Today's conversation with Washington Monthly's Bill Scher was as a wide-ranging, candid conversation dissecting 2026 political flashpoints under Trump’s second term.

We discussed:

— Sen. Rand Paul’s feud with Sen. Markwayne Mullin during Mullin’s contentious DHS Secretary confirmation hearing (where Paul grilled him over temperament, past insults), Mullin’s stubbornness, cross-aisle likability (including Sen. John Fetterman’s Democratic vote advancing the nomination), and why Paul’s opposition likely fails due to Senate deference norms and lack of broader strategy.

— Joe Kent’s explosive resignation as National Counterterrorism Center director (accusing Israel/AIPAC of manipulating Trump into war), his Tucker Carlson interview hinting at conspiracies (including linking Charlie Kirk’s assassination to pro-war forces), anti-Semitic trope risks amplified by Marco Rubio/Bibi Netanyahu statements, and blowback dangers.

— Tulsi Gabbard’s hypocrisy: As DNI, she dodges Sen. John Ossoff’s direct “yes/no” on Iran’s imminent nuclear threat (deferring to Trump), contradicting her past “No War with Iran” brand and refusing to resign despite evidence the intel didn’t support imminence.

— Midterm outlook: Matt’s bullish take on Democrats’ Senate chances in 2026, with prediction markets teetering ~50% and conventional wisdom shifting.— NATO resistance: Bill’s Washington Monthly piece arguing Democrats should defy any Trump unilateral withdrawal attempt, treating it as invalid precedent to preserve alliance ties post-Trump.

— And MUCH more!

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