George Packer: Trump Was a Symptom
The Bulwark Podcast28 Marras 2025

George Packer: Trump Was a Symptom

Americans were already losing touch with basic decency before Trump came along—and he exploited that indecency, distrust, and division to win power. In his new novel, George Packer spins a story of an imaginary country that just collapses, and how ordinary people have to learn to live together again. Fiction has a way of making the real world more clear. Plus, Charlie Kirk’s influence on our political climate before his death, JD’s phoniness and lust for power, Trump may be flailing but he’s still amassed immense power, and how AI moving us away from the written word threatens our democracy.

The Atlantic’s George Packer joins Tim Miller for the holiday weekend pod.

show notes

Other books by George:

Jaksot(500)

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Ben McKenzie and Sarah Matthews: We Are Drowning in Scam Artists

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Sam Stein: Can Trump Avoid Humiliation in Iran?

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22 Huhti 1h 6min

Tracy Alloway and Jordan Ritter Conn: The Global Economic Shock from a Stupid War

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21 Huhti 1h

Bill Kristol: The Tough Guy Really, Really Means It This Time

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20 Huhti 50min

Ben Rhodes: Trump Is Getting a Terrible Deal

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17 Huhti 1h 7min

Amanda Carpenter: The Worst President Ever

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From Trump's sacrilegious use of Jesus, to his massively corrupt pardon scheme, and his desire to plaster his name on every federal building and institution, this country has never had such a bad pres...

16 Huhti 59min

Alastair Campbell: Trump Is a Wanker

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The Irish are protesting in the streets over the price of fuel, Qatar's GDP is plummeting, and heating bills are skyrocketing in France. And today, every world leader and every CEO of every major corp...

15 Huhti 57min

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