THE SUCCESSOR
The GOP’s Hidden Plan for a Post-Trump America
THE SUCCESSOR
The GOP’s Hidden Plan for a Post-Trump America
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #653: Friday, November 21st, 2025.
Author’s note:
This is the article that went out to paid subscribers only on Wednesday the 19th of November. I am re-posting, now…for all subscribers.
READ THIS IN A QUIET ROOM.
What I’m about to walk you through is not a prediction.
It’s not a rumor.
It’s not the kind of barstool chatter you hear from political junkies or Twitter addicts.
This is the architecture of the operation…the GOP has already begun.
It is the calm…organized…behind-the-scenes succession plan the Republican power structure has been forced to build…
…because their king is becoming too radioactive to protect.
And while the public is still distracted by Trump’s meltdowns…feuds…rallies…rants…polls…posts…and attacks…
…the real power players in the Republican ecosystem…donors…strategists…media executives…and legal shields…are quietly doing what authoritarian movements always do…when their leader becomes more expensive to defend than to discard:
They pick a successor.
They build the escape hatch.
They prepare to feed the king to the wolves.
Today…for the first time…I’m giving you the name.
Not a theory.
Not a meme.
Not an easy guess.
The actual figure the GOP is grooming in the shadows.
And once you understand who it is…and why it’s him…every strange headline of the last three months…will snap into place like a rifle bolt.
So let’s start with the foundational rule.
The rule every authoritarian movement lives by…whether they admit it or not:
RULE #1: Authoritarian Movements Always Prepare A Successor
Trump isn’t stupid.
Dangerous? Yes.
Chaotic? Extremely.
Narcissistic? Pathologically.
But stupid?
No.
He knows what’s coming.
He can smell the shift in the air.
He can feel the tremors under his feet.
He knows the party that once worshipped him…is quietly…carefully…systematically preparing the conditions…under which they can walk away from him…and survive.
But here’s what the base doesn’t know:
The GOP already has their replacement identified.
Already vetted.
Already modeled.
Already tested.
Already tentatively approved by the only three groups that matter:
donors…operatives…and Fox News.
And the moment Trump becomes politically irrecoverable…
whether because of a scandal…a collapse…a file…a leak…or a catalyst event…
…their successor will already be standing in the wings…polished…rehearsed…and wrapped in a donor-friendly bow.
So let’s talk about who it is.
And why he’s far more strategically dangerous than Trump ever was.
The BIG Reveal: The Successor Is Glenn Youngkin
Yes.
Him.
The tall…polished…khaki-friendly…investor-class golden boy…from Virginia.
The man who looks like he was grown in a laboratory to be inoffensive.
The smiling assassin…who blends suburban moderation…with culture-war extremism… in the exact proportion required…to seduce swing voters…while still feeding red meat to the MAGA faithful.
But here’s the real kicker:
Youngkin is not Trump without the chaos.
He’s Trumpism refined.
Trumpism professionalized.
Trumpism sanitized.
He represents the idealized version of the MAGA movement…
the one Republican strategists wished Trump could be:
Authoritarian without the sloppiness
Extreme without the scandals
Hard-right but soft-spoken
Ideological but not insane
Loyal to donors…not to vengeance
Dangerous… but in a suit and tie…not a gold-plated tracksuit
He’s the “respectable authoritarian.”
The brand-safe strongman.
The white-collar version of the red-hatted id.
And if Trump falls…collapses…or gets buried in the avalanche the GOP is already preparing…
Fox News…the donor class…and the RNC…can roll Youngkin out in under 48 hours.
Let me show you the seven reasons why they chose him.
1. Donors Trust Him.
This is where everything begins.
Republican donors love Trump’s tax cuts.
They love his deregulation.
They love his judicial pipeline.
But they hate his unpredictability.
They hate the instability.
They hate the risk.
Youngkin is the anti-risk candidate.
Former Carlyle Group executive.
Translation:
He speaks fluent billionaire.
He understands institutional money.
He knows how to stabilize markets.
He won’t wake up one morning…and tank the stock market because he’s angry at a celebrity.
To donors…Youngkin is the perfect guard dog:
He’ll protect their money
He’ll protect their tax cuts
He’ll protect their deregulation
And he won’t blow himself up on live TV
Donors don’t want charisma.
They want control.
Youngkin…is controllable.
2. FOX NEWS Loves Him…And They’ve Already Tested Him
This part matters more than almost anyone realizes.
Fox does not randomly elevate people.
They test.
They measure.
They probe.
They check viewer retention.
Pay attention to who gets:
Softball segments
“Future leader” framing
Prime-time invitations
Friendly panel coverage
Polished narrative introductions
Youngkin has been quietly getting this treatment for a year.
Not in obvious ways.
Not in front-page blasts.
But in the subtle…incremental…strategic “testing zones” Fox uses to groom future stars.
He performs well with:
suburban moderates
wealthy retirees
right-leaning independents
educated conservatives
GOP women
and MAGA voters who are tired of chaos but not tired of culture war
That’s the holy grail.
Fox knows it.
3. He Wins Suburbs Without Losing Rural Voters
This is the single most valuable trait a GOP candidate can have in modern politics.
Trump loses the suburbs.
DeSantis loses the suburbs.
Vance hemorrhages them.
Abbott is radioactive outside Texas.
But Youngkin?
He walks into the suburbs like a golden retriever in a polo shirt and people relax.
This freaks Democrats out and delights donors.
He is the first Republican since before 2016 who can:
appeal to moms
appeal to college-educated whites
appeal to moderate men
appeal to older independents
…while still feeding rural conservatives the culture-war red meat they require.
He’s the bridge.
Trump was the wrecking ball.
Youngkin is the salesman.
4. He Carries MAGA Themes Without MAGA Baggage
This is the part that makes him dangerous.
Youngkin pushes:
anti-trans laws
book-banning rhetoric
anti-public education crusades
election restrictions
Christian nationalist dog whistles
anti-woke crusades
corporate capture
extremist school-board takeovers
But he does it with a smile.
He packages authoritarian policy in “parental choice” language.
He disguises extremism as “community values.”
He masks culture war with khakis and fleece vests.
He’s a wolf in Vineyard Vines.
Republicans believe…correctly…that Youngkin can get away with pushing the same agenda as Trump…
…but without terrifying the moderates they need to win.
5. He’s A Blank Slate…And That Makes Him Lethal
Trump is a known quantity.
His weaknesses are baked in.
But Youngkin?
He’s undefined to most Americans.
That gives GOP strategists a blank canvas to paint whatever character they need him to be:
The unifier
The businessman outsider
The “normal” Republican
The suburban dad
The stable conservative
The future of the party
Blank-slate candidates…are the most dangerous…because people project what they want onto them.
Youngkin can be anything to anyone.
And that deeply concerns me.
6. He Is Authoritarian-Friendly...Just More Polished About It
Let’s be blunt:
Youngkin governs like a smiling authoritarian.
Not the loud, ranting…carnival-barker kind.
The corporate…polite…boardroom kind.
He advances:
voter restrictions
surveillance-friendly policies
school censorship
state power over local boards
culture-war crackdowns
judicial alignment
He does it quietly.
Efficiently.
With donor approval.
He’s the authoritarian the Wall Street crowd…wished Trump had been.
And that’s exactly why he’s their successor.
7. Donors, Operatives, And FOX See Him As The Post-Trump Bridge
This is the core of the plan.
The GOP knows their movement cannot survive without Trump’s base.
But they also know their movement cannot exist with a leader as unstable and self-destructive as Trump.
Enter Youngkin:
Acceptable to MAGA
Acceptable to donors
Acceptable to Fox
Acceptable to suburban moderates
Acceptable to the party establishment
He’s the only person who satisfies all factions…without triggering war.
That’s why he’s the chosen successor.
Not because he’s brilliant.
Not because he’s charismatic.
Not because he’s powerful.
But because he’s…useful.
Authoritarian movements…don’t crown leaders based on strength.
They crown leaders based on utility.
The Plan: How They’ll Roll Him Out If The Avalanche Takes Trump
If Trump collapses…legally…politically…or psychologically…the GOP’s succession plan kicks in immediately.
Here’s what it looks like behind the curtain:
1. Donors freeze Trump instantly.
No money.
No oxygen.
No lifeline.
2. Fox pivots to a “future of the party” narrative.
Soft.
Earnest.
Patriotic.
Suburban-friendly.
You’ll see Youngkin sitting comfortably on prime-time couches within 48 hours.
3. GOP leaders begin issuing statements about “stability”and “unity.”
This is how they justify the pivot.
4. Operatives start pushing coordinated messaging: “It’s time for new leadership.”
This is the real kill shot.
5. Youngkin is elevated as the calm…reasonable…safe alternative.
He’ll appear moderate.
He’ll appear steady.
He’ll appear like the “antidote” to chaos.
But underneath the performance is the same authoritarian project…
just dressed in a fleece vest instead of a spray tan.
The Truth Democrats Must Understand …Youngkin Is More Dangerous Than Trump
Trump is a blunt instrument.
Youngkin is a scalpel.
Trump mobilizes chaos.
Youngkin mobilizes compliance.
Trump incites rebellion.
Youngkin manufactures consent.
Trump destroys institutions.
Youngkin repurposes them.
Trump relies on rage.
Youngkin relies on branding.
Trump is the explosion.
Youngkin is the quiet takeover.
Which one is more dangerous?
You already know the answer.
This Is The Moment To Pay Attention
We are living in the early stages of the GOP’s succession plan.
The headlines are shifting.
The operatives are whispering.
The donors are moving.
The media is testing.
The king is wobbling.
And the successor is waiting in the wings.
This is what authoritarian movements do.
They protect the project…not the person.
And if Trump falls…collapses…or detonates under the weight of his own scandals…
Glenn Youngkin will not be a surprise.
He will be the plan.
And you’ll be ready…
because you’re not watching this through the eyes of the uninformed public.
You’re inside the briefing room.
You’re in the inner circle.
You see the machinery for what it is.
Stay sharp.
Stay loud.
Stay ready.
Because the avalanche…is coming.
And One Last Thing Before We Close:
I’m not pretending to be a prophet…but I am telling you this as plainly as I can:
When you follow the real signals…Glenn Youngkin isn’t just a “possibility.” He’s the logical endpoint of the GOP’s internal incentives.
He’s the only figure who checks every box the power brokers care about: donor-safe…scandal-light…Fox-approved…suburban-friendly…MAGA-adjacent…and disciplined enough to carry the authoritarian project without the chaos Trump drags behind him.
Does that guarantee he’ll be the final pick? Nothing in politics is ever 100%.
But if you strip away the noise…and look strictly at the machinery…the donor behavior… the media calibration…the quiet operative chatter…the strategic positioning happening right now in late 2025…the path keeps pointing to the same name.
Youngkin isn’t just in the running. He’s the one the system is quietly preparing for.
The Skeptic Files: 20 Objections & Why They Collapse Under the Pattern
1.
Skeptic: Youngkin has zero charisma. MAGA will never rally behind a hedge-fund dad in a fleece vest.
Reply: That’s exactly why he’s viable. They don’t want another fire-breather…they want someone who can quietly execute the authoritarian agenda without drawing the heat Trump draws. A monster in a cardigan…is harder to galvanize opposition against.
2.
Skeptic: Nobody even knows who Youngkin is outside Virginia.
Reply: Perfect. Blank slates are highly engineerable. The machine…hates candidates with long public footprints…they want someone they can script…from scratch.
3.
Skeptic: The base will revolt if donors choose the candidate.
Reply: They always say that…right until Fox…Turning Point…and the big influencer accounts…start singing the same chorus. The base…chooses from the menu they’re handed.
4.
Skeptic: He tried distancing himself from Trump. MAGA never forgives that.
Reply: Donors prefer it. They need someone…who can inherit the movement…without inheriting the legal liabilities. Proximity…without contamination.
5.
Skeptic: He’s too soft. The base wants blood.
Reply: You’re confusing aesthetic with intention. The most dangerous authoritarians… are the polite ones…the ones who don’t trigger instinctive resistance. A velvet glove… hides a sharper fist.
6.
Skeptic: Fox won’t get behind someone with no headline pull.
Reply: They don’t want headline pull next…they want advertiser safety…narrative control…and deniability. Cable execs are tired of being dragged into court over Trump’s chaos.
7.
Skeptic: He’s too moderate for where the GOP is now.
Reply: “Moderate” is just packaging. The agenda stays the same…they’re upgrading from Molotov cocktails…to fine china…to calm suburban voters.
8.
Skeptic: Thiel and Musk can’t force charisma. You can’t manufacture a personality.
Reply: They don’t need charisma…they need compliance. They want a front-facing instrument…not a god-emperor.
9.
Skeptic: He couldn’t flip Virginia red. How’s he winning nationally?
Reply: This isn’t about Virginia…it’s about donor confidence… elite strategic alignment…and test-marketed palatability. He polls well with exactly the voter blocs Trump bleeds out.
10.
Skeptic: Nobody in the base even knows his name.
Reply: That’s strength…not weakness. Low name recognition means low built-in resistance….and a wide runway to shape perception fast.
11.
Skeptic: MAGA only wants Trump. They won’t transfer loyalty.
Reply: They will if the transfer is framed as loyalty to the movement…not the man. All it takes is the right crisis + the right messaging: “He’s the only one who can finish what Trump started.”
12.
Skeptic: The base sees anyone polished as a sellout.
Reply: When the base is exhausted…scared…and afraid of losing power…they don’t demand purity…they demand a savior. Polished suddenly becomes “stable.”
13.
Skeptic: Youngkin doesn’t have the stomach for authoritarian tactics.
Reply: You don’t have to look like a strongman to sign strongman policies. Authoritarianism is paperwork…more often than it’s rallies.
14.
Skeptic: He’s not ruthless enough.
Reply: Look at his record…quietly stripping voting access….and pushing extremist policies behind a country-club smile. His ruthlessness is silent…not theatrical.
15.
Skeptic: The GOP needs someone with “fighter energy,” not a corporate manager.
Reply: They needed a fighter to break in the door. Now they need a manager…to run the building once it’s captured. Trump was phase one. Youngkin is phase two.
16.
Skeptic: He’s too safe. The base wants chaos.
Reply: Chaos was a recruitment tool. Stability is a consolidation tool. Once power is within reach…chaos becomes a liability.
17.
Skeptic: Voters want authenticity. Youngkin feels manufactured.
Reply: Manufactured is exactly what the machine wants…they prefer candidates whose brand can be customized on demand.
18.
Skeptic: He doesn’t have a cult personality. No one worships him.
Reply: Good. Cults die with their leader. Movements thrive when leadership feels interchangeable. The machine wants durability…not devotion.
19.
Skeptic: Trump would never endorse him.
Reply: If Trump collapses because of a scandal…the party simply frames Youngkin as “the one Trump would’ve chosen to carry the torch.” Endorsement becomes irrelevant once the king is eaten.
20.
Skeptic: This just feels like the media trying to invent a candidate.
Reply: That’s because it is early narrative shaping is how the machine warms up the public. Manufactured inevitability is a strategy…not a coincidence.
Something Very Important
Before you go, I want to ask you for something real…something small…but powerful enough to shift the arc of what we’re building here.
If this analysis hit you…
If it clarified something for you…
If it made the picture snap into focus…
…then invite two people you trust into the Inner Circle.
Two people who get it.
Two people who won’t laugh this moment off.
Two people who want to stay awake…aware…and prepared for what’s coming.
That’s how this movement grows…not with algorithms or luck…but with human connection…one reader handing the signal to another.
The more sharp…resilient…dialed-in people we bring into this space…the stronger we all get…and the more reach JHN has when the next flashpoint hits.
So take 20 seconds.
Send this to two people…you’d want standing next to you…when the avalanche comes.
Let’s keep expanding this circle…together.
I’ll be back soon…and by now…you know that.
-Jack
P.S.
If you’re reading this as a paid subscriber…I want you to hear this clearly: you are the backbone of this entire operation.
You’re the reason I can go deeper…speak sharper…and write some of the pieces that can’t be posted publicly.
You’re the signal in a world full of noise. And every time you open one of these briefings…you strengthen the community that’s keeping people informed…resilient…and ready.
I’m grateful you’re here…and you should feel damn good about being part of the Inner Circle.
-Jack