Sam Stein: Trump Is Trying to Instigate Unrest
Episode
55 min
Read time
2 min
Topics
Economics & Policy, Books & Authors
AI-Generated Summary
Key Takeaways
- ✓Federal overreach in Minneapolis: Trump sent thousands of ICE agents to Minneapolis without local request, creating chaos through car chases and shootings of migrants, then using resulting unrest as justification for potential military deployment under Insurrection Act.
- ✓Political miscalculation risk: Polling shows public turning against Trump on immigration, with YouGov economist poll indicating majority now supports abolishing ICE. Administrations aggressive tactics in major American cities may backfire as non-political residents join protests for first time.
- ✓Democratic strategic error: Democrats waste energy debating whether to say abolish ICE versus reform ICE instead of unified messaging against administration abuses. Internal factional disputes over language and tactics undermine effective opposition during urgent authoritarian escalation moment.
- ✓Press freedom under attack: FBI searched Washington Post reporter Hannah Nattinson's home and confiscated personal devices in classified leak investigation, violating 1980 law protecting journalists. Jeff Bezos refuses to defend his own employee, revealing inadequate institutional resistance to government intimidation.
What It Covers
Trump administration deploys federal agents to Minneapolis, shooting migrants and protesters with rubber bullets while threatening Insurrection Act. Democrats debate response strategy as ICE raids escalate nationwide and administration targets journalists.
Key Questions Answered
- •Federal overreach in Minneapolis: Trump sent thousands of ICE agents to Minneapolis without local request, creating chaos through car chases and shootings of migrants, then using resulting unrest as justification for potential military deployment under Insurrection Act.
- •Political miscalculation risk: Polling shows public turning against Trump on immigration, with YouGov economist poll indicating majority now supports abolishing ICE. Administrations aggressive tactics in major American cities may backfire as non-political residents join protests for first time.
- •Democratic strategic error: Democrats waste energy debating whether to say abolish ICE versus reform ICE instead of unified messaging against administration abuses. Internal factional disputes over language and tactics undermine effective opposition during urgent authoritarian escalation moment.
- •Press freedom under attack: FBI searched Washington Post reporter Hannah Nattinson's home and confiscated personal devices in classified leak investigation, violating 1980 law protecting journalists. Jeff Bezos refuses to defend his own employee, revealing inadequate institutional resistance to government intimidation.
Notable Moment
A Minneapolis resident who never protested before appeared on street saying he had to leave his comfortable house because federal agents were detaining and beating people indiscriminately, including friends just driving home from work, representing broader public awakening.
Episode Transcript
Rewards programs are a lot like pop culture. They can be hard to keep up with. But with Venmo's new rewards program, Venmo Stash, rewards are so easy because the more you do, the more you get. And you choose the bundle of brands you get cash back at. It's giving fiscal queen. It's giving star. It's giving up to 5% cash back at your favorite brands. Just pick a bundle of your go to spots to shop with your Venmo debit card and earn cash back at them. Do more, get more with Venmo Stash. The Venmo Mastercard is issued by the Bancorp Bank NA. Venmo Stash bundle terms and exclusions apply. Max $100 cash back per month. See terms at venmo.me forward slash Stash terms. New Year. Same extra value meals at McDonald's. So now get two snack wraps, plus fries, and a medium soft drink for just $8. For limited time only, prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher in Hawaii, Alaska, and California and for delivery. Hello, and welcome to the Bulwark podcast. I'm your host, Tim Miller. It is Thursday, and I'm delighted to be here with my friend, the managing editor of the Bulwark, the man Steven Miller called repugnant, the interrupter in chief at Sam Stein. Thank you. Repugnant Stein. Thank you. I'm not gonna interrupt you. I promise. I don't believe you. I'm gonna be interrupting you. We have an insane amount of stuff to cover today. I had, like, a concept of where I was gonna do a potpourri of, like, things that I haven't gotten to that are also in the news, but I don't we might not get to those today either because that's you, like, five. I know. We'll see. We're gonna try to get to it at the end. We'll see how it goes. But, we gotta start with, more news on Minneapolis. Last night around 09:00, federal agents shot rubber bullets and released gas canisters in North Minneapolis as protesters gathered after a federal agent shot a migrant in the leg on a play just a little bit of that audio from the scenes. Oh, I got hit in the head really bad. This This is gonna be a photographer from Status Ku news. We're gonna be playing a couple things from them today. I guess before we get to the DHS's story about what happened, I guess initial initial thoughts on the escalations last night. You know, it's it's it's getting, like, well, it's well past the point of disturbing, but it's getting really, like, defeating more you feel defeated watching this stuff because this is a major US city that is under siege by its own government. I mean, there's no other way to really look at it. What they've done is they've sent thousands of ICE agents into a city that doesn't want them, doesn't need them, isn't asking for them, and it's just stirring shit up. And it's so obvious …
Get the full transcript (11,685 words) + summary by email — free
One-time email with the complete transcript and AI summary of this episode. No account needed.
One email, no spam. We’ll also show you what SignalCast does.
You just read a 3-minute summary of a 52-minute episode.
Get The Bulwark Podcast summarized like this every Monday — plus up to 2 more podcasts, free.
Pick Your Podcasts — FreeKeep Reading
More from The Bulwark Podcast
Mehdi Hasan: 9/11's Fallout 25 Years Later
Sep 11 · 64 min
Pod Save America
Trump Retreats After Alex Pretti's Killing
Jan 27
More from The Bulwark Podcast
Sarah Longwell and Pedro Gonzalez: Meet the Young MAGA Edgelords—and the One Who Got Away
Sep 10 · 93 min
Pivot
Is Alex Pretti Shooting a Turning Point?
Jan 26
More from The Bulwark Podcast
We summarize every new episode. Want them in your inbox?
Mehdi Hasan: 9/11's Fallout 25 Years Later
Sarah Longwell and Pedro Gonzalez: Meet the Young MAGA Edgelords—and the One Who Got Away
Jessica Tarlov: POTUS Needs Some Moral Support
Adam Jentleson and Pablo Torre: This Country Is Being Scammed
Bill Kristol: A Blue Wave vs. the Toxic Red Tide
Similar Episodes
Related episodes from other podcasts
Pod Save America
Jan 27
Trump Retreats After Alex Pretti's Killing
Pivot
Jan 26
Is Alex Pretti Shooting a Turning Point?
Up First (NPR)
Jan 12
Minnesota ICE, Iran Protests, DOJ Subpoenas Federal Reserve
The Daily (NYT)
Feb 2
Can Trump Force Blue Cities to Cooperate With ICE?
Pod Save America
Jan 30
Minneapolis is a Turning Point
Explore Related Topics
This podcast is featured in Best Politics Podcasts (2026) — ranked and reviewed with AI summaries.
You're clearly into The Bulwark Podcast.
Every Monday, we deliver AI summaries of the latest episodes from The Bulwark Podcast and 192+ other podcasts. Free for one show.
Start My Monday DigestNo credit card · Unsubscribe anytime