Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that Donald Trump's decision-making processes are creating difficulties for the Republican party.
During a segment on MS NOW, Psaki discussed recent comments by Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who claimed that many Republicans in Congress privately believe Trump has "lost it" and is detrimental to their electoral prospects.
"Frankly, that statement could actually apply to a whole lot of things because there’s no shortage of issues right now where the president is screwing things up in ways that are disastrous for his own party," Psaki said. She cited Trump's shifting stances on potential conflict with Iran, specifically his "on-again, off-again" approach to a proposed "reimbursement" fee on cargo ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
"If you’re a Republican running for reelection, how do you defend — not just that kind of whiplash decision-making in the middle of a war, a war that had no clear end that is already deeply unpopular with the American people — how do you defend that?" Psaki questioned.
Psaki also highlighted Trump's persistent calls for "sweeping mass deportations," even as reports indicate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has paused most vehicle stops following incidents where motorists were fatally shot. Psaki noted that Trump, on his Truth Social platform, later asserted that ICE "CANNOT give up" traffic stops.
"We see this story over and over again: Trump pursues an unpopular policy then he carries it out in such a haphazard and chaotic way that the resulting collateral damage only makes it more unpopular," Psaki observed. "And then his party struggles to justify it after it’s blown up in their face."
Psaki characterized Trump as "incapable of letting anything go" and suggested he does not prioritize the popularity of his actions or their impact on the Republican party's chances in upcoming elections. "He doesn’t care that his efforts have failed over and over again; he’ll just keep improvising new ways to push his agenda," she added.