Threats to MAGA for the '26 Midterms

A recent response to a friend who inquired about my recent criticisms of DJT.

I don't remember saying anything about Powell. While the Trump economy would benefit in the short term with a rate reduction, I don't think Powell should be fired. All things considered, an "independent" Fed is better than an "owned" Fed.

My criticisms were two-fold.

1. Trump's speaking loudly but carrying a little stick-on foreign policy.

A. More US money to Ukraine, even via NATO, is wasted, prolongs the war, and increases the probability of regional war growing into world conflict. Putin, as I predicted three years ago, has "won" this engagement. US should be doing everything it can to cauterize the bleed and to redirect Russia back into a normalized relationship... away from BRICs canoodling and not trying to back Putin into a corner. Sanctions will only embolden Putin who senses US fragility. The West does not understand Russia's ability to suffer in pursuit of her goals. The only "big stick" (apart from nukes) Trump has is US boots on the ground... a non-starter. Not Trump's fault... he was dealt a bad hand by Autopen. But soon he will own everything and, lest he back off from Russia/Ukraine soon, there's not a lot of reason for optimism for war cessation in the short term. I don't think the direction here - prolonging war effort - bodes well for the '26 Midterms.

B. The DJT gaslighting about the US bunker buster bombing of Iran deceives the US public about the still long slog ahead to corral Iran. I supported the bunker buster military action, but at best it's a half year set back. The time to bluster is when Iran is DEFEATED and when, as was the case with Germany and Japan in WWII, we base troops there. In reality, the damage to Iran has been limited. Moreover, US resources to keep a resurgent Iran at bay are also limited. The likelihood of an internal uprising in Iran is, I believe, a myth. Israel is IMHO damaged militarily and economically far more than has been let on. Iran, NK, China, and Russia are now closer together than ever before. Patient China, Iran, Russia and NK slowly gain an edge over a blustering DJT. US swagger today leads to eroded MAGA trust in DJT when BRICs swagger gains purchase just before the '26 Midterms.

2. Epstein files.

It's not enough to say Estein is a ridiculous issue... a diversion from getting things done... move on. Epstein follies have damaged trust in Trump from the MAGA base. At the heart of this assault on trust is AG Pam Bondi's equivocation and mishandling of the Epstein issue. Trump's subsequent dissing of his base has further damaged this trust. Bondi should be fired for her inept, self-serving handling of this, even as a sacrificial lamb. There may be valid reasons to not reveal the "list." Maybe there is no "list" as such. Trust erosion with the base, however, needs to be repaired else MAGA progress slow and '26 midterms be threatened.