What Next | Daily News and Analysis SchadenFriday: The Week MAGA Turned Cringe
10 snips
Feb 13, 2026 
Brian Beutler, founder of Off-Message and Politics Podcast host, offers sharp political analysis. He breaks down a week that felt like Trumpism losing cultural grip. Short takes on social media’s power shift, backlash to attacks on entertainers, and moments like Bad Bunny that signaled a turning point.
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Trump Losing Cultural Grip
- Brian Beutler argues that this week he realized Donald Trump has lost the culture after a period where MAGA seemed culturally dominant.
- He ties that perception to shifts in social media, influencers, and pushback against attempts to control cultural figures.
Mirage Of Early Cultural Strength
- Beutler suggests Trump’s early cultural strength was partly a mirage propped up by social media dynamics and Biden’s weaknesses.
- He says cultural power shifted as influencers and small-business creators—who skew conservative—gained prominence online.
Tradwife Profiles As Cultural Signal
- The host recalls New York Times profiles of young women launching tradwife magazines as evidence of cultural shifts toward Trump-aligned ideas.
- Brian Beutler agrees this reflected a period when MAGA seemed closer to the cultural pulse.