Sep 29, 2026 · 1h 39m
Trump’s influence meets an FBI results case
Is This The X Factor In The Midterms? (Ep. 2605)
The episode links the 2026 midterm outlook to Trump’s political durability while making a broader case for the administration’s enforcement record and AI agenda.
- 1Dan Bongino argues that Trump’s engaged supporters and perceived policy results could shape Republican turnout in the midterms.
- 2Christopher Wray describes an FBI strategy centered on violent-crime enforcement, interagency cooperation, political-violence prosecutions, and carefully deployed AI.
- 3The episode presents AI as both a challenge to media and academic gatekeepers and a source of productivity, misinformation checks, and new risks.
Don't miss
Christopher Wray’s interview lays out how the FBI says it is combining violent-crime enforcement, cartel investigations, and AI tools while preserving investigative safeguards.
The brief
Dan Bongino frames the midterms around a simple question: can Trump’s unusually loyal, engaged supporters outweigh negative coverage and determine Republican turnout?
The episode broadens that argument into a defense of the administration’s record, citing immigration enforcement, crime reductions, fentanyl seizures, economic indicators, and FBI operations.
Christopher Wray joins Bongino to discuss the FBI’s Summer Heat initiative, violent-crime partnerships, political-violence prosecutions, cartel designations, and AI-assisted investigations.
Bongino treats AI as a threat to media and university gatekeepers, arguing that faster access to information could expose misinformation while creating new bias and safety problems.
The most personal turn comes in the Lindsay Clancy case, where Bongino defends holdout juror Michael Desranville against doxxing and praises his willingness to follow the evidence.
The episode closes by returning to its election thesis: Trump’s influence remains the central variable, but the case depends on whether voters credit the administration’s claimed results.
Featuring
Donald John Trump
The Ingraham AngleListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.