A Look Inside The 2026 Midterms | A Conversation with Garry Kasparov

will meet, ten thousand people. And so tonight a couple thousand of us will be together, and a great privilege to introduce one of the most exceptional people on the planet and for us to be able to have a discussion about this moment, about the crisis, about the nature of the crisis, and about the strategy of how to

navigate through it. And so welcome Gary casper Off. And let me start out by just asking you to explain the mission of the next Move and to tell everybody who's listening where they can find you and what the mission of that publication is, which I think is essential reading.

So the the the distinction between strategy and tactics was a fundamental element of a successful decision maker because it's so easy to call whatever you do strategy without actually laying down a proper strategy that could improve, dramatically improve your chance for success. And I think now we're at the point where just instead of these tactical scourishes and saying, okay,

this is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong. We have too many things that we can say, we concentrate on something which is more strategic, because it's again it's about winning, and winning doesn't mean that we can get everything we want. Winning is let me use the chess analogy. It's basically to solving the most important problem. And when you're king in game of chess, it's under the threat of being mated. You don't think about a long term impacts,

you know, in the endgame. So it's right now you have to make sure that you defend your position and build the foundation of future attack.

to be done about it? And so in any situation, the aggressor, by nature of being the aggressor has first move or advantage against the side of the proposition that does not want to be in a fight, but has had a fight brought to them that requires standing up lest something very valuable valuabill be law. So in this moment,

how do you assess the strategic situation. Do you agree that Trump has the first mover advantage, has the aggressor advantage that the opposition, such as it is, if it exists at all, if it exists in a nascient state and unformed state, there's certainly a lot of organic protests

going on out across the country. But on on Harness, how do you assess this moment in the status of Trump's aggression, which I imagine you consider to be increasing and building on a constant basis on a daily basis as we get deeper and deeper into this, that the situation on a constant basis isn't static, it's deteriorating.

of Americans behind him second time. And actually his second performance in elections wasn't even better than the first one, so that tells us that the conditions you know, were nearly perfect to him. And how come it means the opposition actually that at that time not opposition, but those who power created these conditions for him were a lot of people. And with no doubt that Trump's core support

a maga support. I don't know you you are much better experts on this field, but I would be very surprised if with more than thirty percent, a lot of people voted for Trump, because the rest was worse. So we should take into the account that right now he's there because many policies that he advocated, not intending to carry through, but advocating for and being associated with, they have been neglected by Democrats, by by Biden administration, by

by Harris's campaign, and by Democratic Party at large. So it's very important for us to actually to analyze the reasons of Trump's comeback and also to understand how we can fight back by creating a coalition, a big tent. So to recognize that we can't attack, you know, just on the whole front, so we have to pick up the directions. They ideal is just you know, you find the weakest spot in Trump's you know, called political armor,

his shield and we attack there. And I think this is not about Trump's policies, though we may disagree with many. I think it's the bite more likely about the tools he has been using. That's where we can build a college, and that's of defending constitution. The tools that Trump has been using, the political machinations, they most of them are partly unconstitutioned. So it's not you know, wasting our energy or investing our energy, just apology debating what Dodge did

here and there, cut these funds or abolished another agency. Yes, I disagree with many things they have been doing, but the key is that Dodge is unconstitutional. Let's not here where we are in the agreement. It's let's not them to dictate the narrative, because the moment you start debating the policies, we are in a very slippery ground.

term president. I look clearly at what I saw and say he's not capable of doing this. That there's a disaster. I said in twenty twenty two a rematch between the two would be a national catastrophe. And what happened right at the core level is Joe Biden used the threat of Donald Trump to justify his candidacy at age seventy eight, saying I'm the only candidate who can beat him because

I beat him once before. In any talk of me not running again is dangerous and it helps Donald Trump, when in fact, Donald Trump beat the only candidate who the Democrats nominated who could conceivably have lost to him, and the Democratic Party lost on fundamental questions of honesty to the most prolific liar in American history, honesty about the economy, honesty about the border, honesty about Biden's fitness, and everybody got in line with the lie rather than

speak truth to power against the interest of American people. So I think it's essential to confront that because you have to sever that that baggage, right, that dishonesty, cast it into the deep dark ocean. Right, have a funeral for it and move forward into the sunlight of a new day. But you have to have the funeral first, and you have to acknowledge how it is you lost a campaign to the greatest liar in American history, and questions of honesty.

He was coming back, and you're absolutely right, Trump was bidable And contrary to what Biden was trying to tell us, or actually the cohorts surrounding him trying to tell us, it was the opposite. Biden won because he was not Trump, and you know, as a one term president, his only president, the only real goal of his presidency was to save us from Donald Trump, so to offer us normalization. So instead, you know, I think he pushed too far to the left.

But the worst thing he did, actually he didn't, is not to step down and let Democratic Party to have normal primaries. Because I think that's why Trump won the nomination because the best argument Nikki Haley could use against him, she tried that Trump was not unelectable and he was losing against any Democratic candidate but Biden and or just

in this case was Kamala Harris, same same story. So he would have lost and he would be the very weak position against against any Democrat who would go through the normal primary process. But because of Biden's was standing there. So actually was sitting there just you know, taking this spot. Trump could you know, could resist this Ni Hayley's argument, and it didn't work out because for a lot of people,

you know, so but Biden was batable. And then of course you know when Biden Biden, every knew Biden could run. I think there was another big mistake. I think Democrats had no other choice but to go for open convention because to fight Trump, they had to gain momentum, they had to rally energy. It's whoever wins open convention. I know it's a chaotic, it's you can't predict it, but

that's how you show connections with American people. Trump was very successful by presenting his connections with American people, you know, as real, while the Democrats tried to do everything behind closed doors. Of course we knew Trump was lying, but unfortunately the alternatives to Trump's lies was something very so unpacked, so unconvincing that a lot of people scratch their heads holding their nose. Let's say, okay, let's see Trump, what

could happen with Trump? Now, they are probably you know, sorry for their choice. But unfortunately, back then in in November, a lot of them, you know, so the Democrats in it's in the car shape or form were not not a good alternative Trump.

me if you think I'm going to be wrong. But what what Donald Trump has set in motion can can no more be stopped than the slide down a California mountain or an avalanche down a Himalayan peak. That the consequences of everything have a gravity in a momentum, and they will have a crushing effect on the middle class American consumer. And so there will be this duality of the Katari four hundred million dollar jet. I have no doubt that somebody will will be donating a presidential yacht

of some stupendous dimensions. But the but the gift doors or are open, the economy will be crushed. More and more people who are crushed will find themselves with an

inability to even open a bank account. In America, the real estate markets are at a very very stagnant level, and so so across the broad dimensions of the economy, right where you see prices go up, where you see wages go down, and we're going to see a fundamentally broken promise that was the core of the Trump campaign which is that, hey, trust me, I'm competent, I'm successful, I know what I'm.

And that's what the strategy should be. And you have all sorts of people that are on cable news stations right that have been affiliated with winning presidential campaigns from high to low levels, that are espousing this wisdom. What do you say to that.

think so. I don't think so, because we still at the moment where the approval rating of Democrats is probably Lord and theratory Republicans. It's very low. There are too many mistakes being made. You know, there's no trust, there's no confidence. You have to come up with a new narrative. You have to abandon far left policies that alienated millions and millions of Americans, and just you know, look at the transpropaganda.

or foreign affairs or whatever. It's about the spin. And don't forget, you know, the social media is very much you know, just now on the Trump thumb and you have okay, Twitter x and and control by evil masks and and the I mean Fox is still the most powerful news generator in the country. And a side of these, you know, of these obvious factors and their and their ability to to to generate pro Trump energy, uh in social media. I mean, let's ask one question before all

these pundits that you mentioned say, oh, it's automatic. One question I keep asking, if you know this is we are really facing, you know, this is the kind of existential moment, so faithful moment in the history of the Republic, and Trump knows it's about his survival. Palm Bondi, the DJ Cash Patel, the head of LBI, will there follow Donald Trump's orders or defend the Constitution.

they do or they will do any time. But they can call your Mimi Marxists, but that will not work as effectively as if they call people who are promoting this value. Yes, and of course exposing Trump's corruption.

twenty twenty six. So we were talking earlier today and you said to me in a way that caught my attention that twenty twenty six, is it that this in a sense election for there to be a national repudiation, in a in a check on Trump. We have talked about some of the problems, the lack of coherency and a message, the lack of trust and credibility amongst the leadership of the Democratic Party. So there is no presidential nominee, uh, there is no sole point of leadership to gather around.

So across a fragmented opposition, across a republic with an officious, aggressive regime that is asserting its antipathy towards the Constitution in big ways and small, or how should we think about the project of defense? And before we get into that, right, I want to talk about something very specific that happened today that you may or may not have seen, and that's Christine Noam appearing before the House Committee with Eric

Swalwell and Eric Swalwell Congressman. Swalwell has a picture of Raoul Obrego and the airbrush MS thirteen that Donald Trump talked about in the Oval office, and he simply asked, Christine Noam, do you see the picture? Do you acknowledge this image as obviously airbrushed? And I think that this

is an important question to ask. She's outrageously impertinent, disrespectful, refuses to answer the question, refuses like a child even to cast her gaze on the picture, but finally concedes after a farcical five minutes that yeah, the image is concocted. So when I look at that, my question is, well, the next congressman who goes after Swallowell, who's a Democrat, I never really see any of them, say well, let me pick up where he left off, right, is the

picture on the knuckles airbrushed or not? And to dig in and to hold the line on something that's I think an existential question of reality, because something's got to give when the when the truth of the line meet in the meet in the ether.

the United States Congress, those houses in the Senate. Yes, Republicans are in charge there, but we cannot abandon them. And that's why the goal is to take at least one of them, most likely the House, back into the hands of those who will use these mechanisms before they become redundant, a very very precarious moment in American history where the true oligar in in I said, true, it's in the real meaning of this world, when there's no

distinction anymore between power and money. Rockefeller was not an oligard in it cures a term of this world, or or JP Morgan or Carnegie, or even Vessels or.

the House or on the floor of the Senate. It's absolutely it's it's the most important action now. And that's why I'm very reluctant.

This is our project, and it's a project of guaranteeing that America will enjoy, will have a privilege of having free and fare elections. And I can tell you that they will do absolutely everything to control the process in twenty twenty six. That's why now we have to build

the momentum. And every time the Democrats, like Congressans Law or others expose these lies, demonstrate that the members of Trump administration is a nominees prefer loyalty, you know, blund loyalty to Trump, to facts, to truths, to the interest of American people that's gold.

with that, everybody, and I'm not getting in line. And you can have ten thousand people or one hundred and fifty thousand people at that rally, shouting me down and shouting a lot of people in the country down, which is one of the lessons from four years ago, when people tried to talk about the obvious but got shouted down, shouted down on the cable news show, shouted down in

the congressional caucuses, shouted down everywhere. So all the people who were great at shouting down, I would suggest that Gary Kasparov is right about that that listening right is an important skill in politics. More listening, less talking. And so in a coalition right that's gonna come together in twenty twenty six, it means winning seats in places like Montana that may not be up for the agenda of the Democratic Socialists who were popular in Brookes.

voices of millions? Right when the leadership of the Democratic Party, with all of their power, walks into a room and points at Chuck Schumer and it says, that's our guy, because for example, he doesn't inspire me, and I don't want to follow him anywhere, and I don't want to burn any money giving him more more of it to misspend on an election. So what what do we do? What's the nature of the problem is we think about in opposition that can be meaningful in twenty six.

new people in. So yes, we Chack Schumer and Nancy Pilosi, you know, just just okay now for us is not officially a leader, but we know who's calling the show. So we need new names, new faces, fresh blood. You mentioned many of them, they're just you know, just some of them under fifty. Some of them does over fifty. But that's what's needed. The Democratic Party has to go through also renewal. And it's it's too slow. It says they don't want to go away. So it's this, it's wrong.

It is wrong. And again it's it's you can't convince people, but if you have the same faces around, you have to show that it's a new party, whether this two party system is still functioning properly. It's it's a big open question or right now, we don't have time to build a third party. But Democrats must recognize that, you know, just it's it's their last chance to rebuild. It's you know, it's the whole structure and to and to come up

with a big coalition. And also just if you look at the most successful Democratic presidents, so just you know, uh back, so that's in the twentieth century. You have two governors, Okay, Obama is a separate story, but Clinton and Corto, so there's two two Democrats who are who are governors in the Red States. So you just have to look for different kind of a candidate. And again is it possible. Yes, absolutely. You can mention Shapiro, you can mention Bishar. I mean you have a lot of people.

You can look for, some top you know, military brass so like Admiral mccraven, some great people that could inspire confidence. And also to be patriotic, we should not let Donald Trump and and and his chron is to run on the campaign of American patrioges. It's not America first, it's Donald Trump first. But in order to expose it, just to show that it's it's it's just words and nothing behind it, we need to offer a proper alternative that will inspire people and will make Trump look bad.

of the country. And the consequence of that is that we have states that the Democratic Party relates to as if they're not part of the United States, like, for example, Iowa, where Jony Ernst, for one hundred and fifty seven different reasons, should be a very eminently beatable candidate because of her many hypocrisies. But put her aside for a second. That as a strategic matter, right, if there's one lifeboat and you can only save the House or the Senate, all.

So when you think about the strategy, the moment which seems to me is that you need people right to run in these districts. Is either Democrats right or independence right? And I say Democrats because we have a two party system, and that's a vehicle, like a car.

will go to Washington to set things right. Because if you can't do that, I don't know how you create the critical mass right to have an alternative that offers better because in the end, right the election of two rival gangs in a competitive cycle of retribution against one another, only it creates to the benefit of the fascist in this case, which is the stronger and dominant genetic side

of the American character in this debate. We'll never have a dictatorship of the far left in the United States. We'll have a fascist government, right in response to the fear of a far left dictatorship, which is part of the understanding of Trump's propaganda that's probably missing in a lot of the media.

don't know, thirty thirty five percent. But the arrest of the majority for GOP comes from people who believe this is a lesser evil because if we look at the history and again.

but they're terrorized. When Elon Mask says I would spend ten million dollars for the primary, and because of Jerrymindering, we know that primary in many states, in many congressional districts, they simply decide the outcome of the elections. So they're terrorists. They don't know how to fight against. So we have

various options, actually two strategies here. What is we could say, okay, fine, so let's you know, let's create you know, an organization that could protect the vulnerable Republicans, saying if Mask raises ten million, we can match it with and we'll bring money. But you have to But On one condition. You vote for a conscience, not for the country, not for the part. Again that's questionable. Second Onaleleage, make sure that they own it. You go after them. Yes, Iowa is not a.

kill Is voted for him, Hordon voted for him. Let make them own it. And of course you can do the same with members of the House. And then maybe at one point they'll start scratching their heads and just thinking, oh, God knows, you have little mask and Trump on one side, but you have voters on the other side. So it's

about combined pressure. As of today, I don't see any any any strategy that could lead to to forcing these Republicans, vulnerable Republicans to reconsider their bland load to Trump, which is very much based on on on terror and and and their fear and lack of you know, of civil pacific courage to defend the country against the narrow party interest.

not one more step backwards or nine two. Yes, there's and so I mean this in the sense that there's a lack of fear of Democrats by the Democratic leaders at the expense of the fear they feel towards MAGA and and that's how to be inversed and the expectation reset that there's an expectation that you don't give an inch here. And so from a strategic perspective, right, Wait, if you were to walk in a room and talk to these people, I think the first thing to express.

before the voters, and to put everything under a frame of right and wrong, and to insist that in this country then we follow the constitution right. And I think you can't make that argument without accompanying it with the maximalist approach, because Trump is heading to a place where he will assert the powers of the state against the right of dissent before very much longer.

or just other Democrats, they don't inspire confidence. So they're not fighting there. They just play the same games. This is not the same game. This is not about you know, making concessions here negotiating. You don't negotiate with those who want to abandon the Constitution and whatever the hiding gigs is. The Congress now just under definitely the House under leadership

of Johnson, I don't know, cannot call leadership. So it's now turned into just into an extension of executive office and Center Tune also shows very little sign of independence. So we just have to demand that you know, it's an equal branch of power of the government. Actually it's a it's an Article one of the Constitution. You have to remind them every day. Just made them feel uncomfortable. That's what Trump has been doing. And he was very good at that. He's still good at that. And they

put pressure all the time, all the time. And the another side again it says, yeah, maybe it's thought wrongs forget, maybe it's THEMN wrong. You know, it's a corruption, it's a blatant corruption. Yes, absolutely, it's very important to find courage to say yes. Unfortunately, we had previous administration that was not clear on these issues, neither on moral issues

nor on con corruption. But again it's it's it's in the past, yes, guilty, as has charged, but look at here and what's happening those who are shouting about hunter. Biden received fifty thousand dollars a months from Ukrainian company. Okay, fine, you got it. How about Jared Kushta receiving two billion dollars. So let's talk about those who are in power today. Yeah, absolutely, as it says, yes, I see him by a big

r now going around. Now, how about you know the what's wrong you know with Trump receiving this this mega jet, you know of one hundred million dollars, while many American universities who are known for their aunt Israeli, you know, Proma's position, received tons of money from Qatar. The answer is the institute. These institutions, these colleges, they're private. I disagree with what they're doing. I think it's wrong to one of Qatar, but they cannot tax me, you me others.

They cannot you know, subsidize, They cannot, you know, interfere with our lives. If I don't want my kid to go there, just to Harvard, it can go to Colombia or whatever. So we still have a choice in this country.

But we don't have a choice if we have a government that is openly receiving bribes from foreign powers, and it is this government has power over our lives, whether it's taxes, whether it's a lot, I mean just it's a very long list, especially with those like Pambondi and cash Ptel are very prevalent with with with the law and application of the one.

a loss of words. And I and I would begin the conversation. I said, well, Gary, what what do we what do we ask her on the next round here?

And she refuses, right to answer a question, refuses to show any respect to the elected representatives of the American people, just full on uh impersonator right of of either a cult follower or think of her as what what do you do?

How do you think about that confrontation, Because the meaning of these confrontations is going to increase as the level of confrontation and aggression of the administration increases, right, so she will only be strengthened right in the service of the lie as this as this goes, as this goes forward.

man only to show loyalty and is arrogant. So they also want to be very arrogant. So and they believe they can stop answering questions, they can show the contempt, they can just you know, laugh, you know, just at our faces. Even if they've been caught with with with with their lies. I mean, for instance, Cash Pattel, I mean we know he was a special consultant for Qatar, for the governor of Qatar. We still don't know how much money he got from Qatar and what he has

been doing with Katar. So it's this is it's an every director is it's it's known for being a consultant for mainsponts of terrorism and we don't.

you have to put pressure on them. They have to know that the oldest that every lie that is being said there it's part of them and and them you know, being covers not you know, not fulfilling their responsibilities, escaping, you know, or just running away from the town halls, it will harm them. They'll pay the price for it. So they have to know that not far away, very soon, they have to make a choice between blind loaded to

Donald Trump and American voters that will remember them. But it has to be campaigned, should be on a daily basis. It should have energy. Energy is very important. That's that's how Trump and Advance fan because they had energy, and looking at Harris and Voltz there was no energy. So it's very important that we show that this energy to fight for what is right, and you don't get it with Sugar Colossi and the rest.

rights citizens burst rights. Maybe on some other cases there will be no Now the moment Trump faces Supreme Court an quivocable no he what he will do. Likely he'll tell go to hell. It's again, it's maybe. But if the moment comes when Trump defies open Supreme Court, which I think it's I don't know likely, call it fifty to fifty, then we are going just straight into the depths of the constitutional crisis, because Supreme Court has to

ask Congress, the House, and the Senate to respond. And I believe in this case, Johnson and June will run to the White House begging Trump to reconsider, and there's a good chance Trump will tell and also go to help, and then we are, you know, just it's digging deeper and deeper in the constitutional Crisis Insurrection Act. Trump contemplated it back in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty. I mean, it's with sexes in charge, Cash, Battel, and Bondy, So I don't know or no him who will stop him from

doing such things. And don't forget Trump has few international claims Greenland, Panama, maybe in Mexico. He already mentioned that you could go off the Cortels. Uh, okay, let's set aside Canada for a moment. Greenland, Panama and potential person as Cortels, those things that might be very much on Trump's agenda in the next three four months. So that's why I think the summer could be very, very hot. And if economy is not improving, though I don't think

it will be as as tragic as you describe. So we may see some serious clashes. And again I think this year might be you know, a very a very important one, not decisive one, but definitely next year, next year, that's that should be all goal we have to have. An our aim is to make sure that by the beginning of next year they will be powerful coalition that will send a clear message, a very distinct message to.

the to the insanity. I just want to thank you so much for joining to having a conversation that just reading the comments, I think so many people fascinated to hear you talk and really get to see how you see the world, such an honest voice and experienced and having seen this before. One of the things that I'll conclude is that we are in the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary year of the founding of the United States

of America, and it's an extraordinary story. There is no day that passes between this and July fourth of twenty twenty six that does not have meaning. Right that was not existential, when everything that was to come after wasn't just really moments away from being extinguished, when what they called the cause is hopeless. And one of the one of the stories that is commensurate to this moment is

the two hundredth anniversary of the Mark Key. The Lafayette's farewell tour of the United States is he travels the country and there's a real crisis in the country. Andrew Jackson may or may not concede the election, which he does in front of Lafayette. In New York City, Lafayette visits the Harlem Free School, where his friend Alexander Hamilton has played a key role in the founding. He execrates slavery,

and Lafayette travels the country. He really reawakens a spirit in the people of gratitude, and he sails home and the ship is re christened the Brandywine after the battle that he bled at for America's independence, and off to France Lafayette goes and on the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the country will be two hundred years away

right from this moment. On the fiftieth anniversary of the country that Adams and Jefferson who were the best of friends and closest to partners in the cause, whose relationship is torn apart by politics and difference, are reconciled in the end, and they die hours apart on July fourth, twenty twenty six, eighteen twenty six. In the aftermath, right, two hundred years on will be twenty twenty six. And the American people look at this event with alle right

that this can't conceivably be a coincidence. And so when you look at the country and you look at the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, we have to consider, right, the possibility that a new king has not appeared suddenly and without accident.

and you see the gleam. Right, you see it in all of their eyes, and you see the arrogance, and you see the taking, and you can appreciate a new All of the warnings that have been passed down and all of the wisdom that's been accumulated, as we see clearly what's clearly in front of us, and and what's in in front of us is certainly very clear. And Gary kaspar Off helped make it clearer tonight, and I

appreciate it. And Gary, I just want to hand it over you to take us home and say good night to everybody, and close it out with any wisdom you might have as we move forward into another day in America, as the sun breaks over the Cadillac Mountain off the coast of Maine, and we have a new day ahead.

tyranny in this never ending battle. And so we just you know we have responsibility of defending it, and so I can remind listeners about the motto of my substack, the next move. Stop whinning, start winning, and the winning starts with strategy. Let's discuss it, let's find it the best optimal strategy, and let's implement it.