Matt Lewis Can't Lose

During today’s LIVE conversation, Chris Cillizza and I discussed: — 2026 Primary Update: Indiana saw massive Trump-backed primary retribution against 8 state Senate Republicans who opposed his redistricting plan (6 lost, 1 in a 3-vote race). — Trump’s Grip on the GOP: Despite a 33% national approval, Trump holds 85% support among Republicans and continues to enforce strong loyalty and retribution...

During this week's Substack LIVE, Charlie Sykes and Matt discuss: — Trump’s Megalomania and Historical Self-Comparison: Donald Trump has reportedly begun comparing himself to Hegel’s legendary “heroes of an Epoch”: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon Bonaparte. What could possibly go wrong?!? — Trump’s Collapsing Polls and Political Damage: Sharp drops in approval, especially amon...

On today's Substack LIVE conversation, Chris Cillizza and Matt discuss: — Trump’s “No More Mr. Nice Guy” meme — why Trump is posting Terminator-style AI images in the middle of the night (and what it says about his mindset). — Trump’s Revenge Obsession – The DOJ going after James Comey while the economy and gas prices suffer. — Trump at 33% Approval – Historic lows, Republican panic over 2026...

During today's podcast, Matt talks with Charlie Sykes about: — Chaos at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner: An attempted shooting turned the glitzy event into near-tragedy, exposing major security gaps and prompting immediate political finger-pointing instead of reflection. — The Bizarre “Build the Ballroom” Pivot: Trumpworld shifted with laser-focused message discipline to demand a $400 m...

On today's podcast, Chris Cillizza and Matt discuss: — Virginia redistricting referendum passes narrowly and likely flips the VA House map to 10 Democrats/1 Republican (from 6-5) — The gerrymandering debate: “unilateral disarmament” vs. endless escalation — Fresh AP-NORC poll bombshell: Trump approval collapses to 33% overall — Tucker Carlson calls himself “complicit”: Is Tucker eyeing 2028? —...

On this week’s Substack convo, Charlie Sykes and Matt break down the latest escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict, plus: — Why it feels like déjà vu and a “kabuki dance,” with the Strait of Hormuz closed, Trump boxed in by markets, and sinking poll numbers — Cabinet drama: Kash Patel’s alleged drinking issues and freak-out, and Pete Hegseth’s Pulp Fiction “Bible verse” recitation. — Washington elit...

Why are boys and men falling behind in education, work, relationships, and mental health? And how did we get here — from "the future is female" slogans to a growing war on motherhood, marriage, and fatherhood? In this powerful conversation, Matt sits down with Lisa Britton (a former feminist turned advocate for boys and men) to discuss the real crisis facing American males — and why it m...

On this week’s Substack LIVE conversation, Chris Cillizza and Matt break down the biggest political stories of the week. In this episode: — JD Vance’s brutal week — Failed Iran peace talks, campaigning for Viktor Orbán (who lost badly in Hungary), a sparsely attended Turning Point USA event, and what it means for his 2028 prospects — Trump’s materialist worldview — warm relations with transactiona...

Matt starts out by updating us the latest Trump scandals. Then, Sheldon Hirsch, a practicing nephrologist and former reluctant Trump supporter, joins Matt to discuss his powerful new book "Make America Sane Again: Reflections on Trump's Travesties." In this candid interview, Hirsch reveals how he went from rooting for Donald Trump in 2016 (while refusing to vote for Hillary Clinton)...

On today’s LIVE chat, Charlie Sykes and Matt attempted to break down a chaotic news cycle with sharp analysis and dark humor. I think we mostly succeeded. Here’s what they covered: — Trump’s Blasphemy and Self-Idolatry: Trump’s AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus healing or resurrecting someone, combined with his vulgar Easter “bleat,” seen as blatant blasphemy and idolatry that has even...

In this no-holds-barred “DMZ” conversation. Washington Monthly’s Bill Scher and Matt dissect how Trump’s “madman theory” and capricious threats collapsed against Iran’s resilience, asymmetric warfare, and “home-field advantage.” They also discuss: — Why the ceasefire feels fake: Ongoing deaths in Lebanon, closed Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s gains — Bill’s column on Trump’s madman theory (and why i...

In this week’s Cillizza & Lewis livestream discussion, Chris and Matt dive into the sudden end of Trump’s Operation Epic Fury against Iran — and what it really means for America. They also debate and discuss the following: — Did Trump secure a real victory with the ceasefire, or is it a fig leaf after weeks of deadlines and bluster? — Why the Strait of Hormuz “win” isn’t what it seems, and how...

On this week’s Substack LIVE, Charlie Sykes and Matt return for a no-holds-barred discussion on controversial left-wing streamer Hasan Piker — and the accelerating chaos of Trump’s second term. Along the way, they discuss: — Trump’s shocking Easter bleat: The F-bomb threat to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges — is this the most deranged presidential statement ever? — Defining deviancy down: Pr...

David Sirota (former Bernie Sanders speechwriter, Don't Look Up co-writer, The Lever founder) joins Matt to break down Season 2 of his award-winning podcast Master Plan. They trace the decades-long plot — from Nixon and Watergate to Dick Cheney, Reagan's Justice Department, and Ed Meese — that transformed the presidency into an "imperial" office via unitary executive theory, sett...

In this candid conversation, Bulwark writer Will Saletan discusses his latest piece on Donald Trump's disturbing compulsion to attack deceased critics and opponents. The trigger? Trump's Truth Social post rejoicing over former FBI Director Robert Mueller's death. Will and Matt unpack the full list of "greatest hits": Attacking Gold Star parents, smearing John McCain even afte...

Democrats just flipped TWO Republican seats in Florida — including the state House district that includes Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. Is this the start of a massive 2026 midterm wave against Trump? In this wide-ranging Substack Live conversation, Chris Cillizza and Matt break down: — The shocking 30-0 trend: Democrats flipping 30 state legislative seats since Trump’s inauguration… Republicans...

On today's podcast, Charlie Sykes and Matt break down how Trump’s character flaws — flaws we’ve been warning about for 10 plus years — are now endangering everyone. Here are some key moments we cover: — Trump’s Truth Social rant: Democrats top Iran as top enemy — what does this mean for half the country? — Trump celebrating Robert Mueller’s death (Purple Heart vet) + hypocrisy on grief (the Ch...

Today's conversation with Washington Monthly's Bill Scher was as a wide-ranging, candid conversation dissecting 2026 political flashpoints under Trump’s second term. We discussed: — Sen. Rand Paul’s feud with Sen. Markwayne Mullin during Mullin’s contentious DHS Secretary confirmation hearing (where Paul grilled him over temperament, past insults), Mullin’s stubbornness, cross-aisle likabi...

Join Chris Cillizza and Matt Lewis for a candid, in-depth chat breaking down the latest in American politics. In this episode, they discuss: — Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is prepping for a presidential campaign in 2028. Why last night’s Illinois primary was a step in the right direction for that. — The generational shift shaking up the Democratic Party: Longtime “old bulls” like Sen. Dick Durbin (...

— In this episode of Sykes & Lewis LIVE, we dive deep into the chaos of Trump’s second term amid the escalating Iran war. — From symbolic coin changes to authoritarian threats and a messy foreign policy quagmire — here’s what we cover:— The New “Trump Dime” Drama — The redesigned dime reportedly drops the olive branch (peace) and keeps only arrows (war). Is this a deliberate message during the...

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 T...

On this week’s LIVE discussion, Charlie Sykes delivers a blistering critique of President Trump’s Iran policy from a right-of-center perspective — calling out the chaos, contradictions, and long-term damage. We also dissect how “America First” became the most flexible slogan ever, bad optics (video game sizzle reels, golf caps during dignified transfers), economic fallout (oil spiking to $100+/bar...

On today's episode, 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...

This week’s Substack LIVE conversation with Chris Cillizza is a dive explainer on what happened in the Texas primary elections. Here’s what Chris and Matt discuss: — Texas primary election results 2026: James Talarico defeats Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, while John Cornyn and Ken Paxton head to a brutal May 26 runoff — Republican civil war ahead: $100M+ already spent, mo...

In this insightful episode, New York Times columnist David French joins Matt to unpack the Trump administration's military strikes on Iran — launched without congressional approval, barely mentioned in the State of the Union, and now escalating into a potentially weeks-long war. French calls the justifications "utterly absurd," slams the backfilling excuses (including claims Israel &...