Joe Perticone

Washington, D.C., United States

Capitol Hill and beyond @BulwarkOnline. Adult skateboarder. [email protected]. Get Press Pass Tuesdays and Thursdays https://t.co/JX50N655po

Articles

Congress Has the Power to Authorize War. They’re Handing It to Trump.

1 week ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone

Trump loves misdirection. Whether in the area of trade policy, negotiations over a potential government shutdown, or the prospect of entering a violent conflict in the Middle East, Trump has an irrepressible instinct to throw people off the scent of what he’s really thinking. “I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday while discussing a prospective attack in Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Mike Lee Needs an Intervention

1 week ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone

“I can’t talk now,” said Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) as she sped through the Senate basement Monday evening. She was on a mission, she said, to find Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). Utah’s senior senator has drawn widespread condemnation for his behavior since the political assassinations over the weekend in Minnesota. Within hours of the murder of Minnesota state Rep.
It’s Trump’s Party and He’ll Whine if He Wants To

2 weeks ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone

President Donald Trump will preside over a military parade in Washington, D.C. this Saturday featuring two companies of M1 Abrams tanks en promenade on Constitution Avenue. While it’s billed as a celebration of the United States Army’s 250th birthday plus Flag Day, the former isn’t true, and the latter is so trivial that federal workers don’t get the day off.
GOP Senators Embarrassed Again

2 weeks ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone |Andrew Egger

RFK Jr. fired the entire CDC vaccine committee, breaking his promise to GOP senators. Andrew Egger and Joe Perticone discuss how senators like Bill Cassidy and Joni Ernst traded integrity for empty assurances, exposing their desperation to avoid Trump-driven primary challenges. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video?
Senate Republicans to Trump: Sic the Military on L.A.

2 weeks ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone

As JVL noted Sunday night, it’s possible that we’ve entered one of the most dangerous weeks in recent American history. That sense of threat has a lot to do with the president’s eagerness to use the military against U.S. citizens.
We Have to Pass the Bill So You Can Find Out What to Regret

3 weeks ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone

“We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it,” then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously said while Democrats were negotiating the Affordable Care Act.1Republicans feasted off that quote for years, arguing that it showed how rushed and thoughtless the process was behind Barack Obama’s signature legislation. A decade-plus later, they’re now adopting that very same approach while forcefully pushing their “big, beautiful bill” through the Congress.
Elon Goes Scorched Earth Over Trump’s Big Bill

3 weeks ago | thebulwark.com | Tim Miller |Sam Stein |Joe Perticone

Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Joe Perticone discuss Elon Musk’s explosive reaction to Trump’s big beautiful bill as Donald and Elon’s very public breakup intensifies after Elon’s departure from the administration. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left side of the player to toggle to audio.
It Sure Looks Like Pete Hegseth Misled Joni Ernst

3 weeks ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone

The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense in January after a rocky nomination process. The former Fox host’s long list of alleged wrongdoings and improprieties, including accusations of sexual abuse and heavy drinking, didn’t seem to bother too many Republicans. But there were a few who did show concern. In the end, Hegseth managed to win them over, and one of his tactics for doing so was to promise one particularly concerned Republican—Sen.
Musk Hands Dems a Gift. They Promptly Chuck It.

1 month ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone

Elon Musk isn’t very pleased with the “big, beautiful” budget the House passed before leaving town at the end of last week. He’s admitted to being disappointed with the legislation and has warned that it would harm critical subsidies for electric vehicles and solar projects. He’s also called it antithetical to the DOGE mission he has spearheaded at the behest of Donald Trump.
How Trump’s Tariff Spasms Became a Gold Rush in Congress

1 month ago | thebulwark.com | Joe Perticone

We’re starting to get a fuller picture of just how much stock trading took place around when President Donald Trump suddenly reversed his market-ravaging “Liberation Day” tariffs. Members are required to disclose stock sales and purchases within a 45-day window. April 9, when Trump announced his reversal, was 48 days ago. Initially, the markets soared upon hearing the news that there would be a 90-day pause in tariff hikes (with the exception of China).