How Trump Is Blinded by His Lunatic MAGA Faithful | The Daily Beast Podcast

Trump had influence in the Indiana primary or look. Trump had influence in the Texas primary. Trump had influence among his lunatic faithful. The craziest among them are out there supporting crazier still candidates. And that's going to open the door in November. For the other two thirds of America, when they get a chance to vote. to express themselves, the Democrats have a good chance. of taking control of the Senate as well as the House.

And this would, of course, make Steven Chung. reach for his own box of tissues and begin crying. because it's over for MAGA and for Trump. at that moment. I'm China coals. Welcome to the Daily Beast podcast. Today's guest is David Rothkopf, our expert on foreign affairs, global affairs and well, what an earth is happening in Iran.

What's about to happen in Cuba? What's happening on the white House lawn? It's all it's all a lot. Anyway, David and I will get into it before we do. Just a reminder, we are independent media. We love your support. Please bless. If you haven't done the subscription button and become. a member of the Daily Beast community, there are lots of benefits, all of which are explained to you, but you get extra content and you get to know. when we've just dropped a new podcast anyway. David Rothkopf is in the house.

Let's get on with it. David Rothkopf, welcome back, Joanna. Thank you. Thank you. And I see that since I've been away, you have been promoted by. Steven Chung, who is in the white House doing something somewhere, though. Who knows what. I think a lot of eating. You've been promoted from a no name cook, which is what he called you. Last time we were talking.

Yes. And he's now calling you. He's saying that you play pretend as a foreign policy expert. Definitely not playing, right? No. But in reality, you're just a loser. who's jealous of President Trump and the rest of the administration. I know, I wish I could be more like that fateful, dying lunatic, but. Yeah, sure. Well, we can talk about that in a moment, but but Steven goes on. to say we do consequential work, which is sort of true. While he sobs in front of the computer screen with an empty tissue box.

to catch his tears of sorrow, I think we should. We should call this Tears of Sorrow with David Rothkopf, that we'll. call that today. Naming this after you. Tears of sorrow with David Rothkopf. Who knows? Steven Chung had such a poetic heart. It's poetic imagery. I think it is poetic. It's better than Blithering Idiot, which I've had. But one just takes this as you are not a blithering idiot. You are a light unto the world. We are glad.

you are back in the chair you belong in because you want to know something. The world is going to shit and they, you know, people need to talk about it. They know this is therapy for everybody. It is sort of therapy. It's certainly therapy for me. I'm a bit disconcerted, though, that we've got a very good new producer. who's supposed to be a technical whiz, but he's now positioned the microphone so you can't see my new t shirt. When I was in the UK, thinking of the podcast and needing. a wardrobe refresh, I bought some more t shirts, but you can't see this one.

And it's rather good because it's got a very good gold sort of pattern on it. Anyway. There are. Trump would love that. To him, I think he would like it because it's gold, obviously like his phones, which have had sadly not very good reviews. Well, you know, that's in part because they're crappy. and made in China and three generations old. And David, David, I think you're missing the point that they were created.

They were imagined neared in America. They were imaginary. And there isn't at the point on the back that shows a facsimile. of the American flag missing some stripes, because who cares about that stuff? You know, the suckers who are buying these phones are getting a phone. And so shut up and let's move on to. The next thing is the view of the Trump team behind the phones, because this scam is over and there's other scams to be done, other scams to be done. Well, we're going to talk about his scams.

We're going to talk about his health. We've got a lot to get through today. But first, I guess we should start where else in the Lone Star State? That would be a good flag for them, because it's much easier than the entire Stars and Stripes. The Lone Star State, where Donald Trump, as we know, endorsed. senatorial wannabe Ken Paxton, who the Republican former. AG of Texas who had already been impeached by his own party.

And miraculously, he won against. John Cornyn, the sitting senator for Texas. So there's going to be a real old bake. off in the election in the fall. Well, look, I mean, if if Trump troubles you, and I suspect for some of our listeners, he is a he's troubling figure, you should see this as a positive sign, because James. Talarico is going to be the next senator from Texas.

You're going to have a Democrat senator from Texas, and that's good news. But the reason it's happening is because Mega has chosen this moment. when its ranks are the smallest it's been in eight years. or however long it's existed when its poll ratings. and literally every single issue that Trump is involved. in are lower than they've ever been, are all underwater. When independents are turning on them, when they are in the worst possible shape,

they could be in there saying, yeah, let's double down on that, which has got to be, you know, in like the DSM five or something. as a form of insanity because that's they are. they are literally saying, let's, you know, we've got an unpopular president. who people don't like because he's corrupt. Let's get a candidate in Texas who is also corrupt. This president was impeached. This candidate was impeached.

This president has treated women terribly. This candidate, who is a champion of Christian values, has been divorced by his wife on biblical grounds. I mean biblical, you know, she's not even saying, you know, he's a scumbag. She's saying, no, no. The Bible says you can't be married to a guy like Penn Paxson. Okay? The Republican Party hated this guy so much until Trump backed him. that they were running ads, which they had to take down last night.

after backs in one which said Ken Paxton was a terrible, dirty general and we had the highest murder rate. in 30 years in Texas because Ken Paxton was the attorney general. So, you know, the Republicans are now going to have to sit on their hands. John Cornyn going to have to sit on his hands. The MAGA faithful have picked a guy. And and and Talarico is going to reap the benefits of this one. One one last thing, though.

Then Paxton goes after Talarico. last night and he says he is a threat to our way of lives. And do you know what? Why? He said he's a threat to go on two things. One, he's a vegan. Oh my God is a vegan. That is definitely a threat to our way of life. I think that we'll find that the vice president's wife is vegetarian. Right? And JD has even said that he partakes a vegetarian. Yeah, yeah for sure. There may be vegans in mega, but but then he goes further.

and this is the one that I really like the best, because Trump. and the MAGA faithful have landed on this idea. that somehow Tel Rico has said. that God has six genders and. and that he believes that God and Paxton. last night said that God is non-binary. Okay, but I think what they really heard Talarico.

talk about was people being cisgendered, which they just didn't get. And, you know, they're doubling down. on the fundamental MAGA belief. that God has specific genitalia, I guess. I mean, that's, that's that's that's where they are. But but, David, what does this actually say about. what people in Texas are looking for in their politicians? So they've had John Cornyn, who's a very right wing.

I think he comes across as the 12th in terms of his voting record. He's the 12th most right wing senator. currently in the Senate, soon to be soon to leave. Of course, in the fall. But what does this say about people in Texas? Because whatever else you say about Ken Paxton, his floors were all out there. This wasn't secrets that were dripping out. He'd been impeached by his own party. He'd been divorced, as you say, biblically or on a biblical scale,

perhaps by his wife. Of course, he gets the Trump endorsement. And Trump has been, you know, dilly dallying should he shouldn't he? What should he do? He was trying to play the Senate. What does it actually say about the people of Texas that they. turned out and voted for Ken Paxton, who seems, by all accounts, to be a thoroughly unpleasant, you know, corrupt individual. I don't think it says anything about the people of Texas. I think it says something.

No, I think it says something about the people who show up. and vote in a Republican primary in Texas. And of course, that's not the majority of Texans. It's not the majority of Republicans. It's the most extreme members of the Republican Party. And this is the problem. Those are the people who still support Trump. While, you know, Trump's underwater and almost everything at about two thirds. of American support, you know, feel he's doing a lousy job at most things. There's still one third of Americans who will follow him.

into the fires of hell, and those people are. the ones most likely to vote in a Republican primary. And that's why this little period that we're in here is so distortion, because you've got everybody going, oh, look, Trump had influence. in the Indiana primary or oh look, Trump had influence in the Texas primary. But it's Trump had influence. among his lunatic faithful.

The the the the craziest among them. are out there supporting crazier still candidates. And that's going to open the door in November for the other two. thirds of America, when they get a chance to vote to express themselves. And I think it's looking more likely, more. Yesterday's big headline is the Democrats have a good chance. of taking control of the Senate as well as the House.

And this would, of course, make Steven Chung. reach for his own box of tissues and begin crying. because it's over for MAGA and for Trump at that moment. You ever realize how many. customers slip through the cracks, missed calls, follow ups that never happen. It adds up fast. That's why today's episode is brought to you by quo, spelled Q, u o. The business communication system built so you never miss a call.

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It's over. Okay, I'm still stuck on the fact that you just used the word distortion. Did you just make that up or is that actually a word. I don't know, you're English. It's your language. Tell me if I got it wrong. I'm from new Jersey. Well, I knew Jersey. We use the words that. come out of our heads, and we don't get all caught up on the whole thing. But I fully understood what you meant, and I like it as a word. I've literally never heard it before. So we will do some we'll.

But by the end of the podcast, our producers will have done. some literary investigative work and discovered. that asked Siri whether it's really a word or exactly, exactly or chatty. Yes. All right. So do you think because I think it's the polls. put them at 45 versus 45? James Talarico, the seminarian. No, no, the poll I saw yesterday made it. Talarico is something like 46 or 48 and Paxon is 41.

In fact, it was closer with Cornett. And that's definitely closer with Cornyn. And that's why it's so interesting that Trump plumped for Paxton. It's not interesting. Trump's not interesting. Trump is completely predictable. Trump is about Trump. Anybody who supports Trump is what Trump likes. People who are critical of Trump. Trump doesn't like even people who are supportive of Trump 92%. of the time, like the John Cornyn, they end up getting thrown under the bus. for having not been supportive 100% of the time.

And so there was a quote from I think there was a quote. I read in the times today saying from a Republican on the Hill. saying, we're we're loyal. And Trump still stabs us in the back. And you think, actually he's stabbing you in the chest. in full view of everybody and nobody is doing anything. Who has Trump been loyal to? He's been Trump. He's been loyal to nobody. He know this. I mean, did you go to Trump's son's wedding? You probably had a better chance of showing up than Trump did this weekend.

You didn't go to his own sons damn wedding. He's never been loyal to a wife. He hasn't been loyal to his kids. He has never been loyal to his business partners, who he sues on a regular basis. He has not been loyal to his base. And folks, above all, the biggest betrayal of Donald. Trump is to the people of the United States. who have regularly been undermined, attacked and and hurt by Trump, including especially MAGA,

who depend on veterans hospitals. for care or who depend on rural medical centers. that he shut down, or who depend on aid programs. to help get their kids to school, or who depend on jobs. being created in their communities, or who depend, who like to go hunting. and want to go out into a world that's not destroyed by, you know, the environmental depredations of the fossil fuel industry.

Trump is disloyal to everybody and loyal to nobody. So if you were John Cornyn as friend, what would you advise him to do. in the few months that he has left in the Senate to make his point? Well, I would say a musical phone. Is that a Trump phone? David, are you keeping a secret from phone for us then plays lyrical tunes? Yeah, no, I just it's just an old Apple phone.

and it shouldn't have rung and I apologize and let's get pressed. You know how to put such lyrical ringtones on it. Okay. Look what what should, what should I mean? Trump isn't the only one that wants retribution against his political enemies. I mean, John Cornyn must be absolutely furious at this point. Yeah, but he won't. Last night he said, I've always voted for the Republican ticket, so I'll vote for Paxton. He's one of these, you know, sort of.

dyed in the wool, rock ribbed Republicans who goes along with the team, which is one of the strengths of the Republican Party. And he probably will not. I mean, will Thomas Massie go after Trump? Yeah, he's promised to do that. Will Thom Tillis go after Trump? Yeah. And his own kind of insipid way. Well, Thom Tillis went after Paxton last night saying he shouldn't be in the Senate. It was ridiculous. And, you know, we'll hear some of that. And who knows, maybe Cornyn will be a little bit more critical.

But, you know, my advice for Cornyn is like, fuck off. You've been supporting Trump this whole time. You got us into this mess. It's your silence. While he was destroying your party in the country that gave him power. And by the way, I extend this to all of Cornyn buddies, including especially the Bush family. You know, there was a Republican establishment. And when Trump came in and posed a threat to everything they allegedly believed. in, they, for the most part not Dick Cheney and his daughter,

but everybody else rolled over and played dead. They are responsible for this. So I, you know, John Cornyn, go off, play golf, go on some boards, make some millions and millions of more dollars and, you know, think maybe a little bit about how you made this happen. Right. He sewed the seeds of his own demise. All right. So Trump's own demise, physically,

we can see him in plain sight, deteriorating. He had his third visit in 13 months to Walter Reed yesterday. Came back and he said he'd passed. Everything perfect. Perfect. But it's very clear he's not in great health. And we know in two weeks he becomes 80. He'll be the oldest president ever to have served. Thoughts on the state of his health, his mental health, and why he keeps going back to Walter Reed. But, I mean, first of all, I wish you hadn't.

At the hour of the morning that we recorded, this made me think. about Donald Trump's health or his exam, or padding around with his ass. hanging out in one of those little robes at Walter Reed, because they make him. where one of those robes that we all have to put on. I always hate it when they say, can you put on this gown? Yeah. Which is just a humiliation device, right? Do you think he has to do that, or do you think he gets a special gown. or he's allowed to wear his own sort of toweling?

Rose. I don't I don't know, it's a great question, Joanne. And that's what's maybe one of the world's leading journalists. But, but I am intrigued by small details like that because Trump, in a kind of drab cotton robe that you tie behind the back but you can't tie, and then you expose yourself unwittingly to the entire. waiting room, is is something I'm just intrigued by. Look, here's the thing. Something is is wrong with Trump.

We know something is wrong with Trump. You've had doctors on here who've talked about something being wrong with Trump. And, you know, he has gone from one visit a year to a visit every six months. You don't go from one visit a year to a visit. every six months because everything's going good now. I think it's more, David, I hate to correct you, but I think it's more frequent than that. It's his third visit in 13 months. Okay, well, but you get my point. The point is, is now going more frequently.

And there has to be reasons he's going more frequently. And, you know, the white House, which like to say that he was super healthy, you know, finally got around to admitting that he is chronic venous. insufficiency or whatever that's called, which don't we all, darling? Don't we all. Yeah. Feeling very chronically insufficient. because that's what causes the cankers. And Lord knows what's causing the blotches on his hands. You know, the further hair loss, the fattening, the inability to stand up.

He could barely stand up when he was with XI Jinping. He can't walk up a ramp. He can't walk down a ramp. He, you know, he falls asleep in meetings. He falls asleep everywhere. Well, he falls asleep standing up, which is quite a feat. It is. But like a horse, you know, it's kind of amazing, but. But which is one of the animals he has to identify, I think. Well, on the motor test. The Montreal qualitative test doesn't like animals, right? He does it well. He doesn't like any any living, breathing thing.

Right. That steals attention from me. I think that's right. I was just reading some story about somebody suggesting that you have a dog. when he goes to the white House, and he's like, I don't like dogs. I don't want to have dogs, you know? Anyway, anyway, the point is he's sick and he is decaying. He is declining before our eyes. And this just goes back. Let's go back, you know, to the to the Paxon story and MAGA doubling down, MAGA doubling down on Donald Trump.

as his polls are falling might be seen as an act of loyalty, Mega doubling down on Donald Trump as his polls are falling. He has no good ideas, and he is physically decaying. before their eyes is an act of lunacy. And I would say right next to Trump. at Walter Reed in the intensive care ward ought to be MAGA, because MAGA is on its last legs. If it thinks that doubling down.

on this decaying, subpar, rating, mentally deficient. lunatic is the answer to their problems and and and yet they seem to. And I know you've got a very I love. when we do this because, you know you've always got a very carefully worked out. You have teams 2030 producers there and they've worked schedule about. what are you talking about?

I wanted, I wanted to contradict you on one thing. or push back on one thing with the words of Jeff Bezos, who said. that there's a reliable source, Jeff Bezos, who said that actually Trump. did have some good ideas and that he was showing more maturity. and discipline in in Trump two in his second administration, Jeff Bezos has revealed himself to be a man of no character. He is rich. He is powerful. He is smart. I have sat next to Jeff Bezos at dinner.

and talked to Jeff Bezos long ago, long before he was a billionaire. And I got to tell you, he is a smart guy, but. he is using none of his powers for good. He is his literally just trying to enrich himself further. And, you know, he went after Trump. He went after mom Donny the other day saying, you know, giving. asking billionaires to pay more taxes wouldn't help anybody, wouldn't help a school teacher in Queens, he said, you know, Jeff.

Bezos is going to be one of those sort of cartoon character. versions of the robber barons. of the early part of the 21st century that will be studied, you know, and the you can imagine the cartoons. that will be drawn of these people because they are rapacious, characterless. And if there were $1 trillion in their bank account. and they saw a penny lying in the street, they would go for it,

and they would knock an old lady down to get it. Good lord. Okay. Do you never use Amazon, David? Do you never use Amazon? Telltale. silence, my friend, a telltale silence. I do, but I but I don't feel good about it. Does. That's the that's a liberal response. What I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do?

I live practically in the woods. Somebody's got to bring food to my house. I think your house with three swimming pools. Oh, for fuck's sick. It's like, okay, you're not you're not crying into it. If only Steven Chung could see. your well-appointed house, he would know you were not sobbing into an empty. We got a bunch of MAGA people on my street. Let me put it that way. I don't want to name names, but some of them are real famous, big time MAGA people. I think Jeff Bezos point about New York, actually,

was that New York school system spends. the most on any pupil in the country, and still they have. depressingly low scores for reading and math. They may indeed. And they, you know, do. Zora Mamdani has been the mayor for five months. Prior to that, we had Eric Adams. Terrible. Bill de Blasio, terrible. You know, we had bad mayors running this city from both political parties.

And the reality is. Mamdani is making some good progress, is going to be providing. people with free pre-K is, you know, making it possible for people. to get better health care, better transportation. Even the Knicks are winning. So it's really hard to come down on Mamdani. If you know anything about New York.

Do you think that's why the Knicks are winning? I was thinking it was to do with Jalen Brunson, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm wrong that you know who Jalen Brunson is. I'm going to bow down. You know I'm actually going to one of the final games. next week I'm extremely excited about how much that cost. Missed three swimming pools. Do you know that we've gone off track. We've got track. Do you know what a courtside seat at a Knicks finals game is going for online? No. What are they going for? Is it is it more than the seats for the UFC.

fight on the lawn of the white House, which you must have walked. past that incredible edifice that's going. So glad you brought it up. But first of all, yeah, it's more than that. And yeah, it's more than the World Cup. There was a there was a seat sold on the court for a Knicks. finals game that went for $150,000, so. Well, I didn't say I was sitting courtside, David. Well, there was and was on Zoran says he's going to sit in the nosebleeds.

and so maybe he'll see him up there in the nosebleeds. You're a woman. You're a woman of the people. But you're you're right. Let's talk about this. This bizarre thing. that's going up that cost $60 million. So that Trump can hold a cage match on the South Lawn of the white House, ostensibly to celebrate America, really to celebrate Trump, where. some of his buddies are getting free seats and otherwise the seats are costing.

thousands of dollars, and it's going to be this kind of MAGA love fest. But the fact, I mean, there's a picture this morning. that showed the cage or whatever this thing is. Yeah, it's a sort of huge semicircle. Well, I think sort of the semicircle and stuff and. Right, it looks, it looks a little like Wembley, if you know what I'm referring to there. But do you mean Wembley Stadium? Yes. Yes, exactly. But I think I might know what you're referring to.

Although I saw the stones play there, I haven't been there. for a sporting game, but I have been there for Rolling Stones concerts. Well, that's cool, but look, there was a picture and it showed this cage being built. $60 million. We don't know who's paying for it. We have no idea where that money is coming from next to it. Where are you coming from? Whence it be? Coming from the television, right? I mean, UFC is a very successful business. Are they going to pay for the Secret Service? Are they going to pay for restoring the South Lawn? Are they going to pay for, you know, who knows.

But there is this huge monstrosity, which is a national embarrassment. going up there that everybody should be crying out. John Cornyn, who wants something to do, pick it in front of the white House, say, please don't embarrass us with this event. It's going to happen anyway. Next. David. David, let me ask you something. Are you being a bit snotty here? I mean, you have is hugely, hugely popular sport. Would you feel better if it was a nice game of tennis. with the politeness and Federer on the South Lawn of the white House.

since Jimmy Carter? People go out. I played on that tennis court, people go out, they play a nice game of tennis, they go back in. It's for the white House, okay? It's not for public spectacle. The white House is the people's house. The idea of the white House is to be a symbol to the American people. It used to be in the days of Lincoln. So where you could just walk in and say hello to the president, that became impossible for a bunch of other reasons. But other presidents realized that it was a symbol of something.

And in Trump's case, it is a symbol of excess, vulgarity, corruption, violence, hatred, division, all the things that he stands for. But and this is the point I was trying to make next to this is where. Jackie Kennedy's rose garden was paved over. so they could turn it into a patio area that looked like Mar-A-Lago. And next to that is the obscene $1.6.

billion ballroom for billionaires, plus the secret. hospital and bunker that's underneath it that Trump wants to build, plus the drone. launching station. And the Trump on the top that Trump says will also be a great place. for snipers to shoot at people in the streets of Washington. And this is this is all, you know, the white House, the one time symbol being defaced. and defiled by this lunatic megalomaniac.

who is building a 250ft arch to himself. next to Arlington Cemetery, who is paving the streets of Washington? Or that he drives on in gold while he shuts down hospitals and schools? Has just released a plan. Joanna, your blocks from this where he's going to remake Penn Station. And in the middle of it, there's a big tribute to Donald Trump. This guy makes Nero look like he was subdued and had good taste.

He really does do that. What did you make of the video yesterday that they released of him staring. and walking around and sort of knocking at the columns of the white House? I think he'd returned from his hospital visit, probably ecstatic, having been given a 150%, 200% good news on his health. But he spent seven minutes looking at the columns, which are, of course, quite plain, the columns of the white House.

Do you think that he thinks he can gold them up? Do you think he's in the days of ancient Rome, in Greece? All those things that we think of as white columns weren't white columns, right? They were painted very colorful, and a lot of them had gold on the top. and gold on the bottom. We've already know that Trump is against the. the style of column that they use in Washington, because they use a Ionian or some other kind of more plain style.

And he wants Corinthian because it's got a lot of acanthus leaves out of the top. And that's super exciting to him. And I can only imagine that he would think, oh, you know, the white House might look better with a little bit of of gold out here too. Maybe we could make gold columns. Maybe we could pave the driveway, streets of gold. Maybe we could change the uniforms. of all the people that greet people at the white House. So they look like Joanna Cole's t shirt.

Well, you can't. see my t shirt because of the the microphone, can you? Okay, I'm going to move. I'm going to move to the left. I'm going to move to the left so you can see my t shirt. I know maybe I've become unduly. influenced by Donald Trump and that's why it appealed to me every single day. How many times do you do inside Trump's brain? Well, inside Trump's head, whatever different inside his brain? Three times a week. Maybe that's it's it's he's subversive.

He's influencing me. And I didn't realize what was going on. That's a little scary. It's too much, isn't it? It's too many times to me. Three times a week. You don't. All right, all right. You know, just, like, move on. Because you know what's going to happen. You got no Trump. First of all, there's there's less evidence that Trump. even has a head, a brain going on in that head. But, you know, in a year or two when Trump is, like, drooling in some ward someplace, what are you going to talk about?

I'm going to talk about JD Vance inside Vance's. JD Vance inside JD Vance is bearded. Bearded head. Okay. So listen, Don junior got married at the weekend, and and. we've not seen any. pictures yet, so I'm assuming they've sold the pictures. There were lots of pictures of the guests. posting pictures of themselves, but no pictures of the married couple. So I'm assuming they've done a deal. There'll be a big deal with Gun and Dead Animal magazine,

which is, you know, where it's what I what? There were these leaks that came out that his wife really wanted. a white House wedding, and she couldn't get it. They wouldn't give her a white House wedding. And I just to me, that's kind of so sad. It's such, you know, that she's like, okay, I'm. going to marry the son of the president and we're going to get a. white House wedding. And then now it's in the Bahamas, and then he's not even coming. And she's like, damn, all that I wanted.

It's such a I don't know, it's a well, you don't know. She might be relieved. She might be relieved that Donald didn't turn up because, well, that she's marrying Don Jr. Okay, okay. Don Senior didn't turn up. That's that's a bit of a slap. Oh, God. I mean, can you imagine anything worse? So she could, I guess maybe the argument for not getting married. at the white House is that the ballroom makes it a bit of a demolition site.

The ballroom, the room, the cage for the cage. match, everything that's going on there. And I mean, have you have you looked while you were away? You know, he decided that he didn't want the reflecting pool to reflect anymore, and he's painted that to look like a kiddy pool. in front of the Lincoln Memorial that's being painted blue. And. Yeah, that's disturbing. Yeah. Well, it's. And he said, I'm redoing the fountains and I'm redoing the. what is going through his mind.

The funny thing is he thinks he's a master builder. And the reality is that everything that he has ever built has been super tacky. He's actually not a master builder. He's a he's a defile or a deface or a debate. And that's what's happening right now at the white House. Well, the other thing that's going on in the background, of. course, is in theory, negotiations over Iran. You remember 12 weeks ago we went around, I don't remember what what.

And there was no specific reason other than perhaps regime change. It was never really explained to us why we were doing this. And now we seem to be at a point where we are. negotiating to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which wasn't closed when we started bombing. But the Iranians quickly realized. they could close it, and they had more power than they'd actually realized. What are you hearing from your intelligence sources and your. sources in the sort of foreign affairs.

world about how this is going to resolve? I mean, there are 1500 tankers in the Strait. Look, Trump, Trump's going to cut a deal, just like, you know, the so-called Gaza deal. Did you see the story today that the Board of Peace in Gaza. has a little problem, which is the $14 billion everybody committed to it. No one has given any money to it. That doesn't surprise me. Right? Yeah. So it's not it's not real.

Right? Well, how was the Gaza deal structure? The Gaza deal was structured was we can solve this one small thing. Now we'll have a 22 point plan. We'll solve those things in the future. Deal. You know. In other words, all the tough stuff was punted. The same is true with this Iran deal. In fact, over the weekend, some pro-Republican say I think it was Frank, Luntz said. We're 95% of a way to a deal. I understand the only two outstanding things are what to do with Iranian nukes. and what to do about the string of right, the two most important central elements.

Right. The things that really count, that are really hard, we're not going to do. But, you know, essentially, I think what Trump wanted was. let's do a deal where we get the strait open. We'll give the Iranians some money for getting the strait open. And there was $25 billion allegedly pledged, plus lifting. sanctions on Iran so they would be able to make more money selling their own. You know, and essentially we were paying, you know, Trump didn't.

like the idea that there would be a toll paid at the Strait of Hormuz. It used to be free, by the way, but he is the one who created this situation. So he thought, well, let's. give him a big lump sum, you know, just like Obama did back then. Well, anyway, let's overlook that. We'll just say that this is better than that deal, and then we're just going to punt everything else. There are a few problems. One of them was he said that Israel would get out. of Lebanon, and almost immediately the Israelis said, no, we won't. To those things that they didn't resolve.

are actually much more difficult. And by the way, what I have heard. is that the deal that they were going to strike on, on enriched. uranium was that they would take the highly enriched uranium out, but Iran would maintain the ability to enrich uranium, and it would keep the less enriched uranium, which, of course, if it maintains the ability to enrich, it can always enrich further. Right? It knows how to do it. So that was a bit of a head fake.

Also, why isn't the more outcry about this, David? I mean, he he he there is nothing that America has come out of. in this situation that puts it ahead. of where we were when he started bombing. You know, it's a good question. This is a catastrophe. It was a terrible idea. It has cost billions and billions. of dollars, many, many billions more than what they have alleged.

It has cost. It has cost human lives here. It has cost 3000 lives in Lebanon, and it's cost 4 or 5000 lives in Iran. It has cost the region its stability. It has cost us all in terms of higher energy. prices, higher fertilizer prices, higher food prices. It has higher air prices. I mean, going back to the UK, the air prices have doubled. And a lot of companies, Lufthansa, other companies.

have simply canceled flights because they simply can't afford it anymore. And it has, you know, undermined U.S. interests, of course, in the region. And, you know, here we are, the deal that he is going to strike, no matter what is going to be less good than both. The Obama deal struck. on nukes in 2015, which he pulled out of.

And it is going to be less good than where we are on February 27th. And he knows it. And now he's getting heat from both sides. There are people saying, just pull out and stop. And he's finding himself unable to do that. And then there are people like the far right, including John Bolton, and some others are like, no, this is the time to double down and trust in has no plan, no strategy. He went in with no advice. His advisers are in the sort of yes sir mode.

One day it's peace. And then what did we do over the weekend? We bombed them and then we said, oh yeah, we were bombing them in self-defense. Now this is right here is a country. that has launched an illegal war against Iran, US. And we are saying that by bombing them, we are defending ourselves. But, you know, it's what this is a confused mismatch. And he desperately, desperately wants to change the subject.

And so he is going to come up with some deal which he thinks he can sell, even though anybody who looks at it is going to know that it's a lousy deal. and that we're worse off than when this all started. And then what is he going to do? He's going to go after Cuba. He made some noises at a commencement speech that maybe. Panama's in the crosshairs. He talks about Greenland again. You know, he'll do anything to distract from this because it has been a complete fiasco. It goes back to our first point about Paxson and about Mega.

They're doubling down on a guy who may have once. had a little bit of that sort of bullshit that allowed him to sell stuff to. the American people, and he's got no bag, no tricks left in his bag. Everything he does is turning to crap. He can't sell it anymore. And Meg is like, yeah, we're behind this guy all the way. He's literally it since he took over. What's his big success? What is the what has he done that is good? Even some of the things that he's trying to do, like redistricting.

and he got pushed back in South Carolina over the weekend. The court pushed him back in Alabama. And, you know, there are there are signs that, you know, some people in the Republican Party are realizing this is a problem. And and it's just making it even harder for him to get anything done. Oh, we've got another two and a half years to go. Maybe if he lives that long,

do you think, where are you on the scale inside Trump's head? Yesterday, Michael Wolff and I debated whether or not. we thought Trump would last through his presidency. I thought he would, because I think. he has that hunger. that just keeps going. Michael thought that he would keel over. Look who knows, right? I think what we know 100% for sure.

is that he will become more diminished with each passing week. What we know 100% for sure is that he is not up to the job now, which means that there will be a president for however long he remains in office. who is incapable of doing the job, who becomes less. capable of doing the job with each passing week. And he is surrounded by sycophants and idiots. I mean, we haven't talked about RFK. Jr picking up a handful of snakes over the weekend. How could we have forgotten to mention that?

That was a amazing video with poor Cheryl. squeaking in the corner. Okay, okay okay buddy. Let it go. Oh my God, this is such a fucking weirdo. I mean, he's. I mean, yeah, he's a heroin addict and he's got a brain worm, but you. know, this stuff with the dead animals, with the bear and the park and the. Well, he's like a reverse. He's a bit like a reverse.

Doctor Doolittle. He he's. Yeah, because he's the kid who was in your fifth grade class. who was pulling the legs off of bugs in the last row of the classroom. And the teacher was going, I'm going to look the other way. because he's RFK junior. I mean, this guy is freaking demented. And I got to tell you something, Joanna. It's it's kind of funny to make fun of RFK Jr, because, you know, he's a heroin addict who said he used to snort. cocaine off of toilet seats, and that's why he doesn't believe in germ theory.

I mean, are we kidding ourselves? And he's cutting all these programs that are important. And yet what else is going on in the world right now? Joanna, the most worrisome outbreak of Ebola virus. that we have seen anywhere, a new strain that doesn't respond to things. we already have lived in our lifetimes, recently, through a pandemic and every part of the US government. that could be used to prevent a pandemic has been shut down.

or gutted by Trump, by Elon Musk, by RFK Jr. And I should add, and I really want to add this by Mr. Normal, the guy who's going to say I'm the sensible face of MAGA, Marco Rubio, who shut down aid, which is going to result in. 14 million people dying around the world. and which has resulted in the spread of this Ebola virus. And if you go and you read and you talk to people who are involved, they will tell you that had the US had its prior.

capabilities in place in Africa, it would have been identified sooner. It would have been responded to quicker, there would have been more resources. Now, I'm not saying this Ebola virus is going to spread well, it's already spread. Actually, it has already spread within Africa. Yeah, no, I understand, but what I'm saying is. and they're setting up now, the US is setting up a station to handle. Americans who get infected with it over there, and they're scrambling. to find the Ebola virus experts that they fired.

They fired, you know, to go and to deal with this thing and, and, and and so, you know, at every level. and at every single level. of what we are going to have is a weaker. United States of. America that is in greater danger than it was. And I will point out one other thing. Also, a story. that just not going to get covered and people don't care about, you know,

foreign policy and you say, well, why don't people care about, you know, that, you know, this thing or that thing that's happening. In the past couple of days, Trump has said that he is going to shut down. more programs that stop Russia from interfering in the United States, and he is going to cut down on the number of planes. and, and, and ships that are available to NATO to defend itself against Russia, even as it is just months after the US ambassador to Ukraine quit because,

she said we had switched sides over to Russia, even, as you know. So so all I'm saying here is I can give you a list of 15 ways. that we have become more vulnerable to Russia under Trump, or that we have become more vulnerable to Chinese growth, and we've become less able. to compete under Trump, or that we have become more vulnerable to pandemics, or we have become more vulnerable to disease within our own society, or inequality in our society has grown or et cetera, etc., etc.

this I, you know. Yeah. If Trump dropped dead tomorrow, I, like everybody else would go and enjoy the party. I have to admit it. But I'm less. worried about that and I than I am about the continued deterioration, not of one old man, but of an entire country because of the damage he has done. I can see we normally talk on a Monday Wednesday. David is even gloomier than Mondays.

David. Wow. That's why my parents my nickname as a child was Eeyore. So, David, the good news is there is good news. after today's podcast distortion is, it turns out, a word. I know it is. I knew it, I knew it was. You knew it was just right. I just wanted to play along with your bit, you know? Well, you're just fancy me. I just have longer words. I do have a fine new Jersey public school education. David, your Ivy League don't. Don't deny.

I know you went to Colombia. I know you went to Colombia. And. And that's where you learned to use these fancy words. Anyway, I'd never heard of distortion. I understood, obviously, what it meant, but it felt very long, even for a podcast with a man who's sobbing into an empty box of tissues. I don't know where Stephen Chung gets that from. Yeah, well, yeah, the fact that Steven Chung. is such a fan of this podcast really warms my heart. No, I think he's a fan of you, specifically you.

David, you've gone from a no name to maybe he's secretly in love with me. I think he's projecting. Yeah, I think I don't, I don't know, I mean, maybe he is. And Stephen, look, I can be forgiven. I'm very happy to come join you in the white House mess. Well, remember, he says you're jealous of the Trump. administration because they're doing consequential work. Yeah, I just by the way, Steven, the next insult. Why don't you tell us. what the consequential work is other than destroying America?

Name one good thing that Donald Trump has done. that has benefited the average American. I can't stop thinking about the 1500 tankers. that are idling in the Strait. of Hormuz, the incredibly long time. some of those poor merchant seamen have been on board them. They haven't seen their families. I'm sure they're not living in the healthiest of conditions. and just the impact globally on on the slowdown of getting all to people.

I mean, that's and it's not going to be fixed overnight. If Trump announces a deal this week, as I believe he will. And if Trump announces a deal this week, whether it's a good deal or a bad deal and it'll be a bad deal, it's going to take many, many months for oil prices. to come down to where they were for this backup, that this unnecessary illegal war. caused to be remediated.

And yes, that is also a word. David, we will see you back on Monday. But as always, a pleasure. and hugely thought provoking to talk to you. Thank you. Same, Joanna. So glad you're back. Thank you. I'm not sure. there's anybody as erudite as David Rothkopf. Once he gets whipped up into a frenzy, which he is at the moment, and his ability to just come up with lists is is really astonishing to me.

Anyway, I always enjoy talking to him. I want to know what your favorite bit of the conversation was, and just continuing the conversation from inside Trump's head. Do you think Donald Trump will manage to live out the rest of his term, or do you think, as Michael Wolff does and many others, that he will simply keel over at the cabinet table? I think that he will survive. I think he has a remarkable.

internal combustion. engine which will keep him ticking along. But we're very curious to know what you think. So tell us in the comments. Big thanks to our production team, Ryan Murray, John Romero. who's new and just getting his feet wet, Rachel Passer, Heather Passaro and Neil Rosenhaus. See you tomorrow. We'll be back with another episode of inside. You know where Trump's head.

So the good news is we have so many beast tier members now. There are too many names to read out and we really appreciate your support.