Trump’s America: Great again or big failure? | Head to Head

[Music] they're not happy here then you can leave they're bringing drugs they're bringing crime they're rapists [Music] racism misogyny corruption accusations of collusion and love affairs with dictators Donald Trump's presidency has been engulfed by chaos and controversy from day one of course many still support the President and say he's doing wonders for the US economy but with many economists predicting a recession potential big trouble for the Trump economy some are beginning to wonder if Trump is headed for a defeat in next year's election my guest tonight though is Stephen Moore one of America's most famous conservative voices on the economy and an advisor to the Trump 2020 campaign he's argued that the president deserves the Nobel Prize in Economics I mean whatever Trump is doing on the economy it sure is working because we've got these you know tremendous conditions right now and a lifelong champion of free trade more is now defending Trump's tariffs arguing that they're all part of the president's grand plan to make America great again I support what the president's doing on China but there's no question this has slowed down the kind this is short-term pain for long-term gain I'm Maggie Hassan and I've come to Washington DC to go head-to-head with Stephen Moore a senior member of the Trump 2020 campaign and one of the presidents top economic advisors held for the first time at George Washington University I'll ask him whether Trump anomic s-- is really helping ordinary Americans and whether a volatile and seemingly unstable Trump is even fit to be President of the United States [Music] I'll also be joined by Rick Wilson a longtime Republican political strategist who's become a leading conservative critic of the President and author of the book everything Trump touches dies Jenna Ellis Reeves a constitutional lawyer and member of the Trump 2020 advisory board and Tiffany Kraus a liberal commentator and co-founder of the national news website the beat DC [Applause] ladies and gentlemen please welcome Steven Moore Steven Moore is co-author of the book Trump anomic s-- inside the America first plan to revive the economy Steven war thank you for joining me on head-to-head pleasure to be here I mean why is it Steven that you think that US President Donald Trump of all people deserves to win the Nobel Prize for economics well we've got a very strong economy in the United States right now you know it's weakened a little bit from last year when I said that I think on CNN that he should win the Nobel Prize for economics but it's it's the strongest economy in the world today for reviving the economy I think Trump deserves a lot of credit and maybe a Nobel Prize you say reviving the economy let's just be clear about what Trump promised he promised 4% even 5% growth he hasn't even managed 3% yeah he promised to eliminate the national debt in eight years instead he's increasing it by four trillion dollars he said he would save Cole Cole hasn't be saved he said he would restore manufacturing it's in a recession just one failed economic pledge after another now I see things real differently I mean those are first of all you don't see them differently those effect right look it's Polly trillion-dollar in German debt I mean Trump makes grandiose promises he exaggerates and sometimes they wish you wouldn't do that but you know if you compare where the economy is today versus where it was when he entered office it's substantially stronger if you're an American worker and you're looking for a job this is the best labor market for workers so probably in 50 years and the labor market is great David 807 just for audience here in audience watching at home there have been a hundred and seven consecutive months of job growth mhm 76 under Obama and 31 under Trump shouldn't you say Thank You Barack Obama look Obama certainly deserves some credit for getting that unemployment rate down but it continues to slide lower than anybody thought was possible I think that you know if you look at growth is growing slower under Trump than it did on Wow Barack Obama the problem let me say this the problem we have in there an economy today is not a shortage of jobs even if we put every unemployed person into a job we'd still have a million half jobs left over that's up that's a pretty strong economy it isn't I'm saying that you inherited a pretty strong economy you say Trump should be given yeah you say Trump should be given a Nobel Prize for economics when Barack Obama was president you said Americans shouldn't reelect incumbents who quote run up the deficit by a trillion dollars no words no this year the Trump deficit crossed a trillion dollars it will cross a trillion last year as well so Stevens surely for the sake of consistency you will be urging everyone not to reelect Donald Trump well I've been very critical of the overspending that's going on in Washington and I think both parties are responsible for that the good news is that the economy is growing faster than the dot that's the most important thing make sure that our ability to repay the debt you see that's the most people think but under Obama you didn't say that was a most important because you cannot run up the deficit by one trillion dollars blam you said you said let me quote yeah I'm angry because we're borrowing 19 trillion dollars Trump is now borrowing 22 trillion dollars are you angry now or angry when Obama's their dad as a share of GDP in the last two years under Bush and the eight years under Obama doubled we borrowed more money in Bush's last two years and Obama's eight year and then all of the share of GDP according to the world war two levels under Trump do you do you recognize this book I do you wrote this book called in 2009 how Barack Obama is bankrupting the US economy tonight do you want to change the name right over and put Donald now I can give you a copy no and get you a sharpie now because there's $22,000 in there's a big trillion dollar deficit blooming at a condo think I'm gonna be honest no the last year that Barack Obama was president the economy grew by 1.5 percent last year Barack you know very well we got fiscal year 2009 as measured by economist George Bush's budget you know it wasn't the numbers let me ask you what the Chinese trade war Donald Trump said last year that trade wars are good and easy to win he now says he didn't say it but he did say it clearly hasn't been easy to win right and in terms of being good don't these Trump tariffs on China represent the biggest tax increase on US consumers in modern time look I am a free trade guy and one of the things I first told Donald Trump when I met him when he asked me to work for him as a senior economist I said mister you know Donald I'm a free trade guy he said look I believe in free trade he just he said I want a level playing field we are in an epic battle with the Chinese it's gonna last decades don't the Trump tariffs on China we could talk about decades-long battle right now don't they represent the biggest tax increase on US consumers in modern times well no because you say no but those are your words you said that Trump's idea of a 35% tariff on imported goods would represent the biggest tax increase on US consumers in modern time suddenly you start working for Trump and that's not true the average American family has seen about a $1,500 reduction in their taxes thanks to the to the wiped out by these tariffs no they haven't been Federal Reserve says $800 how about that you know who you new Federal Reserve the tax policy for the federal your burden of those of those terrorists are borne by American consumers if that's the case then why would China care the fact anyway before bearing the cost so enjoyed this conversation because yes Stephenville you're arguing with yourself I'm not the one who says I'm not the one who said every coat or tariffs imposed on the u.s. hurts residence in the United States because all restrictions hurt the United States right tariffs have never worked always end in an unhappy ending cuz your so let me explain you argue with us because it's an important point do I think that these these terrorists on our China are hurting American consumers absolutely they're so why does Donald Trump not accept how they say he'd look he says the Chinese and not any Americans are paying the tariffs that's a lie you know that's a lie you're saying is the bulk of the cost of the tariffs is being borne by the Chinese through depreciating their currency through providing increasing subsidies to their companies and when they do that the cost is borne by the Chinese not the United States but people who've done the studies on this Steven writing a print even is the one of the country's top experts on international trade he's a professor of economics at Princeton he's saying all of the US tariffs have been post positive retailers consumers so what do you think it's a bit of both would you support it having free trade with Nazi Germany or you know or the Japanese so China is Nazi Germany we are is China not I do I do think we are in a new cold war with China with China about China Nazi Germany in 2015 when you said why are we picking an economic which I don't care about the human rights violations in China give in 2015 you didn't care about them you said do we really want to pick an economic war with China well they're not bad in 2015 they leave I think this is you said it in the National Review article China is our number one import market do we really want to pick an economic war with them I think we should right now is your telephone for Steven Moore of 2015 he was what we have to he was wrong address Trump on that more of 2019 tells us Steven Moore 2015 let's go to our panel who are waiting patiently to come in here and join the discussion Rick Wilson is a longtime Republican political strategist who has worked for George HW Bush Rudy Giuliani among others since 2015 he's been a leading I think it's fair to say conservative critic of President Trump author of the book everything Trump touches dies now there's a title Rick you and Steven have moved in similar right-wing circles you've both worked on Republican presidential campaigns who better represents conservative economic principles right now you or him well look I'm not an economist by trade or training Stephen is but I will say this I still believe with the things that I think Stephen believed before which is the premise E of free markets and now we have a president who wants to tell companies what to make where they can make it who engages in in state capitalism sort of crony capitalist things and I think Steven you know prior Steven and now Steven there's a big dichotomy there and it's I don't think it's Steven alone I think there are a lot of Republicans who have just made that compromise you know so I'm curious like how does it feel like to like flip so fast and so hard breathe look I've always said that but briefly respond the no I've always said the single most important thing to reduce the national debt and the deficit and I think it's an important priority for the United States is to grow the economy to put more people to work to make more American companies you know richer or more profitable Rick we have done that in spades Steven you mentioned the economy is greater than ever before I just want to bring in genitalis Revis who's a constitutional lawyer member of the Trump 2020 advisory board author of the book the legal basis for a moral Constitution Janet Stephen says talks about this great economy anyone paying attention to the news recently and looking at some of the numbers coming out there's a fear of a recession or at least a downturn coming maybe even ahead of the next election how does a self-inflicted recession some might argue given the trade war how does that fit with the whole make America great again message going into 2020 that's gonna be a problem for him is it not we want to talk about the Constitution here not a hundred percent of economic factors can be directly attributable to a single President and so if you look at the leadership style of Barack Obama's a great point see why we should Republicans during the Obama know but I think that that's but we did and I certainly had and you know Congress is also very much responsible and on both sides and how I know you about a recession are well but I think that we are point about self-infliction is is also very very consistent with what we're seeing with the mainstream media who are so antagonist act against this particular president that they are the ones that are creating a false narrative so I'd like to give him an opportunity with his position so much when you say the mainstream media is to blame for the plaza talking about a recession do you include the White House chief of staff in that Mick Mulvaney said there might be a short moderate recession next year is he part of the mainstream media there there might be but I think that you're trying to prove text and isolate these comments and try to spin them into your narrative rather spawn the White House to come back Tiffany cross is the co-founder and managing editor of the national news outlet the beat DC and liberal commentator you're shaking your head there do you want to come in and respond sure it's really clear that the Trump campaign is in full-blown panic mode because he's fallen short on some of the promises that he made in 2016 to help perpetuate this false idea that people voted for him because of economic anxiety and you know given the this administration's kind of faulty relationship with the truth why should anybody believe what you or any representative of this administration says when most of your economic solutions seem more based on messaging and attacking what jenna calls the mainstream media and calling facts truth or untruth math doesn't lie so yeah but the Trump administration that is frequently I have not I've not reversed course on the debt and episode I think that that in deficit is a is a huge are you a lemn shouldn't be reelected then no I'm saying well you said in 2013 reelected look I think you have to look the whole range of issues and what Trump is done on the economy and I think it's been spectacular let's talk about immigration yes I'm running out people have called Trump's immigration policy dangerous crazy extreme nativist what do you say to them I say that we have to build a wall we have to secure our border I'm totally in favor and by the way I'm made to be the most Pro immigration person in this room I've written books and books I've written you you are I really were are you still I'm totally Pro immigration so do you think Trump's policy is dangerous crazy extreme let me do you think this dangerous question do you think it's dangerous crazy and extreme no I think those are your words look you that I think Trump's policy is a crazy policy with a very extreme nativist notion it's a very dangerous thing you said that in 2015 before you went to work now here's what I believe I don't always agree with this positions on immigration but I do believe that until we get the border secure and we get that wall bill once we do that we can increase our legal immigration am i am for immigrants coming into this country this is an administration as backed legislation to have legal immigration that wants to accept zero refugees next year they supported the cotton bill in 2017 wants to end the visa lottery program end family migration crack down on the spouses of leave not true helped I helped write it's just not true do you mean listen because I help right the bill I know more about the bill than you do I wish not and family immigration what that bill does it allows spouses and children to come into this country it preserves the sanctity of everybody see the president go off on chain migration visas or illegal immigration paths well hold on here's what we're doing we're basically saying yes an immediate family member you can bring in a spouse or a child we want you know you can bring in but not your second cousin about your uncle about you and by the way how about your giggles we're about to bring in your in-laws if they're if they're you mean they're elderly I mean please the first lady brought her parents here is a chain migration just so everyone knows what the policy is because you can decide whether you like the policy or not we want to have more high skilled talented young workers come into this country who will benefit the United States now some people say oh that's a racist policy a racist policy that's the poly vision Germany that's the policy of Australia that's the policy of Canada why shouldn't we take in pretty sure Canadians let's take the immigrants whose contribution Trump and his policies on immigration like that can be quote compassionate while preserving our sovereignty I think that's true if you look at the camps at the border is it compassionate to detain 90 people in a room designed for 40 people we're women you know bleeding through their clothes because of lack of sanitary products children left and I was at the border and so the Office of Inspector General I've been in the border in Texas and I can't speak for all the camps and so on but the ones that I've seen are humane the people are working at the border they are they are doing everything they can to help those people and the idea that some come how our Border Patrol people this is an elusive Inspector General says 88 adult males held in a cell with a maximum capacity of 41 I don't support that that's what's happening is that compassionate no we should stop doing that okay isn't the real reason that Donald Trump are good we can agree good to get some agreement we have to change our asylum policy because what's going to accept zero refugees is what is what Stephen Miller wants zero well I don't agree with Stephen Miller by the way that's not the Trump position okay anyone who has a well-founded fear of persecution should be able to comment lesser off unless they're from Syria here's the world he's closed the door to Syrian refugees is that compassionate well I I'm not a foreign policy expert on Syria okay isn't the real reason Donald Trump is fighting this war on immigration is that he's a racist if when the president tells for women of color members of Congress to quote go back to where they came from even though four of them all of them are US citizens and three of them were born in the US is that not racist I know Donald Trump I've spent a lot of time he is not a racist okay he's not a racist is that comment racist people can interpret I'm asking you Steve we can why wouldn't you answer it I don't think that was racist I did some of the telling people to go back to where they came from is it racist to say yes or no question well at one of the rallies this summer in North Carolina night when he mentioned representative Gillihan Omar the crowd chanted send her back send her back I don't seem to be okay with it I don't like that stuff if you wished it you said you love the people at Trump rallies could you stood with them and chanted sound oh no I wouldn't so it's a lie why because I think it's not it's not we it's not what I think that's watching to get to the bottom oh it's not what it's not bringing us together what I think why is it not ready because it's racist here's one of the things about Donald Trump that just look I'm a big fan of Donald Trump's I made that clear but I will say this that what I wish he would do I wish he would bring us together more and be less divisive and I and I've told them that I think you know I think his performance has been spectacular with respect to getting jobs back and so on but he's got to be the president of all you use it is divisive not racist that's your preferred word perme divisive not racist as your preferred way yeah he has to to debate should be he should be the president of all the people he's got to work on that isn't the problem Steven that you're sitting here defending the president's what many would argue a blatantly racist comment when you yourself had to withdraw your nomination for a seat on the Federal Reserve earlier this year partly because of misogynistic remarks you made you say you made 1020 years ago really and but partly because the racist coming you made that caused a lot problems to you about the Obama's just 30 years ago that caused a lot problems for you the comments you made about the Obamas I mean I had six full-time investigative reporters looking into things I wrote 25 years ago this was 30 years ago I'm talking about you know letters that are about 25 years ago don't worry about this yeah I'm saying that was in the past I'm saying that what's what is so I think anyone who looks at the evidence of what happened believes that I was completely unfairly treated I mean they unseated of my divorce so you don't regret saying that the first thing Donald Trump does as president is kick a black family out of public housing it was a joke it was a job what was funny about that it was a cartoon that was in the in the B you found it funny it was basically it was a joke you know you haven't apologized or okay I shouldn't have said that but it was a joke okay let's go to our panel Tiffany the US has always had problems of racism and only we could say it started with Donald Trump how much worse in your view do you think it's become under Donald Trump or is it just a continuation where do you stand on the racism yeah it's just a continuation I mean people like to say that it happened under Donald Trump I saw a resurgence of this kind of rhetoric under Barack Obama as evidence as Stephen Morris comments I think instead of spitting in my face and trying to tell me it's raining you and you need to acknowledge that you ride with the racist president when you talk about immigration and you talk about you know that his policies are not racist I think perhaps the only immigrant that Donald Trump may like is a former model birther who you know has a fake college degree and given that she came in this country because she had the quote-unquote Einstein visa I'm curious if you were genican answer what was her special talent that she got this special treatment that she got the Einsteins even to this you're a lawyer asylum policy immigration policy when you see Donald Trump's justice deport and go to court to prevent migrant kids in detention centers from getting soap and toothbrushes is that something you would have defended in court on behalf of the DOJ that wasn't the substance of that particular loss I didn't ask that question I said you know you asked a different question which is trying to isolate that particular facts that's in your favor rather than looking at I can assure you getting kids toothbrushes is not my favor it's basic human rights [Applause] across the border by human trafficking that is what the Donald Trump administration is making sure right Rick's been waiting very patiently this accusation of like cherry-picking and facts selection my grandmother had a phrase when you have a turd in the punchbowl you don't have punch anymore you've got water with a turd in so you can't say that if something heinous is a part of the overall lawsuit and we just allied over that we just ignore that that's part of them that's part of the systemic cruelty of the of the Stephen Miller the president Stephen Miller immigration policy they are designing this program in order to cause pain and suffering to children and families at the border you have to look at the entire scope of the lawsuit and to make sure that you understand and that particular point that they are trying they are doing everything that they can for the children at the border but what President Trump is trying to do is to make sure that they don't okay Jenner you made your way those people Rick I would ask you one quick question isn't a problem for you and for never Trump Republicans like yourself is that racism and bigotry long preceded Donald Trump look i including on the what about this in my book you were and i just for the record you worked for George HW Bush who in 1988 ran a pre racist out about Willie Horton it didn't start actually drum bush campaign didn't run that allies not allied with them but the long story short I wrote about this in the lot in my book and I've realized something over time you know not every Trump supporter is a is a nativist racist but all the nativist racists right now are Trump supporters everyone I mean okay let's close this area we're gonna take a break there it's a very lively show as you can see we're going to come back in part two and talk about Donald Trump the man Donald Trump the leader we're gonna hear more from our panel and from our very patient audience here at the George Washington University in Washington DC stay tuned join us after the break welcome back to head-to-head on al Jazeera English here in Washington DC in front of an audience at the George Washington University for the first time my guest tonight is the senior economic advisor to President Donald Trump he's an author he's a well known conservative commentator and he's an advisor to the Trump twenty20 reelection campaign at Steven Moore thanks for being here Steven a lot of people watching around the world yeah I fascinated by Donald Trump wherever you go fascinated by this guy on a level I've never seen in any world leader in modern times you know the man personally you've met with him you've advised him I'm sure a lot of people in this hall and at home must be wondering what is it like to advise someone a world leader who knows so little about anything yeah well look I mean first of all one of the things that really struck me about Donald Trump when I first met him four years ago is you know that look I always say 95% of politicians are you know wonderful people in public and jerks in private sometimes Trump can be a jerk in public but he's actually a really nice guy in private I mean I like Donald Trump a lot I've come to admire him I think people underestimate his intelligence I bet as IQ you know some are gonna laugh on this I think he's probably got about a 180 IQ the guy is amazing his breadth of knowledge about about you know the world affairs and I want a guy who says it like it is and sometimes does he stick his foot in his mouth yeah I think you'll agree okay so we can agree that people definitely voted for because they didn't see him as a conventional politician but when you say breadth of knowledge in high IQ this is a man who thinks wind turbines cause cancer thinks you can stop a hurricane with a nuclear weapon how you need ID to buy a box of cereal thinks England and Great Britain are the same thing well Soviet Union just rebranded as Russia these are things he says every day defend everything Donald you check you yes he's got a high IQ a breadth of knowledge I asked about it you said I'm not here to defend him what because I think one of the flaws of Donald Trump you think's waking forests too much forests probably be better Optus says stop talking so much and let his record speak for itself why would you want him to stop talking if he's got such a high IQ and such a breadth knowledge because he died you know I do I do worry that people there's a little bit of Trump fatigue that people are tired about it of them it's where he's good is when he focuses on an issue and he comes up with solutions that have worked you know have you talked about that's why people are impressed when you talk about Trump fatigue isn't the problem that he seems kind of fatigued people talk about his mental state see that his cognitive decline this is a president is a president who refers to himself as the chosen one as a stable genius he rants and raves on Twitter in the middle of the night he recently retweeted a supporter who called him the king of Israel and the second coming of the Lord if you were sitting on a plane Stephen and the last thing you heard a pilot say was I'm the second coming of God you would get off the plane with you saying that you know a lot of times he's saying these things to tweak people like you and get underneath your skin but by the way I think it's rather rich the Liberals are now saying you know Trump doesn't have the mental acuity to be President and I'm listening to Joe Biden every day I mean come on I agree with you someone should check out Joe Biden it's not just liberals it's not just liberals you're keeping liberals for Matt what former Trump White House director of communications Anthony scaramouche a Republican senator Susan Collins and Bob cook a former Trump advisor Oh Marissa Newman they've all come out and said this guy quote is an obvious mental decline he's unstable everyone knows it the White House continues to deceive this nation's as one for made on how mentally declined he is these are not liberals these are people who worked with him these are Republicans there are a lot of Republican never Trump errs out there but never Trump was they worked for Donald Trump you called me a never Trump I mean he worked and I've worked with them to her and I'm here to tell you the guy is I've never seen by the way anybody in my whole life he's a freak of nature he works twenty I mean we can agree he's a free Tunisia know either a works 20 hours a day when he's playing golf and watching TV don't come out I mean this is a guy who come on is that not fact that he plays like you don't have them that he plays with god I don't have a problem you just said he works 20 hours a day I'm just going on what you're saying what I'm saying is this guy around the clock is paying attention to what's going war playing golf States okay so we play some rounds of Gothic like I've never seen before well that's what people are questioning the work I think given he's always playing golf or watching TV in your book you write that everyone around him seemed to love Donald Trump the Trump treats his people well yeah and yet he has the highest turnover of staff of any modern president and in fact I'll let y'all so white in fact when they resign or when he fires them he then a text of yeah I don't like that he says sloppy Steve Bannon dumb as a rock Rex Tillerson wacky homer as he called her a dog highly unstable nut job scaramouche ironic clueless boneheaded Jerome Powell these are the people he's at Trump treats his people well you wrote yeah how does that work look I don't like that he does that but I do like how does that fit with your I didn't ask your opinion I said how does it fit with your description the Trump treats his people it doesn't seem to treat his people what I'm saying is the people who are around him love him you know that until he fires them and then Steve I loved him many still know what Trump does he's a CEO if people a CEO even use them and that's what a good CEO should do yeah 3:00 a.m. and call them a nickname or a dog look that's a different issue how is that an issue it's issue is I agree with you he shouldn't call these people names what I am why did he do that if they're not I'm asking what he does I don't know because I don't know what I say is it to do is mental decline no is it to do it racism no is it nostalgic why does he do this why does he call a woman a dog why does he call his own former advisor dumb as a rock his former secretary praised Rex Tillerson why did he do that I'm asked you could you know him we don't have wish she wouldn't do it I'm asking why does he I don't know I don't know why he does it I mean where she wouldn't do it and I think it gets him into trouble I think if Donald Trump didn't do those kinds of things you're talking about he did not have a 40 percent approval rating yeah 70 percent I'm asking why he doesn't you can't tell me even though the person who's like racist which part about what I'm saying is what Americans care about is a press performance now in his results not what he says but how he asks okay and isn't it the case too even more that if you did if you did have a falling out with trum if you did kind of turn on Trump or criticize him publicly in any strong way he'd come off to you too you'd be sloppy Steve on Twitter tomorrow morning that's why I'm not gonna cross him now look I mean I mean let's bring in our panelist interesting man Rick Wilson is here Rick Wilson longtime Republican political strategists worked for George HW Bush Rudy Giuliani never Trump I think it's fair to say Rick a lot of people on in your camp would say that people don't cross him because they're afraid of dollar they are there's no question about this I've talked to members of Congress members of the Senate who despised this man who think he is the worst president they've ever dealt with in terms of being consistent honest direct and having having any sort of connection with with with ethical boundaries these people are terrified of him this is not how a government it would normally be we seem to work but the fact this Trump has a gigantic threat it's that hammer of his social media that he's willing to use against his own allies almost as much as he is against any unhone it wicks you know this year a pollster Donald Trump's approval rating among Republicans is what 85 or 90% it's Trump's party now and you know what if if Republicans come out against him they're gonna lose their primaries because he's so popular that's the big promise even it is in it is now Trump's party there is not a party right now dedicated to limited government and responsibility growth there's not a party Dominican dedicated to limited government and fiscal responsibility in the end the old tenants of conservatism it is now Donald Trump's party it is a man and his mob it is not a political party with a consistent let me bring in let me bring in Jenna Ellis Revis is a constitutional lawyer member of the Trump 2020 advisory board Rick says your party is now just Trump and a mob you want to respond yes of course because you know what I think what I think Stephen is saying as far as this president Donald Trump being the most conservative we can measure him not by our own personal opinions but by faithful articles to accuracy to the US Constitution and that is really the metric of any precedent and if you look at not only the economy the low unemployment rate but also the 150 judicial appointments in Tooting including two Supreme Court justices that are faithful originalism this is the promise that Donald Trump has for America and so like him as a person or not I'm not looking for someone that I want to go have a beer with I am looking for a leader and someone who will stay faithfully within the margins of the US Constitution the whole idea of make America great again is actually working okay Tiffany cross is the co-founder and managing editor of the beat DC national news outlet and liberal commentator Tiffany isn't a problem for a lot of liberals and for people who don't like Donald Trump never Trump is is a you can pile up all the examples of things he doesn't see me unhinged weird and yet as Steven points out the vast majority of his supporters millions of your fellow Americans still love the guy yeah it beggars belief but you see because you're trying to have a logical conversation with the illogical she just said that he's faithful to the Constitution except for birthright citizenship except for the emoluments clause this is ridiculous and listen I look it's really not like you know trying to get applause lines I mean listen my people who look like me built this country okay I love this country and it just says something to me that after all that America has done to my ancestors I can stand here today and be a bigger Patriot than you were you because this president is an existential threat to America he has lauded preys on foreign adversaries like Vladimir Putin he waxes poetic about love letters he writes with kim jeong-hoon and he invited the taliban to Camp David a week before 9/11 in what world do we exist that we don't feel like we're living on a Saturday Night Live sketch 24 hours a day that reasonable seemingly reasonable people become unreasonable but unfortunately you're trying to to say that we are not patriot simply because we disagree with you and that is absolutely not the Constitution simply because you claim that somebody's not constitutional does not mean that it is and Steven I'm just going to ask you this question you're listening into this conversation here but at what stage do you go this is just not saying tweeting a very stable genius Thanks look if Trump's policies were not working then I'd be with you up I'd say you don't get rid of the guy but guess what they are world it's funny because you did say get rid of the guy before you went to work for the guy let's go to our audience here who being very waiting very patiently at the GW University here in Washington DC if you have a question for Steven Moore raise your hands let's start here gentleman in the front row wait for a microphone to come to you my question for you Steven is there are fears of recession that emanate from whether it's trade wars whether it's the miss spent deficit which was spent on tax cuts for the wealthy rather than on spreading the wealth has needed to be done so how could you tell Donald Trump as a great economic president when what we have actually seen is that he's really pushed the economy into a decline well look I mean we did not inherit a strong economy if if Americans had felt good about where the economy was circa 2016 Hillary Clinton would be President I mean it's just no question clear three million new people did vote for Hillary Clinton [Applause] the reason the Trump won those states like Michigan in Iowa in Wisconsin and Ohio in Pennsylvania in West Virginia I went to those states you know what when I'd ask people in those states people in places like URI Pennsylvania and Charleston West Virginia in Flint Michigan I'd say to them how's that Obama recovery going for you honor Donald Trump since he was elected we have created 1.4 million mining construction and manufacturing jobs those jobs were declining under Barack Obama he's brought back middle-class jobs with the whole trade war going on obviously there are a lot of objectives president Trump has in mind if there is one particular objective that he should be striving for if he could bring one thing home what should be in your way with respect to China with respect to China yes I think the biggest problem I have with China I think Trump would probably agree I mean there's two actually there that they have never opened up their markets to us the way we've opened up our markets them they have terrorists that are three times higher than ours are we can't live with that all we want is a level playing field by the way everything Donald Trump is asking for from the Chinese is reasonable there's nothing that Donald Trump is asking the Chinese to do that they shouldn't that they shouldn't do okay and the other one by the way which may be more important is they're stealing 300 billion dollars a year of our intellectual property if other countries are stealing that you're not going to have a job okay I'm gonna go to the gentleman in the front and then the lady behind next hi good evening everyone I'm an immigrant from El Salvador I'm also the executive director Salvador an immigrant I'm the executor oh yes I am a citizen right and I am the executive director of the Central American Resource Center here in DC president Trump canceled temporary protective status a program which its recipients just to be clear you're talking about of the program that people came into the country could the children could remain here no this is a program a humanitarian protection when there is there's a crisis in the country of origin either man-made or natural disasters so most of the recipients from that are either from Central America or hyper concentrated question yeah concentrated in the construction trade there 200,000 people who have 200,000 kids is it a good policy to terminate that that program when it's gonna create a negative impact in local economies you know it's a good question sir i-i'll confess'd you I don't know enough about that program but you make a strong case for it and if these if these people in the country who've come from Central America if they do have a well-founded case that why they shouldn't go back then absolutely we should allow them to stay and as long as they don't you know is their lives they're productive citizens in this country yeah I'm waiting paper that why does it matter if he's a citizen or no I just was wondering [Applause] the reason I asked that question is I love America America's immigrant heritage it's what makes us a special place on the globe I love it when people become naturalized citizens want to become Americans they just have to come into the country legally and abide by our laws okay the ladies are waiting the blacktop right mind yeah my question is Donald Trump has been well-documented making thousands of misleading and flat-out false statements throughout the course of his presidency does is a version for true telling undermine his ability to lead in unite the country I think went when Trump says things that are false that does undermine his his presidential authority I wish he wouldn't do it he should stop saying things that are untrue but he does say things are untrue you know that he does so he's a liar I'm never gonna say that I think Trump is an exaggerator and I think it gets an exaggerator it does the exactly exactly when you say oh he said we're gonna get 5% growth we knew we weren't getting it that's an exaggeration but when he says my dad was born in Germany even though he's born in New York that's not an exaggeration is it when he says Melania got to know Kim jong-un she's never met Kim jong-un that's not an exaggeration it's not an exaggeration those are lies okay let's go back to the audience let's go to this lady here in the second row I am a freelance reporter focused on extremism from she's a freelance reporter focused on extremism extremism yeah my question has to do with white nationalism and the Trump administration isn't it impossible to deny that the Trump administration has done more to mainstream white supremacist hate than any president I think I think Donald Trump is he is not a he is not a white supremacist himself and I think and I I can't speak for him but I I think I'm speaking for him because I know how I feel I hate wait supremacy I and I I think you know every Mountain Luther King said it best a man should be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin gentlemen in the third row yes hi thank you I do a lot of work with terror at the heartland talking about the impact of the terrorists on the US economy from farmers to services to retailers everybody's being harmed by this July alone us collected 6.8 billion dollars from US companies not from China but from US companies we've seen manufacturing continue to take a hit exports taking hit farmers taking a hit at what point is enough enough I know we all agree we all agree China has been a bad actor but we don't think tariffs are the right approach to get there I think there are other ways we're gonna put forces on China to make changes but the tariffs are gonna really have an impact on the economy and going to the 2020 we're starting here more more folks that are very concerned about where we're going with the economy it's a great question and you know sir I'm happy to sit down with you you can tell you if somebody in this room can tell me a better policy that will change China's behavior than tariffs I'm open ears but don't say go take him to a world trade rollers nation or when you hear someone like Christopher Gibbs he's Ohio soybean farmer he says I was a trump voter but he hasn't come through he's lost on trade I won't be voting for the president look you can quote some farmers but I can tell you that I've talked a lot of farmers who fully support what I said we know we're taking a hit here but we're willing to do this because we think Donald Trump is Rick went very briefly right if this is a great policy that China is paying for why are we subsidizing farmers out of the tune of at least thirty two billion dollars because of the damages they're taking economically Rick I'm not saying that that the farmers and manufacturers aren't being hurt by the terrorists they are it seem like it's very easy to win if what I am saying is that this is you know short-term pain for a long-term gain that China is going to start behaving themselves about 30 billion thirty two billion dollars of subsidies go socialism wait a minute okay I said this lady here and Logan is a gentleman he waiting in the black shirt for a while a recent time article stated that the tray wars China can now be considered unwinnable do you agree with this or see any positive outcomes for either side who said it's unwinnable a recent time article Time magazine oh my god Time magazine says look I mean yeah this is winnable Trump is going to win this train work I I hope before the election but I don't know how long this is going to take but he Trump is right it was fighting the right fight the American people are behind them China is a menace we are in an incredibly bad situation with China we can't live with their behavior and we better stop it now before you know that rather than ten years from now when there than they are today gentlemen here and by the way when that trade deal is is signed sealed delivered you think the economy is strong right now you can see the big one right now gentlemen yes I'm the advocacy director for a youth climate organization called zero hour so I just what zero hour there's increasing evidence of climate crisis every day extreme hurricanes like hurricane durian that just happened yet the administration continues to not only working hurricane durian saying there's never been hurricanes before let me answer a lot of hurricanes before Steven Steven mosque express today yet the administration continues not to only deny this urgent threat but also rollback climate regulations such as the water of the United States rule from an economic perspective how can you argue that transitioning to green energy would throw millions into poverty and destroy the economy when in reality there might not even be an economy to talk about in the near future we don't know how we're gonna have an election in 2020 on this in the dumber if the Democrats want to run on getting rid of fossil fuels in America and they want to go to Ohio and Pennsylvania and West Virginia and Texas and and energy producing states and tell those people that they're gonna put them all out millions of people out of jobs so be it by the way we have two forms of energy that that radically reduce greenhouse gases you know what those are nuclear power and natural gas and the left is against both do you still believe that climate change is the greatest scam in the last 100 years I think it's I think it's totally overblown and I think what you still think it's the greatest scam I think the scam is that somehow people in government are gonna change the global temperature they can't even balance the budget they can't they can't solve any problems over throughout the world poverty and when you expect that the United Nations we could change by the way every single country every single country that's that signed the Paris climate Accord which I bet you were in favor of every single country is cheating on it especially China we've got time for one last lady here in the second row my name is are fauna on veut I'm an immigration attorney and I am a citizen I'm asking the question you bought obtained immigrant president Chavez talked about the dangers of chain immigration that is a lie you could never sponsor your second cousin twice removed you family immigration is always based on immediate family and and that hasn't changed and then he talks about federal countries can you just can you be it can you speak to that it's very clear to the American public especially people who look like me people of color that when you talk about your that President Trump is for legal immigration may be his legal immigration the people who are white so we have a we want to put in place a merit system a merit-based immigration system and I guarantee you one of the criteria of that of merit has nothing to do with race or gender and it's it's basically based on age skills whether you can speak English whether you're you know whether you have the kind of talents that this country needs and that seems to make sense to me by the way there is chain migration you've had many examples of somebody who comes in and they bring 25 or 30 relatives with them as you go through the chain now look do you mean like the Trump's and the milania's family yeah so but I want to make sure everybody understands this we are not getting rid of the family based immigration system you can bring your you can bring your children you can bring a spouse and but the idea that you can bring an elderly parent in no we don't want people were 78 years old coming to this country and that's for young unless that unless unless they're the first lady's parent just to reiterate this you keep laughing but it's pure white words contribute not people's parents are not working or contribute oh I don't know about that we're out of time buy in to ask this question there's a crowd a lot of young people as students have been asking questions you're very keen on the policies you say the president runs great for the economy but obviously the president is about more than just growth it's important but the president is also the leader it's a leader of the nation I had a state in this country and head of government is Donald Trump do you think a role model for the young people in this room do you think I should probably thank God his life has been incredible I mean this is a guy there's a guy who's built incredible companies he's becoming listen again it comes in as a person do you think they should grow up and be like him I think he is absolutely a role model I mean the guy his his life is story is amazing he built great companies the first major American business man or woman to become president United States yeah I think most you know I always tell people there are a lot of people keep talking about social justice and all these this you want to change the world the single most important thing for the user those are your kids the single most important thing if you want to make the better about the world a better place start a business start a business and employ people okay and that's what Donald Trump is up and I thank you very much Stephen Moore thank you so much for joining me on head-to-head and thank you to our audience at George Washington thank you to our panel of experts for coming along thank you all for watching at home it's a new season of head to head there's gonna be shows next week and the week after do tune in Stephen thanks so much for joining me pleasure thank you [Applause]

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Views: 2,065,435

Rating: 4.5090766 out of 5

Keywords: youtube, usa, trumponomics, george washington university, rick wilson, united states, aljazeera, aljazeera english, discussion, al jazeera english, america, united states of america, tiffany cross, aljazeera live, donald trump, jenna ellis rives, al jazeera, headtohead, head to head, washington dc, mehdi hasan, stephen moore, aljazeera news, interview, Trump 2020, make america great again, talk show

Id: ocVFTq6RW38

Length: 48min 27sec (2907 seconds)

Published: Fri Oct 04 2019