Things get dangerous when authoritarians lose control
The David Pakman Show - July 28, 2026
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NBC host Kristen Welker socialized warmly with Trump political operative Stephen Miller at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Social familiarity between journalists like Welker and administration officials like Miller severely weakens public accountability on crucial issues.
Twenty-three state attorneys general filed lawsuits challenging an executive order by Donald Trump that attempted to give federal agencies control over state mail ballot lists. A federal appeals court subsequently blocked the Trump order, preserving state-level authority over election administration.
During an inflight press briefing, Donald Trump made controversial statements regarding military action in Iran. Trump claimed Iranian officials begged for a ceasefire while minimizing reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is assisting Iranian forces with target data.
During a rally speech, Donald Trump responded to a protester who called him a “pedophile protector” by calling the person a communist and stumbling over basic words. He claimed to have provided more for the audience than their own parents while making up stories about voting in person.
Donald Trump unexpectedly paused a nearly two-week bombing campaign against Iran following warnings from military leadership about depleted missile inventories. Trump officials then gave contradictory public statements about whether stockpiles were actually exhausted.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson pointed to Capitol prayer sessions as his primary evidence that Republicans will maintain their congressional majority. This reliance on religious intervention occurs amid severe polling deficits for Donald Trump and his congressional allies.
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Former Homeland Security official Miles Taylor warned that Donald Trump exhibits volatile behavior while holding unchecked executive authority over the nuclear arsenal. Taylor argued that Trump routinely speaks flippantly about nuclear strikes and ignores crucial international security safeguards.
Finally, Fox News commentators and data analysts acknowledged that a majority of voters feel financially damaged by Donald Trump’s economic policies. High inflation, rising gas prices, and import tariffs under Trump are causing serious concerns for Republicans heading into the midterm elections.
On today’s bonus show:
Mitch McConnell's staff release another proof-of-life photo, more clips from the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and much more...
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And Steve Miller misleading public on Fox News about the Democrats, which is a real lie.
Thanks David.