Trump polls: MAGA Republicans on ICE, the Epstein recordsdata, the economic system.

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Each good political journalist wants a superb MAGA man of their again pocket — somebody you may name when issues are wanting messy in President Donald Trump’s GOP orbit. And my MAGA man is John Fredericks.

Fredericks is a well-liked conservative radio host who goes by considered one of my favourite nicknames in media: the “Godzilla of Reality.” We met over the past presidential election cycle. I used to be instantly struck by how he appears to grasp Trump’s motion from the underside up, making sense of Trump voters and their political needs, slightly than unpacking the consensus of the political institution.

So, Fredericks is the right particular person to go to for a pulse test on Trump’s MAGA base. One yr into his second time period, Trump has among the lowest recorded approval scores in polling historical past. He’s collapsed in favorability among independents . And there appears to be some cracks growing in his 2024 coalition as discontent rises on points just like the economic system, the Epstein recordsdata, and his deployment of ICE in Minneapolis.

Speaking to John, I needed to intestine test the numbers we’ve been seeing for months. How actual is the alleged backlash towards Trump? And can shifting in public opinion power a change in his agenda?

Beneath is an excerpt of our dialog, edited for size and readability. There’s rather more within the full podcast, so take heed to At the moment, Defined wherever you get podcasts, together with Apple Podcasts , Pandora , and Spotify .

Let’s begin with you. In the event you may fee the Trump second time period on a scale of 1 to 10, what would you give it?

Ten; he’s delivered on nearly each promise he’s made. The economic system is booming proper now. The variety of refunds you’re going to get again on to be off the charts. He closed the border . We’re not getting any extra illegals in. That has been performed. That was a significant promise. That’s been performed. The one big, beautiful bill received handed. He’s put the best individuals in place. He hasn’t had the turnover . You haven’t had anyplace close to the ridiculous leaks and backbiting within the White Home that you simply had in Trump 1, which hampered the entire effort, and many others. So, 10. I can’t consider something it didn’t do.

Trump supporters like radio host John Fredericks assume the financial advantages of Trump’s insurance policies haven’t been felt by the general public but. However he additionally thinks the administration has bungled dealing with the Epstein recordsdata and the ICE deployment in Minneapolis. MAGA voters’ expectations aren’t matching actuality. He thinks there’s nonetheless time for Trump to course-correct on the economic system and immigration earlier than the midterms — and that he should to keep away from a GOP wipeout. What stunned you most? Did something?

Sure, his concentrate on international coverage. I actually didn’t see that coming. And that therein lies considered one of his dangers now going into the midterms: He’s spending an inordinate period of time on it. That’s nice. Cease wars.

However the threat of that is: Individuals elected him not for international coverage views. They elected him for affordability, getting costs down, fixing the economic system, getting housing, getting rates of interest down, doing the issues they should do to enhance their high quality of life. That hasn’t come yet . And the window is closing going to the midterms.

The numbers inform us that Trump is rising extra unpopular. He’s hit a brand new low in approval scores. He’s fallen 20 factors with independents in only one yr. The beneficial properties we noticed within the election yr amongst Americans of color and amongst young people have appeared to reverse within the polling .

If issues are going in addition to you imagine they're, why aren’t we seeing the numbers mirror that?

The economic system has not mirrored the success that’s coming. So, individuals aren’t feeling the affordability. They’re not feeling the optimism [that] I believe we’re going to really feel going into the spring and summer time when a few of these issues take maintain.

The messaging of the Republicans, as traditional, sucks. They couldn’t message their method out of a paper bag if their life trusted it.

Are Individuals shopping for that story although? As a result of, most Individuals aren't blaming Joe Biden for this financial state; they’re blaming Donald Trump .

It appears as when you have been saying that there's a minimum of some type of concession you’ll make right here, that possibly the economic system has not rotated in the best way that Donald Trump had promised on this first yr.

Sure, precisely. All that the voters must know so far as financial statistics is their grocery invoice. That’s all you want. If that continues to go up — as it is for all of us — if the price of cars go up, [and] all the things goes up, then Trump’s economic system has failed, regardless of whose fault it's.

He’s there. He’s received to repair that. In the event you can’t purchase a house, you may’t get a mortgage; rates of interest are too excessive, you may’t pay it. Trump’s fault, appropriately — as a result of he’s now going to be accountable. He’s received a really brief time frame to show this round. I’m optimistic that he’s going to do this. However, proper now, once you go to the shop, and also you fill your cart up, you’re feeling the pinch, you’re feeling the ache, and that’s why his numbers are down.

The Epstein recordsdata have unleashed a wave of anger even amongst some Republicans. I’m eager about of us, like former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and considered one of your callers who puzzled if justice would come to the victims.

Do you assume that Trump’s dealing with of the recordsdata has triggered him some points even amongst some conservatives?

They need to have launched all of the recordsdata on the identical day instantly. It’s the largest mistake he’s made. I actually don’t know what the hell Pam Bondi is doing in there.

We received this factor happening in Minneapolis, and he or she’s making speeches on the Israeli American Conference . Like, get your tail to Minneapolis. Discover out what’s happening with that fraud .

There's a notion amongst some liberals who've described Trump help as cult-like — that no matter he says, of us will comply with.

I don’t assume that that’s at all times essentially true for you, however are you able to inform me one thing that Trump has performed in his first time period, or in his first yr returning to workplace, that you simply haven’t preferred?

I didn’t like what simply occurred in Minneapolis. I believe when you say you’re going to ship within the troops and do the Insurrection Act , you again it up. Had he performed that, and he despatched these 1,500 troops in a month in the past, each of those younger individuals can be alive at the moment, as a result of the aim of sending the troops in was to have checkpoints and to separate ICE brokers from the protesters.

However had he despatched these troops in initially, each these individuals can be alive at the moment, as a result of they wouldn’t have been in a position to confront ICE brokers. They'd have been cordoned off with a checkpoint. “You guys keep there; ICE is there. ICE goes over there; you guys can come right here.”

It does really feel as if America is reacting to the dramatic scenes they see in Minneapolis and feeling as if that’s not essentially the Trump policy they signed up for . I don’t know if individuals thought that people can be strolling via Target r ounding up anybody who has an accent. There appears to be a niche between the expectation and the fact.

You understand, Astead, you make a terrific level, and you actually sum this up, the disconnect that’s happening right here. You nailed it.

Yeah, we voted to get the illegals out. However then, after we see on TV the best way they’re getting them out, they don’t prefer it. It’s uncomfortable to individuals. Effectively, we tried to get them out. We supplied them $1,000. We offered self-deportation . A few of them went — a couple of million , proper?

However now…you stated you have been going to get them out. They’re right here illegally. You’re not getting amnesty. You bought to get them out. And it’s uncomfortable. And it’s going to proceed to be uncomfortable. And are available November, individuals are going to must make their thoughts up.

Why are Republicans seeming to sound the alarm about a few of this relating to the midterms? Ought to there be even just a little extra concern?

I’m ringing the bell. I’m like Paul Revere. If we don’t get this factor going, we’re going to get worn out.

You’ve received all the things working towards you proper now to save lots of Congress. And the factor is, Democrats are robust. They win, and Trump’s getting impeached on in all probability day three, possibly 4, if they've one other trip day. He’s performed. So the administration’s over. They received’t be capable of do something.

What has to occur? The economic system has to get higher instantly. The main focus needs to be on the home agenda instantly. Republicans must get robust instantly. You may’t again down, as a result of when you again down, you lose. So, you bought to face as much as these items.

Do you assume the scenes out of Minneapolis helped or harm Republican efforts to win elections in November?

Effectively, clearly, it harm. I imply, no person likes seeing harmless individuals killed, whatever the circumstance, by legislation enforcement — interval. No one likes it. So, in fact it harm.

Is there time to show the narrative round, make things better? Do that in a method that isn’t as extreme that you simply’re seeing on TV? No one needs to see individuals die. So, we received to discover a method. The MAGA motion — President Trump’s received to discover a approach to get the illegals out with out what the scene you’re seeing in Minneapolis. On the flip aspect of it, when you let the mobs win, you’re performed. So, that’s why you need to stand as much as it. However, you may’t do it in a method that causes harmless individuals to die. And I believe we are able to all agree on that.