Rahm Emanuel on 2026 Midterms and Politics in the Trump Era

Summary of Rahm Emanuel on 2026 Midterms and Politics in the Trump Era

by NPR

53m•January 22, 2026
Listen to Episode

Overview of Rahm Emanuel on 2026 Midterms and Politics in the Trump Era

This NPR “Up First” interview with Rahm Emanuel covers U.S. foreign-policy credibility and global economic order, immigration enforcement and ICE, education reform, corporate America's response to Trump-era politics, the state of the American dream, and strategic advice for Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms. Emanuel draws on his experience as a former congressman, White House chief of staff, Chicago mayor, and U.S. ambassador to Japan to critique both parties, explain policy priorities he would press if he ran for president, and give tactical advice for the upcoming elections.

Key topics discussed

  • Foreign policy and global order

    • Comments on Mark Carney’s warning that the U.S.-led rules-based order is fraying; Emanuel argues U.S. credibility and trust with allies has been damaged but not irreparable.
    • China is “exporting economic dysfunction” by dominating manufacturing and using coercive economic tools; Europe is reacting to loss of reliable U.S. leadership.
    • The U.S. must rebuild trust with allies and reform, not simply “reset,” institutions and alliances.

  • Immigration and enforcement

    • Emanuel: “End ICE as we know it” — meaning significant reform, not abolition. He calls current ICE practices lawless and politically driven.
    • Distinction emphasized between jails (pre-trial) and prisons (convicted)—federal removal should focus on convicted criminals in prisons, not occupations of local communities or schools.
    • Local–federal cooperation must preserve community trust and community policing.

  • Education

    • Strong criticism that both parties have failed: Republicans have abandoned public education; Democrats have abandoned accountability and standards.
    • Urgent focus on literacy: 50% of U.S. children not reading at grade level is a national crisis.
    • Points to Mississippi’s turnaround (from ~49th to near top states in reading) via phonics, teacher coaching, extra time/tutoring, and accountability; several conservative states replicated the approach.

  • Culture-war priorities vs. fundamentals

    • Emanuel argues Democrats spent too much political energy on cultural debates (bathrooms, pronouns, school names), which hurt electoral standing and distracted from substance like education, housing affordability, and incomes.
    • Clarifies prior comments on transgender issues: he supports an accepting culture but believes advocacy should not eclipse core education and economic priorities.

  • Corporate America and rule of law

    • Criticizes many corporate leaders for staying silent as U.S. norms and the rule of law are tested; calls corporate timidity “selling out” for short-term gain.
    • Says Democrats also erred by allowing extreme voices (he uses “Marxists” shorthand) to dominate; both parties must refocus on growth, shared prosperity, and competition policy.

  • American dream and domestic economic priorities

    • Central cause (if he ran): restore affordability and accessibility of the American dream — housing, healthcare stability, incomes, and education.
    • Notes intergenerational stagnation: young people earning more but delayed milestones (homeownership, marriages) due to affordability pressures.

  • 2026 midterms strategy

    • Calls 2026 “a referendum election”: Democrats should make the race about a Republican Congress rubber-stamping Donald Trump’s agenda and stress pocketbook issues.
    • Tactical advice: recruit and run Democrats on every ballot line (from school boards to governors) in swing states; win independents by large margins; emphasize groceries, mortgages, wages — not distractions like Greenland.

Main takeaways and recommendations

  • Foreign policy: Repair trust with allies through clear, consistent commitments; reform alliances and economic coordination rather than expecting a full “reset” to pre-Trump norms.
  • Immigration enforcement: Reform ICE to restore oversight, accountability, and community trust; prioritize removal of convicted criminals (prison), not sweeping local enforcement that breaks trust.
  • Education: Prioritize literacy and fundamentals (phonics, teacher training/coaching, extra instructional time, accountability); scale proven state models across the country.
  • Political strategy for Democrats (2026):
    • Frame midterms as a referendum on Trump + Republican Congress.
    • Focus messaging on tangible economic issues that affect voters’ daily lives.
    • Field candidates at every level (school board through governor) especially in swing states to capitalize on potential wave turnout.
    • Target independents—winning them decisively is essential for House and Senate gains.

Notable quotes and insights

  • “We are exporting political dysfunction and China under President Xi is exporting their economic dysfunction.”
  • “End ICE as we know it” — clarified as reforming an agency that has “become a lawless mob” in places.
  • “This is a referendum election. Keep it focused on the rubber stamp of Republican Congress to President Trump.”
  • On education: “You can’t believe in equity if you’re complacent with 50% of the kids not reading at grade level.”
  • On corporate America: businesses “are timid souls… watching from the sideline a nation being destroyed and walking away from the rule of law.”

Action items / tactical checklist for Democrats (practical summary)

  • Make midterm messaging simple and local: emphasize grocery prices, mortgages, paychecks, housing affordability.
  • Run candidates for every seat in swing states (including local offices and school boards).
  • Prioritize outreach to independent voters — tailor messages to economics and governance stability.
  • Put education (literacy & fundamentals) at the top of the domestic agenda and public communications.
  • Demand accountability and oversight in federal immigration enforcement; promote clear, community-protecting policies.
  • Press corporate leaders publicly to defend rule of law, research, and long-term national competitiveness.

Context & clarifications

  • The interview references Mark Carney’s remarks (Carney is a former central banker and financial official, not the Canadian prime minister).
  • Emanuel speaks from multiple roles (former mayor, White House chief of staff, former ambassador to Japan) and frames many critiques through that experience.

Bottom line

Emanuel’s interview is a call for Democrats to re-center politics on practical economic and educational issues, to repair U.S. alliances and credibility overseas, to reform institutions like ICE, and to run an aggressive, full-spectrum electoral strategy in 2026 focused on independents and pocketbook issues rather than cultural distractions.