SHAMELESS: Vance focuses on fraud with especially bad timing for Trump
5/14/202641 min
Jen Psaki looks at the political convenience of JD Vance's new anti-fraud talking points as he struggles to demonstrate some relevance while the rest of the Trump administration goes to China. But too much attention on fraud is a particularly awkward thing for Trump, who is trying to find a way to force the IRS to give him billions of taxpayer dollars, and while he his own son, Eric, with business interests in China, has joined him in traveling to Beijing.
Senator Mark Kelly joins to discuss the corruption in the Trump administration and the incompetence of Pete Hegseth.
Jen Psaki rounds up reporting on cost overruns, scheduling delays and quality defects in the work being done on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Despite going on at length about his role in picking the contractor without any bidding and the pool's new color, Trump is now quick to point the finger at "Interior." Rep. Joe Neguse talks with Jen Psaki about Trump's "gross waste of taxpayer resources."
Rep. Ro Khanna joins to discuss Donald Trump's self-dealing.
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Jen Psaki· Host0:29
Today, as Donald Trump and a whole gaggle of his top aides arrived in China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Vice President J.D. Vance went out of his way to make sure everybody knew he was not forgotten and, and left behind at home.
J.D. Vance· Soundbite0:44
So, as you know, the president just landed in China a few hours ago. I always... Y- you know, you may know that because of Secret Service protocols, that I don't travel outside of the country with the President of United States. So on days today, I, I sometimes feel like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. I walk into the White House, and it's very quiet, and no one's there, and I-- it takes me a second to realize exactly what's going on.
Jen Psaki· Host1:07
Feel a little, a little nervous there about proving your relevance, buddy? That was a lot of explaining. Now, of course, all of that verbal tap dancing from Vance comes as Trump is pitting J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio against one another, asking crowds at the White House, "Who likes J.D. Vance, and who likes Marco Rubio?"