America 'not smart enough' to keep Trump away from White House, MSNBC analyst says
Former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill said Monday that Americans weren't "smart enough" to keep President Donald Trump away from the White House.
"And yes, The Wall Street Journal may say America is smart enough to know better. I will tell The Wall Street Journal this: America, I believe, clearly was not smart enough to keep this guy from the White House. He is causing confusion and uncertainty in a segment of our economy that desperately needs certainty. And by doing that, he is going to get higher prices. And that's when America will finally get smart, but they're not smart now because most of them are trying not to pay attention," said McCaskill, now an MSNBC analyst.
She was responding to a WSJ editorial board piece that criticized Trump and his tariff policy, accusing the president of going "full Kamala Harris in demanding that the retail giant not raise prices."
McCaskill's comments came during a panel discussion on MSNBC's "Deadline: White House" that focused on concerns over higher prices after the president said big retailers like Walmart should "eat the tariffs."
"But there's a huge swath of Americans that don't know about that because their algorithms are purposely not feeding them politics because they don't want to hear about it. But you know what they're all going to know about? They're all going to know about higher prices," McCaskill continued.
"They're all going to know that they're spending more at Walmart than they spent this time last year. They're all going to know that their 401(k)s are down. They're all going to know that, and there's nothing Trump can do about that," she added.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warned of potential price increases on Thursday, citing the tariffs.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that the retail giant would absorb the cost of some of the tariffs, after speaking with McMillon.
MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace echoed McCaskill's argument, saying some Americans were paying close attention to the news and others were not.
"I used to read polls that separated Americans out that way. People paying close attention to the news, and God bless those people. Those are our daily viewers. They are policy wonks. They know more about a lot of the things we talk about than I do. I see a lot of their responses and people that don't follow the news. This was the first time I read that poll, and I read it and thought, like, #dreams. I wish I was one of them, but I get it. Everyone's about to feel the burn," Wallace said.
After Trump won the election in November, McCaskill acknowledged that the president "knows our country better" than Democrats do.
"I think we have to acknowledge that Donald Trump knows our country better than we do," McCaskill said. "I think he figured out that anger — and frankly, fear — were way more powerful than appealing to people's better angels. That anger and fear were going to work in this election. Whether you're afraid of immigrants or afraid of people who are trans, he figured that out."
"And I think we all thought everyone's better angels would prevail. Turns out, the better angels went on vacation when Donald Trump came down the escalator. And they haven't returned," she added.
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Politico
6 minutes ago
- Politico
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CBS News
16 minutes ago
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Colorado attorney mistaken for lawyer of Boulder terror attack suspect's family, receives death threats
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Newsweek
32 minutes ago
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, is calling for President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to "kiss and make up" as their public feud over Trump's signature legislation continues to escalate. Newsweek has reached out to the White House and Musk via email on Saturday for comment. Why It Matters Musk and Trump initiated a war of words this week after the tech mogul started attacking the House-approved spending bill, which the president has nicknamed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," that will help him launch a wider effort to implement some of his broader economic and social reforms. 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He warned that "every enemy of America, every Marxist, every person who hates our country, every person who hates freedom, is cheering for this divide to be real, to be deep, to be lasting, to be permanent." The senator added: "Everyone who loves our country is cheering for Elon and President Trump to kiss and make up." The lawmaker expressed hope the relationship could be repaired quickly, saying: "I hope it goes back to zero just as quickly" and comparing the situation to "the kids of a bitter divorce where you're just saying, 'I really wish mommy and daddy would stop screaming.'" Amid their fiery dispute on Thursday, Trump warned that the "easiest way" to save billions in the budget was to "terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts." Musk responded by saying SpaceX, which he is the CEO of, will "begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately," although he has since walked that threat back. Cooler heads prevailed Friday, with Musk and Trump refraining from slinging direct insults at each other. However, when asked by a reporter on Air Force One if he planned to follow through on his threat to cut Musk's government subsidies, Trump did not rule it out. "We'll take a look at everything," he said. "It's a lot of money. It's a lot of subsidy. So, we'll take a look at that, only if it's fair for him and for the it has to be fair." Elon Musk speaks with then-President-elect Donald Trump and guests including Donald Trump Jr., Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, and Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, at a viewing of the launch of the sixth... Elon Musk speaks with then-President-elect Donald Trump and guests including Donald Trump Jr., Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, and Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, at a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas. MoreWhat People Are Saying Elon Musk wrote on X on Thursday: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate." President Donald Trump on Thursday: "Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore. I was surprised. You were here. Everybody in this room practically was here as we had a wonderful send-off. He said wonderful things about me. You couldn't have nicer-said the best things. He's worn the hat. Trump was right about everything, and I am right about the 'Great Big Beautiful Bill.'" Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, wrote earlier this month on X: "I do support President Trump, and I support most of the bill. I'm his biggest defender on foreign policy. But at the same time, I want conservative government, so I have to fight for what I believe in." Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, to Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday: "I think it's incredibly unfortunate. You and I are both good friends with President Trump and we're both good friends with Elon Musk. They're both extraordinary men, and they've both done extraordinary things for our country." He added: "Elon is an incredible inventor and business leader. His buying Twitter was massively important, his leadership of DOGE for President Trump was massively important. President Trump is doing phenomenal work every single day. His victory pulled this country back from the abyss. I'll tell you Sean, I was in the Oval Office with the president when this back-and-forth began, and it's really unfortunate. They are both, I think, American heroes. They are both incredibly strong leaders. And listen, it's obvious they are both pissed off right now." House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, on Friday: "Do not doubt and do not second-guess and don't ever challenge the president of the United States, Donald Trump. He is the leader of the party." What Happens Next It was not clear whether Trump and Musk would meet or call to discuss the fallout over the bill, which Trump has suggested the Senate should pass by July 4.
