CNN’s Smerconish: Losing Conservative Media Support Would Be More ‘Perilous’ to Trump Than Mueller

CNN’s Michael Smerconish opened his post-shutdown show this morning by arguing that the “most perilous” threat President Donald Trump could face isn’t Robert Mueller, but the conservative media.

Smerconish said that between the markets, Mueller, military (following James Mattis‘ resignation), and the conservative media, there’s no question the last one is the biggest threat to the President.

There’s been a lot of talk this week about how Trump went back to fighting for the wall because of public pressure from people like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh.

And the power they wield, Smerconish argued, makes it more consequential for Trump if they turn on him than anything else that imperils him:

“The current government shutdown would arguably not exist were it not for the President capitulating to these people with microphones. If not for Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, the President right now would be in Mar-a-Lago. But if the president loses the support of the conservative media, that will lead to an erosion of support among House and Senate Republicans who live in constant fear of being primaried as a result of being at odds with these media mouthpieces. If nothing else, President Trump is a political warrior. He’s proven he can sustain serious blood letting, but his Achilles heel is the conservative media. If he loses them, then any combination of the markets, the military, and Mueller can cut short his time in office.”

You can watch above, via CNN.

[image via screengrab]