'Gasping for oxygen!' CNN's Bash taken aback by Trump adviser's depiction of the president
CNN's Dana Bash was taken aback after revealing a quote by a senior White House official that explained President Donald Trump's motivations for imposing a global trade war on the country.
Bash began by reading a Friday morning post from Trump , in which he claimed, "We are doing really well on our TARIFF POLICY. Very exciting for America, and the World!!! It is moving along quickly."
She introduced correspondent Jeff Zeleny to talk about "how Trump is feeling right now," as the markets continue to fluctuate, and an all-out trade war with China is causing consumer prices to skyrocket.
For a new article on CNN.com, Zeleny said one White House adviser told him that the president, "just loves this s---. Talking deals with the most powerful people in the world when he’s got all the cards and leverage is like air for him.”
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"I mean, air for him?" Bash asked, clearly flummoxed. "Certainly, I'm not sure if 'air' is — or, maybe, it's more the gasping for oxygen that a lot of consumers are feeling in America right now."
Zeleny said that economists and Republicans "who really want this administration to succeed" are wondering, "What is the president thinking? What is he doing? What is this self-inflicted wound actually leading to?"
He then spoke about "the team of economic rivals" that has been "guiding the president."
"Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary, he clearly was warning the president to find an off-ramp on this," Zeleny said. "Peter Navarro clearly was wanting the president to hold firm. But we're not at the end of the trade negotiations or tariff negotiations; we're at the beginning of a brand new chapter."
Zeleny said that the 90-day pause Trump put on tariffs to more than 70 other nations will run out on July 8.
"So, circle that date on your calendar. All the advice from these advisers and others who the president listens to between now and then, will certainly play a key role in going forward on how this all works out," Zeleny said.