Matt Lewis Can't Lose

On this week's episode of "Sykes & Lewis," Charlie and Matt discuss the following: — Trump’s contradictory goals, from “regime change” to “Venezuela model” puppetry — Why this feels like a war of choice with no clear rationale — preemptive? Distraction? Personal vendetta? — there’s no coherent endgame as casualties mount and the conflict spreads — Warnings of depleted U.S. resour...

On this week's DMZ, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis discuss: — The Epstein Files Bombshell & Alleged Cover-Up — Bill and I go through a deep-dive on the details behind accusations that Donald Trump sexually assaulted a 13-15-year-old girl in the 1980s surfaced — and debate whether the DOJ’s handling of this allegation constitutes a “cover-up." — Why MSM Must Step Up on the Trump-Epstein Sto...

During today's unfiltered breakdown of President Trump’s record-length 2026 State of the Union address, Chris Cillizza and Matt Lewis dive into the following: — “Dems can only win by cheating”: Trump’s explosive claim echoes 2020 rhetoric— setting stage for midterm fraud narratives if Republicans lose the House? —Faces in the crowd & medals: Heavy on patriotic moments, but is it genuine or...

On today’s podcast conversation, Charlie Sykes and Matt Lewis discuss: — The Supreme Court’s major ruling blocking Trump’s broad use of emergency powers for tariffs: A strong reaffirmation of separation of powers, or another way to save Trump from himself? — The looming risk of military conflict with Iran, including the potential for regime-change, and why Iran might prefer war over capitulation —...

Stephen Colbert says CBS blocked his interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico over Trump FCC "equal time" rule fears (Brendan Carr guidance). The YouTube version exploded to 5M+ views — did it just hand Talarico a huge primary boost against Jasmine Crockett? In this raw Substack Live, Chris Cillizza and Matt Lewis break it all down: — How the controversy helps Tala...

Eileen Gu is back at the 2026 Olympics for China — American-born, Stanford-educated, earning millions (including reported Chinese payments), yet facing almost no mainstream backlash. Mike Pesca & Matt Lewis unpack why America still loves her: media both-siderism, cultural tolerance trumping geopolitics, China's propaganda wins, and what it says about our weakness vs. a real adversary. We a...

In this raw episode, Charlie Sykes and Matt Lewis rip into President's Day 2026 — calling it a diluted holiday that now celebrates presidential "awesomeness" amid Trump's cult of personality and Putin admiration. They also discuss: — Trump’s escalating cult of personality, as dissected in Peter Baker’s latest NYT analysis — Marco Rubio’s Munich Security Conference speech: A slick...

In this eye-opening DMZ discussion, Bill Scher (Washington Monthly) and Matt Lewis break down Donald Trump's sinking approval ratings in February 2026 — down to the low-to-mid 40s (or even 36% in some polls) amid economic anxiety, immigration chaos, tariffs, and self-inflicted controversies. Is Trump's second term already unraveling? And could a midterm backlash hand Democrats a real shot...

Trump's Commerce Sec Admits Epstein Island Lunch – Why He Won't Resign The Bulwark's Will Saletan and Matt Lewis break down the mounting scandals rocking the Trump administration in February 2026. Howard Lutnick, Trump's Commerce Secretary, admitted under oath to lunch with Jeffrey Epstein on his private island in 2012 — years after claiming he'd cut ties in 2005 over disgust a...

Jonathan Martin, POLITICO's senior political columnist and politics bureau chief, joins Matt Lewis for a candid deep dive into the 2026 midterms. With Donald Trump in year two of his second term, is the Senate truly in play for Democrats? Martin breaks down: — Why the map is a structural nightmare for Dems (tough targets in Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, plus defending Michigan & Georgia) —...

On today’s Substack LIVE conversation, Charlie Sykes and Matt Lewis discuss... — Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show — Trump’s angry reaction and Truth Social meltdown — MAGA counter-programming failure (Kid Rock & TPUSA event) — Trump’s blatantly racist post about the Obamas — How ICE is buying off local police departments — J.D. Vance booed at the Olympics! — Sen. Jon Ossoff’s great speech...

The Atlantic's David Frum returns to discuss Donald Trump's second term one year in. From making $1-4 billion through family enrichment and foreign deals (including Abu Dhabi investments tied to national security favors), to unprecedented corruption on a scale never seen in American history, Frum argues Trump has turned the presidency into a personal ATM — dwarfing petty scandals like Hunt...

In this raw, must-watch conversation, former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh joins Matt Lewis to unpack the growing backlash against Trump's second term. They discuss: — The stunning Democratic upset in Texas Senate District 9 (a 31+ point swing from Trump's 2024 margin in a red stronghold) — Why shocking videos of masked ICE agents dragging people from streets/parking lots/Home Depot are turning publi...

In this important episode, Charlie Sykes and Matt Lewis break down the stunning Texas Senate special election upset: Democrat Taylor Rehmet flips a +17 Trump district by 14 points (31-point swing!) despite massive GOP spending and Trump intervention. Is this the start of a midterm wave driven by ICE overreach, Minneapolis protests/shootings, and cratering Hispanic support? We also discuss: — The h...

In this double-feature episode of the podcast, veteran journalist Jason Zengerle joins to unpack his new book 'Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind.' We dive deep into Tucker's early days as a sharp, contrarian writer at The Weekly Standard, his pivot at the Daily Caller for traffic over facts, the lessons from Breitbart, his rise at...

Jonathan Rauch, contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution, explains why he now believes it's fair to call Trump's policies "fascism." Read Jonathan Rauch's piece in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/america-fascism-trump-maga-ice/685751/ Subscribe to Matt Lewis on Substack: http...

In this timely Substack LIVE discussion, Charlie Sykes and Matt Lewis break down the horrifying Minneapolis shootings by federal agents under the Trump administration. They discuss: -- The Trump administration’s pattern of killing + immediate smears -- How video evidence destroys the ICE narrative, and the potential for mischief when no cameras are around -- Why this feels like a true breaking poi...

In this powerful discussion, Jonathan Taplin (author of Move Fast and Break Things and The End of Reality) talks about his new essay for Rolling Stone. Taplin argues that healing America's broken spirit requires a new counterculture — rooted in physical scenes, liberal arts revival, and bold artistic resistance — before political reform can happen. From Bowie at the Berlin Wall to Paul Thomas...

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...

In this explosive episode, Charlie and I react to President Trump’s stunning message to Norway’s Prime Minister: because Norway “decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 wars,” he no longer feels “an obligation to think purely of Peace” — and now demands “Complete and Total Control of Greenland” from Denmark. From petty whining about the Nobel snub to threatening 10% tarif...

In this explosive Substack LIVE discussion, Charlie Sykes and I dive deep into the chilling events of early 2026 under Trump’s second term. We cover: — A weaponized DOJ, mass deportations turning violent, and warnings that the “resistance libs were right.” — Trump’s aggressive threats to seize Greenland, a move that would effectively end NATO. — FBI raiding a Washington Post journalist’s home in a...

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...

On this week's Substack LIVE conversation, Charlie Sykes and Matt Lewis discuss: - January 6th anniversary - Venezuela operation & Trump's ambitions - Stephen Miller's CNN comments: Imperialism & power- Greenland threats & historical parallels - The broader implications for U.S. identity and the loss of moral authority- The Minnesota corruption scandal, and Gov. Tim Walz&#3...

On this week's Substack LIVE, Charlie Sykes and Matt discuss: — Elise Stefanik Schadenfreude: The latest example of someone who fully embraced MAGA only to be discarded. — Turning Point USA (TPUSA) AmericaFest drama: Explosive infighting, including Ben Shapiro attacking Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly, and others over antisemitism and conspiracy theories. — Bari Weiss and 60 Minutes...

On this episode, Matt talks with Nick Troiano, the Executive Director of Unite America. Nick is a civic entrepreneur, author, speaker, and commentator with over a decade of experience bridging divides and improving American democracy. In a time of deep division, Troiano explains how reforming primaries and adopting ranked choice voting could restore competition, accountability, and better governan...