A top staffer who briefly worked in the first Trump administration says there are more than a few Republicans in Congress who see Donald as little more than a “lame duck” president who can be challenged on many fronts because he’s weaker than he was during his first term.
Anthony Scaramucci explained that the abrupt withdrawal of Matt Gaetz’s nomination to be attorney general proves that some in the GOP will not bow down to Trump and let him run roughshod over them.
“Obviously, a lot of the things that [former] Rep. Gaetz did was disqualifying, but I think the tide has changed a little bit,” Scaramucci said during an appearance on CNN. “I think there’s been a shapeshift by the Republicans in the Senate. You know, they see Trump as a lame duck. They know there’s one more election that he can have lots of influence on, which is the congressional election in two years, and I think they are fortifying themselves to block some of the things that he’s done in the past, and so the Trump season, you know, this is ‘The Apprentice: White House Edition’ season two. I think the cast members up on Capitol Hill are ready for Donald Trump this time. I don’t think they were as prepared as they are now, and I think the messaging [to Gaetz] was, behind closed doors: ‘You’re not going to make it, don’t embarrass the president and withdraw.'”
Other nominees could face the same disgraceful end as Gaetz, Scaramucci predicted.
“Now, the other questions are, you know, about some of these other candidates,” Scaramucci said. “Well, Pete Hegseth ended up having to do the same thing, and I will predict if there’s more information about Pete that comes out, he’ll be No. 2 to go that way. But I think Pam Bondi, by the way, will do well. Pam Bondi says the things that Donald Trump likes to hear, but she won’t do the things that Donald Trump likes to do, and so I think that’s someone that respects the system, and I think she’ll get it. I think she’ll get through.”
