Maggie Haberman Says Trump Skipped Fallen Soldier Ceremony for Golf Because He’s ‘Stopped Caring’ About ‘Optics’

Maggie Haberman with The New York Times told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Friday night that President Donald Trump skipped the dignified transfer of remains for four soldiers earlier in the day because he has stopped caring about “optics.”

Trump traveled to Florida and sent Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Dover Air Force Base to greet the remains of four soldiers who were found dead in Lithuania Monday following an exhaustive search.

The families of the four troops, who had been missing since late last month, were in attendance at the transfer.

The president attended a LIV Golf event at his Doral golf resort. The Trump family is a LIV Golf business partner.

Trump also played a round of golf.

While interviewing Haberman Friday night, Cooper noted Trump’s absence in Dover.

Haberman said, “I think long ago he stopped caring about certain optics, and he’s made very clear during this presidency, he’s going to do what he wants. And you know, it’s not just playing golf. He went down to a Saudi-backed golf tournament that his family business does business with, to speak at some event related to that. So yes, all of this is true.”

Haberman added Trump’s mindset applies broadly to issues such as the blowback to his tariffs:

He is not messaging this in a way that suggests that he understands what average people might be going through right now. And part of what it is is he is convinced he is right, he is going to show people he is correct, he has believed in terrorists for 40 years, he wanted to do this last time and he was stymied by a bunch of advisors who were much more pro-free trade. And now he’s gonna do what he’s going to do. He’s doing it in a very different economy post-COVID.

Friday morning, The Washington Post quoted a person reportedly close to Trump’s inner circle who said he had reached a point where he no longer cared about negative headlines.

“He’s at the peak of just not giving a fuck anymore,” the person said. “Bad news stories? Doesn’t give a fuck. He’s going to do what he’s going to do. He’s going to do what he promised to do on the campaign trail.”

Watch the clip above via CNN.