Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently presented a guest online lecture, “The Trump Presidential Transition: What is New and What is Not,” for the American Studies Program at the University of Warsaw, Poland. Dr. Farnsworth served as a 2024 Fulbright Distinguished Scholar at the University of Warsaw.

In addition, recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:

Virginia special election could decide control in Richmond (NBC Washington)
“The odds are that we are looking at a status quo set of special elections,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/virginia-special-election-could-decide-control-in-richmond/3807999/

2025 Virginia Legislative Preview (Commentary, FXBG Advance)
If you like legislative gridlock, then you have come to the right place, Virginia.
https://www.fxbgadvance.com/p/2025-virginia-legislative-preview?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true

Young generations honor late President Jimmy Carter’s influence and leadership (WJLA)
“He saw a partner in the District. He sent his daughter Amy to public school, something that presidents do not do - other than Jimmy Carter in recent decades. You see, of course, with Jimmy Carter, he worshipped at local churches. He was very much connected to the community at a time that was really, really, important for the District during the rise of home rule,” Farnsworth said.
https://wjla.com/news/local/thousands-come-out-for-second-night-to-pay-tribute-to-president-carter-thousands-turn-out-to-honor-president-jimmy-carter-late-tribute-funeral-procession-us-capitol-security-presidential-mourning-national-day-travelers-washington-dc-capitol-hill-natio

Start of Virginia’s General Assembly session delayed because of Richmond water outage (Virginia Pilot)
“The big uncertainty going into the election today is the weather,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “Will people get out and turn out in sufficient numbers today to match previous special elections in January? My guess is that won’t be the case.”
https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/01/07/start-of-virginias-general-assembly-session-delayed-because-of-richmond-water-outage/?share=sseowty2allawassegse

Trump doubles down on threats of U.S. control in Greenland as son visits country (Global News Canada)
“There has been a pattern throughout Donald Trump’s career in politics and his business to ask for very extreme things in the hope that something less unreasonable will be part of an eventual compromise,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://globalnews.ca/video/10947886/trump-doubles-down-on-threats-of-u-s-control-in-greenland-as-son-visits-country/

Virginia special elections suggest no major political shift since November (Roll Call)
“You’re not looking at races that one would describe as swing districts or representative of larger trends in the commonwealth, much less nationally,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science and international affairs professor at the University of Mary Washington. “At most, you could say that the partisan divisions of November continue to exist in January.” https://rollcall.com/2025/01/08/virginia-special-elections/

VIDEO: Elon Musk and Donald Trump: Will the bromance last? (ABC Australia TV)

“It seems to me that this Donald Trump, Elon Musk romance is not destined to be for a long term commitment on either side,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-07/elon-musk-and-donald-trump-will-the-bromance-last/104793578

U.S. House Passes Government Funding Bill (CTV News Canada)
“This was a big defeat for the president-elect,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “He engaged in this question to get an extension of the debt ceiling, and he wasn’t able to get it. He wasn’t able to get it in fact because a significant number of Republicans, members of Trump’s own party, said they weren’t going to go along with it.” https://review.bellmedia.ca/view/1373185395

Trump reveals who he wants to replace Justin Trudeau: ‘It would be so much fun to watch’ (Daily Mail, UK)
“Canada is not going to become part of the United States, but Trump’s comments are more about leveraging what he says to get concessions from Canada by putting Canada off balance, particularly given the precarious current political environment in Canada,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14226387/donald-trump-candidate-replace-justin-trudeau-canada-wayne-gretzky.html

Women lead the way in Trump’s second administration (Washington Times)
“One of the challenges that Trump’s press secretaries always have is the conviction that Donald Trump has that he’s the best messenger anyway, and so he tends to manage the public relations aspect of his presidency to a much greater degree than other presidents have,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a politics professor at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/dec/26/women-lead-way-donald-trump-second-administration/

America Pays Tribute to President Carter (CTV News Canada)
If you think about the former president’s life after he left the Oval Office, you saw a commitment that was extraordinary,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “Most former presidents, they write books, they become consultants, and they figure out ways to give very profitable speaking tours. Jimmy Carter in contrast was focused on eradicating diseases, to building houses and to promoting human rights from start to finish of his political. It’s extraordinary record, one deserving of a great deal of respect.”
https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=3056951

Trump has two years to cause real chaos and harm and only these people will be able to stop him (The Independent, UK)
Senator Marco Rubio is also someone who would be seen as credible on the international stage, says Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. “I’d make the same argument about the treasury secretary designate [hedge fund manager Scott Bessent] who is somebody with a long career in Wall Street, somebody who has been very, very successful in business and economics, and somebody who would be seen as very credible in the financial community. So when you’re looking at Trump’s picks, they’re not all monochromatic, blind loyalists.” https://www.the-independent.com/us/usa-trump-hegseth-rfk-musk-b2669070.html