Fox Business host Larry Kudlow, who served as Director of the National Economic Council under President Donald Trump, used a late-July broadcast to publicly press Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) over what he characterized as the Republican Party's failure to deliver on policy and messaging heading into the 2026 midterms — a cycle in which the president's party has historically tended to lose ground.

The exchange, which aired on Fox Business — a network typically viewed as sympathetic to the GOP and President Donald Trump — grew heated when Kudlow bluntly accused Republican lawmakers of inaction.

"You're bumbling everything. Nothing is getting done. Your messaging is nonexistent. You've lost your swag, you're swagger, your ris — or whatever the young people say. No one knows what the heck you're doing, sir. They have no idea," Kudlow told Lankford.

Lankford pushed back, suggesting that conservative media should direct its criticism at Democrats rather than fellow Republicans. "This is part of the challenge we've got with all of our media friends who continue to beat up on Republicans and say Republicans are all the problem," the senator said. "But apparently, the socialist Democrats in New York City, they seem to be perfect. Because most conservative media right now is beating up on Republicans and just ignoring the socialists who are running rampant all over the country."

Kudlow dismissed the deflection and pressed Lankford for specifics on the Republican legislative agenda.

"Come on, come on! No one has attacked (New York City Mayor Zohran) Mamdani more than I have, for heaven's sake. That isn't the point," Kudlow said. "What is it that your policy is? Sen. Lankford, my friend, what is your policy? Where are the tax cuts? Where are the spending cuts? Where is the waste, fraud and corruption reduction? Where is all of that?... Where is the straight talk and messaging for the midterms?... Come on, senator!"

The former Trump economic adviser then broadened his critique, accusing GOP lawmakers of lacking focus and energy. Referencing both Google and Merriam-Webster definitions of the term, Kudlow said that "swag" denotes "bold or brash self-confidence" or "a cool, confident, and fashionable demeanor" — qualities he argued the party currently lacks.

"Whatever these definitions, the Republican Party right now doesn't have it. No swag. They've lost their mojo," Kudlow said. "We're not draining the swamp by getting rid of all the fraudulent and corrupt spending left by (former President) Joe Biden's big government socialism. And we're not helping middle-class folks so they won't have to pay taxes on Joe Biden's inflation. There's no growth from the GOP. There's no swamp draining from the GOP."

The segment underscores growing frustration within conservative media circles over the pace of Republican legislative achievements, even as the party controls both chambers of Congress and the White House. Republicans hold a narrow House majority where a handful of seats can determine whether legislation advances, and the party's slim margins in both chambers have at times complicated efforts to coalesce around spending-cut priorities — a dynamic that has drawn increasing scrutiny from allies who expected a more aggressive legislative pace under unified GOP control.