Vaughn Hilliard

And I think notably, Eamon, convincing a great share of this American population, millions of Americans, including one I just got off the phone with, that this is the right path forward in that short term pain is the president is telling them that they are about to endure, whether it be from the farms or from the brewery or over at their local store or the 401k being wiped out today.

And I think notably, Eamon, convincing a great share of this American population, millions of Americans, including one I just got off the phone with, that this is the right path forward in that short term pain is the president is telling them that they are about to endure, whether it be from the farms or from the brewery or over at their local store or the 401k being wiped out today.

That short-term pain is going to be worth it in the end. And there are millions of Americans that voted in that belief and now are expecting him to come through. The question is, that first administration, he had tariffs on Canada and Mexico for nine months. He had tariffs on China for 18 months.

That short-term pain is going to be worth it in the end. And there are millions of Americans that voted in that belief and now are expecting him to come through. The question is, that first administration, he had tariffs on Canada and Mexico for nine months. He had tariffs on China for 18 months.

This is not a president who has ever shown a willingness to back down or acknowledge that he was wrong.

This is not a president who has ever shown a willingness to back down or acknowledge that he was wrong.

I think when we're talking about individuals and allies of Donald Trump, I think that so many of the stories that we are looking at, including this one, come down to who is that nucleus around Donald Trump. And one other name that I would throw out there would be Charlie Kirk.

I think when we're talking about individuals and allies of Donald Trump, I think that so many of the stories that we are looking at, including this one, come down to who is that nucleus around Donald Trump. And one other name that I would throw out there would be Charlie Kirk.

And the reason I bring up Charlie Kirk is because one year ago, I, along with a few other NBC colleagues, reported a story in which Charlie Kirk, the right-wing provocateur and ally of Donald Trump,

And the reason I bring up Charlie Kirk is because one year ago, I, along with a few other NBC colleagues, reported a story in which Charlie Kirk, the right-wing provocateur and ally of Donald Trump,

He had put out in the public sphere on a podcast that he was concerned when he got on airplanes when he saw a black pilot because he questioned whether they were hired because of DEI hiring initiatives and not because they were qualified.

He had put out in the public sphere on a podcast that he was concerned when he got on airplanes when he saw a black pilot because he questioned whether they were hired because of DEI hiring initiatives and not because they were qualified.

And at that time, there were some allies of Donald Trump's, including RNC Chairman Ron McDaniel, who went directly to then candidate Donald Trump with that specific remark. And they wanted to make sure that Donald Trump heard that because they thought that he would not want Charlie Kirk around him because of that.

And at that time, there were some allies of Donald Trump's, including RNC Chairman Ron McDaniel, who went directly to then candidate Donald Trump with that specific remark. And they wanted to make sure that Donald Trump heard that because they thought that he would not want Charlie Kirk around him because of that.

that suggestion that somehow black camp pilots were not qualified to be flying in America.

that suggestion that somehow black camp pilots were not qualified to be flying in America.

And instead, one year later, when I heard those remarks from the White House, it took me back to that story one year ago, because instead of Donald Trump pushing Charlie Kirk away, he fundamentally embraced that very ideology of questioning the aviation industry and the extent to which individuals are in it, whether they be pilots or air traffic controllers or even members of the military, because of DEI hiring initiatives.

And instead, one year later, when I heard those remarks from the White House, it took me back to that story one year ago, because instead of Donald Trump pushing Charlie Kirk away, he fundamentally embraced that very ideology of questioning the aviation industry and the extent to which individuals are in it, whether they be pilots or air traffic controllers or even members of the military, because of DEI hiring initiatives.