CNN Data Ace Jumps All Over Trump Gaffe Amid Deadly New Poll: ‘Political Nightmare Fuel!’

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten and anchor Kaitlan Collins jumped all over President Donald Trump’s gaffe about not considering “Americans’ financial situation” in his war decisions, calling it a gift to Democrats and “political nightmare fuel” for the GOP.

Trump spoke to reporters as he departed the White House for Beijing, China, on Tuesday afternoon, and dropped a bombshell response to a question about the effect of Americans’ financial struggles on his war decision-making.

“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

On Tuesday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Collins played the moment for Enten, and they both immediately commented on “the Democratic ad makers” about to make hay with the clip:

KAITLAN COLLINS: Well, I mean, speaking of Iran. The president was asked a lot of questions about Iran today, as he was leaving the White House because, it’s looming over this whole trip to Beijing. I mean, he’s obviously talking about Jimmy Lai there, and also comparing him to James Comey.

But Harry, I want you to listen to what the president said today when he was asked about Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: When you’re negotiating with Iran, Mr. President, to what extent are Americans’ financial situation motivating you to make a deal?

TRUMP: Not even a little bit. The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran — they can’t have a nuclear weapon. I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all.

Every American understands. And they just had a poll, like 85 percent, which is surprising it’s only that. They understand that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: I mean the Democratic ad makers–

HARRY ENTEN: You stole the words right out of my mouth.

COLLINS: –are cutting it as we speak.

ENTEN: Oh, my goodness gracious. The American people are hearing what he’s saying about the cost of living and their finances, and they think it’s one of the dopiest things they have ever heard come out of Donald Trump’s mouth, is what he said today.

And it comes at a point in which his net approval rating on the economy, according to our new CNN poll, is 40 points underwater, the lowest it has ever been. Remember, in term one, the economy was his best issue. He was in positive territory at plus-10 points, at this point.

He is off in a direction that the American people want nothing to do with. And when they hear what he has to say, like he said today, they go, What the heck is going on in Washington, D.C.?

COLLINS: So, what he said about the polls on Iran not having a nuclear weapon. I mean, I think most people would agree with that, do agree with that. But the term is the cost here in terms of this war. I mean, is that accurate?

ENTEN: Yes, I mean, here’s the situation. Of course, the American people do not believe that Iran should have a nuclear weapon. But you talk about the issues that are the tops for the American folks. The Iran war does not rank anywhere near that.

And when it comes to the cost of living, in terms of the negative impact that they feel, that the Iran war has had on their cost of living. Well, they see it every day at the gas pump, right?

There is a reason why Donald Trump’s net approval rating on gas prices is something like, I think it was like negative 58 points or something like that in our — in our poll. I mean, this is just political nightmare fuel for Republicans, especially when Trump is making statements like he did today.

COLLINS: Shermichael, if you’re the White House comms director, or a Republican political fundraiser, and the President says, I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation? What goes through your mind?

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON: I mean, the message is, you always think about the American people and their financial situation, number one.

Number two, if you’re in the White House, you’re putting pressure on the speaker of the House, and the majority leader in the Senate, to try to figure out, can Congress pass some type of legislation to provide some temporary financial reprieve to the American people who may make a $100,000 and less in income and joint household incomes. That would be one immediate remedy.

The president is headed over to China right now. My secondary priority would be, can you get the Chinese to put pressure on the Iranians to open up the Strait of Hormuz? About 13.8 percent — 14 percent of all oil purchased out of Iran goes to China. That’s billions and billions of dollars that I’m almost certain the Iranian regime would like to have in their coffers.

And so, there’s some levers here that the president can turn on that I think in the next three to six months could potentially benefit Republicans. But you got to start now before voting starts. And I don’t see any indicators that suggest to me that the party as a whole, or the White House, unfortunately, is looking at it through that lens.

COLLINS: We shall see.

Watch above via CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.

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