The DMZ

On “The DMZ,” Washington Monthly Politics Editor Bill Scher and NOTUS columnist Matt Lewis discuss El-Sayed's challenges in Michigan, the internecine GOP battle between Marco Rubio and JD Vance, the popularity of socialism, and Natalie Harp's "Love Letters" to Donald Trump. 

Bill Scher and Matt Lewis talk about the negative influence of polls on recent primaries

New bombshell reporting reveals former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was receiving detailed policy directives from her spiritual guru Chris Butler and the Science of Identity Foundation while serving in Congress — and she followed them closely.  

In this episode, Bill Scher and Matt break down the disturbing implications now that she served as DNI, Trump’s chaotic handling of Section 702 reauthorization, his bizarre blockage of a bipartisan housing bill, and JD Vance’s audacious revisionist history on Watergate and the “deep state.”  

We also discuss the surge of democratic socialist wins in New York, Zohran Mamdani’s strategic (and risky) moves, what it all means for the midterms, and much more.

Matt sits down with Bill Scher of Washington Monthly for a wide-ranging discussion on the biggest political stories of the week.

Key Topics Covered:

— Trump’s Meeting with Xi in China and Taiwan Policy Shift: Trump says he discussed U.S. arms sales with Xi ‘In great detail’

— Michigan Senate Primary Meltdown: “Polls show the three-way slugfest between Abdul El-Sayed, Mallory McMorrow, and Haley Stevens is dragging them all down and creating a pickup opportunity for the GOP.” — Read Bill Scher’s piece here.

— Kentucky GOP Primary Drama: Trump’s effort to take out Rep. Thomas Massie, Rand Paul’s strong defense, the “cow money” scandal, AIPAC and big-donor involvement, and what a Massie loss (or win) says about Trump’s control of the Republican Party

— HondurasGate — Why Bill says Hondurasgate is worse than Watergate and Iran-Contra combined

— January 6 Pardons Backfiring: Freed by Trump, the Jan. 6 criminals are preying on children and others

— And MUCH more!

Matt and Bill discuss the Joe Kent resignation, the Markwayne Mullin nomination, the midterms, and Trump's threat to leave NATO. 

On this week's DMZ, Bill Scher and Matt dive into the chaotic mess that is Donald Trump’s second term. 

We discuss the following:

— Trump’s Iran War Escalation & Quagmire Risks — The U.S. military campaign has deepened into potential endless conflict, fears of Iran mining the Strait of Hormuz, spiking oil prices to extreme levels, asymmetric retaliation, and no clear exit strategy despite Trump’s boasts of quick victory.

— SAVE Act Push & Voter Restrictions — Trump fixates on passing the SAVE America Act (requiring strict ID like passports or birth certificates for voting, bundled with unrelated trans issues and other GOP priorities) despite slim chances in the Senate. We talk about how it could suppress turnout (ironically hurting low-propensity Republican voters more), and Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s resistance to nuking the filibuster.

— Signs of GOP Base Unrest & Policy Shifts — The Trump administration is backpedaling on aggressive “mass deportation” rhetoric (White House aides urging focus on “violent criminals”), coupled with the alienation of non-interventionist voices (Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, et al.) over Iran.

— Midterm Outlook & Blue Wave Potential — With growing Democratic momentum, coupled with Trump’s chaotic presidency, Matt is predicting a Senate flip for Dems.

— The 2028 Succession Battle: J.D. Vance vs. Marco Rubio — There are emerging 2028 GOP primary tensions, with Vance (non-interventionist leanings, low-profile amid Iran) vs. Rubio (more prominent on foreign policy, aligned with strikes) leading the speculation. 

— And MUCH more!

On this week's episode of The DMZ, The Washington Monthly's Bill Scher and Matt discuss:

— Kristi Noem’s dramatic ouster as DHS Secretary: chaotic mass deportations, deadly ICE mistakes, lavish taxpayer-funded ad campaign, disastrous House Judiciary hearing, and personal scandals — including the Corey Lewandowski rumors

— Noem’s replacement by Sen. Markwayne Mullin — and what it means for the deportation push

— Escalating U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran: military execution vs. long-term risks, assassination of regime leaders, Trump’s demands for unconditional surrender and picking Iran’s next ruler, and parallels to past Middle East quagmires

— Texas Senate race heating up: Will Donald Trump endorse incumbent Sen. John Cornyn over Ken Paxton? And could James Talarico beat Cornyn?

— Trump coalition fractures: buyer’s remorse among young voters, Hispanic swing back toward Democrats, and how Iran policy + deportation chaos could hurt Republicans heading into the midterms

— And MUCH more

Trump marks one year back in power with Davos threats on Greenland, erratic tariffs, and a "might makes right" worldview. 

Bill Scher breaks down why much of it won't last — and what it means for America's global role. Trump just told Davos he "won't use force" to take Greenland — but insists the US must own it for security. 

On the one-year anniversary of his second term, Matt Lewis and Bill dissect Trump's power games: erratic threats, unilateral tariffs that could vanish overnight, the fading US-led world order, Starship Troopers-level "might makes right" vibes, and why his legacy might be more ephemeral than it seems.

In this DMZ episode:

-- Greenland obsession: Psychological win or strategic folly?
-- Tariffs as childish leverage vs. real legislation
-- Venezuela ops & domestic overreach
-- Has Trump permanently broken alliances? Or is recalibration inevitable?
-- Democrats' path forward amid Electoral College shifts
-- And MUCH more!

Dive into the latest episode of The DMZ with Matt Lewis and Bill Scher, breaking down Donald Trump's bold foreign policy moves in 2026. 

From the dramatic arrest of Maduro in Venezuela and claims of U.S. oil interests, to Trump's persistent Greenland ambitions and comparisons to Teddy Roosevelt's imperialism – is this a coherent "Donroe Doctrine" or ego-driven adventurism?

We explore the through lines: spheres of influence, interventionism beyond the Western Hemisphere (like bombing Iran), and the risks of resurrecting great-power conflicts. 

Plus, insider analysis on Marco Rubio's rising influence as Secretary of State, his potential motivations tied to Cuba, and how Venezuela is shaking up the 2028 GOP race against JD Vance.

Bill draws historical parallels to Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and the post-WWII order, warning of long-term instability. 

Could Trump's "points on the board" make him historically great – or lead to disaster?

On this week's episode of The DMZ, Bill Scher joins Matt Lewis to unpack the coming 2026 blue wave (Tennessee special election analysis), Trump's pardoning of a convicted narco-state president while ordering missile strikes on “drug boats” in the Caribbean, the big media scandal that has tongues wagging, and more!