Live with Joyce Vance and Katie Phang

11 May, 2026

[Transcript edited for clarity, flow and length]

Mary Trump: I got together with my awesome friends, Joyce Vance and Katie Phang, and we discussed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s threat to have ICE and CBP agents installed at polling places in November. We also talked about the Republican false narrative about voter fraud and how dangerous it is, especially given the Supreme Court’s attack on the Voting Rights Act, and much more, including whether there will ever be another Trump Vance ticket in our future. We had a blast and I hope you enjoy this.

Joyce Vance: This is a bit of a deep dive into what it is like to be a woman journalist, with Katie Phang and me discussing the realities of navigating the Trump era while also raising a preteen. If it feels a little surreal, that is because it is. I suspect most of us have felt that way at one point or another.

Mary Trump: And Katie, just to be clear, one thing you would never do is send your child to the Oval Office to meet with that man.

Katie Phang: Honestly, and I am a little embarrassed to admit this as a journalist, I have no idea what that event even was. What was the premise of that Oval Office experience?

Mary Trump: It was a presidential fitness award.

Katie Phang: For whom? For him?

Mary Trump: No, for the program. A fitness initiative for children, apparently. Which is ironic, given that he is being presented as some kind of model of athleticism.

Joyce Vance: Yes, apparently he is now an advocate for getting children fit.

Katie Phang: The “children” part is exactly what makes this so uncomfortable. No child should be anywhere near the Oval Office right now.

Mary Trump: Truly. It is hard not to see it as a kind of abuse.

Katie Phang: It really is.

Mary Trump: In the before times, there would be slow news cycles. Now we have the opposite. There is so much going on, and most of it is important. We could talk about Iran and the economy, or we could talk about things people are not paying attention to, like the Supreme Court effectively making racism part of the law of the land again.

Joyce Vance: Many of you read the piece I wrote earlier this week called The New Jim Crow, using Alabama as an example. Now there is news out of Tennessee, where the legislature rushed through a law that turns Memphis, a historic civil rights community, into a victim of gerrymandering. One of the most shocking aspects is that county registrars no longer have to advise citizens about changes to their polling place or district. It is classic voter suppression.

Katie Phang: It was jaw dropping. Every day we think we have reached the limit, and then something worse happens. The federal component matters. But for the Supreme Court, we would not see this speed across states like Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida. Power is being concentrated at the state level, and we need to pay attention to local races. These efforts mirror what Donald wants federally.

Joyce Vance: Mary, voting is the right that unlocks all other rights. If voting is taken away, everything else is locked up. Am I overstating that?

Mary Trump: No, that is exactly right. Republicans have known for decades that demographics are not in their favor, so they have targeted voting rights. Ohio is a prime example. It is essentially a fifty fifty state, yet Republicans maintain a supermajority through gerrymandering. Now, thanks to Supreme Court decisions, it will be even easier for red states to suppress votes. Democrats need to prioritize Supreme Court reform because the Court affects everything, from voting rights to executive power.

Joyce Vance: And now Todd Blanche, acting Attorney General, is suggesting ICE agents at polling places.

Katie Phang: This was said during a friendly interview, and even the interviewer pointed out it is illegal. Blanche dismissed it. He is auditioning for the permanent job. He is drunk on power and has abandoned the principles he once upheld. He was a respected prosecutor, but now he is pursuing power at any cost.

Mary Trump: Or a judge. We recently rewatched Judgment at Nuremberg, and everybody should see it.

Joyce Vance: Sending ICE to polling places is not neutral. It is intimidation. Voter fraud is not a real problem. Even investigations have found almost nothing. This is about fear and suppression.

Mary Trump: The real issue is the false narrative Republicans have created about voter fraud. It does not exist at scale, but it justifies suppression.

Katie Phang: The data shows about 0.001 percent of votes involve potential non citizen voting, often due to confusion. It is absurd to think undocumented people would risk deportation to vote.

Joyce Vance: And it would not even impact election outcomes.

Mary Trump: It is a problem in search of a solution. Immigrants commit fewer crimes than the general population. Nobody comes here to commit crimes. This narrative fuels extremist policies.

Joyce Vance: Republicans push fraud narratives to justify suppression. If we can explain that clearly, we may reach people. Poll numbers show some of this messaging is landing.

Katie Phang: I have to drop, but thank you both.

Joyce Vance: Mary, do you want to continue for a few minutes?

Mary Trump: Yes. I also want to acknowledge April Ryan joining us. We need to stay focused on local elections. Democrats cannot leave any race uncontested. We must communicate clearly and consistently.

Joyce Vance: In Alabama, lawmakers stayed in session during tornado warnings to pass gerrymandering legislation. That level of persistence should motivate us.

Mary Trump: They are determined because they see this as their last chance to maintain power. With support from the Supreme Court and an imperial presidency, they are pushing aggressively. We must match their determination.

Joyce Vance: When are you running for president?

Mary Trump: That would be entertaining. There would be confusion among Republican voters.

Joyce Vance: I am thinking about where to focus my efforts. Voting always seems central.

Mary Trump: I agree. We need to reach rural voters, contest every race, and unify our message.

Joyce Vance: There is some good news. Terry Sewell plans to reintroduce voting rights legislation after the midterms. There are strong candidates across the country, and state level leaders are stepping up.

Mary Trump: Attorneys general are coordinating regularly. They understand what is at stake and are preparing. That should give us hope.

Joyce Vance: Everyone should take action. Help register voters, support candidates, and stay engaged.

Mary Trump: That sounds like a plan. Please check out Katie and Joyces SubStack pages. Links Below. Thanks