They Stopped Fighting. Now Trump Thinks He's Untouchable.

Bulwark Takes

The Bulwark

News, News Commentary, Politics, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 October 2025

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sam Stein and Sarah Longwell take on how Trump has broken every source of resistance that once held him back — from corporate America to Congress — and why cowardice, fear, and fatigue have left him acting untouchable. They discuss the Wall Street Journal story about Trump’s growing power, the CEOs too scared to cross him, and the moment he was even too extreme for RFK Jr.

Transcript

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0:00.0	building a coffee business serving the best americano in town is up to you but winning back time and growing your
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0:18.8	to learn more. Hey everybody it's me sam steppe managing editor at the Borg, and I have a treat. I rarely get to do this. I'm joined by Sarah Longwell. She usually tries to avoid me. I don't know why. It's not true. It's true. You never ask. You never ask, Sam. Every day I come in and I say, can I get a video time with Sarah? And I'm told she doesn't want to do one with you. Just JVL.
0:40.7	Not a thing that happens. It's true. It's true. Anyways, I finally got her to do with me and we're going to be talking about a story that tickled me and I'm probably angered Sarah a little bit. in the Wall Street Journal.
0:51.7	It didn't tickle me.
0:52.9	There was some funny parts.
0:54.3	There are some funny parts.
0:55.1	I'll get to that.
0:56.7	It's in the Wall Street Journal.
0:57.8	It's by, I was going to say, it didn't tickle me. There was some funny parts.
0:55.1	There are some funny parts.
0:55.7	I'll get to that.
0:57.8	It's in the Wall Street Journal.
1:02.5	It's by Josh Dawsey, who is one of the great chroniclers of the Trump White House.
1:04.6	This one's about Congress, though.
1:09.3	More or less, it's about Trump basically realizing that he's made Congress, his bitch.
1:18.5	It's called Trump, feeling emboldened, pushes agenda into higher gear. Sarah, you read it. Is my description wrong? Is that not the basis of this piece? Yeah, I mean, I guess I'm trying to think about exactly
1:24.4	what you found funny. I think there's a part I'll get to it.
1:27.9	Don't worry. Okay. Okay. Because it really is just, it's, it's sad. It's about the complete and total
1:34.2	capitulation of the business community of Congress about it's Trump basically sitting there being
1:42.0	like, I can't believe it. They fought me last time.
	...

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