Trump Blurts Out Surprise Admission about Midterms as GOP Panic Erupts

Added: 2026-06-04

[00:00:10]This is the Daily Blast from The New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR Network. I'm your host, Greg Sergeant.

[00:00:27]Donald Trump just uttered an extraordinary quote. He said this, "I don't care about the midterms."

[00:00:35]But it actually got more revealing from there on out. In discussing what just happened in Texas, where the MAGA extremist will now be the GOP nominee in the Senate race, Trump accidentally revealed that he's still under the delusion that he and MAGA are popular.

[00:00:50]Meanwhile, three different indicators in the polling contain terrible news for Trump and the GOP, and new reports say that Republicans are growing more alarmed about the midterms. Some of them are plainly afraid to say so. So, how much longer can they stand by while Trump drags them down?

[00:01:10]We're discussing all this with New Republic contributing editor Filipe Da O who's been arguing that Trump's historic unpopularity gives Democrats all kinds of new openings. Felipe, nice to have you on. Always good to be here, Greg.

[00:01:23]So, let's start with what Trump said at his cabinet meeting. He was talking about how he's winning a huge victory over Iran, which he isn't. That aside, here's how he characterized that.

[00:01:35]>> They thought they were going to outweight me. You know, we'll outwe him.

[00:01:38]He's got the midterms. I don't care about the midterms. Look what happened last night. That was the prelude to the midterms. People understand it. They know that. Very simple. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I'm doing that for the world. I'm not doing it just for us.

[00:01:52]>> So, let's break this up into two pieces.

[00:01:54]First, Trump's claim that he doesn't care about the midterms. I think this is quite literally true. He doesn't care what happens to Republicans. Really, he really doesn't give a And it's also true that Trump's war is absolutely tanking their chances. What do you make of all that?

[00:02:10]>> Yeah, you know, as with as is often the case with Trump, it really could be interpreted in a variety of different ways. And I, you know, doubt that they're going to really clarify. On the one hand, it could mean that he literally doesn't care, which I think is is possible. And he, you know, as far as American political figures go, is probably the one that has most openly and with gusto thrown his political allies under the bus. I think it could also be a reference to the idea that his sort of MAGA endorsed candidates have been winning primaries um you know in the last several weeks. I think it could be interpreted as him saying that you know this is an indication of the strength of his brand which I think is mistaken. Uh you know we saw something similar play out I think in 2018 and 2020 with his sort of you know ma candidates winning primaries and then getting slaughtered in the general. To your point about how Trump really only cares about how he's doing with MAGA, the second piece of what Trump said in that little clip is really telling. He says the prelude to the midterms is what happened last night, meaning Tuesday night. He's clearly alluding to MAGA extremist Ken Paxton getting the GOP nomination in the Texas Senate race, something Trump engineered. But what's funny, Felipe, about that is that this has improved Democratic chances in the Senate race, though it's certainly not going to be easy by any means. That aside, Trump is saying that it's good that Republicans nominated the MAGA wack job. He really is under the illusion that he and MAGA are popular. He revealed that accidentally, I think.

[00:03:40]Your thoughts on that?

[00:03:42]Yeah, I mean I think that, you know, it's like the Texas is this great white whale, right, for for Democrats and it's like, you know, I think there's sort of an intermediate point that we have to look at this where, you know, on the one hand, I think that this idea that, you know, there will be some sort of Democratic savior who's going to run uh such an excellent campaign that will overcome all the odds and, you know, deliver a decisive Democratic victory in a statewide race in Texas is probably not going to happen, at least not in the foreseeable future. However, the idea that it's also some kind of, you know, pipe dream, a fantasy, and that, you know, it can't happen. Texas is Texas, blah, blah, blah, I think is clearly wrong and has been disproven, um, as you wrote by the, you know, sort of success, not the not the victory, but the sort of success of the AOR campaign a few years ago. And so, you know, I remember actually when Trump endorsed Paxton, which was, you know, on really on the eve of of the election, um that there was a lot of reporting about how Republican strategists in the state and and in Washington were furious and and and you know, sort of um already sort of almost not writing off the race, but but you know, really concerned about the the impact that this was going to have. And I think they're looking at the same polling, more polling than we are. they have their own internal polling and they realize that this is going to be I think disastrous. Um and uh James Telerico I think as you wrote is someone who has you know several uh sort of layers of credibility. You know he has his the the angle of his faith which is something that we haven't necessarily seen a Democrat successfully exploit in in sort of a race like like this. Um, and I think there's something interesting about him, which is that so far what we've seen is that, you know, he is very willing and able to attempt to welcome some of the moderates and the independents while at the same time he's not doing the kind of, you know, bipartisan kumbaya thing of, you know, oh, my opponent is a good man that, you know, and this is a contest of ideas, yada yada. to stay uptodate on all the news that you need to know. There's no better place than right here on the DSR Network. And there's no better way to enjoy the DSR Network than by becoming a member. Members enjoy an adree listening experience, access to our Discord community, exclusive content, early episode access, and more.

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[00:06:29]James Telerico, the Democratic nominee, is reaching out to independents and moderates and Republicans, but he's also making it very clear that MAGA and Trumpism and Trump are a disaster for this country. He's not sideststepping discussion of what Trump and Trumpism have done to us. And that's really critical. Also, to your point, it's going to be really hard. We have a piece on this up at tnr.com. We're under no illusions here. This is a very hard state for Democrats and Beta Oor came nearly three points away from winning and he really outperformed in some major ways. It's going to be a big lift for Terico to get there. It's not impossible though. And even if he loses, he's probably going to end up forcing Republicans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to save Texas, which could impact the rest of the map. Just want to clarify though, Telerico could win. It's possible, just very hard. I think, you know, in my lifetime, you know, presuming that, you know, everything we we maintain the same sort of electoral political system, um I think that it's entirely conceivable and I would say even likely that, you know, at some stage a Democrat will win a statewide race in in in uh in Texas just given kind of the demographics, given what we've seen. Uh you know, I don't know if it'll be Terico, but it could be. I mean, I I don't think that this is, you know, sort of sort of a a crazy pie in the sky idea. It's absolutely possible, as I wrote in my piece, tried to argue anyway, if there's a time it's going to happen. A lot of events are lining up right now that make it at least plausible. Just as an aside on this, the Texas Senate race is going to be really interesting on immigration.

[00:08:17]Paxton is a MAGA radical, a true extremist whack job, and the Democratic nominee, Terarico, has a striking position on the issue. He calls for increased border security to distance himself from Joe Biden. But he also speaks about the need to be welcoming to immigrants, how immigrants are a positive good for our country and how they deserve due process and fair treatment. And critically, Telerico cast this as a matter of his Christian faith.

[00:08:44]You wrote about this. Is there an opening here for Democrats to strike kind of a new set of moral positions on immigration due to Trump's hideous unpopularity and just the horrors he's unleashed?

[00:08:57]>> Yeah, absolutely. I mean, look, you know, when it comes to Texas, you know, I unfortunately I'm not sure that being a complete immigration wack job is a disqualifier in part because obviously Greg Abbott was sort of like the the original, you know, whack job and and I think, you know, it's kind of a dark horse for uh sort of a template for how to use sort of immigration as a political cudgel in like a really, you know, messed up way with what he did with the busing and and whatever. But sort of setting that aside, we we are in a different situation right now uh where um I think you know historically immigration has been sort of the impenetrable issue where Trump and Republicans at large seem to just kind of have a default enjoy a sort of a default kind of level of difference from the voting public where they there was sort of the assumption that they would handle it better whatever that means in sort of the median voters's mind. uh in sort of a similar way to you know the economy at large right which is something that again people don't necessarily grasp in its in its granularity but that um they sort of felt that Republicans did better that is done I think um you know I don't think that that there is an inherent um you know sort of turn towards trusting Democrats necessarily which is why I have argued for um not just this kind of uh sort of approach of responding ing to what what Republicans are doing. though obviously Democrats need to and should respond to particularly the you know the the truly atrocious things that are happening in in sort of you know all of our names but setting out an actual cohesive forceful unified vision that can be sort of packaged and repeated by candidates all around the country with their you know sort of regional variations but that actually exists on a on a separate axis than sort of defensive posture the Democrats have adopted for the most part which is to say not just we're going to do enforcement better which you know has really been the core message I think of especially national democrats.

[00:10:59]>> I agree 100% and that's why I'm really heartened to see James Telerico talking about immigration as a positive good for the country and affirmative good. It's a good thing for us. And by the way, on the point about Texas being a place where very hardline immigration politics works, I think we're in a different place than we were even just a couple years ago. Because now people have seen violent white nationalism as an agenda play out on the streets of major cities across the country and they are recoiling in horror.

[00:11:33]And by the way, Trump has thrown away his 2024 gains with Latino voters as a result. So I do think this is the time to step up and provide something affirmative, moral, coherent, clear, and say, "Here's what we are for. We tried it their way. Mass deportations failed this country, and we're going to do something better." That's what I'd like to see.

[00:12:01]>> Yeah. I mean, I think you know what ended up happening was that some of these things went from being theoretical to realized, right? And unfortunately, it's a longtime American tradition that people have to sometimes just touch the stove. And so it you know I it there are so so many stories all over the country published everywhere where people on the ground in various cities and and suburbs and exerbs and even in rural areas are saying look I had this conception of the of the you know the the enforcing the borders agenda or whatever that was going to entail you know sort of rounding up these criminals yada yada. I mean, we hear it over and over again.

[00:12:40]And and once the understanding really sets in that that's not what anyone meant, that's not what Steven Miller wants, that's not what they're working towards, that's not what they'll accept as victory in this sort of, you know, zealatry, anti-immigration zealatry, people are are not only against it, they're repulsed, they are disgusted.

[00:12:59]And so I think that, you know, that viscerality, that that feeling is something that can be harnessed and is harnessable uh if if if sort of Democrats want to to to to kind of use it as a hook to then also present their alternative agenda, right? It has to be both things. You know, we're going to hold these people accountable. We're going to uh ensure that, you know, this doesn't happen again, I think is a powerful message. and here's what what our vision is, which you know, as you mentioned, is something that Taler Rico was attempting to to do now, right?

[00:13:29]Here's how we think these things should go, which is just not something that has been part of the conversation.

[00:13:36]So, we just got hit with a barrage of new polling that's very bad for Trump and Republicans. G. Elliot Morris's new poll has the Democrats lead in the generic House ballot matchup at eight points now. It's been growing. If that continues, if it holds at eight, if it turns out to be eight at the end of the day, that's a wave. Meanwhile, in the new Yuggov tracking poll, Trump has sunk to an approval rating of 34% with 59% disapproving. That's around 25 points underwater. And critically, that may not be an outlier because in the polling averages collected by 50 plus one, a website, Trump's approval is at 36%.

[00:14:17]He continues to slide. Felipe, all the polls are telling the same story right now. No.

[00:14:24]>> Yeah, I think so. And look, I mean, you know, I know that there's been a lot of skepticism about polling that has been sort of borne out of the last several years where there have been some, I think, you know, significant misses, let's call it. But, um, I I don't think there's any way to ignore the totality of the polling here. And it's it's it's palpable. I mean, it's palpable all around the country that there is a discontent and there is a sense that people were sold a bill of goods that that wasn't true that you know and and you know it's like almost every day I hear Trump or some of his cadre say something that it's just like a dream for a Democratic strategist, right? the idea that they have unified behind the notion of a large billion-dollar ballroom as some sort of you know necessary uh policy as sort of a you know an objective this this grand objective is just is laughable right especially when you know people are struggling economically and so so you know it's like there's this trend that exists already and then every day there's sort of lustily shooting themselves in the foot because I think they're just you know sort of incapable You know, nobody wants to displease the king.

[00:15:36]>> Even Trump's Republican allies are admitting this. The New York Times had a pretty remarkable piece just a couple days ago reporting that Republicans are growing frustrated by Trump's megalomania. Basically, they put it a little more politely than that, but that's what they meant. It's Trump obsessing over his ballroom, obsessing over monuments to himself. That's really panicking Republicans. and they're afraid to of course say outright that this is what's happening and so that just makes it worse. Couple quotes from Republican strategists that I want to read. One is from Whiters is a Republican pollster. He says, quote, "If Trump's highest goal were to maintain control of Congress, he would not be doing what he is doing." And then on top of that, we've got David Urban, a Republican strategist and ally of Trump, telling the independent this quote, "It's going to be a tough fall unless things dramatically change." Close quote. Felipe, it's an interesting loop and and an interesting trap that they're kind of caught in here. The megalomania is sinking them, but it's also the megalomania that prevents them from going to Trump and saying, "We really need a change here." Right.

[00:16:52]Yeah, I mean I think it's like you know they have seen the primary results as we all have where you know Bill Cassidy got knocked off even though he voted you know infamously now to confirm RFK Jr.

[00:17:04]as as I think you know sort of a bone to Trump uh and all this stuff and it wasn't enough to save him and so they're all terrified that you know either basically they'll either lose the primary or the general right is sort of the position that I think a lot of these electors find themselves in. Um, and you know, I think like one thing that that it's important to keep in mind is that what we've seen for the last, you know, a year and a half is a Congress that has been sort of fundamentally absent from from kind of like the mechan the the mechanics of of government. It's a Congress that has openly allowed Trump to kind of usurp their constitutionally delegated functions, whether it be tariffs or whatever else, right? that is that is fine with it, has allowed it to happen, you know, and has been paralyzed, you know, to to the point where it's just like passing a a budget with with very little policy, you know, just the very very basic mechanics of keeping government open is like some sort of feat. Um, and so what I think, you know, Democrats would also do well to remind people is that this isn't just about, you know, acting as a as a check on Trump necessarily, but that if Democrats were to take control of the House and the Senate, then a lot of things could be put into motion that would severely or could severely constrain and actually very functionally limit what sort of Trump is able to do, right? like Congress can can take away some of these executive tools that have been misused, right? Congress can haul officials in under oath and and sort of force them to testify about certain things. To conclude this, I really think that after 2026, American politics could get a lot crazier even than it is right now. That's going to be pretty crazy, too. And it's going to be pretty rough going, I think, for a lot of us. But Trump is out there now saying that he doesn't care about the midterms. I think he's going to care about them soon enough. Filipe de laos, thanks for coming on. Great to talk to you.

[00:19:06]>> Thanks so much, Greg. Here whenever you need me.