James Carville makes a 'monster' warning to Trump, predicts 2 years of hardball politics

James Carville said Democrats should not just celebrate reclaiming seats but pressure Republicans on popular issues and seek broader voter support
Democratic strategist James Carville warned President Donald Trump that Americans are disengaging from him (Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images, Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Democratic strategist James Carville warned President Donald Trump that Americans are disengaging from him (Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images, Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Democratic political strategist James Carville has a new warning for President Donald Trump, predicting that the GOP is in for trouble for at least the next two years.

Carville’s warning comes a few days after he said Americans are disengaging from Trump after a decade of intense attention among voters.

James Carville predicts hardball politics will cost Trump

During the latest episode of the 'Politics War Room' podcast released on Sunday, August 16, Carville said he expects the Democrats to win 55 Senate seats, along with the House, after the midterms.

James Carville speaks onstage during the Sports Illustrated 2018 Sportsperson of the Year Awards Show on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Tune in to NBCSN on Thursday, December 13, 2018, at 9pmET to watch the one hour Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year Awards special. (Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
James Carville speaks onstage during the Sports Illustrated 2018 Sportsperson of the Year Awards Show on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles (John Sciulli/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)

Carville said that would be followed by "hardball" politics for the last half of President Trump's term and possibly beyond.

"Every piece of evidence I see tells me it's going to be a monster year," Carville said. "I see no contrary evidence to that."

Currently, the GOP holds a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but Democrats are eyeing a chance to flip the script in states like Texas, Maine, Alaska, Florida, and South Carolina.

President Donald Trump attends the Patriot Games at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
President Donald Trump attends the Patriot Games at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio, Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Carville said Democrats should not just celebrate winning back those seats. They should pressure Republicans on popular issues and work to gain more support from voters.

"When Democrats win the Senate back, if I were the Democratic leadership, I would tell my pollsters to give me five issues of things that are over 70% popularity, and Republicans can't be for it," Carville said.

"Raising the minimum wage would be one example. How about raising taxes on wealthy people to take the money and put it in the first-time homebuyers' mortgage relief fund?" he said.

People vote in the General Election at the Brooklyn Public Library on November 04, 2025, in the Flatbush neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
People vote in the General Election at the Brooklyn Public Library on November 4, 2025, in the Flatbush neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City (Michael M Santiago/Getty Images)

He added, "Anything with big reform is going to poll massively and play," so in his view, anything short of a constitutional amendment is fair game.

"Play hardball politics for two years," Carville said. "I mean, really hardball politics. Make them sweat. Make them vote. Investigate them. Make them take every tough vote. Make them walk every plank," he added.

James Carville claims the country is turning away from Trump

Earlier, Carville linked that shift to Trump’s weak approval numbers, saying the country is beginning to “turn away from him” as his standing falls.

President Donald Trump meets with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
President Donald Trump at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

He made the remarks on Thursday, on an episode of the 'Politics War Room' podcast about Trump’s standing in Republican politics.

Trump’s Republican support is the most under-covered story in American politics, Carville said, arguing that “it is falling” and estimating it at about 80% in most polls.

“I think the most under-covered story in American politics today is Trump’s Republican number,” Carville said.

“It’s like — it is falling,” he added. “I mean, it’s falling quickly.”

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