Ex Trump Adviser Says Rebuke of DACA Not Inspired by Ann Coulter: POTUS Not ‘Concerned About The Base’

Michael Caputo, a former adviser to the Trump campaign, appeared on CNN’s New Day to explain the president’s about-face on his support for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) — and whether the move was inspired by his base.

CNN’s Jim Sciutto asked Caputo why President Donald Trump appears to be abandoning his calls for a “bill of love” to fix DACA, and the strategist countered that the Democrats have been “playing politics” with the law.

Sciutto pressed Caputo that it appears Trump is caving to pressure from his base, as well as conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who has been highly critical of the president over his immigration policy.

“I don’t believe the president is concerned about the base on this issue,” Caputo replied. “I don’t believe the president thinks that Ann Coulter represents his base. Ann  Coulter has never really moved the president one direction or another.”

“Why did he spend the weekend with Sean Hannity…Jeanine Pirro?” Sciutto asked. “Why did he spend the weekend then with folks who were telling him this very message?”

Caputo countered no one should be concerned that the president spends his time with Fox News hosts instead of CNN hosts.

After Sciutto asked why Trump doesn’t spend time with people outside the cable news industry, Caputo noted that “the president comes from the television news business.”

“Television news tends to find people who are experts in their field, and has them on as commentators and then even hosts,” Caputo continued.

“So you are saying Sean Hannity, who he spends a lot of time with, we know he speaks with regularly, you’re saying he’s an expert on these issues?” Sciutto pressed.

“Of course I’m not saying that, I’m saying Sean Hannity is his friend,” Caputo said. “Sean Hannity is a commentator, is somebody from radio and television, but you can’t paint them all with a broad brush just because they come from television.”

Watch above, via CNN.

[image via screengrab]

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