U.S. President Donald Trump gestures at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 6, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Right-wing media pundits often echo MAGA and Trump administration talking points, but behind closed doors, Republicans are expressing their fears about President Donald Trump's policies — including the immigration raids in Minneapolis — and the 2026 midterms. And according to former Republican National Committee (RNC) Communications Director Doug Heye, some major players in the GOP are privately expressing their anxiety.
Heye, during a late January appearance on CNN, emphasized that "Republicans are spooked."
Heye explained, "I got an e-mail two days ago from a very conservative, very senior Republican member of Congress who said: What should I say? This is somebody who is a very big Trump ally, usually knows what to say. I reached out to one of the party committees yesterday and said: what are you telling your candidates? Point one: message of unity calm slash order. That's de-escalation. That's not raise the temperature."
