Podcast Summary: "Why MAGA faithful are growing frustrated with Trump"
Post Reports (The Washington Post) – December 19, 2025
Host: Colby Ekowicz
Guests: Natalie Allison (White House reporter), Dan Marika (Co-anchor, The Early Brief newsletter)
Overview
This episode of Post Reports delves into emerging frustrations and disappointments within Trump’s original MAGA base during his second term, exploring why previously unwavering supporters are expressing dissent. The conversation also unpacks recent events underscoring cracks in party support, including a revealing Vanity Fair interview with Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and controversial remarks made by Trump regarding the murder of director Rob Reiner and his wife. The roundtable examines how these rifts could impact Republican prospects in the 2026 midterms and beyond.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Growing Frustration Among MAGA Supporters
[02:03]
- Natalie Allison shares exclusive reporting on MAGA leaders warning Trump that he’s losing his core base. Where once the base defended Trump unconditionally, “they would stand behind him… everything he’s doing is, is correct,” some now “put their heads up and say, hey, actually, I, I disagree with this.”
- Key grievances:
- Trump’s unfulfilled promises on affordability and the economy—a concern shared by both MAGA and swing voters.
- Unique MAGA complaints: Not enough focus on jailing COVID mandate proponents or increasing deportations.
[03:41]
- Dan Marika: Failure to deliver on sweeping 2024 campaign promises risks “an existential problem for not only Donald Trump, but for Republicans and any kind of political movement that comes after Donald Trump.”
Prominent Examples of Fracture in Support
[04:28]
- Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene: Once a MAGA stalwart, Greene criticized Trump for focusing too much on foreign affairs over domestic issues like affordability and deportations. Trump, in turn, withdrew support for Greene after her criticisms; she has since announced her resignation.
- Influential X/Twitter Personalities: MAGA-aligned figures with large followings (e.g., Mark Mitchell of Rasmussen Reports) have directly told Trump he’s not meeting base expectations. Mitchell recounted Trump’s disinterest in such critiques, preferring to talk about golfing with Lindsey Graham—a widely disliked figure among MAGA due to being seen as a “neocon.”
The Vanity Fair Interview with Susie Wiles
[07:12]
- Colby Ekowicz & Dan Marika discuss a headline-grabbing Vanity Fair profile of Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles. She described Trump as having an “alcoholics personality,” and said he operates as if “there’s nothing he can’t do.”
- She advised against pardoning some January 6th rioters and disparaged Vice President J.D. Vance as a longtime conspiracy theorist now acting out of “political expediency.”
- Notably, Wiles faced no apparent consequences for her candor, showing her outsized value and influence in the Trump administration—contrasting with Trump’s first term when leaks led to firings.
Memorable Anecdote:
[10:45]
- Trump referred to Wiles as “Susie Trump”—publicly and privately—signaling her near-family status and essential role in both campaign and administration.
Party Cracks Over Healthcare and Congressional Power
[14:28]
- Moderate Republican Rebellion: Four GOP House members sided with Democrats to force a vote extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, bypassing Speaker Mike Johnson.
- Dan Marika: This public dissent is “a huge rebuke” of party leadership and Trump, given the party’s longstanding antipathy toward Obamacare.
[16:41]
- Natalie Allison: Trump’s primary fear now is losing the House in 2026, as a Democratic majority could initiate investigations and impeachment attempts. This anxiety may force accommodation of moderate Republicans’ positions.
The Rob Reiner Controversy
[18:01]
- Trump sparked widespread backlash—across parties and within his base—after blaming director Rob Reiner’s murder on “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS).
- Dan Marika: “It did lead to a huge blowback from not only Democrats, but also members of Trump’s base. Trump stood by the statement…doubled down on the comment…”
- [20:24] Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) to CNN: “President Trump should have said nothing. A wise man once said nothing. Why? Because he’s a wise man.”
- Natalie Allison: The incident broke through into mainstream awareness because of Reiner’s prominence, and, unlike many prior Trump posts, provoked open criticism from previously loyal supporters.
The Primetime Address: Trump’s Attempt to Win Back Support
[22:20]
- Trump’s national address aimed to tout achievements, particularly economic ones, and reassure supporters.
- Natalie Allison: The speech was “just under 20 minutes” and “a very fast delivery. Dizzying at times, jumping from immigration to… checks for the military.” Interrupted the ‘Survivor’ finale (a move not universally popular).
- Notable Quote – Trump [24:37]:
- “I’m doing what no politician of either party has ever done, standing up to the special interest to dramatically reduce…prescription drugs... by as much as 400, 500 and even 600%.”
- Dan Marika: “It was essentially a rally speech…listing everything.” Tony was “insisting he had done more and achieved more...at a time when…voters are not feeling what he is saying he’s achieved.”
[27:01] - There is an “increasing tension” between claimed achievements and the reality perceived by both base and swing voters.
Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
[27:53]
- Natalie Allison: Watching J.D. Vance and Ted Cruz maneuver for higher national prominence, teasing early moves for the 2028 Republican field.
- Dan Marika: Predicts the 2026 midterms will be a referendum on Trump and pivotal for his legacy—an “amazing test of Donald Trump’s standing with the country.”
Notable Quotes and Moments
- Natalie Allison [02:03]: “People who long supported Trump… have gradually begun to…say, hey, actually, I, I disagree with this.”
- Dan Marika [03:41]: “If he loses a few percentage points of people who were devoutly following, it could be an existential problem…for Republicans and any kind of political movement that comes after Donald Trump.”
- Colby Ekowicz [20:24]: “There was Republican Senator John Kennedy…‘President Trump should have said nothing. A wise man once said nothing. Why? Because he’s a wise man.’”
- Dan Marika [25:48]: “…it kind of felt like that to me. Like he wanted to get a lot in there. And he’s used to a format…where he has 90 minutes, he has a crowd that loves him… and he didn’t have any of that.”
- Natalie Allison [27:01]: “Those folks who elected him to the White House are not feeling what he is saying he’s achieved. And that’s the tension…that has really dominated this first year of the Trump presidency.”
Key Timestamps
- 00:31–04:28: MAGA frustrations, exclusive reporting on base dissent
- 07:12–11:31: Vanity Fair Susie Wiles interview; White House power dynamics
- 14:28–16:41: Moderate GOP rebellion over ACA; implications for party unity
- 18:01–21:45: Trump’s Rob Reiner post and rare intraparty backlash
- 22:05–25:48: Breakdown and reception of Trump’s primetime address
- 27:34–29:45: 2026 outlook, Republican field, and Trump’s legacy
Conclusion
The episode paints a nuanced portrait of a Trump administration under internal siege—not only from swing voters but also from its fiercest loyalists. High-profile departures, public criticisms from the MAGA base, moderate GOP resistance in Congress, and cultural missteps threaten Trump’s defining lock on Republican politics. With the 2026 midterms looming as a national referendum on his presidency, the core question remains: Can Trump reclaim the enthusiasm of his base—or will these cracks widen into existential threats for his party?