Trump Voters: Buyer’s REMORSE? | Kash Patel’s FBI Takeover | Ukraine-Russia Peace Process
The Josh Lafazan Show on YouTube - Episode 62
Today's top stories in U.S. news, politics, government, and world affairs:
In today's episode of The Josh Lafazan Show, we delve into significant political developments impacting the nation: This week, we’re diving deep into some of the biggest political stories making waves. First up: Is Trump voter backlash real? With headlines featuring fired federal workers who voted for Trump, some have speculated that Trump’s base is turning against him. But is that really the case? Not according to the data. Two recent polls—one from The Washington Post-Ipsos and another from CNN—both indicate that regret among Trump voters is actually quite minimal. Only 5% of Trump voters express opposition to his actions, and just 1% say they “strongly” oppose them. Interestingly, a nearly equal percentage of people who voted for Kamala Harris—4%—actually support what Trump has done. While there’s some discontent, it’s not widespread, and certainly not the major voter shift some were expecting. But the real question isn’t just about backlash—it’s whether voters who backed the GOP in the past will flip to the Democratic Party. With Democrats currently leading the generic ballot by 5 points, history suggests that a House flip could be possible. Given that Speaker Mike Johnson is holding onto the smallest House majority since 1931, any shift—no matter how small—could have major consequences.
Next, we break down the growing controversy surrounding Kash Patel, whose actions in government are raising serious concerns. Patel, known for his unwavering loyalty to Trump, has taken on a major role despite a glaring lack of qualifications. As The Nation reports, Patel has bounced between agencies, gaining more power despite a resume that’s—at best—underwhelming. His loyalty to Trump landed him consideration for top roles at the CIA and FBI, though even former Attorney General William Barr balked at the idea, calling Trump’s attempt to elevate Patel proof of a “shocking detachment from reality.” Now that he’s in power, Patel is making reckless moves: pushing out career civil servants, relocating 1,500 employees without the necessary funding, and appointing political allies with extreme views. Even his personal behavior raises questions—Patel has been spotted at Washington social events and reportedly requested that his personal trainer be cleared to access FBI headquarters. His restructuring plans could cost the agency over $100 million, with no clear way to fund it. And, in a move that stunned many, he appointed Dan Bongino—someone with no prior FBI experience and a history of pushing election conspiracy theories—to a top position. The chaos surrounding Patel’s leadership is a prime example of what happens when political loyalty is prioritized over competence.
Trump’s allies are pushing a misleading narrative that Ukraine walked away from a peace deal with Russia in Istanbul three years ago. In reality, the so-called “peace deal” was anything but balanced—it would have forced Ukraine to drastically cut its military, ban foreign weapons, and allow Russia to veto any Western security assistance. Ukraine rightfully rejected it. Yet, Trump’s peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, continues to parrot Russian propaganda, falsely claiming that Kyiv abandoned a deal under Western pressure. Meanwhile, Trump himself refuses to discuss peace efforts, saying, “I don’t like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal.” But isn’t peacekeeping the process of getting to a deal? What’s more, Trump’s recent comments calling Zelensky a “dictator” are dangerously misleading—especially when Putin is the one who actually canceled elections in Russia while maintaining support from only a small group of handpicked political allies. Historically, support for Ukraine was never a partisan issue, but Trump’s influence has changed that. According to an Economist-YouGov poll, Republican support for Zelensky has plummeted—56% of Republicans now have an unfavorable view of him, up from just 40% before Trump’s remarks. What would Reagan think of today’s GOP?
In our Viewer Questions segment, we discuss the potential political comeback of Andrew Cuomo. Could he really win the NYC mayoral race? The short answer: Yes, it’s possible. Polls show him at 38%, with strong support from key voter blocs. Given the scandal that forced him out of the governor’s office, a comeback of this magnitude would be remarkable. However, the biggest wildcard is whether current Mayor Eric Adams will run for re-election. If Adams stays in the race, he could split the moderate vote, making Cuomo’s path to victory more complicated.