For journalists, dealing with the lies, misstatements and alternative facts from Donald Trump is one of the biggest challenges of reporting on the Trump administration.
And it’s not just the president who shades the truth. Some of his chief surrogates have shown a willingness to disassemble, no matter how ridiculous it might make them sound.
On Monday’s edition of CNN’s “NewsNight,” hosted by Abby Phillip, there was a whole lot of dissembling to take in. Her panel included Trump supporters Batya Ungar-Sargon and Kevin O’Leary, cohost of “Shark Tank.”
Discussion centered on the first 100 days of the second Trump administration, dominated by a flailing economy, brought on in part by the president’s on-again, off-again tariff policy. Most of the proposed tariffs are currently on a 90-day pause, ostensibly to allow Trump more time to negotiate new deals with America’s trade partners.
But so far, no deals have been finalized, and the markets are again wavering after the president threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell after he spoke out on the destructive nature of the tariffs and the accompanying uncertainty of when and if they’ll be imposed.
Still, Trump’s policies on his first day have landed on the downside with Americans.
A recent CNN/SSRS poll indicates that 59% of Americans believe President Donald Trump’s policies have worsened the country’s economic conditions. This marks a significant shift in public opinion, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with the administration’s economic approach.
Ungar-Sargon had a contrarian view, saying the wavering stock market was a win for everyone.
Phillip couldn’t contain her laughter, and the ensuing conversation offered no clarity.
“I don’t know if anyone, even people who agree with you about the need to deal with trade barriers, you know, the tariffs and then the non-tariff trade barriers, would disagree that that needs to be addressed. But, again, it’s how, right? It is the how,” Phillip countered.
Ungar-Sargon responded, “But I think that the very thing that he’s being criticized for is the thing that worked. If he had come in and very nicely and politely gone to each of these countries …”
Phillip, frustrated, was at a loss for words.
“What worked? Which worked? What worked?” she asked.
“I’m trying to explain,” Ungar-Sargon responded.
“If he had very nicely and calmly and politely gone to each of these countries and said, ‘Look, you’ve been screwing us over, you’ve been screwing over the American working class for 40 years and we’re not going to take it anymore. Let’s sit down and have like a nice conversation. Why won’t you … how about you bring down those tariffs? Let’s meet halfway,’ ” she said, explaining nothing.
Phillip asked her Ungar-Sargon again, “Has it worked?”
“I’ll tell you what worked,” Ungar-Sargon said, offering an imaginary scenario. “He picked up a baseball bat. He whacked the stock market, and now they’re all sitting there in a state of relief that it’s only a 10 percent tariff, and they are coming to the table. That’s how you know that it worked.”
“I’m legitimately confused,” Phillip responded, asking how destroying 20 percent of wealth in the U.S. over the last four months is good for anyone.
“That’s not true,” Ungar-Sargon replied.
O’Leary chimed in: “I want facts here, Abby.”
“Who benefits when the stock market drops and people lose value in both their investments and also in terms of the companies?” asked Phillip, likely aware the spinning can’t be stopped.
“We have 70 countries trying now to get a deal,” Ungar-Sargon says, trusting the president’s claim. “So, yes, it’s been four weeks and we don’t have a deal yet. They’re working. They’re very close to announcing them. India and Vietnam both announced tariffs on China. You think they would’ve done that if Trump hadn’t shown that he was serious about standing up for the American working class and that he doesn’t work for Wall Street?”
What’s left unsaid is the overwhelming view from economists that tariffs will destroy the economy.
There would be more alternative facts for Phillip to combat on Monday’s show. Talk turned to Trump’s deportation policy. Panelist Ana Navarro referenced a “60 Minutes” report that found 75% of those arrested and deported to El Salvador insisted they were not involved with gangs.
O’Leary responded that the news outlet wasn’t “credible,” claiming it was biased for its editing of an interview with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. The claim was disproved when “60 Minutes” released unedited transcripts of the interview, but Trump sued CBS anyway.
“Everybody edits interviews, Kevin,” Navarro says. “‘Shark Tank’ edits, too. Everybody edits.”
Phillip steps in.
“That‘s a complete non sequitur, OK?” she says. “It‘s unrelated to the conversation. First of all, Trump had his interviews edited by FOX. That issue with CBS is being litigated, but it‘s not likely to be successful.”
“I’m glad it’s being litigated,” O’Leary responds.
Phillip, obviously exasperated, shuts down the debate.
“Because editing interviews is allowed in the United States of America, and it wasn‘t edited deceptively,” she said. “But anyway, we‘re moving on because that is not part of the conversation.”
A recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS reveals that a growing majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Specifically, 52% believe he has gone too far in deporting undocumented immigrants, up from 45% in February. Additionally, 52% feel that his immigration policies have not made the U.S. safer, and 57% doubt that the federal government is carefully following the law during deportations.
