break down his viral clashes with MAGA debaters. Mauricio explains why he came out swinging, how Trump’s defenders struggled to answer questions about the president’s corruption, and why one debater’s attempt to question his citizenship backfired. Plus, Mauricio confronts woman who casually admits she was at the Capitol on January 6 while defending a pardoned insurrectionist who later sexually abused children.

Oct 21, 2026

Ben Parker and Michael Weiss dissect Steve Witkoff’s praise of Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” and JD Vance’s defense of the Trump envoy, exposing the weakness and incompetence behind the administration’s Russia diplomacy. They examine how Trump’s desperation for a deal with Putin is leading to concessions on sanctions, undermining Ukraine, and rewarding Russian aggression. Plus, Michael explains how Russia’s growing cooperation with Iran threatens U.S. interests and why Trump’s approach is putting America’s global standing at risk. This episode is sponsored by the New York Times.

Oct 21, 2026

How do democracies fall apart, and why do the people who could stop it so often look the other way? CNN’s Dana Bash joins Sarah Longwell to examine the elections that changed history, including the fatal miscalculation that helped bring Hitler to power and its disturbing echoes in Trump’s Republican Party. They also explore how a handful of votes might have prevented Trump’s rise, why Democrats need to learn how to win, and which 2026 races could change American politics for generations. This episode is sponsored by the New York Times. Get Dana Bash’s new book, The Elections That Changed the World: Fifteen Pivotal Moments That Shaped How We Live, co-written with David Fisher: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-elections-that-changed-the-world-fifteen-pivotal-moments-that-shaped-how-we-live-dana-bash/bcc71c1baa846304

See all episodes →