Lines have been crossed and there’s no going back
The David Pakman Show - February 3, 2026
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When figures like Joe Rogan or Andrew Schulz start realizing Trumpism was harmful, that is better than nothing, but it does not erase that the damage was predictable and widely warned about. At the same time, pure shaming fails because it triggers defensiveness and pushes people back into the same beliefs. The only workable approach is accountability with an off-ramp, clearly naming the mistake while leaving space to change.
What is happening now under Trump is the confirmation of years of authoritarian warnings. The arrest of Don Lemon is not a misunderstanding. It is a signal aimed at journalists, protesters, and critics. Selective enforcement is meant to intimidate. History shows this kind of repression accelerates, especially under a leader driven by grievance and paranoia.
The Epstein file releases have sent Trump into a visible spiral. Instead of addressing concrete facts like his documented flights on Epstein’s plane, he narrows the discussion to whether he went to the island. That is intentional misdirection. When challenged or mocked, he lashes out with lawsuits and threats. It is the same deflection pattern we have seen for years.
Trump has now crossed a new line by suggesting elections should be nationalized and effectively taken over by Republicans. He cannot cancel elections outright, so he attacks the constitutional structure itself. This has nothing to do with fraud and everything to do with power. Centralizing elections under a declining, grievance driven leader is a direct threat to democracy.
There is also a growing pattern of people meeting Trump privately and leaving alarmed. Reports that even allies and sympathetic figures are warning others after seeing him up close matter. Former aides and lawyers have said similar things. The closer people get, the harder it is to deny his instability.
A major political warning sign just emerged in Texas. Democrats flipped a deep red state senate seat by thirty-one points, despite Trump’s loud endorsement of the Republican. Afterward, Trump tried to deny involvement even though his own posts prove otherwise. This overperformance in Trump-won districts is becoming a pattern.
The viral claims about Trump soiling himself are not really about jokes. They reflect a widening gap between the image of strength he projects and visible signs of physical and cognitive decline. Rambling remarks and odd slips are part of a pattern. That decline combined with efforts to centralize power is the real danger.
Finally, there is the fear that returning to the United States as a naturalized citizen may no longer be routine. When journalists are arrested and protesters face travel consequences, dissent becomes a risk factor. Even needing to ask whether it is safe to come home is the story and a sign that this is not normal in a functioning democracy.
On today’s bonus show:
Takeaways from the latest batch of Epstein files, immigration officers in Minneapolis getting body cameras, ICE officers complain about not getting their $50,000 bonuses, and much more...
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So much ineptness and cruelty, it's the entire republican machine that needs to be thrown in the trash!
He is so revolting. I really wish no press would cover him at all. He would have a meltdown if people weren’t fawning all over him.