Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has built a reputation for stepping back from the daily partisan fight and identifying the strategic mistakes, incentives and pressure points others tend to miss.
In a series of TV appearances, Gingrich repeatedly reframed headline-driven controversies into broader political tests with long-term consequences. Whether discussing immigration enforcement, government shutdowns or foreign policy, Gingrich focused less on surface-level outrage and more on how public opinion, institutional legitimacy and messaging shape outcomes. Below are five moments where he spelled out dynamics that rarely get articulated so plainly.
1. Gingrich Frames Democratic Resistance To ICE As An ‘Insurrection’ Test
Gingrich joined Larry Kudlow to argue that Democratic officials opposing immigration enforcement were not merely protesting policy, but challenging the authority of an elected government. Gingrich shifted the focus away from protest rhetoric and toward the rule of law under President Donald Trump as he framed immigration enforcement as a constitutional exercise of executive authority rather than a partisan preference.
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“This is a key test of whether or not, as [former President Abraham] Lincoln put it, government of the people, by the people and for the people is going to survive. I mean, you have a president, a House and a Senate which have been elected by the American people,” Gingrich said. “They’ve taken a clear position. And in the case of getting rid of illegal immigrants, particularly those who are crooks, there’s no question that that entire ICE program is legal, legitimate and acting under the control of the commander in chief.” (RELATED: ‘In The Crosshairs Of Terrorists’: Acting ICE Director Says Cartels Placing Bounties On Agents)
2. Gingrich Dissects Democrats’ Shutdown Strategy As A Self-Inflicted Trap
During a Fox Business appearance, Gingrich said that Democratic leaders mishandled the government shutdown, suggesting the shutdown fight was less about leverage and more about satisfying an activist base.
Gingrich said voters oppose both shutting down the government and raising spending, leaving Democrats exposed on both fronts. He argued Democrats chose the wrong strategy.
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“Even if it cripples the Democratic Party, they feel better fighting. I think if Schumer and if Jeffries had tried to cave early—they would have been thrown out, because the base out there wants to fight. They don’t care whether they win or not, they just have to be emotionally involved in fighting Donald Trump. And the result is going to be [that] the country’s watching,” Gingrich told host Larry Kudlow. “The country is against closing the government. The country is against raising spending. So the Democrats adopted a two-no strategy. They wanna close the government in order to get more spending. That’s a double negative. It’s not easy to design a strategy where you’re wrong on both sides.”
3. Gingrich Argues Democrats Lack A Moral Rationale For Shutdowns
Appearing on “The Faulkner Focus,” Gingrich said shutdowns only succeed politically when tied to a moral argument that resonates beyond party loyalists. He argued Democrats failed to articulate such a purpose.
Gingrich again zeroed in on what he called a “double negative” approach that alienated voters who oppose both shutdowns and higher spending. His critique treated the episode as a failure of strategic framing, not tactical execution. (RELATED: ‘Total Flop’: Dem Guest Rips His Party Over Shutdown Livestream Fail)
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“I think the key to a shutdown is to have a moral purpose large enough that the country rallies to you,” Gingrich told Harris Faulkner. “That’s where I think the Democrats made a mistake. We have a project called America’s New Majority Project. We tested: People have two attitudes: One, don’t shut the government; Two, don’t raise spending. They’re very strongly against more spending. So what does Schumer do? He shuts the government in order to raise spending. That’s a double negative. It is not easy to have a double negative strategy that hurts you on both fronts.”
4. Gingrich Brushes Off Blinken’s Claim On Israel-Hamas Policy
Gingrich dismissed former President Joe Biden’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken attempting to tie themselves to a Trump-era breakthrough in the Middle East. Gingrich dismissed the claim as political noise rather than a serious policy argument.
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Gingrich responded to Blinken’s comments about the Trump-era Middle East plan by questioning his understanding of the events.
“Well, it doesn’t make me bristle. Look, the entire Democratic left wing is out of touch with reality and verges on crazy. Blinken is part of that group. Why would you think that he has any realistic sense of what happened?” Gingrich asked.
5. Gingrich Says GOP’s Biggest Weakness Is Messaging Discipline
On “Hannity,” Gingrich said that Republicans often lose political battles they are substantively winning because they fail to repeat clear, simple arguments. He described communication, not policy, as the party’s chronic weakness.
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Gingrich urged Republicans to internalize their strongest points and deliver them relentlessly, particularly during shutdown fights. Gingrich argued messaging should drive strategy, not be treated as an afterthought.
“The number one thing for Republicans to remember is that other than [former President Ronald] Reagan, who was a former Democrat, and [President Donald] Trump, who’s a former Democrat, Republicans generally don’t communicate very well. We have the arguments,” Gingrich said.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/Fox News/”Hannity”)
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