Podcast Summary: Today, Explained — “The Art of the Steal”
Date: February 9, 2026
Hosts: Estad Herndon, Sean Rameswaram (not featured this episode)
Guests: Josh Dawsey (Wall Street Journal), Marshall Cohen (CNN)
Episode Overview
This episode of Today, Explained dives deep into the continued fallout from Donald Trump’s obsession with the 2020 presidential election. The hosts and guests break down Trump’s ongoing efforts, from new federal investigations into the 2020 results to adapting those tactics for the looming 2026 midterms. The conversation deals directly with the impact on American institutions, political enemies, and election integrity—unpacking both the mechanisms of power and the psychology that drives Trump’s relentless focus on the “stolen” election narrative.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Trump’s Relentless Focus on 2020
- Despite being back in the White House and having won in 2024, Trump and his administration are still fixated on disproving his 2020 loss.
- Tulsi Gabbard, now Director of National Intelligence, is leading a government-wide effort to “prove” Trump won in 2020, including ballot reviews and federal law enforcement involvement.
- Trump has tasked multiple government officials (including the Attorney General and a previously unsuccessful lawyer from 2020) to devote resources to finding “fraud.”
Notable Quote:
“He’s put the power of the government into researching his sort of false claims from 2020. And a lot of that, I think, is now just emerging publicly, but has been happening behind the scenes for many months.”
— Josh Dawsey [03:54]
2. Repeat Investigations in Georgia
- Georgia’s Fulton County is again at the center, with repeated ballot reviews, recounts, and now a federal raid for ballots—despite state certification and a lack of evidence of widespread fraud.
- Tulsi Gabbard arranged a phone call between President Trump and FBI agents during a ballot raid—a highly unusual and potentially intimidating move.
Notable Quote:
“It’s very unusual to put the president directly on the phone with FBI line agents...they’re certainly sending a remarkable message.”
— Josh Dawsey [06:18]
3. Pursuing Political Enemies
- Trump’s DOJ has sought to bring legal action against prominent critics and investigators such as James Comey, Tish James, Adam Schiff, and Jack Smith.
- These actions are being widely interpreted as political revenge against those who challenged Trump’s narratives or authority.
Memorable Moment:
“There are people left and right who he views sort of his proverbial enemies, who he’s looking to see face the wrath of the Department of Justice.”
— Josh Dawsey [08:09]
4. The Psychology of the “Stolen” Election Obsession
- Trump’s need to validate himself as a winner drives his enduring fixation on 2020.
- He's motivated by ego and the desire to erase the one major defeat in his political career, seeking to control the historical narrative.
Notable Quote:
“I had to win it. I needed it for my own ego. I would have had a bad ego... Now I really have a big ego, though.”
— Donald Trump, as quoted by Josh Dawsey [09:12]
- No obvious “Mike Pence” figures in the current administration willing to oppose or question Trump’s focus on 2020; aides may quietly disagree, but there’s no indication of outright dissent.
Exchange:
“Is there anyone...who’s willing to go into the Oval Office, sit down with him and say, we’re wasting our time on 2020?...I don’t think that’s happen[ed].”
— Josh Dawsey [11:03]
5. Political Fallout & Strategic Risks
- Trump’s backward-looking narrative about 2020 is widely seen—even among Republicans—as unhelpful for the GOP’s chances in the 2026 midterms.
- Despite pushback, Trump is rarely swayed by party strategy, often pursuing his own agenda regardless of advice.
Notable Quote:
“No one would say, you know, what really helps us win in 2026? A relentless focus on the 2020 election...And frankly, I don’t see that changing here.”
— Josh Dawsey [12:11]
6. The 2026 Midterms — Scaling Up Election Interference Tactics
- Trump’s focus is shifting from re-litigating 2020 to actively shaping the upcoming midterm landscape using lessons from past failures.
- Announced plans to nationalize election administration in “15 states with big fraud problems”—a move experts call unconstitutional and practically unworkable.
Notable Quote:
"The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting. He said 15 states. He didn't say which ones...that’s really not constitutional or even practically viable, but it shows you where his mind's at."
— Marshall Cohen [17:11]
- Democrats are alarmed, strategizing about potential federal interventions, including the threat of using ICE agents as intimidation—tactics that could suppress turnout.
- Republicans largely not alarmed, and in some cases support Trump’s “election integrity” initiatives like voter roll purges and ID requirements.
7. DOJ Lawsuits & Aggressive Federal Tactics
- The DOJ is suing numerous states to gain access to private voter registration data, facing strong pushback and legal defeats from state-level officials.
- Reports surfaced of the DOJ offering to reduce ICE activity in exchange for access to voter rolls—a move called “bananas” and likened to a ransom demand by election officials.
Notable Quote:
“Attorney General Pam Bondi really made waves when she sent a letter to officials in Minnesota, basically offering a quid pro quo that the administration would pull back ICE from Minnesota in exchange for the voter rolls from Minnesota...most election officials and nonpartisan experts said that is bananas, you know, like a hostage.”
— Marshall Cohen [22:16]
8. Public Concern Over Election Integrity
- The threat is not just in direct action, but also in creating an environment of intimidation—potentially discouraging marginal voters from participating.
- Despite high-profile fears, nonpartisan election experts still express confidence in the resilience and integrity of the American electoral system.
Notable Quotes:
"He doesn't actually have to do all this stuff to make an impact. He can just threaten it or bring it up because it is scary."
— Marshall Cohen [20:27]
“Despite all the noise, despite all the fears, despite what you've been told at home, that our system is garbage. It's actually quite resilient...There are many safeguards...You should rest assured that your vote will be counted and will be counted fairly despite all the drama.”
— Marshall Cohen [25:19]
Memorable Quotes and Moments (with Timestamps)
-
On Trump’s refusal to let go of 2020:
“He’s never given up on the idea that he could convince people that he won, and he’s still working at it.”
— Josh Dawsey [10:18] -
On intimidation in real time:
“You have people wearing their passports around their necks when they go to the grocery store out of fear of being detained. A lot of people are kind of scared right now.”
— Estad Herndon [19:58] -
Historical perspective on Trump and election denial:
“Donald Trump claimed the Iowa caucuses were rigged when he lost to Ted Cruz...He claimed that the popular vote was rigged...He tried to overturn the 2020 election, which led to a violent insurrection. So this should be taken seriously.”
— Marshall Cohen [24:30–25:07]
Structural Timeline (Selected Timestamps)
- [02:32] — Dawsey explains Trump’s current White House efforts to prove 2020 fraud.
- [05:56] — Discussion of Tulsi Gabbard’s direct involvement with FBI in Georgia.
- [08:09] — Trump’s DOJ targeting perceived enemies.
- [11:27] — Consequences for Republicans and the party; is anyone willing to dissent?
- [16:18] — Cohen: How Trump’s 2020 fixation is shaping his approach to 2026.
- [17:09] — Nationalizing elections rhetoric surfaces.
- [18:26] — Democrats bracing for federal intervention, ICE threats, and voter intimidation.
- [21:20] — DOJ lawsuits over voter rolls; Minnesota “ransom note” episode.
- [24:15]–[25:19] — Final take: Experts affirm election system resilience amid fears.
Takeaways
- Trump’s obsession with “undoing” 2020 continues to guide federal priorities, not just as backward-looking but reshaped into aggressive efforts to influence or “protect” upcoming elections.
- The tactics now include using the federal government’s power in unprecedented ways—weaponizing agencies, legal tools, and public fear to shape voter behavior.
- The institutional resilience of elections is lauded by career experts, even as practitioners warn that democratic norms remain under threat from abuse of power, coordinated intimidation efforts, and the repetition of disinformation.
- The episode serves as both a real-time explainer and a warning, drawing a direct line from Trump’s earliest claims of “rigged” elections (2016 Iowa caucuses, 2016 and 2020 presidential contests) to efforts underway in 2026.
For listeners new to these issues, this episode offers a clear, story-driven breakdown of how Trump’s election denial strategy is evolving into direct federal action, why it resonates with some in his party, and what could be at stake for future American elections.