Morning Joe 5/14/25

Summary

Morning Joe – May 14, 2025

Hosts: Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Willie Geist Special Guests: Katty Kay, David Ignatius (The Washington Post), Elizabeth Bumiller (The New York Times)

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1. Introduction and Guest Announcements

The episode kicks off with the familiar banter between hosts Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Willie Geist, reminiscing about past collaborations and welcoming special guests Katty Kay, David Ignatius, and Elizabeth Bumiller to discuss the day's pressing issues.

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**2. Donald Trump's Foreign Policy Shift

a. Speech in Saudi Arabia and Syria Sanctions

President Donald Trump addressed the nation from Saudi Arabia, announcing a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy. He emphasized a new path for Syria while maintaining a strict stance against Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Donald Trump [01:02]: "I'm here today not merely to condemn the past chaos of Iran's leaders, but to offer them a new path... Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."

Trump declared the lifting of sanctions on Syria, signaling support for its new president, Ahmed Al Shara.

Donald Trump [01:02]: "We will be dropping all of the sanctions on Syria, which I think really is going to be a good thing."

b. Position on Iran

In his speech, Trump expressed a willingness to negotiate with Iran on a nuclear deal but remained firm that the U.S. would not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Donald Trump [17:08]: "I want to make a deal with Iran... But they cannot have a nuclear weapon."

c. Acceptance of Qatari Luxury Jet

Amidst his Middle Eastern tour, Trump reinforced his decision to accept a luxurious jet from Qatar, sparking controversy and concerns over potential corruption and espionage.

Donald Trump [06:52]: "It's not going to be easy anyway, so gives them a good, strong chance."

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**3. Debate Over the Qatari Jet and U.S. Policy Implications

The discussion delves into the ramifications of Trump accepting the Qatari jet, highlighting bipartisan objections and national security concerns.

Willie Geist [10:24]: "He's Doubled down on why he would be a fool not to take a plane like this."

David Ignatius elaborates on the symbolic shift in U.S. Middle Eastern policy, noting Trump's pivot from traditional allies like Israel to broader regional engagement.

David Ignatius [09:34]: "The United States is doing things that make Israel nervous and I think that's only beginning to play out."

Elizabeth Bumiller and Willie Geist express skepticism about the jet's security and the administration's intentions, questioning whether it's a genuine policy signal or a distraction from other issues.

Elizabeth Bumiller [12:34]: "This is unimaginable that this wouldn't be a problem."

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**4. Major League Baseball Reinstates Pete Rose

a. Decision by Commissioner Rob Manfred

In a surprising move, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred lifted the ban on Pete Rose, allowing his potential induction into the Hall of Fame.

Mike Barnacle [46:31]: "Rob Manfred is essentially telling us Pete Rose has served his time."

b. Reactions and Implications

The decision reignites debates over Rose's legacy and its impact on other candidates with similar controversies.

Mike Barnacle [50:48]: "If he served his time, we should be thinking about Pete Rose the baseball player."

Donald Trump weighs in, defending Rose's character and questioning MLB's stance on gambling.

Donald Trump [50:48]: "You're taking all of this money from these gambling institutions... he's a Hall of Fame player."

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**5. Domestic Policy and Immigration

a. Alien Enemies Act and Venezuelan Migrants

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can invoke the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants, albeit with stricter due process requirements than the administration initially proposed.

Katty Kay [24:09]: "The government has to provide a 21 day notice... an opportunity to be heard."

b. Challenges of Self-Deportation

The hosts discuss the administration's push for self-deportation among migrants, highlighting the logistical and ethical challenges inherent in such policies.

Dr. Aksa Durrani [36:06]: "People are eating right now, sources of food that are... dwindling."

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**6. Election Insights and Political Shifts

a. Omaha Elects First Black Mayor

Democrat John Ewing Jr. wins the mayoral race in Omaha, marking a significant milestone as the first black politician to hold the position. This victory is part of a broader trend of Democratic successes in early elections of Trump's second term.

Elizabeth Bumiller [28:33]: "The signs are that what we're hearing... is that people are not necessarily very happy with the way the President is enacting his policies."

b. Implications for 2028 Presidential Race

The recent election outcomes are analyzed for their potential impact on future political landscapes, including speculation about 2028 contenders like Pete Buttigieg.

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**7. Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

a. Starvation and Blockades

Dr. Aksa Durrani from Doctors Without Borders provides a harrowing account of the dire conditions in Gaza, emphasizing the looming threat of widespread starvation due to Israel's blockade.

Dr. Aksa Durrani [34:20]: "It's systematic, it's deliberate and it's cruel."

b. International Law and Humanitarian Concerns

The discussion underscores violations of international humanitarian law, with aid being used as a weapon of war, exacerbating the suffering of civilians.

Dr. Aksa Durrani [38:37]: "We are witnessing Israel using starvation as a weapon of war."

c. Israeli Military Perspectives

David Ignatius shares insights from Israeli military officials who express growing concerns about Gaza's humanitarian collapse and the lack of a post-war governance plan.

David Ignatius [41:57]: "We don't have anybody to talk to. So I think that the beginning of getting out of this terrible tragedy... that's absolutely necessary because people are dying."

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**8. Sports and Entertainment Highlights

a. ESPN's New Streaming Service

ESPN unveils plans for a new streaming service, set to launch in the fall at $29.99/month, offering comprehensive access to sports content without traditional cable subscriptions.

Willie Geist [30:25]: "This is the ultimate cord cutting."

b. Pete Rose and MLB Controversies

Continuing the discussion on Pete Rose's reinstatement, the hosts and guests debate the future of other controversial figures like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in the Hall of Fame.

Donal Trump [51:18]: "And you watch the commercials on TV baseball games. The gambling institutions have provided so much money, advertising money to Major League Baseball..."

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**9. Closing Remarks and Light-hearted Banter

The show concludes with light-hearted conversations about travel experiences and personal anecdotes, providing a human touch to the intense discussions of the day.

Katty Kay [44:22]: "I flew into Newark on United... I felt like one of those Mercury astronauts."

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Notable Quotes

• Donald Trump [01:02]: "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."
• David Ignatius [07:37]: "It's a big move by President Trump. We were all expecting that this trip to Saudi Arabia would be pop and, you know, elaborate meetings."
• Dr. Aksa Durrani [34:20]: "This is systematic, it's deliberate and it's cruel."
• Mike Barnacle [46:31]: "Rob Manfred is essentially telling us Pete Rose has served his time."

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Conclusion

This episode of Morning Joe navigated through pivotal international developments, controversial domestic policies, significant sports updates, and a deep dive into the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The hosts and guests provided comprehensive analysis, diverse perspectives, and heartfelt discussions, ensuring listeners were well-informed on the day's most pressing issues.

Transcript

[Joe Scarborough]

You know we love a good debate, right?

[Willie Geist]

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[Katty Kay]

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[Donald Trump]

I'm here today not merely to condemn the past chaos of Iran's leaders, but to offer them a new path and a much better path toward a far better and more hopeful future. And take all action required to stop the regime from ever having a nuclear weapon. Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness. So I say good luck, Syria. Show us something very special, like they've done, frankly, in Saudi Arabia. Okay, they're going to show something special.

[Joe Scarborough]

President Trump speaking yesterday in Saudi Arabia announcing a major foreign policy change with Syria while also trying to maintain a hard line with Iran over nuclear talks. We'll bring you the latest from his trip to the Middle East. Meanwhile, the president is doubling down on accepting a luxury jet from Qatar despite more objections from members of his own party. Plus, we'll have a look at the town hall that is fueling some speculation about Pete Buttigieg's plans for the 2028 election.

[Katty Kay]

What was it? What was he in what? Minnesota? Was he in Idaho? Where was he?

[Joe Scarborough]

It might have been a swing state. Just might have been Iowa. And eight months after his death, Pete Rose has been reinst by Major League Baseball. The commissioner, Rob Manfred, will go through that controversial decision and whether he could be inducted into the hall of Fame. Good morning and welcome to Morning Joe. It's Wednesday, May 14th. Everybody doing good?

[Katty Kay]

We're doing great.

[Joe Scarborough]

Three of us. You guys, it's like old times, like 18 years ago.

[Willie Geist]

2007 Fullback Secaucus, when we had to.

[Katty Kay]

Call like Walter Isaacson on the phone to get him to talk to us.

[Willie Geist]

That's right. Yes. Pat Buchanan.

[Joe Scarborough]

Pat, was there some of the originals.

[Katty Kay]

Wow. For another 15 minutes on the phone. Pat, are you good for this? Yes, Joe.

[Joe Scarborough]

Along with Joe Williamy, we have us special correspondent for BBC News and the host of the Rest Is Politics podcast, Katty K, columnist and associate editor for the Washington Post, David Ignatius is back with us. And writer at large for the New York Times, Elizabeth Bumiller joins us this morning. Good to have you guys on board.

[Katty Kay]

So a lot to introduce and we're going to be talking obviously the Syria decision by the president and also what's happening with Iran. Going to be talking today.

[Joe Scarborough]

Oh, my gosh. I know what you're going to.

[Katty Kay]

But let's talk about Willie, what they're talking about in New York right now, P Devil for P. Diddy, sex with strangers on the front of the Daily News, P. Diddy's trial going on. But what New York's really thinking about right now and getting ready for tonight, leave it to the New York Post. Kick some mass.

[Willie Geist]

Sure.

[Katty Kay]

And also tough to watch. But you told me something coming in surprising even with injuries. Celtics still favorites.

[Elizabeth Bumiller]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

Five point favorites tonight. Celtics are still very, very good. Some premature enthusiasm perhaps, not from the team, not from Knicks, but from some fans because Jayson Tatum's not there. They still have two Olympians on their team. They still have Jaylen Brown who's an all star level player. There's a reason they're the Boston Celtics and the defending champs. So nothing will be easy, especially on the road in Boston.

[Katty Kay]

Right.

[Willie Geist]

You'd like to finish it tonight because if not, you come back to the Garden Friday night with a ton of pressure on that game because you don't want to go to game seven back in Boston. So no celebration here yet.

[Katty Kay]

Right. And you say the Celtics have a great record even without Tatum.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, yeah. They've, they've played well even without him. That we confirmed, by the way, yesterday the team did that he did tear his Achilles tendon. The worst fear confirmed. It'll be a year or so of recovery for one of the best players in the league. So you truly, truly, no matter who you root for, hate to see that for such a great player.

[Katty Kay]

So isn't it. Yeah, isn't it crazy just a month or two after we, we were all complaining about the NCAA having no surprises. In fact, you know, all the, all the best teams won. There were, there were no Cinderella stories that this NBA championship is it's just the opposite.

[Willie Geist]

Amazing.

[Katty Kay]

All. All surprises. I still, I'll never understand how the Cavs were as dominant as they were all year and then just collapsed to the Pacers.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, I think they were banged up. They lost last night. The Cavs lost at home to the Indiana Pacers. So the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the best record in the east this year, have been eliminated from the playoffs and on their home floor last night moves on to the Eastern Conference finals. Donovan Mitchell was a little hurt. He was good last night. Their point guard Darius Garland was injured, and their great center Mobley was hurt for part of the playoffs, too. So they were banged up. But it's a shame for the Cleveland fans. But Indiana now in the Eastern Conference.

[Katty Kay]

And Indiana looking great, by the way. Speaking of being eliminated, it's a little shocking. It's kind of early, but the Boston Red Sox eliminated from playoff contention mathematically. It's May 14th after last night's game, after another heartbreaking loss, eliminated from the playoffs.

[Willie Geist]

Here's. Here's the good news. Yeah, the AL east is so mediocre.

[Katty Kay]

I know that.

[Willie Geist]

I think we're all going to be around into September.

[Katty Kay]

Listen, it's up for grabs. It's the story of my life. Tallest building in Schenectady. You know, you don't, you know, just.

[Willie Geist]

Hang around the party long enough.

[Katty Kay]

Long enough. Just hold on.

[Willie Geist]

Somebody might dance with you. Just hold on.

[Katty Kay]

Exactly.

[Joe Scarborough]

All right, let's get to our top story this morning. President Trump is now headed to Qatar. Before boarding Air Force One, he took part in a state of summit with leaders from six Middle Eastern countries. This was the president's last meeting in Saudi Arabia. Ahead of the summit, Trump sat down with Syria's new president and he spoke about that meeting and the decision to lift sanctions earlier this morning.

[Donald Trump]

It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful. And I spoke to Mohammed and I spoke to our friend from Turkey who we just spoke to also by phone now, but felt very strongly that this would give them a chance. It's not going to be easy anyway, so gives them a good, strong chance. And it was my honor to do so. So we've, we will be dropping all of the sanctions on Syria, which I think really is going to be a good thing.

[Katty Kay]

So David Ignatius, obviously a lot of questions hanging over the new leadership in Syria. The Wall Street Journal, cautiously optimistic, though, saying they need to be given a chance. I'm curious. Your.

[David Ignatius]

So, Joe, after the terrible Syrian civil war, the awful loss of life to see a chance for Syria to come back together as a country under President Ahmad Al Shara is, I think, a very positive trend. And lifting sanctions is a necessary part of that. The big bet that President Trump and really the whole Arab world is making is that Ahmed Ashara, the president, who was formerly a member of an affiliate of Al Qaeda, really has changed that. He's going to be a leader who will put his terrorist background behind him and will be able to unify the country. Interestingly, this is something that Israel was quite wary about, but it was pressed by Turkey, which has been the biggest backer of Al Shara, encouraged, helped train his forces before he took power. So it's a big move by President Trump. We were all expecting that this trip to Saudi Arabia would be pop and, you know, elaborate meetings and.

[Katty Kay]

Right.

[David Ignatius]

But. And it's been that, but it's also had a lot of substance.

[Katty Kay]

I was going to say we obviously, for good reason, a lot of people are talking about the jet, the Qatari jet, possibility of corruption, the possibility of, again, I think for most Republicans who are critical of it, the possibility of espionage. So we are talking about that. It's important, too. It's also important, though, not to miss actually the policy that's happening over there right now that may have quite a substantial impact, whether you're talking about Syria, whether you're talking about Iran. I am curious though, and I think more. One of the more intriguing storylines that we've talked about already coming out of this summit is the distancing of Donald Trump from Bibi Netanyahu. And we saw it yet again yesterday with this Syria decision, didn't we?

[David Ignatius]

We did. There was a symbolism to Trump's first extended trip to, to the Middle east, going to Saudi Arabia, which seems to be the center of US Interest, rather than Israel, traditionally the anchor for American policy in the region. We'll have to see how long that lasts. I don't see any real weakening of the US Commitment to Israel's security. But the United States is doing things that make Israel nervous and I think that's only beginning to play out. It's going to be a big debate in coming weeks.

[Willie Geist]

And caddy now the president moves on. A short time from now, he'll arrive in Katu, Qatar for the second leg of this three stop tour, expecting to get the same lavish royal welcome that he got in Saudi Arabia, including discussions about that $400 million plane.

[Elizabeth Bumiller]

Yeah, the plane is the one that's going to dog him when he's in Qatar. He's Doubled down on why he would be a fool not to take a plane like this and somebody else can pay for it. But it's been striking up on the Hill, you know, much closer to home where we're all sitting right now, just how many Republicans are feeling a little queasy about prepared to say so publicly. I mean, you've got even somebody like Josh Hawley saying this may not be the best idea. Why don't we get a plane that's built in the United States? The security implications of having a plane that the Qataris are given the conflict of interest questions that might arise about American policy towards Qatar if Qatar gives this plane. But for the moment, the president reiterating on his truth social posts that this is what he wants. I'm trying to figure out is this another sort of in the signal, a noise bracket of the Trump administration, administration, is this signal or is this noise, is this a distraction from something else, Perhaps the distancing from Israel that may not go down so well on the Hill that David is talking about. I'm, I'm still trying to work that one out. For the moment he's doubling down on it. But it's going to be in focus in Qatar and clearly some of the Republicans not happy about it.

[Katty Kay]

Well, you know, that's a question that we've been asking. Is this one of those things that again, is it signal, Is it noise? Is it, is it noise to distract from something else? Because especially when you consider Republicans are against it, the Wall street editorial page, National National Review, so many conservatives, some of the most conservatives against it. Also, of course the intel community very concerned about the espionage threats there. It's just so again, that is, that is the question that again is caddy asked, is this signal? Is this noise? Is this something that at the end he knows he's not going to be able to.

[Joe Scarborough]

It may be one issue whether it's a trolling noise or not, where Republicans find their voice a bit. Here they are talking about the plane.

[David Ignatius]

This is a hypothetical.

[Mike Barnacle]

And I'm sure that if and when.

[Katty Kay]

There is, it's no longer a hypothetical.

[Mike Barnacle]

I can assure you there will be.

[Katty Kay]

Plenty of scrutiny of whatever that arrangement might look like.

[Mike Barnacle]

Are you concerned with the national security.

[Katty Kay]

Implications of that jet being given as a gift to the president?

[Mike Barnacle]

Well, again, I mean, like I said.

[Katty Kay]

There'Ll be plenty of scrutiny.

[Mike Barnacle]

There are lots of, lots of issues around that that I think will attract very serious questions if and when it happens.

[Willie Geist]

Well, the only time I'm concerned is the safety of the President, I mean, Qatar's not, in my opinion, a great ally. I mean, they support Hamas. And so what I'm worried about is the safety of the President of the United States.

[Katty Kay]

I'm even a little concerned about accepting a gift to the federal government that way. I mean, it's a very odd offer. Obviously, people just don't give you things without expecting something in return. And, you know, Qatar may be useful, but I wouldn't say they're our strongest ally.

[Dr. Aksa Durrani]

When you get something of that value from a country, one typically thinks that there's something in it for the country.

[Willie Geist]

That is offering it.

[David Ignatius]

So I think there's certainly a lot of questions.

[Katty Kay]

I think we should have a big.

[David Ignatius]

Beautiful plane built in the United States of America.

[Willie Geist]

The president's been very good on Make America Buy America.

[Mike Barnacle]

We probably ought to pass a law.

[David Ignatius]

That requires the federal government to buy everything from and in the United States of America.

[Mike Barnacle]

I think this would be a good.

[Donald Trump]

Opportunity to do that.

[Mike Barnacle]

And I can think of other things.

[David Ignatius]

I bet the President can, too, that.

[Willie Geist]

Qatar can do to be helpful to us.

[Mike Barnacle]

If they'd like to be helpful, they could start by rooting out the Islamic.

[Katty Kay]

Radicalist terrorists that they find that they find, whether it's Hezbollah, whether it's Hamas, whether it's Islamic Jihad, we can go down the list. But, Elizabeth, there's so many things that Republicans would naturally be against here in any normal times, and we're starting to hear, actually some of, you know, one is the fact that Hamas has been supported by Qatar for, for, for years now, and every other anti Israeli terrorist group has been as well. So there's that problem. There's a problem of getting Air Force One, potential Air Force One from any country, any country like this would be a problem if we're coming from France, let alone Qatar. And then, and then, and then finally, as Josh Hawley said there, the presidency and the Republican Party that is so dedicated to buying America, building America, at least they say they are actually not even having the president fly around in a plane built by Americans.

[Elizabeth Bumiller]

Well, you know, can you imagine if this was Barack Obama wanting to accept a $400 million plane from Qatar? And it just shows you how things have changed. I mean, you know, Democratic presidents, you know, and their aides have talked about going to, going to Riyadh and going into the rooms and finding literally briefcases of jewels, of diamonds and emeralds and rubies. And the immediate thing, the first thing they did, was they turned them over to the person at the State Department so they would not Accept them. It just shows you how things have changed under Donald Trump and with his selling his meme coin. Listen, the trip to South Africa Arabia was the first day was focused largely on business deals, on, you know, commercial diplomacy, not just diplomatic diplomacy. And I think that this. There are so many problems here. One of them is certainly is the cost of retrofitting the plane. Basically, people have said you have to take the whole thing apart and build it again because you have to look for all of the bugging devices that clearly will be in. I mean, no country would. It's unimaginable that this wouldn't be problem. So it just shows how things have changed. And I love that Majority Leader John Thune is saying that. Well, you know, it's still a hypothetical. Not exactly a stirring opposition there from John Thune.

[Willie Geist]

And to the point about the security concerns, aviation experts tell NBC News that it would cost a billion dollars to retrofit the plane to give all the things you would need for a president to fly in it safely. And it may not even be finished before the end of Donald Trump's second term here, so may not ever end up being Air Force One. Might be something you could use later on. We'll see. During that speech yesterday in Saudi Arabia, the president also said he's willing to negotiate with Iran on a nuclear deal, but made it clear the United States will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.

[Donald Trump]

I want to make a deal with Iran. If I can make a deal with Iran, I'll be very happy if we're going to make your region and the world a safer place. But if Iran's leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure, drive Iranian oil exports to zero like I did before. The choice is theirs to make. We really want them to be a successful country. We want them to be a wonderful, safe, great country. But they cannot have a nuclear weapon. This is an offer that will not last forever. The time is right now for them to choose. Right now. We don't have a lot of time to wait.

[Willie Geist]

So, David Ignatius, the two sides, the United States and Iran, actually have been talking quite a bit for this relationship over the last couple of months and trying to get to a place where they can talk at least about the nuclear program in Iran. The President talking about massive maximum pressure from the United States. So where does this all stand right now?

[David Ignatius]

So, Willie, it stands in mid negotiation. There have been four meetings between US Representatives and Iranian. They have not broken through the central issue, which is whether Iran will be allowed to enrich uranium after a deal. The US Is firm, as it has been for many, many years, in saying Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. But there's this additional demand, Iran will not enrich uranium. The Iranians push back hard on that, saying they have a right to do this. It's just hard to predict where this is going to turn out. But I was struck by the language that Trump used in Saudi Arabia where he said the United States has no permanent enemies. The state of virtual war that's existed between the United States and Iran since 1979 is not a permanent condition of life in the Middle East. If Iran will move forward in these negotiations, that's a big, a big shift. It illustrates that Trump, although sometimes it's hard, as we've been saying, to distinguish what's signal and what's noise, has big ideas about change in this part of the world, is willingness to step back from conflict and consider negotiations, even with adversaries, to admit somebody who was formerly a member of an Al Qaeda affiliate as the legitimate ruler of Syria. Those are big changes, no question.

[Katty Kay]

I mean, David, you look at what has happened, you look at the Abraham Accords that again, were, I think, much like Operation Warp Speed, were sort of clouded by so much more chaos that was going on at the time. The Abraham Accords, obviously, as you've said, very significant. You look what's happening in Syria. It's a risk, but it's a risk that obviously our allies in the region other than Israel wants the president to take. And of course, the president's promise, peace in Ukraine. I will say, though, I'm not sure. Where did the Iran move come from? This obviously, a country that loathed Donald Trump and the administration has hits contracts out on people that worked for him in the first administration because of the death of Soleimani. So I'm a bit curious. What is the genesis of this, of these talks? How did we even get to this point?

[David Ignatius]

So, Joe, here's what my reporting tells me. At the very beginning of Trump's second term, Prime Minister Netanyahu came to Washington with pretty elaborate plans for a military strike on Iran to take out what remains of the nuclear program. And the argument was Iran has never been this weak. This is the time to do it. There's a window of opportunity. Trump listened to all that. There was a lot of speculation about whether a joint U. S. Israeli attack might be coming. And then Trump pulled back, and he's pulled back more and more month by month to the point that he is now where he's, you know, really opening the door to a different kind of relationship with Iran. But I think it began with Trump's resistance to the idea of getting into another conflict in the Middle East. He just wasn't sure about Israeli arguments. This was one and done hit him and you won't have to worry about it afterwards. He did worry about it. So I think that's the start of it. And it illustrates that Trump, at least in the Middle east, is trying to look at policy issues through a different lens rather than automatic support of traditional allies.

[Joe Scarborough]

All right. Still ahead on Morning Joe, there are concerns of widespread starvation throughout Gaza as Israel continues to block aid deliveries. We're going to talk to a physician with Doctors Without Borders who just returned from an assignment in Gaza. Plus, we'll be joined by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as Republicans push ahead with proposed Medicaid cuts. Morning Joe is back in 90 seconds.

[Willie Geist]

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[Joe Scarborough]

Welcome back. Time now for a look at some of the other stories making headlines this morning. For the first time, a federal judge has ruled the Trump administration can invoke the Alien Enemies act to remove Venezuelan migrants from the country.

[Katty Kay]

What part of Texas is he from?

[Joe Scarborough]

The judge ruled yesterday that the government can use the centuries old wartime law to expel alleged members of the Trende Aragua gang. It if it first provides adequate advance notice and due process. Axios reports the judge said the government has to provide a 21 day notice in a language understood by the migrants and an opportunity to be heard before deporting people under the Alien Enemies Act. The administration had argued it only needed to give migrants 24 hours notice. So some strings attached.

[Katty Kay]

Well, yeah. And Elizabeth Boomiller that is, that's not really the greatest news for the Trump administration. I thought the purpose of the Alien Enemies act would be to be able to sweep them up off the street, throw them onto a plane and fly them out. This is sort of different. This is sort of a difficult bargain for the Trump administration because if their required notice and a 21 day pause before being swept out, why that sort of undercuts the entire purpose of the Alien Enemies Act.

[Elizabeth Bumiller]

Correct. There's due process involved. And so I mean judges consistently no judge has there I can't think of maybe there's one or two. But basically most judges have not supported any of these deportation efforts of the president. They've given him a little bit on the edges. So they are having a rough time with deporting what they say is going to be a million people within the year. They're just running into real difficulties. It's expensive, it's time consuming and they are the face of it is often so ugly that they're really alienating a lot of people, including some of their own voters. The cruelty of it is what's so I mean that's the point in some of these cases is to scare people. But I think it's really, really turning off majority of Americans and it's one.

[Katty Kay]

Of the reasons the Trump administration so I won't say desperate but they are really encouraging self deportation because they need to get the numbers up.

[Joe Scarborough]

I think that they're not going to.

[Katty Kay]

Get to the million that they need to get to for a variety of reasons. It's extraordinarily costly. It's extraordinarily difficult and it's also again it makes for very ugly images that this president and this White House while initially may have wanted in Venezuela, Dale I mean, they have said they do not want the same images of children being separated from parents that they had in the first administration, but that is what's happening.

[Joe Scarborough]

I think the process of self deportation has some challenges right now because of all the videos that you're seeing everywhere of people being dragged off. I think a lot of migrants, a lot of people who want to self deport are too scared to. And the person who is the voice of that, one of them, Kristi Noem, it's too scary. You know, she's standing in front of prisons, she's telling, you know, there's got to be a way to tell people that they can do this safely. I don't think they don't have a reason to believe it would be safe.

[Katty Kay]

But again, you look at the notice that's required here. I said at the beginning, what judge from Texas was. I think by the end, I'm asking, okay, what part of Vermont do they just have one? Like, was that a Vermont judge or somebody from the Ninth Circuit?

[Willie Geist]

Yeah. To your point, Secretary Noemus put out these glossy ads. If you watch any news network, you can see where she's smiling and saying, all you have to do is go to the app self deport and we'll start the process again and there's a chance you could come back to America. You just have to do it the right way. So they're trying, as you say, Joe, to make this self deportation happen, to get the numbers up.

[Joe Scarborough]

I don't think she's the best voice for that.

[Katty Kay]

Would be a lot easier for them to get to the numbers they want to get to.

[Joe Scarborough]

All right. Democrats have ended a long running era of Republican leadership. In Omaha, voters put Democrat John Ewing Jr. On track to become the city's new mayor, the first black politician elected to that post. The Republican incumbent had been seeking a fourth term. It is the latest in a series of statewide victories for Democrats during the opening months of President Trump's second term.

[Katty Kay]

I'll tell you what, Katie K. It is again off. Your elections are important, but I will tell you for 30 years, I remember before our big landslide victory in 94, and it was the first time Republicans were put back in power in a generation. All the races in 93 all broke Republican. It was all a shock. We saw, We've seen that with Barack Obama. We saw it. Donald Trump's first term, the elections in 2017, especially in a state you know, well, Virginia, Virginia, where, where in 17, Virginia broke hard Democratic. We've seen it now in an early race In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, we saw an early race in Iowa, of course, Wisconsin Supreme Court race here. Omaha, which is such an extraordinarily important swing district for, for Congress and for the presidency. And we're seeing one Democratic after another Democrat outperforming.

[Elizabeth Bumiller]

Yeah. The party that's out of power always looks at off year elections or special elections and thinks, okay, let's see if this is going to give us the roadmap to the next midterm election or the next presidential election. And this time around it's the Democrats. I mean, before Trump got back in, in 2024 actually, it had been a pretty mixed picture because Republicans had lost in some elections. And I remember we all sat around the table saying, look, Republicans are losing in of the, all of these off here in special elections. And then of course, Donald Trump took the White House and they took the House and they took the Senate again back in the last general election. So let's see how much these ones give us a roadmap. But at the moment, the signs are that what we're hearing, which is the opinion polls are showing us as well, is that people are not necessarily very happy with the way that the President is enacting his policies, even if they like the ideas behind those policies.

[Katty Kay]

Yeah, no doubt about it. And the difference is, of course, 24 for Trump's on the ballot.

[Willie Geist]

Right.

[Katty Kay]

And what, what we found time and again, what Republicans have found time and again, when Trump is on the ballot, they do better, Trump is not on the ballot, they do worse, and Trump's not going to be on the ballot again.

[Willie Geist]

Some enthusiasm for the midterms next year. We'll see. ESPN is rolling out details about its new streaming service, set to launch this fall at a cost of 2999amonth. That's according to the Wall Street Journal, the highly anticipated SO service will give sports fans all the content shown on ESPN's television channels, including pro and college football and basketball games.

[Katty Kay]

What do you think?

[Willie Geist]

This is the ultimate cord cutting. A lot of people, frankly, keep cable because of espn, right? Sports.

[Katty Kay]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

So if you don't have to have cable to watch espn, watch out.

[Katty Kay]

Cable for, for, for ESPN Morning Joe.

[Willie Geist]

Oh, yeah, that too.

[Katty Kay]

And way too hard. Those are the three big things. But you know, I, I mean, if, if that's the only option, obviously. I mean, I would do that just to see Wil Bond and Kornheiser.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, I mean, they're going to have all that talk stuff, but also more importantly, all the games, Major League Baseball, college football. But I mean, you got. If you're a sports fan, you almost have to have it and it'll bundle up with Disney and they'll have all kinds of packages that you can get. Coming up, we'll dig into the controversial decision by the Commissioner of Major League Baseball to reinstate Pete Rose after a decades long ban for gambling on the sport. Morning Joe's coming right back.

[Katty Kay]

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[Willie Geist]

Did you know 39% of teen drivers admit to texting while driving. Even scarier, those who text are more likely to speed and run red lights. Shockingly, 94% know it's dangerous, but do it anyway. As a parent, you can't always be in the car, but you can stay connected to their safety with Greenlight Infinity's driving report. Monitor their driving habits, see if they're using their phone, speeding and more. These reports provide real data for meaningful conversations about safety. Plus, with weekly updates, you can track their progress over time. Help keep your teens safe. Sign up for Greenlight [e-mail] podcast Busy work weeks can leave you feeling drained. Prolon's five day nutrition program rejuvenates you at the cellular level with boxes labeled by day so you know exactly what to eat. Developed at USC's Longevity Institute, Prolon supports biological age reduction, metabolism, skin health and fat loss when combined with proper exercise and nutrition. Get 15% off plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe at prolonlife.com PandoraPromo these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. See site for details.

[Joe Scarborough]

36 past the hour, three Israeli military officials familiar with the conditions in Gaza tell the New York Times Palestinians in the territory face one widespread starvation unless access to aid is restored within weeks. Israel has insisted on its blockade on Gaza, which has been in effect since early March. Does not threaten civilians, despite famine warnings from the UN joining us now, Dr. Aksa Durrani. She's a board member of Doctors Without Borders, and she just returned to the US from an assignment in Gaza working. Thank you so much for coming on the show. Can you tell us what you saw in that hospital?

[Dr. Aksa Durrani]

What I saw was the manifestation and the result of these inhumane policies that you've just mentioned. In our trauma field hospital, we saw children who were starving and hungry already. And in the ICU where I worked, even early on in the siege, we had a one year old infant who had presented with burns resulting from an airstrike. And at that point the cost of food was already prohibitive for vulnerable families. So his nutritional status overwhelmed, you know, became led to an infection and then he ended up succumbing to his injuries. He died and he was killed by this. So already we are seeing children who are, are impacted by this, by this starvation. I also had another four year old patient who was also admitted for burns after an airstrike whose mother was begging me for more food. And I had to tell her, I had to look her in the eyes and say, I don't have any, you know, we don't have any additional food to give him. And this is unconscionable given that there is food just miles away, you know, being blocked by the Israeli authorities. It's systematic, it's deliberate and it's cruel.

[Willie Geist]

Dr. Durrani, thanks for being with us this morning. Where is the food coming from that they're getting at all the people of Gaza? These children, you're talking about, these families. If those humanitarian shipments aren't making it in, what's the source of their food?

[Dr. Aksa Durrani]

I'll tell you that for, you know, I was there for a few months and for five weeks or six weeks before I left, I didn't see any, a single fruit. I didn't see any, you know, natural sources of protein like chicken or eggs. The sources of food that people have right now are processed canned foods that, you know, that they may have had from before. But all of that is dwindling. We are seeing that even our staff, even the doctors, you know, nurses, everyone who's working at the hospital are eating one meal per day. And they are still have, you know, that those are the conditions that they're living in and providing care for their community.

[Elizabeth Bumiller]

Doctor, the New York Times is reporting that some Israeli military officials are concluding that Gaza is on the brink of starvation. You were there for a few months. How much did you see the situation deteriorate while you were there? And how close do you think Gaza is to people starving to death?

[Dr. Aksa Durrani]

I can tell you that we have already seen it is already too late. Every day that this continues, it is criminal. It is criminal. I have no other words. We have already seen that, like I said, that children and women and men, that the people are suffering from this inhumane siege. And what is so, makes us even more criminal is that their tiny bodies are being ravaged by airstrikes and then we can't even manage to provide them with more food. We can. We have already seen these impacts. We've already heard of deaths from malnutrition. We've already heard of deaths all across the Strip. We are screening more and more children for malnutrition. So while we wait for this classification, each day it's just too late. I have no other words.

[David Ignatius]

Dr. Durrani, this is David Ignancius in Washington. I want to just ask you, the pressure of denying food and water to the people of Gaza is obviously intended to force some sort of political change where people will demand an end of the war. Is that happening in Gaza? How do people react to these terrible conditions that you're describing?

[Dr. Aksa Durrani]

People are exhausted. I mean, there is no aspect of life in Gaza that has not been touched by the violence. People are traumatized. This is exactly what international humanitarian law was intended to stop. We are witnessing the Israeli authorities using aid as a bargaining chip, using aid as a weapon of war. And this is exactly what the international framework that our organization has been providing aid under this framework for, for decades. I have personally been doing this for decades. And this framework is being mocked before our eyes. I mean, we are witnessing Israel using starvation as a weapon of war.

[Elizabeth Bumiller]

Dr. Durrani, this is Elizabeth Bmiller from the New York Times. I wanted to ask you, you said that food is only a few miles away. Is, is it just sitting there behind a blockade? I mean, how can you see it? And what are you all. You said you only eat one meal a day. Where does that food come from? Is that stockpiled?

[Dr. Aksa Durrani]

Yeah, I mean, so when you, when I entered, you know, we actually saw the trucks that were lined up at the border waiting to enter. It's just surreal to look and see these trucks that. Trucks beyond the field of vision, that they're lined up farther than the eye can see. And yes, like I said, you know, people are eating right now, sources of food that are, that are whatever they can find, you know, canned food, things that are non perishable. But people are having more and more trouble finding food. I, every day I'm hearing more. You know, I just returned, but I just heard from another staff member that he's having difficulty finding food for his children. And, you know, it's becoming increasingly impossible to find any sources of food.

[Joe Scarborough]

Doctors Without Borders board member Dr. Aksa Durrani, thank you very much for coming on the show today and telling the story of your experience there and for your work in Gaza. Really appreciate it.

[Katty Kay]

David Ignatius, I'm just curious, obviously, what's happening in Gaza not only is causing deep concern with international relief groups like the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, but obviously talk about the growing concern inside of Israel itself. Of course, the New York Times report was not based on Gazan health officials. It was based on Israeli generals and their growing concerns about the situation there. Take us inside Israel and talk about the growing concern about the humanitarian just meltdown in Gaza and the possible approaching a famine.

[David Ignatius]

JOE for nearly a year, senior officials of the Israeli military have been been telling me and others that they think that the military goals in Gaza have largely been achieved and it's time to move to a system of governance. Shorthand is the day after the war and to think about how you'd get non Hamas Palestinians in a position that they could take responsibility for law and order, for distribution of food, all these basics. And the governor, Bibi Netanyahu, simply has refused to deal with these issues for political reasons. It's a very fragile coalition, has right wing members who don't want to see that. And so we move forward month by month, you know, with this situation getting more and more desperate for the people without a plan for what comes next. And what I hear from Israeli military officials, the security officials, the people who are closest to this war is increasingly a sense of, of just they're desperate. One of them said to me, we don't know how to communicate our fears about the future. We don't have anybody to talk to. The political leadership in Israel won't listen to us. So I think that the beginning of getting out of this terrible tragedy that Dr. Durrani described is having a clear path for moving to post war Gaza in which there's some stable leadership with non Hamas Palestinians. That's the basic it's got to be done. That's something I hope our ambitious president would turn his mind to. It's absolutely necessary because people are dying.

[Joe Scarborough]

The Washington Post, David Ignatius and writer at large for the New York Times, Elizabeth Bumiller. Thank you both very much for coming on this morning. And still ahead on MORNING Joe, this is a live look at Capitol Hill where lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee are holding a marathon session on the Republican Party sweeping domestic policy bill. Democratic Congressman Richie Torres of New York will join us to discuss that legislation and the proposed cuts to Medicaid. Morning Joe. We'll be right back.

[Willie Geist]

Here we go. The sun's up in New York City.

[Joe Scarborough]

Time to wake up.

[Willie Geist]

6:50Am Major League Baseball.

[Katty Kay]

By the way, did I tell you yesterday I, I did something. Did you ever see the right stuff?

[Joe Scarborough]

Don't talk.

[Katty Kay]

You know. You know what? There's some trying times in the right stuff. Yeah, right.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Katty Kay]

Takes, takes a lot of risk, as Sam Shepard said. You know that you're putting yourself on top of something that could just blow up at any time.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah.

[Katty Kay]

Guess what I did yesterday.

[Joe Scarborough]

What did you do?

[Katty Kay]

I flew into Newark on United.

[Joe Scarborough]

Wow.

[Willie Geist]

You live to tell the tale. I'm here.

[Joe Scarborough]

Okay.

[Katty Kay]

I'm here.

[Joe Scarborough]

That's something I wanted to hear.

[Katty Kay]

I felt like one of those. Not Apollo astronauts, one of those Mercury astronauts.

[Willie Geist]

Well, more like a Katy Perry. Let's call it like you touched the face of God briefly and came back.

[Katty Kay]

I held a daisy, took a picture of it. Yeah, exactly. Jeff Bezos was there. He opened the door for us. He was already half open.

[Willie Geist]

So delayed. What was he experience?

[Katty Kay]

No, here's what I liked about it so much. Here's what I liked about it so much was, was nobody was in the terminal like in the United terminal because a lot of people didn't wake up that morning and say, I'm going to fly into. Into. Into Newark on United.

[Joe Scarborough]

But you did.

[Katty Kay]

Yeah, I vande high yesterday going, I would never fly in. I was just, I'm going to.

[Willie Geist]

That's right.

[Katty Kay]

You know, it's a great way to beat the.

[Willie Geist]

Say this might be the time to.

[Katty Kay]

Fly, you know, and, and it is, because there's no. Nobody else is doing it.

[Mike Barnacle]

Right.

[Katty Kay]

I mean, if they've even changed, you go in instead of like fly the friendly skies. It's like, we'll get you there. Maybe.

[Willie Geist]

So it was, you know, it's an act of bravery.

[Katty Kay]

Bravery. But I'll tell you what, it's the best way to beat the crowds.

[Willie Geist]

And we salute your service.

[Katty Kay]

Fly United into Newark.

[Willie Geist]

By the way, the Newark terminals are beautiful.

[Katty Kay]

Oh, my God.

[Willie Geist]

You get in there. If you get in there.

[Katty Kay]

And by the way, I was skateboarding in them yesterday because nobody else was there. Who's gonna, who's gonna fly into, into Newark other than me?

[Willie Geist]

Glad you're here.

[Joe Scarborough]

It's great to be here.

[Katty Kay]

I tried to get up here two days.

[Joe Scarborough]

I know it's taken a long time.

[Katty Kay]

Finally, it's like screw it, I'm just going to fly United into no problem. There you go.

[Willie Geist]

Where do you want to sit?

[Katty Kay]

That's exactly. Yeah, exactly.

[Joe Scarborough]

Okay.

[Willie Geist]

All right. So Major League Baseball has reinstated Pete Rose. Commissioner Rob Manfred announced yesterday. The all time hits leader has been posthumously removed from the league's permanently ineligible list, paving the way for his potential election to the Hall Fame of Fame. In a letter written by Manfred and sent to the Rose family's attorney, Manfred writes this in my view, once an individual has passed away, the purposes of Rule 21 have been served. Manfred was referring to the MLB rule prohibiting gambling and other misconduct that threatens the integrity of the game, which led to Rose's decades long ban. The rule does not address what happens after a banned individual dies, leaving the door open to Manfred's interpretation. Decision also applies to 16 others, including Shoeless Joe Jackson and his 1919 so called Chicago Black Sox teammates who threw the World Series that year. Joining us now, senior MLB writer for the Athletic Jason Stark and MSNBC contributor Mike Barnacle. Good to see you both up. So Jason, what's your read on what prompted this move from Commissioner Manfred?

[Mike Barnacle]

Willie I I think it's certainly possible to connect the dots between the commissioner's meeting with Donald Trump a few weeks ago and this decision. Before that meeting, there had never been any indication that Rob Manford was open to reinstating Pete Rose or any of these other men. And things change rapidly. So is it possible to connect those dots? I think it is.

[Katty Kay]

So I'm curious why, so you think it may be the meeting with Donald Trump. I'm curious what your thought is just in general about what's your position been about Pete Rose, because mine's completely different than it is for some of the guys, whether it's Sosa, Maguire, whose numbers were artificially elevated in a way that Bonds and, and you know, Bonds and Clemens, they were great even before the steroids era and probably should get in. But I never quite understood Rose being kept out after all those years. What was your view?

[Mike Barnacle]

Well, Joe, like all the members of the baseball writers, I've never had a chance to vote on Pete Rose. But it's been interesting to watch the evolution of what we think about gambling. Gambling, Gambling and baseball. Gambling and sports through the years. When Bart Giamatti announced this ban in 1989, this was viewed as the cardinal sin of baseball and within the sport it still is. You cannot bet on baseball if you work in baseball and yet you walk into ballparks now and you can bet on the game you're going to watch right there at the ballpark. And so it's blurring the lines between how great a sin this actually is now in the eyes of many people. But when it comes to whether Pete Rose is going to get into the hall of Fame, his fate is now in the hands of a committee. This committee will be made up of hall of Fame players, executives and members of the media.

[Katty Kay]

And.

[Mike Barnacle]

And their opinions don't have to mirror what the public's opinions are. They know everything about Pete Rose. But I just wrote a column that's in the Athletic as we speak that says by doing this, Rob Manfred is essentially telling us Pete Rose has served his time. And Joe, if he served his time, doesn't that mean we should be voting on him? Him as Pete Rose the baseball player and Pete Rose the guy who got more hits than anybody who ever lived that would seem like a Hall of Fame player.

[Katty Kay]

Yeah.

[Willie Geist]

So, Mike Barnacle, you've long said, put Pete Rose in the hall of Fame and put it on the plaque. Explain what he did alongside all of his accomplishments on the baseball field, which were many, of course, including being the all time hits king, you know, the commissioner. Well, you're very plugged into Major League Baseball. What's your sense of how this all came about? About.

[Donald Trump]

It remains the same. Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson, bunch of others, Bonds, Clemens, put him out on the hall of Fame. They're hall of Fame baseball players. And put it on the plaque. Put the allegations on the plaque, Put Pete Rose's entire career on the plaque. Jason raised a really critical point, though. In baseball. In every clubhouse, in every Major League Baseball clubhouse, there is a sign about gambling. If you gamble, you're dead, you're out of the game. It's right there. You can read it when you go in the clubhouse, any clubhouse, us. And yet you can go sit and watch a ball game and have someone sitting in front of you or behind you betting on at bats as the game takes place in front of us. And you watch the commercials on TV baseball games. The gambling institutions have provided so much money, advertising money to Major League Baseball that it's kind of hypocritical to sit there and say, oh, no, no, he gambled, he gambled. He can't be in the hall of Fame. And yet you're taking all of this money from these gambling institutions.

[Mike Barnacle]

It's incredible.

[Katty Kay]

I mean, given all that, I mean, Rose was such an. And I guess because I grew up watching Pete Rose, never liked him as a player. I was a Braves Fan. Never liked his attitude. Never. He was rough. To say he was rough around the edges is an understatement. He belongs in the hall of Fame, Mike, doesn't he? He was extraordinary. An extraordinary player in every way.

[Donald Trump]

You know, I was talking with someone yesterday about Pete Rose, and he does have that reputation, and that image is lasting. An angry guy, practically illiterate, always angry, hard to get along with. But I distinctly remember the night after Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, the afternoon after that game, approaching Pete Rose, who was on the field at Fenway working out. It was about three or four hours before Game 7, unfortunately, the Red Sox last Game 7, approaching Pete Rose to ask him a question about playing in a game like that. And I was kind of, you know, anxious about his. Was he going to tell me to, you know, screw, whatever? And I went up to him and I said, pete, I said, what? Let me ask you something. What do you think? What happens to a player the day after a game that you played, like last night? And he paused for a few seconds and looked right at me and said, you know, he said it was an honor to play in a game like that. That was one of the greatest games I've ever participated. And I was shocked.

[Joe Scarborough]

Wow. That is.

[Katty Kay]

I mean. I mean, that's. That's just straight love of the game right there.

[Willie Geist]

So, Jason, it sounds like you're open to the idea now of voting for Pete Rose. I don't want to put you on the spot in this moment unless you want to announce your vote for the hall of Fame. What do you think about the other writers, your colleagues, the. The guys you've kind of grown up in the business and worked alongside for so long? What's their attitude about Pete Rose and D3 think this decision by the commissioner changes it?

[Mike Barnacle]

Well, Willie, Pete Rose is never going to appear on the baseball writers ballot. His time, his eligibility for that is over. So he will only appear on a ballot, as I said, that's considered by one of these committees. And there will be a lot of living hall of Famers in the room. And, you know, my sense is they're divided about this, just as the people have been divided about it for three decades. But again, are they willing to look at what Rob Manfred did yesterday and come to the same conclusion that I came to, that if he served his time, we should be thinking about Pete Rose the baseball player, and that's that. That means you have to overlook a lot of stuff. You know, there are a lot of clouds that come with Pete and his candidacy and everything about about them. But it's interesting to contemplate what would happen if those voters come to the same conclusion that I came to and elect Pete Rose. Mike mentioned Barry Bond, Roger Clemens. I'm glad he mentioned them because once you open the door and Pete Rose burst through and walks into Cooperstown, don't you think Bonds and Clemens and that whole group will be knocking on that door? Was very easy, easy to keep them out when you when the guy who had the most hits in history was not in the hall of Fame. If he's in, who knows who's next?

[Willie Geist]

It'll be interesting to see where they come down on this. Let's talk about another guy who's headed for the hall of Fame someday. As a Yankee fan, your column last week caught my eye. The headline is Aaron Judge, the greatest right handed hitter of modern times. Yankee star has a case. He's having an unbelievable season about a quarter of the way through. Now the sample size is big enough. He's leading major League baseball in hitting by like 50 points ahead of the next guy in hits, home runs, RBIs, OPS, all the things that you can add up. Incredible. Is he then to get to your question, the greatest right handed hitter of modern times.

[Mike Barnacle]

You know, if you want to write a column that gets everybody in the country mad at you, write that column. Because it doesn't matter how old you are, what generation you were from, what city you live in other than New York. People don't want to hear that. Because if Aaron Judd is the greatest right handed hitter of the last hundred years, it means Willie Mays isn't and Henry Aaron isn't and Joe DiMaggio isn't and Albert Pujols isn't. And I'm well aware of all of those men and what they've done. The point I tried to make is we're watching Aaron Judge do things that none of those guys ever did, that no right handed hitter has ever done. Take a look. You know, we have great tools now that allow us to compare every hitter to his era and the, the hitting climate that they play in. And those, those, those tools rank players on a scale of 1 to 100. So 100 is league average. 200 means you're twice as product productive as league average over the last four seasons. Aaron Judge is at.207. So he's more than twice as productive as everyone else in the sport over four seasons. I couldn't find any right handed hitter who has done that since Rogers Hornsby. That was a while ago, Willie.

[Katty Kay]

That was a while back. Mike Barnacle, your thoughts on Judge and on the Red Sox tragically being eliminated from playoff contention last night in early May.

[Donald Trump]

Oh, man, the Red Sox have lost 71 game, 71 game losses in a row. You know, it's not even the middle of May, really.

[Katty Kay]

It's the middle of May and Whitlock keeps giving up three runs like in every one of our blown saves. It's horrible.

[Donald Trump]

You know, but I choose to think that what Jason just mentioned, the Judge station, I'm not going to get into Willie Mays. He's my guy for right handed hitters of all time. But Jason, you know, he made a strong case for Aaron Judge. But the gift of baseball is what we're talking about. It's the only sport where the ordinary fan can talk about numbers at a certain level and have it make sense in terms of his love of baseball or her love of baseball. Baseball is such an incredible game. It's a talking point every inning, a talking point every game, whether you win or lose. Unfortunately, we're going through a tough time here in Boston, but that's going to be manageable. We're going to take care of that. Alex Corr is great, but the larger cosmic sense is Major League Baseball and Little League Baseball from all the way up is the greatest game ever created.

[Katty Kay]

Hear, hear.

[Joe Scarborough]

And there you go. Senior MLB writer for the Athletic, Jason Stark, thank you very much for coming on this morning.

[Katty Kay]

Thank you, Jason.

[Willie Geist]

Did you know that parents rank financial literacy as the number one most difficult life skill to teach? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app for families. With Greenlight, you can set up chores, automate allowance and keep an eye on your kids spending with real time notifications. Kids learn to earn, save and spend wisely. And parents can rest easy knowing their kids are learning about money with guardrails in place. Sign up for Greenlight [e-mail] podcast.