Defending Democracy with Marc Elias

When Hungary's Viktor Orban lost his recent election, he accepted the result. When Donald Trump loses, he cries foul — and his base is trained to follow.

In this video, Marc covers why Republicans are all incentivized to deny election results, what lessons we should learn from Orban's defeat, and how we can form a resilient opposition movement to defeat Trump in 2026 and beyond.

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00:00 Orban vs Trump — Key Differences Explained
01:08 Why MAGA Looks to Viktor Orban
01:53 Orban’s Stunning Election Loss & Landslide Defeat
03:01 The Concession: What Orban Did That Trump Won’t
04:10 Lessons from Hungary: Coalition Building Wins
05:20 Why Democrats Must Unite Against Authoritarianism
07:18 Media Matters: The Role of Independent Journalism
08:28 The Dangerous Myth: “Winning Big Guarantees Democracy”
10:09 Trump’s Movement & Election Denialism Explained
15:53 Why Trump Will Never Concede an Election
19:27 2026 Warning: What Could Happen Next & How to Prepare
27:40 What the U.S. Must Learn from Hungary

Sen. Chris Van Hollen joins Marc Elias to discuss Donald Trump's unauthorized war with Iran, the politicization of the Department of Justice, and Republican efforts to restrict voting access through the SAVE Act. Van Hollen breaks down how Congress is fighting back — from war powers resolutions to the 2026 elections — and explains why the pressure from voters is finally starting to matter.

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00:00 Today's Guest: Sen. Chris Van Hollen
00:42 What Can Be Done to Stop Trump’s War Powers?
03:14 How Is This Different From the Iraq War?
05:37 What Can We Learn From Standing Up to Trump?
10:40 Can Individual Action Still Make a Difference?
13:08 Is There Real Hope for Political Change?
18:25 Should Democrats Focus on Democracy or the Economy?
20:23 How Serious Are Threats to Elections?
27:34 Why Are Republicans Pursuing Unpopular Policies?
30:44 Is the DOJ Being Weaponized—and What Comes Next?

Donald Trump has installed his former criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche as the new acting Attorney General. In this episode, Marc Elias breaks down who Todd Blanche is, why he's so dangerous, and what this means for the midterm elections.

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00:00 Criminal Defense vs. Prosecutors Explained
01:13 What Justice Should Look Like in America
02:55 How Trump Reshaped the Department of Justice
04:08 Pam Bondi vs. Todd Blanche: Key Differences
06:00 Who Is Todd Blanche? Trump’s Top Lawyer
08:09 Inside Trump’s DOJ “Fraud Unit” Strategy
11:12 Todd Blanche Press Conference Breakdown
14:41 Are Political Prosecutions Already Happening?
20:04 Mass Firings at DOJ and FBI Explained
26:07 White House Control, Elections, and What’s Coming

Marc Elias is suing Donald Trump to stop his unconstitutional executive order creating a national citizen list. In this video, Marc breaks down this dangerous overreach of executive power, and reviews his history of fighting for free and fair elections.

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00:00 Trump & Threats to Elections
02:10 My History Fighting Trump in Court
04:00 The Ongoing Battle Over Voting Rights
06:05 DOJ Lawsuits & Push for Voter Data
09:08 The “No National Database” Claim
10:21 What Trump Is Building Behind the Scenes
12:32 Executive Order Strategy Explained
14:10 Lawsuits to Stop the Executive Order
19:29 How the Plan Impacts Voting & Mail Ballots
23:07 Criminalization, Enforcement & Federal Pressure
29:20 Bigger Risks, Future Escalation & Final Thoughts

Senator Alex Padilla joins Marc Elias to discuss Trump's "flat out unconstitutional" executive order demanding that the Department of Homeland Security make a list of citizens. It gets worse: Only those on that list will receive mail-in ballots.

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00:00 Welcome Today’s Guest: Alex Padilla
00:37 State of the SAVE Act & Senate Standoff
01:58 How Democrats Are Blocking the Bill Daily
03:12 Can Republicans Bypass the Filibuster?
05:08 Lawsuits, Media Coverage & Florida’s Version of the Bill
06:30 Why Republicans Target California
10:01 Breaking Down Donald Trump’s Executive Order on Elections
12:28 Where Are Congressional Republicans?
15:00 Padilla Reflects on Being Physically Confronted by Federal Forces
18:22 ICE Expansion, Detention Conditions & Oversight Battles
21:27 California Ballot Seizure Controversy & Election Threats