Men of the Trump Administration, 2026

Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Opinion Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT The Conversation Men of the Trump Administration, 2026 March 26, 2026, 5:04 a.m. ET Listen · 10:47 min Share full article By Frank Bruni and Bret Stephens Mr. Bruni is a contributing Opinion writer. Mr. Stephens is an Opinion columnist. Frank Bruni : Bret, I need to broach a delicate topic, and I want you to dispense with any courtesy — channel President Trump — and answer candidly, because there’s an important reason behind my question: Do you think Democrats are ugly? Bret Stephens : Only when wearing patchouli-scented fragrances, Frank. Why on earth are you asking me , in The Bulwark recently, Lauren Egan wrote a column about the belief among some Democrats that their defeats in 2024 and their difficulties attracting voters have to do with a “hotness deficit” in their candidates. It drew my attention for two reasons. One, are there no limits to the Democratic Party’s self-flagellation and capacity for overthinking things? Two, um, is there rampant hotness in the Republican 2024 had been decided on looks, I rather doubt Donald Trump would be back in the White House. The real deficit Democrats faced in 2024 comes down to ideology and competence. Voters look at blue cities like Chicago and blue states like California and they don’t see well-run places. Voters also listen to Democrats on hot-button issues like biological males in women’s sports and they think liberals have gone mad. Fix those things, and Democrats will be able to party like it’s 1999, to coin a phrase. And, let me ask you, is there rampant hotness among ’s what I asked you , but you had to be all high-minded and substantive. Fine. I’ll take on the question, and I’ll answer it this way: President Trump has merchandised just about everything related to his political life and his White House that can be merchandised, and yet there has been no Men of the Trump Administration calendar, has there? That’s because he’d come up well, wel...