‘A Political Self-Inflicted Wound’: Jake Tapper Utterly Confounded By Trump Blowing Up the Stimulus Talks

The news of President Donald Trump announcing he’s ordering a stop to covid stimulus negotiations perplexed many, including CNN’s Jake Tapper.

“The president, who we all wish well, we hope for a speedy recovery, he has made a self-inflicted wound… contracting the coronavirus,” Tapper said. “This is a political self-inflicted wound. I don’t really understand it. He doesn’t care about the deficit, President Trump, he’s made that clear. Why would he want to be seen stopping struggling people from getting money a month before the election?”

Jeff Zeleny said there are Republicans wondering the same thing, and noted the timing of the announcement “while the stock market is open.”

“There is no rationale for that,” he added. “He’s been hands-off throughout this process… but today he inserted himself and we’re seeing on the screen what’s happening here.”

Gloria Borger said it’s clear based on Trump’s tweets he has a particular focus on not waiting to “bail out” blue states.

“If he cared about the deficit or the debt, that would be one thing. But he has made it very clear he doesn’t, is to that’s why this is so bizarre,” Tapper added.

Watch above, via CNN.