Jen Psaki shreds Trump's 'insane' threats in on-air takedown: 'A last straw for many'
President Donald Trump's Iran strategy has been such a disaster, said MS NOW's Jen Psaki on Tuesday's edition of "The Briefing," that it even has far-right pundits saying the exact thing about the military that, just a few months ago, Democratic lawmakers enraged the Trump administration by saying.
"After all that bluster, after all that maximalist language and reprehensible threats of genocide, after all that, where does this leave us?" said Psaki. "I mean, gas prices are at their highest levels in years, with the national average now sitting at $4.14 a gallon, according to AAA. Trump has destroyed America's already-fractured relationship with our closest allies, threatening the future of the NATO alliance. America has lost any moral authority on the question of war crimes and whether we can expect other countries to adhere to the Geneva Conventions, as Trump ignores them. He's risked the prestige of America's military, treating them like a bunch of toy soldiers."
To add insult to injury, Psaki continued, "today, the regime that was facing mass protests just a short few months ago mobilized hundreds of Iranians to take to the streets and form a human chain around the power plants and bridges that the U.S. had threatened to target. When the president was asked by NBC News about that, he said, without a hint of irony, that the demonstrations were, quote, 'totally illegal,' adding, 'they're not allowed to do that.' So if you're keeping track, the president insists it's fair game to wipe out an entire country in violation of international law, but if Iranians gather on their bridges and around their power plants, he says, that's illegal."
"Meanwhile, Trump's insane threats have become something of a last straw for many in the president's fraying MAGA coalition," said Psaki. "Right-wing influencers like Alex Jones, Candace Owens, and Marjorie Taylor Greene are now calling on Trump's cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump from office. And just listen to this familiar-sounding edict from MAGA influencer Tucker Carlson."
"If you work in the White House or in the U.S. military, now is the time to say no, absolutely not, and say it directly to the president," said Carlson in the clip. "Those people who are in direct contact with the president need to say no. I'll resign. I'll do whatever I can do legally to stop this, because this is insane. And if given the order, I'm not carrying it out. Figure out the codes on the football yourself."
"Sound familiar?" said Psaki. "Tucker Carlson is imploring members of the military not to carry out any illegal orders issued by Donald Trump. That's essentially the same advice that several Democratic lawmakers gave to members of the armed services last year. It's the advice that prompted Trump to accuse the Democrats of treason and target them for retribution. Trump's Defense Secretary even tried to demote Senator and retired Navy captain Mark Kelly over his role in that message to servicemembers."
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