← The Briefing with Jen Psaki
The Briefing with Jen Psaki
In any other administration, this would be grounds for opening an impeachment inquiry
00:42:10
Jen Psaki shares reporting from Pro Publica that the White House played a direct role in helping a company in which Donald Trump Jr. is an investor.
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
We have New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani with us tonight. And I promise you I'm going to get to him in just a second. But I had to start tonight with the story that in any other administration would be grounds for opening an impeachment inquiry, because today ProPublica reported that the White House intervened to get a $620 million deal for a company tied to President Trump's adult son, Don Jr. Now, the deal in question involved a startup focused on rare earth magnet production called Vulcan Elements. And last summer, Don Jr. S venture capital firm took an undisclosed stake in that company. And wouldn't you know, I think you saw where this is going. Three months later, the Pentagon announced that it was giving Vulcan elements a $620 million loan. Now, that is obviously an enormous number. But just to put that in perspective, when Don Jr's firm invested in the company last summer, it was only valued, the company that is, at about $200 million. And by the beginning of this year, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg, it was valued at nearly $2 billion. That is quite a jump in any period of time, but certainly in that short a period of time. And now ProPublica is reporting that that wasn't just a really lucky investment. Don't who knew, right? We all knew it was the White House intervening in a way that just so happens to enrich the president's son. And interviews and Defense Department records reviewed by ProPublica show that the request for that $620 million loan to that company linked to Don Jr. Was made by none other than White House adviser Peter Navarro, who also just so happens to be a buddy of Don Jr. S. You can see the two of them on your screen right there, chumming it up on Don Jr. S podcast just last year. Now, just about a month before the Pentagon announced the loan to the, to the Don Jr. Linked company, that's, that's when that was happening. A person involved with the deal at The Pentagon told ProPublica that after defense officials got the White House request, they asked Pentagon staff to move at an unusually rapid pace. And the staff worked late nights and with little sleep to get the loan through in a matter of weeks. As that source puts it, quote, the call came from the White House. We have to get this done. There you go. Now, I should note that everyone in the story is either denying it or not talking. And I mean everybody. A White House spokesperson said that the president's entire team, including Navarro, is simply working with the private industry to secure America's critical mineral supply chain at Trump speed. And a Pentagon spokesperson said that outside affiliations, investors, or political connections play absolutely no role in the department's funding decisions. Peter Navarro did not respond to questions from ProPublica about this story. Neither did the company at the heart of this story, Vulcan Elements, although they previously told reporters they received no political favoritism. Okay, you say so. The venture capital firm where Don Jr. Is a partner said it played no role in getting Vulcan the loan and did not learn about the deal before it was public. And a spokesperson for Don Jr himself said that he does not discuss the companies he has invested in with the federal. With federal government officials and did not speak to Navarro about Vulcan says he has no knowledge of how the deal came together. In fact, earlier this year, Democrats in the House tried to subpoena Don Jr. To testify about the deal, but Republicans blocked that from happening. No one's surprised there. Now, on its own, this story that I've just given you a flavor of, a pretty good summary of represents one of the most flagrant alleged acts of corruption we've seen from this administration. But of course, and you know this if you watch the show, this is not a one off. And it's far from the only government contract that a company linked to Trump's family has received. Last year, Don Jr. S venture capital firm invested in a new 3D printed rocket propellant startup. Eight months later, that company landed a nearly $5 million contract with the US Air Force. Just last month, Trump's other adult son, Eric, went on Fox Business to brag about how a company he is the chief strategy advisor for won a $24 million Pentagon contract, as if that was just about his skill set. And today, the stock of a drone company that Don Jr. Is a shareholder in and an advisory board member of jumped 57% after the wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration is in talks to fund US drone companies. And the company connected to John Jr just happens to be on the shortlist to receive some of that funding. See the pattern here? And the Journal also reports that new government funding is being discussed by the Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital, which, surprise, surprise, is the same office that made the deal with The John John Jr. Linked firm at the center of today's big ProPublica story. Imagine that. Now, of course, all of the companies working with Trump's children deny any conflict of interest or special treatment. They all say that the president's sons have not discussed any of these deals or potential deals with anyone at the White House or the Pentagon. And the president's sons and the White House and the Pentagon all say some version of the same. They all say that they are simply investing in America's best interests. But those were the same sort of denials issued to ProPublica in their bombshell piece today. What they are not denying is that since Trump retook office, he and his family have gotten really, really rich. I mean, last year, Forbes estimated that Don Jr. S net worth before his dad retook office was around $50 million. By September of last year, Forbes estimated his net worth had skyrocketed to $500 million. In that same period, Forbes estimated that Eric Trump's wealth had skyrocketed from an estimated $40 million to an estimated $750 million. In March, Forbes estimated that President Trump's personal fortune had gone from $2.3 billion in 2024 to 6.5 billion this year. Trump's second term has been a real boon for your wallet if your last name just so happens to be Trump. For everyone else, it has pretty much been just the opposite. Today, the Commerce Department actually released data showing prices are rising at the fastest pace in years. Americans all over the country are struggling to pay for gas and groceries, things that Trump promised over and over again on the campaign trail he would make cheaper. But his administration seems far more focused on things like putting his face on a $250bill than making the country affordable for Americans. Which means that all across the country, local leaders are being forced to fight our country's affordability crisis without the typical partnership from the federal government. And again, this is a crisis that Trump continues to make worse and worse, worse and worse for these local officials. And one of the leaders trying to show America how to win that fight from the local level is New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani. This year, Mamdani and New York Governor Kathy Hochul launched a new program to provide free child care for 2 year olds. The city already offers preschool for 3 and up, so this expands that program. He then launched a free childcare program for municipal workers with kids as young as six weeks old. And just this week, he unveiled a $28 billion proposal to build 200,000 units of affordable housing and preserve another 200,000 existing units over the next decade. And he's doing all of that while also balancing New York City's $12 billion budget deficit. All well, the federal government seems at best useless, at worst corrupt. Maybe a little bit of both or a lot of both. While Americans all across the country are struggling to afford the basics they need to live their lives. It's quite a contrast. New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani is trying to lead by example, and he joins me now. Mayor Mamdani, it's great to see you.
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
It's so lovely to see you, Jen. Thank you for having me.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
We hear this criticism all the time. I can't even imagine the number of times you have heard it. Things like ideas from progressive Democrats or Democratic socialists like yourself. They all sound good on paper, pie in the sky, but they're too expensive to ever happen. They're unrealistic. I just laid out a number of the things that you have already managed to do this year, and you did it again while also balancing the city's budget, not cutting services for people out there who may not be New Yorkers who are tuning into this. How did you manage to do that?
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
Well, I think we always ask ourselves the question of how can we actually deliver for what has become the most expensive city in the United States of America? How can we tackle the cost of living crisis and all of the conversation of whether or not we can afford it? What we've actually found is that we can't afford to continue to pursue a politics of inaction, a politics of complacency. And what we've done is deliver on a vision of universal childcare, as you said, for the first time in New York City history, delivering free childcare for two year olds. And this is something that means so much to New York families because, as you know, in our city, it's considered a good deal if you're spending $20,000 a kid per year for childcare. This is how we actually drive down the cost of Living. And we're proud to be doing it here so that we show that our party can be more than just a negation of what we're seeing at the federal level. We can also actually have an affirmative vision of what we can deliver on the local level.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
You've clearly been focused on cutting waste and going through the budget, I assume, dollar by dollar, a little more than that to find savings so that you can do the things you want to do. Having just gone through all that, I just have to ask you about some of the spending we've been seeing out of Washington. I mean, in particular, Trump's decision to use $1.8 billion of taxpayer money as fund for his aggrieved supporters. I mean, that's a lot of money. The people it's going to is its own separate, outrageous problem. And the same people who are defending this fund are the ones who spent months claiming you were going to bankrupt New York with your policies. I. I know, because we've talked a number of times, you never stop smiling through all this. But that has to make you furious, right?
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
I. I think it just shows that it's never been about the amount of money. It's about what it's being spent on. And there is a politics across this country that is completely at peace with the idea of spending billions of dollars to enrich those who already have more money than they know what to do with. And what they are offended by is the idea of spending that money to help those who've been left behind by our politics. The idea that we have money in Washington for these kinds of initiatives, when here in New York City, we are looking to protect our New Yorkers from cuts happening in the same city of Washington, D.C. to the tune of similar amounts of money. It just shows that it's all a question of priorities. It's not a question what's possible.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
There's a lot that could be done with $1.8 billion. I'm sure you could plan some things. In New York City, we've seen several proposals, some at the federal level and state level, to tax the money from Trump's slush fund at 100%. I mean, there's one from the governor of California. There's also a bill in the New York State assembly to do that. Right now, anyone who's watched you closely know you've. You're not afraid to tax somebody you think deserves to be taxed. Do you support those kind of proposals?
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
I think that's the kind of imagination we need to see whether it's here in New York City or across the country. Because what we found time and again is it feels like the Republican Party has a monopoly on imagination, whereas Democrats are constructing an ever lowering ceiling of what's possible. And it's time for us to actually show that we are willing to fight for the people who are being left behind by these kinds of policies. And as you said, $1.8 billion could make every bus free twice. That's the kind of money that we're talking about when it comes to New York City. And yet that's the money that they're willing to spend on what are clearly just partisan political priorities.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
So if New York City, a New York City resident gets money from the slush fund, I mean, you might be open to a proposal, it sounds like, to tax them at 100%. That's going through the Assembly.
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
I think it's time to explore every option to see what it can look like to actually fight back against these kind of federal policies. Because we're looking at a city that is the most expensive in the United States of America. And it's a city where one in four people are living in poverty. And the same city which has generated immense wealth is one where so many New Yorkers dread the first of the month because they don't know how they're gonna pay for both their rent bill and their utility bill. And for us to see all of this while we have a federal government that is willing to put $1.8 billion into a fund like this, leave alone spend tens of billions of dollars on a war in Iran, that not only offends our moral sensibilities or our political sen, but also our economic ones. Because just these kinds of decisions, it's not just a use of money that could be spent for the benefit of working people here. It's also a decision that exacerbates a cost of living crisis across the country and makes it even harder for those working people, no matter what city they call home.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
It's sending a moral message, too, about your priorities, which is so key. That's what a budget is. I've been dying to ask you about immigration. I mean, there have been, as you all know, big protests about the conditions at a detention center just across the river from your city in Newark, New Jersey. And in response to protests, you've probably seen this. But just in case people who are watching haven't seen it, I just wanted to play something that Trump's Secretary of Homeland Security, Mark Wayne Mullen, said earlier this week. We're currently Drawing up plans to say, listen, in these sanctuary cities where the local radical left Democrats aren't allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws, then we shouldn't be processing international flights into their cities either. I mean, that is a very significant statement. I don't have to tell you New York's JFK airport processes more international flights than anywhere else in the country. What is your response to that threat from Secretary Mullen?
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
You know, our laws and our values are not bargaining chips. We will not be threatened to leave so many of the New Yorkers who call this city home prey to these kinds of cruel policies. We are proud of the fact that we are a sanctuary city. We're proud of that for a number of reasons. One, it is a policy designed to keep New York. Two, we know that here in our city, we are proud of the more than 3 million New Yorkers who are immigrants. I'm one of them. And we know that in a city like this, it is incumbent upon us to live up to the ideals of the Statue of Liberty, not just tell people to come and look at it when they visit. From across the world, you speak to
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
the President from time to time. You've spoken to him about his immigration policies in the past. You've even helped get a detainee in New York released. I'm curious, have you spoken to him since Mark Wayne Mullen made that announcement? No.
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
I keep the cadence of our conversations private. But what I will say, Jen, is that when I've had those conversations with the President, I have made clear, as you've said, that I view ice's actions to be cruel and inhumane. These are not actions that serve any interest of public safety. And I say that time and again because what I've seen as the mayor of New York City is an agency that is operating with impunity, whether across the five boroughs of New York or whether elsewhere across the country. And so often New Yorkers have no idea as to what could put them at risk beyond just the simple fact of their existence in this city.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
The New York area, as you all know, is also hosting some of the World cup matches later this year. World cup tickets are very, very expensive. We could have a long conversation about that. But. But as part of your affordability agenda, I'm going to call it, you manage to negotiate with FIFA to get tickets priced at just $50, plus free bus travel to and from the stadium for a thousand New Yorkers. There's also a deal with restaurants. There's a lot going on around the world. Cup the conversation about Affordability I think this is very interesting for a range of reasons, but one is that the conversation about affordability tends to revolve around really important issues, basic necessities, child care, health care, a lot of things you've talked about, other Democrats have talked about. But it made me wonder if this was kind of purposeful. I mean, are Democrats defining affordability too narrowly? Should it be about cultural issues, leisure issues as well, things that people who may not be as political are attuned to?
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
Absolutely. I think that for too long we've thought about people purely in the context of the time they spend at work and the time they spend at home and not what is it that actually keeps them moving. I can just tell you right now that so much of the energy and the excitement in this city, it's not just an anticipation of the World cup. It's that the Knicks are in the finals for the first time since 1999. And the excitement and the energy around sports across this country, it is something that is in stark contrast to the fact that sports have become effectively a luxury commodity when you look at the cost of ticket prices, no matter what sport that we're talking about. And so one of the reasons that I wanted to make sure that there were affordable tickets to World cup games for New Yorkers is that when New Yorkers looked at the prices of those World cup games and they saw thousands, tens of thousands of dollars, they couldn't even imagine themselves at that game. And that, frankly, is a shame when you consider the fact soccer at its core is a working class game. And so we are proud of the fact that, as you said, We've secured 1,000 tickets that are $50. And the way that a New Yorker gets it is not by having to know the right politician or the right contact, but just by logging on at 10am into a lottery system and putting their name in. And if they win, they'll get a ticket for themselves, a ticket for a friend, and as you said, free bus travel to go and watch the best soccer that the world has to offer. And we want this to be a part of a vision where New Yorkers are not just struggling to afford to live in this city, but that they can also spread their wings in the city. They can go to a museum, they can watch a movie, they can go to a game and not have to worry about putting off their rent payment as an attempt to actually do it.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Mayor Ramadani, there's so much more to talk about. You're sticking around because there is a story today in the New York Times. I alluded to this with Chris on a big decision you have yet to make. One that could send, I think, some shockwaves through both New York, the city you're in and D.C. the city I'm in. My understanding is that you have made that decision. You're ready to tell us what it is. Everybody hang with us here. We'll be right back. We'll talk about it after a quick break. School's almost out and at Abercrombie Kids new warm weather staples are in. It's a one stop shop for everything on their checklist like tees, shorts and swimsuits, so planning what they'll wear is a breeze. For outfits that keep up with them and easier mornings for you, stop by Abercrombie Kids Shop in the app, online and in stores. I'm Serena Williams and I'm healthier on row. I've lost 34 pounds in a year. With GLP1's diet and exercise on row,
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Ever since Iran Mamdani was elected, there has been a lot of debate about what that means for the future of the Democratic Party. And Mayor Mandani has not been shy about wading into that debate. In Newark's 10th congressional district, Mayor Mandani endorsed his political ally Brad Lander in a primary challenge against incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman. A recent Emerson poll finds Brad Lander's now leading Dan Goldman in that race by a whopping 34 points. Now in the race to replace retiring Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez. The mayor backed fellow Democratic Socialist and State assembly member Claire Valdez over Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who is the backing of many New York Democrats, including the outgoing Congresswoman whose seat it currently is. A recent Emerson Poll found that race neck and neck with the mayor's candidate leading by two points within the poll's margin of error. Now today the New York Times writes that the Mayor has a choice to make in another contested primary in New York's 13th district. 71 year old incumbent Congressman Adriano Espaillat is facing a primary challenge from 32 year old Democratic Socialist Darulisa Avila Chevalier. Congressman Espayat has represented the district since 2017 when he became the first formally undocumented person to win a seat in Congress. He backed Mayor Mamdani's rival Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor last year, but was among the first Cuomo supporters to endorse Mamdani after he won the primary. Now the mayor is ready to make an endorsement in that race. An announcement in that race, pretty significant. New York City Mayor Azaran Mamdani is back with me and joining him is Democratic House candidate for New York's 13th district, Darielisa Avila Chevalier. Mr. Mayor, I think the hint here is who is sitting next to you obviously, but tell us about your announcement and why you decided to to endorse.
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
You know, I am so excited to be sitting here with Dariel Issa and I'm so excited to be endorsing her in her run for Congress. She is the daughter of a single mom caseworker and she grew up with a commitment to the very people that politics have left behind. And what I see in her is that commitment fulfilled. This is a New Yorker who has not only secured the release of our neighbors from undue ice custody, also someone who has been on the front lines of that fight for affordability. And I can't wait for her to be introduced to so many across the city and across this country as we fight for that affordability agenda from New
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
York City to D.C. dari, Lisa, you're, you're now you're running for Congress. Your opponent, as you know in this race is no stranger to contested primaries for people who are again just catching up here. He primaried former Congressman Charlie Rangel twice before eventually winning his seat in Congress. That's part of our democratic process. But he is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He's led on issues like immigration, ones that you care about deeply as well. He was at the Delaney Hall ICE Detention center, conducting oversight this week. Tell us why you would be better to represent this district.
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Darielisa Avila Chevalier
Yeah. Well, first of all, thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here, and I'm so excited to be sitting next to the mayor. I am someone who has felt deeply abandoned by the establishment politics that far too often see my community as merely a statistic that far too often only shows up to explain away the circumstances that the politics that they have voted for time and time again, which have impacted our community in ways that they do not feel the effects of. And as someone who has had to live with the question of whether I can even afford to stay in the city, I love as someone who has struggled with this issue of affordability, but yet seen time and time again my tax dollars, New Yorker's tax dollars, be used to bomb children and families abroad instead of being invested in our communities here. I am tired of that type of politics, and I'm running because I believe my community deserves the dignity of a representative who is going to fight tooth and nail for the things that they deserve.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
You were an active part. I think people are getting to know you right now. So I'm introducing some parts of your biography or you're an active part of the campus protests at Columbia University. And Columbia, of course, became a national flashpoint in American politics after those protests and after their decision to cave to the Trump administration last year. Columbia is in the District, and if you win, you'll be representing them in Congress. How are you thinking about that responsibility?
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Darielisa Avila Chevalier
You know, I understand the enormity of the responsibility that my community has entrusted me with, and I do not take that for granted. I am deeply honored and grateful for this opportunity. And I, you know, like so many, I really feel that this is a fight to make sure that we are representing working class New Yorkers who have been left behind by a politics that only serves the interests of corporations, of corporate landlords, of special interest groups that are making life in New York deeply unaffordable for so many. While we watch atrocities being committed with our tax dollars, our tax dollars should come back to our communities. Institutions like Columbia and corporate lobbies and real estate developers who are making life so unaffordable for our communities are part of this establishment politics that have failed us. And so I'm running because I'm fighting for the working people of New York. 13 but even more than that, I'm fighting because I believe that we deserve a politic in our entire country that is actually reflective of a Politics of life and not a politics of death.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Mayor Mohammedani. Now, I just outlined some of this. You endorsed in a number of these races. There is, I know you're well aware of this, quite a hotly contested primary in New York's 12th congressional district, where I believe you currently live.
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
I do reside within a.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
You do. You would be a constituent of sorts. Are you planning to make an endorsement in that race before election Day?
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
You know, this is the endorsement that I'm so proud to make. And I can tell you that this completes my congressional slate that I'm so proud of. And, you know, last June, last November, those victories that so many New Yorkers rallied behind, we knew that they were not just victories for one elected office. They were victories of a movement that was seeking to turn the page on a politics of big money and small ideas, on a polit that would leave working people behind. And in Claire Valdez, Brad Lander, and now Dariel Issa, I see embodiments of that vision. And I'm so excited to not only endorse them and support them, but also that New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote for them this June.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
So no more endorsements coming from you in these congressional primaries. Not even in the very hotly contested one where you live, it sounds like. Is that right?
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
I can tell you that as a voter, I will be voting in that primary, but of course. But no more public endorsements in terms of my endorsements. This is my final congressional endorsements for New York City. And I'm so incredibly excited that it's Darielisa, and I just want to focus on her candidacy and what she brings to this race. Truly, to me, it is a person who will be on the front lines of showing that a Democratic Party, it is not enough for us to simply be against federal policies that we see today. We have to be fighting for a vision that reckons with the fact that working people were not left behind just four years ago or 16 years ago. They were left behind, behind a long time before that. And it will take a new generation of leadership to ensure that the heartbeat of this party is once again the struggles of the working class. And in electing a champion like Daria Lisa to represent uptown Manhattan and the Bronx, we could have exactly that in Congress.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
I am so grateful that you both took the time to be here. Let me ask you quickly, with, like, about 30 seconds left here, what's advice you would give to Democrats out there who are trying to balance between telling the story of what they're gonna do on issues like cost of living and allaying the case about corruption and other issues that their opponents are full of. I'm thinking of people like James Tallarico.
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
You know, I think that there are some Democrats who definitely don't need my advice. They're doing a good job. What I would say generally, though, is you do have to find the balance in showing that you're more than just not the other person. You are also someone who has a vision for what life will be like in this city and in this country. And it has felt like too long that the Republicans have had a monopoly on the terms of the debate in our country. The Democrats have just sought to respond to it time and time again. It is time for us to put forward our own ideas. It is time for uptown Manhattan and the Bronx to be part of leading what this country thinks is possible. And I'll tell you, when I go around this city and I see so many incredible monuments to things like the Four Freedoms, and I think about the way we used to distill our ambition into easily understandable ways that New Yorkers and Americans understood impacted their lives, I realize that we have come a long way from where we used to be as a party. It's time we have a new generation that not only takes us back to that ambition, but takes us forward to the tomorrow that so many New Yorkers are waiting for.
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
It's a perfect place to end. New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani and Darielisa Avila Chevalier, thank you both for joining me tonight.
- [29:54]
New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
Thank you so much.
- [29:55]
Darielisa Avila Chevalier
Thanks for having us.
- [29:55]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
I should note Congressman Adriana Espayat has an open invitation to come on the show and make his case to voters as well. Coming up, the Trump Justice Department goes after E. Jean Carroll, opening an investigation into the woman who won two defamation cases against Trump for sexual assault. Andrew Weissman joins us live next. We'll be right back. School's almost out and at Abercrombie Kids, new warm weather staples are in. It's a one stop shop for everything on their channel checklist, like tees, shorts and swim. So planning what they'll wear is a breeze. For outfits that keep up with them and easier mornings for you, stop by Abercrombie Kids shop in the app, online and in stores. I'm Hannah. I've lost 75 pounds in 20 months with GLP1s diet and exercise on row. I've gone from struggling to run a mile to running farther every day. You can access FDA approved GLP1s online, get the support you need to reach your weight loss goals. Go to Ro Co Weight to see if you qualify. I'm a paid ROE partner. 20% average weight loss in one year in non diabetics with obesity or overweight with a weight related medical condition versus 3.1% in placebo arm Rx only. To stay informed about serious side effects, go to Roe Co Safety. Traditional home security only alerts you after a break in and that's too late. Simplisafe is changing that.
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
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Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
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- [31:48]
New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
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- [31:54]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
It's no secret that Donald Trump's Justice Department has been laser focused on killing, carrying out his retribution campaign. All you have to do is look at the long list of the people Trump's DOJ have targeted since he took office. We have a little handy dandy cheat sheet for you out there. And it now appears that federal prosecutors are still working their way down Trump's enemy list. Yesterday, the New York Times and CNN reported that Trump's Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the former columnist and author who famously prevailed. And not one, but but two civil defamation lawsuits against Trump and was awarded $88 million in damages. Now, you might also remember that a jury in one of those suits found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carol. So what is this all about? Well, as Ms. Now reports, prosecutors inside Trump's Justice Department are looking into whether Carol lied about how her legal fees were paid. That's the legal situation here. During a 2022 deposition, Carol said she received no outside funding for her civil lawsuit against Trump for sexual abuse. Then Carroll's legal team later disclosed that billionaire Democratic donor Reid Hoffman had paid some of her legal fees. Now, beyond the obvious fact that this is a desperate attempt by Trump and his lackeys to smear the reputation of a person he was found liable for sexually abusing. Beyond that very important detail, which again, it reminds people of the legal argument, is completely flimsy. I mean, this very issue was already raised by Trump in an appeal that was rejected by a panel of judges back in 2024. The Second Circuit Appeals Court found Carol credible when she said she forgot about the funding and that she was simply was not involved in the matter of who was or was not funding her litigation costs. That's what she said. But Trump's DOJ is rehashing it anyway, just desperately grasping at straws here. It's quite notable that this is happening right, as a documentary chronicling Eugene Carroll's life and choice to stand up to Trump, his theaters. Funny how that works, isn't it? Joining me now is former FBI general counsel and Ms. Now legal analyst Andrew Weissman, who is also the author of a new book titled Liars how to Stop Trump's Deceit and Save America, which is now a number one New York Times bestseller, which is hard to do. So, first of all, congratulations. That is absolutely incredible. And this is a book everybody who needs some therapy and needs to know what to do is a must read for. Let me ask you, Andrew, the New York Times, I mean, about the story I just mentioned, because the New York Times reported that it was U.S. attorney Anthony Boutros, who Trump appointed to lead the Northern District of Illinois, who opened the investigation. So there was that. And then tonight, Boutros is denying that his office has opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, saying that, quote, any claim to the contrary is categorically false. This seems very odd, but what do you make of all that? That.
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Andrew Weissman
Well, first, I completely agree with you in terms of if there is this investigation, this is a textbook, a textbook example of vindictive prosecution. It's hard to think of one that would be stronger. Please remember that Abrea Garcia, the man who was extracted from this country against the law as found by the Supreme Court of the United States, 9 to 0, he recently had had his criminal case dismissed for vindictive prosecution. So if this were to see the light of day, if there was a criminal case that ultimately was brought against Eugene Carroll, it's very hard to see how it wouldn't be dismissed. With respect to this discrepancy, with respect to the Chicago U.S. attorney saying essentially I have not opened a case, that is an oddity. But the one thing I could think of, if there is an open case, is that it really shouldn't be in Chicago under the Constitution, the case have to be investigated where the crime occurred, where the alleged crime occurred. And so here that by all accounts seems to be New York. That's, that's assuming there's some sort of crime. But I think it may be a situation where essentially the Chicago U.S. attorney is saying, don't look at me. It may be somebody else you should be looking at to see whether they have an open case.
- [36:11]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Is it, we really don't know too much about this, as you said. I mean, it's pretty flimsy. It reminds people again that Trump was found liable here for sexually abusing her. Is it possible at all that the DOJ is investigating, say Reid Hoffman and, and looking into Carol as part of that investigation? I mean, what would that entail? Is that even possible? They've been targeting all sorts of people.
- [36:34]
Andrew Weissman
You know, is it possible with, with, you know, with this administration? If you had told me someone's bringing criminal case because they wrote down 8647 and that we're supposed to necessarily conclude that that is a the President of the United States, I would have, I would have just laughed and said that that's not possible in any normal administration, Democratic or Republican. It is very hard to see why Reid Hoffman would have any liability here. Remember, this theory is lying. The theory is, is that he did E. Jean Carroll intentionally mislead. In other words, not just made a mistake, but they'd have to share that it was intentional. They'd have to show it to a trial beyond a reasonable doubt. That seems so far fetched. As you said, that's already been litigated. And so here I really think it wouldn't be Reid Hoffman who is the potential target. They would be going after the person who won not just one but two significant lawsuits. Lawsuits where Donald Trump had his day in court twice and juries, two separate juries, rejected his defense and believed her and ordered her tens of millions of dollars because not only did they find that she was sexually assaulted by the President of the United States obviously before he was president, but also that he defamed her on top of that. I mean it is in an era of MeToo, the idea of both of those things being true. And now the president has infinite resources to go after her and the infinite resources are the Department of Justice which are still operating as his purpose personal law firm.
- [38:21]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
It is all. It is always so helpful to talk to you and just bring us back down to earth about a lot of these things. Andrew Weissman, congratulations on your book. It's a must read. Father's Day is coming up. Lots of reasons to purchase it for people. Lots of people are. Thank you as always for being here.
- [38:37]
Andrew Weissman
You're welcome. My pleasure.
- [38:39]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Coming up, CBS News 60 Minutes program has long been a story journalistic institution. It's a must see on every Sunday for so many people. One that's consistently the number one rated news program. And today, the MAGA friendly management at CBS News blew it up. Former ABC News journalist Terry Moran knows more than anyone else that what can happen when politics interferes with journalism. And he joins us live next. Yesterday, student journalist and high school senior Santiago Santiago Campos bravely took a moment to speak truth to power at this year's News Emmy Awards. This was last night calling out recent changes at CBS News as he accepted an award named after legendary CBS News journalist Mike Wallace and one that was, I would note, funded by the national network. This took some guts, but take a listen.
- [39:40]
Andrew Weissman
I want to thank CBS News for funding this generous gift towards my education. I want to also acknowledge how the recent direction of the outlet stains the legacy of Mike Wallace, the namesake of this scholarship. As corporate elites take hold, As corporate elites take hold over the very pipes through which our information flows, journalism that serves people becomes increasingly harder to come by. Yet ever more crucial
- [40:20]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
CBS News was once. I noticed the clapping in that room. I'm just going to note, I'm just going to note there, that is a room of serious journalists doing all sorts of work. But CBS News was once, of course, one of the most respected news organizations in the world, but it has faced enormous turmoil in the past year since its parent company was acquired by Trump ally David Ellison, the son of billionaire Trump donor Larry Ellison. David Ellison has empowered Barry Weiss, the opinion commentator he chose last year to lead CBS News to oversee an overhaul of the news network. That overhaul has included gutting talent and journalist experience across the network, including at what is largely considered the crown jewel for not only CBS News, but for broadcast journalism, 60 Minutes. And today we learned that less than Two weeks after 60 Minutes wraps its 58th season, Weiss has ousted some of these storied programs, longtime journalists, including correspondent Sharon Alfonsi and the program's executive producer Tanya Simon. Joining me now is journalist and former senior national correspondent for ABC News Terry Murran. He also today launched his new independent outlet, let realpatriotism.com Terry, it's great to see you.
- [41:25]
New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
See you.
- [41:26]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Let me start. I mean, one of the people that Weiss fired today was was longtime correspondent Sharon Alfonse. I mean, it's been reported that it was coming. And just to remind people, and I think people have been following this, she criticized Weiss after she infamously shelved her segment on migrants detained in the El Salvador mega president ccot. Big important story. Weiss stepped in last year, delayed the segment claiming it needed an on camera interview with the Trump official Even though the administration had already declined to participate. Just to remind people of this story, you've been a journalist for a long time. Have you seen anything like that happen? Did you see this coming?
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Thumbtack Advertiser
Well, you could feel it coming, right? Bari Weiss, when she was appointed, I sat down with you and I said,
- [42:03]
Andrew Weissman
give her a shot.
- [42:04]
Thumbtack Advertiser
Who knows, right? You know, she's named and she's a talented person. And I think now we can say she's a disaster. She's a disaster because of her bias and because she's taking orders. Clearly, this stuff doesn't happen without talking to the boss. And the boss is David Ellison,
- [42:21]
Andrew Weissman
a
- [42:21]
Thumbtack Advertiser
crony essentially of Trump, who has business interests that Trump can serve. And so what we're seeing at CBS with Sharon Alfonsi and other things is the effect of having somebody who is trying to fix what isn't broken. 60 Minutes is not broken. Its ratings are up 9%. It still makes news with fantastic journalism every Sunday. And they wanna fix it because they want it to be more friendly to maga. That is a fool's errand. MAGA does not want fairness. It does not want objectivity or neutrality. It does not want solid reporting. It wants what it wants. It wants what Trump wants. And I just think it's a tragedy what is happening there.
- [42:59]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Some of the most stirring things we've heard are people who leave, people who are or who are fired. Cecilia Vega, who was formerly a colleague of yours at ABC, was also fired from 60 Minutes today. I spent many a year and a half being grilled from her in the White House. So I can tell you what a tough reporter it is. But she had a pretty powerful statement. I just want to read some of it, she said. In recent months, my producing teams and I have experienced efforts to insert political bias into our stories. Reporting teams have held back on submitting story pitches about important news topics out of fear of the internal repercussions. Let's call this what it is, censorship, both imposed and self driven. It is dangerous for the show and dangerous for democracy. Cecilia Vega is not an alarmist. She's somebody who's a long term journalist. What'd you make of that statement, especially coming from her?
- [43:49]
Thumbtack Advertiser
She's one of the best reporters I've ever worked with and a person who is fearless and rock solid integrity behind the scenes. At ABC News, she spoke up for stories that she believed were important. She was one of the leading Latina journalists in America. She spoke that way. She improved the editorial discussion. And apparently at cbs, that's not wanted, right? And What I know about Cecilia is that she is fearless. She will stand up for what she believes in. And that probably really bothers somebody like Bari Weiss, who is trying to turn this crown jewel of American journalism into something that she can present to the President and to her boss, the friend of the president.
- [44:31]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Do you think they're intentionally trying to kill 60 minutes? Or it's just happening because of incompetence or something else?
- [44:39]
Thumbtack Advertiser
Part of it is incompetence. The new guy that they've hired, Nick Bilton, is talking about, we gotta go after, after, you know, these new spaces, independent spaces, like where I am and stuff like that. That's great. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's the first rule of management. 60 Minutes is. Is a hugely successful program. It has impact in the culture that almost nothing else in network television does anymore. And they're destroying it. Right. Sharon Alfonsi, gone. Cecilia Vega, gone. Anderson Cooper just said, I'm out. Right? And. And what they are doing to that is a shame on them. And somebody like Cecilia and Sharon and Anderson Cooper, they can be proud of not being part of that anymore.
- [45:23]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Terry, I want you to come back and talk all about what you're launching. You're launching it next week. I'm so excited to see what you're doing. What time can people see you?
- [45:31]
Thumbtack Advertiser
2pm in the afternoon, live. But we're going to put it out on YouTube and everything else. It's a call in show three stories, the big stories of the day Day.
- [45:38]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Anyone can call in, find Terry Moran. He knows lots of things. Thank you so much for being here.
- [45:42]
Thumbtack Advertiser
Thanks, Jeff.
- [45:43]
Ms. Now Host (Interviewer)
Okay, coming up, Lawrence o' Donnell has Congressman Jamie Raskin, Senator Cory Booker standing by. You won't want to miss those interviews. We'll be right back. That does it for me tonight. You can catch the show Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern on Ms. Now. And don't forget to follow the show on Blue sky, Instagram and TikTok.
- [46:00]
New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani
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