Podcast Episode Summary

IHIP News: "Trump Is Hemorrhaging Support, MAGA Civil War Is Getting Interesting"

Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Date: November 9, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan dive deep into Donald Trump's sharply declining approval rating and the growing fractures within the MAGA movement. With their signature progressive, humorous perspective, the hosts analyze how Trump’s diminishing popularity is fueling a civil war on the right, spotlight key defections by conservative figures, and lament Democrats’ reluctance to capitalize on GOP weaknesses. The discussion is peppered with clips from conservative rallies, TV appearances, and striking social media commentary, all aimed at illustrating a moment of major upheaval in U.S. politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trump's Approval Sinks, GOP Fractures (00:05–03:20)

• Steep Approval Drop:
  • Trump’s approval rating has tanked to 37%, with his disapproval hitting an all-time high of 63%.
  • Most of the dip stems from Democrats and independents fleeing Trump; Republicans still mostly stand by him, but cracks are emerging.
• Host Reaction:
  • Jennifer highlights Trump’s obsession with looking strong in the polls, speculating he’ll start “exaggerating” to compensate for the bad numbers.
    • “He cannot stand looking weak, looking like he's doing a bad job. And he's very into poll numbers. And this is where you’re going to see him start exaggerating.” (Jennifer, 01:09)
  • Angie jokes about how those around Trump may fabricate poll numbers to soothe his ego.

Notable Quote:

“In my opinion, 37% is way too high. But we’re not the only one seeing this. The MAGA fissures are incredibly important to keep an eye on.”
— Jennifer Welch (01:30)

MAGA Civil War: The Tucker Carlson & Nick Fuentes Axis (02:33–04:16)

• Right-Wing Realignment:
  • Clip plays of Rep. Randy Fine blasting Tucker Carlson as “the most dangerous anti-Semite in America,” following his podcast collaboration with neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes.
  • Jennifer notes the Heritage Foundation’s refusal to distance from Tucker, interpreting this as a sign the “hard right” is preparing for a post-Trump era.
  • The growing acceptance of open extremism is portrayed as a significant, ominous shift.

Notable Moment:

“Tucker goes on or has Nick Fuentes on a podcast. They do a collab. Nick Fuentes is a total neo Nazi...The Heritage Foundation could have very easily and should have immediately distanced itself from Tucker, but they did not and they will not.”
— Jennifer Welch (03:00)

Marjorie Taylor Greene Distances from MAGA (04:17–06:34)

• MTG’s Political Moves:
  • Clip discussed from Bill Maher’s show, with Marjorie Taylor Greene revealing senior Trump officials now living on military bases, interpreted as a bunker mentality or paranoia.
  • Both hosts express discomfort with agreeing with Greene, but note she’s creating more distance from hardcore MAGA.
• Vacuum of Leadership:
  • The hosts point out that as Greene and others fracture from Trump, Democrats are failing to step into the gap, leaving room for extremists and grifters to seize momentum.
  • Angie notes that, at key moments, MTG makes sense to disaffected mainstream Republicans, furthering the splintering.

Notable Quote:

“When I heard that they were all living on military bases, I’m like, what’s all that about? But you guys, Marjorie Taylor Greene has—every single time she’s in the news, she continues to find more and more daylight between herself and the MAGA movement. These fissures in this approval rating of only 37% means that this whole regime is coming to a screeching halt.”
— Jennifer Welch (04:59)

Democratic Party’s Missed Messaging & Online Activism (06:35–11:55)

• Praise for Sharp Social Media Messaging:

  • Jennifer shares a series of viral tweets from user Nathan June, commending his clear and confrontational approach to GOP hypocrisy and red-state failures.
  • Tweets covered topics such as political hypocrisy, red-state statistics, social policy, and wealth inequality.
  • Theme: Democrats are missing obvious opportunities to attack Republicans on their abysmal records, while progressive online voices are doing the heavy lifting.

• Democratic Establishment Critique:

  • Ongoing criticism of leaders like Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer for tepid or “word salad” communication, missing out on attacking GOP weaknesses.

Notable Quotes:

“You have grifters, anti Semitic Christian nationalists like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Tucker Carlson that are going to fill this vacuum…Why the Democrats are not going after red states and their abysmal statistics is beyond me.”—Jennifer Welch (07:02-08:32)

“Nathan June, I love the work you’re doing online. I think it’s just very simple smart messaging. That’s all we have for this episode.”—Jennifer Welch (11:54)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Trump’s Approval:

  “Of course you’re like oh my God, thank God the majority of the people are seeing what I’m seeing. In my opinion, 37% is way too high.” (01:24)

• On Republican Infighting:

  “This is an all out Civil War in MAGA, I guess within the 37%.” (02:30)

• On Right-Wing Leadership Paranoia:

  “For people who love America so much, they seem to be scared of it.” (Bill Maher guest, 04:40)

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:05–01:08 | Trump’s falling approval ratings, host reaction | | 01:09–02:32 | Trump’s hypersensitivity to polls, MAGA fractures emerge | | 02:33–04:16 | Rep. Randy Fine’s rally, Tucker Carlson/Nick Fuentes collaboration, Heritage Foundation's stance | | 04:17–04:58 | Bill Maher show clip: Marjorie Taylor Greene on Trump officials living on military bases | | 04:59–06:34 | Greene’s distance from MAGA, growing leadership vacuum | | 06:35–11:55 | Spotlight on Nathan June’s viral tweets, Democratic messaging failures | | 11:55–13:37 | General wrap-up, Democratic Party critique, closing thoughts |

Conclusion

This episode blends comic relief with searing critique as Jennifer and Angie paint a picture of a right-wing coalition unraveling and a soul-searching moment for American politics. The hosts urge progressives to seize the moment, outflank extremist GOP elements, and encourage Democrats to develop a backbone and sharper messaging. The episode’s strength lies in its accessible breakdown of complex political rifts, pointed soundbites, and memorable social media quips that highlight the precarious state of both parties as 2025 draws to a close.