May 30, 2025 • 7 mins
Mendte in the Moring talks to Rick Klein about the back and forth over Donald Trumps tariffs after the courts blocked and then reinstated them.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And the Knicks lived the fight another day. The New York.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Knicks have looked elimination in the army. I've even kicking,
and now the series to game six in Indy with
the Pacer League cut three games to.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Two, one game at a time, Game six.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Rick Kline, ABC News Washington Bureau Chief, Rick, are you
a Knicks fan?
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I am? Oh man, I'm sweating over this and I
haven't felt so nervous since Reggie Miller. So last night
was that was a big relief and let's keep it going.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah, they look good. They looked really good, but then
again they did before and then they laid an egg,
So who knows.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I uh, I just feel like there's something magic about
this team, Rick, it.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Sure seems like it. I mean, look, you just you
look at these guys, and you know, who would you
rather have the ball than Ailand runs in or to
see crawl as any towns having the kind of series
they other. I mean, they just they're a special group.
It's been a great ride as a as a native
Long Islander. It's fun to see the Knicks relevant and
to see the city excited about him.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Yeah, in towns is playing with an injury, no it's
this is this is really really special. Let's talk about
I guess we have to talk about the week that was.
I so I get so confused about the tariffs. You know,
there's there's a rise in tariffs, then that's pulled back.
Then it's then it's stalled and court throws something out,
it's back on again.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
It's hard to keep track of what tariffs.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Are on and what are off, and not to mention
that Donald Trump has been changing his mind about what's
what's donhom, what's off and uh in his back off.
We heard this this for you know this term that's
that on Wall Street. Apparently taco Trump always chickens out
that he really didn't like when he was asked about.
But no, I look, my I think bottom line is
the sureme court is going to uh get this case
(01:49):
of ultimately and decide what the president's authority is. In
the meantime, what kind of deals are cut, what kind
of what kind of impact is felt? All of that
is up in the air right now. The latest is,
I can understand it if you follow this balancing ball,
is that the tariffs are still in effect such as
they are, although you know Trump has been waiving some
of them, or delaying some of them as he tries
to negotiate with entities like the EU or sign one
(02:12):
off agreement. So you're right, it's a confusing one.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
I am also really baffled by the fact that Supreme
Court hasn't weighed in yet on district court judges stopping
executive actions, because, as you know, even Elena Kagan says,
it just can't be right. It seems like this is
something they can all agree on, but so far they've
talked about it a little bit in questioning.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
But have it ruled on it.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Yeah, it's the nationwide injunctions are the issue, And I
think one of the things the Court's trying to grapple
with is if if someone, you know, at the state
or federal level of a government agency does something that
is so clearly patently extra legal, what is the recourse
in the immediate term, Because it takes so long for
something to get all the way up through the federal
court system and all the way up to any kind
(02:58):
of a nationwide review. So it felt to me like
the judges didn't want to say you can never have
a nation wide in junction ever. But I think at
the same time, You're right that judges from all political
persuasions seem worried about you know, lower court judges being
you know a little a little over zealous in their
interpretation and they may be wrong on issues, but that
(03:19):
kind of clarity, I think would be would be welcome
given the volume of challenges we've seen under this administration.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Yeah, and they keep flirting with it.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I mean, they've talked about it in interviews, they've talked
about it in questioning on other cases, and there's certainly
been enough cases in front of them and still some
in front of them that they haven't ruled on where
they could come down on this, But it seems like
they are somehow reluctant to do so, or am I
missing something?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Will they rule on this?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Well? I also think you know, they come up through
the ranks of the judiciary, and you know, most of
them served as lower court judges, and they recognize that
the judge has this awesome, powerful authority and if you
see something that you think is clearly wrong, it shouldn't
just be wrong in the you know, in the state
or the region or the case that you're that you're considering.
It should be wrong everywhere. But again, it can be abused.
(04:08):
So I don't know how it's something that that they
can grapple with easily. And you're right there maybe just
some reticence because the whole judicial community is sort of
built around the you know, the power of judges to
do what's prescribed by them by law. And if a
judge says, look, this is illegal under federal law, federal
law applies to everyone.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, i'll tell you what.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Elon Musk didn't leave as gracefully as I think Donald
Trump would like him to leave, because he took a
shot at the big beautiful bill. I loved his line though.
He said, it can't be both. It can't be big
and beautiful. It has to be one of the other.
And that was that was pretty funny, talking about the
largesse of the bill and the fact that it adds
to the deficit. But the thing is, Rick, he's not alone.
(04:53):
There's people in the Republicans in the Senate feel the
same way.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Well, that's it is that it's not just Elon on
the way out taking a shot. Mon Johnson, Senator from Wisconsin,
isn't very adamant and saying this doesn't actually address the deficit.
It makes it worse, and he says the bill is
a lie. You know, look, we could see him fold,
we can see him come back into on board on this,
just like House Republicans did. But it's going to be
a fight and we'll see if Elon clarifies any of that.
(05:18):
When he's next to Trump today, they having an unusual
They're saying it's a news conference in the Oval office
today is kind of a sendoff with his last official
day under this special government employee situation that that that
they say was lasting one hundred and thirty days, although
I think continues to be quite nebulous. But maybe he
revises and amends those remarks when he's next to the
(05:38):
President today in the Oval.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, he'll say only nice things today.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I think that he And it's funny that Donald Trump
didn't hit back. I was fascinated by that he had
the opportunity to. People asked him and he didn't. He
didn't shoot back. He has been shooting back in Vladimir
Putin saying I'm unhappy. But what can he do is
it is just sanctions.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Well, sanctions, arms support for Ukraine. I mean that's I
think sanctions are the easiest one. And he's been reticent
on this, and I think I referenced earlier this. You know,
the Trump always chickens out. That's basically what the Kremlin
was saying this week two. And they were almost laughing
and trolling Trump when he had the harsh words for Putin.
They said, that's great until five minutes from now when
he changes his mind again. And you know, maybe maybe
(06:22):
getting him personally is what's going to set him off.
But I think that I think Putin recognizes that all
this bluster isn't being backed off. And one of the
things that that Trump has said he might do in
response is essentially walk away. And you know that would
almost certainly be a win for Putin and a loss
with the Ukrainians. It's not like, okay, you know this
is some you know, disinterested two parties in need mediation here.
(06:45):
The Ukrainians were invaded and they would almost certainly be
overrun if it weren't for the support of Western allies,
including the United States. So Putin knows that that is
that's a weapon. And if Trump wants to just give
up on this conflict that he said he would solve
literally on day one, that's a win for him. He
would like, nothing better than to see the US just
butt out.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
You're talking about all of this on this.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
Week, Yeah, George, George will be getting into all of this.
And I think also the situation at Harvard is graduation
yesterday and a federal court saying that they could continue
for now to process these applications from from foreign students.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
The other topic I think we want to get into
a little bit is the way that a lot of
Trump felt associates and relatives have made money off of
crypto and other business ventures associated with Trump. The pardons
we saw this week, there was a lot that happened
in a in a kind of a whirlwind of a
week that come.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
It seems like every week, Rick, it's every single week.
Welcome to the Trump White House. Thanks so much, Rick Clin,
ABC News Washington Bureau Chief,
And the Knicks lived the fight another day. The New York.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Knicks have looked elimination in the army. I've even kicking,
and now the series to game six in Indy with
the Pacer League cut three games to.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Two, one game at a time, Game six.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Rick Kline, ABC News Washington Bureau Chief, Rick, are you
a Knicks fan?
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I am? Oh man, I'm sweating over this and I
haven't felt so nervous since Reggie Miller. So last night
was that was a big relief and let's keep it going.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah, they look good. They looked really good, but then
again they did before and then they laid an egg,
So who knows.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I uh, I just feel like there's something magic about
this team, Rick, it.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Sure seems like it. I mean, look, you just you
look at these guys, and you know, who would you
rather have the ball than Ailand runs in or to
see crawl as any towns having the kind of series
they other. I mean, they just they're a special group.
It's been a great ride as a as a native
Long Islander. It's fun to see the Knicks relevant and
to see the city excited about him.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Yeah, in towns is playing with an injury, no it's
this is this is really really special. Let's talk about
I guess we have to talk about the week that was.
I so I get so confused about the tariffs. You know,
there's there's a rise in tariffs, then that's pulled back.
Then it's then it's stalled and court throws something out,
it's back on again.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
It's hard to keep track of what tariffs.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Are on and what are off, and not to mention
that Donald Trump has been changing his mind about what's
what's donhom, what's off and uh in his back off.
We heard this this for you know this term that's
that on Wall Street. Apparently taco Trump always chickens out
that he really didn't like when he was asked about.
But no, I look, my I think bottom line is
the sureme court is going to uh get this case
(01:49):
of ultimately and decide what the president's authority is. In
the meantime, what kind of deals are cut, what kind
of what kind of impact is felt? All of that
is up in the air right now. The latest is,
I can understand it if you follow this balancing ball,
is that the tariffs are still in effect such as
they are, although you know Trump has been waiving some
of them, or delaying some of them as he tries
to negotiate with entities like the EU or sign one
(02:12):
off agreement. So you're right, it's a confusing one.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
I am also really baffled by the fact that Supreme
Court hasn't weighed in yet on district court judges stopping
executive actions, because, as you know, even Elena Kagan says,
it just can't be right. It seems like this is
something they can all agree on, but so far they've
talked about it a little bit in questioning.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
But have it ruled on it.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Yeah, it's the nationwide injunctions are the issue, And I
think one of the things the Court's trying to grapple
with is if if someone, you know, at the state
or federal level of a government agency does something that
is so clearly patently extra legal, what is the recourse
in the immediate term, Because it takes so long for
something to get all the way up through the federal
court system and all the way up to any kind
(02:58):
of a nationwide review. So it felt to me like
the judges didn't want to say you can never have
a nation wide in junction ever. But I think at
the same time, You're right that judges from all political
persuasions seem worried about you know, lower court judges being
you know a little a little over zealous in their
interpretation and they may be wrong on issues, but that
(03:19):
kind of clarity, I think would be would be welcome
given the volume of challenges we've seen under this administration.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Yeah, and they keep flirting with it.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I mean, they've talked about it in interviews, they've talked
about it in questioning on other cases, and there's certainly
been enough cases in front of them and still some
in front of them that they haven't ruled on where
they could come down on this, But it seems like
they are somehow reluctant to do so, or am I
missing something?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Will they rule on this?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Well? I also think you know, they come up through
the ranks of the judiciary, and you know, most of
them served as lower court judges, and they recognize that
the judge has this awesome, powerful authority and if you
see something that you think is clearly wrong, it shouldn't
just be wrong in the you know, in the state
or the region or the case that you're that you're considering.
It should be wrong everywhere. But again, it can be abused.
(04:08):
So I don't know how it's something that that they
can grapple with easily. And you're right there maybe just
some reticence because the whole judicial community is sort of
built around the you know, the power of judges to
do what's prescribed by them by law. And if a
judge says, look, this is illegal under federal law, federal
law applies to everyone.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, i'll tell you what.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Elon Musk didn't leave as gracefully as I think Donald
Trump would like him to leave, because he took a
shot at the big beautiful bill. I loved his line though.
He said, it can't be both. It can't be big
and beautiful. It has to be one of the other.
And that was that was pretty funny, talking about the
largesse of the bill and the fact that it adds
to the deficit. But the thing is, Rick, he's not alone.
(04:53):
There's people in the Republicans in the Senate feel the
same way.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Well, that's it is that it's not just Elon on
the way out taking a shot. Mon Johnson, Senator from Wisconsin,
isn't very adamant and saying this doesn't actually address the deficit.
It makes it worse, and he says the bill is
a lie. You know, look, we could see him fold,
we can see him come back into on board on this,
just like House Republicans did. But it's going to be
a fight and we'll see if Elon clarifies any of that.
(05:18):
When he's next to Trump today, they having an unusual
They're saying it's a news conference in the Oval office
today is kind of a sendoff with his last official
day under this special government employee situation that that that
they say was lasting one hundred and thirty days, although
I think continues to be quite nebulous. But maybe he
revises and amends those remarks when he's next to the
(05:38):
President today in the Oval.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, he'll say only nice things today.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I think that he And it's funny that Donald Trump
didn't hit back. I was fascinated by that he had
the opportunity to. People asked him and he didn't. He
didn't shoot back. He has been shooting back in Vladimir
Putin saying I'm unhappy. But what can he do is
it is just sanctions.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Well, sanctions, arms support for Ukraine. I mean that's I
think sanctions are the easiest one. And he's been reticent
on this, and I think I referenced earlier this. You know,
the Trump always chickens out. That's basically what the Kremlin
was saying this week two. And they were almost laughing
and trolling Trump when he had the harsh words for Putin.
They said, that's great until five minutes from now when
he changes his mind again. And you know, maybe maybe
(06:22):
getting him personally is what's going to set him off.
But I think that I think Putin recognizes that all
this bluster isn't being backed off. And one of the
things that that Trump has said he might do in
response is essentially walk away. And you know that would
almost certainly be a win for Putin and a loss
with the Ukrainians. It's not like, okay, you know this
is some you know, disinterested two parties in need mediation here.
(06:45):
The Ukrainians were invaded and they would almost certainly be
overrun if it weren't for the support of Western allies,
including the United States. So Putin knows that that is
that's a weapon. And if Trump wants to just give
up on this conflict that he said he would solve
literally on day one, that's a win for him. He
would like, nothing better than to see the US just
butt out.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
You're talking about all of this on this.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
Week, Yeah, George, George will be getting into all of this.
And I think also the situation at Harvard is graduation
yesterday and a federal court saying that they could continue
for now to process these applications from from foreign students.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
The other topic I think we want to get into
a little bit is the way that a lot of
Trump felt associates and relatives have made money off of
crypto and other business ventures associated with Trump. The pardons
we saw this week, there was a lot that happened
in a in a kind of a whirlwind of a
week that come.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
It seems like every week, Rick, it's every single week.
Welcome to the Trump White House. Thanks so much, Rick Clin,
ABC News Washington Bureau Chief,
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