Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on Trump’s shifting messaging on Iran war

[0:00] President Trump's shifting deadlines on Iran and his renewed threats today are raising fresh [0:05] questions about his messaging on the war. To discuss that and more, we turn now to our [0:09] Politics Monday duo. That's Amy Walter of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter [0:13] and Tamara Keith of NPR. It's always great to see you. [0:17] Good to be here. [0:17] So, Amy, let's start with you. What stood out to you from President Trump's press conference today? [0:23] Yeah, if you were looking for that press conference to help answer the question, [0:26] where are we going in the Iran war, you would not have gotten an answer. [0:31] I know in Liz's piece, she pulled out the quote, which I think really said it all, [0:36] asking, are we ramping up or are we backing off? And the president said, I don't know. [0:41] We don't really know where we're going on this. [0:44] I do think it is also telling that here we are, what is this now, a month? [0:51] More than a month. [0:51] More than a month. And I think what voters really want to know, [0:54] what Americans really want to understand, [0:56] is when are we going to decide that we have made either a deal or an off-ramp [1:05] or have completed the mission? [1:07] The president said in that press conference today, Iran will not become a nuclear power, [1:14] but did not answer the question about how we will ensure that will be the case. [1:18] Does that involve having troops on the ground to take the nuclear material, [1:23] or will it be through a process? [1:27] Of diplomacy. [1:29] And, Tam, did he say anything that clarified a broader strategy in Iran, [1:34] such that a strategy exists? [1:36] No. He did say that he has a strategy, he has a plan, [1:41] but he is not going to tell people what the plan is, because if he did, then... [1:45] But that can be a tell more than anything else. [1:50] You know, this was the second time in two weeks that President Trump used the trappings of the, [1:57] you know, Trump presidency, a solo press conference in the briefing room, [2:01] last week, an address to the nation. [2:03] These are sort of the big tools of the bully pulpit of the presidency. [2:08] And both times, we came away wondering, why exactly did he do this? [2:14] What was the point of it? [2:16] And, you know, part of it is that before the war, he didn't really do that buildup, [2:21] didn't sell it to the American people, and some of that is now attempting to happen after the fact. [2:27] But I think... [2:27] And that's truly what today was about. [2:29] He wasn't there to talk about strategy. [2:30] He wasn't there to talk about what's next. [2:32] He was there to wrap himself in the glory of that incredible rescue mission of those two airmen. [2:38] And that was really his focus. [2:40] That's why he had the military leaders there with him in the briefing room. [2:44] That's what he was there to talk about, and he did so in great detail. [2:49] And, Amy, when it comes to the polling, we are seeing signs of softness even among Republicans. [2:54] How significant is that? [2:56] Well, the president's approval rating... [2:57] Overall, if you look at the average, he is now at the sub-40% approval rating mark, [3:03] which is the lowest of his presidency. [3:05] And how he got there isn't that Democrats don't like him anymore. [3:09] They never have liked him. [3:11] Independents have soured on him a little bit more. [3:12] But what you're seeing is a softening among Republicans. [3:15] I don't think this means that Republicans are saying, oh, I can't wait to go support Democrats now. [3:20] What it is saying is that they, too, are feeling this frustration. [3:23] What are we doing in Iran? [3:24] How come gas is so expensive? [3:26] And, P.S., [3:27] I thought we were going to talk about the economy and making our lives more affordable. [3:34] And, as such, those things really aren't happening. [3:38] I think the president also said during this press conference that Americans would be willing to endure higher gas prices [3:47] as long as it meant that Iran does not have any more ability to produce nuclear weapons. [3:54] I don't know that the American public has been told. [3:57] And that's what they should expect. [4:00] And gas is now above $4 a gallon nationally. [4:03] How does that change the political calculus here? [4:05] Right. [4:06] $4 a gallon is a lot. [4:08] Just to put that into perspective, I was on vacation this past week. [4:12] I was in California, where it's even higher, rented a minivan, filled up the minivan. [4:17] It was more than $100, or it was just about $100 to fill up that minivan. [4:21] So that's something that Americans are experiencing. [4:24] When you cross that threshold where it's now $7. [4:27] $75 to fill up your car, it's $100 to fill up your car, that is a big emotional and mental barrier for people. [4:35] It makes everything feel more expensive. [4:38] And, literally, there are spillover effects where things do get more expensive with delivery costs, [4:42] airlines are charging surcharges, all of these things. [4:45] It really does build up. [4:47] And the problem for President Trump and his party is that the part of the president's affordability agenda [4:54] that he was most animated about, the thing that he cared about the most, [4:57] that he wanted to do the most, is that he didn't have the money. [4:57] What he would talk about at length, without even being asked, was $2 a gallon gas is going to be the thing that brings down your costs. [5:04] We're going to get that gas, drill, baby, drill. [5:07] Yes, drill, baby, drill, but it's a global market. [5:09] And right now that market is being crushed by what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz. [5:13] And at that press conference today, there was no additional clarity about how he's going to get that Strait open. [5:20] And, Amy, the president is proposing a major increase in military spending. [5:23] At the same time as the White House, the administration, they're cutting domestic programs. [5:27] How does that land in this election year that's focused on affordability? [5:31] That's right. [5:31] I mean, I have been sitting down with Democratic-Republican strategists all week, [5:36] and they will both tell you this campaign is about one thing. [5:39] It is about the cost of living. [5:41] And both sides want to focus on that and deliver a message that says to Americans, [5:48] we're concerned about this and here's what we're doing about it. [5:53] There are plenty of things that the president has been doing beyond just the Iran. [5:58] We're concerned about the war. [5:59] But then submitting a budget that increases the military budget to $1.5 trillion, [6:05] cut $73 billion in domestic spending. [6:08] That does not suggest one that says affordability to people. [6:13] That's cutting domestic spending. [6:15] And then there was that private Easter lunch speech that he gave that was uploaded onto video where he said, [6:24] when we're fighting wars, we can't take care of daycare. [6:27] That is the kind of message that is going to give Democratic ad makers a whole lot of material. [6:35] Finally, Tam, you have covered the White House for more than a decade now for NPR. [6:39] You're getting a new assignment. [6:41] Tell us about it. [6:41] Yes, I am now NPR's senior political correspondent. [6:45] What that means is I am not going to be tied to this one building, [6:49] and I'm going to get out into the country more, talk to voters even more regularly. [6:54] I have a big project planned, talking to swing voters. [6:57] And I have a bunch of races I'm looking forward to covering, and still going to sit right here on Monday. [7:04] Congratulations on your new role. [7:05] Thank you. [7:06] Great to see you both. [7:19] Support journalism you trust. [7:21] Support PBS News. [7:23] Donate now, or even better, start a monthly contribution today.