Impolitic with John Heilemann Stuart Stevens: Trumpism’s Pickett’s Charge & 2028’s Yawning Chasm
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Nov 24, 2025 
Stuart Stevens, a former Republican consultant and anti-Trump advocate, discusses the waning influence of Trump and the fractures within the GOP. He examines the implications of Trump's potential lame-duck status and likens the 2024 political landscape to Pickett's Charge, signaling a peak for Trumpism. Stevens critiques J.D. Vance as a troubling front-runner and highlights a talent gap between the parties heading into 2028, while also delving into the GOP’s relationship with Russia and challenges posed by Trump's rhetoric.
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Neutrality Equals Complicity
- Jonathan Last and Stevens argue power structures across law, academia, and business collapsed toward Trump.
- They warn neutrality now equals complicity with authoritarianism.
Trump Defends Authoritarians Publicly
- The Oval Office exchange with MBS exposed Trump's willingness to defend authoritarian figures.
- Stevens sees this behavior as consistent with Trump's admiration for strongmen.
Compliance Built The Current GOP
- Stevens attributes GOP weakness to a party culture that rewarded compliance over independence.
- He says that system produced compliant senators who defer rather than lead.
