Bulwark Takes Bulwark Takes

The Trump Administration Is on a Legal Losing Streak

Jul 24, 2026 · 13m

Summary

Sam Stein and Ben Parker discuss the Trump administration’s withdrawal of subpoenas against New York Times reporters after a judge criticized the move as a violation of journalistic protections. They highlight other recent legal setbacks for the administration, including failed attempts to obtain University of Pennsylvania student data and state voter rolls. The hosts argue that fighting back yields results, contrasting this with earlier capitulation. The episode concludes with humorous commentary on sycophantic applause at a Trump event and Mike Pence’s mimicry of Trump’s table manners.

Topics discussed

Intro: Trump admin withdraws NYT subpoenas Judge slaps down subpoenas as 'last resort' Retribution vs incompetence and WH dinner Admin drops request for UPenn Jewish list Judge blocks access to Kentucky voter rolls Shift from capitulation to legal resistance Awkward endless applause at Trump event Pence mimics Trump's water bottle move Outro: Subscribe to The Bulwark
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