MAGA Star Says Republicans Are in for ‘World of Hurt’ in Midterms
Ben Shapiro told Gavin Newsom that Republicans are in for a “rough ride.”
MAGA star Ben Shapiro says Republicans should brace themselves for a “rough” midterm election season.
Shapiro, speaking on a podcast published on Thursday with Trump foe California Gov. Gavin Newsom, said Democrats have the upper hand in the midterm elections later this year.
“Republicans have no chance in this midterm, right?” Newsom asked Shapiro.
Ben Shapiro speaks at a Turning Point USA event in remembrance of his fellow right-wing commentator, Charlie Kirk.
OLIVIER TOURON/Olivier Touron/AFP via Getty Images
“I think they are in for a world of hurt right now in the midterms,” Shapiro replied.
“They’re the incumbent party, they have a bare majority,” the 42-year-old added. “That alone would put them behind the eight-ball.”
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“There are not a lot of swing districts that are left because of all the redistricting,” he continued. “But the swing districts that are left seem to be trending more blue.”
“President Trump isn’t on the ballot, so he doesn’t really have coattails among the low-propensity electorate. So, yeah, I think Republicans are going to have a rough ride.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
President Trump has seen backlash among his own party due to a number of unpopular decisions made throughout his second term.
Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images
Shapiro, a right-wing political commentator and co-founder of the conservative news site The Daily Wire, has not been shy about his admiration for Trump, but disagrees with the president on a range of issues.
Shapiro told Newsom on the same podcast that he was not a fan of Trump’s tariff policy, calling it out for contributing to an inconsistent economy. He also critiqued the president’s promises regarding mass deportations through ICE to be, “in practicality, probably not fulfillable.”
He also railed against Trump’s desire for Greenland—the latest addition to the president’s imperialist streak.
JD Vance and Marco Rubio met with Danish officials to discuss a possible U.S. acquisition of Greenland, but Denmark said there was a "fundamental disagreement."
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
“I don’t understand why we are attempting to make Greenland our 51st state. It seems to me we already have defense agreements,” Shapiro said. “I think that’s silly.”
In September, the MAGA podcaster spoke out against the Trump administration after the Federal Communications Commission pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air.
“The FCC should not be threatening action against ABC or its affiliates or Disney,” Shapiro said.
Right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.
Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images
Though he rejected the governmental suspension of Kimmel’s program, Shapiro did not defend the host’s comments, which related to the murder of fellow conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed on September 10.
“Social censure is perfectly appropriate,” Shapiro added. “The blowback from the public is totally natural and in fact good because Jimmy Kimmel is in fact a schmuck who should have been taken off the air 10 years ago.”
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