Is Dr. Phil a Republican?

Since Donald Trump sat down for an interview with Phil McGraw, aka Dr. Phil, on Dr. Phil Primetime, some wondered whether McGraw might be a Republican. McGraw’s Trump Q&A was called “fawning” in the press, but does that mean he’ll vote Trump in November?

Nothing in McGraw’s June 6 Mar-a-Lago Trump interview indicated whether or not he might be a registered Republican, although he praised Trump’s “thick skin” and said, “You’re not one of those people that’s afflicted with the need to be loved by strangers.” He also clarified that his decision to interview Trump was not an endorsement, and he said he’d like to interview President Biden and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., running as an independent.

McGraw did parrot GOP talking points

Dr. Phil McGraw’s wish to give President Biden and RFK Jr. equal air time suggests at the very least, if he is a Republican, he’s a moderate. McGraw was born in Oklahoma and has lived in Texas, both predominately Republican states, so there’s a good chance he’s a GOP supporter, but that’s just speculation. What is certain is that after Trump’s Dr. Phil appearance, which The Daily Beast called a “softball” interview, McGraw repeated many GOP talking points, especially the “weaponization” of the justice system, referring to Trump’s ongoing court cases at both the state (NY) and Federal level.

McGraw also criticized Trump’s recent hush money trial speaking with CNN and generally failed to push back much on Trump’s unusual statements about “evil forces” controlling Biden and Trump’s pledge to “get revenge” on his opponents if reelected. When CNN’s Abby Phillip asked McGraw if he thought Trump would seek “retribution,” McGraw said, “I actually don’t think he will.”

McGraw has said all elections are important

In the past, Dr. Phil McGraw has spoken out about the importance of voting in any election, so regardless of his potential party affiliation, he seems to respect democracy, which is more than can be said for some GOP members these days. “Some people think when you go to the voting booth that it’s just president that’s important. You need to vote from the bottom up. You need to go all the way down that ballot and vote for, in an informed way, for the local politicians, because those are the ones who affect your life,” McGraw said in a 2022 digital exclusive video.