Trump’s Mar-a-Lago interview is a preview of troubles ahead

Dec 19, 2024

Jordan Reid Author; Founding Editor, Ramshackle Glam

By Straight Arrow News

In a wide-ranging interview on Dec. 16, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump talked tariffs, vaccines, drones, immigration and more. When pressed on vaccines, the incoming president defended the polio vaccine specifically, but made no promises that any other vaccines would remain available to Americans under his second administration.

Watch the above video as Straight Arrow News contributor Jordan Reid reviews Trump’s interview and what she says his answers might indicate for the troubles ahead.

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The following is an excerpt from the above video:

First, Trump has been taking a lot of heat for picking RFK Jr. as his Health and Human Services secretary, mostly because RFK Jr. doesn’t believe in vaccines, which is a problem for a Health and Human Services secretary. Because I cannot help myself: There has been no evidence of a link between vaccines and autism. The increase in autism rates among U.S. children has been attributed to increased awareness and screening. But sure, let’s bring back polio. Make America iron lung-y again!

Anyway, Trump said… well, not much of substance. He said he doesn’t like vaccine mandates, but he does like the polio vaccine… and… I don’t know. I don’t think he knows what he’s talking about in this regard, or really cares. Lara Trump was also a subject of conversation, because sure, will Ron DeSantis appoint Trump’s daughter-in-law to the Senate after Marco Rubio heads off to be secretary of State?

Yes, I’m sure Lara Trump, clearly a super judge of character — she is married to Eric, after all — is naturally suited to the United States Senate. It has nothing to do with Trump. We’re not cementing a family dynasty. Nothing to see here, folks! Moving on.

For some reason, we spent time talking about the drones hovering over New Jersey, because that seems like the central issue of our time. Trump also talked tariffs, which again, I do not think he really understands. And look, I don’t really, either, but I’m also not the president of the United States.

Alright, so with a month left to go before the inauguration, Trump just held his first formal press conference as President Elect. He met with reporters at Mar-A-Lago alongside the co-lead of his transition team, SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son, and his Commerce Secretary pick Howard Lutnik. The overarching goal was to announce a planned $100 billion investment by SoftBank in AI technology, but Trump covered a whole lot more.

How’d it go? Let’s talk takeaways.

First, Trump has been taking a lot of heat for picking RFK Jr. as his Health and Human Services Secretary, mostly because RFK Jr…doesn’t believe in vaccines. Which is a problem for a Health and Human Services Secretary.

Because I cannot help myself: There has been no evidence of a link between vaccines and autism; the increase in autism rates among US children has been attributed to increased awareness and screening. But sure, let’s bring back polio. Make America iron lung-y again!

Lara Trump was also a subject of conversation, because sure. Will Ron Desantis appoint Trump’s daughter-in-law to the Senate after Marco Rubio heads off to be Secretary of State?

Yes, I’m sure Lara Trump, clearly a super judge of character – she is married to Eric, after all – is naturally suited to the United States Senate. It has nothing to do with Trump. We’re not cementing a family dynasty. Nothing to see here, folks!

Moving on.

For some reason, we spent time talking about the drones hovering over New Jersey, because that seems like the central issue of our time. Trump also talked tariffs, which again I do not think he really understands. And look, I don’t really, either, but I’m also not the president of the united states.

For a last hurrah, he went on about how great China – and the Chinese President – are.

Praising dictators, shoving yet more family members into the political arena, and saying not much at all of substance. Business as usual for the next four years.