They need to rethink this, for their own good
The David Pakman Show - February 13, 2026
Already a website member? Watch the show commercial-free here | Want to become a member? Sign up here
Jeremy Carl, Donald Trump’s nominee for a senior State Department role, entered his Senate hearing carrying a record of white identitarian writing and quickly faltered under scrutiny. When Senator Chris Murphy asked him to define what he meant by “white culture” being erased, Carl offered only scattered references to churches, food, and immigration, without a clear definition.
Trump, meanwhile, held a press event that renewed concerns about his coherence. Asked about someone else’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, he volunteered that he had never been to Epstein’s island, though that was not the question. He repeated false and misleading claims about wind power, mail-in voting, and environmental policy, and mocked fuel efficiency standards. Instead of direct answers, he returned to familiar grievances in a way that makes him look suspicious.
Health questions intensified after two incidents in 24 hours. In one, Trump appeared to lose his train of thought mid-sentence and abruptly pivot. In another, he struggled to stay awake during a public speech. A single lapse might be dismissed, but repeated moments of slurred speech and visible fatigue draw attention, particularly as he nears 80 years of age.
At the same time, the White House is reframing setbacks as wins. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the wind down of Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis as a success. She said enforcement would continue and denied friction between the FBI under Kash Patel. The messaging points to growing pressure over immigration tactics and federal law enforcement leadership in Trump’s administration.
Pressure is mounting against Attorney General Pam Bondi after a widely criticized House testimony. Even Fox News commentators called her performance emotional and unpersuasive. Reports suggest Trump is privately frustrated, though her aggressive defense of him may shield her.
Finally, Joe Rogan, who helped legitimize Trump with young male voters, is criticizing the administration over the Epstein files. He has not broken fully, but public skepticism from a figure like Rogan signals cracks in a coalition built on loyalty and anti-establishment identity.
On today’s bonus show:
DHS on track to shut down over ICE funding dispute, MAGA turns on MAGA in the race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kim Jong Un names his teen daughter as his heir, and much more...
Already a website member? Watch the bonus show here | Want to become a member? Sign up here
Don’t miss the full show with these stories and others, plus all of our analysis.
This episode is available completely free on Apple Podcasts or Spotify right now, OR catch the full video show at 9:00 pm eastern on YouTube.
Trump certainly is suffering cognitive decline and I don’t know if it’s as bad as people are claiming but it sure is making it difficult for him to keep his lies straight.
I don’t even know if it’s cognitive decline is enough to remove him but a lot of other things are enough to remove him like his pathological lying and his felony conviction to name a few.
White culture is non existent. We are an amalgamation of many cultures and races. It’s the racist and bigots who believe this disappearance is real. White foods namely are processed junk foods. This guy should be escorted to the door and never let back into Congress.