Will Trump "Restart" the War With Iran Now That the China Summit Is Over?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Morning Meeting

Episode: Will Trump "Restart" the War With Iran Now That the China Summit Is Over?
Date: May 15, 2026
Host: Mark Halperin (with panelists Larry O’Connor and Kevin Walling)

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Episode Overview

This episode revolves around President Trump's return from the high-profile yet anticlimactic China Summit, speculation over renewed U.S.–Iran military confrontation, and the forward-looking news cycle—encompassing U.S. domestic politics, the California gubernatorial race, and assorted global flashpoints. The hosts explore what (if anything) was achieved at the China Summit, if Trump plans to escalate with Iran, and what signs to watch over the coming weekend.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Anticipation Around Iran: Will Trump "Restart" the War?

• Speculation: Mark Halperin opens by noting rampant speculation in D.C. that Trump will “restart the war” with Iran now that the summit is behind him (01:28).
• No Prediction, Just Atmosphere: Halperin clarifies, “No one…post a clip saying Halperin’s predicting the war is starting. I’m just saying in my world...” (01:28)
• Panel Gut Check: Larry O’Connor and Kevin Walling both express uncertainty—no “spidey sense” that action is imminent (02:15-02:36).
• Logistical/Procedural Color: Discussion on whether the Secretary of Defense is traveling with the President and how running military actions is inhibited when the president can’t use his phone (03:00-03:56).

2. China Summit: "Historic" or Hollow?

• Few Deliverables: The summit is characterized chiefly by what it didn't achieve—no major announcements on Boeing sales, fentanyl, financial access, soybeans, or Iran (13:15-14:43).
  • Halperin: “I’ve never seen a summit with no deliverables.” (13:50)
• Why No Press Conference?: Larry suggests that Trump may want to save any “big announcements” for his home turf when Xi visits Washington in the fall, and that Trump “does things differently” than past presidents (14:03).
• A New Playbook: The panel returns often to how Trump’s process doesn’t mirror that of his predecessors, emphasizing unpredictability (14:03-15:11).

3. U.S.–China–Taiwan Dynamics

• Trump on Taiwan: The President, in remarks from Air Force One, is non-committal about defending Taiwan if invaded, “There’s only one person that knows that... Me.” (16:32, 17:17)
• Xi’s Warnings: Chinese President Xi reportedly warned Trump not to “mess with Taiwan”; U.S. ambiguity remains official policy (16:10-17:58).

4. Iran: Blockades, Oil, and Negotiations

• Strait of Hormuz: The group parses conflicting reports over whether Chinese ships are allowed to transport Iranian oil, and if the U.S. is enforcing a full blockade (21:12-22:56).

• Negotiating Tracks: Multiple possibilities coexist for U.S. strategy on Iran:

  • Military escalation
  • Quiet negotiations via Pakistanis or Qataris
  • Pressure via Gulf allies such as Saudi Arabia and UAE (25:31-28:37)

• Trump’s Stance on a Deal: When asked about Iran’s most recent proposal, Trump is blunt:

  “If I don’t like the first sentence, I just throw it away… An unacceptable sentence… Twenty years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them is not enough... it’s got to be a real twenty years, not a big Lindsay.” (President Trump, 24:59–25:31)

• Real-Time Diplomacy: O’Connor highlights how exceptional it is to have such high-stakes kinetic military action and negotiations discussed so openly and contemporaneously in the media (25:58–26:28).

5. Other Global Hotspots

• Cuba: A possible deal is discussed, with CIA Director Ratcliffe leading talks—a sign of high national security stakes. Walling predicts that “there’s got to be some capitulation on the Cuban front” (30:27-30:47).
• Congressional Republican Dynamics: Briefly, the panel discusses the at-times “frayed but cordial” relationship between Speaker Johnson, Sen. Thune, and Trump (32:01-33:26).

6. Domestic Politics

California Gubernatorial Debate:

• Becerra Targeted: Former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is under fire in debates and faces corruption accusations (34:46-35:50).
• Runoff Speculation: Steve Hilton, currently seen as the leading Republican, is shaping his campaign against Becerra or Steyer. Porter and others trail (36:33-38:02).

L.A. Mayoral Race:

• Spencer Pratt’s Viral Campaign: AI-driven campaign ads create a “moment” for Pratt, making the hosts bullish on his odds—even as Walling cautions L.A. is a Democratic city (39:08-40:35).

Veepstakes:

• JD Vance vs. Marco Rubio: Panel consensus gives the edge to Vance as the likely Republican VP nominee (40:57–41:11).

7. Winners and Losers of the Week

• Winners:

  • Abdul El-Sayed: Despite personal controversies, emerging as the one to beat in Michigan’s senate primary (41:26-42:02).
  • Huck and George Sanders: Featured in a “genuinely good” campaign ad for their mother, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (42:10–43:08).
  • Chairman Xi: Halperin calls Xi the week’s “winner” for having Trump “kowtow” with no concessions (43:55–44:22).

• Losers:

  • Karen Bass: For touting dental care for meth addicts as a homelessness solution in L.A. (45:33-46:04).
  • FBI Director Kash Patel: Poor Senate performance, questions about drinking (47:07–47:35).
  • NYT Readers: Halperin criticizes the Times’ handling of a Nick Kristoff report, calling it a “disgrace” (47:35–48:16).

8. What to Watch This Weekend

• GOP primaries in Alabama and Georgia: Tight, three-way races (48:24–48:55).
• Summit Aftermath: Official communiqués from China and U.S. for any signs of real agreements (49:06–49:26).
• Whereabouts of "Fixers": Curiosity about figures like Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and their diplomatic roles (49:30–49:34).

9. Live Listener Segment: SCOTUS Trucking Ruling

• Carrier Liability: Audience question on Supreme Court’s decision to let brokers be held liable for truck safety, discussed as a potential “nuclear event” for the freight industry—may force out unsafe and illegal immigrant drivers but raise costs (51:43–56:33).

10. Pop Culture Wrap-Up

• Harry Potter Series Renewed: Winner of the week for TV/film.
• Hollywood Scandals: Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni skewered for off-screen legal saga (61:12–62:27).
• Cannes Fashion & Fun Facts: Demi Moore’s appearance discussed, with a humorous aside on standing ovations at the film festival (62:48–63:36).

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the China Summit’s Productivity:
  “I’ve never seen a summit with no deliverables.”
  —Mark Halperin (13:50)

• Trump’s Characteristic Vagueness on Taiwan:
  “There’s only one person that knows that... Me. I’m the only person.”
  —President Trump (17:11)

• Summing Up the Iran Talks:
  “If I don’t like the first sentence, I just throw it away.”
  —President Trump on an Iranian proposal (24:59)

• On Real-Time Diplomacy:
  “In real time we’re seeing the President comment on the negotiations, that he’s tweeting about it, that we’re getting reports and that the media and people like us are commenting and predicting like every 12 hours. It’s a very bizarre…”
  —Larry O’Connor (25:58)

• On L.A.’s Viral Mayoral Candidate:
  “I am still predicting a Pratt victory, ladies and gentlemen. I know it makes no sense, but until, until I can find a Democrat I know who's supporting Bass, I just think it’s a prep.”
  —Mark Halperin (40:35–40:45)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening / Iran War Speculation: 00:28–02:36
• China Summit “No Deliverables”: 13:15–15:32
• Trump on Taiwan: 16:32–17:58
• Trump on Iran: 18:33–19:09, 24:54–25:31
• Strait of Hormuz Oil Blockade Debate: 21:12–22:56
• Iran Negotiation Tracks: 25:31–28:37
• California Governorship Debate: 34:46–38:02
• Spencer Pratt City Ads: 39:08–40:35
• Winners/Losers of the Week: 41:26–48:16
• What to Watch for Weekend: 48:24–49:34
• Listener Q&A: SCOTUS Trucking Ruling: 51:38–56:33
• Pop Culture Segment: 59:51–63:36

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Tone & Style

• Conversational and irreverent: The panel peppers serious analysis with humor, personal anecdotes, and lively banter.
• Cynically optimistic: Both about U.S. process and how leaders (esp. Trump) operate outside norms.
• Crowdsourced and energetic: The conversation is dynamic, with real-time input from listeners and a fluid roster of topics.

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Summary for New Listeners

If you missed this episode, you’ll get a comprehensive, engaging sweep of the week’s biggest news, from U.S.–China global chess to Iran brinkmanship to the undercurrents driving the California governor’s race—with a side of pop culture commentary and a blend of skepticism and wit. While the hosts are cautious about predicting immediate war, they signal Iran and China will remain volatile stories through the weekend. The tone is colorful, often playful, but always focused on what policymakers, the press, and the politically engaged will be watching next.

Transcript

[President Trump]

Foreign.

[Mark Halperin]

Everybody, it's the Friday Feisty Edition.

[Kevin Walling]

Feisty is all.

[Mark Halperin]

Feisty Edition. Larry, Larry and I've been bickering all morning like the Bickersons, like Itchy and Scratchy. It's my second issue and Scratchy reference of the week. Thank you for being here. This is the morning meeting, the Friday episode which culminates in our fabled, patented, couldn't be duplicated winners and losers of the week and what to look for this weekend. So stay tuned for that and and the President's currently on Air Force One flying back from his extremely successful summit. Depending on what standards you use, we'll talk about that. We're always forward looking here. So we're not going to relive everything that happened in the summit, which we couldn't do because it didn't appear to me that anything happened. We'll talk about China, we'll talk about Iran, we'll talk about Cuba, we'll about talk talk about Spencer Pratt. We'll talk about my favorite topic besides peanut M&M's. We'll talk about JD Vance and Marco Rubio and the California gubernatorial debate and one or two other things. And then, and only then, but especially then, we'll be asking for your questions and comments. Please raise your hand if you'd like to be in on the conversation. We'd welcome that. We'd anticipate that. We'd delight in that. We'd be that's our, that's our, that's our Raisin Detra. That's our why we call it two way. So thank you for that.

[Larry O'Connor]

Thank you for not using a French accent when you said Raisin Detra. It drives me nuts when people do

[Mark Halperin]

the I only use it when I say Raisinet. And I will not any further bury the lead. My world is filled with people who think the president's going to launch the war either on the plane or relaunch the war either on the plane or right when he gets home. Like he'll come on and take off his shoes, check them, check the voicemail, maybe look through the bills that came, say hi to Melania, maybe slip into something more comfortable and then launch the war. I don't know that it's happening. And no one, no one from Media Matters or TV news or don't, don't post a clip saying Halperin's predicting the war is starting. I'm just saying in my world. And Hugh Hewitt tweeted a little while ago, you know, be good time to not too soon to start the War. Larry, what is your spidey sense say about. The war is starting back up pretty soon.

[Larry O'Connor]

Listen, Hugh Hewitt is. Is a mentor of mine, colleague on the Salem Radio Network. I will defend him. Absolute legend and living legend.

[Kevin Walling]

Living legend.

[Larry O'Connor]

He does enjoy exercising American might over our enemies, so. Yeah, but I don't have spidey sense on this. I really don't. Let's see.

[Mark Halperin]

Okay, Kevin, you got a tingle about some missiles, some bombs, drones?

[Kevin Walling]

I don't necessarily. I assume. I assume the. Here's an interesting question, mark. Is the secretary of war defense flying homo in air Force One or does. Did he take his own doomsday plane?

[Mark Halperin]

It's a good question. I don't see him in the background. We've got some fresh sound from the president. Somehow they fed video above Air Force One. I still don't quite understand it. But anyway, we'll have some sound from the president. We'll cover all this and more. And we'd like to crowdsource here. If you see the war starting while I'm reading an ad or talking about John Th, Please put it in the chat. Mark, pay attention. The war started back up. Incredible New York Post story about how the president couldn't use his phone in China, which is why he couldn't start the war there. If you can't use your phone, you probably can't run a war. But. But he's. He's on the plane now and he's got nothing to do for. How long's the flight, guys? 10 hours, 12 hours. How long's the flight? Maybe 12 hours. So he's got a jet working on his. Yeah, but I mean, the amount of truth socialing he could do is stupendous. All right, here's the day book, ladies and gentlemen. Here's your day book. Your patented day book. Only the morning meeting could bring you a day book like this. Friday, May 15th. The pool. Amongst those on the. On the plane in the pool are. Is David Sanger of the New York Times and you'll hear his voice in a moment when we play some of the clips. But it'll be interesting to see if the president came back. Now. The Brett bear I read had an interview with the president and he was spotted at the president's hotel by the pool. Either of you seen any signs of that being released or. We got to wait till 6pm tonight.

[Larry O'Connor]

I haven't seen anything sneak out yet.

[Kevin Walling]

Yeah, they filmed it, obviously, and Brett was posting images of it and yeah, of course he had that sit down with Hannity. So I think it's back to back.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yeah.

[Mark Halperin]

I gotta say, it's kind of a challenge to hold an interview for 12 hours.

[Larry O'Connor]

It's impressive. You could. By the way, you're right. You can't see Hegseth in the background of Trump when he was doing his impromptu presser, but you could see Sean Hannity. Yeah, the secretary of something.

[Mark Halperin]

Secretary of media. Anyway, so we're waiting on that interview. We'll see when we see that. And the President is expected to land around the time of two way tonight, I think. So we may have some live coverage of his remarks on the lawn. Prediction right now, guys, lock in. Will the President be wearing a tie when he gets off Air Force One?

[Kevin Walling]

No, no tie.

[Mark Halperin]

No tie. Okay.

[Larry O'Connor]

Open shirt.

[Mark Halperin]

Open shirt. All right. The Vice President today, last minute addition to his schedule, addressing the Fraternal Order of Police. It's National Police Week in Washington. And please, please stay tuned for more on that. That's at 12:30. Senate is out. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, amongst other Pentagon officials, testing, testifying before House Armed Services. Dan Driscoll, of course, close friend of the Vice President. Seems to have a tetchy relationship with the Secretary of War and will be asked about all sorts of things. Also has been involved in the Ukraine, China situation. Hakeem Jeffries, his weekly press conference at 2 o', clock. The UN at 10 o' clock here in Gotham City meets to discuss Syria. Jeanine Pirro is having a press conference at 11:30. I don't know if it's a press conference. She's talking to the media. She may not take questions, but she's making a statement on. On public safety in Washington D.C. kevin, as you walk around the streets, when you're back in dc, do you got your nunchucks with you? Do you got your ninja posture or. Things seem pretty safe these days.

[Kevin Walling]

Always, always. You always got to be on guard, no matter what city you're in. Except Charleston, South Carolina, where I am right now.

[Larry O'Connor]

I have to say I'm not allowed to defend ourselves in D.C. come on.

[Kevin Walling]

I have to say you are allowed to defend yourself in South Carolina. Encourage it.

[Mark Halperin]

The last few times I've been there, it seemed safer. Just my sense of things. And I grew up in the area, so I don't know, it seems like. Remember the President promised to like, put

[Larry O'Connor]

the guard on the streets.

[Mark Halperin]

Is the guard still around? Yes, I haven't seen him. Nothing more deterrent than some guys with machine guns or gals with machine guns.

[Kevin Walling]

All the fountains are being turned Back on. Too seemingly so.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah. All the. What's been turned on.

[Kevin Walling]

All the fountains are. Meridian Hill Park. Now the water is flowing. The were fountains in Jackson Square.

[Mark Halperin]

I gotta say, folks, this. This may sound partisan to you. Nothing makes America greater than the fountains back on. It's true. It's all it takes a fountain or two.

[Kevin Walling]

We're back, baby.

[Mark Halperin]

We're back.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yeah, I. I feel like you guys are being sarcastic.

[Mark Halperin]

No, no, no, I'm not.

[Larry O'Connor]

I'm being totally serious.

[Mark Halperin]

I'm being totally serious. It makes a huge difference. And I would. If I was having Peking duck with Chairman Xi today, I would tell him to stop running down America. We're not some declining power. Federal appeals court is hearing arguments today over the Trump administration's repeated use of emergency orders to keep Michigan's Campbell Coal plant operating beyond its planned shutdown. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the issue of our time. We'll wait and see how the court rules there. Governor Shapiro and the first lady of Pennsylvania, Lori Shapiro, are visiting Elmwood Park Zoo in Montgomery county with local leaders to tour the new animal hospital and welcome center, which is funded in part by funds from the Commonwealth. Lastly, watching redistricting in South Carolina, I do an incredible imitation of Henry McMaster, but it would be lost on so many. I'm not going to waste a breath on it. But we may see a few. One or two more seats go the way of the Republicans in redistricting.

[Celia]

And.

[Kevin Walling]

And husband Alex does a mighty impression, too. We gotta get.

[Mark Halperin]

I need dueling McMasters that starts like that.

[Larry O'Connor]

I can do one, but every time I try it, it sounds like Foghorn Leghorn. And that's for every.

[Mark Halperin]

I'll say.

[Larry O'Connor]

I'll say. We gotta redistrict this state. We gotta redistrict.

[Mark Halperin]

Now, Henry McMaster was a longtime chair of the South Carolina Republican Party, and now he's the governor of South Carolina. And I'm not making fun of him. He's a lovely man. I've known him since the 90s. I've noticed he's just. He speaks in a very stylized way. Anyway, tomorrow there's a. A jungle primary in Louisiana. Incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy and two members of the House are running, uh, in a jungle primary. Uh, Kevin, Uh, will, uh, Senator Cassidy make the runoff?

[Kevin Walling]

I. I think so. Again, that's against Julia Letlow.

[Mark Halperin]

And what's the other congressman's name? Can't remember. There's another congressman

[Larry O'Connor]

he was running.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, yeah. Hard to pull. Hard to pull. Three way.

[Kevin Walling]

Mark, you got to bring your camera back down. We keep. You keep.

[Mark Halperin]

Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. Larry, is Cassidy going to make the runoff?

[Larry O'Connor]

I don't think he will.

[Mark Halperin]

You don't think he will?

[Larry O'Connor]

Not the way I see it happening right now.

[Mark Halperin]

Going to be interesting to see. All right, quick word from a sponsor and then, and then we're going to run through the news, starting with China, Cozy Earth. We got some new pup pictures. Paul's going to decide what we show because we have some AI generated pup pictures. How do you guys feel about AI generated dogs?

[Kevin Walling]

And we don't need. We don't need the AI. We get plenty of.

[Mark Halperin]

I know we have the real ones anyway. Paul. Paul will put up what he wants.

[Larry O'Connor]

Not nearly as good as AI generated babies.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, here it is. What do you guys think of that? Come on now. It's pretty cute. Anyway, there's a pup AI generates, like Spencer Pratt, the first dog of Los Angeles. These puppies generated by AI now homeless

[Kevin Walling]

man is about to beat the crap out of that dog. Spencer Pratt.

[Mark Halperin]

Everything on everything on Cozy earth. It's not AI folks. It's real. Go to cozyearth.com use the promo code morning for 20% off. Thanks to Dean from Ohio for generating that fakery. You can buy everything on the site right now 20% off using our promo code. Go to cozy earth.com promo code morning. Buy yourself some clogs, bubble cuddle, blanket, jogger, set the bedding, whatever you want.

[Larry O'Connor]

Cozyearth.com Mark, if I could just jump. Now that I'm officially part of the team here, I felt obligated to go to Cozy Earth and check out the website, see what that. I was shocked to learn that Cozy Earth is actually for human beings. I think we need to relay that they make.

[Mark Halperin]

They make stuff for both humans and for dogs.

[Larry O'Connor]

Well, I don't know if they make things for dogs. Dogs can enjoy them, but I didn't see anything specifically for dogs.

[Mark Halperin]

They're multipurpose.

[Matt Ebert]

I started with one shop. No college degree, no big investors. It was just a willingness to work. Over time, that one shop turned into a multi billion dollar business called Crash Champions. All the lessons I learned along the way came from the grind. And that's what my show Pod Crash is all about. We have real conversations with people who've built things the hard way. We talk to founders, athletes and blue collar leaders who kept going when things got tough. You'll hear stories of grit, leadership and growth. Plus real world lessons you can take back to your team and your life. Tomorrow.

[Mark Halperin]

When you get momentum, you step on the gas. That's how you get separation from everybody else.

[Kevin Walling]

I was at Harvard Law School. I was. Blah, blah, blah. I looked up.

[Mark Halperin]

Let me tell you something. There's kids in my neighborhood putting in

[Kevin Walling]

sheetrock that is smarter than you.

[Mark Halperin]

AI is going to disrupt a lot of stuff.

[Kevin Walling]

It is never going to disrupt physical

[Mark Halperin]

blue collar trade skill.

[Kevin Walling]

And the guy just looked at me and he said, it's bloody impossible. So I asked him this question.

[Matt Ebert]

I said, it's impossible unless that's pod crash with me. Matt ebert, watch on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mark Halperin]

Larry, just to be clear, you don't need to ask permission, just jump right in. I'd be. I'd be happy to.

[Kevin Walling]

Well, we're still, I think we're still. There's a probationary period.

[Mark Halperin]

Is it? You can.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yeah.

[Mark Halperin]

Just to be clear, Jaime and, And. And Eric are sitting right here in my living room, ready to come on if you guys put me in falter. All right. Stocks don't love the summit or whatever. They're not. The. And oil went up a little bit. Uh, this is the president. Uh, again, your normal summit. At the end of the summit, there'd be a communique and they'd say, we agreed on this and this. And this I need to say, because I heard from many of you yesterday, the president led me to believe. And I just, I'm so credulous. The president said Boeing expected to sell 150 jets and China's buying 200. And then the Boeing stock went down. And I said that didn't make any sense. Well, it turns out I was a little too credulous because actually people expected Boeing to sell 500. And so the stock went down because they fell short 300 of what they were. Of what people were expecting. So there's. There's nothing, literally, as far as I know, there's nothing that was announced that the Chinese have confirmed. The President says we have a Boeing deal. The Chinese haven't said anything. Nothing we know of on fentanyl, nothing we know of on China investment in the United States, nothing about financial services, access to China, nothing about Iran. Except the President, he wants help. Nothing about soybeans. I mean, I've never seen a summit with no deliverables. Now, there's some vague promises about a Boeing deal, but there's no. There's no. And the journalists who covered the summit say they might announce it in a day or two. So let's just start there, Larry. Why wouldn't they have. Why wouldn't the President have had a press conference, which you also, you normally do at the end of a summit. No press conference, no deliverables. Why is this summit? I know it's the first of four meetings and this we were told act one, but why zero deliverables, Larry?

[Larry O'Connor]

Well, I think you're answering the question because this is. They've already announced that they're gonna be meeting in Washington in September. Maybe the President wants to make a big announcement on his home turf. But also why are we expressing shock that the Trump administration and President Trump himself doesn't do things the same way presidents have done for the last 30 years? Usually, Mark, they have their agreement already done before the President even gets on Air Force One to fly over there. And it's all just a show and it's all sort of people doing photo ops. And then they didn't even have to do the trip at all. They, this president does things differently and I think it's time to get used to that.

[Mark Halperin]

All right, I, I understand the perspective of not business as usual, but Kevin, I mean, did they try for deals and couldn't get them?

[Kevin Walling]

I mean, this, this is also a departure from Trump round one, right in, in the summit nine years ago where you had all these great announcements where Boeing was talking about all these planes that they're going to sell and the fact that this, to Larry's point where, you know, you had such an emphasis by the White House to include all these major CEOs, right. Highlighting the economics of this, these conversations and nothing really tangible to come out of it, even when pressed on tariffs.

[Larry O'Connor]

Right.

[Kevin Walling]

The President said tariffs didn't come up over two days. This is the most pressing issue. Now, again, he could be telegraphing something and I'm sure it did come up behind the scenes. And maybe he's playing, he doesn't want to tease out anything. But again, the fact that you didn't see any kind of joint announcements is kind of interesting except from a few photo ops.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah. All right, so here's the President on Air Force One. And again, if anything came out of the summit, I think we all know that one of the President's closest friends is a murderous dictator of a totalitarian regime. I think we've all can pocket that and spend that on gas. The Chinese were very close mouthed about what they experienced. There have been a few readouts from the Foreign Ministry today, but I don't really understand what they think about the summit. But one thing they made clear early on after the first meeting is that the President of China warned The President, United States, don't mess with Taiwan. Here's President Trump talking about Taiwan this morning as he left on Air Force One. 106. Oh, is that the wrong thing? Maybe I asked for the wrong thing. No, no, no. One, oh, six, please. That's 104.

[Larry O'Connor]

Well, you know, the inner monologue is don't fall like Joe Biden. Don't fall like Joe Biden.

[Kevin Walling]

Yeah.

[President Trump]

Mr. President, I'm Taiwan. And you said you were going to check with the president of Taiwan, but the 1982 assurance that President Reagan gave said you would not. Said the United States would not consult with China on arms sales to Taiwan. So it sounds to me like you have consulted. Well, I think 1980s is a long way. It was. That's a big far distance. You dispensed with that. No, I didn't say anything about it, but certainly he brought that up. He talked about that. I mean, obviously. So what am I going to do? I don't want to talk to you about it because I have an agreement that was signed in 1982. Now, we discussed arms sales, too. And what's his request? We discussed in Taiwan, you know, the whole thing with the arms sales was in great detail, actually, and I'll be making decisions. But, you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that's 9,500 miles away. I think that's the last thing we need. Would do it very well with the US Defend Taiwan if it came to it. I don't want to say. I'm not going to say that. There's only one person that knows that you know who it is. Me. I'm the only person. That question was asked to me today by President Xi. I said, I don't talk about those. He asked you if you would send troops, if you would. He asked me if I defend them. I said I don't talk about that. He tells him that. Did you talk to him about the cyber.

[Mark Halperin]

Well, that's some news right there that you wouldn't tell Xi. The first rule about defending Taiwan is you don't talk about whether you'll defend Taiwan. Yeah. Here's the president. Here's the president talking about. Just got too much street here. Here's the president talking about Iran at the bilateral meeting. Hold on. Yeah. About the Straight ahead horror moves. No, 103, please. This is from earlier. Earlier on the president's trip to China.

[President Trump]

Relationship is a very strong one. We've really done some wonderful things.

[Mark Halperin]

Look at those tea cakes.

[President Trump]

Discuss Iran. We Feel very similar. Right. We want that to end and we don't want them to have a nuclear a weapon. We want the straits open. We're closing it now. They closed it, then we closed it on top of them. But we want the straits open and we want them to get it ended because it's a crazy thing. They're a little bit crazy and it's no good. Can't have it. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.

[Mark Halperin]

But we okay a few more things. And then, and then I want to ask you about China and Iran. The president On Air Force One, 105 called his friend, the Prime Minister of Japan. Very collegial thing to do because for many years the US Japanese relationship was known as the most important bilateral relationship in the world, at least that's what Tokyo liked to say. And, and on this trip the Chinese said oh no, the most important relationships with the Chinese. So to reassure the Japanese, I suspect they made that call 105, please.

[Kevin Walling]

And he's got a great relationship with

[Mark Halperin]

the yes, he does.

[Larry O'Connor]

He does.

[Mark Halperin]

Earlier today I had a phone conversation with President Trump upon completing his visit and wrote back he called, I received a call from him. President Trump detail provided a detailed explanation of his recent visit to China and we exchanged views centering on various issues surrounding China, including the economy, encompassing economic, security and security matters. So he wasn't as, he wasn't as specific with more specific with her. At least she gives a readout. Lastly, what's Chairman Xi going to do? He just had this incredible visit with President Trump. Such good friends, old friends and just they love each other so much. So sometimes you have visitors leave and you long for another one. So 113. Guess who's coming to visit next week, folks? Is it next week or is it next week? Putin's coming. Russia's Putin is heading to China next week. Days after historic Xi Trump summit I have to say on May 20th. I, I, I wouldn't throw around the word historic. I'm not sure this was an historic summit, gentlemen. The last two days there've been activity in the strait, ships attacked, ships, at least one ship hauled back into Iranian waters under force reportedly and, and reports that the Chinese are now allowed to bring their ships through. So if the president's close personal friend Chairman Xi bring ships through, will they be subject to the American blockade? Larry?

[Larry O'Connor]

Well, I don't think the blockade is of foreign ships. The blockade is of the Iranian ports. Well but, but the US Is not blockading the straits.

[Mark Halperin]

Can Chinese ships it was reported that, that the Iran has said China can take oil out. So can ships leave Iranian ports to bring oil to China now, or will the US stop that?

[Larry O'Connor]

No, I don't think they're. I don't think these ships are leaving Iranian ports.

[Mark Halperin]

Are they?

[Larry O'Connor]

Is that the report that.

[Mark Halperin]

It was reported that the Chinese can now export oil out of Iran? I don't know if it's happening.

[Larry O'Connor]

I think the report was that Chinese ships can traverse the straits. That doesn't mean they're coming from Iranian ports. But I could be misinformed about that. Listen, that, that is obviously that's something that the U.S. government and the military needs to take a close look at because that could escalate matters. What would you, if, what would you,

[Mark Halperin]

what would you recommend?

[Larry O'Connor]

I think a blockade is a blockade. And if Iranian oil is coming, it is kind of funny that China sits on the U.S. the UN Security Council, a body that has levied sanction after sanction after sanction against countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela. And yet everybody speaks openly about the fact that the main sources of oil for China are coming from Russia, Iran and Venezuela. They openly defy the sanctions that they vote for on the UN Security Council and it's got to end. And that was part of the President's hope and plan and I believe eventual announcement that they're going to stop getting oil from those countries and they're going to start getting the bulk of it from us.

[Mark Halperin]

Kevin, Chairman Xi and the President said several times that they were in sync. I'm sorry, Chairman Xi didn't say it. The President said several times that Iran was in sync. You heard him say it there. They don't want the straight. They want the straight open and they don't want Iran not to have nuclear weapons. What's your expectations about how much, if at all, China will help end the war?

[Kevin Walling]

Well, and to your point too, Mark, the President reiterated on Air Force One that he did not ask the Chinese whatsoever for help because again, I don't think he wants that image of the great superpower having to go hat in hand to the Chinese to have their help to put pressure on Tehran. I will note too, Brett Cooper, the head of centcom, Navy Admiral was before the Senate, I think armed services yester and I think indicated there's something like 30 ships that have now traversed the straits. Obviously not Iranian flagged or Iranian allied flag, but there's very little details, I think, as to actually what the ships are carrying, where they departed from, all that. So certainly there needs to be more

[Mark Halperin]

information on that front Mandatory prediction on this slide. How many times will the president post or repost on truth social media and name one topic he'll cover. Kevin?

[Kevin Walling]

I think he'll cover the California governor's race.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah. How many total posts and reposts combined?

[Kevin Walling]

He had like 58 the other night. He's got a doze a little bit. I give him like a couple hours of sleep, but I think upwards of 100. I'm sure he's monitoring the reaction.

[Mark Halperin]

Larry's going to take the under.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yeah, I am taking the under on that. I'll say. In fact, I'd say under 50 and

[Mark Halperin]

34 is the correct answer. What's one topic you think he'll do?

[Larry O'Connor]

He's right about California and Gavin news scum.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah.

[Larry O'Connor]

And yeah, I'd leave it at that. That's good. That's going to be a good focus.

[Kevin Walling]

Going to do some redistricting posts and I'm sure he's going to be about Louisiana too.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah. Oh yeah, that's a good one. Let's talk about Iran again. Just to finish it off. Here's the President on Air Force One talking about a possibility of an Iran deal. 107. Please.

[Larry O'Connor]

Run.

[Mark Halperin]

Have you rejected the latest proposal from Iran or where does that stand?

[President Trump]

I looked at it and if I don't like the first sentence, I just throw it away. What was the first sentence? An unacceptable sentence because they fully agreed no nuclear and have said if they have any nuclear of any form. I don't read the rest of the 20 years is not enough for you. It's got to be a.

[Kevin Walling]

No.

[President Trump]

20 years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them is not enough. In other words, it's got to be a real 20 years, not a big Lindsay.

[Mark Halperin]

So guys, if we assume that there, there, one track could be restarting kinetic action, one track could be negotiating through either the Pakistanis or the Qataris. One track could be whatever's on Steve Witkoff's phone. Where are we? Like, where's the next beat in this is the ball in the Iranians court to come back with a more sensible, realistic offer.

[Larry O'Connor]

Larry, what happens, I believe that's where we are. It is an amazing phenomenon here. I don't think this has ever happened before in a kinetic military action with these high stakes and the negotiations going on while the threat of military force is being loomed over our adversary, that in real time we're seeing the President comment on the negotiations, that he's tweeting about it, that we're getting reports and that the Media and people like us are commenting and predicting like every 12 hours. It's a very bizarre.

[Kevin Walling]

People are making bets and placing bets on it too.

[Larry O'Connor]

Right, right. And it's like, it's one of those things where it's like I always want to take a step back and recognize that, you know, generally speaking, these don't, things don't get resolved within a 12 hour news cycle. And I think that, I think that there is a waiting game right now. The US Believes that they're in the power position. I believe they're right because of our military might. And it's incumbent on Iran to come up with something. If they want to avoid the next level of military action, they need to come up with something that the president will accept. And he's just, he's been very clear. That was the clearest I've ever seen him about agree 20 years, I don't know.

[Mark Halperin]

It's 20 years come out of his mouth.

[Larry O'Connor]

That's the first time I've heard that.

[Mark Halperin]

Kevin. I left out one track, which is Scott Bessant is continuing to say any day now the oil tankers and the other storage capacity will fill up and the Iranians will start having to destroy their oil infrastructure. Where are you? Because it seems like again, the stalemate continues. The Iranians think time's on their side. The president's under a lot of pressure to do something. So what's the next beat in this? Is it negotiation? Is it war? Is it, is it the escorting ships? What's the next beat?

[Kevin Walling]

I think there's another factor here at play that I want to flag is what the Saudis are doing, what UAE is doing. There's conversations that Riyadh is taking the lead on some direct negotiations with Tehran for some semblance of an agreement, a peace agreement for the Gulf area. The Gulf states directly engaging with Iran. There's some targeted military attacks from the uae. I don't know if it's from Saudi yet in terms of Iran targets. So I think that's another factor, not just the capacity issue. If they've got to cap these wells, as Besant was talking about, Mark, that you referenced. But what are the other. I think there's a frustration with our Gulf allies here seeming that we're in this stalemate, that they responded to our 14 point memorandum, no action there, the Pakistanis. The president called out that field marshal again and praised the Pakistanis. But that process isn't moving forward either. So in that vacuum, you're seeing some of these allies move forward with direct Engagement with Tehran. And that could be a deciding factor as well.

[Mark Halperin]

Amazing. All right, we'll see. And again, if the war starts tonight, maybe we'll do a special report.

[Larry O'Connor]

And by the way, just to follow, I just. I just did a quick search, and. And I. I could be mistaken, but my understanding is the tankers that are traversing the strait right now are carrying Iraqi oil on Chinese tankers. I could be mistaken about that, but I have seen no reports of those tankers leaving Iranian ports.

[Kevin Walling]

But.

[Mark Halperin]

But. But even that is. Is it. Is. Is that something the U.S. would.

[Larry O'Connor]

The U.S. is not blockading the strait. The U.S. iran, Iranian ports, That's where we're blockading. If ships can traverse the strait coming from Iraqi or uae, Saudi, God bless them, we want more of that.

[Kevin Walling]

And I wonder if that layer to your point is part of what Admiral Cooper was saying in terms of 30 ships.

[Mark Halperin]

I stand corrected. I tried to start World War iii, and I failed.

[Larry O'Connor]

Again.

[Kevin Walling]

Again, Larry. And I to. You know.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, peacemakers. You're two doves. You're two doves. Secretary Wright was on squawk box this morning and once again shot down the prospect of a diesel fuel export ban or an oil export ban. And Secretary Wright said, administration officials have said to me for weeks, as this persistent rumor has existed, we want to be the leading exporter of energy around the world. We can't cut it off and then expect to be considered a reliable supplier. On the other hand, I was told for weeks that they would never do. Propose a gas tax holiday, and that's something they propose, so who knows? But he was pretty decisive about it this morning. Cuba, as I said, Director Radcliffe is there. Marco Rubio has held secret talks with Cuba. Short one on this, guys. Kevin, is the next beat in Cuba. Military confrontation, more economic sanctions, or a Cuban surrender under a deal of comedy?

[Kevin Walling]

I think it's somewhat of a Cuban surrender. We floated this aid package, too, as part of this, and they're certainly at their knees. It's reported that we request the meeting sent John Radcliffe down there. I think there's got to be some capitulation on the. On the Cuban front. They're not as proud and they're not as crazy, certainly, as the regime in Tehran.

[Mark Halperin]

Well said, Larry. You agree? I agree.

[Larry O'Connor]

I do agree. But I also find it fascinating that Ratcliffe, CIA director, was the one that was sent down to sort of. Maybe it's because everyone's in Beijing right now, but do you read more into that? Is this like a Bay of Pigs victory lap?

[Mark Halperin]

I don't know, he's got a long standing interest in the region and I think personal ties and of course a big part of the Cuban regime are folks who deal with these kinds of issues. But that's just a guess on my part.

[Kevin Walling]

And the concerns are national security wise in terms of intelligence and what the Cubans are actually doing. So it somewhat makes sense. I think Ratcliffe is a same normal guy in the cabinet. Former member of Congress from Texas.

[Mark Halperin]

Yes, sir. That a priori makes him sane member of Congress from Texas. People ask me all the time, what do you want two way to be? And I say, well, we have lots of aspirations. I do not want it to be Punchbowl and not because I got anything against Punchbowl News. We're not gonna get down in the weeds on, you know, motions to recommit. It's just too much for us. But. So there's a million things going on between Johnson Thune and the White House. Reconciliation two, reconciliation three. The booth's gonna pay for the ballroom. Is there gonna be a war powers

[Kevin Walling]

resolution and throw in that parliamentarian too?

[Mark Halperin]

Exactly. Parliamentarian. Housing, all sorts of things. Whether they'll be America, Save America act, all crypto. There's a million things crypto. We're not going to talk about them because they use up the rest of the show. Larry, what's the state of the Thune Johnson Trump relationship? Because they need to work all this out for the midterms, if nothing else. And, and policy issues, of course, as well. But what's the state, as you understand it, of those three, Are they getting along or is it a little.

[Larry O'Connor]

A little, little frayed, cordial, respectful and frustrating? I think for the most part that's, that's my understanding. By the way, when I said I do, I didn't mean I want us to be Punchbowl. I was responding to you saying you don't have anything against Punchbowl. I was saying I do. I.

[Mark Halperin]

Okay. I interpreted. I interpreted 180 degrees wrong. Thank you for the clarification.

[Larry O'Connor]

Absolutely.

[Mark Halperin]

Kevin, do you agree with Larry on the Republican leaders? Are they frustrated but cordial?

[Kevin Walling]

Yeah, I think so. And you know, the speaker was at a press conference the other day where he said, you know, I talked to the president three times a day. I doubt John Thune talks to the president three times a day.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yes, well spotted.

[Kevin Walling]

I could almost see Speaker Johnson being the go between between Thune and. And the president as well as part of that. But to, to Larry's point, they also have different goals and you know, Every senator thinks they're God because they're one of a hundred. And they just have different roles in terms of how they can get things done. And it's always been the old adage that the enemy isn't across the aisle, it's across the chamber between the House and the Senate. And we're seeing that play out.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, excellent.

[Larry O'Connor]

But I will also add, nothing solidifies relationships on the Republican side like seeing their opponents act like Hakeem Jeffries has been acting lately. And so I think they're, they're, they're finding some common ground here as we move forward in November.

[Mark Halperin]

Brilliant point and definitely true. A couple California things, then winners and losers, what to look for. And then to your questions, please raise your hand if you want in on the conversation. Final California gubernatorial debate last night. Our constant reminder and refrain. Everybody runs on one ballot. So the debate stage included the two last leading Republican candidates, I believe five leading Democratic candidates. And once again, Mr. Becerra was a focus of great attention. He's perceived as the front runner. It's perceived that the former Los Angeles mayor. What's that guy's name? Villarrigos Villarrigosa, former Congresswoman Porter, current San Jose mayor Ban and, and, and Tom Steyer are not rising stocks. So everybody once again dumped on Becerra, and once again he behaved like Mr. Magoo. But it may not matter. Here is.

[Kevin Walling]

This is the last debate, I think,

[Mark Halperin]

before the fourth and final debate. Yeah. Here is Steve Hilton going after Mr. Basera. This is 117, please.

[Steve Hilton]

Well, I don't think it's fair that California taxpayers who can barely afford their own health coverage should be paying for the health care of citizens of other countries. And if you look at the record of Javier, it's exactly what Chad was just saying, that you cannot believe that any change will come from these people. He, as health secretary, dismantled the unit at HHS that were supposed to crack down on. On fraud. Billions of dollars of fraud as a result of his rule as HHS secretary. And there's another point I think we have to acknowledge. We learned today that Javier implicated in this corruption scandal. Today we learned that he knew about illegal and improper payments from his campaign account to his former chief of staff. Honestly, it pains me to say it because I like you personally, Javier, but you shouldn't be on stage. You shouldn't be in this race. You should be preparing your criminal defense.

[Mark Halperin]

Thank you very much. So, guys, there's not enough polling for anybody to really know, but here's my question for you and there's another Politico story saying all the political Democratic elites are really worried about Becerra. They're worried he'd be a weak general election candidate, a weak governor. Let's say Hilton's in the runoff. In the runoff in the general. I think he will be. I just. It seems like he will be. If it turns out that the pummeling of Becerra causes him to not make it. Who's the most likely person to be in the runoff with. With Hilton if it's not Becerra? For a while, we were all saying. Or many of us were saying, Steyer. I. I think styred. The heirs completely seem to have come

[Larry O'Connor]

out of the guy, so can't close the deal.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah. So, Kevin, who's. If it's not Becerra because the pummeling drives him lower, who is it?

[Kevin Walling]

Well, then it's a. You know, it's not Katie Porter. Her number's on the decline.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, I think it could be. I think it could be Katie Porter.

[Kevin Walling]

The only one really kind of rising in single digits is Matt Mahan, and I know I'm a Mayhem Stan in all this, and I think he's had some very good debate performances. He is also struggling to close the deal, though.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah.

[Kevin Walling]

Based on these polls. But he. He's the only one rising that I see of these cast of characters.

[Mark Halperin]

I'm gonna do my. I'm gonna do my Carnac and predict that Larry's going to say it's going to be. Sheriff Becerra is.

[Larry O'Connor]

Well, I mean, first of all, I will tell you this. I have. I have. I spoke with some people on the Hilton campaign, and I will tell you that the last Emerson poll freaked them out a bit.

[Kevin Walling]

Yeah.

[Larry O'Connor]

In the. The Rising of. I think that's why you saw Hilton going after Becerra like that, because their nightmare scenario is that Becerra and Hill. Becerra and Steyer end up eking it out.

[Mark Halperin]

Could happen.

[Larry O'Connor]

Could happen. For the first time, I've heard from Hilton people, and you're seeing it publicly. They're going hard against Biscuits Bianco. They. They are trying. They're concerned that Bianco is going to pull Republicans away from Hilton so that he doesn't make the final. They have to do it Hilton's people. By the way, Hilton does not care who he runs it against. He doesn't have a preference. I got to think he'd prefer Viserys based on what you just saw, and based on the fact that Steyer, with all that Money will be, you know.

[Mark Halperin]

Totally agree. Totally.

[Larry O'Connor]

But no, the way if it's not Becerra, I think it's Styer. I don't think Bianco has enough steam at this point, especially now that he's getting attacked and he will be for the next weeks by Steve Hilton.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, but.

[Kevin Walling]

But I think Hilton. Hilton definitely doesn't want to run against Matt Mayhem because I think Matt can pull effectively from. I think Hilton's getting a lot of disaffected Democrats potentially and he can win those folks back to. To the Democratic side.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yeah, I think you're right. But as much as you like him, I don't think that's a scenario that Hilton. Yeah, I know.

[Mark Halperin]

I don't know. The undecided could be bigger than the polls suggests. I mean, it's going to be interesting and obviously interesting. The closing TV ads. Okay, New Spencer Pratt video. We're all just enthralled at how good these are. And even Democrats who don't like Spencer Pratt or think he's a joke will tell you these are incredible ads. They just are. Not just in the use of AI but just the cleverness of the whole conceits. I wish we could show you all 2 minutes and 11 seconds, but you'll go watch it on your own. But here's the newest one with the best music you've ever heard in a political ad. And some people. Two people have said to me, this is the best. Glad they've literally ever seen. 120, please. It's not an ad, it's a video.

[Kevin Walling]

Everything is awful. Everything is hell when you're part of the scene.

[Mark Halperin]

Karen Bass is awful. And burning down our street. Dirty needles, human waste. We just named two awful things. A stolen car, a burned down house. You know what's awful?

[Larry O'Connor]

Everything. Mom's in shock.

[Mark Halperin]

The locks.

[Larry O'Connor]

A camp of addicts down the block.

[Mark Halperin]

Lots of tents. A very big mess.

[Larry O'Connor]

Awful scenes are not the best.

[Mark Halperin]

Camps. Traps and crap, they're awful.

[Larry O'Connor]

Crack, smack and shacks.

[Kevin Walling]

They're awful.

[Larry O'Connor]

Slums and scum and bums.

[Mark Halperin]

That's awful. Everything you see or smell or touch is awful.

[President Trump]

Corn bits is awful.

[Mark Halperin]

All right, it goes on. As Mr. T would say. I pity the fools who are listening to the podcast version because you got to see the visuals.

[Kevin Walling]

There's some great visuals.

[Mark Halperin]

It's incredible, Larry, as compared to a week ago. Do you. Do you increase Pratt's chances of winning or are you where you were before?

[Larry O'Connor]

No, no, no. I think he's got a better chance of winning now. Especially that. I don't want to preview my winners and losers of the week. But yeah, Spencer Pratt is having this moment. Kevin.

[Mark Halperin]

Kevin is praterizing stock or it's a Democratic city, he can't win and this is all just fun.

[Kevin Walling]

It's a Democratic city and again, it's a runoff for these two as well. So this is going to continue on throughout the summer. And part of this is we don't know what the dynamics will look like or who's at the top of the ticket. I think that will also inform down ballot if it's successful.

[Mark Halperin]

I am still predicting a Pratt victory, ladies and gentlemen. I know it makes no sense, but until, until I can find a Democrat. I know who's supporting Bass. I just think it's a prep.

[Kevin Walling]

I'm supporting Bass.

[Mark Halperin]

I mean, who lives in Los Angeles.

[Kevin Walling]

Well, there you go.

[Mark Halperin]

All right, we're, we're only going to quickly do my favorite topic besides Peanut M M's Rubio, Marco, Mentum versus.

[Larry O'Connor]

You're doing it again.

[Mark Halperin]

JD Vance. Just all you tell me is, is who's the favorite to be the nominee today? Who's the favorite? So I want to hear one name. Larry. Who's the favorite to be The Republican nominee?

[Larry O'Connor]

J.D. vance.

[Mark Halperin]

Kevin. J.D.

[Kevin Walling]

vance.

[Mark Halperin]

I'm telling you, I agree with you guys, but. But I can't tell you how many people I know who continue to say to me, Vance is dead. It's all Rubio. They don't understand. But anyway. All right, here we go. Winners and losers. Then again to your questions in a moment. So please raise your hand if you want in. Larry, who is your winner of the week?

[Larry O'Connor]

Abdul Al Said. Abdul Al Said has been plagued with Hasan, piker and all of the odious, horrible, anti Semitic things that he said. On the campaign trail, he's been plagued by the revelation this week that despite his claims, he's not actually a medical doctor, he's getting attacked by the Democrat establishment. But surprise, surprise, he is leading bigly in the latest three way poll. In Michigan, Abdul El Sayed is having his moment and I don't like him, but he is definitely the winner of the week considering all he's endured. And he is emerging as the man to beat in Michigan.

[Mark Halperin]

The doctor thing is a cheap shot, but I'd be curious to see if Chuck Schumer will campaign with this guy if he's the nominee. Kevin, Winner of the week. That's a good one.

[Kevin Walling]

You had a great segment on Next up about midterm messaging and ads. My winners are two young Boys, out of Little Rock, Arkansas, Huck and George, also known as the sons of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. They're in this great new ad for the governor for her reelection. Again, speaking as a Democrat, but it's a great ad. A lot of people tried to do family ads running for office. This one is actually a really good one. And let's play that.

[Mark Halperin]

I have to do all the work around here.

[Haley Voda]

No, I have to do all the work around here.

[Mark Halperin]

Great job, boys.

[Kevin Walling]

George, there's no way we're gonna afford all this.

[Larry O'Connor]

Oh, yes, we can.

[Mark Halperin]

Mom. Just ended the grocery tax.

[Celia]

I eliminated the grocery tax.

[Mark Halperin]

Cut the income tax by 25%, and

[Celia]

we'll keep fighting to get it to zero.

[Kevin Walling]

Mom, dinner's ready.

[Larry O'Connor]

Amazing.

[Mark Halperin]

Was that. Was that improv or was that stage?

[Kevin Walling]

Do you think it was scripted?

[Celia]

But I think.

[Mark Halperin]

No, no, but the hot dog falling. The hot dog. Oh, no, that was stickers. I think it was staged.

[Larry O'Connor]

The moment was staged. Genuine. I love that.

[Kevin Walling]

But a great, great ad. Again, family ads never really work. Oftentimes in politics, that one really does.

[Larry O'Connor]

Vice president.

[Kevin Walling]

Good storyline for the governor, too.

[Mark Halperin]

You know, when Time magazine made Hitler Person of the Year, I think they called the man of the Year. People said, how can you honor Hitler? Person of the Year is not an honor. It's an acknowledgment of someone's impact on the world. Ladies and gentlemen, my Winner of the Week is a murderous dictator, a man of whose vows to destroy the United States of America. Chairman Xi had the President, United States, come and kowtow to him.

[Larry O'Connor]

Oh, stop.

[Mark Halperin]

For 48 hours, it was just how. What great friends they are. No mention, at least in public, of human rights. No push back of any significance on Taiwan. No opening of markets. Chairman Xi sits back and laughs. I've said for many years, the main job of the President of the United States is to figure out how to get leverage over Xi and Putin. And this trip represented a dramatic failure on that score. Congratulations, Mr. Chairman. Larry.

[Larry O'Connor]

Loser of the week Mark Halpern made me on camera, too. Here. See the eye roll? Do you see me rolling my eyes?

[Mark Halperin]

I did, I did, I did. I'm embarrassed.

[Kevin Walling]

I felt the breeze off those.

[Mark Halperin]

I'm sorry, I gotta say. I gotta say one more thing. Xi says the United States is a declining power, and Donald Trump's pushback is. He writes on truth Social. Chairman Xi gracefully said we were a declining power. Like he praises the guy for calling us a declining power.

[Kevin Walling]

He also. Wait here. Larry, here's my question to you.

[Mark Halperin]

Real quick.

[Kevin Walling]

According to the president, Xi Jinping told him that we are the hottest country now. Do you think those words ever left Xi Jinping's mouth?

[Larry O'Connor]

You guys spent all week in a prelude saying that Trump was going to be ham handed and a bull in the China cabinet and never said, never said it.

[Mark Halperin]

Never said anything.

[Larry O'Connor]

Here he is acting incredibly diplomatic.

[Kevin Walling]

It's a China stock, number one. It's a shop. It's not a tiny cabinet for that bow.

[Larry O'Connor]

Let's wait till the year's worth of summit.

[Mark Halperin]

Larry. Neither of us said anything like that. I just thought Trump would get some deliverables and wouldn't suck up to the guy for two days.

[Larry O'Connor]

My loser of the week is Karen Bass. Who, boy, talk about misreading the moment. She actually did a campaign visit where she recognized the problem with meth addicts on the streets of Los Angeles. But her solution, well, here's her solution.

[Kevin Walling]

How many people who are unhoused that

[Mark Halperin]

you meet have no teeth at all? They don't have teeth. Why?

[Kevin Walling]

Because meth rots your teeth.

[Mark Halperin]

You can't succeed without teeth.

[Kevin Walling]

So there needs to be comprehensive health

[Mark Halperin]

care provided to people.

[Larry O'Connor]

That's right. We need to take more. Your tax dollars to give new fake teeth to the meth addicts and. Well, she's the loser of the way. Oh, by the way, as you're looking at the primary polls for. For first week of June in California and Los Angeles, take a look at this poll real fast. This is a poll of general election candidates, which is a much broader spectrum. And these are people, not the activists, not the people who are motivated by unions. Look how Spencer Pratt is doing right now by general election voters. It is going to be a blowout. I know I might be a little.

[Mark Halperin]

A blowout for Pratt. Did the poll go up yet? And I missed it?

[Larry O'Connor]

Is it there? Can we show the graphic? Do we have that?

[Mark Halperin]

I think we do. But you're saying Pratt's gonna win easily.

[Larry O'Connor]

Pratt's. Well, I don't. Nothing's easy when you're a Republican. Yeah, those are general election voters right now. And that, that is a. That is bad. And all the independents are breaking for Spencer Pratt. All the undecideds are breaking for Spencer.

[Mark Halperin]

Larry, will you sit with me at the inauguration?

[Larry O'Connor]

If I'm invited, I will be there. Absolutely, Mark. It'll be fantastic.

[Mark Halperin]

Kevin, Loser of the week.

[Kevin Walling]

That's a good follow right there at Larry o' Connor on Twitter. Right there. A little plug for that.

[Larry O'Connor]

Oh, look at that. Look at that.

[Kevin Walling]

I know my loser of the week is FBI Director Cash Patel that had a terrible performance in front of the Senate a back and forth when when the conversations about his drinking and excessive drinking. It's not good for the FBI. It's not good for him personally. I'm sure the president obviously distracted in Beijing, but reports will get back to him about this back and forth.

[Mark Halperin]

My loser of the week is readers of the New York Times because even if Nick Kristoff's reporting is 100% accurate, the way they've handled it is just, it's just a disgrace. You just, you can't write a story like that about about with these kind of accusations, not naming any names, just smearing an entire government and it's not covered in the news pages. If this were a legitimate story, it should be covered in the newspapers. Even if you don't have another investigative piece by the news side, the news side should be covering. The worldwide reaction to to this is it's a height of irresponsibility. And while I cannot give up Wordland connections and therefore must keep my New York Times subscription, I'm very disappointed, not just in the piece, but in how they've handled it.

[Kevin Walling]

Amen, Larry.

[Larry O'Connor]

LARRY what to look for this week. LARRY proud to be on the show when you criticize journalists that way. MARK thank you.

[Mark Halperin]

I'm criticized Wordle though, just to note Wordle's world and connections.

[Larry O'Connor]

I'm watching the final jockeying in Alabama and in Georgia. People aren't the Republican primary is both of them are three way races and they are too close to call. Those primaries are on Tuesday and however the candidates campaign this weekend and how the voters break at the end of the day, it's not getting a lot of attention. But those two Senate races, the primaries, the Republican primaries are pretty consequential, certainly in Georgia and it's tight. I'm watching that.

[Kevin Walling]

And the president was I know the president was asked about Texas, but did Georgia come up too? I think it may.

[Larry O'Connor]

I don't I think he stayed out of it. Collins has the inside track and we'll see if he can seal the deal.

[Kevin Walling]

Kevin, what I'm watching is again how obvious the president's flying back now, how we how our State Department, how the Chinese foreign Ministry continue to categorize characterize what went on with communiques over the weekend in terms of anything that was agreed to. We're seeing some divergent paths right now. And let's see any more takeaways from this summit.

[Mark Halperin]

You guys know the phrase cherchez la Femme.

[Larry O'Connor]

Something.

[Kevin Walling]

Something for two with French.

[Mark Halperin]

You know, it's like if you're trying to solve a mystery. Sure. Where's the woman? It's a. It's like a mystery novel thing. Witkoff and Jared. I'm trying to figure out where those guys are spending the weekend. Are they working on Ukraine, Russia? Are they me? Are they texting with the Iranians directly? Are they looking for moderates in the Iranian government? Are they flying to. To Ukraine? Where are those two guys? That's what I'm curious about this weekend because they're usually where the action is. All right, quick word from the sponsor then to your questions. Please raise your hand if you want to get in on the conversation. TrueWork.com makes stuff to wear when you're working outside. Whether you got a professional job that requires you to work outdoors or whether you're doing stuff around the homestead this, this spring. I recommend the clothes from truework.comt r u e w e r k.com promo code two way gets you 15 off. True work built like it matters because it does. You go outside just wearing normal stuff, you're not gonna be able to do what you can do in True Work gear. Stretching, bending, kneeling, jumping, and avoiding weather like rainstorms. True Work has water resistant finish to shed the rain, non functional pockets and all the stuff. It's great, well made and comfortable and extremely affordable. Right now because we're giving you 15% off your first order, go to truework.com t r u e w E-R-K.com use the promo code two way and tell them you heard about True Work right here on the morning.

[Larry O'Connor]

That's like a Don Imus homage there. W e. Yes, it is.

[Mark Halperin]

Everything. Most everything I do is a Don Imus homage.

[Larry O'Connor]

Except when you're talking about women's basketball.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah. Thank you, Larry.

[Kevin Walling]

Thank you.

[Mark Halperin]

Thank you for that historical reference. Celia. We haven't seen Celia in a while.

[Kevin Walling]

Welcome.

[Mark Halperin]

So, yeah. How are Kevin and Larry doing so far? Pretend they're not.

[Celia]

Wonderful. Wonderful. Congratulations to you guys.

[Kevin Walling]

Maintaining all this, you know,

[Celia]

could use improvement. Yeah, but. Just kidding. Just kidding. Okay. Are you guys okay with a weird kind of topic change a little bit?

[Mark Halperin]

Sure.

[Celia]

I'll try to make it fast.

[Larry O'Connor]

Are you kidding? We welcome Haley onto the show. So.

[Mark Halperin]

Anything.

[Larry O'Connor]

Can you throw it?

[Celia]

Haley, everyone's favorite, but did you guys see the SCOTUS decision from yesterday in the Montgomery vs Caribbean transportation case?

[Larry O'Connor]

The trucks for the truckers? Yes, big time.

[Haley Voda]

So.

[Celia]

So I'm a little biased because my boyfriend is in the industry. He works, I'm in Knoxville, Tennessee and he works for one of the largest freight brokerage firms in the state of Tennessee. And so this has obviously been big news for them. But just to give quick lowdown for everyone, basically the ruling, this has to do with Delilah Coleman, if you guys are familiar with her case where she was in a car hit by an illegal immigrant truck driver and now will require medical care and assistance for the rest of her life. She's I think 8 or 9 years old. But basically they, the ruling found that the broker that middleman can be held to safety accept safety exception under, excuse me English, under safety exception, they can now be held liable with state liability laws.

[Larry O'Connor]

Right.

[Celia]

So basically before that there, the FAAA preempted most of these suits for brokers by saying, you know, they are just a middleman, they weren't driving the truck, they can't be held liable. That is now longer the case. So professionals are viewing this as a potential nuclear event in the industry. I've seen predictions from 30% up to 75% of the workforce being cut out. So and this will come down to large firms like C.H. robinson, who was the defendant in this case, they will be able to afford the insurance increases. Small brokers will not, I mean it will probably do more than anything else to remove uninsured, unsafe, illegal immigrant drivers from our roads. But there is no matter what, he's already seeing it. He referenced to me yesterday the 100 mile route that he booked for $800 six months ago was now being booked for 1,550. So that he's just on the front end of this. But obviously as someone that is one of my top issues is immigration and I am a well single time Trump voter. But pretty much on that basis I'm now also seeing where I worry that the only solution is that they're going to have to lobby Congress to have some federal intervention. But can that get done without partisanship, especially if there is an immigration lens to it?

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, yeah, great question, great question, Kevin.

[Kevin Walling]

Yeah, so, and I think that the decision was 90 by the Supreme Court on this. You're also seeing at the same time movements for, you know, English only signage obviously is what we have in terms of competency with these drivers. It also you bring up the economics of it too because that's going to be then also passed on to consumers if the cost for transporting goods is raised because of the lack of skilled drivers. So, and you're also seeing a patchwork of states doing different things. As well. Which also means that then the Congress should get some action on this because you're not going to just have. It's all interstate transportation, not just in state transportation. So we'll see if Congress does move on this front and if cooler heads can prevail. And I think emphasizing the safety element of this, which this case was all about, could see some action potentially.

[Larry O'Connor]

Larry, how about we hire trained safe American citizens to be truck drivers? I'm told that we need illegal immigration because it's jobs Americans won't do. Is your boyfriend an American, Celia?

[Celia]

Yes, and his dad is also a legal immigrant from Venezuela.

[Larry O'Connor]

So, yeah, last I checked, Americans, I mean, is there anything more all American than being a truck driver? It's people who. But, but Kevin, I understand people are going to say now everything's, it's going to cost more to do this. Well, guess what, it's been artificially cheaper. It has been artificially cheaper than it should have been. And the trade off is we have a little girl who is paralyzed for the rest of her life. The trade off is we have people who get, who get killed because of these untrained illegal immigrant truck drivers. So the American people have to come to terms with the fact that, yeah, things might cost more because we've had it artificially cheaper than it should be. And the trade off is we've had

[Kevin Walling]

unsafe truck drivers where these companies, Larry, have taken advantage of that.

[Larry O'Connor]

I agree. And they shouldn't be in agreement on that front. And at the same time, we shut down the border and we deport illegal immigrants, we should be prosecuting the companies who are hiring illegal immigrants. Knowingly, I, I'm across the board. We need to do that. And the American and Republicans as well as Democrats should be united on that because I'm sorry, my, my libertarian Cato free market friends are completely out to launch. When they say, oh, it'll make everything cheaper. At what cost will everything be cheaper?

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, Celia, thank you. Grateful to you.

[Larry O'Connor]

Great. Great, great. Yeah, my, my timeline was.

[Kevin Walling]

I love that stuff that's not even on our radar, really, that we talk about that's critically important.

[Mark Halperin]

I'm going to jump over to the second hour of the morning meeting on Sirius xm. Before I go, if you haven't listened to or watched the new episode of Nextup, I recommend it to you. If you're fascinated by the characters of Kevin and Larry, you want to know them better, want to know more about them, want to know how they got to the ultimate dream of a lifetime not winning American Idol. But being named a permanent.

[Kevin Walling]

I want to see the great head of hair that one Larry o' Connor

[Larry O'Connor]

had in his head and one Kevin Walling for them.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah, but, but I learned a ton about you guys that I didn't know. I knew most of it, but not all of it. But most of you don't know much about how these two people, they did not spring magically from the, the foreheads of Jaime Moore and Eric Erickson. They have full life stories to tell and they do on next up.

[Kevin Walling]

Very good friends.

[Mark Halperin]

Yeah. So please, yes they are. Please go to nextup.com or whatever it is next up on, on YouTube I should say.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yeah.

[Mark Halperin]

At next up Halpert. There you go. Please watch or listen to it where

[Kevin Walling]

you get your podcasts across the board too.

[Mark Halperin]

Exactly. And, and also my, my reported monologues on the midterms. Gentlemen, enjoyed the week with you. Really grateful to you both and same here. I'll see you, I'll see you on Monday and I'll see everybody also at five o' clock tonight. Larry, over to you. And you know when I, when, when, when you get a throw, my favorite way to do it is say, that's exactly right, Mark. Let's try that. Larry, over to you.

[Larry O'Connor]

Well, that's exactly right. That doesn't make any sense for me to say.

[Mark Halperin]

That doesn't really make sense. Larry, Larry, Larry, the Cuban government's under an extraordinary amount of pressure, aren't they?

[Larry O'Connor]

That's a, that's exactly right, Mark. And screw those commies while we're at it.

[Kevin Walling]

Exactly.

[Mark Halperin]

All right, thanks everybody. I'll see you on SiriusXM. And then at 5 o', clock everybody

[Larry O'Connor]

check out the next up is fun. And we get to see baby pictures of Kevin.

[Kevin Walling]

It was super. It was super fun. And I learned, I learned even more about my co host over here.

[Larry O'Connor]

I learned from you. Kevin and I shared this with Meredith. I was shocked to learn that you and Meredith are the same age. I, I, to take no offense to this, but both Meredith and I thought you were about seven or eight years older than you.

[Kevin Walling]

Actually, I, I look very these years. Have not you tried defending Joe Biden on national television for four years and try and look as beautiful as Meredith does at the same age. Thank you very much.

[Larry O'Connor]

By the way of all of the, they asked us for a lot of pictures of our youth and they didn't. I, I was sure they were going to use this one. I hope you can pick up on that.

[Kevin Walling]

Look at that. There was also a good one in you in Theater. Was that, Were you in Fiddler or.

[Larry O'Connor]

Well, this is me in costume in the Disneyland parade, the Christmas parade where I was a toy soldier.

[Kevin Walling]

But was there, so there was a photo. Was that Fiddler that you were in?

[Larry O'Connor]

Yeah, this is me as Tevye and Fiddler on the roof. See, this is where all the anti Zionists are gonna say aha. I knew it. I knew it. He played Tevye and Fiddler starts early. Speaking of Zionist, Haley Voda is here for our cultural report.

[Kevin Walling]

Haley and I would like to say she's not shared anything about this with us.

[Larry O'Connor]

We have no idea and we completely disagree.

[Kevin Walling]

We're not claiming anything. This is a blanket NDA that is going out to the entire community.

[Haley Voda]

Don't worry, today it's I think pretty G or PG rated, so we're okay. But. Good morning guys.

[Larry O'Connor]

Good morning.

[Kevin Walling]

Hey Haley.

[Haley Voda]

You guys have winners and losers, so I figured I would pick my own of the last couple weeks since there's a couple things that we haven't spoken about. And especially so we're going to start with the winner of this week which especially with all the Harry Potter references these days. We have the long awaited and long talked about Harry Potter series. The first season hasn't even premiered yet. There's already greenlit for season two, which is absolutely incredible. I know.

[Kevin Walling]

But I also just say I love that Hayley's working directly with our incredible production team. With Paul and everybody else.

[Larry O'Connor]

I'm not so sure.

[Kevin Walling]

It stops and she calls up.

[Haley Voda]

They have been, they've been just the most amazing and amazing team.

[Larry O'Connor]

So I'm an aficionado of the books and the films and it seems to me Harry's supposed to be 11 years old in the Sorcerer's Stone. Right.

[Haley Voda]

He's a lot of Sorcerer's Stone.

[Larry O'Connor]

But yeah, he seems younger there, doesn't, doesn't he?

[Mark Halperin]

No.

[Haley Voda]

I think the kids are also around the same age. I, I, it's very crazy how they managed to find an exact look alike again. Like it's just wild. This kid looks exactly like Harry Potter. But yeah, I'm gonna be obviously doing like a episode by episode review on some platforms, so.

[Kevin Walling]

Lordy incredible. Two way conversation. This is what we're built for.

[Larry O'Connor]

I don't know.

[Kevin Walling]

We gotta do the pop culture stuff.

[Haley Voda]

100. This is going to be awesome. Everyone's going to love it. They're going to be talked about, whatever. And so obviously we're going to go to the losers of the last few weeks, which is obviously Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Both 100% losers if nobody knows they did. Right before the trial, they reached an out of court settlement over the treatment of whatever happened on this horrible, horrible movie.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yeah.

[Kevin Walling]

Has the movie been out? Has people. Has the. Did the movie come out that all this drama was about? Or is it still.

[Haley Voda]

Yeah, yeah. And it's.

[Mark Halperin]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Larry O'Connor]

And it was now.

[Haley Voda]

But the best part of this entire thing is that they, you know, they tried to kill each other in court. But the financial terms, nobody knows exactly what happened, so they, they settled it literally weeks before trial.

[Larry O'Connor]

Yep.

[Haley Voda]

After all the buzz and talked about

[Larry O'Connor]

typical Hollywood shenanigans where they, they. They're going to cover it up. Just. And by the way, that's what happens in Congress too, with their sexual harassment slush fund. And. And you might want to Google Gavin Newsom's wife and Harvey Weinstein and see what happens.

[Haley Voda]

Just the amount of damage they have both done to their. To their reputations is kind of sweet justice for both of them.

[Larry O'Connor]

Kevin, do you like how I made that about Gavin Newsom?

[Kevin Walling]

You always love to get in a little just to twist segment.

[Larry O'Connor]

You know, I'm here to react.

[Kevin Walling]

Quit attacking the first part.

[Larry O'Connor]

I'm merely reacting. Thank you.

[Haley Voda]

And of course, what to look forward to. The Cannes Film Festival has been happening, and so we have all of the fashion looks that we have to look forward to.

[Larry O'Connor]

Oh, the Demi Moore thing. What's going on there? God.

[Kevin Walling]

Oh, is that Demi Moore? Oh, wow.

[Haley Voda]

We can talk about it next week.

[Larry O'Connor]

Oh, the arms and the. Just everyone stop with the Ozempic. Good God, she's still beautiful.

[Haley Voda]

Like, look at her face. She's just. She's. She's timeless.

[Larry O'Connor]

But I can't pass it. Skin on bones, people. This is horrible.

[Haley Voda]

Just so you know. Fun fact about Cannes Film Festival, the longest standing ovation was 22 minutes for Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro. And following was 20 minutes for Fahrenheit 9 11. So imagine standing and clapping for 22 minutes straight.

[Larry O'Connor]

Del Toro, by the way, to bring it back, directed the best of the Harry Potter films.

[Kevin Walling]

I think I was going to say that's also very North Korea inspired in

[Haley Voda]

terms of Del Toro did not direct Harry Potter films.

[Larry O'Connor]

He didn't. I thought he directed.

[Haley Voda]

Are you sure Alfonso Cuaron directed the third one, if that's the one you're referring to.

[Kevin Walling]

Spanish Chris Columbus did a few of those, too.

[Haley Voda]

I think Chris Columbus did the first.

[Larry O'Connor]

He did the first two or the first one? All right, yeah.

[Haley Voda]

Well, thank you, guys.

[Larry O'Connor]

Thank you, Haley, for correcting me. That's wonderful.

[Kevin Walling]

We love our pop culture moment on Fridays. Thank you so much.

[Larry O'Connor]

On the balcony smoking cigarettes.

[Kevin Walling]

No cigarette this time, luckily, on camera. So we talked about the next up episode that's out across all earth. Great platform featuring us.

[Larry O'Connor]

So. And I know you can't get enough of us.

[Kevin Walling]

And then, Larry, We've got Citizen McCain coming up at noon, I think. Right?

[Larry O'Connor]

That is correct.

[Mark Halperin]

That is.

[Kevin Walling]

I will let you, I will let you talk about the guests on the

[Larry O'Connor]

Senior Scholar in Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins center for Health Security, Amesh, Ala. By the way, that's the role held previously by Marty McCary at Johns Hopkins before he became the administrator of the fda. And also my friend, great radio host out of Seattle, Jason Rance. What a great name for a radio host. Right?

[Kevin Walling]

I used to spend a lot of time with Jason on Fox Fox. That's now I think he's mostly on cnn. I see him on, I think he was on last night. So he's a great guy. Back and forth.

[Larry O'Connor]

Extraordinary eyebrows on that man. Absolutely extraordinary eyebrows. And then Two Way tonight will be Live at five where you can hear Mark Halperin second guess the Trump administration and the entire diplomatic corps from the State Department for their summit in China

[Kevin Walling]

because, well, honest reporting from Mark.

[Larry O'Connor]

Mark. Mark knows best.

[Kevin Walling]

And then most importantly though, obviously we've got your show back then on at noon. But in between that, I'm going to join the Post show with Professor Kenny and friends. The chat is open for that and that kicks off at 11am I think. But I think there's going to be a conversation beforehand too. So certainly get involved right now. And Professor Kennedy has shared that link a few times in the chat, but that should be a fun one. It's a little bit more fun and free on Fridays. So join us over there and everyone

[Larry O'Connor]

in Washington tonight, 6pm at the Trump Kennedy Center. It'll be me one on one with OG morning meeting superstar Sean Spicer. The two of us will have a one on one.

[Kevin Walling]

Can we watch it somewhere? Is it streamed?

[Larry O'Connor]

It is going to stream. It's going to stream on the Kennedy center website.

[Kevin Walling]

But you can show Trump Kennedy website.

[Larry O'Connor]

Well, the website still says Kennedy Center. The URL is Kennedy Center. That's why I was referring to the website. Kevin, you're in South Carolina, aren't you? Otherwise I know.

[Kevin Walling]

I want to watch it. I want to watch it somewhere because John's a good friend too.

[Larry O'Connor]

And swing on over, it'll be the two of us talking about his New York Times bestselling book Trump 2.0. And then we're going to have a cocktail party on the people get tickets.

[Kevin Walling]

People do that, go to the Kennedy

[Larry O'Connor]

center website, get a free ticket to the event. But then there's a upcharge for the VIP party. You can hang out with us, have some cocktails and watch the sunset in.

[Kevin Walling]

Is Meredith going? That's the only thing.

[Larry O'Connor]

Meredith will be there, along with our son EJ And a ton of people

[Kevin Walling]

from Town hall about Larry and Sean. But as long as Meredith is there,

[Larry O'Connor]

I don't blame you.

[Kevin Walling]

I'll pay anything for an open bar.

[Larry O'Connor]

Hang out with me and Spicer. It's a blast. Thanks, everybody.

[Kevin Walling]

And we'll see everybody back on Monday morning. Thanks, everybody.

[Larry O'Connor]

Bye. Bye.

[President Trump]

Time.