Phil McGraw has admitted he may not be best suited to talk about politics, despite his recent work alongside President Donald Trump.
Best-known for his eponymous talk show spanning two decades, the clinical psychologist can now be seen filmed alongside ICE on raids across the country or alongside Trump at press events.
However, Dr. Phil skirted around the topic of his newfound political presence and admitted that political issues aren’t his forte in a new interview with the New York Times.
Phil McGraw has become a big figure in the world of politics, but brushed off questions by pleading lack of political understanding. / Kevin Lamarque / REUTERS
“I don’t think I’m qualified to talk about politics,” he declared.
Later, he doubled down, saying, “I don’t know! You’re making my point” to the interviewer during a discussion about legislation.
The talk-show host recently created his own anti-woke network, Merit Street Media. The company filed for bankruptcy in July, just 15 months after it was first launched, with its mission statement being to “fight for America and its families, which are under a cultural ‘woke’ assault as never before.”
The TV star has built a strong relationship with Trump, and has a new project joining ICE agents on raids. / Alex Wong / Getty Images
Despite the hardship, Dr. Phil is sticking to his aims, and was spotted with a camera crew in Los Angeles in June accompanying U.S. Border Czar Tom Hoffman, alongside joining ICE agents in Chicago.
Speaking to the Times about his new ICE connection, he explained that he got access by assuring the agents that his goal was to “tell your story and have your back.”
He also said of the joy he gets from his work, “I don’t have to be doing this at all. This is not a got-to job. This is a get-to job.”
Dr. Phil lashed out at Bill Maher on Friday when questioned about his ICE involvement. / HBO
Just a couple of days before the interview was released, however, he seemed far less relaxed when questioned about his ICE raid involvement during an appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher.
Maher shared his confusion about the project, outlining, “You’re a guy who, for so many years, has been working to put families together, to bring families who are apart and heal them. And now you’re going on raids with people who are literally separating families. Explain that.”
“Now that’s bulls–t.” Dr. Phil clapped back. He then likened raids to police arrests, and reasoned, “If you arrest somebody that’s a citizen that has committed a crime, or is DUI with the child in the backseat, do you think they don’t separate that family right then, right there?”