Brian Kilmeade's midterm diagnosis: too much riding on Trump

On Miranda Devine's podcast, the Fox host argues Republicans lacked a unified message and warns that executive orders cannot secure a lasting legacy.

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Pod Force One with Miranda Devine Story of November 12, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 83,011 views a day, 5.9 times a normal first day on this channel (14,060).

Trump Is Down, But Don’t Count Him Out | Brian Kilmeade

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2:36Kilmeade argues Republicans lacked a unified message and relied too heavily on Trump to generate campaign momentum.
8:20He warns about reliance on executive orders and proposes work visas and voter ID as possible immigration compromises.
13:16The title's comeback argument rests on Kilmeade's view that Trump performs best under pressure.
16:05Kilmeade links resolving the Iran conflict to easing pressure on energy prices, inflation and interest rates.
26:37Devine and Kilmeade consider a presidential field including Josh Shapiro, JD Vance and Ron DeSantis.
36:48Uniting the States supplies historical examples of national crises, including Shays' Rebellion and Washington's burning.

Affordability was the problem, Brian Kilmeade tells Miranda Devine, but Republicans also asked Donald Trump to carry too much of the campaign himself. His prescription after the party's midterm defeat starts with a clearer shared message, rather than simply more presidential appearances.

The conversation has drawn roughly 71,000 views in 17 hours on Pod Force One with Miranda Devine, already well beyond the channel's usual first-day audience. The comment section is also several times busier than a typical opening day.

The episode's title, "Trump Is Down, But Don't Count Him Out | Brian Kilmeade," captures Kilmeade's confidence in Trump's response to setbacks. "He's best under pressure," he says, drawing on his memories of Trump's reactions during earlier crises. But the interview pairs that assessment with a concern about what survives his presidency: policies built around executive orders can be undone.

Kilmeade raises work visas and voter ID as possible elements of an immigration compromise. He also argues that resolving the conflict involving Iran is crucial to easing pressure on energy prices, inflation and interest rates.

Devine widens the conversation to the next presidential field, including JD Vance, Ron DeSantis and Josh Shapiro. Later, Kilmeade turns to his book, Uniting the States, using episodes such as Shays' Rebellion and the burning of Washington to explore how the country has weathered earlier crises.

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