Trump Ditches GOP in Secret Midterm Panic | The Daily Beast Podcast

He's more interested in trying to change. people's minds about him than he is in actually saving. the jobs of the people on the Hill who, let's face it, they're going to be unemployed if they don't win these midterms. I think people understand that. Yeah, he has his priorities wrong. The other thing as well is while their costs are rising, he is getting richer. You're now focusing your attention. on expensive projects like a white House ballroom, a helipad, a big arch in honor of yourself and.

and and not talking enough about my problems. It is a referendum. always on the president of the day that's happened in 2022 as well. But I think in this case, embracing that strategy, leaning into it is the big risk for Donald Trump. Welcome to the Daily Beast podcast. I'm Nick Haines, editorial director at The Daily Beast. I'm in for Joanna Coles. On today's episode, my colleague in DC. Farrah, Thomasin, joins us to discuss how Trump is throwing the Republican Party.

under the bus, how he was booed by his own party. in the GOP primary in South Carolina this week. The alarming secret behind Caroline Leavitt's departure. And finally, in the week that we lost two of the greatest 80 year olds on Earth, we will check in on Donald Trump's health before we dive into the show. Please take a moment, share this podcast with your friends. and invite them to subscribe to The Daily Beast YouTube channel. And now let's get into it with Farrah Thomason.

Farrah, thanks for joining. Let's start with one of my absolute favorite stories of the week, which has so many classic Trump ingredients in it. We discovered from a great piece in the Atlantic. that there was a big summit earlier this month in the Oval Office to discuss. how to spend the $400 million that Trump has racked up in his superPAC. And the top Republican strategists think that the best plan.

is to invest in local campaigns, because they know. that the country is very unhappy with what the white House has been doing, that they're down on Trump, that the economic ratings are appalling. And so they're recommending that. a lot of this money is spent on ads, which will push the local candidates. Trump has other ideas. Trump wants to spend the money on a load of adverts saying how great he is. What do you think of this? Well, it's Donald Trump being Donald Trump, isn't it?

I mean, it's a fascinating strategy to sort of really focus the attention on him. And he's essentially treating, I guess, the midterms less like, you know, 435 individual House races and 35 Senate races. and more like one giant show about Donald Trump. And it's interesting, like Susie Wales did outline this strategy earlier. I think last year she said. he wasn't going to be on the ballot, but he would campaign like he was. He was going to campaign like it was 2024. And the thinking, I guess behind that is that he is, according to them,

a turnout machine and midterm elections are all about turnout. They believe that he's kind of the the strongest Republican. political brand and that he still has enormous loyalty. So putting him front and center could perhaps boost turnout among voters. But you know that there's a danger in that, isn't there? I mean, it isn't just one election, as you say. It's individual contests. Each was different sort of candidates. I was speaking to a strategist earlier before I got on here. And I mean, think about a seat like Maine, for example.

How is Susan Collins, the Republican Senate candidate. they're going to be feeling about having to campaign with Donald Trump. when he's just across the border, created a war with Canada. that's going to be affecting their lobster and other products. So it is a particularly risky. strategy, especially given his approval rating as well, is tanking. I think the last sort of figures were at 33%. So it is it is a big risk for for Donald Trump. But it is very Donald Trump. Yeah.

And of course, one of the important things to remember is that this is not money. that was raised for the RNC or by the RNC with Trump's help. This is money that he has raised himself. This is his money in his super PAC, which he controls. And that is one of the huge levers that he's always had within the party. Right? He's this great fundraiser. And as a result, he has this huge amount of power to exert his influence. and force people in the party to do what he wants, even if they think that they've got wiser ideas.

Absolutely. And you're right. This money that's gone into this superPAC of his is not. necessarily geared towards particular candidates. They are from donors, big name billionaires in the crypto industry and. and other industries that Donald Trump happens. to be helping out with releasing of regulations and the like. You know, the Winklevoss twins, you know, and others. So it is essentially a situation where Donald Trump controls.

the purse strings and Donald Trump can decide what he wants. And therefore, GOP candidates in local individual seats. don't really have much of a say whether or not they like it. But he is very much sort of centering this on him. I mean, you will note that there's a Republican National Committee. mid-term convention happening next, next month, and that's very unusual. We'll obviously have conventions. in presidential years, but not midterm conventions. And that is all about Donald Trump coming for two days to Dallas.

forcing everyone to come. I think, you know, House Republicans. are being forced to spend up to $25,000 to attend, so they're not particularly happy about that. And, and, and really kind of, you know, rally the troops, so to speak, and have the show all about him. He'll be attending the convention over two days speaking on the last day. JD Vance will be there. But again, a lot of strategists I've spoken to are asking, why on earth. are we doing this? Why are we not sort of, you know, getting out there and really sort of localizing these, these debates.

So the other thing I think is, you know, the risk in this strategy. was even highlighted by Susie Wiles and her then deputy, James Blair. I think in February of this year, they had a strategy meeting. inviting a whole bunch of administration officials to a secret spot. in Capitol Hill where they talked about the midterms going forward. And they actually acknowledged that the affordability. issue was going to be a real problem for them going forward. And they had to message that really well. because people were not feeling the effects of of,

you know, they're supposed gains signals to the problem that, you know, Joe Biden. And he kept insisting that, you know, they were doing lots of things. for affordability, but people just weren't weren't buying it. They did acknowledge in that strategy meeting. that there is also a lack of discipline from Trump. when he makes himself the star of the show. When he does a rally, he can kind of veer off script. And they actually said to the, you know, dozens of administration officials who were in attendance that day, we need you to get out there and be on message,

because he has a tendency to be completely undisciplined and go off script. So these are all sorts of the risks involved in making, you know, Donald Trump, the star of this midterm campaign, and treating it more like a referendum. on him rather than a whole bunch of individualized races. Now, it's not completely crazy, is it? Because obviously it is a bit of a referendum on the president, and it always is in the midterm. So you can't escape that. And it is important for the Republicans to try and move the dial. a little in terms of, you know, the way people see Trump.

The trouble is that people on the issues that they care most. about and say that they're going to vote on, they do not trust Trump. They do not think he's done a good job. You know, the economy obviously. is the absolute classic where even people who didn't really like Trump knew. that he was a bit of a wrong and perhaps, but still voted for him. because they thought that he would do as he promised, bring inflation down, turn the economy around, and bring prosperity to America. Well, that has not happened.

And in fact, he started a vainglorious war in the Middle East, which is shot, petrol prices up and gas prices at the pump. He's also contributed to inflation rising, and it's now kind of back to levels that are worse than when he took over. And so there's a real danger that by making him front and center, that there's some gain for himself because he likes to be the center of attention. But this is why. some people are characterizing this strategy summit as throwing the party.

under the bus, because he's more interested in trying to change people's minds about him. than he is in actually saving the jobs. of the people on the Hill who, let's face it, they're going to be unemployed if they don't win these midterms, right? Absolutely. And I think, I mean, I spent a lot of time traveling around the various battleground states. during the 2024 election, and I met a lot of people who were in that boat. who basically said, look, I don't necessarily like his character. Yeah. You know, he was indicted in relation to hush money involving a sex scandal.

And he does some, you know, pretty nasty tweets and the like. But I'm willing to put that aside because I believe. that he is going to fix the economy for me. I believe that he's going to bring down grocery prizes. I believe he's going to get it, get us out of these foreign wars. He made all of those promises, and many people did believe him. Not only has he not delivered, he's also shifted the focus so much to himself. that his priorities are shot and people can see that. I mean, this morning he spent the entire morning. tweeting as I posting on true social images of his vanity projects,

the various fountains that he's, you know, spruced up in Washington, D.C.. I've got to say that they look great, wonderful. But could you also bring down my grocery prices? And and I think people understand that. Yeah, he has his priorities wrong. The other thing as well is. while their costs are rising, he is getting richer. You know, he has used the office of the presidency to enrich himself. You know, the grift is real. I mean, I was looking at some figures just the the other day. for the swamp, actually. And as our gas prices are rising thanks to the war in Iran,

he has been able to make, I think, 15 million. over the last year and stocks on all and gas companies an additional 15 million. to what he was already made bringing his bringing things up to a think. 65 million or thereabouts. So it's that kind of thing. It's like you promised me all this. It's not only not happening, you're now focusing your attention. on expensive projects like a white House ballroom, a helipad, a big arch in honor of yourself and and. and not talking enough about my problems.

So it's it's it's a worry and and I think it will be very interesting. to see how this midterm election plays out because, yes, it is a referendum. always on the president of the day that's happened in 2022 as well. But and previous elections. But I think in this case embracing that strategy, leaning into it is the big risk for Donald Trump. And the midterms themselves obviously take place in November. But the voting actually has begun already, hasn't it? Because we're in the thick of primary season.

And there was an extraordinary scene this week in the Republican. Senate primary in South Carolina, where Donald Trump's chosen. nominee, Darlene Graham, the sister of Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly earlier this year, has been in a very tough fight. against a local challenger called Ralph Norman. And the battle got very, very tight. Trump was intervening and getting really quite involved in this.

And again, you'd like to think that he was doing it for selfless reasons to help the party. But of course, with Donald Trump, there's always an ulterior motive. And Trump has stuck his neck out throughout his time. as leader of the party, whether he was president or not, and taken. great care to make sure that his endorsed candidates win. And he keeps track of them, and he talks about them. And you guys, like The swamp have been tracking how this year. he's actually equaled his record worst performance.

And ten of his endorsed candidates have already lost. Now Darlene Graham squeaked through last night. The scene at the in South Carolina was not all good for Donald Trump, because Ralph Norman gave a concession speech, and he was pretty magnanimous about the fact that Trump had blown up. his chance of winning an almost guaranteed seat in the Senate. by intervening on behalf of his old pal Lindsey Graham, sister.

But as he was talking when he mentioned the president, a crowd. And let's remember, this is a crowd of Republican voters. and not just any, you know, swaying Republican. These are Republicans who care so much about the Republican Party. that they actively campaign in the local primary. The name of the president was mentioned, and the crowd. broke out into a chorus of booze. You know, the president got involved. He has that right. That's his prerogative.

As I told, I never well, this is not the kind of power that Trump is supposed to have over the party. What's happening? It was quite an extraordinary thing. And I think, I mean, you have to fear for poor old Ralph Norman. I mean, the guy's a five term congressman, and, you know, he basically lost. to somebody who was brought out of relative obscurity. simply because Donald Trump had, I guess, an apparent affection. for her late brother, Lindsey Graham, his golfing buddy.

But it was a really fascinating campaign to watch. I mean, she was a political novice. She flubbed her debate, as we saw last last week. Even Fox News described her as an empty vessel. Nice lady, but an empty vessel. They said she'd given money to a pro-choice state Senate, a senator in the past, which of course aggravated the conservatives. And Ralph Norman is regarded as, you know, a fairly solid, you know, conservative. He hasn't necessarily lit the world on fire in Congress, but he was.

certainly, you know, backed by some people with within the party. who were considered heavyweights, people like, you know, Nikki Haley and the like. And he was outspent Donald Trump basically. really pushed endorsements for. And Darlene Graham gave three rallies, one in person, one on election night eve, another tele tele rally. He used a lot of money, I think over 800,000 from his Maga. Inc PAC to outspend Norman.

And you know, he managed to get her over the line. because, as you say, this was a lot of risk for him as well. I mean, he has had a number of his picks lose their races. recently, which is obviously put his power into question. You know, Republicans, as you said, I think they've rejected. ten Trump endorsed candidates for statewide office. This primary servers. And, you know, folks like Cory Mills in Florida, Mike Lindell, the MyPillow guy in Minnesota,

congressman, and Andy Ogles, I believe in Tennessee. These are, you know, were Trump picks. And it obviously was coming down to his power as well, putting his power in question. So it was a lot was writing on the line for Donald Trump. And I think also there was that affection there with with Lindsey Graham, the former MAGA senator, who also happened to be Trump's golfing buddy. So a lot of effort went into getting Darlene over the line. How she'll go in the general election is yet to be seen.

I do tend to think that South Carolina is a fairly ruby red seat, and she should be okay, but she already had another kind of of gaffe. I mean, she made the point, I think about her Democratic opponent, Annie Andrews, seemed to be criticizing her for expanding health care access. and in the same breath, describing how both her parents worked. while they were sick and then died while she was a child. How was that a winning? A winning message? You know, already the attack ads are coming out. I got a press release from one of the Dems groups earlier this morning, basically saying, darling, Graham wants to deny South Carolinians.

affordable health care even after losing both parents who are broken. Health system. So she's already had a bit of a bit of a flood. even after winning Trump's endorsement and the primary. So it'll be a very interesting race to watch. And Trump did have a lot on the line. Yeah, I mean, if it's not like this is Maine, right, where Susan Collins. is absolutely, you know, an eraser close fight to secure that Senate seat. This is such a deep red state, South Carolina. But if anyone can lose it, I do believe Darlene Graham could lose it.

Because if she repeats the kind of flub that she had in the primary. debate stage, as she does a couple of occasions like that, that are being exposed statewide, if they have a kind of robust debate. with the Democratic candidate, you know, she she has actually shown. such weakness that she is potentially there for the taking. I think what's really, really interesting, Trump didn't just spend money on this race. He was also hitting the phones himself. Right.

He was on the phone to, I think, two former South Carolina. governors, Nikki Haley, who you mentioned, and also Mark Sanford, who those with the long political American memories will remember, a rather controversial politician from the South Carolina. He tried to persuade them personally, person. to person on the phone to back Darlene Graham to rally. round Lindsey Graham and, you know, to bring the party together. And they turned around and said no to him.

And that's just something you could not have imagined happening, say, in 2016, if we'd been in this same scenario. Yeah, exactly. And I think there's also a bit of discontent within on Capitol Hill, because Donald Trump has pretty much endorsed. the opponents of various incumbents. I mean, as I mentioned, Ralph Norman was a five term congressman, so he's been quite established on the Hill as a lot of friends there. A similar situation happened to John Cornyn, the Texas. senator, who was who lost his seat against Ken Paxton,

a very problematic candidate, once again, because Donald Trump endorsed him. Now, these fights in the Republican Party primaries and indeed the Democratic Party. primaries, they can play out and and be quite bitter and africanus. But how these candidates will. then go in a general election is the big risk. And if you're spending a lot of money to defend. people like Darlene Gray and because you because she's, you know, stuffing up her debates or making major errors or indeed Ken Paxton in Texas. because he's very problematic and has a has quite a history, shall we say.

You're not spending money elsewhere in seats that the Democrats. are really eyeing off, like the Maine's of the world and other seats. So it is it is a huge risk. Okay. We've already talked a little bit about the huge importance of MAGA. Inc, Trump's personal extremely rich super PAC. This you guys at the swamp. And let me tell everybody remind everybody that they must subscribe.

to the Swamp Substack, which is fantastic. and takes you into the murky, grimy corners of Washington, DC. There was a great story this week on the swamp, which revealed where Caroline Leavitt is headed next. And what does that tell us. about Trump's priorities? Well, Karen, I live it. Obviously, she mentioned, as she is now going to be leaving the white House. press secretary, where she's been a very effective mouthpiece for Donald Trump.

She will now be obviously spending a lot more time with her kids. That is, in fact true. But she's also going to be joining MAGA Inc., which we've just been talking about the sort of, you know, the dark money. shadow operation that is funneling a lot of money to Donald Trump. So she's basically going to be plotting for the president, if you like, and his future, even though. she will no longer be doing so from the podium of the white House. Caroline has worked at making before, before she was a press secretary,

I think a 2023, she was working with this operation. She then became campaign spokesman for Donald Trump in his 2024 campaign. and then obviously the press secretary. But this is a much different operation now. It is bigger, far more, you know, solid in terms of the political minds behind it, far bigger in terms of the war chest that is being amassed. And I guess, you know, she's working in an undisclosed role. Again. It's a bit of a mystery what she'll be doing there, but she'll be working alongside James Blair,

who I mentioned earlier was Susie Wiles deputy. and one of the great political minds within Donald Trump's orbit. He is now running the show, folks. like long term strategist Chris Vita. He's also there. Tony Fabrizio, the GOP pollster, is doing sort of work with them. And, you know, they are going to be plotting and scheming ahead of the election. I mean, the great sort of question here, though, is why does Donald Trump. have such a big superPAC.

when he's essentially going to be a lame duck president for the next, potentially. a lame duck president for the next couple of years, and is not meant to be running for another term yet. He's amassing a huge war chest. He's yet to spend it. Now there is talk that he's going to be spending it. on this campaign of ads centering on himself and the like. The biggest intervention is made using that funding so far has obviously been. in Darling Graham's race. But what exactly is going on with this sort of dark money kind of operation? What is he doing? And the the fear, I guess, of some is that, you know,

this is this going to a potential attempt to have another run in 2028. that is one of the most of this conspiracy theory is going around. One of the questions being asked and the corridors of power, you know, again, why is such a big precedent, amount. of cash being raised for what will could essentially be a lame duck president? Yeah, I think the alarm bells should be ringing. If they weren't already ringing for you, then this should really push.

that case in your head, because the money is one thing. We know that Donald Trump loves to raise money, and I'm sure he can think of many ways to spend $400 million to. to enrich himself in some way or another, or to push his own causes. To me, what stands out even more is these people that he's putting in there. I mean, you know, we know that he absolutely loves Caroline. And in fact, one of the reports about, you know, why she decided to actually. resign was because Trump was calling her so much during her maternity leave.

She just couldn't put up with it anymore. And she was like, I've got to get out of this. And then that just goes to the closeness that he has with her. And it's the same with Blair, like you say. And Lassiter, you know, these are figures that have been trusted. for a long, long time in Trump's world. And these are people that he would only have. pushing a project that he really cares deeply about. And as you say, if it's not for any further reelections.

of Donald Trump, what on earth could it be for and taken together? I mean, you know, you could argue a look at all the things that are happening, MAGA. Inc., bringing people on to a massive, massive war chest. He's building a bunker in the white under the white House ballroom, which some people are asking again, is he going to leave? He's, you know, trying to push through reforms via the Save act, who essentially, you know, meddle in in voting. In a sense, he's putting moving immigration workers.

out of immigration and putting them on polling booths for the midterm elections. There's this. you know, he's going to the courts to try to ensure that he gets an advantage. in whatever way, shape or form he can in the various elections going forward. As a broader picture, it could be viewed as quite scary. if you were if you were to think that he he probably doesn't want to actually leave. the the presidency. Now, whether that's the case, I don't know. But there are certainly some whispers around the corridors of power over here.

Yes. I'm. not surprised that that is gaining traction at all. If we look a little further ahead, then and imagine Trump in post. 2028, that does bring once again into focus his health. And this week has been an awful week. We have lost possibly two of the greatest eight year olds on the planet. Dolly Parton, the country singing icon, and Tim.

Curry, who is a acting legend. from films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Annie. Both of those people from the outside. appeared to be very healthy in recent years. They were 80 years old. I think it would be remiss of us not to cast a wry. at the health of Donald Trump, who is also 80. What's the latest we're hearing about him and. his fight with the doctors?

Well, I mean, I guess he one thing that we do have to look at in the context. of the midterm elections and the fact that they. are going to be placing him front and center, is the fact that. campaigning requires stamina and his health is on the decline. So it will be very interesting to see how he fares. I mean, I remember, as I said in in 2024, he was tireless. He basically did, I think, was it 90 or so rallies in the 2024 political cycle? And I attended a lot of them, and I was exhausted.

You know, he was pretty much going to every battleground state, sometimes multiple times a day. According to a medical report released by the white House in May. Though, he's putting on a lot of weight. I mean, you know, they say he's he's doing he's doing well. He's he's pretty good in pretty good shape for an 80 year old. But I think in May, the president weighed in at I think 238. pounds, which put him about 1.6 pounds shy of obesity. And that has meant his gained. about 14 pounds since his latest physical and 23 pounds since 2023.

Now, why is this of concern? Because there's just one issue that is affecting the president's health. He's obviously got chronic insufficiency, which is sort of. affecting the blood flow to his heart, which is resulting in his kangaroos. Doctors I've spoken to in recent weeks have spoken about the fact. that if he is gaining weight and if he is not sleeping because. he's rage posting on true social all night, and he's not doing any exercise. other than perhaps golf, where most of its driven around in a buggy. All of this affects CVI, and it also affects, you know,

as I say, his his ability to stay up at at cabinet meetings. and the like and his broad sort of stamina in general to campaign. So it is it is one thing to make him the center of a midterm campaign. and have him out on the hustings, rallying and trying to turn out the vote. But it will be very interesting to see the fact that, you know, he's an 80 year. old guy who's not exactly in the shape that he once was, slowing down a bit.

We all are. Nothing wrong with that. But it will be a very interesting test to see how he campaigns this time around. Yeah, and I think we also have to factor in. that these are the weights that in one case, Trump himself. gave when he was in charged over potential election interference. Another one is an official weight that was put out by the white House. And so I think it's fair to say that we have to give them a pinch of salt,

those numbers. And if he's if he on the official numbers that they're putting out, he's. only 1.6 pounds shy of obesity, then. the over under has got to be that he is in fact officially classed as obese. And I think it's very obvious. There's one thing that we always say to the reporters here at the Daily Beast, say what? You see, it's one thing to have a great source. It's one thing to talk to lots of people on the ground in D.C. as you do, and as you've been talking. to people in the corridors of power and at the white House, they seem to have noticed that he's been putting on weight in recent months,

but also just use your own eyes when you see him on the TV. He is not looking trim, and even by his standards, he's looking a lot heavier. And doctors will tell you and I spoke to a few of them. in relation to Donald Trump's health. And their view is he is he's well beyond what the white House numbers suggest. So they have put him in the obese category. And that is obviously potentially problematic for his other ailments. Yeah. And the thing with obesity is that what doctors will tell you is that.

it is like the number one determinant of all these other health outcomes, right? Some of which you touched on earlier, but but one that you, that you skirted around slightly is life expectancy. And. somebody who is obese and 80 years old. is not likely to last as long as someone who's fit and healthy. It is interesting. He does seem to be. also talking about his mortality a lot more than he used to as well. You might have noticed in rallies, he'll occasionally make little quips.

about the fact that, you know, he's he's not as young as he used to be. Interestingly, in relation to his weight, though, he doesn't sort of. he very much attacks other people for it. I was at the white House Correspondents Association dinner, the second one, the redo after the the shooting incident in April. And you might have remembered he was making a lot of jokes. about people like J.B. Pritzker and Chris Christie and their weight. I remember in the Oval Office some time ago, he outed communications. Director Steven Chung about the fact that he is on, quote unquote,

the fat drug, but he doesn't like to talk about his own weight. At the same time, he's quite vain. He doesn't want to put on a bulletproof vest, he said at the white House Correspondents Dinner, because it might have made him look a little bit heavier. So it's it's an interesting one. I believe he's kind of. conscious of the fact that, you know, he's not the spring chicken that he used to be, but getting them. the white House and him to talk about it is another question. in terms of transparency.

The the remark about the bulletproof vest. was definitely a highlight of that rather harrowing dinner in D.C. that we both endured a few months ago. It was interesting, though, that he did actually make a public remark about it, and he has made a few little references to, you know, he sometimes talks about his diet and how he knows he should be on the, you know, less junk food, and he knows he should be healthier. Admitting that he doesn't like to look fat in the picture. is that although it was just a little a little side remark, it was quite telling.

that that is in his mind, and his doctors are telling him to have a better diet. I mean, the man is famous for loving his burgers, his Big Macs. I mean, his favorite burger for McDonald's, he says, is the Philadelphia, though he would like more tartar sauce. as he keeps telling the guys at McDonald's he he loves Diet Coke. He has the famous Diet Coke button that he presses. He has been told by his doctors that he does need to have a better diet. And, you know, others have commented about it as well.

But it is. And you might notice, well, he's also talking. a lot more about whether or not he's going to go to heaven, which I thought was an interesting kind of development in recent months. So he very much is thinking about his own mortality and the fact that, you know, he's he's 80 years old, as you say, and we have had this week. two people of the same age. And, you know, the incredible Dolly Parton, the great unifier among them. May she rest in peace, who just left us very suddenly. So it is something that I think we always have to keep track of,

and we certainly do here at The Daily Beast, perhaps more than any other organization, I must say, in terms. of setting the agenda on his health, definitely more than any other outlet. And I think, you know, after Joe Biden, I think we were very conscious of learning. that lesson and making sure that, yes, it might be uncomfortable to talk about. the underlying health of the president, the most powerful man on earth. But it's really, really important to keep an eye on. And in fact, when you were in the.

white House and. you were given the opportunity to ask a question to Caroline Leavitt, you sarod in on his health, and it didn't go down that well, did it? Not particularly know. They don't like necessarily talking about it. I think it was. it was the time when he started appearing with a lot of bandages on his hand. and I, you know, made an obvious question what on earth is going on? And it's something that I don't think. a lot of the other sort of media really focus on enough, quite frankly, because as you say, we all sort of failed in a way to kind of really prosecute.

the case that Joe Biden was in cognitive decline. So we don't want to make the same mistakes again. And and it does go to the it's a very valid question. I believe, despite the White House's anger, every time we ask it, because this is the man who holds the nuclear codes, the commander in chief. And it also goes to this broader question as well. I think that's something that we do want to think of. going forward, the generational change that's needed in 2028. As we look towards if Trump doesn't decide to stay around who's next. And I think that's why, you know, people like Marco Rubio and JD Vance.

will represent a changing of the guard and a much needed changing of the guard, shall we say, in terms of age. Fantastic. Well, look, Farrah, thank you so much. I know that you will continue to cover Trump's. health as well as the rest of the midterms that run folding. If you think that we as independent media should continue to push that case, consider visiting The Daily Beast, where we have all the latest, and perhaps even subscribing to The Daily Beast on Substack, where we are sending important emails to you each day with the top stories.

that you need to be following and, crucially, why they matter. Thank you so much Farrah. Speak to you soon. Thanks guys. Big thanks to our production team Ryan Murray, John. Romero, Rachel Passer, Heather Passaro and Neil Rosenhaus. So the good news is we have so many beast team members now. There are too many names to read out and we really appreciate your support.