Will Sommer
Reporter at The Bulwark who wrote about Bill Pulte
Will Sommer (Reporter at The Bulwark who wrote about Bill Pulte) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Paid influencer campaigns, The Daily Wire, Antisemitism.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Other remarks6 of 7
Sommer warns that racist views promoted by figures like Fuentes are taking hold among young Republicans, the party's future.
“I think those views are really sinking in with young Republicans”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 1:02:04
Sommer expects fights on the right over AI and Israel to become more open as Trump's influence recedes.
“So I think as Trump kind of recedes in influence, I think this fight is going to break out more in the open”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 48:31
Sommer believes Steve Bannon's influence is overstated because he is an easy source for journalists.
“I think it's often sort of overstated because I think he's a pretty easy source for journalists”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 45:53
Sommer characterizes Megyn Kelly's turn against Trump as more mercenary than Carlson's.
“I would say Megyn Kelly is much more mercenary even than Tucker Carlson is”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 21:09
Sommer believes Carlson's firing from Fox News radicalized him toward more extreme politics.
“being fired from Fox News really sort of radicalized him and sort of caused him to seek out these more extreme politics”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 12:44
Sommer suggests defamation lawsuits could eventually catch up with Owens as they did with Alex Jones.
“just as Alex Jones was able to avoid it until he couldn't, I think she could face the same issue”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 8:48
Paid influencer campaigns
Sommer believes a sudden influencer campaign calling Harley-Davidson woke was a paid effort, though he has not proven it.
“I haven't proven it, but I think it's clear that this is a paid campaign”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 50:07
Sommer agrees with Ashley St. Clair that pay-to-play arrangements are widespread among right-wing influencers.
“I think there's like a huge amount of pay to play or payola washing around”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 49:29
The Daily Wire
Sommer predicts The Daily Wire will shrink into a podcast-centered outlet rather than a conservative entertainment giant.
“The Daily Wire will probably retrench as something more like The Daily Call or like Steven Crowder”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 25:31
Sommer says Ben Shapiro's cautious pro-Trump, pro-Israel, pro-Iran-war stance is unpopular on the right and costing him audience.
“I think that point of view is just not that popular right now on the right. And it's losing him”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 22:46
Antisemitism
Sommer names Candace Owens as the most concerning figure for mainstreaming antisemitism to otherwise liberal audiences.
“my mind just instantly jumps to Candace Owens, who I think has done a lot to, you know, mainstream anti-Semitism”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 1:00:35
2026 Florida gubernatorial election
- Came true
Sommer predicts James Fishback will not win the Florida Republican primary despite drawing larger crowds than Byron Donalds.
“i don't think he's going to win but if you look at you know byron donald's events kind of lackluster”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 56:00
Manosphere
Sommer gauges fringe figures' genuine reach by real-world signals, such as Chud the Builder's fundraising after a shooting.
“Or when Chud the Builder, unfortunately, raises 300 grand after shooting a guy. I mean, clearly there's some amount of genuine support”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 34:50
The Free Press
Sommer argues that demand for anti-woke content has fallen with Trump in power and Democrats out of office.
“I think there's been a decline in interest in anti-woke content”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 28:49
2028 Republican Party presidential primaries
Sommer sees an open anti-war populist lane in 2028 and considers Carlson the media figure most likely to run.
“I think he's the one I see most likely as potentially running”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 14:15
Tucker Carlson interview of Nick Fuentes
Sommer argues Tucker Carlson straddles the MAGA mainstream and the far right, letting him mainstream hateful ideas.
“he's sort of uniquely able there to mainstream these really hateful and toxic ideas like having Nick Fuentes on his show”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 10:46
Turning Point USA
Sommer argues that Candace Owens and conspiracy theorists around her have substantially damaged Turning Point USA.
“I think Candace and sort of the conspiracy theorists around her have actually done a lot of damage to Turning Point”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 7:09
Predictions
1 came true
- Came true
Sommer predicts James Fishback will not win the Florida Republican primary despite drawing larger crowds than Byron Donalds.
“i don't think he's going to win but if you look at you know byron donald's events kind of lackluster”
Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 56:00 · 2026 Florida gubernatorial election
James Fishback lost the August 18, 2026 Florida Republican gubernatorial primary. He finished third with about 10.4% of the vote, behind Byron Donalds (about 47.9%) and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins (about 25.1%). Donalds was projected the winner.
Sources: Becker Spotlight: Comprehensive Analysis: Florida Primary Election Results · Florida Governor Primary Election 2026 Live Results: Donalds, Jolly, Collins and More · Florida governor primary results
Checked Oct 10, 2026
Appearances
The Splintering MAGA Media Rage MachinePod Save America · Jun 7, 2026 · 1 h 3 min
Tommy Vietor and The Bulwark's Will Sommer survey the fracturing MAGA media world, from Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson to the Daily Wire, manosphere streamers and far-right candidates.
Discussed in
Trump's Versailles on the PotomacPod Save America · Jun 5, 2026 · 1 h 20 min
Jon Favreau and Alex Wagner discuss Trump's building projects, the J6 slush fund, ICE detention, Blanche and Pulte nominations, California primaries, Graham Platner, 60 Minutes, and Favreau's mistaken UFC invite.
Often appears with
- Tommy Vietor · 1 shared episode