Trump Official Fights for His Life as Fox News Grills Him on Economy |
Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett is fighting for his life trying to put a positive spin on the latest economic data—and even Fox News isn’t having it.
Fox host Martha MacCallum asked Hassett on Thursday about the brutal new layoff numbers from consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. “Year-to-date job cuts show an increase of 54 percent,” MacCallum asked Hassett. “That seems like a troubling number. What’s your take on it?”
Hassett waffled, claiming that jobs were in flux. “Don’t forget that there’s hires and there’s fires, there’s separations and new jobs, and so net job creation for the year is very positive. But the flow of jobs in and out is a little bit higher, there’s a little bit more turnover. A lot of times that happens because people feel that they’re able to get another job if they leave this job,” Hassett said.
FOX: Year to date job cuts are up 54%. That seems like a troubling number. What's your take?
HASSETT: The flow of jobs in and out is a little higher, there's a little more turnover. A lot of times that can happen because people feel like they're actually able to get another job… pic.twitter.com/ukMbOtTl3w
Hassett seems not to realize that the report does not measure the normal ebb and flow of people choosing to leave a job, but job cuts—layoffs. Layoffs this year have surpassed one million for the first time since Covid-19.
MacCallum hit Hassett with another unpleasant truth: that despite Hassett’s and the Trump administration’s attempt to spin the affordability crisis, voters still know who’s to blame. Looking at a Fox News poll, MacCallum noted that 76 percent of respondents see the economy as “only fair” or “poor.”
FOX: 76% of people say the economy is "only fair" or "poor" and 62% of people say Trump is responsible for economic conditions. What would you say?
HASSETT: When there's a govt shutdown, the survey data tends to really really tank because everybody's in a terrible mood pic.twitter.com/J2TIRd5PHc
“And then, when we have ‘Who is responsible for current economic conditions, President Trump or President Biden?’ We have Trump at 62 percent.… What would you say to people who are answering the survey that way, Kevin?”
Hassett defaulted to one of the Republicans’ favorite recent scapegoats: the shutdown. “One of the things that we’ve seen, we’ve studied over the last couple of weeks, is that when there’s a government shutdown … the survey data tend[s] to really tank because everyone is in a terrible mood, because Washington can’t work and the government’s shut down, and they’re worried about how bad it’s going to be,” Hassett said.
Right. If even Fox News isn’t convinced, I’m not sure how Hassett thinks he’ll convince the American people.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other European leaders on a phone call that Donald Trump could betray Ukraine.
A transcript of the Monday call to strategize how to protect Ukraine was leaked to the German newspaper Der Spiegel and published Thursday. Macron, Zelenskiy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and other European leaders all took part and discussed U.S. negotiation efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
“There is a possibility that the U.S. will betray Ukraine on the issue of territory without clarity on security guarantees,” Macron said, noting that there was “a big danger” for Zelenskiy. German leader Merz also expressed his misgivings, telling Zelenskiy that Trump’s handpicked negotiators, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, “are playing games with both you and us.”
While European leaders have expressed their concerns about America’s Ukraine policies, this transcript is the clearest indication of how they feel about the Trump administration and its efforts. The Finnish president has gotten along well with Trump in public but still said, “We must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys,” referring to Witkoff and Kushner.
“I agree with Alexander that we need to protect Volodymyr,” added NATO Secretary General Rutte.
Late last month, the Trump administration presented a 28-point peace plan to resolve the conflict that was considered a Russian “wish list” and appeared to be translated from Russian. Under that plan, Ukraine would give up substantial territory, refrain from joining NATO, and limit the size of its military.
After Ukraine weighed in, a new plan was released with a shortened 19 points, to which Russia has not agreed. But it seems that Europeans are worried about Trump deferring to Russia and abandoning Ukraine, and, based on past events, who can blame them?
President Donald Trump “accidentally” let slip on Thursday the next target for Trumpification: the Kennedy Center.
“You have a big event on Friday at the Trump-Kennedy Center—op, excuse me. The Kennedy Center,” Trump said with a laugh.
“Pardon me, such a terrible mistake,” he continued, grinning.
Trump: "There's a big event on Friday at the Trump-Kennedy Center-- op -- excuse me, at the Kennedy........