November 17, 2025 • 8 mins
NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor Leland Vittert discusses President Trump's latest move addressing affordability issues and this week's House vote on the Epstein Files.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's go to the hoighline and bring in News Nation
Chief Washington anchor and host of On Balance with Leland Viddert,
which you can watch weeknights at nine on News Nation.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Leland Viddert back with Us.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
You can also check out his free War Notes newsletter
at warnoes dot com and you can buy his new
book Born Lucky on Amazon or wherever you get your books.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Leland. Great to talk to you this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
And you know, there's one story that's dominating the news
cycle right now and it will for the next couple
of days. But there's a different story and we'll get
to that one all the Epstein stuff in a second.
But there's a different story that I think is more
important and impacts, you know, more Americans, and that's the
(00:43):
president's decision to roll back tariffs on a lot of
items that we find in grocery stores. And why I
thought that was notable not just the impact it might
have on prices, but also because despite the President saying
there's no affordability issue in this country, tree it's it's
actions like that. It's the floating of the two thousand
(01:03):
dollars Terra dividend check, stuff like that that tells me
the administration does know that affordability is an issue right.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Now, Well, you mean taxes, Uh, you know, tariffs raised prices.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I didn't know that.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
There's also a little bit of an admission in uh
taking that action.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Lower caraffs come down. Does that mean if you raise
tariffs prices, Oh, they go off. Yeah. It's still a
little early for me on on on this Monday morning.
I'm a I'm a night guy. I'm not really. I
just wanted to make sure I got all that well.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
It also, it's it's tough when you know you're you're
tex You're putting tariffs on on stuff like coffee, and
that's not something that we can just manufacture here in
the US.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Doesn't doesn't really work like that, right.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
No, this is I think President Trump realizes a couple
of things. Number one, and I think you know, the
one thing that we've learned about President Trump is that
he really understands his base better than anybody does.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
What I would say is.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Is that he realizes he is very vulnerable on prices
number one. Number two, he also realizes that when he
is playing the affordability game, he's losing because inherently that
is a Democratic talking point. The answer to affordability is
to give away free stuff. The answer to helping Americans
(02:24):
get ahead is lowering prices. Those are two very different things,
and Democrats will always win the contest of who can
do away more free stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
So I think that is going to be.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
You're seeing a I don't want to say a divide,
but you're seeing in real time Trump and Republicans trying
to figure out how to navigate that because, as your
listeners know, especially given the large immigrant populations from Venezuela
and Cuba in Florida, know, socialism just makes life more expensive.
(02:59):
Right when you start giving away everything for free, everything
gets more expensive, just the way life wars. So that's
number one. I think number two on Epstein that you
brought up very smartly. Trump's flip on Epstein, I think
is a realization of two things. One, he can't stop this,
it's going it's just going to keep festering. And number two,
(03:19):
as we've learned, whenever people are attacking Donald Trump on
I'm going to sort of loosely say this sort of
his personality right about about criticizing John McCain about the
border wall and everything else about the grabber by the
p tape whatever it is. When they're criticizing him personally
(03:41):
about Russia.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
He is winning, and he's winning.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
With his voters. And that is where I think you
see this going.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Okay, a couple of things. Let me let me go
back to the affordability issue for a second.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
I also think that we've.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Reached a point now now we're, you know, ten plus
months into the administration, where it's starting to get harder
to do the whole You know, this is Joe Biden's
affordability crisis.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
You're the guy behind.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
The resolute desk.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
This is yours.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Yeah, whether it's fair or not, that's just how it works.
And heading into the midterms next year, it's going to
be Trump's affordability crisis if Republicans don't find different ways
to get it under control. On Epstein, and we're joined
by News Nation Chief Washington anchor Leland Biddert, There's one
thing that I'm going to be looking for. The vote's
(04:40):
going to pass if it happens tomorrow, if it happens Wednesday,
whenever it happens, the vote's going to pass in the
House to force the Department of Justice to release these files.
Then it goes to the Senate. But with Trump directing
the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pam Bondi to
open these investigations into people like Bill Clinton and Larry's
(05:00):
summers and others. Uh, even though you know we had
previously heard from the Attorney General, there was no predicate
to uh do those kinds of investigations. With that happening,
I wonder if there's less of a concern about the vote,
not just because it wasn't gonna win this battle, but
also because they'll be able to say, well, we can't
(05:20):
release the files right now, even with this vote, with
this built passing, because we've got active investigations under way.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Now, you are you are wise beyond the hours of
the day.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
That's what I'm watching.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I think, I think you're right.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I still come back to and I can't.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Quite understand why Trump is my my only feeling about
why he's allowing this to continue. And you're right, by
having the vote, maybe even allowing Republican senators to vote
for it, maybe even signing it himself, and then then oh, but.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
It's still under investigation. It just keeps getting the news more, which.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Is exactly what he wants because he wants he wants.
He would much prefer to fight on Epstein then he
would fight on healthcare.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
And you know, the Republicans are in I think one.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Of those positions where be careful what you wish for it,
because you might get it.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
They now own healthcare, they now.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Own the economy, they now own whatever is going to
happen with Venezuela, which is just sort of wacky. Right now.
They own all these things. And when you own all
of them, you got to fix them. And I don't
quite know how Trump is going to deal with that
over the next you know, three or four months. Trump
(06:48):
Trump does not do well when it comes to having
to deal with individual policy issues. So he's great on
sort of bringing like large scale change. Individual policy things
get a little bit triggier.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Heavy is the the Where's the crown?
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Last thing I want to ask you about and give
We're joined by News Nation Chief Washington ancor Leland Biddert,
Marjorie Taylor Green, especially version two point zero. Are you
buying it? Because I think it's fascinating. I just don't
know what to make of it. I don't know if
this is I want to sell lots of books play,
if this is the Charlie Kirk assassination really did have
(07:25):
a strong impact on her view of politics, or if
this is uh, I'm looking to set myself up for
bigger things in the future.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Could it be all of the above possible? Really know?
You know, I think we know what the Ted Cruz
play is, right, the Ted Cruz play of criticizing Tucker
Carlson and Nick foyent a sin Trump and everything else,
which is sort of set up jab Evans to just
set himself up for a twenty twenty eight run. Does
Marjorie Tayler Green really think she can run for president? Really?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I don't know. I think all of these people envision
themselves in that role. I really believe that.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
You know, one hundred senators and fifty governments wake up
every morning president.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, yeah, so I I just I find the whole thing.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
And now Trump calling her a trader just to be again,
I've said it time and time again this morning.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Didn't have that on my.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Bingo card for twenty twenty five. Uh, you just never
know what politics is going to bring us.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Uh. Leland Ville, the Trump Show, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Sold out, It's sold out everywhere.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Right leland Vidett News Nation Chief Washington anchor host of
On Balance with Leland Videt, which you can watch weeknights
at nine on News Nation. And you can check out
his War Notes newsletter for free at warnotes dot com.
And don't forget to find his book Born Lucky wherever
you get your books. It is definitely worth picking up.
Leland really appreciate it. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
This is great. Doct you soon,
Let's go to the hoighline and bring in News Nation
Chief Washington anchor and host of On Balance with Leland Viddert,
which you can watch weeknights at nine on News Nation.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Leland Viddert back with Us.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
You can also check out his free War Notes newsletter
at warnoes dot com and you can buy his new
book Born Lucky on Amazon or wherever you get your books.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Leland. Great to talk to you this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
And you know, there's one story that's dominating the news
cycle right now and it will for the next couple
of days. But there's a different story and we'll get
to that one all the Epstein stuff in a second.
But there's a different story that I think is more
important and impacts, you know, more Americans, and that's the
(00:43):
president's decision to roll back tariffs on a lot of
items that we find in grocery stores. And why I
thought that was notable not just the impact it might
have on prices, but also because despite the President saying
there's no affordability issue in this country, tree it's it's
actions like that. It's the floating of the two thousand
(01:03):
dollars Terra dividend check, stuff like that that tells me
the administration does know that affordability is an issue right.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Now, Well, you mean taxes, Uh, you know, tariffs raised prices.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I didn't know that.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
There's also a little bit of an admission in uh
taking that action.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Lower caraffs come down. Does that mean if you raise
tariffs prices, Oh, they go off. Yeah. It's still a
little early for me on on on this Monday morning.
I'm a I'm a night guy. I'm not really. I
just wanted to make sure I got all that well.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
It also, it's it's tough when you know you're you're
tex You're putting tariffs on on stuff like coffee, and
that's not something that we can just manufacture here in
the US.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Doesn't doesn't really work like that, right.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
No, this is I think President Trump realizes a couple
of things. Number one, and I think you know, the
one thing that we've learned about President Trump is that
he really understands his base better than anybody does.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
What I would say is.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Is that he realizes he is very vulnerable on prices
number one. Number two, he also realizes that when he
is playing the affordability game, he's losing because inherently that
is a Democratic talking point. The answer to affordability is
to give away free stuff. The answer to helping Americans
(02:24):
get ahead is lowering prices. Those are two very different things,
and Democrats will always win the contest of who can
do away more free stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
So I think that is going to be.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
You're seeing a I don't want to say a divide,
but you're seeing in real time Trump and Republicans trying
to figure out how to navigate that because, as your
listeners know, especially given the large immigrant populations from Venezuela
and Cuba in Florida, know, socialism just makes life more expensive.
(02:59):
Right when you start giving away everything for free, everything
gets more expensive, just the way life wars. So that's
number one. I think number two on Epstein that you
brought up very smartly. Trump's flip on Epstein, I think
is a realization of two things. One, he can't stop this,
it's going it's just going to keep festering. And number two,
(03:19):
as we've learned, whenever people are attacking Donald Trump on
I'm going to sort of loosely say this sort of
his personality right about about criticizing John McCain about the
border wall and everything else about the grabber by the
p tape whatever it is. When they're criticizing him personally
(03:41):
about Russia.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
He is winning, and he's winning.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
With his voters. And that is where I think you
see this going.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Okay, a couple of things. Let me let me go
back to the affordability issue for a second.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
I also think that we've.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Reached a point now now we're, you know, ten plus
months into the administration, where it's starting to get harder
to do the whole You know, this is Joe Biden's
affordability crisis.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
You're the guy behind.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
The resolute desk.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
This is yours.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Yeah, whether it's fair or not, that's just how it works.
And heading into the midterms next year, it's going to
be Trump's affordability crisis if Republicans don't find different ways
to get it under control. On Epstein, and we're joined
by News Nation Chief Washington anchor Leland Biddert, There's one
thing that I'm going to be looking for. The vote's
(04:40):
going to pass if it happens tomorrow, if it happens Wednesday,
whenever it happens, the vote's going to pass in the
House to force the Department of Justice to release these files.
Then it goes to the Senate. But with Trump directing
the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pam Bondi to
open these investigations into people like Bill Clinton and Larry's
(05:00):
summers and others. Uh, even though you know we had
previously heard from the Attorney General, there was no predicate
to uh do those kinds of investigations. With that happening,
I wonder if there's less of a concern about the vote,
not just because it wasn't gonna win this battle, but
also because they'll be able to say, well, we can't
(05:20):
release the files right now, even with this vote, with
this built passing, because we've got active investigations under way.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Now, you are you are wise beyond the hours of
the day.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
That's what I'm watching.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I think, I think you're right.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I still come back to and I can't.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Quite understand why Trump is my my only feeling about
why he's allowing this to continue. And you're right, by
having the vote, maybe even allowing Republican senators to vote
for it, maybe even signing it himself, and then then oh, but.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
It's still under investigation. It just keeps getting the news more, which.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Is exactly what he wants because he wants he wants.
He would much prefer to fight on Epstein then he
would fight on healthcare.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
And you know, the Republicans are in I think one.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Of those positions where be careful what you wish for it,
because you might get it.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
They now own healthcare, they now.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Own the economy, they now own whatever is going to
happen with Venezuela, which is just sort of wacky. Right now.
They own all these things. And when you own all
of them, you got to fix them. And I don't
quite know how Trump is going to deal with that
over the next you know, three or four months. Trump
(06:48):
Trump does not do well when it comes to having
to deal with individual policy issues. So he's great on
sort of bringing like large scale change. Individual policy things
get a little bit triggier.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Heavy is the the Where's the crown?
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Last thing I want to ask you about and give
We're joined by News Nation Chief Washington ancor Leland Biddert,
Marjorie Taylor Green, especially version two point zero. Are you
buying it? Because I think it's fascinating. I just don't
know what to make of it. I don't know if
this is I want to sell lots of books play,
if this is the Charlie Kirk assassination really did have
(07:25):
a strong impact on her view of politics, or if
this is uh, I'm looking to set myself up for
bigger things in the future.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Could it be all of the above possible? Really know?
You know, I think we know what the Ted Cruz
play is, right, the Ted Cruz play of criticizing Tucker
Carlson and Nick foyent a sin Trump and everything else,
which is sort of set up jab Evans to just
set himself up for a twenty twenty eight run. Does
Marjorie Tayler Green really think she can run for president? Really?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I don't know. I think all of these people envision
themselves in that role. I really believe that.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
You know, one hundred senators and fifty governments wake up
every morning president.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, yeah, so I I just I find the whole thing.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
And now Trump calling her a trader just to be again,
I've said it time and time again this morning.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Didn't have that on my.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Bingo card for twenty twenty five. Uh, you just never
know what politics is going to bring us.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Uh. Leland Ville, the Trump Show, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Sold out, It's sold out everywhere.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Right leland Vidett News Nation Chief Washington anchor host of
On Balance with Leland Videt, which you can watch weeknights
at nine on News Nation. And you can check out
his War Notes newsletter for free at warnotes dot com.
And don't forget to find his book Born Lucky wherever
you get your books. It is definitely worth picking up.
Leland really appreciate it. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
This is great. Doct you soon,
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