The SkyePod: French Friday – 2026 Predictions

Date: December 26, 2025
Host: Skye Jethani
Guest: David French
Episode Theme: Skye and David engage in a lively “Overreaction Mondays”-style rundown of bold predictions for 2026, spanning culture, politics, tech, and faith. Skye proposes provocative “hot takes” and David judges if they’re plausible, probable, or pure overreaction, delving into deep analysis and friendly debate.

Main Theme & Purpose

With the pace of news and the holidays upon them, Skye and David ditch current events for a playful but insightful look ahead. Borrowing from sports podcasting’s “Overreaction Monday,” they present 2026 predictions—from blockbuster movies and political upsets to Supreme Court changes and constitutional amendments—serving as the backbone for robust, often thought-provoking conversation about America’s future.

Key Predictions & Discussions

1. Nolan’s The Odyssey Will Top 2026 Box Office

Timestamps: 02:22–06:24

Prediction: Despite a raft of sequels (Dune Messiah, Avengers: Doomsday, Toy Story 5), Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will be the year’s biggest hit.
David’s Take: "Plausible to verging on probable." (02:42)
Why? Oppenheimer’s huge box office for a talky, “film not movie,” proves Nolan has the magic touch. The Odyssey is a fresh cinematic adaptation of a classic story, promising big-screen spectacle and originality amid Hollywood’s sequel/remake fatigue.
Skye: “In a Hollywood environment where everything is a sequel... The Odyssey is not exactly original—but no one's ever really made a cinematic version of this story before.” (05:02)
Memorable moment: Debating “who saves the world—Nolan or Villeneuve?” David: “Peak Spielberg, yes, but we're not in the realm of peak Spielberg.” (04:37)
Looking ahead: 2026 will be “a tremendous movie year” with both a new Spielberg and Villeneuve film alongside Nolan.

2. Texas Elects a Democratic Senator

Timestamps: 06:25–11:34

Prediction: For the first time since 1988, Texas will elect a Democratic senator.
David’s Take: “Plausible, not probable.” (06:43)
Key Players: James Talarico (conciliatory, civic, moderate) vs. Jasmine Crockett (fiery, viral, “when they go low, we go to the gutter”)—two diverging Democratic primary styles.
Complicating Factors: GOP primary could vault scandal-prone Ken Paxton as the Republican nominee; Paxton’s MAGA base vs. general electorate toxicity.
Voting Trends: Major Democratic swings (lowest: 13 points) in 2025’s special elections show vulnerability for Republicans.
If it happens: Skye: “That will send shockwaves through the whole Republican Party. Like, will they... admit that maybe Trump was a mistake?” (11:07)
David: “That will be an earthquake. That will be the story—unless the earthquake is even bigger.” (11:22)

3. Near-Total Social Media Ban for Youth in a US State

Timestamps: 11:37–22:19

Prediction: At least one state will pass a near-total ban on social media for youth.
David’s Take: “Probable, almost.” (11:55) Notes constitutional challenges (free speech rights for minors), unlike porn bans.
Skye: Sees analog to anti-cigarette cultural tipping point—“the culture reached a consensus that we don't want this permeating our world anymore.” (13:00)
Broader Consensus: Jonathan Haidt’s research, personal experience, and bipartisan parent concern—a “groundswell that we have to do something.”
Secondary Trends: Phone bans in schools are “an 80-20 issue” and “a layup prediction.” (14:41)
Connection to other vices: Discussion flows into sports gambling and online pornography’s harms—David: “Combination of easy access to porn and sports gambling is doing a heck of a lot more to harm young men than ideological issues in schools.” (16:48)
- “You're exposed to minimal wokeness but giant amounts of gambling, porn, etc.” (David, 16:57)

4. J.D. Vance Becomes President in 2026

Timestamps: 23:01–29:12

Prediction: “J.D. Vance will become the 48th President of the United States in 2026.”
David's Take: “Highly improbable to implausible.” (23:09)
Scenarios Discussed: Trump’s removal (25th Amendment), death, impeachment, resignation—what could make Vance, as VP, president.
Key Points: Trump’s mental and physical decline, and his team’s likely secrecy (“the Trump team will close ranks... it will make the Biden team look open and transparent.” David, 24:25)
Political calculations: Skye and David debate if/when ambitious Republicans would break from Trump in case of decline or midterm disaster. “MAGA is just too full of ambitious scorpions for one of them not to take make their move.” (David, 27:33)

5. Spielberg’s Disclosure Day & Official UFO Acknowledgement

Timestamps: 29:15–36:10

Prediction: Spielberg’s new film will coincide with official US government admission of possessing tech of non-human origin.
David’s Take: “Implausible. But I really want it to be probable.” (29:33)
Memorable quote: “I'm all in on wanting there to be UFOs.” (David, 29:35)
Skeptical Points: Still no material evidence despite years of claims; “someone’s got to produce something other than their own eyewitness testimony.” (David, 30:43)
Fun conspiracy theory: Spielberg’s lifelong “preparation” of the world via films for an eventual UFO revelation—it’s “not real, but it would be cool if it was real.” (David, 34:54)
Realistic scenario: Further official mystery/acknowledgment, but “as far as, like, here's the alien body. Here's Bob, we named him Bob—no.” (David, 35:41)

6. Trump Appoints a Fourth Supreme Court Justice

Timestamps: 36:10–43:56

Prediction: “In 2026, Donald Trump will appoint his fourth justice to the Supreme Court.”
David’s Take: “Probably yes.” (36:32)
Likely retiring: Skye assumes Clarence Thomas; David thinks Samuel Alito is more likely, based on DC “vibes” and insiders’ chatter.
Strategy Insight: Conservative justices may see 2026 as the “window” for retirement with a GOP Senate & President (“could end up in a Ruth Bader Ginsburg situation” if they wait too long—David, 38:05).
Concerns for new nominee: David worries Trump may now appoint more extreme, less Federalist Society-friendly candidates, breaking with prior selection process and potentially creating Senate friction.
David: “[DeSantis] ran saying, ‘I’m not going to pick people like Gorsuch and Barrett.’ And I’m like... wait, what, has the right radicalized so much that Gorsuch and Barrett are too squished now?” (41:10)

7. Decline in Young Adult Transgender Identification

Timestamps: 44:01–50:24

Prediction: The percentage of young adults calling themselves transgender (peaked at 8.6% in 2020) will continue to decline.
David’s Take: “High confidence in that response.” (44:26)
Context: Ryan Burge’s research: the self-identified trans rate is declining “precipitously.” Trend is more about changing social expression than innate identity.
Nuance: “Gender dysphoria” is distinct from broader identities like “nonbinary”/“genderqueer.” Most in the 9% never undertook medical steps—David: “...for some people, it became a kind of political cultural act of dissent.” (46:44)
Political Fallout: Democrats retreating from the issue post-2024; progressive politicians distancing themselves, e.g., Gavin Newsom opposing trans women in women’s sports.
David: “A lot of these other categories are just proving to be much more malleable.” (48:53)

8. Mounting Push for a Constitutional Amendment (Pardon Power)

Timestamps: 50:24–57:01

Prediction: 2026 will see a national movement to amend the Constitution become a central 2028 campaign issue—specifically limiting the presidential pardon power.
David’s Take: “Yes, probable.” (50:44)
Trigger Event: Expected controversial pardons as Trump exits, especially “mass pardons” for friends and corrupt allies, as well as for himself.
Bipartisan Motivation: Both parties have gripes—“Republicans are still mad about Biden’s pardons... We remember Clinton’s pardons. A real problem.” (51:09)
David: “One of the least popular things he will have done… is this string of incredibly corrupt pardons.” (52:43)
Mob mentality analogy: Those in Trump’s circle believe their “ability to stay out of jail... completely hinges on one person liking you.” (57:15)
Skye: “It is very much a mob mentality where you are in his debt... and what a creepy way to run a government.” (57:16)

Notable Quotes by Timestamp & Speaker

On Nolan’s Odds:
"Plausible to verging on probable." (David French, 02:42)
On GOP’s Texas Problem:
"If there’s a Democratic senator from Texas, that will be an earthquake. That will be the story. Unless... the earthquake is even bigger." (David French, 11:22)
On social media bans:
"Probable, almost. I mean, Utah has passed... some pretty big sweeping laws already." (David French, 11:55)
On male youth problems:
"Easy access to porn and sports gambling is doing a heck of a lot more to harm young men than ideological issues in schools." (David French, 16:48)
On Trump’s Decline:
"The Trump team will close ranks in such a way that it will make the Biden team look open and transparent." (David French, 24:25)
On UFO hype:
"I'm all in on wanting there to be UFOs." (David French, 29:35)
On SCOTUS retirements:
"You could end up in... the Ruth Bader Ginsburg situation, where you're waiting for the right moment to retire and because of unexpected political events, the right moment doesn't occur." (David French, 39:03)
On transgender identity trends:
"For some people, it became a kind of political cultural act of dissent... that was intimately related to the moment in time that we were in." (David French, 46:44)
On pardons and constitutional change:
"One of the least popular things [Trump] will have done... is this string of incredibly corrupt pardons." (David French, 52:43)
On mob mentality:
"Your ability to stay out of jail, frankly, completely hinges on one person liking you." (Skye Jethani, 57:15)

Episode Highlights & Takeaways

Depth + Wit: Playful premise leads to surprisingly nuanced, evidence-rich discussions on trends that matter for 2026 and beyond.
Political & Cultural Cross-pollination: Host and guest move fluidly from pop culture (movies, UFOs) to granular political analysis (primaries, SCOTUS, constitutional reform).
A Window on Public Mood: Both speakers point to signs of broadening consensus—and growing public backlash—on issues like big tech, gambling, and pornography, suggesting bipartisan movement is possible on some topics.
Trend forecasting: There’s a recurring focus on generational shifts, party vulnerabilities, and the unpredictable knock-on effects of judicial and political succession decisions.

Essential Listening Segments

Pop Culture & Movies: 02:15–06:24
Texas Senate Race / Political Realignment: 06:25–11:34
Youth & Technology Harms: 11:37–22:19
Presidential Succession Scenarios: 23:01–29:12
UFOs & Disclosure Theories: 29:15–36:10
Supreme Court Blockbuster: 36:10–43:56
Transgender Identity Data: 44:01–50:24
Pardon Power & Constitutional Reform: 50:24–57:01

French Friday’s special “predictions” format results in a standout episode—part barstool debate, part level-headed prognosis—bursting with sharp analysis and humor for anyone invested in the intersection of faith, culture, and national destiny.

The SkyePod: French Friday – 2026 Predictions

Main Theme & Purpose

Key Predictions & Discussions

1. Nolan’s The Odyssey Will Top 2026 Box Office

Timestamps: 02:22–06:24

Prediction: Despite a raft of sequels (Dune Messiah, Avengers: Doomsday, Toy Story 5), Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will be the year’s biggest hit.
David’s Take: "Plausible to verging on probable." (02:42)
Why? Oppenheimer’s huge box office for a talky, “film not movie,” proves Nolan has the magic touch. The Odyssey is a fresh cinematic adaptation of a classic story, promising big-screen spectacle and originality amid Hollywood’s sequel/remake fatigue.
Skye: “In a Hollywood environment where everything is a sequel... The Odyssey is not exactly original—but no one's ever really made a cinematic version of this story before.” (05:02)
Memorable moment: Debating “who saves the world—Nolan or Villeneuve?” David: “Peak Spielberg, yes, but we're not in the realm of peak Spielberg.” (04:37)
Looking ahead: 2026 will be “a tremendous movie year” with both a new Spielberg and Villeneuve film alongside Nolan.

2. Texas Elects a Democratic Senator

Timestamps: 06:25–11:34

Prediction: For the first time since 1988, Texas will elect a Democratic senator.
David’s Take: “Plausible, not probable.” (06:43)
Key Players: James Talarico (conciliatory, civic, moderate) vs. Jasmine Crockett (fiery, viral, “when they go low, we go to the gutter”)—two diverging Democratic primary styles.
Complicating Factors: GOP primary could vault scandal-prone Ken Paxton as the Republican nominee; Paxton’s MAGA base vs. general electorate toxicity.
Voting Trends: Major Democratic swings (lowest: 13 points) in 2025’s special elections show vulnerability for Republicans.
If it happens: Skye: “That will send shockwaves through the whole Republican Party. Like, will they... admit that maybe Trump was a mistake?” (11:07)
David: “That will be an earthquake. That will be the story—unless the earthquake is even bigger.” (11:22)

3. Near-Total Social Media Ban for Youth in a US State

Timestamps: 11:37–22:19

Prediction: At least one state will pass a near-total ban on social media for youth.
David’s Take: “Probable, almost.” (11:55) Notes constitutional challenges (free speech rights for minors), unlike porn bans.
Skye: Sees analog to anti-cigarette cultural tipping point—“the culture reached a consensus that we don't want this permeating our world anymore.” (13:00)
Broader Consensus: Jonathan Haidt’s research, personal experience, and bipartisan parent concern—a “groundswell that we have to do something.”
Secondary Trends: Phone bans in schools are “an 80-20 issue” and “a layup prediction.” (14:41)
Connection to other vices: Discussion flows into sports gambling and online pornography’s harms—David: “Combination of easy access to porn and sports gambling is doing a heck of a lot more to harm young men than ideological issues in schools.” (16:48)
- “You're exposed to minimal wokeness but giant amounts of gambling, porn, etc.” (David, 16:57)

4. J.D. Vance Becomes President in 2026

Timestamps: 23:01–29:12

Prediction: “J.D. Vance will become the 48th President of the United States in 2026.”
David's Take: “Highly improbable to implausible.” (23:09)
Scenarios Discussed: Trump’s removal (25th Amendment), death, impeachment, resignation—what could make Vance, as VP, president.
Key Points: Trump’s mental and physical decline, and his team’s likely secrecy (“the Trump team will close ranks... it will make the Biden team look open and transparent.” David, 24:25)
Political calculations: Skye and David debate if/when ambitious Republicans would break from Trump in case of decline or midterm disaster. “MAGA is just too full of ambitious scorpions for one of them not to take make their move.” (David, 27:33)

5. Spielberg’s Disclosure Day & Official UFO Acknowledgement

Timestamps: 29:15–36:10

Prediction: Spielberg’s new film will coincide with official US government admission of possessing tech of non-human origin.
David’s Take: “Implausible. But I really want it to be probable.” (29:33)
Memorable quote: “I'm all in on wanting there to be UFOs.” (David, 29:35)
Skeptical Points: Still no material evidence despite years of claims; “someone’s got to produce something other than their own eyewitness testimony.” (David, 30:43)
Fun conspiracy theory: Spielberg’s lifelong “preparation” of the world via films for an eventual UFO revelation—it’s “not real, but it would be cool if it was real.” (David, 34:54)
Realistic scenario: Further official mystery/acknowledgment, but “as far as, like, here's the alien body. Here's Bob, we named him Bob—no.” (David, 35:41)

6. Trump Appoints a Fourth Supreme Court Justice

Timestamps: 36:10–43:56

Prediction: “In 2026, Donald Trump will appoint his fourth justice to the Supreme Court.”
David’s Take: “Probably yes.” (36:32)
Likely retiring: Skye assumes Clarence Thomas; David thinks Samuel Alito is more likely, based on DC “vibes” and insiders’ chatter.
Strategy Insight: Conservative justices may see 2026 as the “window” for retirement with a GOP Senate & President (“could end up in a Ruth Bader Ginsburg situation” if they wait too long—David, 38:05).
Concerns for new nominee: David worries Trump may now appoint more extreme, less Federalist Society-friendly candidates, breaking with prior selection process and potentially creating Senate friction.
David: “[DeSantis] ran saying, ‘I’m not going to pick people like Gorsuch and Barrett.’ And I’m like... wait, what, has the right radicalized so much that Gorsuch and Barrett are too squished now?” (41:10)

7. Decline in Young Adult Transgender Identification

Timestamps: 44:01–50:24

Prediction: The percentage of young adults calling themselves transgender (peaked at 8.6% in 2020) will continue to decline.
David’s Take: “High confidence in that response.” (44:26)
Context: Ryan Burge’s research: the self-identified trans rate is declining “precipitously.” Trend is more about changing social expression than innate identity.
Nuance: “Gender dysphoria” is distinct from broader identities like “nonbinary”/“genderqueer.” Most in the 9% never undertook medical steps—David: “...for some people, it became a kind of political cultural act of dissent.” (46:44)
Political Fallout: Democrats retreating from the issue post-2024; progressive politicians distancing themselves, e.g., Gavin Newsom opposing trans women in women’s sports.
David: “A lot of these other categories are just proving to be much more malleable.” (48:53)

8. Mounting Push for a Constitutional Amendment (Pardon Power)

Timestamps: 50:24–57:01

Prediction: 2026 will see a national movement to amend the Constitution become a central 2028 campaign issue—specifically limiting the presidential pardon power.
David’s Take: “Yes, probable.” (50:44)
Trigger Event: Expected controversial pardons as Trump exits, especially “mass pardons” for friends and corrupt allies, as well as for himself.
Bipartisan Motivation: Both parties have gripes—“Republicans are still mad about Biden’s pardons... We remember Clinton’s pardons. A real problem.” (51:09)
David: “One of the least popular things he will have done… is this string of incredibly corrupt pardons.” (52:43)
Mob mentality analogy: Those in Trump’s circle believe their “ability to stay out of jail... completely hinges on one person liking you.” (57:15)
Skye: “It is very much a mob mentality where you are in his debt... and what a creepy way to run a government.” (57:16)

Notable Quotes by Timestamp & Speaker

On Nolan’s Odds:
"Plausible to verging on probable." (David French, 02:42)
On GOP’s Texas Problem:
"If there’s a Democratic senator from Texas, that will be an earthquake. That will be the story. Unless... the earthquake is even bigger." (David French, 11:22)
On social media bans:
"Probable, almost. I mean, Utah has passed... some pretty big sweeping laws already." (David French, 11:55)
On male youth problems:
"Easy access to porn and sports gambling is doing a heck of a lot more to harm young men than ideological issues in schools." (David French, 16:48)
On Trump’s Decline:
"The Trump team will close ranks in such a way that it will make the Biden team look open and transparent." (David French, 24:25)
On UFO hype:
"I'm all in on wanting there to be UFOs." (David French, 29:35)
On SCOTUS retirements:
"You could end up in... the Ruth Bader Ginsburg situation, where you're waiting for the right moment to retire and because of unexpected political events, the right moment doesn't occur." (David French, 39:03)
On transgender identity trends:
"For some people, it became a kind of political cultural act of dissent... that was intimately related to the moment in time that we were in." (David French, 46:44)
On pardons and constitutional change:
"One of the least popular things [Trump] will have done... is this string of incredibly corrupt pardons." (David French, 52:43)
On mob mentality:
"Your ability to stay out of jail, frankly, completely hinges on one person liking you." (Skye Jethani, 57:15)

Episode Highlights & Takeaways

Depth + Wit: Playful premise leads to surprisingly nuanced, evidence-rich discussions on trends that matter for 2026 and beyond.
Political & Cultural Cross-pollination: Host and guest move fluidly from pop culture (movies, UFOs) to granular political analysis (primaries, SCOTUS, constitutional reform).
A Window on Public Mood: Both speakers point to signs of broadening consensus—and growing public backlash—on issues like big tech, gambling, and pornography, suggesting bipartisan movement is possible on some topics.
Trend forecasting: There’s a recurring focus on generational shifts, party vulnerabilities, and the unpredictable knock-on effects of judicial and political succession decisions.

Essential Listening Segments

Pop Culture & Movies: 02:15–06:24
Texas Senate Race / Political Realignment: 06:25–11:34
Youth & Technology Harms: 11:37–22:19
Presidential Succession Scenarios: 23:01–29:12
UFOs & Disclosure Theories: 29:15–36:10
Supreme Court Blockbuster: 36:10–43:56
Transgender Identity Data: 44:01–50:24
Pardon Power & Constitutional Reform: 50:24–57:01

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French Friday: 2026 Predictions

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Summary

The SkyePod: French Friday – 2026 Predictions

Main Theme & Purpose

Key Predictions & Discussions

1. Nolan’s The Odyssey Will Top 2026 Box Office

2. Texas Elects a Democratic Senator

3. Near-Total Social Media Ban for Youth in a US State

4. J.D. Vance Becomes President in 2026

5. Spielberg’s Disclosure Day & Official UFO Acknowledgement

6. Trump Appoints a Fourth Supreme Court Justice

7. Decline in Young Adult Transgender Identification

8. Mounting Push for a Constitutional Amendment (Pardon Power)

Notable Quotes by Timestamp & Speaker

Episode Highlights & Takeaways

Essential Listening Segments

Summary

The SkyePod: French Friday – 2026 Predictions

Main Theme & Purpose

Key Predictions & Discussions

1. Nolan’s The Odyssey Will Top 2026 Box Office

2. Texas Elects a Democratic Senator

3. Near-Total Social Media Ban for Youth in a US State

4. J.D. Vance Becomes President in 2026

5. Spielberg’s Disclosure Day & Official UFO Acknowledgement

6. Trump Appoints a Fourth Supreme Court Justice

7. Decline in Young Adult Transgender Identification

8. Mounting Push for a Constitutional Amendment (Pardon Power)

Notable Quotes by Timestamp & Speaker

Episode Highlights & Takeaways

Essential Listening Segments