Amanda Carpenter and Evan Gershkovich: Trump's and Putin's Authoritarian Projects
September 29, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readIn a rare admission from inside a Russian prison, Evan Gershkovich told the warden that he was surprised by how well he was being treated. The warden replied, “We care about your health.” Gershkovich made a joke: “Obviously the package has to be whole and undamaged, otherwise its value will go down.” The warden checked over his shoulder and quietly said, “I didn’t use this, but… yes.” That exchange captures the central paradox of Gershkovich’s 500 days in Russian custody: he was a hostage, but a valuable one, kept in relatively clean conditions because the Kremlin intended to swap him. On The Bulwark Daily, host Tim Miller spoke with Gershkovich about his new book Beautiful Land, the mechanics of his arrest, and what his experience reveals about Putin’s authoritarian project. The conversation also included a segment with Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy, who argued that Trump’s parallel authoritarian project—rigging elections, weaponizing justice, stealing money—is failing on nearly every front.
The Setup: How a Journalist Becomes a Bargaining Chip
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What you'll learn
- 1 Timestamped Outline
- 2 (01:40) **Introduction: Amanda Carpenter and Evan Gershkovich** - Tim Miller introduces two segments: Amanda Carpenter on election integrity and Trump’s failing authoritarian project, then Evan Gershkovich on his new book about 500 days in a Russian prison.
- 3 (03:31) **Vibe Check from Trump Country** - Carpenter reports low-key political atmosphere with few visible signs or MAGA enthusiasm.
- 4 (04:51) **Hopium: Trump's Election-Rigging Efforts Are Failing** - Carpenter walks through how Trump's plans to disrupt the midterms have largely flopped.
- 5 (06:59) **The Big Lies Aren't Landing** - Trump's election fraud narratives are not getting media or public buy-in.
- 6 (09:14) **Trump's Contradictory China Narrative** - Trump accused China of election interference, then hosted Xi Jinping at the White House two months later.
- 7 (10:05) **The Weaponization Project Is Collapsing** - Trump's promised campaign of retribution against his enemies has produced almost nothing.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Vigilance is still in order, but Trump’s efforts to rig the midterms have so far flopped. And that includes Trump’s self-sabotaging of his own plan to blame China for hacking our voting machines. But should the Dems win back Congress, they’re going to be busy tracing all the money that was stolen for the ballroom, the arch, and Pentagon contracts with Trump family members. Plus: Evan discusses his new book, which memorializes both his 16 months in Russian captivity—and the recent history of Russia at war under Putin.
Amanda Carpenter and Evan Gershkovich join Tim Miller.
show notes:
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