Summary
Overview
Ben Miscellus, co-founder of Midas Touch Network and co-author of 'WTF America,' joins Anthony Scaramucci to discuss Trump's collapsing political influence, his catastrophic election losses in 2026, and the alarming cronyism plaguing the Pentagon under Pete Hegseth. They analyze why Trump's approval has plummeted to 33%, examine the destruction of military leadership and institutional knowledge, and explore how economic anxiety is finally breaking through Trump's grip on voters who are realizing his promises were lies.
Trump's Electoral Collapse and the End of His Influence
Trump faces his worst electoral performance yet, with 10 Trump-backed candidates losing Republican primaries in 2026 - more losses than all previous election years combined. His approval rating has crashed to 33%, matching Nixon at resignation levels. The discussion explores why this time feels different, with Republican primary voters in Wyoming and Florida rejecting Trump's endorsements, suggesting the MAGA base is finally losing enthusiasm as economic promises remain unfulfilled.
- Trump has suffered more losses in 2026 than all other election years combined, with 10 Trump-backed candidates rejected in Republican primaries
- Trump's approval rating has crashed to 33%, making him the least popular president since 1953 and matching Nixon at resignation
- Trump-backed candidates lost in Wyoming and Florida, including carpetbagger Lauf from Illinois and Corey Mills
" Trump just had the most disastrous night in politics. I mean, he's got more losses in 2026 than all of the other election years combined. "
" I think that the American people are all saying WTF right now. And the American people are looking at their lives and they're asking very basic questions, which is, did Donald Trump do the things he said he was going to do? "
The Algae Always Comes Back: Why Being Anti-Trump Isn't Enough
Miscellus introduces a powerful metaphor about Trump painting the reflecting pool blue while ignoring the underlying rot. He argues that simply being anti-Trump is insufficient for political success, as demonstrated by Alex Vindman's 12-point loss despite being a Trump whistleblower. Voters are demanding politicians who actively fight for their economic well-being rather than just opposing Trump, and they're tired of being gaslit about a 'golden age' while their families struggle.
- The algae metaphor: Trump can paint the reflecting pool blue, but the toxic algae always comes back - people see through superficial fixes
- Alex Vindman, despite being a Trump whistleblower, lost by 12 points because anti-Trump identity alone has no purchasing power with voters
- Being anti-Trump is not enough - candidates must demonstrate they're listening to communities and fighting for people's economic needs
" The example I give in the book is the algae always comes back. I talk about how Trump wants to paint the reflecting pool blue. He says it's all going to be great. That's all you got to do. It's the perfect metaphor. You can say you're going to paint it blue and it's going to look beautiful, but the algae comes back. "
" Being anti-Trump is not enough. And I think that was and is a misconception. That was also true for George Conway. It's going to be true for everybody because the American people are saying, what are you doing for me? How are you fighting for me? "
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