How Trump Could Break the 2026 Elections | The David Frum Show

Video Description

On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” David opens with his reaction to the racist AI video of Barack and Michelle Obama that was posted and quickly deleted by President Trump’s Truth Social account. He argues that when the president engages in this behavior, it undermines his administration’s other actions that resemble those of a normal presidency. David is then joined by Stephen Richer, a former Republican county recorder of Maricopa County. They discuss Stephen’s experience navigating Trump’s 2020 election denial, standing up to pressure from the president, and confronting election denialism within his own party. They also examine the Trump administration’s current activities in Georgia and how they could set the stage for more election denialism in 2026. Finally, David reflects on Edward Gibbon’s “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” as the series marks its 250th anniversary. Though the monumental work remains essential to understanding the fall of Rome, David explores how Gibbon’s moralizing of history can lead modern readers to dangerous conclusions. Sign up for David Frum’s newsletter alert to find out when a new story is published: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/?follow=true&utm_campaign=frum-yt Subscribe to “The David Frum Show” on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-david-frum-show/id1305908387 Subscribe to “The David Frum Show” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/79CBHEDdEbdykveVgbpWs7 Follow The Atlantic on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theatlantic/?hl=en Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple podcasts. Subscribe today at https://accounts.theatlantic.com/products/?utm_medium=cr&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=apple_podcasts #davidfrum #thedavidfrumshow #theatlantic Subscribe to The Atlantic on YouTube: http://bit.ly/subAtlanticYT 00:00 Introduction 01:12 The President Posted a Racist Video 03:25 Supreme Court and Affirmative Action 05:04 Trump Administration's Approach to Racial Issues 08:20 Stephen Richer 10:11 Maricopa County at the Center of 2020 Election Denial 13:38 Election Integrity and Conspiracy Theories 15:38 What is Trump up to in Georgia? 21:22 2026 Concerns 29:27 Faith in the Courts 33:31 SAVE Act 37:20 Mail-in Ballots and Republican Concerns 40:33 Election Day Process 44:19 Post-Election Audits and Securit 49:49 "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” 250 Years Later