Randy Fertel says Trump’s improvisation will be tested in 2026 midterms

Scholar and former Harvard instructor Randy Fertel is offering media commentary on Donald Trump’s improvisational political style as the 2026 midterm cycle enters its final stretch. Fertel argues Trump’s instincts remain powerful but may be becoming less strategic, with consequences that could shape politics, culture and policy well beyond Election Day.

Why it matters: - Randy Fertel says Donald Trump’s ability to turn bad situations into political advantage remains a major force in U.S. politics. - Fertel argues the style still shapes Congress, the media and public attention, even as the 2026 midterm cycle nears its end. - Fertel says the stakes extend beyond who controls the next Congress and could affect the U.S. political, social and economic landscape well past 2028.

What happened: - Randy Fertel, an author, commentator and former Harvard University instructor, is available to worldwide media outlets for commentary and interviews this election season. - Fertel is framing Trump’s political behavior as improvisational, but increasingly driven by less disciplined instinct. - Fertel made the comments in New York on Sept. 10, 2026.

The details: - Fertel says Trump still has a strong instinct for off-the-cuff but coordinated messaging. - Fertel also says that strategic skill is being replaced by more jagged instinct and rash impulse. - In Fertel’s view, Trump is “still winging it,” but with less thinking and more “vicious lashing out.” - Fertel says Trump uses distractions and “shiny objects” to pull attention away from core issues. - Fertel cites “Lake America” as one example of a distraction tactic. - Fertel also points to gas and grocery prices and the long-term effects of another Middle East war as issues Trump may try to obscure. - Fertel’s latest Substack post focuses on Trump’s newest “Air Force One,” which he also calls the “Qatari 747.” - Fertel says the plane is a modern-day “Trojan Horse.” - Fertel says the aircraft suffered a mechanical mishap before a scheduled takeoff from Joint Base Andrews. - Fertel compares Trump to a trickster figure and links that idea to Homer’s Odysseus and the Trojan Horse legend. - In a Substack post, Fertel wrote: “When you’re an improviser — as Trump is — there are no mistakes.” - Fertel added that the failed flight became “just another handy glittery object” that can redirect attention. - Fertel’s book, Winging It: Improv’s Power and Peril in the Age of Trump, explores improv as both a strength and a risk in politics and culture. - Fertel says his research examines Trump’s methods across the MAGA movement, both presidencies and broader public discourse.

Between the lines: - Fertel is presenting Trump not just as a political operator, but as a cultural force whose style may matter as much as his policy agenda. - The argument is less about conventional campaign strategy and more about attention management, disruption and control of the news cycle. - Fertel’s framing suggests Trump’s improvisation works best when it appears spontaneous but is still coordinated enough to steer public focus. - The release also uses literary and historical analogies to elevate Trump’s behavior into a longer argument about power, myth and rhetoric.

What’s next: - Fertel says he will continue offering commentary and interviews through the final weeks of the 2026 campaign season. - Fertel expects the methods he studies to remain influential in U.S. politics beyond the midterms. - Blue Highway Advisory is handling interview requests and immediate comment for Fertel.

The bottom line: - Fertel’s core message is simple: Trump’s improvisational style still works, but its limits may be showing as the 2026 midterms approach.