SINCE HE IS LIKELY ON TRACK TO
BECOME THE NEXT ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
WELCOME TO THE AMERICAN --
JOINING ME IS NBC LEGAL ANALYST
AND FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
OLIVIA TROY, COUNTERTERRORISM
ADVISOR TO FORMER VICE PRESIDENT
MIKE PENCE.
OLIVIA, I WANT TO START WITH YOU
BY PLAYING MARKWAYNE MULLIN NOW.
BACK THEN HAD A PRINCIPLED
OBJECTION TO MATT GAETZ.
HERE HE IS ON CNN MUCH MORE
RECENTLY.
TODAY, ACTUALLY.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE FOR
MATT GAETZ?
>> MATT GAETZ, THERE IS NO
QUESTION THAT WE HAVE HAD OUR
DIFFERENCES.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY PUBLIC ABOUT
IT.
I COMPLETELY TRUST PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S DECISION-MAKING ON THIS
ONE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE HAS TO
SELL HIMSELF.
THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT
WILL BE OUT THERE.
HE HAS TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS,
AND, HOPEFULLY, HE IS ABLE TO
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS RIGHT.
IF HE CAN, THEN WE’LL GO THROUGH
THE CONFIRMATION PROCESS.
>> DO YOU EVEN BELIEVE THAT THEY
ARE GOING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS?
THEY SHOULD IF THEY HAVE AN
INTEREST IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
IN AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
DO YOU TRUST THAT THEY WILL?
>> I WANT TO BELIEVE WOULD AND I
WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS
EVEN TOO FAR FOR A LOT OF THE
REPUBLICANS ON THE HILL.
BUT I DON’T TRUST IT AT THIS
POINT.
WE HAVE SEEN THEM FALL BACK IN
LINE, WE HAVE SEEN THEM DO THE
TAP DANCING THAT WE JUST WATCHED
RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THAT AS
MUCH AS, YOU KNOW, WE’D LIKE TO
BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THESE
PEOPLE HAVE INTEGRITY AND THEY
ARE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING
FOR THE GREATER GOOD.
COUNTRY SINCE WE USED TO BE A
COUNTRY OF LAWS AND WOULD LIKE
TO REMAIN THAT WAY, I WOULD
HOPE, I DON’T KNOW.
I HAVE NO TRUST IN THE SYSTEM
RIGHT NOW.
>> I THINK THAT’S FAIR.
GLEN, YOUR CONCERNS AS A FORMER
EMPLOYEE OF THE DOJ AND WHAT ARE
YOU HEARING FROM FOLKS THERE
ABOUT THIS APPOINTMENT?
>> YEAH, JOY, YOU KNOW, YOU AND
YOUR LEAD-IN REMINDED US THAT
MATT GAETZ WAS INVESTIGATED FOR
POTENTIAL CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING.
HOWEVER, HE WAS NEVER INDICTED.
THAT’S AN IMPORTANT DATA POINT.
>> YES.
>> BUT WHAT WAS PART AND PARCEL
OF THAT INVESTIGATION?
THE FBI PREPARED A SWORN
AFFIDAVIT WITH EVIDENCE THAT
SATISFIED A FEDERAL JUDGE THAT
THERE WAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO
BELIEVE THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF
CRIME IN MATT GAETZ’S CELLPHONE,
ISSUED A SEARCH AND SEIZURE
WARRANTS AND HIS PHONE WAS
SEIZED.
IT’S NOT LIKE THIS WAS SOME KIND
OF A WITCH HUNT.
THIS WAS BASED ON EVIDENCE.
AND AS YOU SAY, HE IS STILL
BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE HOUSE
ETHICS COMMITTEE.
I SEE THIS, JOY, AS CALCULATED
BY DONALD TRUMP TO SEND A
MESSAGE TO THE GOOD PEOPLE AT
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
110,000 STRONG, THE MEN AND
WOMEN, AND I WAS PROUD TO BE ONE
OF THEM FOR DECADES, DOING THE
PEOPLE’S WORK.
YOU KNOW, ATTORNEYS AND SUPPORT
STAFF WHO CARE ABOUT HONESTY,
INTEGRITY, ETHICS, THE RULE OF
LAW AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE
CONSTITUTION.
THIS THIS IS DONALD TRUMP
SENDING A MESSAGE TO THEM Y’ALL
MIGHT AS WELL GET OUT NOW WHILE
THE GETTING IS GOOD BECAUSE LOOK
WHO YOUR BOSS MAY BE.
MATT GAETZ.
WHAT SELF-RESPECTING FEDERAL
PROSECUTOR WOULD WANT TO WORK
UNDER A GUY LIKE MATT GAETZ?
>> YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.
LET ME PLAY IT THAT PERSON THAT
YOU JUST DESCRIBED, MATT GAETZ,
TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE CALLS
"LAWFARE" AGAINST DONALD TRUMP.
>> WE ARE HERE TODAY TO
AUTHORITATIVELY EXPRESS THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP DID NOT COMMIT
AN INSURRECTION.
THE "LAWFARE" AGAINST DONALD
TRUMP WILL DO GREAT DAMAGE
BEYOND OUR TIME IN PUBLIC
SERVICE.
WE ARE ON A MISSION TO RESCUE
AND SAVE THIS COUNTRY AND WE
RIDE OR DIE WITH DONALD TRUMP TO
THE END!
>> THAT’S THE POTENTIAL NEW
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
YOU KNOW, NIGHTMARE WITH ME.
HOW MUCH DAMAGE COULD HE
THEORETICALLY DO?
>> I MEAN, IT’S SICKENING TO
THINK THAT THIS PERSON COULD BE
IN CHARGE OF ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT AFFECT
AMERICANS ACROSS THE BOARD.
OUR CIVIL RIGHTS.
WHAT’S HE GOING TO DO WHEN HATE
CRIMES HAPPEN?
WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO WHEN WE
HAVE THE RISE OF HATE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WE SEE EVERY SINGLE DAY,
EVEN MORE SO NOW WHEN SOME OF
THESE PEOPLE ARE EMBOLDENED TO
CARE OUT ACTS?
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH
CHECKS AND BALANCES WHEN SOMEONE
IN THE ADMINISTRATION TRIES TO
SKIRT THE RULE OF LAW?
THOSE WERE NUMEROUS SITUATIONS
THAT HAPPENED DURING MY TENURE
IN THE WHITE HOUSE, DURING MY
TENURE IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
THERE WERE EVEN THINGS THAT BILL
BARR HELPED ALIGNED, RIGHT.
THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE
ROOM.
WE DON’T HAVE THAT.
PICTURE THIS.
NOW MATT GAETZ SITTING THE
SITUATION ROOM HAVING THESE
DEBATES ON POLICY AND SAYING, GO
AHEAD, I HAVE GOT YOUR BACK.
THAT IS WHAT MANY OF US WERE
WARNING ABOUT.
THIS IS THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO
TO BE HONEST.
AND I THINK GLEN IS RIGHT.
I WORKED WITH A LOT OF THE
PEOPLE AT DOJ AND PEOPLE THAT
SERVE IN THE ANYBODY UNDER DOJ.
I MEAN, THIS IS JUST REALLY
ALARMING AND I WONDER WHETHER
THERE WILL BE MASS RESIGNATIONS.
THAT REALLY ACTUALLY WORRIES ME
MORE SO BECAUSE WHAT DOES THAT
DEPARTMENT LOOK LIKE GOING
FORWARD.
>> IT’S FRIGHTENING.
THE THING IS THAT IF YOU GO
THROUGH ALL OF THE PICKS HERE,
MARCO RUBIO, WHO WILL BE
SECRETARY OF STATE.
HEGSETH HEG.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT HIM MORE
LATER.
MATT GAETZ.
KRISTI NOEM, DID A FUNNY DANCE
WITH TRUMP ON STAGE SWAYING.
TULSI GABBARD, DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.
MY GOD.
>> 9/11 CONSPIRACY THEORIST.
>> YEAH.
MIKE HUCKABEE.
ELISE STEFANIK.
THIS IS NOT A CAST OF GREATS.
JOHN RATCLIFFE, CIA DIRECTOR.
ELON MUSK ESSENTIALLY PUT IN
CHARGE OF PARTS OF THE
GOVERNMENT, CUTTING GOVERNMENT.
HE IS NOT EVEN -- HE COULDN’T BE
PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE WASN’T BORN
IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT HE HAS
NO GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE.
HE IS GOING TO BE IN CHARGE.
DO WE HAVE -- I MEAN, LET ME
JUST PLAY FOR YOU BECAUSE THE
IDEA THAT SENATORS WOULD SAY NO,
THAT JOHN THUNE, WHO WILL BE THE
NEW SENATE MAJORITY LEADER WILL
SOMEHOW TRY TO BLOCK THIS, THE
REASON I HAVE THE SAME DOUBTS
YOU DO.
TROY NEHLS REPRESENTS THE WAY
IT’S GOING TO GO DOWN IN CAPITOL
HILL NEXT YEAR.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> THERE IS NO QUESTION HE IS
THE LEADER OF THE PARTY.
HE HAS A MISSION STATEMENT.
HIS MISSION AND GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES, WHATEVER THAT IS, WE
NEED TO EMBRACE IT.
ALL OF IT T, EVERY SINGLE WORD.
IF DONALD TRUMP SAID JUMP THREE
FEET HIGH AND SCRATCH YOUR HEAD,
WE JUMP THREE FEET HIGH AND
SCRATCH OUR HEADS.
THAT’S IT.
>> THAT’S THE WAY IT WORKS.
THERE ARE 20 REPUBLICAN SENATORS
UP FOR RE-ELECTION IN 2026.
AND DONALD TRUMP IS STANDING IT
THERE TODAY ON CAPITOL HILL WITH
ELON MUSK NEXT TO HIM.
THE IMPLIED THREAT BEING HE HAS
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND TWITTER.
DO WHAT I SAY OR YOU DON’T HAVE
A JOB.
>> THEY WANTED TO CHANGE THE
TRAJECTORY OF THE DIRECTION THAT
WE WERE GOING IN, DONALD TRUMP
AUTO NOT BE PRESIDENT TODAY.
HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE
NOMINEE FOR THE PARTY.
THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER.
>> YEAH.
>> BACK WHEN HE TRIED TO
OVERTURN A FREE AND FAIR
ELECTION, RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
>> SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.
THAT’S WHY I DON’T HAVE
CONFIDENCE.
I WANT TO.
THIS IS MY FORMER PARTY, THIS
REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT I BELONGED
TO FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND
BELIEVED IN.
BUT THEY ARE NOT EXHIBITING THE
CHARACTERISTICS THAT I BELIEVED
IN SUCH AS ACTUALLY STANDING FOR
THE RULE OF LAW.
I MEAN, I THINK WE ARE HEADED
FOR ONE OF THE MOST PROBABLY THE
MOST CORRUPT PRESIDENCY WE HAVE
SEEN IN OUR LIFETIME HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
>> GLEN, THAT COULD INCLUDE
GOING AFTER ANYONE THAT DONALD
TRUMP WANTS TO FROM THE JANUARY
6th COMMITTEE.
ANYONE THAT HE HAS WANTS TO THAT
ARE REPUBLICANS WHO STOOD
AGAINST HIM.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE OUR DEAR
FRIEND OLIVIA HERE, I MEAN,
ANYONE WHO STOOD AGAINST DONALD
TRUMP HAS NOW GOT A SYCOPHANT IN
THE A.G.’S OFFICE THAT IF TRUMP
SAYS PROSECUTE HIM, FORMER
PRESIDENTS, BIDENS, WHOEVER, HE
COULD DO IT?
>> YEAH.
JOY, WHO WILL BE SETTING LAW
ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES IF MATT
GAETZ IS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL?
IT WILL BE MATT GAETZ.
HE WILL LIKELY BE DIRECTING THE
FBI TO IF AFTER DONALD TRUMP’S
PERCEIVED ENEMIES WHETHER THERE
IS EVIDENCE OF WRONGDOING OR
NOT.
I HAVE A FEELING THE FIRST
CRIMINAL FILE MATT GAETZ MIGHT
ASK TO BE BROUGHT TO HIS OFFICE
IF HE IS GOD FORBID CONFIRMED AS
ATTORNEY GENERAL WILL BE HIS OWN
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SO HE CAN
SEE WHO THE WITNESSES AGAINST
HIM ARE AND MAYBE WHAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE AGAINST THAT THEM.
>> NOT ONLY THAT, GLEN, BUT THE
-- YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WAS
IN THE JACK SMITH INDICTMENTS,
ALL OF THAT IS GONE, RIGHT?
I MEAN, DONALD TRUMP HAS NOW
EFFECTIVELY GOTTEN AWAY WITH
ATTEMPTED OVERTHROW OF THE
GOVERNMENT AND HE NOW HAS
ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT IS HIS
GUY.
>> YEAH, IT’S GONE, JOY.
IT’S GONE IN AS MUCH AS WE ARE
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO SEE
CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS.
THE REPORTING IS JACK SMITH IS
WINDING THEM DOWN.
LET’S HOPE HE IS GEARING UP TO
ISSUE A SPECIAL COUNSEL REPORT
THAT REVEALS EVERYTHING,
INCLUDING A LOT OF THE
INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE WE
DON’T KNOW ABOUT YET, AT LEAST
IT WILL BE SAVED FOR HISTORY AND
POSTERITY AND A MATT GAETZ AND
DONALD TRUMP WON’T BE ABLE TO
JUST GET RID OF IT ALL TOGETHER.