Tom Nichols

you ask them if they support donald trump they're just going to say yes no matter what's going on i mean trump could be standing outside with a flamethrower burning their house down and they're they're not going to say it um the question i think becomes because he's not going to run i mean we all worry about oh he's going to try for a third term i don't think

But the question is, will they then will voters displace that anger onto Republicans in the midterms and at state and local levels of government?

I think that is going to happen because, you know, this goes back to what Phil was talking about with the press corps.

This war, I think, and everything that's happened over the past few months with tariffs and trying to get around the Epstein files, because I think you ask, why are we having a war?

Well, Don, you just answered part of the question is that Trump is always looking to kind of move things into the commander in chief space.

So that we'll talk about that instead of all the other things going on.

But this really shows that this team, this administration does not think of itself as representing the American people.

It thinks of itself as representing a certain percentage of the American people.

And everyone else is an enemy, including Phil and the Pentagon reporters.

They're the enemy.

I mean, if you listen to the way Pete Exet talks about this, they are the enemy.

um as much as any foreign enemy and that is very much part of this administration's whole ethos that other americans if they don't support donald trump they ask hard questions if they um they're not gonna read pete hex's talking points they are they are not just americans with whom you disagree they are the enemy

And they're trying to fight a war on one hand.

That's why there's been no rally around the flag position here.

You know, usually presidents launch a military operation.

They come out and they say, here's where I'm doing it.

I hope I hope that, you know, the American people will back me on this.

Here's my explanation.

And the Trump administration has been we've started this war.

And if you don't like it, screw you, then you're not on our side.