MSNBC Highlights — April 30

MSNBC Highlights — April 30

GOOD EVENING FROM NEW YORK. I’M CHRIS HAYES. 100 DAYS IN THE TRUMP
PRESIDENCY, THE US ECONOMY IS NOW SHRINKING
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, AND IT’S ALL DONALD TRUMP’S
FAULT. THAT MAY SOUND OVERLY SIMPLISTIC
OR UNFAIR, BUT IN THIS CASE IT’S JUST REALLY TRUE, MUCH TRUER THAN IT USUALLY IS WITH
PRESIDENTS. REMEMBER WHERE WE WERE BEFORE
ALL THIS, RIGHT? THE LAST ADMINISTRATION, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS ENORMOUS
SET OF CHALLENGES, SUPPLY DISRUPTION THAT CAME OUT OF THE WAKE OF
COVID AND THEN INFLATION AND THE WAR IN UKRAINE, WHICH SPIKED OIL PRICES, AND THEY MANAGED TO STEER THROUGH THE WHOLE
THING. INFLATION CAME DOWN AS WAGES
STAYED HIGH AND UNEMPLOYMENT NEAR RECORD LOWS. THEY ENDED UP WITH THIS KIND OF
GOLDILOCKS, NOT TOO HOT, NOT TOO COOL ECONOMY, A VERY DIFFICULT TRICK TO PULL
OFF. IT NEVER WENT INTO RECESSION, SOMETHING SO MANY PEOPLE ON TV
KEPT SAYING WAS COMING RIGHT
AROUND THE CORNER, OVER AND OVER AND OVER. AND THE UPSHOT OF ALL THIS WAS THAT JOE BIDEN HANDED DONALD TRUMP AN AMERICAN
ECONOMY THAT HAD GONE THROUGH UNBELIEVABLE
TURMOIL AND HAD EMERGED AS THE GLOBAL GROWTH LEADER. DONALD TRUMP TOOK OFFICE ON
JANUARY 20TH WITH YET ANOTHER SWEET INHERITANCE. HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, TRUMP IS, HE IS INHERITING A STRONG
ECONOMY. IT’S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, A PRESIDENT TRUMP COMES IN AND
HAS TO REBUILD A BROKEN DOWN ECONOMY IN HIS OWN WAY. THE SETUP’S GREAT, RIGHT? I MEAN, TRUMP IS INHERITING AN ECONOMY, BOTH A MARKET ECONOMY TO THE
WALL STREET ECONOMY LOOKS GREAT. OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN THAT WE’RE TALKING
EVERYTHING’S OUT. UH, THE MAIN STREET ECONOMY LOOKS
GOOD. STAY THE COURSE, FOLKS, WE HAVE THE BEST, WE’RE GONNA HAVE THE BEST
ECONOMY OF ANY INDUSTRIALIZED
COUNTRY. IF IT WERE A MOVIE, THIS ECONOMIST MAGAZINE COVER
FROM LAST OCTOBER WOULD HAVE BEEN THE KIND OF
MOVIE POSTER. AMERICA’S ECONOMY, THE ENVY OF THE WORLD. AND AGAIN, ALL DONALD TRUMP HAD TO DO WAS
JUST NOT SCREW IT UP. BUT HE’S REALLY, REALLY INTENT ON SCREWING IT UP. SO TODAY, WE GOT THIS BIG FLASHING WARNING
SIGN, WHICH IS THAT THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY CONTRACTED, MEANING IT SHRANK. THE NATION’S GDP, ALL THE GOODS AND SERVICES WE
ALL PRODUCED, THE, THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE ECONOMY, IT SHRANK IN THE FIRST QUARTER
OF THIS YEAR BY 0.1%. NOW, I SHOULD SAY IT CONTRACTED FOR SOMEWHAT WEIRD
REASONS IN TERMS OF THE TECHNICAL MEASURES OF HOW
THIS HAPPENS, HOW GDP ACCOUNTING WORKS, RIGHT? A HUGE PART OF DRIVING THIS
CONTRACTION NUMBER WAS THAT AMERICANS ACTUALLY
MASSIVELY INCREASED COUNTERINTUITIVELY OUR IMPORTS
FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. OUR TRADE DEFICITS WENT UP
BECAUSE, WHY? WELL, BECAUSE EVERYONE’S SCARED OF
HIGHER COSTS AND EMPTIER SHELLS
FROM THE TARIFFS. OK. BUT AGAIN, THAT’S NOT SOME ACT OF GOD, IT’S NOT A PANDEMIC. PEOPLE ARE BEHAVING THAT WAY
BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP HAS STARTED THIS
WILDLY DESTRUCTIVE TRADE WAR WHICH IS LIKELY TO
CONTINUE TO CAUSE ENORMOUS
AMOUNTS OF GROWTH AND JACK UP PRICES ON ALL IMPORTED GOODS
AND POSSIBLY PITCH THE ECONOMY FULLY INTO A
RECESSION. A NEW WORRY IS THAT TRUMP’S
IMPORT TAX WILL BE A NIGHTMARE
FOR CHRISTMAS. THAT’S BECAUSE SUPPLY CHAINS
TAKE A VERY LONG TIME TO
MATERIALIZE. RETAILERS ARE EVEN ORDERING
AHEAD FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, AND TOY MAKERS AND RETAILERS ARE
NOW PAUSING ORDERS FOR THE
WINTER HOLIDAYS. 90% OF AMERICA’S CHRISTMAS GOODS
COME FROM, YES, YOU GUESSED IT, CHINA, BARBIE DOLLS, THINGS LIKE THAT, CHINA. AND IF YOU’RE WAITING FOR JOLLY
OLD SAINT TRUMP TO SAVE
CHRISTMAS, LISTEN TO THIS. TO PRESIDENT XI OF CHINA. I LOOK RIGHT NOW, AND I TOLD YOU BEFORE, THEY’RE HAVING TREMENDOUS
DIFFICULTY BECAUSE THEIR
FACTORIES ARE NOT DOING BUSINESS. UH, THEY MADE $1 TRILLION WHEN WE
BUY $1 TRILLION EVEN 1 TRILLION
WON. WITH BIDEN SELLING US STUFF, MUCH OF IT WE DON’T NEED, YOU KNOW. SOMEBODY SAID, OH, THE SHELVES ARE GOING TO BE
OPEN. WELL, MAYBE THE CHILDREN WILL HAVE 2
DOLLS INSTEAD OF 30 DOLLS, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE THE 2 DOLLS WILL COST
A COUPLE OF BUCKS MORE THAN THEY
WOULD NORMALLY, BUT WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO GO OUT
OF OUR WAY. OH, THE GOLDEN TOILET GUY IS NOW
PREACHING MINIMALISM? WHO NEEDS ALL THIS STUFF? REALLY? IMAGINE IF THAT HAD BEEN DONALD
TRUMP’S 2024 CAMPAIGN MESSAGE. YOU ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH CRAP, YOU SPOILED BRATS. YOU AND YOUR KIDS ARE GONNA HAVE
TO MAKE DO WITH LESS, AND THE LESS STUFF IS GONNA BE
MORE EXPENSIVE. EVERY ECONOMIC EXPERT AND CEO
HAS BEEN WARNING HIM FOR MONTHS THAT THIS WOULD
HAPPEN, BUT HE’S NOT LISTING THEM BECAUSE HE’S LISTENING TO
HIMSELF AND HIS OWN EXPERTS LIKE
PETER NAVARRO. WHEN YOU STRIP OUT INVENTORIES AND THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE
SURGE IN IMPORTS BECAUSE OF THE
TARIFFS, YOU HAVE 3% GROWTH, SO WE REALLY LIKE UH WHERE WE’RE AT NOW. YES, IT’S TRUE. IF NOT FOR THE TARIFFS, IT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE YOU’D
BASICALLY HAVE THE BIDEN ECONOMY THAT
TRUMP INHERITED. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTS
INSTEAD THAT THE DOW IS NOW HEADED FOR ITS WORST APRIL SINCE
HERBERT HOOVER IN 1932, THE HEIGHT OF THE GREAT
DEPRESSION, THAT THE S & P 500’S PERFORMANCE
SINCE INAUGURATION DAY IS NOW
THE WORST FOR ANY PRESIDENT UP TO THIS POINT
IN DATA GOING BACK TO 1928. OF COURSE TRUMP’S SPIN IS NOT A NEW ONE. BLAME JOE BIDEN. I DON’T VIEW THE STOCK MARKET AS
THE END ALL. IT’S AN INDICATOR, BUT WHAT THE STOCK MARKET REALLY
TELLS YOU AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STOCK
MARKET IN THIS CASE IS IT SAYS
HOW BAD THE SITUATION WE INHERITED. I TOOK PLACE. THIS IS A QUARTER THAT WE LOOKED
AT TODAY, AND WE TOOK ALL OF US TOGETHER. WE CAME IN ON JANUARY 20TH. SO THIS IS BIDEN, AND YOU CAN EVEN SAY THE NEXT
QUARTER IS SORT OF BIDEN BECAUSE IT DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN
ON A DAILY OR AN HOURLY BASIS. OK, THIS QUARTER, MAYBE THE NEXT QUARTER OR TWO, THAT’LL BE BIDEN, ALTHOUGH IF THERE’S GROWTH NEXT QUARTER, I BET YOU IT WON’T BE BIDEN. IT’S SO STRANGE HOW THE STOCK
MARKET, MARKET UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS
REALLY JOE BIDEN’S, WHILE THE STOCK MARKET UNDER JOE
BIDEN WAS SOMEHOW TRUMP’S. THE BIDEN TEAM CAN SAY, WELL, IF THINGS ARE SO BAD, HOW CAN THE STOCK MARKET IS ON A
ROLL BECAUSE THEY THINK I’M
GOING TO BE ELECTED. YOU THINK THE STOCK MARKET’S
RALLYING BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK
YOU’RE GOING TO INFLATION AND THE
HORRIBLE AND THE ONLY REASON, BY THE WAY THE STOCK MARKET GOES
UP IS THAT I’M LEADING IN ALL
THE POLLS. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THE ONLY
REASON THE STOCK MARKET’S HIGH IS EVERYONE THINKS I’M
GOING TO WIN THE ELECTION. I BELIEVE THAT’S TRUE. I DON’T WANT TO SAY THIS. IT’S TOO BRAGGADO, BUT WE’LL SAY IT ANYWAY. THE TRUMP EFFECT, IT’S YOU. YOU’RE THE EFFECT. SINCE THE ELECTION, THE STOCK MARKET HAS SURGED. SO CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. THIS IS DONALD TRUMP’S ECONOMY
NOW. IT REALLY IS HIS, HE TRULY OWNS IT. THE STOCK MARKET WENT DOWN
BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID. AGAIN, THIS IS GENUINELY PRETTY RARE
FOR PRESIDENTS, RIGHT? THE PRESIDENTS GET PRAISE OR
BLAME FOR THE ECONOMY, BUT THEY DON’T AFFECT IT IN THE
TANGIBLE AND IMMEDIATE WAY THAT
DONALD TRUMP IS. DONE SO. ECONOMIC GROWTH IN AMERICA IS
NOW NEGATIVE BECAUSE OF SOLELY WHAT DONALD
TRUMP AND DONALD TRUMP ALONE
DID, NOT EVEN ANYTHING THAT CONGRESS
DID BECAUSE HE DID IT
UNILATERALLY, AND ALL HE HAD TO DO, ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS NOTHING. JUST BUILD ON THE ECONOMY HE HAD
INHERITED, AND HE CHOSE TO SQUANDER IT INSTEAD. THIS 1ST 100 DAYS OF THIS
PRESIDENCY HAVE BEEN, UH, THERE’S A LOT OF WAYS YOU COULD
CALL IT. A LOT, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING
UP WITH GOOD SIGNS, BUT THEIR OWN SPIN ON IT. I WOULD SAY IT’S BEEN A HISTORIC
DEBACLE. UM, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THAT IS
THAT THE COUNTRY IS VERY CLEARLY WIDE AWAKE TO IT, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT A SECRET. QUOTE, TRUMP APPEARS TO BE LESS POPULAR
AT THE 100 DAY MARK THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENT SINCE
THE INCEPTION OF APPROVAL
POLLING. SAYS THE FINANCIAL TIMES. HEADLINE TRUMP’S APPROVAL AT 100
DAYS LOWER THAN ANY PRESIDENT IN AT LEAST 7
DECADES. HEADLINE POLL FINDS MORE
AMERICANS GIVE TRUMP AN F THAN ANY OTHER GRADE FOR HIS 1ST
100 DAYS. THEY ASKED AMERICANS TO GRADE
HIM. MORE AMERICANS GAVE HIM AN F
THAN ANY OTHER GRADE. HEADLINE NEW POLLS REVEAL
AMERICANS, INCLUDING REPUBLICANS, LOSING FAITH IN TRUMP. AND YOU PILE ON TOP OF THAT THE
ECONOMIC JUDGMENT THAT IS POURING IN NOW IN REACTION TO TRUMP’S BIZARRE
ECONOMIC POLICY DECISIONS. DONALD TRUMP’S 1ST 100 DAYS MARK
WORST FOR US STOCK MARKET SINCE
GERALD FORD. US STOCKS HAVE UNDERPERFORMED
THE REST OF THE WORLD THIS YEAR BY THE WIDEST MARGIN IN
MORE THAN 3 DECADES AS TRUMP’S ERRATIC POLICYMAKING
SPARKS AN INVESTOR EXODUS FROM AMERICAN
ASSETS. US ECONOMY SHRINKS 0.7% IN THE
FIRST QUARTER AS TRUMP TRADE WARS
DISRUPT BUSINESSES. US ECONOMY SHRANK IN EARLY 2025
AS TRUMP TARIFFS SAPPED GROWTH. I MEAN, IT’S, IT’S BAD. I WOULD SAY IT’S AN HISTORIC
DEBACLE. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT OVER YET. WE’RE ONLY 100 DAYS IN. HOW IS HE HANDLING THIS BAD
NEWS? HOW ARE HIS POLITICAL SKILLS AT
THIS MOMENT FOR HANDLING? A POLITICAL MOMENT LIKE THIS. WELL, UH, HERE’S ANOTHER HEADLINE FOR YOU
FROM TODAY. HEADLINE TRUMP ON TARIFFS SAYS MAYBE THE CHILDREN WILL HAVE 2
DOLLS INSTEAD OF 30. HE REALLY DID SAY THIS ON CAMERA
AT THE WHITE HOUSE. I’LL SPARE YOU THE TAPE. I’LL TELL YOU THOUGH, HIS EXACT QUOTE WAS, WELL, MAYBE THE CHILDREN WILL HAVE 2
DOLLS INSTEAD OF 30 DOLLS, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE THE 2 DOLLS WILL COST
A COUPLE OF BUCKS MORE THAN THEY
WOULD NORMALLY. SO THAT’S A LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF
THE PRESIDENT’S POLITICAL SKILLS
RIGHT NOW. THAT’S HIS HIS POLITICAL
INSTINCTS, HIS, UH, HIS ABILITY TO KNOW JUST THE
RIGHT THING TO SAY IN A
DIFFICULT MOMENT. THAT’S HOW SHARP HE IS AT THIS
POINT IN HIS LIFE. HE IS HANDLING THE DISASTROUS
AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION POLLING AND HIS
PERFORMANCE THUS FAR, AND THE SELF-IMPOSED, TOTAL SELF-IMMOLATION OF THE US
ECONOMY BY TELLING AMERICA’S CHILDREN, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU HAVE TOO MANY TOYS ANYWAY. SUCK IT UP KIDS. ALSO, BUY MY CRYPTO COIN. YOU CAN MAYBE TIE IT ALL UP IN A
BOW WITH THIS NEW POLLING FROM THE
PUBLIC RELIGION RESEARCH
INSTITUTE. AXIOS GOT THE FIRST LOOK AT THIS POLLING, AND I THINK THEIR HEADLINE ON IT
SUMS IT UP WELL. MOST AMERICANS SEE TRUMP AS A DANGEROUS DICTATOR. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THAT
POLL FOUND. AND THE EXACT PHRASE THAT WAS
PUT TO PEOPLE IN THIS LARGE, WELL RESPECTED POLL WAS PRESIDENT TRUMP IS A DANGEROUS
DICTATOR WHOSE POWER SHOULD BE LIMITED
BEFORE HE DESTROYS AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY. DO YOU AGREE? THE ANSWER WAS YES. BY 8 POINTS, YES, A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AGREE
WITH THAT. 52% OF THE COUNTRY AGREES WITH
THAT. BREAK IT DOWN ALONG RACIAL
LINES. 67% OF BLACK AMERICANS AGREE
THAT DONALD TRUMP IS A DANGEROUS DICTATOR WHOSE POWER SHOULD BE
LIMITED BEFORE HE DESTROYS
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. 67% OF BLACK AMERICANS. LATINO AMERICANS, 63%. ASIAN AMERICAN OR PACIFIC
ISLANDER, 58%. IT’S ONLY WHITE PEOPLE AMONG WHOM A MAJORITY DO NOT
AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT, BUT EVEN AMONG WHITE PEOPLE, IT’S STILL 45%. A DANGEROUS DICTATOR WHOSE POWER SHOULD BE LIMITED
BEFORE HE DESTROYS AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY. SPEAKING OF TRUMP’S POWER BEING LIMITED, COURT LOSSES KEEP PILING UP FOR
HIM. TRUMP IS NOW BEING FORCED BY THE
COURTS TO REINSTATE THE MORE THAN 1400
PEOPLE HE TRIED TO FIRE FROM THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL
PROTECTION BUREAU. TRUMP HAS ALSO JUST BEEN ORDERED
TO PAY RADIO FREE EUROPE AND
RADIO LIBERTY THE $12 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING
THEY WERE OWED IN APRIL, ACCORDING TO THEIR CONGRESSIONAL
APPROPRIATION THAT TRUMP NEVERTHELESS WAS REFUSING TO PAY
OUT. AND THAT RULING IS IMPORTANT IN
ITS OWN TERMS, BUT IN THAT RULING, YOU SHOULD KNOW THERE WAS A SORT OF AN IMPORTANT SORT OF STATEMENT THAT WENT
ALONG WITH IT. LANGUAGE IN THE RULING FROM THE
JUDGE IN THIS CASE WHO WAS A VERY CONSERVATIVE 81 YEAR OLD
RONALD REAGAN APPOINTED JUDGE IN
WASHINGTON. HE CLOSED HIS RULING IN THIS CASE. BY NOTING THAT THE
CONSTITUTIONAL PARADIGM THAT MANDATES THAT TRUMP CAN’T
BLOCK THIS FUNDING THAT WAS
APPROVED BY CONGRESS, THAT CONSTITUTIONAL PARADIGM IN
THE JUDGE’S WORDS IS QUOTE A FRAMEWORK THAT HAS PROPELLED
THE UNITED STATES TO HEIGHTS OF GREATNESS, LIBERTY AND PROSPERITY. UNPARALLELED IN THE HISTORY OF
THE WORLD FOR NEARLY 250 YEARS, IF OUR NATION IS TO THRIVE FOR
ANOTHER 250 YEARS, EACH COEQUAL BRANCH OF
GOVERNMENT MUST BE WILLING TO COURAGEOUSLY EXERT THE
AUTHORITY ENTRUSTED TO IT BY OUR FOUNDERS. JUDGE ROYCE LAMBERT, DEEPLY, DEEPLY CONSERVATIVE VETERAN
JUDGE IN THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT
TODAY, UH, YESTERDAY IN WASHINGTON. WHAT A TIME, RIGHT? I MEAN, THIS IS THE END OF THE 100 DAYS. THIS IS THE START OF THE 2ND 100
DAYS. AND HERE’S DONALD TRUMP, LESS POPULAR THAN ANY PRESIDENT
HAS BEEN AT THIS POINT IN HIS PRESIDENCY SINCE THE DAWN
OF MODERN POLLING. HE’S LIKE BLAMING JOE BIDEN FOR
EVERYTHING HE’S DOING. HE’S COMPLAINING THAT THE POLLS
MUST BE FAKE, ALL OF THEM. HE’S TELLING AMERICA’S KIDS
THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY’VE HAD IT TOO GOOD AND
THAT’S ABOUT TO CHANGE. WELL, MEANWHILE, THE COURTS ARE FINDING THEIR
VOICE AND THE PEOPLE NEVER LOST THEIRS IN THE
FIRST PLACE. 2ND 200, 2ND 100 DAYS. THE COUNTRY SEEMS LIKE WE’RE READY. TONIGHT WE’RE JUST GETTING
STARTED. LOTS TO COME TONIGHT, STAY WITH US. PLAN TO FREEZE GOVERNMENT
SPENDING IS ON HOLD. NOTHING THAT IS BEING DONE. NOTHING IS ACTUALLY MAKING LIFE BETTER
FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. ELON MUSK HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF
THE 1ST 100 DAYS ACROSS THE 100
DAYS, AS YOU PROBABLY NOTICED, AND NOW WE HAVE A SPECIAL REPORT ON ONE OF THE MOST UNPRECEDENTED
PARTS OF ALL THIS. THE WORLD’S RICHEST MAN, REPORTEDLY NOW MOVING. BEYOND DAILY GOVERNMENT WORK, THAT’S THE PLAN. I’LL EXPLAIN THAT IN A MOMENT, BUT HE DID JOIN THE CABINET
MEETING TODAY. IN A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT POSTURE, IF YOU THINK THAT BODY LANGUAGE
MATTERS AND IN HOLLYWOOD AND WASHINGTON IT
CERTAINLY OFTEN DOES. BACK IN FEBRUARY, HE WAS VERY BIG, STANDING OVER, ALMOST LORDING OVER THE MEETING
BRAVADO. TODAY, WHILE DEFINITELY A PRESENCE, HE WAS SEATED. IT SEEMED ALMOST COORDINATED AS
THE PRESIDENT ALSO MADE A POINT OF PRAISING MUSK
WHILE HINTING AT HIS DEPARTURE. THIS WHOLE ROOM CAN SAY THAT
VERY STRONGLY. IT’S REALLY BEEN A TREMENDOUS HELP. HE OPENED UP A LOT OF EYES AS TO
WHAT COULD BE DONE, AND WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH AND UH YOU KNOW, YOU’RE INVITED TO STAY AS LONG
AS YOU WANT AT SOME POINT HE WANTS TO GET BACK HOME TO HIS
CAR. THIS IS NOT POLITICAL ROCKET
SCIENCE. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT’S
HAPPENING, UH, SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THE APPLAUSE, ALLUDING TO GOING BUT NOT BEING
PUSHED OUT. STAY AS LONG AS YOU WANT. THERE’S ACTUALLY MORE TO THAT
UNDER LAW, WHICH I’LL EXPLAIN IN OUR
REPORT, BUT WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT MUSK IS
PLANNING TO GET BACK TO HIS DAY JOB OR OTHER BUSINESS
DAY JOBS, SO TO SPEAK. AND WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT IS
DOCUMENTED BECAUSE THERE ARE
STILL RULES EVEN IF YOU’RE PALS WITH THE
PRESIDENT AND A PARTIAL
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE. THERE ARE RULES THROUGH THE SEC
AND SHAREHOLDER AND REGULAR UPDATES ABOUT WHAT THE
CEO IS UP TO. MUSK HAS TOLD TESLA SHAREHOLDERS
HE’LL SPEND LESS TIME ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STUFF AND
MORE TIME RUNNING THE COMPANY, HIS PERSONAL FORTUNE. HAS CRASHED AN ASTOUNDING $114
BILLION IN THESE 100 DAYS. THAT IS A TON EVEN FOR SOMEONE AS RICH AS MUSK OVER
A BILLION DOLLARS A DAY LOST. AND IT IS RELATED. MUSK, OF COURSE, BROKE OUT HIS CHAINSAW AND HE
GOT SOME THINGS DONE IN WASHINGTON TRYING TO USE WHAT ARE BASICALLY
QUICK FIXES INSTEAD OF THE
LONGER HARD WORK OF CHANGING STAFFING PLANS FOR A
MULTI-YEAR BUDGET WITH CONGRESS. HE WENT IN AND TRIED TO PICK OFF
OR FIRE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE EASIEST TO DO
UNDER THE CURRENT RULES. HIS FORTUNE, OF COURSE, IS BASED ON MANY THINGS, BUT THE HUGE PART IS THE ONLY
CURRENTLY PUBLICLY TRADED
COMPANY HE HAS, TESLA. YOU CAN SEE THE PRICE DROPPING
OVER 13. AND THERE ARE A RANGE OF
REASONS, BUT EVEN TESLA ANALYSTS AND
PRO-MARKET PEOPLE WHO WANT TESLA
TO SUCCEED HAVE COMPLAINED THAT
PARTLY IT’S THAT MUSK HAS
POLITICIZED HIMSELF, HIS BRAND, AND HIS COMPANIES. THE REGULAR AMERICANS HAVE TAKEN
THE PROTESTS AGAINST MUSK GOVERNMENT CUTS AND TAKEN THEM
OUT IN THE STREETS, IN THE FIELDS, INTO TESLA SHOPS, CALLS FOR BOYCOTTS. BUT IT ALSO GOES BEYOND THAT
COMPANY. AMERICANS HAVE BEEN CLEAR. THAT THE IDEA THAT A PART-TIME
EMPLOYEE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHO
ALSO INSISTS ON RUNNING HIS
OTHER COMPANIES HAVING THIS MUCH POWER OVER OUR
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR STAFF
AND VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE DON’T THINK
THAT’S A GOOD IDEA AND THAT THEY
ARE AWARE OF THE OBVIOUS CONFLICTS OF
INTERESTS. MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR A LOT OF
AMERICANS, IS ELON MUSK. AND THOSE HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES. CAN WE COUNT ON YOU TO GO BACK
TO WASHINGTON AND DEMAND
IMMEDIATE OVERSIGHT INTO THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE LOOKING AT
THIS REAL SITUATION AND WITH
THEIR RESPONSE, AND WE’VE COVERED BEFORE HOW SOME
THINGS IN GOVERNMENT STILL WORK. WE’VE SEEN THE SUPREME COURT
CONTINUE TO DO ITS JOB AND ENFORCE LIMITS. WE’VE SEEN SOME AGENCIES ENFORCE
LIMITS. WE’VE ALSO SEEN THE TRUMP FOLKS
PUSH AND GET AWAY WITH A LOT, BUT KEEP IN MIND. MOST MEMBERS OF THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION AND ALL OF THE
CABINET, THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE CURRENT
RULES. THEY DON’T THINK THEY WOULD GET
AWAY WITH BREAKING THE LAW ON THAT AND
STILL TRYING TO ORDER AROUND FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. IF YOU INSISTED ON RUNNING, SAY, THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT AND
GOLDMAN SACHS AND MAKING MONEY
SELF-DEALING, WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO THINK A
COURT WOULD SAY NO, AND THEN ALL THE EMPLOYEES AT
THAT AGENCY WOULD SAY, I’M NOT FOLLOWING YOUR ORDERS
BECAUSE THE COURT JUST SAID
YOU’RE NOT IN CHARGE. THERE ARE THINGS THAT STILL
WORK, IS MY POINT. MUSK HAS FOUND A TEMPORARY
LOOPHOLE WHERE HE DOESN’T HAVE THE SAME
LEVEL OF DIVESTMENT, OVERSIGHT, OR TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE HE’S A PART-TIME
EMPLOYEE, WHAT’S CALLED A SPECIAL
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE. IT’S THAT LOOPHOLE. SO YOU DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO
AS FAR WITH THE ETHICS REQUIREMENTS
AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES, LET ALONE DIVESTING YOUR WHOLE
COMPANY, BECAUSE THE IDEA, AS FLEXIBILITY WAS, SOMETIMES THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT
NEED A CERTAIN EXPERTISE FROM
SOMEONE WHO’S NOT GOING TO EASILY STEP AWAY
FROM THEIR WHOLE JOB FOREVER, BUT THERE’S A LIMIT. 130 DAYS OF GOVERNMENT WORK A
YEAR. UNDER LAW, THAT’S THE LIMIT, AND THERE’S EVIDENCE HE’S SPENT, AND THIS IS DEBATABLE, BUT FORTUNE SAYS ABOUT 90 DAYS
SO FAR DOING IT. AND HE SAYS HE WANTS TO KEEP
WORKING A DAY OR TWO A WEEK. HE COULD STRETCH THIS OUT AND
KIND OF KEEPING A RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE PRESIDENT. BUT THE LARGER POINT IS, HOWEVER, IT’S MUCH IT SEEMS SORT OF
RANDOM, AND NOW THEY’RE HAVING THE
MEETING AND HEY, THANKS A LOT. THEY’RE HEADING TOWARDS A 130
DAY BREAK AND MAYBE THEY DON’T
LIKE ADMITTING AT THE TRUMP WHITE
HOUSE THAT THEY’RE FOLLOWING THE
RULES ALL THE TIME, SO THEY’RE NOT CITING THAT
REASON, BUT IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THEY’RE APPROACHING THAT LIMIT. AND REMEMBER, MUSK COULD KEEP WORKING AFTER
THAT LIMIT IF HE JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW RULES LIKE
EVERYONE ELSE, DO SOME DISCLOSURES, JOIN THE CABINET. ONLY HE CAN SAY, AND ONLY HE MIGHT REALLY KNOW
WHY HE’S SO AFRAID OR UNWILLING
TO DO THAT IF THIS PUBLIC INTEREST JOB WAS
SO IMPORTANT. MEANWHILE, THE REPUBLICAN SPEAKER IS
BLOCKING BASIC EFFORTS THAT THE
DEMOCRATS HAVE PUSHED TO DEAL MORE DIRECTLY WITH THIS
NEW SITUATION OF THIS SWEEPING GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEE HAVING SO MANY
CONFLICTS. WE HAVE SEEN, AS ELON MUSK, IS ON HIS EXIT OUT OF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. HE HAS SECURED BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN NEW CONTRACTS ACROSS
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. CONFLICT OF INTEREST? YES, ABSOLUTELY. THAT’S THE DEMOCRATS USING THEIR BULLY PULPIT TO FLAG THIS. THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TO
FORCE THE FLOOR TO TAKE IT UP IN
THE HOUSE, SO WE’RE REPORTING ON HOW
DEMOCRACY WORKS. REPUBLICANS HAD A A REAL BUT SLIM HOUSE MAJORITY, AND THE DEMS WOULD NEED TO CONVINCE SOME REPUBLICANS TO
JOIN THEM TO GET THAT FLOOR ACTION I
MENTIONED. BUT THIS IS STILL A BIG PROBLEM. I’VE TOLD YOU THERE’S SOMETIMES
IN POLITICS WHERE WE JUST GET A
DENIAL THAT NO, NO, IT’S NO PROBLEM. MUSK AND TRUMP UNDERSTOOD IT WAS A PROBLEM, SO THEY DIDN’T DENY THAT
CONFLICTS WERE AN ISSUE. INSTEAD, REMEMBER, THEY INITIALLY MADE A BIG SHOW
OF CLAIMING THERE WOULD BE NO BUSINESS
CONFLICTS, NO REQUESTS FOR HELP. IT WAS A VOW THAT THEY THEN VERY
PUBLICLY BROKE. I MEAN, I HAVEN’T ASKED THE PRESIDENT
FOR ANYTHING EVER. AND IF IT COMES UP, HOW WILL YOU HANDLE IT? WELL, YOU WON’T BE INVOLVED. YEAH, I’LL I’LL RECUSE MYSELF IF IT
IS. IF THERE’S A CONFLICT, HE WON’T BE INVOLVED. I MEAN, I WOULDN’T WANT THAT, AND HE WON’T WANT IT. I LOVE TESLA. YOU GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT. IT’S WE WANT THE FUTURE TO LOOK
LIKE THE FUTURE, AND IT’S KIND OF WHAT KIND OF
TRUCK WOULD BLADE RUNNER DRIVE? THE ONE I LIKE IS THAT ONE AND I WANT THAT SAME COLOR. THE FACT CHECK FOR BOTH OF THEM FALSE. MUSK DID NOT RECUSE FROM THE
TESLA EVENT ON THE WHITE HOUSE
LAWN. MAYBE THE STOCK PRICE PRESSURE
MADE HIM RETHINK THE LIMITS THAT HE CLAIMED SO
LOUDLY ON FOX NEWS AND
TELEVISION AND ELSEWHERE, BUT THEY’RE LITERALLY HAWKING
THE COMPANY’S PRODUCT. IF YOU SAW IT IN A MOVIE YOU’D
SAY THAT’S A BIT BLATANT WOULD THEY REALLY DO
IT LIKE A SHOWROOM? THAT IS HOW MUSK HAS BEEN
RUNNING ROUGHSHOD OVER NOT ONLY THE SPIRIT OF THE RULES BUT HIS
OWN CLAIMS FOR HIMSELF. HIS COMPANIES ALSO HAVE
CONTRACTS WITH MANY DIFFERENT
FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND AS I’VE TOLD YOU BEFORE, SOME OF HIS COMPANIES HAVE DONE
REMARKABLE THINGS. THEY PRODUCE VALUE. THEY WERE UNDER CONTRACTS BEFORE HE HAD THIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. SO WE WANT FACTUALLY TO REPORT
ON THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE NOT
GETTING RIPPED OFF, BUT WE’RE NOT SUGGESTING THAT
HE’S NEVER DONE ANYTHING OF INDEPENDENT VALUE. THE PROBLEM IS NOW HE WANTS IT
BOTH WAYS. AND THEN ALSO TRYING TO SLASH
THE GOVERNMENT AND FIRE ALL THESE FEDERAL WORKERS WHILE
DOING BUSINESS WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. THE SAVINGS THAT HE SAID HE
WOULD PRODUCE, THE CLAIMS ABOUT THEM HAVE ALSO
GONE DOWN. I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN DO AT LEAST 2 TRILLION. I THINK WE, WE WILL, WE’LL TRY FOR 2 TRILLION, UM. I, I THINK THAT’S LIKE THE BEST
CASE OUTCOME, UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UH, YOU KIND OF HAVE TO HAVE SOME
OVERAGE. I THINK IF WE TRY FOR $2
TRILLION WE, WE’VE GOT A GOOD SHOT AT GETTING
ONE. WE CAN ACTUALLY FIND A $1
TRILLION IN SAVINGS. THAT WOULD BE A ROUGHLY 15% OF
THE $7 TRILLION BUDGET. I’M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE
ANTICIPATE SAVINGS IN FY 26 FROM REDUCTION OF WASTE AND
FRAUD BY $150 BILLION. THOSE WERE MUSK’S CLAIMS. NOW LET’S LOOK AT AN INDEPENDENT
AUDIT. THAT’S WHAT MOST COMPANIES RELY
ON, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY’RE LOOKING
OUTSIDE AT A MERGER OR BUYING SOMETHING. THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS
MUSK’S APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT
COSTS TAXPAYERS OVER $130 BILLION. IN OTHER WORDS, THE BULK OF WHAT MUSK HAS DONE
HAS WIPED OUT THE CLAIMED SAVINGS, EVEN IF YOU QUOTE HIS CURRENT
AGENCY. AND YOU TAKE THAT TOGETHER AND THE NUMBERS AREN’T REALLY
ADDING UP, NOT FOR THE CLAIM SAVINGS FOR
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, DEFINITELY NOT FOR MR. MUSK’S LOSS OF OVER $100
BILLION. WHAT DID WE JUST LIVE THROUGH? GOOD EVENING, I’M MICHAEL STEELE. SO WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH DONALD
TRUMP TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR
RATTLING THE GLOBAL MARKETS AND PUSHING THIS COUNTRY CLOSER TO A
RECESSION BECAUSE OF HIS TARIFF
POLICIES. PSYCH. NOW THAT WOULD BE BREAKING NEWS, BUT THAT’S NOT HIS STYLE. TODAY. IN FACT, TRUMP DID THE EXACT OPPOSITE, BLAMING FORMER PRESIDENT JOE
BIDEN FOR THE ECONOMIC ANXIETY THAT
HAS ENGULFED THE COUNTRY AND THE
WORLD SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE. YOU PROBABLY SAW SOME NUMBERS
TODAY, AND I HAVE TO START OFF BY
SAYING THAT’S BIDEN, THAT’S NOT TRUMP BECAUSE WE CAME
IN ON JANUARY, THIS IS THE QUARTERLY NUMBERS, AND WE CAME IN AND UH. I WAS VERY AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT BIDEN
WAS DOING IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMY DESTROYING
OUR COUNTRY. SO WE TOOK OVER ON JANUARY 20TH. THE TARIFFS HAVEN’T KICKED IN
YET. THAT’S BIDEN. IT’S CRAZY. TRUMP IS DEFENSIVE BECAUSE
ANOTHER ECONOMIC MEASUREMENT HAS SHOWN THAT HIS
DECISIONS ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OUR
ECONOMY AND CONFIDENCE IN THAT
ECONOMY. TODAY, THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT REPORTED
THAT THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT DECREASED FOR THE 1ST 3 MONTHS
OF THIS YEAR, THE FIRST NEGATIVE GROWTH SINCE
2022. AND TRUMP IS NOT ONLY BLAMING
BIDEN FOR THE 1ST QUARTER DIP IN
THE GDP, HE SUGGESTED THAT HE WILL ALSO
BLAME BIDEN FOR THE 2ND QUARTER IF THOSE NUMBERS
ARE BAD. SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, TRUMP’S CLAIM THAT THIS IS
BIDEN’S FAULT IS INACCURATE AT
BEST. NOW THIS DECLINE IN GDP REFLECTS
A WAVE OF IMPORTS THAT COMPANIES PURCHASED IN AN EFFORT TO GET
AHEAD OF TRUMP’S PROMISED
TARIFFS. ANDREW BATES, A FORMER WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN
UNDER BIDEN, TORE INTO TRUMP OVER HIS LATEST
CLAIM. WHEN JOE BIDEN HANDED DONALD
TRUMP THE BEST PERFORMING
ECONOMY IN THE WORLD, EXPERTS PRAISED THE US FOR
LEAVING EVERY OTHER WEALTHY
NATION IN THE DUST. NOW WE’RE PLUMMETING TOWARDS A
TRUMP SESSION. JOINING ME NOW IS EDWARD LUCE, US CHIEF COLUMNIST FOR THE
FINANCIAL TIMES, AND TOMMY VIATOR, WHO SERVED AS NATIONAL SECURITY
SPOKESMAN IN THE OBAMA WHITE
HOUSE. HE IS HOST OF CROOKED MEDIA’S
POD SAVE AMERICA AND POD SAVE THE WORLD. WE NEED A WHOLE LOT OF SAVING
GOING ON HERE TONIGHT, GENTLEMEN, SO WE’RE GONNA GET INTO IT. SO ED, I, I GET THE PROJECTION. I GET THE DISPLACEMENT, I GET THE OUTWARD LYING BY
DONALD TRUMP. BUT THE ONE THING YOU CAN NEVER
GET AROUND, MY FRIEND, AND YOU KNOW IT ALL TOO WELL, ARE THE NUMBERS BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE THE
NUMBERS, RIGHT? TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THE REPORT
OUT TODAY SAYS ABOUT WHERE WE
ARE RIGHT NOW AND WHERE WE COULD POTENTIALLY
BE HEADING AS WE END THE 2ND QUARTER AND GO INTO THE
3RD QUARTER. YEAH, WELL, LET ME JUST FIRST START BY
UNDERLINING WHAT YOU QUOTED
ANDREW BATES AS HAVING SAID. LAST OCTOBER, THE ECONOMIST HAD A COVER STORY
SAYING THE ENVY OF THE WORLD, THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. IT HAD ACHIEVED HIGHER GROWTH
WITH A SOFT LANDING, WHICH MEANT INFLATION WAS COMING
DOWN, BUT GROWTH WASN’T SACRIFICED. NO OTHER MAJOR ECONOMY HAD
ACHIEVED THAT. NOW IT’S GOT COVER STORIES WITH
DONALD TRUMP WALKING OVER PILES
OF DOLLAR BILLS WITH LEAKING GAS AND A MATCH. THAT’S IN THE SPACE OF A FEW
SHORT MONTHS. THE FIRST QUARTER, AS YOU ASKED MICHAEL, 0.3% CONTRACTION. NOW A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE
IMPORTS SURGED. AS PEOPLE ARE RUSHING TO PANIC
BUY AND STOCK UP THEIR
INVENTORIES AHEAD OF THE BIG BIG TARIFF INCREASES, BUT AS TRUMP HIMSELF SAID, HE’S ANTICIPATING THAT THE IMPACT OF THOSE TARIFF
INCREASES ARE GOING TO REALLY HIT CONSUMER
DEMAND, WHICH IS MOST OF THE ECONOMY. AND, AND DEPRESSED GROWTH, AND IN FACT HE SAID TODAY THAT WHY SHOULD KIDS NEED A
CHOICE OF 30 TOYS FROM CHINA. THEY CAN HAVE A CHOICE OF A
COUPLE OF TOYS AND IF THEY PAY A
FEW DOLLARS MORE FOR THEM TO BE MADE IN AMERICA, THEN SO BE IT, SO BE IT. THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A
RECESSION. YOU EARN LESS MONEY, YOUR INCOME IS SHRINKING, AND SO HE’S PREEMPTIVELY BLAMING THAT ON BIDEN. YOU REALLY COULDN’T MAKE IT UP. IT WAS TRUMP’S STOCK MARKET LAST
YEAR WHEN BIDEN WAS PRESIDENT. NOW THAT TRUMP IS PRESIDENT, IT’S BIDEN’S STOCK MARKET. YOU COULDN’T MAKE THIS UP. HEY, HEY, TOMMY, YOU KNOW, MY MAN HAD JUST LED ME RIGHT
WHERE I WANTED TO GO NEXT, AND SO I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO
THE BEFORE I BLAMED BIDEN. I TOOK CREDIT FROM DONALD TRUMP WHEN HE TALKS
ABOUT THE STOCK SURGE AND WHAT’S
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. LET’S TAKE A LISTEN. BEFORE EVEN TAKING OFFICE, YOU ARE ALREADY SEEING RESULTS
THAT NOBODY EXPECTED TO SEE. EVERYONE IS CALLING IT THE, I DON’T WANT TO SAY THIS, IT’S TOO BRAGGADO, BUT WE’LL SAY IT ANYWAY. THE TRUMP EFFECT. SINCE THE ELECTION, THE STOCK MARKET HAS SURGED. NOW THE STOCK MARKET IS NOT
DOING SO WELL, AND YOU’RE SAYING THAT’S THE
STOCK MARKET, YET YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? I’M NOT TAKING CREDIT OR
DISCREDIT FOR THE STOCK MARKET. I’M JUST SAYING THAT WE
INHERITED A MESS. OK, I WON’T EVEN TELL YOU WHAT I
THINK THE, THE TRUMP CREDIT IS HERE. WHAT, WHAT DO YOU, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT? HOW DO, HOW DO MARKETS DEAL WITH THIS
LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY, UM, AND, AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE
RESPONSE TO BE GOING FORWARD? IS THERE GOING TO BE A FURTHER
CONTRACTION, DO YOU? OR, OR WHAT? I MEAN, CAUSE, LOOK, YOU’VE GOT BEZOS AND AMAZON UH DOING BACKFLIPS, NOT WANTING TO TALK ABOUT THE
REAL NUMBERS. UM, YOU’VE GOT TRUMP OUT HERE LYING
TO FOLKS ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING AND, AND BASICALLY THE ES POINT
TELLING THEM, OH, YOU CAN JUST HAVE TWO BABY
DOLLS, YOU CAN’T HAVE MORE THAN THAT. HOW DOES THIS PLAY OUT FOR, FOR CONSUMERS? YEAH, I MEAN, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, COMMENTS LIKE THAT ARE WHY I, I FIND TRUMP SO PERSONALLY
ANNOYING. HE’S ALWAYS BLAMING SOMEONE
ELSE, HE’S ALWAYS WHINING, THE MEDIA IS ALWAYS AFTER. I MEAN, IF SOMEONE ON YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM
ACTED LIKE THAT, EVERYONE WOULD HATE THAT PERSON, RIGHT? YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE LEADER
OF THE FREE WORLD. STEP UP, LEAD, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, BUT TO ED’S POINT, I MEAN, I THINK THE MARKETS HAVE SPOKEN
LOUDLY. UH, THE STOCK MARKET COLLAPSED, UH, IT ALMOST WENT, IT WENT INTO BEAR MARKET
TERRITORY WHEN THE TARIFFS WERE ANNOUNCED. TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS
RECOVERED, IT IS. BECAUSE THE MARKETS PERCEIVE
TRUMP AS WALKING BACK HIS TARIFF
PLAN, BUT THERE’S ALSO STILL
CHALLENGES IN THE BOND MARKET
AND THE CURRENCY MARKET, AND ALL OF THAT TOGETHER IS TELLING YOU THAT INVESTORS DO
NOT SEE THE UNITED STATES AS A SAFE PLACE TO PARK
THEIR MONEY, AND THEY FEEL THAT WAY BECAUSE
OF POLITICAL CHOICES BEING MADE BY
THIS ADMINISTRATION. SO IF WE’RE LOOKING AT SOMEONE
TO BLAME, IT IS CLEARLY DONALD TRUMP. AND AGAIN, LIKE ED MENTIONED THIS. THERE ARE REPORTS TODAY THAT WEST COAST PORTS ARE SEEING
UP TO A 1/3 DROP IN THE NUMBER OF SHIPS COMING TO
THEM NEXT WEEK. THAT MEANS IN THE VERY NEAR
FUTURE, THERE COULD BE A RUN ON GOODS
IMPORTED FROM CHINA. THERE’S GOING TO BE SCARCITY ON
THE SHELVES. CONSUMERS AREN’T GOING TO BE
ABLE TO FIND THINGS. THEY REALLY NOT JUST TOYS AND
LUXURY ITEMS, IT’S STUFF LIKE CAR SEATS FOR
KIDS, LIKE THINGS THAT PARENTS REALLY
NEED, SO THIS COULD BE A BIG DEAL. BEFORE TERM LIMITS WERE IMPOSED
ON THE PRESIDENCY BY
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT WAS
OUR LONGEST SERVING PRESIDENT ELECTED 4 TIMES IN A
ROW. HE DIED IN THE 13TH YEAR OF HIS
PRESIDENCY, NEARLY 12 WEEKS AFTER HIS 4TH
INAUGURATION. FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT, THE MOST INNOVATIVE PRACTITIONER
OF GOVERNMENT IN AMERICAN
HISTORY, LED THE COUNTRY OUT OF THE GREAT
DEPRESSION OF THE 1930S AND LED THIS COUNTRY AND
OUR ALLIES TO VICTORY. IN WORLD WAR II AS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAR
PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY, THE MOST FAMOUS THING FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
EVER SAID, THE LINE THAT HAS LIVED AFTER
HIM, IS THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF. HE DID NOT SAY THAT AT THE
BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR II. HE SAID THAT ON THE VERY FIRST DAY OF HIS
PRESIDENCY AND HIS FIRST
INAUGURAL ADDRESS, AND 100 DAYS LATER, FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT HAD
ACCOMPLISHED MORE IN THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY THAN
ANY PREVIOUS PRESIDENT. HE CHANGED OUR RELATIONSHIP TO
GOVERNMENT, AND HE DID NOT DO THAT THROUGH
EXECUTIVE ORDER. HE DID THAT THROUGH LEGISLATION
THAT HE SUGGESTED TO CONGRESS OR IN SOME CASES WROTE
FOR CONGRESS, AND BY SCRUPULOUSLY. FOLLOWING CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS
IN THOSE REMARKABLE 1ST 100 DAYS THAT HAVE SINCE THEN BECOME A BENCHMARK
FOR ALL PRESIDENTS, FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT PULLED THE
COUNTRY THROUGH ITS DARKEST PERIOD SINCE THE CIVIL
WAR. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE IN THE BRIEF TIME WE HAVE ON
THIS PROGRAM JUST HOW MUCH FEAR
THERE WAS IN AMERICA THE DAY BEFORE
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT BECAME PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES. OUR NEXT GUEST JONATHAN ALTER. HAS DONE THE BEST JOB OF
DESCRIBING THAT FEAR THAT I KNOW
OF IN HIS CLASSIC BOOK THE DEFINING MOMENT, FDR’S 100 DAYS, AND THE TRIUMPH OF HOPE. BEFORE PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT TOOK
THE OATH OF OFFICE, THE AMERICAN BANKING SYSTEM WAS
ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE, AND EVERYONE KNEW THAT EVERYONE
FEARED THAT THEY COULD WAKE UP
TOMORROW AND DISCOVER ANY MONEY THEY HAD
IN BANKING ACCOUNTS WAS JUST
GONE. PEOPLE WERE AFRAID TO DEPOSIT
MONEY INTO BANKS AND WERE HIDING IT UNDER THEIR MATTRESSES
TO SAVE THE BANKING SYSTEM. ONE OF THE THINGS PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT HAD TO DO WAS TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO
DEPOSIT THEIR SAVINGS IN BANKS
AND TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT THEIR SAVINGS WOULD BE SAFE IN
THOSE BANKS AND YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS ARE
INSURED TONIGHT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THANKS
ENTIRELY. FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT, WHO DECIDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT
COULD AND SHOULD ELIMINATE THAT FEAR, THE FEAR THAT YOU COULD LOSE ALL
OF YOUR MONEY IN YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT BY CREATING THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT
INSURANCE CORPORATION, AND THAT WAS JUST 11 OF THE MANY
THINGS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT DID IN THOSE
1ST 100 DAYS IN THE FACE OF THE FEAR THAT
AMERICA WAS FEELING. WHEN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT WAS
INAUGURATED, THERE WAS WIDESPREAD BELIEF THAT
THE COUNTRY NEEDED A DICTATOR TO GET OUT OF THE ECONOMIC HOLE
THAT IT WAS IN, AND EVEN SOME REPUBLICANS WERE
SYMPATHETIC TO THE IDEA OF
ALLOWING THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT TO HAVE DICTATORIAL POWERS IN
THAT DARKEST HOUR. PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT HEARD THOSE
URGINGS TOWARD DICTATORSHIP AND DID EXACTLY THE
OPPOSITE, WORKING WITH CONGRESS AND THE
CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS OF
LEGISLATION AND WINNING. NOT JUST DEMOCRATIC VOTES IN
CONGRESS, BUT ALSO MANY VOTES IN THE
OPPOSING REPUBLICAN PARTY ON MANY OF HIS COUNTRY SAVING
IDEAS. IN JONATHAN ALTER’S WASHINGTON
MONTHLY COLUMN COMPARING DONALD
TRUMP’S 1ST 100 DAYS TO PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT’S 1ST 100 DAYS, JONATHAN ALTER WRITES IN HIS 1ST
100 DAYS, TRUMP HIJACKED ROOSEVELT’S
FAMOUS LINE AND ESSENTIALLY SAID, THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO USE. IS FEAR ITSELF. I SMUGGLE HIM INTO THE UNITED
STATES TO RETURN HIM TO THE
UNITED STATES SAID THAT IF THE SUPREME
COURT SAID SOMEONE NEEDED TO BE
RETURNED, THAT YOU WOULD ABIDE BY THAT. YOU SAID THAT ON AIR FORCE ONE
JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, AND THEY SAID THAT IT MUST BE
FACILITATED DON’T YOU JUST SAY, ISN’T IT WONDERFUL THAT WE’RE
KEEPING CRIMINALS OUT OF OUR
COUNTRY? WHY CAN’T YOU JUST SAY THAT? HI EVERYONE, I’M ALI VELSHI IN FOR NICOLE
WALLACE. WE’RE COMING UP ON 5 O’CLOCK
HERE IN NEW YORK JUST A FEW
WEEKS AGO. THAT’S WHAT WE HEARD FROM DONALD
TRUMP. A TOTAL ABDICATION OF
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MAN
WRONGLY DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR, KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA, SAYING THAT IT WAS ALL UP TO THE
SALVADORAN GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE
HIM. YET NOW IN A NEW INTERVIEW WITH
ABC NEWS MARKING HIS 100 DAYS IN
OFFICE, TRUMP IS SINGING A DIFFERENT
TUNE. AND CAME INTO OUR COUNTRY
ILLEGALLY. YOU COULD GET HIM BACK. THERE’S A PHONE ON THIS DESK. I COULD. YOU COULD PICK IT UP AND ALL THE
POWER OF THE PRESIDENCY. YOU COULD CALL UP THE PRESIDENT
OF EL SALVADOR AND SAY SEND HIM
BACK RIGHT NOW. AND IF HE WERE THE GENTLEMAN
THAT YOU SAY HE IS, I WOULD DO THAT. BUT THE COURT HAS ORDERED YOU TO
FACILITATE. I’M NOT THE ONE MAKING THIS
DECISION. WE HAVE LAWYERS THAT DON’T WANT
TO DO THIS, BUT THE BUCK STOPS. NO, NO, NO, NO, I FOLLOW THE LAW. YOU WANT ME TO FOLLOW THE LAW. IF I WERE THE PRESIDENT THAT
JUST WANTED TO DO ANYTHING, I’D PROBABLY KEEP HIM RIGHT
WHERE HE IS. THE COURT SAYS WHAT THE LAW IS. THAT’S A REMARKABLE ADMISSION
THERE THAT HE COULD GET ABREGO
GARCIA BACK, BUT HE WON’T. AND THEN HE BLAMED IT ALL ON HIS
LAWYERS. AS THE NEW YORK TIMES DESCRIBED
IT, MR. TRUMP’S COMMENTS NOT ONLY
UNDERMINED PREVIOUS STATEMENTS
BY HIS TOP AIDES, BUT WERE A BLUNT SIGN OF HIS
ADMINISTRATION’S INTENTION TO DOUBLE DOWN AND
DEFY THE COURTS. THE JUDGE HANDLING THIS CASE, JUDGE PAULA ZENAS, THIS MORNING ORDERED A SLEW OF
NEW DEADLINES OVER THE NEXT 2 WEEKS FOR DISCOVERY
IN THE CASE. SHE DID SO AFTER DENYING A NEW
MOTION FROM THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION THAT HAD REQUESTED TO FURTHER
DELAY DISCOVERY. MEANWHILE, A SECOND JUDGE TODAY STRONGLY
REBUKED THE. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IN ANOTHER HIGH PROFILE
IMMIGRATION CASE, THAT OF MOHSEN MADAWI, A COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT, GREEN CARD HOLDER WHO’S BEEN HELD IN AN ICE
FACILITY IN VERMONT AFTER HE WAS
ARRESTED EARLIER THIS MONTH DURING AN APPOINTMENT
FOR HIS PROCESS OF BECOMING A US
CITIZEN. TODAY, JUDGE JEFFREY CRAWFORD ORDERED
MADAWI’S RELEASE ON BAIL WITH SOME HARSH LANGUAGE FOR THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, DRAWING PARALLELS OF TRUMP’S
BROADER CRACKDOWN ON IMMIGRATION
TO THE RED SCARE AND MCCARTHYISM. OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE AFTER HIS
RELEASE, MADAWI SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE
ADMINISTRATION. AND I AM SAYING IT. CLEAR AND LOUD TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS CABINET. I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU. FOR ANYBODY WHO’S DOUBTING
JUSTICE, THIS IS A LIGHT OF HOPE, HOPE AND FAITH IN THE JUSTICE
SYSTEM IN AMERICA. WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING NOW AND
WHAT WE’RE UNDERSTANDING. IS EXACTLY WHAT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING HAVE SAID
BEFORE. INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT
TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE. AND THAT IS WHERE WE START THIS
HOUR WITH STAFF WRITER FOR THE
ATLANTIC NICK MIROFF. HIS FOCUS IS ON IMMIGRATION. ALSO WITH US IS IMMIGRATION
ATTORNEY AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN IMMIGRATION
LAWYERS ASSOCIATION ALAN ORR. AND HERE WITH ME AT THE TABLE, NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD
MEMBER AND MSNBC POLITICAL
ANALYST MARA GAYE. WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. MARA, LET’S JUST TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A
SECOND. I, I, I CERTAINLY IF I WERE ON A VISA. AND I HAD BEEN THROWN INTO A DETENTION FACILITY
UNDER THREAT OF BEING DEPORTED. IT’S HARD TO COME UP WITH THE
I’M NOT AFRAID OF YOU, BUT THAT’S AN INTERESTING
MESSAGE THAT HE CAME OUT AND
TOLD THE ADMINISTRATION HE BELIEVES JUSTICE WILL
PREVAIL. IT’S NOT ONLY AN INTERESTING
MESSAGE, IT’S A MESSAGE THAT HOLDS A LOT
OF POWER AND RESONANCE AND SETS
AN EXAMPLE FOR SOME OF OUR INSTITUTIONS
THAT HAVE FAILED TO STAND UP TO
DONALD TRUMP. WHAT WE SEE WITH DICTATORS AND
AUTHORITARIANS AROUND THE WORLD AND WHAT WE’VE
SEEN HERE WITHIN, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE PAST 100 YEARS WITHIN
THE UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY IN THE JIM CROW
SOUTH, IS THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO
STAND UP TO DICTATORSHIP AND
AUTHORITARIANISM. AND WHEN YOU DON’T DO THAT, WHEN YOU START TO STRIKE DEALS
AS SOME LAW FIRMS HAVE OR SOME
UNIVERSITIES HAVE, UM, THE AUTHORITARIAN NEVER STOPS. THERE RIGHT AND SO THAT’S WHY THE EXAMPLE OF
HARVARD UNIVERSITY IS SO POWERFUL. THE EXAMPLE OF MEDIA
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE REFUSING TO UH TO GET RID OF THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND THEY’RE THEY’RE HOLDING FAST
TO IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND THAT’S WHY
WE’RE SEEING COURAGE FROM INDIVIDUALS LIKE THIS, WHICH IS ESPECIALLY STUNNING
BECAUSE THESE ARE JUST
VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE PEOPLE. THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT US CITIZENS. THEY ARE NON-WHITE HUMANS IN THE WORLD, AND THAT’S A DIFFICULT THING
RIGHT NOW WHEN FACED WITH THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION AND ITS AGENDA. AND SO I THINK IT’S AN EXAMPLE AND IT ALLOWS OTHERS TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, YES, TOGETHER, BECAUSE OF COURSE PEOPLE CAN’T
DO THAT ON THEIR OWN, IF PEOPLE STAND TOGETHER, DONALD TRUMP AND TRUMPISM IS
NOT. IT’S NOT INFALLIBLE, AND I THINK THE COURTS ARE
PLAYING THE KEY ROLE HERE, WHICH IS TO SAY NO, DONALD TRUMP IS NOT A KING. HE MAY WANT TO BE, BUT AS LONG AS THE COURTS KEEP DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING, WHICH IS TO ALLOW THE WHEELS OF
JUSTICE TO TURN, DONALD TRUMP WILL LOOK MORE AND
MORE ISOLATED IN HIS BEHAVIOR AS SOMEONE WHO
IS NOT ACTING AS A PRESIDENT SHOULD IN THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, BUT IS ACTING AS A WOULD-BE
DICTATOR. ALAN, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THIS AS AN
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY BECAUSE
THERE ARE SO MANY. MOVING PIECES TO THIS. WHETHER YOU’RE MOHSEN MADAWI OR
YOU’RE BREGO GARCIA, YOU HAVE RIGHTS. DONALD TRUMP IS TRYING TO PAINT
A PICTURE IN WHICH AMERICAN CITIZENS HAVE RIGHTS AND NOBODY
ELSE IN THIS COUNTRY HAS RIGHTS. PEOPLE HAVE RIGHTS AND THEY HAVE
RIGHTS TO DUE PROCESS. AND IF THE GOVERNMENT FEELS THAT
SOMEONE IS AN ACTUAL THREAT, NOT A PERCEIVED THREAT OR A
DISSENTER, THEY HAVE AN ABILITY TO PROVE
THAT IN THE COURT AND GENERALLY
SPEAKING, THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT DOESN’T
WIN AGAINST YOU IF THAT’S TRUE. WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? THIS IS, THIS IS A IT’S JUST UNUSUAL TO WATCH THAT THE
GOVERNMENT IS DOING THINGS THAT DON’T SEEM TO BE LEGAL. RIGHT, SO I THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK TO
THE CONSTITUTION BECAUSE THE CONSTITUTION DETERMINES WHAT
ALL OF THESE BRANCHES ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND NOT DOING. AND WE YESTERDAY HAD A POSTING
FROM UCIS ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA BASICALLY SAYING THAT IF
YOU’RE A GREEN CARD HOLDER, THEN YOU’RE A VISITOR, WHICH SORT OF SPEAKS TO MR. MALAWI, WHICH IF YOU’RE A GREEN CARD
HOLDER, YOU’RE A PERMANENT RESIDENT, AND THAT’S FAR LESS THAN JUST A
VISITOR IN THE UNITED STATES. THAT’S SOMEONE WHO’S BEEN HERE
FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND WHO’S
DONE CONSIDERABLE THINGS TO SORT OF
GET THAT GREEN CARD. BUT WITH MR. GARCIA, LET’S SORT OF SET THE, THE TABLE THAT WE’RE LOOKING AT
THE THE CHESSBOARD. RIGHT? FIRST YOU GO BACK AND YOU PULL
THIS ALIENS ACT FROM A VERY DARK
TIME IN OUR COUNTRY, NOT EVEN WITHIN CENTURIES OF
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. THEN THE COURT, NOT SAYING THAT’S APPROPRIATE
BECAUSE IT’S NOT A WARTIME ACT. THERE WAS SO QUESTIONABLE ABOUT
THAT. THEN THERE WAS AN INJUNCTION
ABOUT THE PLANES LEAVING. SO IF YOU WOULD HAVE STOPPED THE
PLANES, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE ALL THESE
INDIVIDUAL CASES. AND THEN ON THE THIRD LEVEL OF
PLAYWRIGHT HERE, IT WAS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
THAT GRANTED HIM THE ABILITY TO REMAIN IN THE
UNITED STATES, AND IT’S THAT SAME
ADMINISTRATION THAT WENT BACK
AND VIOLATED THEIR OWN RULES BECAUSE IT HE
WANTED TO DEPORT HIM, HE COULD HAVE DEPORTED HIM
BECAUSE THERE’S A PROCESS FOR IT WHERE YOU GET DUE
PROCESS. NO ONE IN THE IMMIGRATION FIELD
IS SAYING YOU CANNOT DO DO
DEPORTATIONS. YOU JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE
CORRECT PROCESS, AND THAT’S WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS
REFUSING TO DO IN ALL THESE
CASES. SO WITH MR. GARCIA, IT SEEMS VERY POLITICAL AND
AGAINST ALL OF THESE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A VERY
LONG TIME, IT’S SUPER POLITICAL AND HURTING
OUR ECONOMIC BACKGROUND BECAUSE
THOSE FOREIGN STUDENTS BRING $43
BILLION A YEAR TO THIS ECONOMY. NICK, THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THE
ARGUMENT SPECIFICALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE
STUDENTS, LET’S PUT IT ASIDE ABREGO GARCIA
FOR A SECOND. THE ARGUMENT WITH THE STUDENTS
IS THAT THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY THEY’RE DISSENTERS. THEY HAVE VIEWS THAT ARE NOT
ALIGNED AND SAME THING WITH THE
UNIVERSITIES. THEY HAVE VIEWS THAT ARE NOT
ALIGNED WITH THAT OF THE
ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS WHOLLY INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS DID AND WHAT THE CONSTITUTION OF
THIS COUNTRY HOLDS. WELL, THAT’S WHY WE’VE SEEN THE
ADMINISTRATION RELY ON THIS VERY
OBSCURE PROVISION IN THE IMMIGRATION AND
NATIONALITY ACT THAT BASICALLY UH AFFORDS THE SECRETARY OF
STATE THIS EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY TO TO TO DETERMINE THAT SOMEONE, EVEN IF THEY’RE A A LEGAL
PERMANENT RESIDENT, YEAH, THAT THEIR PRESENCE HERE IS
SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, DETRIMENTAL TO THE FOREIGN
POLICY INTERESTS OF THE UNITED
STATES. SO THEY’RE REALLY REACHING, YOU KNOW, DEEP INTO THE RECESSES OF, UH, OF THE LAW TO TRY TO, UM, TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, USE THESE AUTHORITIES, GET THESE STUDENTS OUT, BUT THEY’RE NOT WINNING IN
COURT, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR RECORD SO FAR IS, HAS NOT BEEN A GOOD ONE. THAT THAT THING THAT NICK IS TALKING
ABOUT, THIS OBSCURE THING THAT THE
SECRETARY OF STATE CAN DO, IT TALKS ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU MIGHT SAY OR DO SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE
THAT’S CONTRARY TO THE
OBJECTIVES, THE FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES OF
THE UNITED STATES. IT, IT’S WEIRD. THEY DON’T EVEN FEEL THE NEED TO
NECESSARILY PROVE THAT YOU’RE A
THREAT. SEE THEM TRY, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE TRYING. THIS ADMINISTRATION SEEMS TO BE
TRYING MORE IN THE COURT OF
PUBLIC OPINION THAN THEY ARE IN COURT. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT THEY’RE DOING IS THEY’RE LOOKING INTO THE REASON THIS IS
AN OBSCURE LAW, THE 1798 LAW, IS THAT NO OTHER PRESIDENT HAS TRIED TO
USE IT BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY IT’S SO ARCANE THAT THE BELIEF FOR GENERATIONS
HAS BEEN THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN THE
SPIRIT OF OUR MODERN DEMOCRACY TO BACK IT UP AND THERE ARE A
LOT OF OBSCURE LAWS IN NOT ONLY THE US CONSTITUTION
BUT IN STATE CONSTITUTIONS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT YOU KNOW ARE NO LONGER IN
USE IN COMMON USE, AND THIS IS WHY SO THIS IS
CHERRY PICKING AND IT’S ALL PART OF THIS UNITARY EXECUTIVE THEORY
I BELIEVE WHICH REALLY HOLDS
THAT THE. PRESIDENT, THEY’RE NOT THREE COEQUAL
BRANCHES, BUT THAT THE PRESIDENT REALLY
DETERMINES THE LAW AND ANYONE AGAIN WHO HAS
WATCHED SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK KNOWS THAT THAT’S NOT
ACTUALLY WHAT WE HAVE AGREED UPON IN THIS MODERN
DEMOCRACY. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OBSCURE
LAWS THAT ANY OF US MIGHT CHOOSE IF CONVENIENT
FOR US TO DRAW UPON. THAT DOESN’T ACTUALLY MEAN THAT THEY SHOULD BE
FUNCTIONAL. AND SO I THINK THAT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE TESTING THE COURTS. AND THE DONALD TRUMP, YOU KNOW, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS
EVERY RIGHT TO TO TEST THE
COURTS, BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT IT IS
APPROPRIATE. IT’S NOT APPROPRIATE AND IT’S
GOING TO BE UP TO THE COURTS TO
SET THAT BOUNDARY AND THE SCARY THING IS THAT
DONALD TRUMP IS DEFYING COURT
ORDERS AND HE’S NOW ARGUING OVER
LANGUAGE. SO THIS LANGUAGE ABOUT
FACILITATING RELEASE OF DETAINEES WHO NEVER SHOULD
HAVE BEEN DEPORTED TO BEGIN
WITH, YOU KNOW. THAT IS WHERE I AM THE MOST
CONCERNED BECAUSE NOW
ESSENTIALLY TRUMP IS DARING THE SUPREME COURT TO SAY
TELL ME WHAT YOU REALLY NEED.

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