The Bulwark Podcast

S2 Ep1033: Tom Nichols: The Hollow Opportunists

53 snips
May 1, 2025
Tom Nichols, Professor Emeritus at the Naval War College and a staff writer at The Atlantic, dives into the evolving foreign policy landscape under the Trump administration. He critiques figures like Marco Rubio and Pam Bondi, highlighting their transformation and complicity. The conversation also addresses the U.S.-Russia relations, implications of Ukraine's financial dealings, and the troubling trends in political communication. Nichols reflects on the complexities of patriotism in education and the absurdity of current political narratives, providing a thought-provoking analysis.
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INSIGHT

Trump Unwinds US World Role

  • Trump's administration is quickly unraveling 80 years of US-led world order post-World War II.
  • Their incompetence ironically benefits US interests for now, but global alliances weaken rapidly.
INSIGHT

Rubio and the Moscow Parade

  • Marco Rubio may attend Moscow's military parade amid Ukraine conflict, signaling unusual US stance.
  • This shows how deeply Trump's administration is compromising traditional US-Russia politics.
INSIGHT

Republicans as Hollow Opportunists

  • Trump's administration mocks friends and allies while showing sycophancy towards authoritarian figures.
  • Republican officials have become hollow opportunists, caring more about personal gain than the country's interests.
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