Trump's Achilles' heel? He's wildly 'insecure,' Joe Scarborough claims
Donald Trump's frenemy number one is without a doubt former Florida congressman and Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough — at one time accused of being dangerously friendly with Trump, but now happy to reveal the deeply vulnerable side of America's foremost "bully."
"None of these guys knew how to get Trump at a gut level," Scarborough told Politico's "Off Message" podcast. "He is insecure. That's always driven him — I'll say it — batsh*t crazy."
Trump has fired back at Scarborough, saying he no longer watches the show as well as blasting it for having "small audience, low ratings!" But Scarborough claims Trump's paranoia over his numbers — and the possibility that he is not so exciting to Americans as he used to be — could be the chink in the candidate's armor.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I made the mistake, in Donald Trump's eyes, of saying that actually Chris Christie… would out-rate Donald Trump. Bernie Sanders would out-rate Donald Trump [on Morning Joe]. You want to get to Donald Trump? That's how you do it," Scarborough claimed.
He said opponents would do well to return Trump's fire: "I think you'd just go to him. He's a bully, and you don't let bullies bully people. You just mock him, See, the one thing Donald Trump can't stand is people calling him out, and instead of becoming indignant about it, laugh at him," Scarborough said.
And therein lies his Achilles' heel, according to Scarborough: "Ratings, numbers. Saying that Bernie Sanders draws more people than him. Mocking him for only having 5,000 people at [a Washington D.C. rally over Memorial Day weekend] when he thought he was going to have 400,000." Listen to the full interview, below. Jeva Lange
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 19, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - junk food, health drinks, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Band Aid 40: time to change the tune?
In the Spotlight Band Aid's massively popular 1984 hit raised around £8m for famine relief in Ethiopia and the charity has generated over £140m in total
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Starmer vs the farmers: who will win?
Today's Big Question As farmers and rural groups descend on Westminster to protest at tax changes, parallels have been drawn with the miners' strike 40 years ago
By The Week UK Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden arrives in Peru for final summits
Speed Read President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, visit the Amazon rainforest and attend two major international summits
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate GOP selects Thune, House GOP keeps Johnson
Speed Read John Thune will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader, and Mike Johnson will remain House speaker in Congress
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump tests GOP loyalty with Gaetz, Gabbard picks
Speed Read He named Matt Gaetz as his pick for attorney general and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. Both have little experience in their proposed jurisdictions.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pentagon Discord leaker gets 15 years in prison
Speed Read Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guard member, leaked classified military documents
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Saudi crown prince slams Israeli 'genocide' in Gaza
Speed Read Mohammed bin Salman has condemned Israel’s actions
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump fills key slots, tapping Congress, MAGA loyalists
Speed Read The president-elect continues to fill his administration with new foreign policy, environment and immigration roles assigned
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published