I spoke with Rasmussen’s lead pollster, Mark Mitchell, at a moment he describes as one of the most volatile political periods in modern American history. With breaking news piling up by the hour, we couldn’t wait for an on-camera interview. Instead, we talked by phone about the shifting national mood, the pressures on the Trump administration, and what voters are really thinking beneath the surface of headlines and social media storms.
Mitchell has been tracking these attitudes in real time, and what he revealed paints a sobering picture of frustration, mistrust, and the potential for major political upheaval.
A Presidency Losing Its Narrative
Our conversation began with Trump’s announcement of a surprise national address. Mitchell believes this reflects an attempt to regain control of a narrative that has slipped badly off track over the past month. He emphasized that while Trump’s first-year administration has had wins, many in the MAGA base feel misled or disappointed, expecting a course of action far more aggressive than what has materialized.
He noted that major influencers on the right—once solidly supportive—are now publicly criticizing the president for decisions and messaging that appear tone-deaf in a moment many see as existential for the country.
The Cost of Missteps: The Rob Reiner Post and Its Fallout
We discussed at length Trump’s controversial Truth Social post about Rob Reiner. Mitchell agreed that the optics were extremely damaging, particularly among women voters, who are already uneasy. He warned that political misfires like this fuel demoralization and erosion of trust, especially when contrasted with dire national challenges.
People are worried about safety, attacks on Christians, rising political violence, and economic instability; they don’t want to see a president posting like a pundit. They want focus.
A Deepening Crisis of Trust in Government
Mitchell’s polling reflects something unprecedented: overwhelming bipartisan distrust of federal agencies. Large majorities—including 83 percent of Trump voters—say the FBI, CIA, and other agencies still require major reforms. Only a tiny fraction believe political violence is being adequately addressed.
The American middle class, once the backbone of the nation, increasingly feels squeezed out of existence. Young people no longer believe they have a future in the existing system. Mitchell explained that many now speak of Trump’s promises as a “bait and switch,” believing real reform has not begun.
Rising Violence and a Shifting National Mood
I shared cases of attacks and murders tied to ideology, including recent assaults on Christians and conservatives. Mitchell revealed he had privately increased his own life insurance due to the rising threats—an alarming indicator from someone who simply reports data for a living. He described online hostility, coordinated smear attempts, and an atmosphere of intensifying aggression.
Polling shows overwhelming expectations of more political violence in the months ahead, especially among voters under 40.
The Radicalization of the Left… and the Right
Mitchell pointed out that the Democratic base is moving further toward open socialism, embracing movements that merge far-left activism with extremist groups. At the same time, many young conservatives are abandoning traditional “conservatism,” which they see as weak and ineffective. They want dramatic structural change and believe the existing republic has failed them.
This creates two energized ideological forces—each convinced the system must be torn down, though for opposite reasons.
The Corporate Capture of Washington
One of Mitchell’s most striking statements was his blunt assessment that corporations, lobbyists, foreign governments, and influence operations—not voters—largely shape American policy.
He described how think tanks and donor networks, not reform-minded citizens, routinely determine what becomes law. Even those in the MAGA orbit, he explained, are often foreign agents or beholden to industry.
This has left everyday Americans with no meaningful representation.
Can America Avoid a Breakup?
Mitchell did not predict a timeline but warned that the combination of economic stagnation, collapsing trust, generational hopelessness, and political paralysis is pushing the nation toward scenarios once considered unthinkable. Delegitimization of the entire system is accelerating, he said, and neither party has demonstrated the will or ability to restore confidence.
And with executive orders, federal overreach, and state defiance already clashing, the structural strains are growing.
The Trump Administration’s Closing Window
Mitchell was clear: if the administration does not articulate a clear, disciplined, wartime-level plan for reform within the next few weeks, the midterms could be catastrophic. He argued that the White House must stop relying on personality, feelings, and sporadic messaging, and instead deliver a coherent roadmap for economic restoration, government reform, and national security.
Without this, he warned, voters will interpret the lack of action as failure.
Closing Thoughts
Mark Mitchell’s analysis tonight was sobering, precise, and urgently important. His polling offers a window into the mind of a nation that no longer trusts its institutions, no longer believes its leaders, and increasingly no longer believes its future can be secured through the ballot box alone.
This is not speculation—it is what voters themselves are saying.
We are living through a pivotal moment in American history. Whether our leaders recognize it, and respond with seriousness and clarity, will determine the direction of the country in 2025, 2026, and beyond.
