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These Trump Voters Think He Staged His Own Assassination Attempt (w/ David Frum) | Focus Group

2026-05-02 News & Politics
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Description

Usually, an assassination attempt outside a dinner with the president would be a HUGE news event. Instead, the voters in our focus groups weren't talking much about it, and when we brought it up, we heard a LOT of conspiracy theories. We also talked to some Republican voters about whether '86' is really a violent threat, as this week's indictment against James Comey alleges. Atlantic staff writer David Frum joins Sarah for a wide-ranging conversation on the week's events, voters' reactions, and keeping American democracy strong for the long haul. By David’s wife, Danielle Crittenden: Dispatches from Grief: A Mother’s Journey Through the Unthinkable (https://infinitebooks.com/products/dispatches-from-grief) By David Frum: The David Frum Show https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/the-david-frum-show/) MAGA’s Strange Quiet After the Shooting (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/04/whcd-shooter-trump-ballroom-maga-reaction/686956/) Get tickets to The Bulwark's May live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles! (https://thebulwark.com/events) Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join

Top Comments (10)

@johnmitchell7776 2026-05-02

My relatives are mad at me for being right about trump? I am ten times MORE MAD at them for voting for him.

712 56 replies
@javery5071 2026-05-02

The DOJ has it wrong… 86 is not the dangerous number. IT IS 47!

647 20 replies
@bethconey8421 2026-05-02

Obama had 11 assassination attempts. But Obama wasn't a whiney narcissist.

646 32 replies
@Mary-KayRobinson 2026-05-02

My mother-in-law worked in a bar. When you 86'd someone, you did not kill them, you kicked them out.

536 54 replies
@emilymanhart368 2026-05-02

A decade of 'alternative facts' and school shootings make assassination attempts a non event.

462 42 replies
@KTB2199 2026-05-02

He doesn’t want to forgive student debt but criminals getting pardoned from prison are having their multimillion dollar fines forgiven? We can bail out big banks but can’t forgive a 30 year loan?

228 27 replies
@pennygleeson5029 2026-05-03

I don't understand how anyone can be against Medicare for all - what is wrong with it? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

63 11 replies
@YorkRiverFarm 2026-05-02

Healthcare is determined by employment; if employment terminates, health terminates & employment is not possible. ONLY IN THE US.

49 3 replies
@BonnieMeadowsAPRN 2026-05-04

As a nurse I want to thank you for your stance on some sort of basic universal insurance for everyone. You have no idea of how that would help change our healthcare system for the better.

25
@lorendaj4732 2026-05-02

As a former Conservative, I appreciate the stories about how your positions have changed as you grew from experience/ education/ debate whatever. Many of mine have also changed, but I realize as I've gotten older, that many of the so- called " conservative Values," that I was raised with, always led to a deep feeling of unease/ unfairness within myself when I was younger. I knew what my parents and church were telling me for example about homosexuality, but always felt uncomfortable taking the position that it was wrong. How I dealt with it was to just "skim the surface" never allowing myself a deep dive. It was a form of protection. Now I'm getting so confident in my beliefs, and will argue for them in any situation even if it means I go against my church/ family. It feels good. And I have no problem diving deep.into.any topic now.

16 2 replies

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