Former President Donald Trump has left political pundits in disbelief after delivering a marathon two-hour address to 3,500 fervent supporters at a Palm Beach convention center, where he took shots at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and praised the terrorist group Hezbollah as “very smart” after the brutal attack on Israel.
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Willie Geist expressed shock and concern over Trump’s meandering discourse, where he delved into conspiracy theories, accused Barack Obama of clandestine control, and raged over his legal issues.
The hosts didn’t hold back in their criticism of the current state of the Republican Party, describing it as “lost” and “aimlessly wandering in right field.”
“If you want to know where the Republican Party is in 2023, the two leading candidates for speaker, well, neither one of them have said who won the 2020 election,” Scarborough remarked. “This party, this is a party that is so lost right now and just wandering around aimlessly in right field.”
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Trump’s praise for Hezbollah and his controversial statements about world leaders drew sharp condemnation from the hosts with Geist expressing disbelief at the GOP’s continued defense of Trump and suggesting that the party’s congressional leadership was endorsing what were once considered fringe views.
The hosts went so far as to describe Trump as “off the rails” and “insane,” emphasizing the alarming nature of his remarks.
“We’ve gotten used to it the last couple years, but that is absolutely insane that they’re still running defense, still running interference for Donald Trump, who is running for president again — and, by the way, maybe we won’t play it, but… truly, yesterday, an insane event,” said Geist. “He was talking about Barack Obama is actually running the government, criticizing Bibi Netanyahu, saying – I want to make sure I get the quote right – that Hezbollah is, quote, ‘very smart’ – Hezbollah,” Geist continued.
“That’s the guy they’re defending right now while the sitting president of the United States makes speeches in defense of Israel, unequivocal defenses, and looks like a president, frankly, while Donald Trump is truly, truly appearing to be off the rails and, frankly, insane,” he added.
“Out of his mind,” Scarborough agreed. “I mean, praising Hezbollah, just like he praised Vladimir Putin, said he was brilliant after the invasion of Ukraine. All the praise that he’s had for President Xi in China, always talking about what a brilliant man he is. Same thing, of course, with the tyrannical leader of North Korea – out of his mind, and again, the fact that Republicans are embracing this guy just is absolutely crazy.”
Former Senator Claire McCaskill joined the chorus of criticism during a segment on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” She seized on Trump’s praise for Hezbollah amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel and Hamas, sharply rebuking the former President and Congressional Republicans.
McCaskill didn’t mince words in her assessment, accusing Trump and his followers of “hollowing out” the Republican Party. She decried the party’s departure from its traditional support for freedom and democracy, pointing to the unsettling trend of some Republicans praising dictators and groups like Hezbollah.
The former senator characterized this shift as not just shocking but outright “disgusting” in the context of a global crisis. The developments are raising questions about the future direction and leadership of the Republican Party in the eyes of both political insiders and the broader public.
“Donald Trump and his followers have hollowed out the Republican Party,” she said. “Typically the Republican Party would be first in line to say, ‘put everything else aside, we’ve got to support our friends who support freedom and democracy.’ But you’ve got many of them now praising thugs and dictators and Putin and Hezbollah, and it’s beyond shocking — it’s disgusting.”
Watch the segments below:
