Donald Trump just stepped on a Political Landmine

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In his CNN town hall this week, former President Donald Trump said that Republicans in Congress should make a default. Elected Republicans don’t seem too keen on the idea.

What is Donald Trump Saying Now?

Many of the things Donald Trump said in his CNN town hall Wednesday were long-debunked lies. The other is just a bad policy proposal.

When asked about the budget and debt ceiling talks by moderator Kaitlan Collins, Trump suggested the GOP default.

Such a default, long threatened in previous budget showdowns, would be the first in US history.

“I say to the Republicans out there, congressmen and senators, if they don’t give you massive cuts, you have to default,” Trump said.

It is easier to call for a default if one is not currently in government and is not responsible for the collapse, which would likely be catastrophic for the economy. And when Trump was president, the debt ceiling was raised without any massive cuts multiple times without incident.

Trump has instigated a pair of government shutdowns during his presidency, including one when his own party took control of Congress, but none of them were about the debt ceiling.

A Big Mistake for Trump

Following the former presidents’ comments on Wednesday, Republican senators were less enthused about the idea of ​​a default, The Hill reported.

I don’t think anybody suggesting that we have to do a default is smart policy, smart strategy for this country, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told the publication. Right now, the talks are happening with the top four and of course the White House, and now the staff. What we want to do is encourage that every step of the way.

Most people recognize that we have to make a deal here, said Sen. John Thune (R-SD) on The Hill. I don’t think we want to go there with the potential consequences.

No one thinks default is a good idea. No one, said Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), according to The Hill.

Yes, well, we cannot make a default but we must find a way to reach a compromise. That’s what you expect a president to do, Sen said. Mitt Romney (R-UT), a frequent Trump critic, about the comments.

More Exciting Ideas…

There was more fallout from comments Trump made Wednesday night. When discussing a possible case against him related to classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, Trump made a statement that could hurt him.

According to NBC News, when Trump told CNN that he had every right to take the boxes from the White House, the former president appeared to contradict his lawyers’ claims, and provided potentially important evidence for to federal prosecutors investigating whether to charge him with a crime .

I was there and I took what I took and it was declassified, Trump said of the documents.

Legal experts told NBC that Trump’s comments could make a criminal indictment more likely.

Trump’s comments hurt him, and what he said mattered, John Fishwick, a former US attorney for the Western District of Virginia, told NBC.

Not only do they contradict his legal position, he admits to the existence and knowledge of classified documents that he obtains from the White House. [Special Counsel] Jack Smith will make good use of the town hall last night and it will help him button his case.

In addition, according to the New York Times, E. Jean Carroll who won a $5 million verdict after a jury found that Trump both sexually abused and defamed her may sue Trump again, based on comments she made in the town hall.

So while many of Trump’s opponents, and even some CNN employees, were outraged that CNN gave him an hour of airtime before a friendly audience, the things he said at the CNN town hall may have both put him at odds with Republicans in Congress, which he did. weak in another case, and put him at further criminal legal risk.

MORE: Could Donald Trump Be Disqualified From Being President Again?

MORE: Could Donald Trump Leave the GOP?

Expertise and Experience:

Stephen Silver is a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive. He is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

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