The Next Level

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

1122: MAGA’s Racism is Blowing Up Its Own Coalition

#25 trending · Politics

Will Sommer joins Sarah and JVL for a wild, wild show. They congratulate Kash Patel on his engagement, discuss JVL's Triad on the White House reporter-turned-press staffe

Oct 7
1 h 06 min

1121: Secret Podcast: Tale of Two Interviews

Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available exclusively to paid members of the Bulwark. Join on Substack, YouTube or Apple Podcast. Sarah and JVL are back apart,

Oct 2
16 min

1120: Things Are Going So Badly for Trump, Even JVL Has Hope

Tim, Sarah, and JVL are all together in-studio. It turns out things are so bad for the GOP, even JVL is hopeful. They discuss Marjorie Taylor Greene calling BS on the GOP

Sep 29
1 h 11 min

1119: Suddenly, Democrats Have a Path to a HUGE Senate Majority

Live from benefit supporting the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and JVL dig into the quieter tactics behind Trump’s deportation crack

Sep 28
37 min

1118: Secret Podcast: Ten Lesbians Walk Into a Bar...

Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available exclusively to paid members of the Bulwark on Apple Podcasts, Substack and YouTube. JVL is already in Ohio. Sarah is ab

Sep 26
33 min

1117: Furious Republicans are Finally Breaking with a Weakened Trump

Sarah's back from the book tour! The gang discusses Sarah's Focus Group Newsletter, George W. Bush's fundraiser for Republican Senate candidates (we thought he was stayin

Sep 22
1 h 07 min

1116: Secret Podcast: We’re Living in an Insane Asylum

Sarah and JVL are together again and JVL is raging. The president of the United States accused the Democratic party plotting to assassinate him and . . . everyone just p

Sep 18
11 min

1115: JVL Has an Idea for How Democrats Can Make MAGA’s Life Hell

JVL's on the west coast for Sarah's book event, and he, Tim, and Andrew Egger discuss Mitch McConnell's triumphant (?) return to the Senate, Donald Trump casually floatin

Sep 15
1 h 10 min

1114: Secret Podcast: Trump's 2026 Message: Everything's Fine!

The Secret Podcast is a special bonus just for paid members of The Bulwark. If you like this preview, become a member at thebulwark.com, on YouTube, or through Apple Podc

Sep 11
16 min

1113: Trump’s Imaginary Presidency Is Going Just Great

Tim, Sarah, and JVL discuss Trump's Labor Day Weekend with his favorite person, Corey Lewandowski's possible ‘light extortion,’ and whether Trumpworld will circle the wag

Sep 8
50 min

1112: Secret Podcast: The Senators Who Suck

Today Sarah and JVL try to figure out who’s worse: John Fetterman or Susan Collins. (Give us your answer in the comments.) Also, the Big Orange Arch is coming. And we che

Sep 4
21 min

1111: Ken Paxton Is Running One of the Worst Campaigns in America

Tim, Sarah, and JVL discuss the U.S. Supreme Court letting Trump’s ballroom go ahead (for now), why JVL thinks John Roberts is the Susan Collins of the Supreme Court, and

Sep 1
57 min

1110: Secret Podcast: Mark Cuban Thinks He Could Run as a Republican. Tim Has Some Bad News.

Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are a special perk just for paid members of the Bulwark. We put almost every video out for free, because we don't think you can save t

Aug 28
30 min

1109: All MAGA Media Can Talk About Now is Trans Sports

Tim, Sarah, and JVL are back together for a JAM-PACKED show. They discuss: -Dolly Parton's passing and her legacy. -America's war (not the Iran war, our trade war with C

Aug 25
1 h 15 min

1108: Secret Podcast: Is Jon Ossoff the One We’ve Been Waiting For?

The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for paid members of the Bulwark on YouTube, Substack and Apple Podcasts. --- Sarah and JVL did a BIG show today. Sa

Aug 22
23 min

1107: Melania May Be Behind MAGA’s Natalie Harp Freakout

Tim, JVL, and Andrew Egger discuss: -(Yet another) story of a former Trump voter seeing a loved one run into the immigration policies he voted for. -The faux outrage from

Aug 18
1 h 07 min

1106: Secret Podcast: American Stasi

Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available only to paid members of The Bulwark. You can join on Substack, YouTube or Apple Podcasts! Lots of stuff this week. (1)

Aug 15
17 min

1105: Tucker Carlson Learned the Most Dangerous Lesson From Donald Trump

Tim, Sarah, and JVL are BACK TOGETHER after a month apart. They discuss: -Bill Cassidy’s pathetic, weepy floor speech before casting the deciding vote to confirm Todd Bl

Aug 12
1 h 10 min

1104: Secret Podcast: The GOAT Episode

Full episodes of The Secret Podcast are available exclusively to paid members of The Bulwark. Join on Substack, Apple Podcast or YouTube! JVL and Tim did a GIANT show th

Aug 7
19 min

1103: Michigan Senate Primary Becomes a Late-Night Nail-Biter

Sam joins Tim and JVL to discuss: -Live results from the (unexpectedly close) Michigan Senate primary, and discuss what an Abdul El-Sayed or Haley Stevens win would mean

Aug 5
1 h 29 min

Chart trend

Position in the Politics chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#32#62JulAugSepOct

all-time peak

days in the top 10 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where The Next Level ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 9, 2026).

#50 ▼ 16 News US

#17 ▼ 6 Politics US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I picked up this podcast recently and generally enjoy listening to most of what the group has to say. I especially like Sarah’s focus group research. JVL’s relentless pessimism about the future is really starting to turn me off and does not inspire me to pay for content beyond the paywall. If I want doom and gloom, I’ll save my money and just look around me at what’s happening for free.

Tinava27 · Jul 2026

No matter how busy my week is, I do NOT miss this podcast. The analysis and insight is fantastic, but what I really appreciate about this show in particular is that JVL, Sarah, and Tim don’t leave their passion at the door. They wear their hearts on their sleeve and allow me to do the same in this crazy, scary time, but in a way that’s smart and productive. I’m so appreciative of their hard work. You guys ARE the real deal bulwark of our democracy, thank you.

BlueyMum2024 · Nov 2024

…. Encapsulated my feelings perfectly. I really appreciate this pod. In a less existential moment I would probably not agree with Sarah much in terms of policy but the info, analysis and shared angst is exactly what many of us need right now. You 3 are great.

KerrieMA80 · Oct 2024

Regularly restores my sanity. Do I always agree? No If they played it so safe that no one gets triggered, where would the fun be in that? It’s analysis and opinion, of course it ruffles feathers. Intelligent, experienced and sometimes snarky. It’s like have adults in the room. That there are still sane people in the world who have neither blind loyalty or hatred.

K.Gallant · Sep 2024

The first seven minutes of today’s episode was the Olympics of Sarah interrupting herself. Still my favorite podcast, but didn’t she make a resolution not to do that?

AndyBr1 · Jun 2026

I discovered this podcast via Tim’s interview on Pod Save America. I really enjoy it but the audio quality is terrible! It sounds like they’re speaking into their iPhone mics. Please please invest in better recording equipment! This is a great show but not sure I can keep listening with this current level of sound quality.

snrkgrl · May 2024

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.