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Laura Coates Live
Elections On Trump's Second Term Are Hours Away; Booker Gives Marathon Speech Protesting Trump; White House Says Signal Case Is Closed; Trump Says He's Not Joking About Potential Third Term; Laura Coates Interviews A Farmer, A Car Dealer, And A Home Builder. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired March 31, 2025 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:00]
SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: So, well, maybe they just didn't have enough food to give you, and he had to set her straight. She has been there since 1991. Well, I'm sorry, Leslie. It's time for an upgrade. That was a terrible question. Horrible moment since the coverage of October 7 started.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: Well, we will leave it on that note. Everyone, thank you very much for watching. Thanks for watching "NewsNight." You can catch me any time on your favorite social media platforms X, Instagram, and TikTok. "Laura Coates Live" starts right now.
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: Well, tonight, Democrats hope for a political earthquake in Florida. Can the anger against Musk and Trump deliver one? Plus, Senator Cory Booker live on the Senate floor right now, vowing to stay there all night to protest Trump as he now fuels talk of a third term. And what do you get when a farmer, a car dealer, and a home builder walk into a bar? Tariff talk. Unfiltered. Tonight on "Laura Coates Live."
So, in just about, what, eight hours from now, voters in Florida are going to start voting and rendering judgment on President Trump's second term. It will be a critical first test for both Republicans and Democrats, by the way. Two key congressional elections are taking place tomorrow. And tonight, Trump is showing his party, well, sitting there might be in some serious jeopardy of losing one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I just don't want to take chances where you guys are saying, how is the election going? We have a congressional election that's a little bit close. I guess the one is in good shape, but the other one is a little bit close.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Well, that close one he's talking about, it's Mike Waltz's old seat in Florida. Waltz won it by 33 points. We're talking just five months ago, everyone. And Trump himself won it by more than 30 points. But not looking nearly as rosy for Trump's current choice, Randy Fine. He has been outraged by the Democratic candidate, Josh Weil, by 10 to 1. And Republicans have intervened. We've heard two have told Fine to get his shit together, their quote. And now, he's telling Republicans to go vote because Democrats, they're motivated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANDY FINE, FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Democrats are angry because every time Donald Trump wins, they lose. They want open borders. They don't want to stop the waste, fraud, and abuse. And so, they voted. And a majority of Republicans haven't. And we need them to go and vote.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Well, Fine's Democratic challenger says the Republicans, well, they have been AWOL.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH WEIL, FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: And the person running on the republican side has shown no interest in attempting to reach out, communicate with the district, talk to people or say that he'll serve them. He is adamant over and over again that he is going to serve only one person if he is elected, and that person doesn't live in District 6.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Well, that Florida race is not the only big one tomorrow. You might not think a state supreme court race would get so high profile, but it is. And in Wisconsin, it has. It has brought in a ton of money, huge money. I'm talking Musk money. The billionaire and groups aligned with him have dropped more than $20 million in support of the Trump- backed candidate. And he's painting the race in about as dire terms as you can get.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELON MUSK, CEO OF TESLA MOTORS, LEADER OF DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY: What's happening on Tuesday is a vote for the -- which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives. That is why it is so -- so significant. And whichever party controls the House, you know, it -- it -- it, to a significant degree, controls the country, which then steers the course of western civilization. So, it's like -- I -- I feel like this is one of those things that -- that may not seem that it's going to affect the entire destiny of humanity, but I think it will.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Sounds pretty serious. Right? I mean, serious enough for Musk that he hand -- even handed out two $1 million checks at that rally. And the candidate he's backing wasn't even there. That candidate is Brad Schimel, who was taking on Judge Susan Crawford. But Schimel is trying to say Musk is doing his own thing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD SCHIMEL, JUDGE, WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT CANDIDATE: I don't control any of the spending from any outside group, whether it's Elon Musk or anyone else that has an organization spending money in this race. I've run a 72-county race in Wisconsin. I've campaigned in every county for 16 months. I'm not running for anything, for Elon Musk or any other person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: But Judge Crawford, having Musk at center stage is right where she wants him because she has been betting that tying him with the race will energize her voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUSAN CRAWFORD, JUDGE, WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT CANDIDATE: So, let me talk just for a minute or two about my opponent, Elon Musk. This is about our Supreme Court, it is about our rights, and it is about our state. And we're not going to let Elon Musk take any of that away from us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[23:05:02]
COATES: While Judge Crawford rallies voters in Wisconsin, one Democratic lawmaker here in Washington, D.C. is trying to give a jolt to his own party. Senator Cory Booker --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
-- is delivering a marathon speech on the Senate floor to protest Trump's actions. This is actually live. He has been there. He's there right now. And it is now, what, four hours and counting? Senator Booker quoting the late John Lewis, explaining why he's even doing it this way.
SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): I rise with the intention of getting in some good trouble. I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate. For as long as I am physically able. I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Joining me now, the author of "The Red Letter" on Substack, Tara Palmeri, former Trump campaign senior adviser, Bryan Lanza, and former Obama campaign adviser, Ameshia Cross. Glad you're all here.
I want to begin with you, Bryan, because, look, Florida voters, they like to cast their ballots pretty early. But the republican early turnout in Florida is down since the last time we had a major election like with the presidential election. So, this is the place when Trump won by 30 points.
BRYAN LANZA, FORMER DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR TRUMP 2016 CAMPAIGN: Yeah.
COATES: Are Republicans nervous about the turnout impacting who ultimately wins?
LANZA: I think Republicans are nervous about turnout. They should be nervous about turnout. I don't necessarily think it's a larger reflection of where the electorate is with President Trump. I think it's more of a reflection of a candidate who's just completely underperformed: Underperformed at fundraising, underperformed at debates, underperformed at showing to events.
COATES: Why has he?
LANZA: He probably takes it for granted. Probably thinks it's a Republican district who won it by 30 points. You know, the previous congressman won it by 33. I really don't have to do much. You see that happen from time to time. And -- and that's where we are.
And, you know, we've sounded the alarms. We're going to do what we can to close this out and make sure that we win at the end. But it is a lot closer than we wanted it to be, for sure.
COATES: How do Democrats seize on momentum? Have they been effective in trying to counter?
AMESHIA CROSS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think they've definitely been effective. And Bryan is right. Any time, and we've seen this across democratic districts as well, when you have a plus 30% in any race and you've seen it previously in race after race, you're not going to put forth that much effort. That's how in New York AOC became the congressional leader.
But I think that at this point, it is Democrats are really tying this to Elon Musk and -- and -- and the money that he has been able to funnel into several campaigns, talking about DOGE, talking about an elected -- a want to be elected leader who is not actually hosting any events or having those conversations, and that falls at the backdrop of Republicans not hosting town halls across districts in America.
So, I think that for Democrats, it is leaning in on you don't care about the people, watching folks continue to complain about their high cost of living, the price of eggs, so on and so forth, and really engaging on that front and tying this candidate to do nothing Republican Party.
COATES: I mean, Tara, I want to go to live pics right now because it is happening right now. You see on the Senate floor, you've got Senator Cory Booker holding a talkathon right now in an effort to protest Trump's actions. He is promising, by the way, to go as long as he is physically able.
I -- I know how long I could probably go. But -- I mean --
TARA PALMERI, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, PUCK: Right.
COATES: -- who don't want to talk their whole lives. I'm just thinking about that. Let me ask you. Is it too risky that he's doing this? Is it worthwhile?
PALMERI: I mean, the party certainly is looking for a leader right now. It feels like there is a leadership vacuum. So, perhaps, Cory Booker sees this as a moment to step up. I think people are hoping for more from Chuck Schumer. They were disappointed a few weeks ago when it came to that continuing resolution that he helped the Republicans pass.
Hakeem Jeffries is an okay communicator but, like, Corey is the -- you know, he's leading the Senate communications arm, and I think he's positioning himself for 2028. I mean, I've heard that from my sources, too.
So, this is the kind of move you would make when you're trying to elevate your profile. Not surprised to see it.
COATES: And both of my guests at the table kind of grimace for a second at the thought of 2028. Why?
LANZA: I -- I -- I don't -- I don't grimace at the election. I grimace at the -- at the theatrics. Like, I'm already bored by Cory Booker's four-hour speech. You know, what is he protesting? That Trump is joking about a third term? Like, what does the Democratic Party stand for us? I'm still curious about it.
You know, we're four months into Trump winning. They're still in disarray. They're trying to figure it out. The only success they're going to have in Florida is because a Republican candidate fell asleep at the switch. I still don't know what they're pushing. What's their agenda? What do they stand for?
And Cory talking four hours, maybe talking for 10 hours, I guarantee he's not going to tell the American people what they want to hear.
COATES: Is it effective, Ameshia?
CROSS: It depends on what said. I think that at this point, the Democrats are in a lot of trouble. We've seen the recent polling. They're running neck and neck with those. People hate those. People hate the Democratic Party. And the majority of people who are hating the Democratic Party right now are also Democrats.
[23:09:55]
So, he's got to step out of the fray and try to make some noise, not just for himself, but to show Democrats that he's doing something, that Democratic leaders are doing something because the biggest concern right now on the ground is that for traditional Democratic voters, they're saying, what are you guys doing at all?
They're ticked off about Donald Trump and some of the policies he has. They're obviously mad at Elon Musk and DOGE. But they're equally mad at the Democratic Party. So, I think that he's trying to, in some way, showcase that Democrats do have some fight in them. Whether they're watching him filibuster till 4, 5, 6 a.m., I don't think so, but he's doing something.
COATES: If green eggs and ham comes out, I'm just going to tell you, I'm -- I'm -- I'm going home at midnight. Let me ask you this, though, Tara, on this point because, look, sometimes, the party that's in power is the natural target. Right? And the minority party, this time the Democrats, could simply point out whether they think they're incompetent or that they're not doing enough or that they themselves are falling asleep at the wheel when you're talking about Republicans, if Florida is an example.
Let me ask you, though, the Signal-gate and other controversies that have happened --
PALMERI: Mhmm.
COATES: -- will that be enough to counter what the frustration is towards Democrats?
PALMERI: You know, I think Signal-gate really riles up the base of the Democratic Party. I actually think it really does kind of -- it weakens the base of the Republican Party because it's such an easy story to understand. And it impacts red voters and blue voters. It impacts our servicemen and their safety and the governance of this country. And if there's one thing that unites people from the left and the right and the apolitical, it's lack of good governance.
COATES: Hmmm.
PALMERI: And that's how you win an election. Like, that's how you win because you get those apolitical people to tune in. They're saying, why are you not handling a COVID crisis? Okay, there's not a lot of base support for Joe Biden, but he was able to win because they were unhappy with Trump's governance.
If it appears that the chaos around Trump is too much, you're going to see the -- you're going to see apolitical people come out and vote in 2024 and reward the Democrats, whether they like them or not.
COATES: You know, you're -- I know CNN is reporting tonight that Trump is keeping Waltz on board. What are you hearing?
PALMERI: You know, I've been hearing a lot of complaints about Waltz from his colleagues privately. Lot of frustrations. The cardinal sin, of course, was the fact that he talked to a reporter. You know, that he had that person's number in his phone, not the fact that there was classified information being shared in, you know, very unsecure way, in what looks like a major security breach. And I just think it's pretty rich because, you know, so many of the people around Donald Trump talk to reporters all the time. Signal is always used.
And, frankly, you know, Mike Waltz was on a media tour this summer as he was trying to elevate his profile. I mean, he was a two-term congressman from Florida who voted to certify the election for Joe Biden. He tried to come on my podcast. I was supposed to have him booked. Just because of scheduling conflict, we couldn't make it happen. But, you know, he was -- he was looking to get out there and build buzz.
And so, it's not surprising to me that he would talk to the editor-in- chief of "The Atlantic," Jeffrey Goldberg, who covers national security, which is his specialty.
I actually just didn't think that Mike Waltz would end up being the NSA. I didn't really follow up after that because he didn't have that big of a profile.
COATES: Well, he's got a big profile now and a lot of buzz, Bryan, certainly, but he didn't want what he has right now. But how do Republicans pivot, and why hadn't they done so effectively yet?
LANZA: Yeah. It's because it's the first sort of public mistake that the administration has been a part of, and then it has become a revolving disclosure. Right? It wasn't a -- it wasn't a clean mistake. It wasn't, you know, we made this mistake, all the facts came out pretty fast, and then we moved on. It's you had, you know, pieces of the story come out on Monday, pieces come out on Tuesday, you know, more pieces coming out on Thursday. I think that's the problem with the story. There have been so many denials, you know. No, I don't know the guy. No, it is my aide who put it in there.
Now, you're feeding more information for reporters to chase down and to add to the story. I think they would've just been better off, you know, saying, yeah, it got on there. You know, the mission was a huge success by every measurement, and let's just move on. But it's the revolving disclosures that's killing them.
COATES: Well, we'll see. We'll see what Senator Cory Booker might be saying about it because this is an ongoing story. Thank you, everyone.
There are much more tonight on the high stakes race in Wisconsin and how Elon Musk's money and posts are impacting the race on the ground. We'll get perspective from someone who knows the state better than anyone. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler is standing by
Plus, Trump cracks open Pandora's box by not rejecting talks of a potential third term. Is he serious? Can he do it? And would Republicans go along with it? All the answers are coming up.
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[23:15:00]
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COATES: Well, the world's richest man is saying the Wisconsin Supreme Court election will affect -- quote -- "the entire destiny of humanity." That's what he said. Now for Wisconsinites, it will determine the balance of power in the state's highest court with critical issues like abortion and redistricting till to be decided. Earlier today, President Trump weighed in on the election, including his thoughts on the Democratic nominee, Susan Crawford.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Yeah, there's a big race, and I hope you get out and vote for the Republican. The woman is a radical left lunatic. And let's see who wins. But the woman will be very bad. And, you know, Wisconsin is a big state politically. And the Supreme Court has a lot to do with elections in Wisconsin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: The woman, her name is Judge Crawford.
[23:19:57]
The president endorsed her rival, Brad Schimmel, but has been notable absent from and any campaign events, by the way, leaving Elon Musk to take up the mantle, holding a huge town hall event on Sunday while wearing the state's signature, well, Cheesehead. CNN reports that Musk and groups aligned with him have poured more than $20 million bucks into this race, making this the most expensive judicial race in history.
Joining me now to dig into all this is the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Brad Wikler -- Ben Wikler. Excuse me. Ben, glad you're here. Ben, Musk appearing on stage Sunday, handing out not one but two $1 million checks. He has poured millions into this race. Tell me what effect has that had?
BEN WIKLER, CHAIR, DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WISCONSIN: Well, Elon Musk seems to think that Wisconsin is for sale, and it might be the --
COATES: Oh, we were not able to hear you for a second. Ben, are you there?
WIKLER: Can you hear me now?
COATES: Now I can hear you. Go ahead. What -- what effect has he had?
WIKLER: Well, Elon Musk might think that Wisconsin is for sale because Brad Schimmel, the Republican-backed candidate, has been for sale -- for sale. Brad Schimmel has talked about buying kneepads so he could crawl around on his knees and beg, please, please, please to donors to give to his campaign. He went to Trump's inauguration.
And shortly afterwards, Elon Musk both sued Wisconsin to change the rules around car dealerships for Tesla, and then started tweeting and eventually funneling money into the state.
For a lot of voters, though, this is disgusting. The Supreme Court is supposed to be the highest judicial body, independent, a check on the executive branch. It's supposed to interpret the law, not advance a partisan agenda. The Schimmel campaign is all about ads saying that he's going to advance Trump's agenda, and that's what Musk keeps talking about. They're talking about locking in a partisan gerrymander in our congressional districts. And it's pretty clear that Elon Musk doesn't want the law to apply to him.
I think that's actually really unpopular with Wisconsinites. It's why Susan Crawford is favored to win tomorrow. She's a candidate who really can't be bought by either side. She believes that we should have the rule of law equally for everyone. We shouldn't just do what the richest people in the world want the courts to do.
COATES: I want to touch on the favorability in a second. But first, you've mentioned donors. And, you know, the Wisconsin Democratic Party, which you chair, received $3.5 million from billionaires like George Soros, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Why should the public not view the money they donate on the same plane as that given from Elon Musk?
WIKLER: Well, Elon Musk is the only person right now who is running the federal government, dismantling Social Security, threatening to impeach judges when they get in his way, attacking the Veterans Administration, attacking the Postal Service, and essentially claiming that the law doesn't apply, Congress doesn't apply. He can do whatever he wants no matter who it hurts.
Simultaneously, he's the only major donor in this race that I'm aware of who has a case in the Wisconsin court system that will benefit his own bottom line. And he has given about six times as much as any other donor. The second biggest donor, by the way, also Republican multibillionaires.
So, this is really in a category by itself something we've never seen before in Wisconsin and more than anyone has ever donated to any judicial election in American history.
If he does this in Wisconsin successfully, we can expect him to try it again in elections all over the country. We have to ask ourselves. Certainly, we need campaign finance reform. But in the meantime, as voters, do we want people who've been bought and sold by Elon Musk? If we don't, we've got to elect Susan Crawford.
COATES: You know, Judge Crawford said her opponent is not Mr. Schimmel, but instead was Elon Musk. And to your point, Crawford and other Democrats have gone after Elon Musk. His rating, favorable rating in Wisconsin, just 41% versus 53% unfavorable. I suppose that's why you focus your attacks on him.
I want to turn, though, to another issue because the election commission in Wisconsin, they've reported that early in-person voting is actually up 37% over the Supreme Court election back in April of 2023 that shows some surges in some GOP strongholds in the state. Does that worry you, that -- that the -- that the actual turnout might be even higher?
WIKLER: Well, it's hard to spend $20 million through his Super PACs, plus $3 million in giant checks. Three million dollars was given to the Wisconsin Republican Party. Hard to spend all that without affecting any votes. The question is whether Elon Musk is going to motivate more voters for Schimmel than Democrats and opponents of Elon Musk that he motivates to vote for Susan Crawford.
We're seeing explosive turnout on both sides in this election. We don't know if this is going to be close or not. What we know is there's a level of engagement from voters here that goes beyond anything I've seen. People who feel panicked that the country is being ripped apart by Elon Musk and Donald Trump and who want a way to fight back.
So that is propelling a ton of support for Susan Crawford in this race for a candidate who doesn't want to ban abortion, doesn't want to sell this state's highest court to the highest bidder in American history, and wants to keep Wisconsin for Wisconsinites.
[23:24:59]
COATES: What do you think of Senator Cory Booker's tactic in terms of protesting the president by speaking on the floor? He says, as long as he is physically able to do so. Will this appeal to Wisconsin voters or others?
WIKLER: I think, you know, this is a moment when for folks that are watching the kind of dismantling of our system of checks and balances of our federal government before our eyes, it's all hands on deck. Everyone doing everything they can do. I will also say that tomorrow, Wisconsinites will be thinking about this Supreme Court race first and foremost.
Elon Musk was just here. He was doing a tele town hall tonight. Donald Trump is talking about this in Washington, D.C. And Wisconsin, everywhere, there are people knocking on doors and making phone calls, ads on every screen, billboards up, mobile trucks with sound going around in different cities. We had one outside the Brewers game yesterday. Wisconsin is pretty hyper focused on the Supreme Court race right now.
I think this is the first test of this new Trump era, of whether or not what Trump and Musk are doing is politically toxic because they -- they can have all the money in the world. But if they are making voters furious, they're not going to win elections like the Wisconsin Supreme Court race or the midterms in 2026.
And Republicans in purple districts had better pay attention to what happens tomorrow as they think about whether to stick with Musk as he attacks programs that allow working people to retire with dignity in this country.
COATES: It will indeed be a barometer. Ben Wikler, thank you so much.
WIKLER: Thanks for having me on.
COATES: So, while Elon Musk tries to block Judge Crawford from winning in Wisconsin, Republicans on the Hill are trying to come up with ways to limit judges nationally. Tomorrow, House Judiciary chairman, Republican Congressman Jim Jordan from Ohio, he's going to hold a hearing addressing what he calls judicial overreach. It is the latest step in the GOP's pushback against court rulings that have blocked some of Trump's policies. But what does the public think about all this?
CNN's chief data analyst, Harry Enten, looked into all of it for us, and he joins us now. Harry, I'm dying to know what the answer is. How does the country feel about the state of the judiciary right now?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yeah, the state of the judiciary, as far as the American public is concerned, is going down. I'll talk about the confidence here. Americans confident in the judiciary. Look at this. In 2020, it was 59%. Look at this drop by 2024. Just 35%. That's a 24-point drop. Gallup says it's one of the largest drops they have ever seen in terms of confidence of the judiciary, and they've been looking at a ton of countries.
And, in fact -- let's look at some other countries besides the United States. Let's look at the medium OECD country. These are countries like Canada, France, Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, etcetera. You know, first world countries. Look at this. The median, 55% have confidence in their country's judiciary system compared to the United States this past year. Look at that. Thirty-five percent. So, confidence in the judiciary, as far as Americans are concerned, going down.
COATES: And just in four years. That's a huge drop as well, by the way.
ENTEN: Huge.
COATES: I mean, look, we know Republicans, they have not been thrilled with rulings against Trump. But what about the core concept of judicial review, that they have the right to review and decide the constitutionality of something?
ENTEN: Sometimes, they're just some poll numbers that just jump up off the screen at me. Let's take a look here. All right, allow judges to review Trump's policies. Look at this. Overall, 77% say yes compared to 23% that say no. Among Republicans, it is a majority, Laura, but it's just 56%. Look at this. Forty-four percent -- 44% say no, judges do not have the right to review Trump's policies. That is an outstanding number to me. I never thought I would see it, Laura Coates.
COATES: There's the bench as well. I mean, the judges thinking they have the right to review things. That's the kind of the premise of what they're doing.
ENTEN: Yes.
COATES: It's stunning to think about these numbers at this point in time. You know, Elon Musk, as you know, he has been calling to actually impeach judges who rule against Trump. How do Republicans feel about that? ENTEN: Oh, boy. Again, you know, you wouldn't believe it until you poll it. Impeach judges who rule against Trump. Look, 65% of the overall public opposes. But look at the majority of Republicans, Laura. Fifty-nine percent support this idea of impeaching judges who rule against Donald Trump.
So, Elon Musk, in this particular case, is with the majority of the Republicans. Again, this is poll numbers. I wouldn't believe them unless I saw them. But they're here loud and clear, Laura.
COATES: Loud and clear, and apparently not going anywhere. Harry Enten, thank you so much.
ENTEN: Thank you.
COATES: Up next, Obama versus Trump in 2028?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'd love that.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): His third term.
TRUMP: Boy, I'd love that. That would -- that would be a good one. I'd like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: President Trump's fueling talk of a third term run and suggesting there's a way for him to actually do it. My next guest warns he's not joking and has some comparisons to a European leader currently in his fourth term.
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[23:30:00]
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: People are asking me to run. And there's a whole story about running for a third term. I don't know. I never looked into it. They do say there's a way you can do it, but I don't know about that. But I have not looked into it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: President Trump today downplaying his own comments about running for a third term. But over the weekend, Trump said he's actually not joking about it. So, is a third term laughable or a possibility? Well, let me ask what you all been thinking.
[23:35:00]
Can he do that? Well, the Constitution makes one thing clear. He can't be elected to a third term. Look at the 22nd Amendment. No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice. There's that word again. Elected. Now, Trump supporters, they're highlighting that word. So, the question is, is there another way he could become the president without actually being elected?
Well, Trump can't run again, but his vice president, J.D. Vance can. Imagine a scenario where Vance runs for president and flips the ticket. This time, it is Trump who is Vance's running mate. And if Vance wins, he could resign, and then hand the presidency back to Trump. Even Trump suggested it.
But then check out the 12th Amendment. It states, if someone is constitutionally ineligible for the presidency, well, then they can't be the V.P. So, Trump couldn't be anyone's running mate, it seems.
But then, say Vance wins with a different running mate, and then that V.P. resigns. Well, the 25th Amendment says, the president can choose a different V.P. and as long as Congress gives the thumbs up. Well, could that be Trump?
These are all hypotheticals. And even Senate Majority Leader John Thune says that Trump can't serve another term without -- quote -- "a change in the Constitution." And they could change the constitution. But it's no cakewalk, my friends. You got to pass by two-thirds of Congress, ratified by three-fourths of the states. But longtime Trump ally, Steve Bannon, has a response to that cakewalk. We're working on it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE BANNON, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: We want Trump in '28. That's what they can't stand. A man like Trump comes along only once or twice in a country's history. Right?
All right. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Hang on, hang on, hang on. What do we have to do to get Trump 2028? We just got to -- we got to keep -- we got to show up and stay loud. Exactly. We got to maybe work the Constitution, too, although I think there's a way to slip through there, but you never know.
I am a firm believer that president Trump will run and win again in 2028.
CHRIS COUMO, NEWSNATION ANCHOR: You know he's term limited. How do you think he gets another term?
BANNON: We're working on it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: With me now, Anne Applebaum, staff writer for "The Atlantic" and the author of the piece just out this morning, "America's Future Is Hungary." And I want to begin with what the president says he's not joking about. Why is it so difficult people to believe he might be serious about seeking a third term? ANNE APPLEBAUM, STAFF WRITER, THE ATLANTIC: Because we've all become very complacent about our Constitution, about the rule of law. We just assume these things will last because they've always lasted. And the idea that a president would actively seek to break the law and destroy the Constitution still seems incredible to Americans. And yet, we have a president who is breaking the law every day and abolishing programs mandated by Congress every day.
You know, nevertheless, this radical change in our politics is something I think people are just overwhelmed by and can't accept.
COATES: That's why your piece, I felt, was so striking. I mean, it's out this morning. And in it, you talk about how one person who changed the Constitution to stay in power is Hungary's autocratic leader, Viktor Orban. And in your piece, you write about how much MAGA leaders admire him. What is it about him that they find so appealing?
APPLEBAUM: I think what they find appealing about Orban is that he's someone who was democratically elected. He was a legitimate leader of Hungary. But when he won election for the second time, he was very determined never to lose again. And so, he set about undermining, reshaping, destroying all kinds of Hungarian institutions from the judiciary to the media to the civil service to the universities.
I think they particularly admire the way he actually destroyed a university. He did all kinds of bureaucratic changes to make the other universities essentially loyal to him so that he could have influence over faculty and programs.
All those things are people who are power hungry and who dream of locking in the presidency and locking in the U.S. government for good, see that, and they find something admirable.
You know, Viktor Orban set up a kind of one-party state. It's very difficult for him to lose an election. And that's what they want, too. They're not actually all that -- they're all -- not all that shy about saying it. You heard Steve Bannon in the clips you've just paid saying more or less that.
COATES: And one of the things that struck me is that idea of the laws that were changed to make conduct that people would initially find illegal now to be in line with what he has changed the laws to talk about.
And you write about how -- that America is spinning quickly in the direction of Hungarian populism, Hungarian politics, and Hungarian justice. But that means Hungarian stagnation, Hungarian corruption, and Hungarian poverty lie in our future, too.
[23:40:04]
So, what kind of impact has Orban's rule actually had on this country?
APPLEBAUM: This is very rarely looked about -- looked at. A lot of people have written about Orban's language about immigrants, about defiance of the European Union, about his role trying to port Trump and other European far-right political leaders and political parties.
Not that many people look at what actually happened in Hungary, and what happened in Hungary is that it became one of the poorest countries in the European Union. It's stagnating, very poor health care, very poor education. A lot of Hungarians leave the country, especially educated Hungarians. There's a problem in some Hungarian hospitals because so many doctors have wanted to leave. It's a -- it's a stagnant country.
There's about -- between a fifth and a quarter of the Hungarian economy is now dominated by companies who have direct links to the prime minister. Many of them are led by his family members. His son- in-law has become particularly wealthy, but other members of his family have as well. Those are companies that exist because of their relationship with the state. They're not entrepreneurial. They don't have normal business practices. That's a big weight on the economy.
And also, the gradual deterioration of the rule of law scares off other companies. People who really want to do business or want to make money stay away from Hungary because of the corruption and the political pressure. You can't really exist there even as a foreign company unless you have some cronyish relationship with the state and with the ruling party. And over time, over decade, that has taken a real toll on the Hungarian economy.
And in Hungary, a lot of those changes have been restricted or mitigated by the European Union, by other international institutions. I mean, those are things that we even have here in the United States.
COATES: It's striking. And people would be very prudent to read this and really reflect on be careful what you wish for and who you admire if you don't look past the initial personality and the impact on the country instead. Anne Applebaum, a pleasure. Thank you.
APPLEBAUM: Thank you.
COATES: Up next, a farmer, a car dealer, and a home builder walk into a bar to talk tariffs, except the bar is actually my show. So, forget the economists and get ready to hear from these business owners next.
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[23:45:00]
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: This is the beginning of Liberation Day in America. We're going to take back just some of the money that has been taken from us. Business is coming back to the United States so that they don't have to pay tariffs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: President Trump promising a new set of hefty tariffs will boost the U.S. economy. But the details of Wednesday's rollout, they're, frankly, still murky. Now, this we know. The much talked about 25% tariff on all imported cars is set to take effect this Thursday. Will Americans have to swallow the higher prices?
With me now, business leaders directly impacted by Trump's sweeping gambit, Russ Richardson, a car salesman in Pittsburgh, Domenic Cortese, president of Cortese Construction Services, and John Boyd, Jr., the founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association. Glad to see all of you, guys, here.
I want to begin with you, Russ, because I am curious. Are people rushing to your car dealership ahead of all of these expected tariffs? How much will it impact your business?
RUSSELL RICHARDSON, CAR SALESMAN: Yeah. Absolutely. And not just at my dealership, but I'm well connected in the automotive industry. And a lot of dealerships posted a record -- a record month. And a lot of that came in the last week of the month as these tariffs went from a maybe to almost a certainty that is about to happen.
What is going to happen moving forward after the tariffs come out is really a wait and see type of thing. A lot of manufacturers have been hush-hush on what they're going to do. To my knowledge, the only -- the only manufacturer that has come out and said what they're going to do is BMW. And they're going to price protect their dealers and consumers through May. Other than that, every manufacturer has not really said much.
COATES: I mean, May is a hop, skip, and a jump away. It must be very, very disconcerting and anxiety ridden to have this uncertainty in some respects of what's next.
I mean, John, I want to ask you because Trump has expressed his love for farmers, but has asked the key constituency to what he says is to -- quote -- "bear with him." Give me a reality check. What are you hearing from farmers?
JOHN BOYD, JR., FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, NATIONAL BLACK FARMERS ASSOCIATION: Well, first of all, this is going to be the president's biggest mistakes, imposing tariffs. And I feel like it's casting a cloud of uncertainty for America's farmers. Every time the president says the word tariffs, the price drops.
And people don't understand that the three things that America still does better than any other part of the world is produce corn, wheat, and soybeans. We don't have to ship them out and bring them back and do anything to them. When we good, it's ready to go.
And the president is bargaining and gambling with America's farmers future. He's going to put a lot of farmers out of business. And, how -- I ask the question tonight, how American is that? This is the body of people, America's farmers that voted for this president, overwhelmingly. I didn't. But many farmers in this country supported him, put his pasteboards out on their farms, and believe that this person is going to help them. And right now, America's farmers are suffering. They don't -- they don't have farm operating loans in place. And here it is, planting season. And the president says we have to wait. And he made some sarcastic remark that America's farmers can open, find new markets at home. China is America's biggest farmer -- market, excuse me, for soybeans.
[23:50:00]
Mexico is the biggest purchaser of American grown corn. This president is going down the wrong path, and he's destroying American agriculture in this country.
COATES: Dominic, from cars to what's happening with farmers, I am curious about what's happening with home builders because economists expect home builders to pull back in the coming months. How could these tariffs add to the cost of buying a home for Americans, let alone building?
DOMENIC CORTESE, PRESIDENT, CORTESE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES: The truth is that we are expecting the cost of lumber package to go up for a new home. It must -- it's -- it's estimated to be somewhere in the $7,500 range. But I think there's some pain that'll be experienced here, and there may be some long-term gain in the fact that there really is a lot of domestic lumber that is produced, that we don't buy domestically.
We are relying on Canadian lumber. But we do have the capacity to produce lumber here to sustain our needs. And I think you might see a shift, Laura, to a more domestic lumber production.
COATES: That'd be quite promising to think about tapping into that inventory. Russ, let me go to you because the president says he -- quote -- "couldn't care less if auto tariffs raise car prices." What would you tell the president in response? Should he care?
RICHARDSON: Yeah. I mean, there is some short-term pain that might be felt from this, but I do ultimately think that in the attempt to bring back manufacturing jobs to the United States, that is something beneficial to the U.S.
You know, there will -- there will be -- this burden will probably fall on the consumer. You know, some manufacturers might eat the cost. Some dealerships might do what they can to make pricing not go up. But at the end of the day, consumers will be the ones who pay this in the short term. Nobody knows what the long-term outlook is on these tariffs. But I do know that --
COATES: How much more will it cost for a car?
RICHARDSON: Say that one more time, Laura.
COATES: How much more would it cost for a car, you think?
RICHARDSON: It really depends. A lot of people are estimating 5 to $10,000 on the average range. Some cars could go up $50,000. You look at $250,000 Porsche. If that gets hit with a 25% tariff, you know, and they pass that on to the consumer, that could go up $50 grand.
COATES: Let me ask you, John, really quickly, too, because Trump has talked about the idea that tariffs are not actually a tax. But will American consumers ultimately bear the brunt of tariffs that farmers feel, too?
BOYD: Yes. And to answer your earlier question, the president was in office the first time he announced these tariffs on China. Their price went, Laura, from $16.80 a bushel for American grown soybeans all the way down to $6 a bushel. That didn't help the American farm at all. And I don't see it going to help a few in the long run.
So, again, I think that the president is playing footsies with America's farmers. He has completely dismantled the Department of Agriculture, laid off workers there, and closing off offices that farmers rely on, to go into offices and to do (INAUDIBLE).
And the president also said that there'll be some resources coming out to America's farmers when he's closing the offices, Laura. I mean, so he's -- he's -- he's playing footsies and he's gambling with American farmers' future in this country. Once you go out of business, it's not like the cover plants (ph). When the farmer loses his farm, he loses his heritage, his livelihood, and he becomes (INAUDIBLE).
So, I'm calling on the president today to open these offices, return those workers back to USDA, and open those up. America's farmers can do business.
COATES: Gentlemen, I'm really glad I got a chance to speak with each of you and learn more about your fields and for the American people to hear as well. Thank you.
COATES: Up next, astronauts Suni and Butch speaking out about their ordeal in space and what life is like back here on Earth, including their first meal. And is it clever or is it cheating? Meet the internet's newest villain, the torpedo bat.
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[23:55:00]
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UNKNOWN (voice-over): Given an opportunity, would you guys go up on Starliner again?
BUTCH WILMORE, ASTRONAUT: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: In case you missed it, they would do it all over again. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams speaking today for the first time since their long overdue return to Earth. They say they would go back to space on the very same ship whose problems extended their stay nine months. The astronauts went on to say they plan to learn from their mistakes with the hope of making Starliner successful in the near future.
And while they may seem eager to get back to work, they haven't taken the little things for granted since they got back. Suni revealed her first real meal. She says she got to eat a grilled cheese sandwich the day she returned. And tonight, she told Anderson Cooper about her favorite part of that day.
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SUNI WILLIAMS, ASTRONAUT: I think the best thing that night was just to lay down in a bed and go to bed -- go to sleep. I didn't even need a pillow. You know, I was thinking about, will my neck need a pillow? I'm, like, nope, I don't need a pillow, I don't care, I just want to lay flat on something. I didn't really want to sit down. I think my -- I don't know if my butt would be ready for a sit down, but a lay down was pretty awesome.
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(LAUGHTER)
COATES: And on another note, did you catch this one?
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UNKNOWN (voice-over): Trap. Wall. See you. A grand slam for Aaron Judge. And the Yankees are pouring it on.
[23:59:58]
COATES: That Yankees grand slam and the record tying number of homeruns they've hit so far this season has some angry baseball fans blaming the Bats. Now, Aaron Judge wasn't using this. But many of his teammates were. It's called the torpedo bat. You've seen it in your feed. But other Yankee players are, and it's fueling the surge in home runs. See how it gets fatter a couple inches below the top? Well, they've -- they're custom fitted to each player's sweet spot, beefing up the part of the bat where the player most often hits the ball.
The internet is losing its mind over whether it's clever or cheating.
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One user writing, I think the torpedo bats are stupid. Do steroids like a man. Okay? Major League Baseball weighed in and says, well, they're legal. And by the way, the Yankees aren't the only team that uses them.
Thanks for watching, everyone. "Anderson Cooper 360" is next.
