Jonathan Swan

I mean, when you talk to these Republican lawmakers privately, they all understand a vote against something that Donald Trump really cares about is a vote to end your career. I mean, there's not that many people who are willing to end their career.

So even though I know for a fact there are a whole bunch of Republicans who, if it was a private secret vote, would vote against en masse many of these nominees that he's put up, they won't dare do it. in a public setting under the gaze of Donald Trump. And there's actually something deeper that's happened in American politics that Trump has changed.

So even though I know for a fact there are a whole bunch of Republicans who, if it was a private secret vote, would vote against en masse many of these nominees that he's put up, they won't dare do it. in a public setting under the gaze of Donald Trump. And there's actually something deeper that's happened in American politics that Trump has changed.

A generation ago, if you were a member of Congress, you could kind of protect yourself and defend yourself by raising money and having coalitions and whatever. All of that has been obliterated by Donald Trump's monopoly on the attention landscape. And if you get in their crosshairs, it doesn't matter what kind of a war chest you have. That will be squirted away in two days. You're finished.

A generation ago, if you were a member of Congress, you could kind of protect yourself and defend yourself by raising money and having coalitions and whatever. All of that has been obliterated by Donald Trump's monopoly on the attention landscape. And if you get in their crosshairs, it doesn't matter what kind of a war chest you have. That will be squirted away in two days. You're finished.

Your career's done.

Your career's done.

No, she's a little different. And by the way, she may not get confirmed. She's probably the most endangered of all of them. One reason being that she used to be a Democrat. And Tulsi Gabbard is much more of an ideological choice.

No, she's a little different. And by the way, she may not get confirmed. She's probably the most endangered of all of them. One reason being that she used to be a Democrat. And Tulsi Gabbard is much more of an ideological choice.

Donald Trump has always been extremely conspiratorial, had a dark view of the intelligence community, has been of the view that there is a deep state out to get him, and also has been much more sympathetic to people like Vladimir Putin and some of the autocratic leaders around the world.

Donald Trump has always been extremely conspiratorial, had a dark view of the intelligence community, has been of the view that there is a deep state out to get him, and also has been much more sympathetic to people like Vladimir Putin and some of the autocratic leaders around the world.

Tulsi Gabbard is much more in line with Donald Trump's foreign policy views than many other senior members of his cabinet. Her views are closer to Donald Trump's than say Marco Rubio's views. Certainly much closer to Donald Trump's than his first term People like Mike Pompeo, who was Secretary of State and CIA Director, Jim Mattis, Rex Tillerson. So she's aligned ideologically.

Tulsi Gabbard is much more in line with Donald Trump's foreign policy views than many other senior members of his cabinet. Her views are closer to Donald Trump's than say Marco Rubio's views. Certainly much closer to Donald Trump's than his first term People like Mike Pompeo, who was Secretary of State and CIA Director, Jim Mattis, Rex Tillerson. So she's aligned ideologically.

She's got really powerful allies like Tucker Carlson. And Trump just likes her. From all accounts, she's a very personable person and there's a chemistry there. So she's a little different. I wouldn't put her in the same category as Kash Patel, who is a much sort of more precise instrument than Tulsi Gabbard.

She's got really powerful allies like Tucker Carlson. And Trump just likes her. From all accounts, she's a very personable person and there's a chemistry there. So she's a little different. I wouldn't put her in the same category as Kash Patel, who is a much sort of more precise instrument than Tulsi Gabbard.

Well, that's a part of it. But the other part of it is that Mitch McConnell and others might decide to take an ideological stand against her and feel safer doing that. To say, you know what, we're going to try and... quixotically hang on to this vestige of the Republican Party as internationalist in outlook, hawkish on foreign policy. Views Russia as an enemy.

Well, that's a part of it. But the other part of it is that Mitch McConnell and others might decide to take an ideological stand against her and feel safer doing that. To say, you know what, we're going to try and... quixotically hang on to this vestige of the Republican Party as internationalist in outlook, hawkish on foreign policy. Views Russia as an enemy.

Standing up to Russia, et cetera, et cetera. And maybe, you know, all it needs is four senators, you know, to oppose him. Maybe Collins, Murkowski, McConnell, pick one more. But she may get through as well, even though many, many more than four – I know this because I've talked to them – think she's completely unacceptable for that role, but are going to dutifully vote yes nonetheless.

Standing up to Russia, et cetera, et cetera. And maybe, you know, all it needs is four senators, you know, to oppose him. Maybe Collins, Murkowski, McConnell, pick one more. But she may get through as well, even though many, many more than four – I know this because I've talked to them – think she's completely unacceptable for that role, but are going to dutifully vote yes nonetheless.

Thanks for having me.