PBS News Hour - Brooks and Capehart Brooks and Atkins Stohr on Trump's return and its impact on the country
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Dec 26, 2025 
Join David Brooks, a New York Times columnist known for his keen political insights, and Kimberly Atkins Stohr, an opinion columnist for The Boston Globe, as they dissect the implications of Trump's return to power. They discuss the populist currents driving his resurgence and the troubling erosion of the rule of law. Brooks emphasizes the need for new civic institutions to combat authoritarianism, while Atkins Stohr highlights the Democrats' crucial role in maintaining election integrity. It's a lively exploration of the current political landscape!
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Eroded Institutions And Alienated Workers
- David Brooks argues two truths: U.S. institutions have been hollowed out and the establishment lost touch with workers.
- Those combined failures explain the rise of Trump and signal a national decline needing repair.
Rule Of Law Undermined
- Kimberly Atkins Stohr highlights an erosion of the rule of law via a politicized Justice Department and pardons for January 6 rioters.
- She warns of white Christian nationalist influence reshaping federal policy and norms.
Information Age Creates A New Caste
- Brooks links political unrest to widening class divides driven by the information age rewarding education and wealth.
- He frames today's moment as a global rupture requiring repair, like past American crises.