What Does Life After Donald Trump Look Like? || Sept 8, 2026
Trump has adopted a leadership style similar to that of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. That means power is solely concentrated around him, and the party ideology and institutional foundation have been weakened. Without Trump, the Republican Party has no life force.
Trump's popularity isn't transferable. Unless he is out there campaigning and singing the praises of the next in line, the Republicans will struggle to compete effectively in general elections. But then again, the Democrats have their own set of problems, so we'll tackle that next.
Looking for something else?
The links below will take you to the Zeihan on Geopolitics YouTube page, each of our social media channels, info on how to purchase Peter Zeihan's books, our website, and more. Click the box to navigate to your desired page.
If there is still something else that you need, the helpful links tab below will direct you to anything you might need. This includes the Patreon support page, how to submit a question for Peter, and more.
Comments (48)
If Trump ran things like Xi or Putin you would not be able to mention a political opinion in opposition if you live in the United States. If you live outside the United States I would not be able to watch it.
You need to balance this with, fraud, open boarders, boys in girls sports, illegal immigrations and the new DSA. etc What are we doing here? What does DNC stand for anyway?
Mentalbation.
It is rumored that Xi Jinping fainted at the BRICS summit hosted by India. After emergency treatment by his accompanying medical team, he ended his visit to India early and returned to China on a special plane. Upon the plane's arrival at Beijing airport, the Beijing authorities did not arrange for a large group of officials to greet him, nor did they organize a welcome ceremony. Instead, a military helicopter was used to transport Xi Jinping directly to Beijing's 301 Hospital for emergency treatment. It is said that after diagnosis by the expert team at Beijing's 301 Hospital, it was determined that Xi Jinping had suffered a severe ischemic stroke, that is, a transient cerebral infarction. Because Xi Jinping feared that the Indian side might obtain information about his health, he refused emergency treatment at an Indian hospital and instead took a special plane back to Beijing for care. During the flight, as there were no conditions for surgery, the medical team could only administer conservative treatment to sustain Xi Jinping's life. As a result, he missed the golden window for emergency care and surgery. Even at Beijing's 301 Hospital, if Xi Jinping undergoes surgery for treatment, there is a high likelihood of severe sequelae. At present, the Beijing authorities are still unable to confirm whether Xi Jinping can recover his health before the visit to the United States, so they are waiting to see if it will be necessary to cancel the late September trip to the US.
It’s shameful to watch. I can’t believe our government has become this corrupt and incompetent
Biden was barely alive...but Peter loved him...got it. What a TOOL!
This guy's knowledge of Russia is really poor, and the analysis is simplistic and clumsy at best.
Regarding your comment that the Democrats don’t have any charismatic candidates… Clinton and Obama came out of nowhere…
We elected an incompetent R.I.N.O. Once the toddler in the expensive suit moves out, the pendulum will swing hard to the left, and we'll elect an incompetent Socialist, IMO.
Trump is clinically mentally ill -- a malignant narcissist. This is NOT a treatable mental illness. The obvious characteristics are his deep need to be "more" than anybody else, with no need to distinguishing truth or false, who is hurt, how stupid it is, etc., etc., everything ugly we know about him. The most probable cause his the absence of his mother when he was 2. There was no one there that loved him, consoled him, mirrored him, everything necessary to develop a health ego. IOW, everything he has done is rooted in his own mental question: "Mother, do you love me now?" It sounds bizarre but go look at a half a dozen or more statements from him and put that question into his mouth at each end. Knowing his broken personality the question then fits. As Peter pointed out, his need to be superior explains everything he has done to the Republican party, including the need for boot licking from the future nominee for President.
Unless the Dems grow a pair and openly reject/denounce the DSA and their darlings, the GOP won’t need to get *anything* right in order to keep this nightmare alive.
JD Vance does indeed have (had?) a following. It would be like Aimy CB in Congress.
I believe there is a governing party that may be Heritage, but in my eyes, it is the core of the Epstein saga. Will they rule again, saying that Trump is that person? Probably not if the forbidden egg gets cracked.
It is too bad that PZ's hate for T influences and permeates his, otherwise informative podcasts. His opinions are worthless: He missed the last election by a mile. In error he forecast a major recession that never occurred. Quite the opposite. For almost ten years he has predicted the fall of China "in ten Years"???? He would serve US better if he would highlight T's manyy accomplishments. Here are a few that all past administrations could have and should have done which T did!
The only certainty if Trumps dies in office is a spontaneous dance party in Times Square.
There will be parties across the globe when he kicks the bucket, regardless of whether or not it's while he's still in office.
Your own published work reminds us that US parties are unstable coalitions, united not so much by ideology as "Us vs Them". I have been a registered Republican since 1970... active at the local and county level in three states. May I venture an opinion? I am fairly certain that you are not bumping into anything other than the "federalistas" in the Republican Party, and the grass-roots (you know, VOTERS?) are DIFFERENT. So far, I have seen no support at the local level for anyone but Vance. Rubio is LIKED, but looked on as being part of the Bush Establishment... I doubt that will wash off. The ONLY other people I have heard mentioned as "future party leaders" have been Luna and Burchett. Others? Not passing the voter ID bill or trimming spending is NOT making them popular. There is a visceral dislike of the "rich kids" at the state and federal levels, seen as only looking after their own interests. If anything, US vs Them is hardening-- the DSA and "Progressive" are more unifying to "grass roots" Republicans than anything I have seen since Reagan. One KEY question is... why do you think Trump controls what voters do? I hope I am misinterpreting your statements. (Could I solicit your opinion? One thing that bothers me is that I have yet to see any polls with "responsible" sample sizes. Why are BOTH sides hiding them? I used to get multiple politically oriented polls a week, but since January '26 I have been sent only "lifestyle" polls. Are conservatives being deselected to skew results?)
Really good points, as always. Now do the ”what does life after Trump looks like”-video! 🙃
I see a potential future constitutional crisis in the US.
Some morning, we will wake up and he will be gone.
I would ask Peter to give us some thoughts on governance after Trump is out of power. So far he predicts chaos and disorder. How long does that last and what needs to happen to turn it around? I am looking for a positive vision and hope is not a plan!
Trump is too narcissistic to campaign for anyone else.
I tend to agree with his assessment of the United States, Russia, and China from a leadership standpoint … Though I would say China might just have a better run of things given the state of their manufacturing base giving them political power for the medium term over many global markets … This is also why I think the European Union is probably going to become a far more powerful player on the global stage. Yes, the European Union is not as united as say the United States, but that’s probably an advantage, there’s internal dynamism within the system, and the competing political systems between Poland, Germany, Italy and France keeps their metal sharp. A plan beats no plan and even though the Democratic Party is just as busted and leaderless as the Republicans (thanks Obama), the DSA, which has a very pro infrastructure policy within their agenda, is at the very least a plan and they might be able to consolidate much of the party around that.
Wait, you are assuming there will be after Trump? He is clearly immortal and has the right to have unlimited terms. That’s what MAGA told me.
Yevgeniy Prigozhin was the murderous chef that led a rebellion and Putin assassinated. Next in line is Nikolai Patrushev, a security thug who is 75 years old. Like Trump and Xi, Putin has gutted the leadership under him. Other candidates like Belousov, Mishustin and Dyumin have not built the support needed in a struggle for control. All these leaders are setting their countries up for chaos when they depart, which may be very soon.
I agree with your presentation that Trump is following a very similar high level purge of all that do not lick his boots, just like Putin and Xi. I believe you left out the only critical difference in these 3 situations that is the foundation upon which the future of the USA depends: The US Constitution. The left has no absolutes and is always seeking to change the Constitution. As much as I dislike current Republican leadership, I will likely cast my vote for the next POTUS based on my trust in the candidates adherence to the Constitution. It is all that protects us.
LOL "annual" backpacking trip. Don't you do 5 or 6 trips a year?
Sierra Nevada FTW
I won't be suprised if Trump crowns one of his dumb sons to be his successor. And it is possible to have an even worse person in charge afterwards. I used to think Rick Perry was the worst governor Texas could have. Then Greg Abbott came along.
Spent a huge chunk of my career in a globe spanning bureaucracy. Learned early that things can ALWAYS get worse.
Astounds me there are still trump supporters. Can people be this stupid and the answer is yes.
Trump supporters make complete sense. The democrats have become completely insane on so many levels. It’s an anti that party.
What does both a domestic & international rebuild look like after Trump? Is one possible, or has Trump spurned the rest of world THAT badly?
Unfortunately, we have demonstrated that any “righting the ship” is only guaranteed for 4 years. Four years, and we can and may well elect whoever/whatever we want, plunging everyone back into this chaotic cesspool.
Rubio is the next Golden Boy.
Given Trump's increasingly deranged and erratic mental state, I think someone licking his boots for an entire election cycle would be a near impossible task. At some point they'll displease him in some slight or insignificant way, and the whole campaign will implode.
Peter, I’m jealous of the beautiful scenery you’re enjoying. 🙂 Have a great time, stay safe and thank you for always taking the time to deliver these valued insights.
Trump is a conservative? Not in my books. Observing tradition, precedent and protocol all out the window. Not to mention decency, rationality and honesty. He's a move fast and break things guy. Not a conservative.
Right, because since Regan, conservatism has existed in rhetoric only. It used to be about fiscal policy. But if we were to go by that metric, Clinton would be the most conservative president of the last 50 years.
funny little smirk. Goodbye, i didn’t even do that with Biden
Trump will resign in the spring so he can be pardoned by Vance
That's what he would do if he were smart and not a narcissistic egomaniac.
Doesn’t “Project:2025” count as a Republican policy document?
This is a question I'd like to see Peter address. Perhaps the answer is that Project 2025 isn't viable without Trump as its figurehead?
Very interesting post. Hopefully someone will make a 3rd party run based on not being an idiot. Here's to better days.
Any third party would have to overcome the titanic gravitational weight of several generations of the majority of American's understanding of politics being summed up by "red/blue team bad." In other words, not likely.
Not sure this Supreme Court will rule out a 3rd term for Trump.
Cool, then Obama runs for a 3rd and destroys him