Stossel calls Trump ‘arrogant bully’ but supports him targeting DEI, university funding

Journalist John Stossel said President Trump is an “arrogant bully” during a special, John Stossel: Give Me Liberty!, set to air Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on NewsNation, while commending policy changes implemented by the White House. 

“He’s an arrogant bully, but I love it that he’s changing the way things were,” Stossel told Connell McShane. 

The former Fox News reporter said he had "mixed feelings" about Trump's takedown of some colleges and universities - he criticized the president for his attacks on the universities but indicated he supports pulling some funding.

"Why were we giving these rich institutions so much money anyway?" he asked, later adding, "I don't like it when he threatens them."

The Trump administration revoked millions in grants from Harvard University, alleging that the school’s administration is harboring students with antisemitic views for supporting Palestine amid the war in Gaza. 

“America is what America is because everybody has a right to speak and say things that may be stupid or sometimes hurtful,” Stossel said. 

“It’s important that we have that right, and where Trump implies he’s going to cut off the money, well, we shouldn’t be giving them the money in the first place,” he added.

Stossel noted that money might be better spent supporting the efforts of companies.

However, he commended the president for supporting the removal of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from the federal government in a January executive order.

“It was captured by the left, and it made people afraid to talk to people who were different from them,” Stossel told McShane.

“A Harvard Business School study found that the companies that had good DEI programs the longest hired fewer Black female managers,” he added.

“It just poisons speech and thank God it seems to be over.”