“Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan has voiced concerns that the political landscape in the United States, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, is eroding the rule of law. During an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Sheridan argued that Democrats’ rejection of Donald Trump’s legitimacy as president in both his terms has created a dangerous precedent.
Sheridan suggested that this defiance, extending from institutional leaders to public sentiment, has weakened faith in established institutions. He noted that the post-COVID era exacerbated this crisis of legitimacy across various sectors, including government, media, and pharmaceutical companies, which he believes were manipulated for political gain.
“I think in 30 years when they look back, like — we are still suffering from a society from COVID like still, and not so much from the disease itself, but from our faith in the institutions around us,” Sheridan stated. He added that when tactics proving effective in gaining power are repeated, they become the norm until they are no longer effective.
Sheridan drew a parallel to military strategies aimed at winning “hearts and minds,” suggesting that while such approaches might have succeeded in specific historical contexts like post-WWII Japan, they have proven ineffective in other instances, particularly in internal conflicts.
“So our government, and it’s so dangerous what we’re seeing,” Sheridan lamented. He elaborated that while individuals may like or dislike a president, openly defying federal laws based on personal opposition to the leader establishes a new, perilous normal. "People are going to like presidents and dislike presidents, but now defying the rule of law because he happens to be the head of the federal government and openly defying the federal government. The repercussions of that are going to be, ‘Okay, fine. You can’t stand this man. You think he’s a terrible president, and you’re not going to follow his laws. But that’s the new normal now.’"
Sheridan warned that this precedent would inevitably lead to reciprocal defiance when a president from the opposing side takes office. “So when a president gets in that you do support, then the other side, because we’ve established this precedent, they’re just not going to follow his laws either,” he cautioned. “And now we’ve eroded the rule of law, and then what happens?”
Rogan echoed these sentiments, describing the situation as “slippery.” He commented on the normalization of militarized police in public life, suggesting it could be leveraged by the far-left when they regain power. Rogan also touched upon mass deportations, questioning the methods while acknowledging the rapid influx of undocumented immigrants, noting that swift removals might be the only viable answer, but still setting a concerning precedent.
“It’s slippery. It is slippery. And again, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” Sheridan concluded. He criticized elected officials for focusing on short-term electoral gains rather than the long-term consequences of their actions, suggesting that while such behavior may have always existed, it is now more openly displayed.