Dr. Phil McGraw in Hollywood, California on May 13, 2013

In the past, Dr. Phil McGraw — whose alliance with Oprah Winfrey made him a daytime media star — embraced a traditional style of Reagan/Goldwater conservatism. McGraw was a strong supporter of former President George W. Bush during the 2000s, but he was happy to have a polite conversation with liberals and progressives who disagreed with him.

More recently, however, McGraw has allied himself with pro-Donald Trump MAGA media. And journalist Nitish Pahwa, in an article published by Slate on October 14, argues his recent "culture war" moves are not serving him well.

"Since the start of President Donald Trump's second term," Pahwa explains, "the ex-psychologist has stationed himself within the White House's content-creation apparatus, as both a firsthand witness to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and as a sneering critic of the Americans protesting Israel's mass bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Unlike fellow Oprah-endorsed TV personality Mehmet Oz, McGraw doesn't have a Cabinet position, but he's been an active, ever-present volunteer for the chief executive: attending (Health and Human Services Secretary) RFK Jr.'s swearing-in, brokering the partnership between ICE and New York City's mayor, leading the White House's new Religious Liberty Commission, appearing with the president after the devastating Texas flooding."

Pahwa adds, "It feels less like public service than a promotional gambit for McGraw, who's been spotlighting such events and government friends on Dr. Phil Primetime, which is broadcast on his self-helmed right-wing network, Merit TV."

But according to Pahwa, the "little-viewed Merit Street Media" now finds itself "locked in bankruptcy proceedings" and an "expensive legal battle with its distributor, Trinity Broadcasting Network, as McGraw attempts to launch yet another media startup, Envoy."

"Not even six months into its life span," Pahwa observes, "Merit Street was already looking chaotic behind the scenes and earning a less-than-stellar reputation: The notoriously conservative Sinclair Broadcasting Group soon axed the Tennis Channel’s longtime chairman and CEO, Ken Solomon, explicitly because of his simultaneous involvement with Merit Street as board member and adviser. McGraw pressed on over the fracas, even shouting out Merit Street during his fawning address at Trump’s infamous Madison Square Garden rally."

Pahwa notes that the British media outlet UnHerd as saying that "Dr. Phil’s reinvention as a culture warrior isn't working." And his media empire, the Slate journalist says, is suffering a "collapse."

"McGraw decries politics in one breath, then repeatedly pops up at the White House and films videos about 'cowardly democrats' who 'spit in the face of all Texans,'" Pahwa observes. "How's that workin' out for ya?"

Read Nitish Pahwa's full article for Slate at this link.