What are the key takeaways from this The Bulwark Podcast episode?

Key insights include: **Federal accountability crisis:** CBP agents shot Preddy ten times while he was disarmed and surrounded by seven officers, then fled the scene. The government refuses to identify the shooters, who were reassigned to another state. This creates a system where masked federal agents can kill citizens without consequences, fundamentally undermining rule of law and democratic accountability in American cities.; **Constitutional rights violations:** Preddy was exercising First Amendment rights by filming agents and Second Amendment rights by legally carrying a concealed weapon with a permit. The administration justified his killing by claiming these constitutional activities were threatening. Treasury Secretary Bessent and FBI Director Patel falsely stated carrying firearms to protests is illegal, revealing selective application of constitutional protections.; **Systematic disinformation campaign:** Within hours of the shooting, before video evidence emerged, the administration leaked false information to Fox News claiming Preddy planned to commit a massacre. They fabricated claims about the operation's target being a violent criminal, when Minnesota Department of Corrections confirmed the person had only traffic violations from a decade ago and was not in custody.

What did Bill Kristol discuss on The Bulwark Podcast?

Tim Miller and Bill Kristol examine the fatal shooting of Alex Preddy, a 37-year-old VA nurse killed by CBP agents in Minneapolis while filming their operations. They analyze the administration's immediate lies about the incident, constitutional violations, and demand removal of federal agents from the city. Key topics include: **Federal accountability crisis:** CBP agents shot Preddy ten times while he was disarmed and surrounded by seven officers, then fled the scene. The government refuses to identify the shooters, who were reassigned to another state. This creates a system where masked federal agents can kill citizens without consequences, fundamentally undermining rule of law and democratic accountability in American cities.; **Constitutional rights violations:** Preddy was exercising First Amendment rights by filming agents and Second Amendment rights by legally carrying a concealed weapon with a permit. The administration justified his killing by claiming these constitutional activities were threatening. Treasury Secretary Bessent and FBI Director Patel falsely stated carrying firearms to protests is illegal, revealing selective application of constitutional protections..

How long is this episode of The Bulwark Podcast?

This episode is 47 minutes long. SignalCast provides an AI-generated summary so you can get the key insights in about 3 minutes.

The Bulwark Podcast

Bill Kristol: The Murder of Alex Pretti

January 26, 2026

47 min episode · 2 min read

Bill Kristol

Episode

47 min

Read time

2 min

Topics

Fundraising & VC, Leadership, Science & Discovery

AI-Generated Summary

Published Jan 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

✓Federal accountability crisis: CBP agents shot Preddy ten times while he was disarmed and surrounded by seven officers, then fled the scene. The government refuses to identify the shooters, who were reassigned to another state. This creates a system where masked federal agents can kill citizens without consequences, fundamentally undermining rule of law and democratic accountability in American cities.
✓Constitutional rights violations: Preddy was exercising First Amendment rights by filming agents and Second Amendment rights by legally carrying a concealed weapon with a permit. The administration justified his killing by claiming these constitutional activities were threatening. Treasury Secretary Bessent and FBI Director Patel falsely stated carrying firearms to protests is illegal, revealing selective application of constitutional protections.
✓Systematic disinformation campaign: Within hours of the shooting, before video evidence emerged, the administration leaked false information to Fox News claiming Preddy planned to commit a massacre. They fabricated claims about the operation's target being a violent criminal, when Minnesota Department of Corrections confirmed the person had only traffic violations from a decade ago and was not in custody.
✓Corporate complicity: Thirty-seven major corporations and donors funded Trump's ballroom after ICE operations began, including Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. CEOs like Tim Cook attended White House events the same weekend as the murder without public comment. These companies prioritize access over protecting employee rights and democratic norms, making them complicit in authoritarian actions.
✓Congressional funding responsibility: Senate Democrats propose blocking DHS funding bills that require 60 votes, which Republicans cannot achieve alone. Representative Ro Khanna advocates repealing seventy-five billion dollars in ICE funding, ending qualified immunity for agents, impeaching leadership, and dismantling the agency. Republicans who voted for expanded ICE budgets funded operations that killed two people in Minneapolis this year.

What It Covers

Tim Miller and Bill Kristol examine the fatal shooting of Alex Preddy, a 37-year-old VA nurse killed by CBP agents in Minneapolis while filming their operations. They analyze the administration's immediate lies about the incident, constitutional violations, and demand removal of federal agents from the city.

Key Questions Answered

•Federal accountability crisis: CBP agents shot Preddy ten times while he was disarmed and surrounded by seven officers, then fled the scene. The government refuses to identify the shooters, who were reassigned to another state. This creates a system where masked federal agents can kill citizens without consequences, fundamentally undermining rule of law and democratic accountability in American cities.
•Constitutional rights violations: Preddy was exercising First Amendment rights by filming agents and Second Amendment rights by legally carrying a concealed weapon with a permit. The administration justified his killing by claiming these constitutional activities were threatening. Treasury Secretary Bessent and FBI Director Patel falsely stated carrying firearms to protests is illegal, revealing selective application of constitutional protections.
•Systematic disinformation campaign: Within hours of the shooting, before video evidence emerged, the administration leaked false information to Fox News claiming Preddy planned to commit a massacre. They fabricated claims about the operation's target being a violent criminal, when Minnesota Department of Corrections confirmed the person had only traffic violations from a decade ago and was not in custody.
•Corporate complicity: Thirty-seven major corporations and donors funded Trump's ballroom after ICE operations began, including Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. CEOs like Tim Cook attended White House events the same weekend as the murder without public comment. These companies prioritize access over protecting employee rights and democratic norms, making them complicit in authoritarian actions.
•Congressional funding responsibility: Senate Democrats propose blocking DHS funding bills that require 60 votes, which Republicans cannot achieve alone. Representative Ro Khanna advocates repealing seventy-five billion dollars in ICE funding, ending qualified immunity for agents, impeaching leadership, and dismantling the agency. Republicans who voted for expanded ICE budgets funded operations that killed two people in Minneapolis this year.

Notable Moment

Miller reveals that Minneapolis police have not discharged weapons in a year, yet federal agents have committed two of the city's three homicides in 2025. This stark contrast demonstrates that the federal presence creates violence rather than preventing it, undermining claims that aggressive enforcement tactics are necessary for public safety in American cities.

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