Lawrence: Mike Pence is a 'no' on gifts to Donald Trump from the dictator of Qatar

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell Episode Title: Lawrence: Mike Pence is a 'no' on gifts to Donald Trump from the dictator of Qatar
Release Date: May 20, 2025
Host: Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC

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Introduction

In this episode of The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, host Lawrence O'Donnell delves into a series of pressing political issues surrounding former President Donald Trump. The discussion primarily focuses on Trump's controversial interactions with Qatar, his tariff policies, and the broader implications for American politics and governance. Throughout the episode, O'Donnell critiques Trump's actions and policies, contrasting them with those of current President Joe Biden and highlighting the responses from key political figures like Mike Pence and Congressman Jamie Raskin.

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Trump’s Handling of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Timestamp: [00:45] – [03:06]

The episode opens with a critique of Donald Trump's handling of the Russia-Ukraine war. Lawrence O'Donnell references New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman’s assessment, praising President Joe Biden's dedication to America's global standing over the Trump administration's approach.

• Thomas Friedman: "Joe Biden, even at his most inarticulate and even with his voice weakened by age, has more gut commitment to an understanding of what America at its best means to the world..." (00:45)

O'Donnell highlights Trump's false promises about swiftly ending the war, labeling them as consistent lies detrimental to America's foreign policy integrity.

• Donald Trump: "If I'm president, I will have that war settled in 1 day, 24 hours." (02:09)

Chris Hayes further condemns this statement:

• Chris Hayes: "This is day 119 of that lie." (02:26)

The discussion underscores the stark contrast between Biden's practical coalition-building and Trump's unrealistic promises.

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Critique of Trump's Tariff Policies and Economic Impact

Timestamp: [03:06] – [17:56]

O'Donnell transitions to a critical analysis of Trump's tariff policies, arguing that they reflect a misguided attempt at socialism by dictating prices for American businesses. He specifically targets Trump's interactions with Walmart regarding tariffs imposed on imported goods.

Key Points:

• Tariff Implementation: Trump imposed tariffs of at least 30% on goods from China and 10% from other countries, aiming to shift the financial burden away from foreign producers to American companies.

• Impact on Walmart:

  • Walmart CFO: "The level of tariffs that have been proposed is pretty challenging for all retailers..." (exact timestamp not provided)
  • Lawrence O'Donnell: Points out Walmart's slim profit margins make it impossible for them to absorb these tariffs without raising consumer prices.

• Wall Street Journal Editorial: Describes Trump's tariff stance as "Donald Trump plays Walmart CEO," highlighting the impracticality of his demands and the resulting economic strain.

• Obama vs. Trump's Approach: O'Donnell criticizes Trump for treating tariffs as a tool for direct economic manipulation rather than a strategic trade policy.

• Jamie Raskin's Analysis:

  • Raskin: "That's the way it's going the wrong way because it's not... to reduce the deficit. It's simply so that Elon Musk can pay fewer taxes." (Approx. [25:31])

The segment emphasizes the broader economic repercussions of Trump's tariffs, including potential stock market instability and increased consumer costs.

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Trump’s Attempt to Acquire a Boeing 747 from Qatar

Timestamp: [15:48] – [20:38]

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Trump's controversial pursuit of a Boeing 747 from Qatar, perceived as a gift from a foreign dictator with questionable motives.

Key Points:

• Initial Report: CNN reveals that the Trump administration proactively sought a 747 from Qatar, contradicting Trump’s narrative that Qatar offered it as a gift.

• Lawrence O'Donnell's Critique:

  • Labels the deal as "the stupidest and potentially most overtly corrupt deal any president has ever pursued."
  • Raises legal concerns regarding the Emoluments Clause, which prohibits the President from accepting gifts from foreign entities without congressional consent.

• Donald Trump's Statement:

  • Trump: "They're giving it to the United States Air Force, slash Defense Department of the United States. They're not giving it to me." (15:48)

• O'Donnell's Analysis:

  • Highlights inconsistencies and potential corruption in Trump's handling of the deal.
  • Criticizes Trump's inability to maintain a coherent narrative about the acquisition.

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Constitutional Concerns and Congressional Response

Timestamp: [29:57] – [37:59]

Lawrence O'Donnell introduces Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin, who addresses the constitutional violations inherent in Trump's pursuit of the Qatari 747.

Key Points:

• Jamie Raskin's Position:

  • Emphasizes the clear language of the Emoluments Clause: "no present of any kind whatsoever."

  • Questions Attorney General Pam Bondi’s legal memos that allegedly support Trump's actions.

  • Raskin: "You could not find a clearer command in the United States Constitution than this. It says of any kind whatever. You can't take a present of any kind whatever, much less a $400 million present from a dictator of a foreign autocratic theocratic state." (33:42)

• Raskin's Truth in Tariffs Act:

  • Proposes legislation requiring businesses to disclose the portion of product prices attributable to tariffs.

  • Aims to increase transparency and hold businesses accountable for tariff-induced price increases.

  • Raskin: "The consumers have a right to know... it's like a nationwide sales tax." (36:50)

• Congressional Dynamics:

  • Discussion about the role of moderate Republicans in impeding or supporting legislative measures.
  • O'Donnell criticizes Republican House members supporting bills that could harm their constituents, particularly in New York.

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Mike Pence’s Opposition to Accepting Military Aircraft from Qatar

Timestamp: [30:29] – [35:39]

In a pivotal moment, Mike Pence publicly opposes President Trump’s plan to accept a military aircraft from Qatar, citing national security and constitutional concerns.

Key Points:

• Pence's Concerns:

  • Pence: Highlights Qatar's history of supporting terrorist organizations like Hamas and al-Qaeda.

    • Pence: "Qatar has a long history of playing both sides. They support Hamas. They supported al Qaeda. And so the very idea that we would accept an Air Force One from Qatar I think is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs." (30:29)

• Legal Implications:

  • Pence refers to the need for congressional approval due to the Emoluments Clause, aligning with Raskin’s arguments.

• O'Donnell's Commentary:

  • Applauds Pence’s stance, contrasting it with Trump's perceived disregard for constitutional norms.

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Concluding Insights: Lessons from Sportsmanship

Timestamp: [38:04] – [42:36]

In a departure from the political discourse, the episode concludes with an inspiring reflection on sportsmanship witnessed at Madison Square Garden. O'Donnell draws parallels between respectful competition in sports and the ideal conduct in American politics.

Key Points:

• Sportsmanship Example:

  • After a high-stakes basketball game between the Celtics and Knicks, players exhibited mutual respect despite fierce competition, symbolizing the grace with which winners and losers should conduct themselves.

• Moral Lesson:

  • Emphasizes the importance of respect, grace in victory and defeat, and forward-looking optimism—principles that should ideally govern political interactions as well.

  • O'Donnell: "Loser congratulates winner, winner praises loser. Total respect in both directions." (Approx. 38:45)

• Broader Implications:

  • Encourages viewers to embody these values in political engagements, promoting a healthier, more respectful political climate.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Thomas Friedman on Biden vs. Trump:

  • "Joe Biden... has more gut commitment to an understanding of what America at its best means to the world..." (00:45)

• Donald Trump’s Promise on Ukraine War Settlement:

  • "If I'm president, I will have that war settled in 1 day, 24 hours." (02:09)

• Jamie Raskin on Emoluments Clause:

  • "You could not find a clearer command in the United States Constitution than this. It says of any kind whatever." (33:42)

• Mike Pence on Accepting Qatar’s Aircraft:

  • "Qatar has a long history of playing both sides. They support Hamas. They supported al Qaeda." (30:29)

• Jamie Raskin on Truth in Tariffs Act:

  • "It's like a nationwide sales tax." (36:50)

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Conclusion

In this episode, Lawrence O'Donnell provides a comprehensive and critical examination of Donald Trump's recent political maneuvers, particularly focusing on his interactions with Qatar and his tariff policies. Through incisive analysis and the inclusion of perspectives from key political figures like Mike Pence and Jamie Raskin, the episode underscores the importance of constitutional adherence, economic prudence, and ethical governance. The concluding analogy to sportsmanship serves as a poignant reminder of the values that should ideally permeate American politics.

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Note: This summary is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the episode's content, capturing essential discussions and highlighting significant quotes for a nuanced understanding of the topics covered.

Transcript

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Stay connected with the MSNBC app bringing you breaking news and analysis anytime, anywhere.

[Chris Hayes]

All the stories that we're covering are live and happening as we speak.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Watch your favorite shows live.

[Chris Hayes]

What's happening right now is a hostile takeover of the US Government.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Read live blogs and in depth essays and listen to coverage as it unfolds. Go beyond the what to understand the why. Download the app [e-mail] app MSNBC Films presents a six part documentary series David Frost versus on the next episode, Elton John.

[Chris Hayes]

It's okay to ask for help.

[Jamie Raskin]

I didn't think it was because I.

[Chris Hayes]

Thought it was a sign of weakness.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Sunday at 9pm Eastern on MSNBC, well.

[Chris Hayes]

After the news of President Joe Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis this weekend. Today, New York Times Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Thomas Friedman. Joe Biden, even at his most inarticulate and even with his voice weakened by age, has more gut commitment to an understanding of what America at its best means to the world and who our real friends are and must always be than every member of the Trump administration combined. Donald Trump and his Cabinet continue to prove the truth of Thomas Friedman's assessment whenever they talk about many things, whenever they talk about Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine or tariffs, or taking the biggest payoff in history in the form of a Boeing 747 owned by the dictator of Qatar, Joe Biden has never said one thing as outright stupid and factually incorrect as what Donald Trump says every single day about almost everything. Here's one of Donald Trump's most frequent lies from the presidential campaign trail.

[Donald Trump]

If I'm president, I will have that war settled in 1 day, 24 hours.

[Jamie Raskin]

How would you settle that war in one day?

[Daniel Goldman]

Because I'll meet with Putin.

[Donald Trump]

I'll meet with Zelensky. They both have weaknesses and they both have strengths. And within 24 hours that war will be settled. It'll be over. It'll be absolutely.

[Chris Hayes]

Do you want you? This is day 119 of that lie. Donald Trump adds to that lie every day he fails to end Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. Donald Trump did meet with President Zelensky, but not anywhere close to his first day. And Donald Trump still hasn't had a meeting with Vladimir Putin, although Donald Trump claims to have had a good phone conversation with Vladimir Putin today, the day after Vladimir Putin launched the biggest drone strike of the war in Ukraine. Here's Donald Trump's other campaign lie about Ukraine.

[Donald Trump]

Take a look at the war happening right now in Ukraine. It would have never happened if I were president to start off with, and there didn't even have to be a settlement. It wouldn't have happened, period. Russia wouldn't have gone. And I spoke to Putin about it a lot.

[Chris Hayes]

Well, Donald Trump's president now. So why did Vladimir Putin launch the biggest drone strike of the war while Donald Trump is president? Why did he wait for Donald Trump to be president before doing that if Vladimir Putin is so what, afraid of crossing Donald Trump? Donald Trump is the only presidential candidate in history who could have said such a breathtakingly stupid and false thing about the war in Ukraine, something Joe Biden was always very precise about in his public comments. While he masterfully history will show, assembled the coalition of allies that has helped the United States defend Ukraine against Vladimir Putin's unprovoked war on that country. Donald Trump and his cabinet. Talking about tariffs also proves the point that Joe Biden was better at the job of the presidency than every member of the Trump administration combined, very much, including Donald Trump. Donald Trump's tariffs have turned him into a screamingly stupid socialist. There is good socialism, which Donald Trump mostly opposes, and there is very bad socialism, which Donald Trump is now embracing. This weekend, Donald Trump decided it's the job of the president of the United States to tell private companies what prices they should charge for their products. There are extreme socialist regimes in the world that set price controls and wage controls in their country. And now Donald Trump is trying to join that crowd by telling American companies how much they can charge their customers for a wide range of goods that Donald Trump has illegally imposed tariffs on, making them more expensive when they enter this country. On Saturday, Donald Trump wrote Walmart should stop trying to blame tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain. Walmart made billions of dollars last year, far more than expected between Walmart and China. They should, as is said, eat the tariffs and not charge valued customers anything. I'll be watching and so will your customers. Eat the tariffs. Eat the tariffs means pay the tariffs. Pay the tariffs and then keep the price down on the goods that you've already paid the tariffs on. That's what Donald Trump wants Walmart, an American company, to do. He doesn't want to say the word pay anything but that because Donald Trump has based his political career on the lie that foreign countries pay tariffs imposed by the United States. Donald Trump can't bring himself to say to Walmart, pay the tariffs. Can't say that word pay. Even though Walmart is exactly who is paying the tariffs on the goods Walmart imports from China to sell to you. An American company pays the tariffs in America. That's where the tariffs are paid when those goods arrive at the dock. And like every other business in America and around the world, the cost of the goods that Walmart sells determine the price of the goods that Walmart sells. And so there's Donald Trump telling an American company to pay the tariffs, something he used to say was impossible, that they wouldn't have to, but only China would have to pay those tariffs. And of course, the Trump tariffs are to blame. Of course they are to blame for the increases in prices that we will see and have seen for imported goods at Walmart, which is most of what they sell. Walmart basically is selling Chinese goods and imported goods. Donald Trump in the last presidential campaign was the most confused and consistently wrong and relentlessly stupid presidential candidate this country has ever seen. He was wrong about tariffs every time he opened his mouth about them. And the campaign press corps, for the most part, almost all of them, ignored every word he said about tariffs. The campaign press corps never told America that they will be shocked when Donald Trump does what he's going to do with tariffs. The stock market will be shocked, the stock market will drop and prices will go up. The campaign press never, ever reported that about the obvious effects of the Trump tariffs. The biggest failure of the campaign press corps as a group was to fail to cover and report on what it would actually mean to voters if Donald Trump did what he said he was going to do at those rallies. Instead, as usual, the campaign press corps as a group, most of them focused on superficial issues that have nothing to do with the work of the presidency. And now the biggest private employer in the world, Walmart, just wants to continue to run its business in a free enterprise economy, and Donald Trump doesn't want them to do that. Donald Trump wants to be in charge of Walmart pricing. A Republican president is not just trying to regulate a business. A Republican president is, in effect, trying to run that business. Here's Walmart's chief financial officer. The level of tariffs that have been proposed is pretty challenging for all retailers, for suppliers, and certainly our concern is that consumers are going to feel some of that. So we're going to keep prices as low as we can for as long as we can for our customers and members. But Walmart cannot possibly keep those prices lower than the increased price they are going to have to pay because of Donald Trump's tariffs, which are now from China at least 30%, and then 10% from everywhere else in the world, at least. In an editorial yesterday titled Donald Trump plays Walmart CEO, the Wall Street Journal editorial board wrote Mr. Trump's flip flop on price controls is a rebuttal of his own previous tariff claims. For months he said that foreign producers pay the full cost of tariffs. Mr. Trump doesn't know much about retail. Walmart's net profit margin is below 3%, so it doesn't have much room to absorb the higher costs caused by tariffs. Every tariff Donald Trump has tried to impose or is currently imposing is much higher than than Walmart's 3% markup on the products that it sells. So it is impossible for Walmart to eat Donald Trump's tariffs. Donald Trump's treasury secretary Scott Besant, tries his best to obfuscate with interviewers who don't know very much about tariffs or the economy, but even he found himself admitting in a recent interview, quote, so Walmart will be absorbing some of the tariffs, some may get passed on to consumers. Notice the word pay never appears in that formulation. He could have said Walmart will be paying some of the tariffs, and he could have said some may be paid by consumers. That's the kind of gibberish and incompetence that fully demonstrates the point that Joe Biden was better at the job of the presidency than every member of the Trump administration combined. And no reporting on Joe Biden has ever disputed that. No reporting on Joe Biden has ever said, oh, Donald Trump thinks more clearly than Joe Biden, or oh, Donald Trump makes much better policy decisions than Joe Biden. No one has ever thought that. No one has ever reported that outside of the right wing news media. The stock market got very worried today when this weekend the Republican House of Representatives advanced a bill that would add 3.3 trillion to the national debt, the single largest increase in the national debt by any piece of budget legislation. The Wall Street Journal reports that JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said today that he didn't think the full impact of tariffs had passed through to the broader economy and warned that the stock market could slump as companies reckoned with the new costs for goods and supplies. He said the risks of an economic slowdown were underappreciated and said even the scaled back level of President Trump's tariffs were pretty extreme. Yes, they are pretty extreme. Which means that all of the billionaire Trump supporters who are now afraid of the pretty extreme Trump tariffs have proved themselves to be the stupidest voters in American history. A billion dollars cannot buy you brains when you need them. The Wall Street Journal has this reporting on the factory jobs that Donald Trump seems to think Americans just Can't wait to go back. To quote, America has nearly half a million unfilled manufacturing jobs, according to the U.S. labor Department. Nearly half of manufacturing companies say their biggest challenge is recruiting and retaining workers, according to a survey this year by the national association of Manufacturers. Manufacturers usually assign workers to shifts with rigid hours and pay 7.8% lower on average than the private sector as a whole, according to the Bureau of Labor statistics. In 1980, manufacturing wages were 3.8% higher. A decline in union representation in the sector hasn't helped. And so there's Donald Trump starting a trade war that could start a recession because he is chasing jobs he doesn't understand. Donald Trump is not related to a single person who's ever worked in a factory. But in claiming to pursue more undesirable manufacturing jobs for the United States, Donald Trump is stupid and reckless and incompetent enough to risk the entire economy on a worldwide trade war that he is now retreating from. There is breaking news tonight about the airplane Donald Trump wants to get for free from the dictator of Qatar. CNN is reporting the Trump administration first approached Qatar to inquire about acquiring a Boeing 747 that could be used as Air Force One by President Donald Trump. Four sources familiar with the discussions told cnn. That's contrary to the narrative from the president that Qatar reached out and offered the jet as a gift to him. The reporting cites, quote, a senior White House official as one of the key sources of the information that completely contradicts Donald Trump's story about how he came to be offered a free 747 from the dictator of Qatar. And so Donald Trump will try to fall asleep tonight with a familiar feeling from his first time in the White House. Who are the leakers leaking this harmful information about him? Donald Trump will be wondering as he tries to fall asleep tonight, who is the senior White House official who said that Donald Trump tasked his Middle east envoy, Steve Witkoff, with finding a list of viable planes and that's how they found the dictator's plane. As I've said before on this program, Donald Trump is never going to get that plane. Donald Trump is publicly pursuing the stupidest and potentially most overtly corrupt deal any president has ever pursued, and he's doing it publicly. And there is no second place in that particular contest, that particular payoff contest, because no other president could be as stupid as Donald Trump to pursue such a deal and reveal to the world as he fails to get that deal and reveal to the dictators in the Middle east and to his own voters just how profoundly pathetic he is.

[Donald Trump]

Very simple. They're giving it to the United States Air Force, slash Defense Department of the United States. They're not giving it to me.

[Chris Hayes]

They're not giving it to me. The deal, as reportedly approved by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who, what a coincidence, is a former Washington lobbyist for the dictator of Qatar. The deal is for the dictator to give the plane to the Defense Department. And then when Donald Trump leaves the presidency and needs a new plane, the Defense Department will give the plane to Donald Trump's presidential library. Donald Trump will be the boss of his presidential library. Obviously, Donald Trump could then decide exactly what to do with that plane at his presidential library, which means Donald Trump could just use it to fly wherever he wants to go, and there would be nothing to prevent that in the deal described by the former Qatari lobbyist, Pam Bondi. Of course, while Donald Trump is at it, he lies because he has to lie about the perfectly good two 747s currently used as Air Force One while we await two brand new 747s to be used as Air Force One that Boeing is building right now. Donald Trump now blames Boeing's delay in delivering the new versions of Air Force One for trying to pick up an extra Air Force One from a dictator.

[Donald Trump]

I was angry at Boeing. A lot of people know, these people know they're very smart down here. And they suggested if we can do anything at all to help because we have 40 year old planes right now. You know, our Air Force One is actually two planes. It's 247, 747s.

[Chris Hayes]

That one thing people know, that 40.

[Donald Trump]

Years, it's four decades old.

[Chris Hayes]

The current, they're 40 years old.

[Donald Trump]

They're more than that. I think they're 42 now. I've been saying 40 for two years. They're 42. We shouldn't have a 42 year old plane.

[Chris Hayes]

He's never said a number that is correct. And yeah, Brett Baier's right. Most people don't know how old Air Force One is. But Bret is also very, very wrong. They are not 40 years old. They have not aged since Donald Trump started talking about them suddenly to 42. The two Air Force ones that fly Donald Trump now are 35 and 34 years old. Donald Trump's personal airplane that he doesn't use anymore because he's in Air force one is 34 years old. And Donald Trump has never complained about that plane. Donald Trump never gets a single number right about anything. He's the only president who's ever done that. And the reporters who cover Donald Trump make no attempt to correct the very simple numbers that he always, every day, gets wrong about everything. And most of the reporters who cover Donald Trump and certainly most of the reporters who end up talking to Donald Trump, believe the crazy numbers that he throws around. If Joe Biden had said something was 42 years old, when it's 34 years old, the White House press corps would have been screaming about that. How could he be so wrong? Is it Joe Biden's age that he got that number wrong? That's what they would have done. But Donald Trump. Donald Trump kept insisting that the free plane is not for him. But as usual, he couldn't really keep his story straight.

[Donald Trump]

He said, great gentleman Tamim. He said, I would like to help, if you want. I said, how can you help? Well, we happen to have a plane. And I said, well, what do you want to do? He said, you have been. And he doesn't mean me, although I have been good. He means our country has defended them, has done great things with them.

[Chris Hayes]

He said, you have been. And then Donald Trump hears himself say, you hears himself say, the guy wants to give it to him. He hears himself. And Donald Trump realizes, just in time that he has to again pretend that the dictator of Qatar wants to do a favor not for Donald Trump, but for the country that he loves so much, the United States of America. The dictator of Qatar, one of the leading financial supporters of the terrorist organization Hamas, just loves America so much that he wants to give us a 747. So what? We can all use it.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

No.

[Chris Hayes]

Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary, Scott Besant, has another entry in the Stupidest Things Ever Said journal of the Trump Administration. When on television this weekend, he said that Donald Trump taking a free airplane from the dictator of Qatar is exactly the same thing as the French government giving the United States of America the Statue of Liberty during the presidency of Grover Cleveland. You can't fly a statue. A statue doesn't have the kind of upholstery that Donald Trump likes. And Congress approved accepting the Statue of Liberty from France as a gift to the United States. But the idiocy that routinely falls from the mouths of the people Donald Trump has turned into public clowns by making them members of his Cabinet prove over and over again that Joe Biden every day was better at the job of president than every member of the Trump administration combined. Up next, the threat of Donald Trump's economic agenda to health care in America. That's next with Congressman Daniel Goldman. And later, more on Donald Trump's Dictator edition of Air Force One with Congressman Jamie Raskin.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

As President Trump continues implementing his ambitious agenda. Follow along with MSNBC's newest newsletter, Project 47. You'll get weekly updates sent straight to your inbox with expert analysis on the administration's latest actions and how they're affecting the American people.

[Chris Hayes]

The American people are basically telling the president that they are not okay with any of this.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Sign up for the Project 47 newsletter at msnbc.com project47.

[Chris Hayes]

Two million New Yorkers could lose health care coverage if the Republican budget bill gets signed into law. That bill, taking health care coverage away from 2 million New Yorkers, cannot get signed into law without the support of Republican members of of the House representatives who represent the state of New York and the people who will lose that health care coverage. Republican House members Elise Stefanik and Mike Lawler, who are running for reelection, are supporting the bill even though it would take health care coverage away from 2 million New Yorkers. And even though the bill does not repeal the limit of tax deductibility on state and local taxes that was imposed during the first Trump administration, which New York Republican House members have promised to deliver in the tax bill, it's not there. Leading off our discussion tonight is Democratic Congressman Daniel Goldman of New York. Congressman Goldman, I don't, there's two things I don't see. I don't understand how it could work. I don't see how Republican members of the House from the state of New York could vote for this. And therefore I don't see how the bill can pass without their votes.

[Daniel Goldman]

Well, you hit the nail on the head, Lawrence. There are A numberThere are seven Republicans and two of them have gubernatorial aspirations. Three of them arethree, others are in districts that could very well be at play next November. And they are not only voting to kick tens of thousands of their own constituents off of Medicaid, but they're also apparently voting against all of their campaign promises to repeal the salt deduction cap, which is state and local taxes, something that's very important to many middle class New Yorkers who are being overwhelmed by the tax burden of effectively double taxing because Donald Trump and the Republicans capped the federal deduction for the state and local taxes. All of them campaigned on getting rid of the salt deduction cap and right now they're ready to vote vote for a slight increase of a cap that will still decimate the finances of many, many middle class New Yorkers. They are voting against Their own constituents. That is the fact of the matter. If they vote for this reconciliation bill. So we should not be so focused on the extreme right wing that seems to be holding the Republican Party hostage. We should be focused on the moderate Republicans, including enough New York Republic that could sink the bill if they would actually stand up for their own constituents.

[Chris Hayes]

Yeah. And the so called deficit hawk, you know, anti national debt increasing right wing Republicans always cave every single time. They always surrender and they always vote for increasing the national debt for tax cuts and increasing the deficit for tax cuts. It is these moderate New York members, so called moderate, as well as some California, California members who absolutely make the difference on these votes and turn these things into law.

[Daniel Goldman]

Absolutely right. And it is so hypocritical and so sickening to continue to hear Republicans talk about how they need to have more cuts to Medicaid, more cuts to snap, more cuts to the funding programs and healthcare, Veterans affairs, childcare, all the programs that so many Americans rely on just to give them a little boost so they can get access to that American dream that we all hope for. And yet they're then cutting taxes for billionaires that will ultimately increase the deficit by more than $3 trillion all in. So I don't want to hear about all this nonsense about, oh, we have to cut spending because our deficit is running out of control. You are increasing the deficit by $3 trillion by cutting billionaires. The deficit has two inputs. There are costs from spending and there are revenues. That's how you get it. But the Republicans don't seem to understand that revenues, such as tax revenues actually have an impact on the deficit. And so this is hypocrisy at its height, Lawrence.

[Chris Hayes]

And interest on the national debt is one of the biggest items that in the federal budget. Republicans always, always drive up the national debt. They drive up the interest payments on the national debt, which also then takes available money away from anything else you might want to spend on.

[Daniel Goldman]

And not only that, but in the last couple days, Moody's is the last of the ratings agencies to downgrade the United States debt, which means that it is costlier to pay our own interest. And the reason they did that, and don't be fooled by Republicans, the reason they did that, that they cited is because of the deficit increases in this reconciliation bill from these tax cuts. That is the reason why our debt has been downgraded and is now more expensive for the American taxpayer because billionaires are getting a $5 trillion break on their taxes.

[Chris Hayes]

What will the Medicaid cuts, if they are signed into law by Donald Trump do to the state of New York due to your district.

[Daniel Goldman]

Well, to my district, it'll kick about 9% of my constituents off of health care altogether. And in Nicole Meliotakis district just to the south of me, Nick Lalota out on Long Island, Mike Lawler, that you mentioned, it is approximately the same number. All of them have nearly a third of their constituents who are on Medicaid. And these cuts are destined to cut over 13 million Americans just to rip away healthcare from 13 million Americans nationwide. It is a tremendous backtrack on the progress that we have been making since the Affordable Care act expanded healthcare. And it's going the wrong way because it's not, as you say, to reduce the deficit. It's simply so that Elon Musk can pay fewer taxes.

[Chris Hayes]

Congressman Dan Goldman, thank you very much for joining us tonight.

[Daniel Goldman]

Thank you.

[Chris Hayes]

And coming up, Mike Pence is a no on Donald Trump trying to Convert A dictator's 13 year old used 747 into Air Force One. That's next with Congressman Jamie Raskin who has some important questions about the dictator's plan.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Stay connected with the MSNBC app bringing you breaking news and analysis anytime, anywhere.

[Chris Hayes]

All the stories that we're covering are live and happening as we speak.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Watch your favorite shows live.

[Chris Hayes]

What's happening right now is a hostile takeover of the US Government.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Read live blogs and in depth essays and listen to coverage as it unfolds. Go beyond the what to understand the why. Download the app [e-mail] app.

[Chris Hayes]

Mike Pence is a no on gifts to Donald Trump from the dictator of Qatar. Do you think President Trump should accept a military aircraft from Qatar? Well, I think first we've got to remember who Qatar is. We've got a military base there. I have members of our immediate family that have deployed to the region. But Qatar has a long history of playing both sides. They support Hamas. They supported al Qaeda. And so the very idea that we would accept an Air Force One from Qatar I think is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs. And my hope is the president reconsiders it. Democrats in the House Judiciary Committee led by Jamie Raskin want answers from Qatari lobbyist turned US Attorney General Pam Bondi on her role in this deal. In a letter they write, President Trump is reportedly relying on memos that you authored at his request to accept a $400 million airplane from the state of Qatar, described in media reports as a flying palace and the most luxurious private jet in the world, without obtaining or even seeking Congress's consent. Any legal memo purporting to make such a claim would obviously fly in the face of the text of the Constitution's foreign emoluments clause, which explicitly prohibits the President from accepting any present or emolument of any kind what from any king, prince, or foreign state, unless he has the consent of Congress. Accordingly, we are writing to request that you provide the Committee on the Judiciary with these memos immediately, as their analysis and conclusions are apparently the basis for the President's decision to disregard the plain text of the Constitution. Joining us now is Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland. He's the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. Congressman, thank you very much for joining us tonight. This having to quote the simplest words of the Constitution to an Attorney General must be an unusual feeling.

[Jamie Raskin]

Well, I'm a simple man, Lawrence. I was a constitutional law professor for 25 years, and I consider myself something of a textualist. And I go by the text of the Constitution. You could not find a clearer command in the United States Constitution than this. It says of any kind whatever. You can't take a present of any kind whatever, much less a $400 million present from a dictator of a foreign autocratic theocratic state. And so I would like to know where Attorney General Bondi, in her wisdom, leaving aside the $115,000 a month she herself collected from Qatar, where she got the analysis that the President could completely disregard the Constitution of the United States. Yeah.

[Chris Hayes]

And so there's exactly one beneficiary of this gift, Donald Trump, and you have a Treasury Secretary saying, oh, it's exactly the same thing as the French giving us the Statue of Liberty.

[Jamie Raskin]

Well, what I love about that is that it points everybody in the direction of a complete refutation of what they're doing, because the Statue of Liberty was acted upon by the U.S. congress. President Coolidge, I think it was, came to Congress to get approval in a joint resolution, and it was even approved in advance by Congress. So they all did it the right way. But you can go presidency after presidency and see how all of them really respected the emoluments clause. And they were coming to Congress with much simpler things than this. I mean, Andrew Jackson showed up with a gold medallion he'd gotten from Simon Bolivar. Abraham Lincoln showed up with some elephant tusks he wanted to keep that he'd gotten from the King of Siam. Everybody complied with it, except, of course, Donald Trump, who purports to violate it in the most extraordinary and disproportionate way. We're not talking about some cufflinks or a gold medallion. We're talking about flying around in an airplane that will represent the whole country. And look, what was the emoluments clause about? It was about making sure that our government and the president who represents the government would not be compromised by foreign powers who want to sink their claws into the US Government for lots of different reasons, as people like Vice President Pence are pointing out. But we're not even getting to the point of saying it's a good idea or a bad idea. It's an idea that must come to Congress under the Constitution. And then if Donald Trump wants to show up and tell us why it's the greatest idea he's ever had, let him do it. That's perfect. We invite him to come testify.

[Chris Hayes]

Carson Raskin, I've got to squeeze in a commercial break here, but I would like to ask you about one more thing, which is your idea about clarity in pricing because of the Trump tariffs and what we should be able to see on our price tags. Now we're going to come right back with Congressman Jamie Ras. Punchbowl News has reported that Amazon was planning to display how much Donald Trump's tariffs were going to add to each order. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos backed down almost immediately after Donald Trump called him to complain about that. Congressman Jamie Raskin now wants to make that required. His Truth in Tariffs act states no person may sell to a consumer in the United States a good without displaying to such consumer in a clear and conspicuous manner the portion of the price of such good that is attributable to a covered tariff. Carson Raskin is back with us. Carlsman, why would this be an important component of a price tag?

[Jamie Raskin]

Well, the consumers have a right to know, especially after all the disinformation about how China was going to pay for the tariff or the foreign country was going to pay. It's always the business itself that's importing the goods that's got to pay it. And of course, that cost is invariably passed on to the consumer. So we would simply say that the business, although this doesn't apply to small businesses because we don't want to add an extra burden on them. For the big businesses like Walmart, they've got to post conspicuously what the added cost is of the tariff so people can see what the actual price is. Then the added cost of the tariff. And if you know President Trump is really proud of increasing it by 30% in some cases or 10% in another, or 25% in another, then it will be there and then people can understand it. You know, when you go to a restaurant and you buy a hamburger and french fries and you pay, then your receipt prints out how much was your burger, your fries, and then what was the sales tax? Donald Trump's tariff is like a nationwide sales tax.

[Chris Hayes]

Congressman Jamie Raskin, thank you very much for joining us.

[Jamie Raskin]

You got you.

[Chris Hayes]

We have a very special last word tonight about something I saw on television when I was watching the coverage in Madison Square Garden after the Celtics lost to the New York Knicks in that series. It's something that too many people take for granted and don't notice the power and the lesson in what was shown on that court after the game. That's next. My point is this break's over. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.

[Donald Trump]

Thank you. Mr.

[Chris Hayes]

Thank you, sir. Josh too busy being indicted for tax fraud. Don't ever do it again. Yes, sir. This is Landingham. What's next? Governor Thomas and the majority leader have asked to be conferenced in Nigger from NASA's assembly for their photo op at 7 o' clock. You have. What's next became the motto of NBC's White House drama the West Wing after Martin Sheen said that in the final scene of the first episode it says good. A motto as I've heard, for how we move through the good and the bad in this life. Saturday night in Madison Square Garden, something beautiful happened. And no, as a lifetime self expand, I don't mean the part where the New York Knicks won the semifinals for the first time in 25 years, beating the Celtics. It's what happened after that. It was another Night of Jalen vs. Jalen. The Celtics star Jaylen Brown vs. Knicks star Jalen Brunson. They battled each other all night. Two of the greatest basketball players Madison Square Garden has ever seen. Fierce competitors. One wins, one loses. And at the end of the game with the Celtics dream of winning the championship two years in a row ruined by the Knicks earning their first trip to the Eastern conference finals since 2000, those two fierce competitors met. The loser congratulated the winner. The winner praised the loser. They hugged. Total respect in both directions. All the players on each of the opposing teams were shaking hands and hugging at the end of that game. That was really the most important thing that happened on that court. And that's the way it used to be in American politics. Loser congratulates winner, winner praises the loser's effort. Total respect in both directions. This happens routinely in America's physically roughest sports, basketball and football. And it is the most important lesson our children can learn about the lives they're going to live when they grow up. They're not going to be as NBA stars, they're not going to win the super bowl, but they're going to have wins and losses in life. And they should accept both with grace and learn the habit of looking forward to what's next. We just, we had some unfortunate events. We had some, you know, injuries and, and things like that. No excuses, but, you know, it just wasn't our year. This journey is not the end. It's not the end for me. I'm looking forward to coming back stronger, you know, so, you know, you just take this with your chin up. This is not the end. So I'm looking forward to what's next. What's next Martin Sheen and Jaylen Brown get tonight's last word.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Stay connected with the MSNBC app bringing you breaking news and analysis anytime, anywhere.

[Chris Hayes]

All the stories that we're covering are live and happening as we speak.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Watch your favorite shows live.

[Chris Hayes]

What's happening right now is a hostile takeover of the US Government.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Read live blogs and in depth essays and listen to coverage as it unfolds. Go beyond the what to understand the why. Download the app [e-mail] apparently.