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Van Jones, speaking with former colleague Chris Cillizza, shared candid insights on Friday into how the American political establishment misjudged the electorate and underestimated Donald Trump’s strategy, leading to his overwhelming victory against Kamala Harris and his return to the White House. Jones, a former Obama adviser, reflected on the Democratic Party’s missteps and the media’s failure to grasp Trump’s unique appeal and tactics.
Jones remarked that the liberal establishment and media were “all screwed up” and detached from the American electorate. Comparing their analysis to ancient superstition, he said, “There used to be a time back in the day that they would cut a pig open, throw the pig entrails on the ground to divine the future. It would be like asking, ‘Did you think that you misread the pig entrails?’ Like we were so off. We weren’t reading the actual electorate at all.”
He explained that while Democrats relied on outdated frameworks and demographic categories like “swing voter” or “moderate voter,” Trump’s campaign took an entirely different approach. “None of that stuff is what Donald Trump’s team was focused on,” Jones said, emphasizing that Trump created a “masculinist cultural movement” that united diverse subcultures like UFC fans, fitness enthusiasts, and cryptocurrency communities by engaging with them directly and taking their interests seriously.
Even Chris Cillizza acknowledged that Trump’s coalition offered “a little something for a lot of different people.”
Jones highlighted another critical mistake: Democrats viewed the political landscape in terms of left vs. right, while Trump played “a vertical game,” appealing to disenchanted, low-trust groups rather than relying on those loyal to liberal institutions.
“We woke up in a body bag on Election Day and didn’t even know it,” Jones said bluntly. He criticized the media’s blind confidence, noting, “We thought because CNN, NPR, and the New York Times were pretty much beating the hell out of Donald Trump, that Trump was getting the hell beat out of him. But the mainstream media is now, by the numbers, the fringe.”
Jones explained that alternative media has far outperformed traditional outlets. “When Joe Rogan sits down with Donald Trump, 48 million people watch the YouTube of the podcast,” Jones said. “We didn’t have that many people watch the debate on CNN. So, guys — get out of my face. We had the wrong analysis. We didn’t even have the conceptual framework to understand what’s happening to us.”
He acknowledged that Kamala Harris made the problem worse by relying too heavily on mainstream networks for her limited interviews, while Trump outpaced her in podcast appearances and broader outreach. “We’re playing a different game,” said Jones.
In response to lingering confusion from Cillizza about Trump’s success, Jones offered a pointed critique of the liberal media’s portrayal of Trump as inept. “‘How can Donald Trump?’ ‘How can Donald Trump?’ Guys, can we cut it out? Donald Trump is not an idiot.”
Jones pointed out that such dismissive assessments from figures like Max Boot, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, and others have missed the mark entirely. “Let me just be very clear: Donald Trump is smarter than me, you, and all of the critics,” Jones said. “You know how I know? Because he has the White House, the Senate, the House, the Supreme Court, the popular vote, a massive media system built around him, and religious fervor in his movement. His best buddy is the richest person in the history of the world, and the most relevant Kennedy is with him.”
Reflecting on the establishment’s failures, Jones concluded, “This dude is a phenomenon. He is the most powerful human on Earth and in our lifetime, and we’re still saying, ‘Well, how is this guy?’ We look like idiots.”
Jones stressed that their inability to understand Trump doesn’t mean he’s dumb. “We don’t understand it — that means we’re dumb. We got beat by something that we don’t understand.”
