Trump Posts, His Staff Panics—Again

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes

Episode: Trump Posts, His Staff Panics—Again

Date: November 9, 2025
Guests: Jack Cottrilla (The Bulwark), Sam Stein
Main Theme:
The Bulwark team dissects the chaos following President Trump's latest social media post promising $2,000 tariff-funded checks to Americans, the scramble within his staff to respond, and the broader political consequences as staffers and campaign officials attempt to walk back or explain his increasingly fantastical economic promises. They discuss historical parallels, the reality disconnect, and the administration's handling of economic pain and messaging as it unfolds in real time.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “$2,000 Tariff Check” Promise

• Trump unexpectedly posts on Truth Social that Americans will soon receive “a dividend of at least $2,000 a person” funded from tariff revenues, excluding high income earners.
  • Quote [02:00, Jack Cottrilla, reading Trump’s post]:

    “A dividend of at least—it’s at least now $2,000 a person, not including high income people, will be paid to everyone. So that's really got to get you excited.”

• Hosts highlight how Trump's promises have repeatedly taken this form—grand declarations that are not legally or fiscally grounded—as with the unfulfilled "Doge dividend" in the past.

2. Staff Scramble and Walkbacks

• Scott Bessant, a White House spokesperson, gives a muddled TV interview attempting to clarify or walk back the payment announcement, instead coupling it with tax cut talking points.
  • Quote [03:02, Scott Bessant]:

    "The $2,000 dividend could come in lots of forms in lots of ways, George. ... No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, deductibility of auto loans. ...Those are substantial DED that… are being financed in the tax bill."

• Sam and Jack lampoon the confusion staff face daily, forced to interpret and translate Trump’s spontaneous declarations into some kind of policy or defensible media response:
  • Quote [03:36, Sam Stein]:

    "You have to imagine how crazy and difficult it is to wake up and… scroll through true social to figure out what the monetary and economic policy the administration is and then you have to adjust on the fly."

3. Echoes of Past Administrations and Economic Messaging

• The hosts point out the Biden administration also struggled to bridge the gap between positive macroeconomic indicators and lived economic hardship—a messaging pitfall now repeated by Trump’s team.
  • Quote [05:10, Sam Stein]:

    "There are a bunch of James Franco meme moments here because… the Walmart package for Thanksgiving, so much cheaper. And then, like, you actually look at it. It's just less goods. That was very reminiscent of the Biden era."

• Discussion on "shrinkflation" and White House attempts to address cost-of-living complaints, often with out-of-touch or tone-deaf messaging.
  • [06:10–06:29] The "one bar KitKat" and missing chips as analogies for shrinkflation, with humorous banter about favorite candy bars.

4. Shifting Blame—Who Owns High Prices and the Economy?

• The administration (via Bessant) tries to blame rising energy and food costs on local/state governments, dismissing federal accountability. Sam and Jack call out this selective blame-shifting as disingenuous and politically ineffective.
  • Quote [09:37, Sam Stein]:

    “Of course, like, you know, this only works one way because if a… state were to be gangbusters economically… the administration would [take credit].”

• The hosts connect this pattern to Trump's halt of green energy projects and the fixation on symbolic issues (e.g., windmills killing birds), noting the administration’s contradictory stances on energy.

5. The Impact of the Shutdown and Staff Admissions

• Scott Bessant, perhaps inadvertently, agrees the government shutdown is hurting the economy and people, but blames Democrats for not reopening government.
  • Quote [11:32, Scott Bessant]:

    “We’ve seen an impact on the economy from day one, but it’s getting worse and worse… now there are estimates that economic growth for this quarter could be cut by as much as half if the shutdown continues.”

• Stein and Cottrilla critique the administration for trying to stop SNAP payments and threaten states supplementing aid—decrying the cruelty and political optics.
  • Quote [13:23, Jack Cottrilla]:

    “Trump is now threatening states that are going to be supplementing those costs. ...We will inflict financial hardships on you if you feed people.”

6. Mar-a-Lago, Opulence, and Political Tone Deafness

• A sharp, sarcastic turn toward the spectacle of Mar-a-Lago parties, excessive seafood towers, and visual displays of wealth while SNAP and aid for the needy are slashed.
  • [14:14–15:33] Hosts joke about the possibility that “evil fuels” the administration's energy, the absurd opulence of Trump’s parties, and the jarring disconnect with economic realities for average Americans.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On recurring empty promises:

  • Sam Stein [04:13]:

    “If I were just, you know, regular Joe public, I would be a little bit upset… You promised me a check. Where is it?... I need the cash infusion. You keep dangling it out there, but you don't deliver.”

• On the messaging echo chamber:

  • Jack Cottrilla [05:03]:

    “Are you guys seriously going to do the same thing that we did when people hated our economy and think that that's going to work?”

• On shrinkflation and government priorities:

  • Jack Cottrilla [06:10]:

    "It's when your Kit Kat is just a kit instead of a Kit Kat, it's just like the one."

  • Sam Stein [07:00]:

    “Trump doesn't even give a fuck. He's just like, quite frankly, everything's… wonderful.”

• On blaming states for energy costs:

  • Scott Bessant [08:26]:

    “Electricity prices are a state problem.”

• On shutdown pain:

  • Sam Stein [12:41]:

    “There is at least an element of acknowledging reality here… People are really suffering, right?... when the SNAP benefits actually do stop... it's going to be real suffering.”

• On Mar-a-Lago parties:

  • Sam Stein [14:16]:

    “They go. And it's like, I guess, good for them. I don't have the energy for that.”

  • Jack Cottrilla [15:11]:

    “So ugly. Like, they're just so gaudy. ...The seafood does look really good. I don't like to give out credit, but I will say, like, big ass shrimp. I'm totally on board with that.”

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:56] Start of the actual episode and topic introduction
• [01:32] Analysis of Trump’s $2,000 check Truth Social post
• [03:02] Scott Bessant’s ABC interview and staff walkback
• [04:10] Hosts critique cycle of empty promises
• [05:00] Parallels to Biden administration, “James Franco meme” moment
• [06:06] Definition and mockery of shrinkflation
• [07:00] Trump’s claims on monopolies echo Biden
• [08:24] Bessant blames states for energy costs; clip of Marjorie Taylor Greene
• [09:37] Hosts ridicule blame game and energy policy inconsistencies
• [11:32] Bessant admits shutdown is hurting economy
• [13:23] Discussion of SNAP/aid cutbacks and punitive threats against supportive states
• [14:14] Satirical take on Mar-a-Lago parties and political optics
• [15:33] Martini banter and sign-off

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a biting, detail-rich critique of the Trump administration’s chaotic economic messaging and the internal confusion it causes among senior staffers. Jack Cottrilla and Sam Stein blend sharp insights with humor, drawing clear parallels to the Biden years and underscoring a persistent disconnect between White House spin and Americans’ everyday realities. The episode’s most memorable moments intertwine political analysis and absurdist commentary—especially as the discussion turns to luxury at Mar-a-Lago juxtaposed against working-class need, crystallizing the political and cultural anxieties of the current moment.

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Transcript

[Regents Blue Cross Blue Shield Representative]

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[Jack Cottrilla]

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[Sam Stein]

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[Jack Cottrilla]

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[Sam Stein]

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[Jack Cottrilla]

For next level laundry, I'm Jack Cottrilla with the Bulwark, joined today by Sam Stein. And Sam, it looks like Scott Besant is going to have to literally cash some checks that Donald Trump is writing, which he can't. Because this morning our incompetent, cognitively declining president decided he was going to save his term by announcing something that we all love, free cash. But he can't really deliver on that. And Scott Besant was confronted on it. And what was just like a really, really bad ABC interview this morning. There's a lot to get into, but I want to start with the Trump post that kicked it all off and how apparently we're all getting 2,000 bucks.

[Sam Stein]

Yeah. Well, can I just say something like when you do government by fiat, when you just are like, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that, it gets into your head probably that you can just write people checks for whatever amount you want, even though that's not legally permissible. I'm unclear what authority Trump has to just say, you know, we're giving these checks that we've collected from tariffs two people. But it makes sense because that's the way his mind operates.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Yeah. And I think in a moment in which he's realizing he's broken, or maybe he doesn't realize and doesn't care, but he has broken every single promise of his administration. The people who voted for Trump thinking that they were going to get a check again. And then we had that little short lived Doge check, but now it's the tariff check. I don't know what type of check it's going to be in another six months.

[Sam Stein]

Did they ever pay the Doge dividend? They did not. Right.

[Jack Cottrilla]

I didn't get one. But this one seems really promising, of course, because we Got to believe this guy. But I want to read the post before we see how president failed to respond. So. So Trump took the truth social and as always, we are writing in all caps. Very excited. People that are the most against tariffs are fools. That's good to know. We are now the richest, most respected country in the world with almost no inflation and a record stock market price. 401ks are higher than ever. We are taking in trillions of dollars and will soon begin paying down our enormous debt. This is all really good to know. Trump also says a dividend of at least, it's at least now $2,000 a person, not including high income people, will be paid to everyone. So that's really got to get you excited. At least $2,000 cash coming. But when Scott Bessant was asked about that, he didn't seem as excited.

[Scott Bessant]

You know, it could, the $2,000 dividend could come in lots of forms in lots of ways, George. You know, it could be just the tax decreases that we are seeing on the President's agenda. You know, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, deductibility of auto loans. So, you know, those are substantial DED that you know are being financed in the tax bill.

[Sam Stein]

Jeez.

[Jack Cottrilla]

So we're not getting it. We're not getting $2,000 cash. At least $2,000 cash. Do you feel really satisfied with that answer from Scott Besson? Do you think that people going, I.

[Sam Stein]

Don'T know, I mean, for like a couple hours there I was pretty excited for my check and then it got wiped away by Scott. I don't feel bad for Scott Besson because he signed up for this. But like, you have to imagine how crazy and difficult it is to wake up and like you have to scroll through true social to figure out what the monetary and economic policy the administration is and then you have to adjust on the fly. And I'm sure as people are like, what do we do with this thing? Did we, did we do legislation to propose a bill? Is that how it works now? And so he's thrust onto TV and he has to walk it back. But you know, to your larger point, you know, they keep promising these cash infusions to people and I don't know, it's like the whole bait and switch stuff at some point probably catches up with you, right? You keep promising people checks and they don't get checks. If I were just, you know, regular Joe public, I would be a little bit upset. Bet honestly being like, okay, you promised me a check. Where is it? You promised me a Doge dividend. Where is it? Like, I'm struggling. I need the cash infusion. You keep dangling it out there, but you don't deliver.

[Jack Cottrilla]

And it's also funny that this is what the Trump campaign was able to win on the most, is like the Biden administration was kind of pushing the narrative that, oh, look at the stock market. Look at economic indicators that aren't really reflective of people's lived experiences. And it's funny because a former Biden official actually put out a post in response to Trump saying, like, oh, things are so fantastic. Democrats are lying about the economy. And it's the James Franco is like, at the news and he's like, first time. And it's like, Biden officials in the communication.

[Sam Stein]

I saw that. I saw that.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Are you guys seriously going to do the same thing that we did when people hated our economy and think that that's going to work? And it's.

[Sam Stein]

Well, there are a bunch of James Franco mean moments here because the whole thing around the Walmart package for Thanksgiving, so much cheaper. And then you, like, actually look at it. It's just less goods. That was very reminiscent of the Biden era. You're going to get, like, cheaper ground beef for July 4th. As if people are just, like, sitting around making ground beef on July 4th. And that backfired on Biden pretty badly. And I. I'm guessing a bunch of the Biden people are just, like, laughing, watching them have to do the same exact rigamarole. Because people live like they know what things cost. They go every day and buy groceries. And if you're going to tell them that things are stupendous and that they should be grateful for it, it's going to backfire it. I was talking to some of us, like, you know, Bill Clinton had, I feel your pain. And this is like, I've solved your pain, but the pain is actually still there. And that can't be good politically.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Yeah. And when Joe Biden was talking about, like, addressing shrinkflation, when you were saying, like, there's now seven.

[Sam Stein]

You should explain what shrinkflation is for the beer, because I think their minds might wander.

[Jack Cottrilla]

You know, it's when your Kit Kat is just a kit instead of a Kit Kat, it's just like the one. One bar cost the same amount. Have you seen. Did you see them?

[Sam Stein]

I've never gone. I've never. And one bar Kit Kat.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Oh, well, now we have one bar KitKats where it's just like a kit or a cat and so Joe Biden talked about that when he was like, we're going to crack down on inflation.

[Sam Stein]

Have they done that with Trix too? Because that's a crime.

[Jack Cottrilla]

The one, the one thing. Yeah, I think they're doing the one thing because that was like, you know, the, the fun size candy bars where it's usually just like the two Kit Kats. Next.

[Sam Stein]

I did notice my candy that I was distributing on Halloween was a little bit smaller. I did notice that.

[Jack Cottrilla]

And so like, at least Joe Biden was saying like, oh, we're going to stop this. But people kind of roll their eyes when they're like that. There's 17 chips in a bag instead of like 20. Like, that's what you're cracking down is the difference between three chips. Like Trump doesn't even give a fuck. He's just like, quite frankly, everything's, it's wonderful. And, and you love your chips. But it wasn't the only. I know I have to break it out every once.

[Sam Stein]

The chips are great. They're orange just like me. No, but the other thing that he did, which was very Biden esque was the, the Post last week where he's just like, we have to go after the, the meat conglomerates, the monopolies. They're, they're really like, yeah, big meat. We gotta go after big meat. Which was very.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Sounds like sc.

[Sam Stein]

Listen, it was very. That's too soon.

[Jack Cottrilla]

That's allowed. Is he going to come and punch it?

[Sam Stein]

It's possible. He's got a history. No, but that was very Biden esque where he was like, the monopolies are the problems here with the prices. We got to crack down on them. So there is, there are echoes here, actually.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Apparently the problem with the prices is, is states and in local, local officials. That's what Scott Besson's other argument was in this clip, which was just pretty funny.

[George (Interviewer)]

The President says, so he just had posted this morning that there's almost no inflation. The consumer price index is higher than it was in the beginning of the year. Electricity rates are rising. So are prices for coffee, beef, vegetables, televisions. And it's not just me. It's not just. Economists are saying that. Your own Republican members of Congress are saying that, including Marjorie Taylor Greene. Let's look.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Oh, great.

[Regents Blue Cross Blue Shield Representative]

I go to the grocery store myself. Grocery prices remain high. Energy prices are high. My electricity bills are higher here in Washington, D.C. at my apartment. And they're also higher at my house in Rome, Georgia, higher than they were a year ago. So, so affordability is a problem.

[George (Interviewer)]

How do you respond to Congressman Green?

[Scott Bessant]

Well, George, what I, what I would respond to is electricity prices are a state problem. And you know, I was very interested to see in the earlier clip where the governor, the governor elect of New Jersey said, well, I'm going to bring down energy prices. Well, it was her predecessor, Phil, Phil Murphy who took him up. So, you know, look, there are things that the federal government can control. Local electric listening prices are not one of them. But energy prices, gasoline prices are way down. And you know, we are doing what we can every day. I think we are on a very good path to bringing prices.

[Sam Stein]

Like his soothing tones.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Yeah, yeah, I'm not, It's just, it's gotten really dull. I want to see the version of Scott Bessant that is literally hitting people. I would watch, I'd maybe tune into that. But this is energy, you know, drill, baby, drill. But let's still cancel green energy projects and make sure that every data center that wants to be built can be built and every AI slop factory that can be built to serve Sam Altman, who needs a bailout soon, is put together. I don't know, it just kind of seems laughable to be like, well, it's actually Mikey Sherrill's fault that electricity is so expensive.

[Sam Stein]

It's, it's, it's silly. And of course, like, you know, this only works one way because if a, if a state were to be, you know, gangbusters economically and if they were to have reduced energy costs, the idea that the administration would say, yeah, we don't take any credit for that. That's, that's definitely just the doings of, you know, the governor. That's of course absurd, but it does raise a larger point. The amount of self inflicted wounds here, I think is, is worth noting because you're right that, you know, during the shutdown they've gone out of their way to cut a lot of new energy, clean energy projects, they put them on hold. Now. Those won't go online necessarily right away, but certainly down the road that would reduce, you know, energy costs, electricity costs, things like that. But they don't really care about that because Donald Trump is fixated on how bad windmills are for birds. And so you are wells either. Yeah, I feel for the whales. So, yeah, no, they, they are not helping matters. And I think casting blame on the governors after that is not going to fly.

[Jack Cottrilla]

No. And I don't, I don't just think anyone buys it. I don't think anyone is going to really like I, we know they don't.

[Sam Stein]

Buy a jack because they rendered a verdict on the years. And then you look at all these polls, and it's not just that they think the economy's bad, which they do, it's that they think his policies are making it worse, which is like monumentally worse for Trump that you're seen as the villain in this.

[Jack Cottrilla]

Yeah. And it's not just like the average voter in Virginia or New Jersey or New York who feels that way. It's also, it's also Scott Besant who admitted to the, the huge economic implications for this shutdown. I've seen like the, the lines that are four hours long, the airport in Atlanta or Houston. But he's just speaking more broadly, not even like basic supply chain everything. All of these ramifications. Scott Besson shared that he agrees with us, which is really nice of him.

[George (Interviewer)]

Just heard about all these impacts from the government shutdown right now. Are we starting to see, see a permanent impact on the economy?

[Scott Bessant]

Sure, George, and good, good to be with you. And we've seen an impact on the economy from day one, but it's getting worse and worse. We had a fantastic economy under President Trump the past two quarters, and now there are estimates that the economy, economic growth for this quarter could be cut by as much as half if the shutdown continues. And what your correspondent didn't talk about there, George, was there's, of course, the human cost. And we're going to have the busiest travel day of the year the day after Thanksgiving, and Americans should look to five Democratic senators to come across the aisle to open that. But.

[Jack Cottrilla]

All righty, Scott. Oh, God. Again, I just, people aren't buying this. Donald Trump admitted it day one, Wednesday after elections. He said, yeah, people know that this shutdown was a problem. He also complained that he wasn't on the ballot, which I don't think is necessarily the case in anyone's mind. But he even admitted shut down. We're getting blamed for it. People know it's our fault. You just really cannot continue to make this argument, especially in the sad, pathetic. George, the thing about the shutdown is that tone just, no one's going to buy it.

[Sam Stein]

No one's going to buy it. But, you know, there is at least an element of acknowledging reality here that I, I mean, I guess this is like the lowest of ours, but I, I appreciate it. Right. It's like they could just be like, oh, yeah, yeah, we're doing great. It's gangbusters. This is the Trump economy and it's on you know, revving. But, like, I mean, people are really suffering, right? Like, people are really suffering. And then when the SNAP benefits actually do stop coming and they're in court, as we record, they say, are in court trying to say, no, you cannot pay the SNAP benefits. It's going to be real suffering. And, you know, if you want to say it's because of the shutdown, fair enough, that's totally fine. But you also need to say we are actively trying to stop the payment of these benefits that would alleviate part of the pain from the shutdown. So they own it, too.

[Jack Cottrilla]

And not even just like, trying to stop the payments. But there was a New York Times report this morning that Trump is now threatening states that are going to be supplementing those costs. And, like, there's. We will inflict financial hardships on you if you feed people. Yeah, the Mar A Lago Seafood Towers with, like, the fucking biggest shrimp I've ever seen. Those are good. We're going to feed the cougars at Mar a Lago. But that's it. That is where we stop. We got to make sure that the cougars have. I don't know, does lip filler. Do you need, like, to sustain that? Is that real? Is that organic?

[Sam Stein]

Not. Not my area of expertise.

[Jack Cottrilla]

That's not. That's not your.

[Sam Stein]

I will say bag. I watch. I watch these parties at Mar a Lago, and on the one hand, like, I'm aghast at, like, how ridiculous and over the top these parties are. I'm 43. Like, I just want to go to bed on Friday nights, man. I just want to, like, watch.

[Jack Cottrilla]

They really get after it.

[Sam Stein]

They go. They go. And it's like, I guess, good for them. I don't have the energy for that. But they seem to do it every weekend, and they're just going. And one up in it.

[Jack Cottrilla]

The evil that, like, is so corrosive to their faces and bodies would also, like, drain their energy.

[Sam Stein]

No.

[Jack Cottrilla]

It's funny. No. You don't think so. You think that the evil really fuels them?

[Sam Stein]

I think. I think it gives them more energy. Clearly there's something in there because they're just at it. And, like, they're like, ah, Great Gatsby this week. No, we're gonna go. We're gonna go truffles everywhere and seafood towers. You think we did it. We did it right last weekend. Now we're gonna. On the other hand. Well, not on the other hand. In addition, it's so painfully tone death. I mean, to do this at the same time, you're cut and snap is like, it doesn't take, you know, a political science degree to understand that looks ridiculous. And then playing golf on the weekends and like, yeah, getting your ballroom ready.

[Jack Cottrilla]

So ugly. Like, they're just so gaudy. Like, again, the seafood. The seafood does look really good. I don't like to give out credit, but I will say, like, big ass shrimp. I'm. I'm totally on board with that.

[Sam Stein]

They look good. I would have some shrimp right now. And even the. Honestly, the Gatsby thing was. It was gross and grotesque and cheesy, easy as hell. But I'd go for a good martini. Like, I'm happy with a good martini.

[Jack Cottrilla]

I don't know if I want a woman in it.

[Sam Stein]

But no, not that big of martini. The regular martinis. Yeah.

[Jack Cottrilla]

You a Vesper guy. Your gin, your vodka. Okay. The right way to do it.

[Sam Stein]

Yeah.

[Jack Cottrilla]

And on that note, with the bulwark, I'm Jack Cottrell. So thanks for joining me, man.

[Sam Stein]

Hey, man, appreciate it. And I needed more. My kid went so bad. And the smell never leaves.

[Jack Cottrilla]

I don't know what to do.

[Sam Stein]

I'm always in the dark.

[Jack Cottrilla]

The sweat and D smells like a.

[Sam Stein]

Dark downy rinse fights stubborn odors in just one wash. When impossible odors get stuck in.