'Scary' and 'threatening': Trump reposts vengeful memes after new indictment

THAT'S OUT THERE. VAUGHN HILLYARD WAS ARGUING EARLIER TO ME TODAY THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A MUCH BIGGER DEAL. THESE ARE THE IMAGES THAT HE'S REPOSTING ON HIS TRUTH SOCIAL. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THEM, GARRETT. >> THIS IS WILD STUFF. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN IT. THIS IS TRUMP REPOSTING MEMES HE SEES FROM HIS FANS ON TRUTH SOCIAL. THIS ONE SHOWING HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS IN JUMP SUITS. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE IN WHICH HE TALKS ABOUT MILITARY TRIBUNALS, LOCKING UP MEMBERS OF THE JANUARY 6th COMMITTEE. THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT USE QANON PROPAGANDA ABOUT THE STORM COMING AND WHERE WE GO ONE, WE GO ALL ACRONYM THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH. IT IS SO STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT FROM THE CONTENT THAT TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN IS POSTING ON HIS BEHALF ON X WHERE IT'S SEEN BY MANY MILLIONS MORE PEOPLE. WHAT YOU'RE GETTING HERE IS FAN SERVICE FOR THE MOST FERVENT ELEMENTS OF THE TRUMP POLITICAL BASE ON TRUTH SOCIAL, MORE GENERAL, BENIGN POLITICAL CONTENT ON X. THE CAMPAIGN DOESN'T EXPLAIN IT WHERE IN THE TRUTHS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES TERRITORY WHEN IT COMES TO MOST THINGS THAT TRUMP PUTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT AS A STARK REMINDER OF THE WAY IN WHICH BEING OFF KIND OF GENERAL USE SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE HE'S SEEN BY MANY MORE VOTERS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS OCCURRED TO HIS POLITICAL BENEFIT OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. REGULAR FOLKS WHO AREN'T SUPER DIALLED IN TO POLITICAL CONTENT AREN'T SEEING THIS KIND OF STUFF, WHICH HE IS REPOSTING ON SOMEWHAT OF A REGULAR BASIS. LAST NIGHT INTO TODAY IS CERTAINLY INCREASING VOLUME. >> GARRETT HAAKE, I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DAVID, I WANT TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT. BY PUTTING THOSE SORTS OF IMAGES AND AMPLIFYING THEM ON TRUTH SOCIAL IN PARTICULAR, AND AS GARRETT SAID, TARGETING THE MORE FERVENT TRUMP BELIEVING BASE, ARE WE RUNNING THE RISK OF HAVING ANOTHER JANUARY 6th ALL OVER AGAIN, IF THIS ELECTION DOESN'T GO DONALD TRUMP'S WAY. HE'S AMPLIFYING THE IMAGES, TALKING ABOUT PUTTING HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS IN JAIL. HE'S ALSO ONCE AGAIN, ELEVATING THE PROSPECT OF FRAUD IF HE DOESN'T GET ELECTED AGAIN. IS THIS WHERE WE'RE HEADED? >> THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WORRIED THIS IS WHERE WE COULD BE HEADED. WHEN YOU APPROACH AN ELECTION BY SAYING THE ONLY WAY WE LOSE IS IF THEY CHEAT, AND IT'S A REPEAT OF WHAT WE SAW FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT ON A LARGER SCALE, I MEAN, THIS IS THE SORT OF THING THAT IS POTENTIALLY A SET UP FOR WHAT WE SAW ON JANUARY 6th. AND IT ALSO IS PREPARING TRUMP SUPPORTERS FOR THE SAME SORT OF OUTCOME. I THINK ULTIMATELY, IT'S A MATTER OF WHETHER OR NOT THE GOVERNMENT IS MORE PREPARED THIS TIME. I WOULD SUSPECT THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE PREPARED THIS TIME. I THINK THE REASON SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WORRIED IS BECAUSE WHAT TRUMP IS TELLING HIS MOST FERVENT SUPPORTERS, THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP ON THE CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6th, 2021, EXCEPT IF WE WIN. >> EVEN ASKING THE QUESTION FEELS KIND OF SILLY BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE. WE'VE SEEN THIS PLAYBOOK BEFORE. IS IT EVEN FAIR TO ASK WHAT DONALD TRUMP'S INTENDING WITH THIS AFTER ALL THAT WE KNOW ABOUT HIM? >> THE THING THAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT IS THAT WHATEVER HE IS INTENDING TO SORT OF LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR ANOTHER STOLEN ELECTION, IF IT DOESN'T GO HIS WAY, IS THAT RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT, AT LEAST, IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR THAT ALL OF THIS BEHAVIOR AND GOING OFF MESSAGE IS HURTING HIM POLITICALLY. THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN JUST CAME OUT WITH A NEW AD TALKING ABOUT PROJECT 2025. AND ONE THING I HAVE BEEN FASCINATING ABOUT IS HOW PROJECT 2025 HAS REALLY CAUGHT UP IN THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION WITH VOTERS THAT BOTH BIDEN, SORRY, HARRIS, I'M STILL ADJUSTING TO THE NEW REALITY AS WELL, THAT BOTH HARRIS AND TRUMP NEED TO WIN, AND I WAS THINKING, IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT A SOMEWHAT WONKY, 922-PAGE POLICY BOOK, FULL OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO OVERALL THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY EMERGES AS A COMPELLING CAMPAIGN MESSAGE. PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE FOR INSTANCE, WHAT GARRETT OUTLINED OF MEMES AND MESSAGES THAT TRUMP IS PUTTING UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO WHEN PEOPLE HEAR WHAT'S IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT SEEMS SECRETIVE AND NEFARIOUS, AND VOTERS, INCLUDING REPUBLICANS, REALLY DON'T LIKE, THE REASON IT HAS RESONATED AND THE REASON THEY BELIEVE IS IT BECAUSE TRUMP HAS TRIED TO DISAVOW T. THEY GO TO HIS TRUTH SOCIAL PAGE AND THEY SAY WAIT A MINUTE, HE'S TWEETING ABOUT WANTING RETRIBUTION, RIGHT. HE'S TWEETING ABOUT MAYBE TRYING TO CLAIM IT WAS ANOTHER STOLEN ELECTION, AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME. THIS FEELS REAL. IT FEELS SCARY. IT FEELS THREATENING. TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WE SAW HAPPEN JANUARY 6th PREVIOUSLY, AND IT ALSO, AND THIS IS THE CONFUSING PART, IT HURTS HIM POLITICALLY. >> IT ALSO FEELS INTENTIONAL. LET ME TALK ABOUT THE OTHER THING IN THE NEWS TODAY, AND SEEMS TO BE THE NEWS EVERY DAY, J.D. VANCE AND ANOTHER UNEARTHED AUDIO. THIS ONE IS ABOUT, AGAIN, WOMEN WHO DON'T HAVE CHILDREN. RANDI WEINGARTEN MARRIED INTO HAVING KIDS, AND HE WAS TALKING AS IF THAT SOMEHOW MADE HER NOT QUALIFIED TO BE A TEACHER OR TO LEAD A TEACHER'S UNION. HE KEEPS ANSWERING FOR THIS STUFF AND SAYING THAT IT, YOU KNOW, WAS JUST A JOKE WITH THE CHILDLESS CAT LADIES. THE COMMENTS KEEP COMING OUT. HOW MUCH IS THIS A WORRY FOR THE CAMPAIGN. ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT IT AT ALL? >> THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THIS STUFF WITH THE CAMPAIGN IN PART BECAUSE, KATY, YOU AND I WE BOTH KNOW WE BECAME STEPPARENTS, FIRST BY MARRIAGE. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY -- >> AND HAD OUR OWN KIDS, BUT EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY KNOWS THAT FAMILIES ARE COMPLICATED AND HAVING CHILDREN IS COMPLICATED AND FERTILITY, AND SO ANYTIME SOMEBODY WEIGHS IN ON THIS IN A WAY THAT APPEARS PRETTY CALLOUS, AND EVEN WHEN HE TRIES TO SPIN IT AS SARCASTIC AND CRUEL AT WORST, IT'S SIMPLY NOT A WINNING ISSUE WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYONE. THERE'S AN IRONY THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE LARGELY BEEN THE PARTY OF. KEEP GOVERNMENT OUT OF MY FAMILY, AND OUT OF MY BUSINESS. AND SO IT SEEMS TO BE VIOLATING SOME BASIC TRADITIONAL REPUBLICAN TENETS IN A WAY THAT OFFENDS HUGE SWATHS OF THE COUNTRY. >> I WANT TO READ A LITTLE BIT FROM WHAT RANDI WEINGARTEN SAID IN RESPONSE. SHE SAID, IT'S A LONG RESPONSE. I'LL READ A PART OF IT. TEACHERS WANT WHAT CHILDREN NEED. I'M BLESSED TO BE A MOM BY MARRIAGE. IT'S IRRELEVANT WHETHER ANY OF US CARE ABOUT CHILDREN. TEACHERS ARE DIGGING INTO THEIR POCKETS TO PAY FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES. WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING THE HOPE AND PROMISE OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR, NOT TRASHING IT WITH GROSS, RIDICULOUS COMMENTS LIKE VANCE. DO YOU THINK, DAVID, THIS IS GOING TO BE HARMFUL? >> LOOK, I THINK TO THE EXTENT IT KEEPS THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN OFF BALANCE, THAT'S HELPFUL TO THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THIS ULTIMATELY UNDOES A CAMPAIGN. ALL VOTERS WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE, DO YOU PASS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF TEST. IF YOU'RE CALLED TO SERVE, IF SOMEBODY HAPPENED TO THE PRESIDENT, COULD YOU DO THE JOB. I DON'T THINK J.D. VANCE HAS DISQUALIFIED HIMSELF IN THAT REGARD, AND THAT'S WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT. I DO THINK J.D. VANCE JUST THE OTHER DAY SAYING THAT TRUMP WOULD VETO A NATIONAL ABORTION BAN IF IT REACHED HIS DESK IS PROBABLY MORE IMPACTFUL THAN ANYTHING HE HAS HAD TO SAY THAT HAS BEEN UNEARTHED PREVIOUSLY ABOUT CHILDLESS CAT LADIES OR ANYTHING ELSE. IT SPEAKS TO DONALD TRUMP'S LEADERSHIP, AND THERE ARE SO MANY COMMITTED PRO-LIFE VOTERS THAT MAY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT, AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THAT AFFECTS THE CAMPAIGN. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, TOO, THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS A UNIQUELY CONTROVERSIAL AND PROVOCATIVE CANDIDATE, HE HAS BEEN SAYING THINGS FAR MORE POLITICALLY CHARGED THAN ANYTHING J.D. VANCE HAS SAID OR HAS BEEN UNEARTHED TO HAVE SAID OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. A LOT OF AMERICAN VOTERS HAVE GROWN NUMB TO IT. SO CLEARLY A VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE COULD SAY THINGS THAT COULD ULTIMATELY BE A BIGGER PROBLEM. USUALLY IT'S ABOUT PASSING THAT PRESIDENTIAL TEST. IF YOU CAN'T PASS THAT, THEN THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM. >> I THINK IT'S INTERESTING YOU BROUGHT UP THE ABORTION COMMENT. HE'S TRYING TO SAY THAT DONALD TRUMP WOULD VETO AN ABORTION BAN. I WONDER IF DONALD TRUMP AT SOME POINT NEEDS TO SAY HOW HE PLANS TON VOTING IN THE FLORIDA ELECTION ON THE ISSUE OF ABORTION. HE CALLS IT A STATE'S ISSUE. HE HAS BEEN ASKED HOW HE'S GOING TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT TO PROTECT ABORTION IN THAT STATE. IS HE GOING TO VOTE YES, THE STATE SHOULD DO IT OR NO? I THINK THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION AND ONE HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER GIVEN THAT HE'S GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF IMPLEMENT ORGANIZE VETOING A FED