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Inside the Bulwark: Mark Hertling, DBA War reporting: what is it good for? Absolutely everything. At The Bulwark, Mark Hertling helps make sense of conflict that can often feel senseless. Lieutenant General (Retired) Mark Hertling served 38 years in the United States Army as a tanker and cavalry officer, culminating as Commander of U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army. In that role, he led more than 40,000 soldiers and worked alongside the armed forces of 51 allied and partner nations across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. After retiring from the Army in 2012, Hertling served as a Senior Vice President at AdventHealth, focusing on global partnerships, community health, and leadership development. He later authored "Growing Physician Leaders" (2016) and "If I Don’t Return" (2026), which became an Amazon bestseller in its first week. From 2014 to 2024, he was a senior analyst for CNN and CNN International. Today, he writes for The Bulwark, co-hosts "Command Post," and appears on MSNow as a national security analyst—bringing clear, experience-driven insight to global conflict and leadership in moments where we need it most. He has also held key public service roles, including appointments by Presidents Obama and Biden, and served as a scholar at West Point’s Modern War Institute. A highly decorated military leader, Hertling received multiple Distinguished Service Medals, five Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart, along with numerous international honors. Mark lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife and best friend of 50 years: Sue.  They are proud parents of two sons, grandparents to five grandsons, and step-grandparents to two granddaughters.

Tickets for The Bulwark Live in Southern California are available! Special guest announcements coming soon... Come see Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and Sam Stein LIVE in San Diego and Los Angeles. GET TICKETS: https://lnkd.in/gJ_hbBui May 20 - Balboa Theatre in San Diego - 7pm May 21 - The Novo - 7pm

How about profit sharing in the workplace? ICYMI this important conversation on tackling income inequality in the face of a burgeoning AI, John Avalon and Alanna McCargo dig into the possibility of giving workers a meaningful form of equity. 

Who's everyone consuming? Poll results are in. No one’s getting their political news from just one place anymore. Most people are pulling from a mix of sources: legacy, independent, and other miscellaneous sources. What does your mix look like?

Inside the Bulwark: Sonny Bunch Entertainment is often a lens into culture—and increasingly, a place where culture, politics, and policy intersect. We are lucky to have Sonny Bunch making sense of it all. As The Bulwark’s culture editor, he brings a deep knowledge of movies, television, and tech, alongside a sharp understanding of the political forces shaping the stories we consume. In addition, he also writes the weekly newsletter “The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood” and hosts the companion podcast by the same name.  Sonny is a regular contributor to the Washington Post, as well as hosts the podcast “Across the Movie Aisle,” which features friends with differing ideological perspectives breaking down movies and any controversy surrounding them. A close observer of craft, Sonny is very intrigued by cinematographers and asserts that civilian movie goers underrate how much a cinematographer’s work contributes to the look and feel of a film. (Case in point: his recent appreciation of "The Man Who Wasn’t There" and Roger Deakins’ ability to make it look both modern and like something out of 1951.) Swipe -> to learn more about Sonny and his POV. What story at the intersection of culture and entertainment feels most important right now?

I just finished my first day at The Bulwark! I will be their newest Deputy Social Media Editor, uploading content to a wide range of social platforms and writing captions based on the news of the day. Thank you to everyone who has helped me throughout this process, but an especial thank you to Courtney Flantzer, Matt Marshall, Colin Jones, and Sam Stein for helping me during the interview process and taking a chance on me. I look forward to learning more about the editorial process and keep an eye out for some social media clips on The Bulwark's pages.

Some good news… Congrats to Jonathan Last and the entire team that works on The Triad on their Webby. Smart, incisive, occasionally unconventional—and always 100% JVL Thanks to The Webby Awards and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.

The Bulwark is continuing to expand, and we’re excited to share that Zach Akens, Ali Pannoni and Bec Legato are all new additions to the team. All three bring diverse, relevant experience and fresh perspectives that will strengthen our coverage, amplify our community and deepen our work. Please join us in the comments in giving them a warm welcome.

ICYMI: Sarah Longwell on NPR, sharing a snapshot from her latest focus group with Catholic Trump voters, reacting to the Pope v. Trump feud and the “Trump as Jesus” post.