MSNBC continued what has become little more than a daily repackaging of the same old vitriol against the new administration, and especially Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), on Tuesday’s episode of The 11th Hour. On a panel hosted by Stephanie Ruhle, former GOP Congressman David Jolly went off on a, by now, perfectly predictable tirade against what he termed the “Trump/Musk administration,” and made allegations of “corruption,” for which, as usual, he failed to produce evidence.
Beginning on the subject of the administration’s budget plan passing in the House, Jolly stated:
[E]lections have consequences. Republicans will pass their agenda this session- I really think they will, as much as Democrats try to protest. But, I think that the issues of economic disparity, the wealth gap, money in politics, the corruption of billionaires in politics, becomes [sic] an overwhelming issue in the midterms for Democrats to grab onto, because that is a theme of the current Trump/Musk administration.
“It’s also the root of what Donald Trump originally ran on,” Ruhle added.
Jolly responded:
Sure- but look… I mean- you can go- you can go to the blue-collar or farm worker in Iowa who says, ‘I voted for Donald Trump because he's like me.’ It's part of the mystique of Donald Trump (...)
He then pivoted to an assertion that since November's election, Elon Musk’s net worth had increased more than the USAID budget, saying, “there’s a fiction to all of this.”
In reality, Elon Musk’s personal finances, relative to USAID or otherwise, had absolutely zero bearing on Trump’s rapport with ordinary Americans or lack thereof, or how the administration might or might not be delivering on its promises. If the assertion was to suggest that the money cut went to Musk, the evidence didn’t exist for that either.
Despite that, Ruhle simply affirmed, “That is true,” as though the point were somehow relevant.
Jolly went on, “But I do think the American people see this. They see- the corruption, the money, and politics. And the thread is from- the wealth gap to corruption and grift and graft.”
Although Jolly had just effectively accused the administration of corruption, with no actual evidence to back up the claim, Ruhle again just let it slide, and moved right along as though he had made a slam dunk.
MSNBC’s ongoing fixation on Musk and DOGE certainly showed no signs of abating, and they seemed just as comfortable as ever going endlessly round and round with the same tired slurs and groundless accusations.
To view full transcript click "expand" to read:
MSNBC’s The 11th Hour
February 25, 2025
11:06 PM
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: GOP-CONTROLLED HOUSE NARROWLY PASSES TRUMP’S BUDGET BLUEPRINT]
(...)
FORMER REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN DAVID JOLLY: I do think what this all sets up, Stephanie- so, elections have consequences. Republicans will pass their agenda this session- I really think they will, as much as Democrats try to protest.
But, I think that the issues of economic disparity, the wealth gap, money in politics, the corruption of billionaires in politics, becomes [sic] an overwhelming issue in the midterms for Democrats to grab onto, because that is a theme of the current Trump/Musk administration.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: It's also the root of what Donald Trump originally ran on.
JOLLY: Sure- but look-
RUHLE: [LAUGHS]
JOLLY: Right? I mean- you can go- you can go to the blue-collar or farm worker in Iowa who says, ‘I voted for Donald Trump because he's like me.’ It's part of the mystique of Donald Trump-
RUHLE: Remember ‘Drain the swamp?’
JOLLY: Yeah, right? Drain the swamp. But- but what Donald Trump is doing, is- I think the- the net worth of Elon Musk has increased more than the entire budget of USAID-
RUHLE: That is true.
JOLLY: -since the election, right? And so, there's a fiction to all of this.
But I do think the American people see this. They see- the corruption, the money, and politics. And the thread is from- the wealth gap to corruption and grIft and graft. Democrats will find their footing on this.
I do think the- the election of last November has consequences. And as much as Democrats will resist, Republicans showed us tonight they're going to pass Donald Trump's agenda.