MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski mocked Eric Trump for trying to engage in a "battle of the wits" with conservative attorney George Conway, the husband of a senior White House adviser.
Conway, whose wife Kellyanne serves in the White House, accused President Donald Trump of witness tampering in his tweet praising Roger Stone for his loyalty in the face of the Russia probe, and the president's son attacked the attorney on Twitter.
"I'm absolutely intrigued by this, where they get their confidence that they could lash out at George Conway for stepping up for what he believes in given what this president is accused of doing and what he has already admitted or has proven he has done, especially with porn stars and Playboy bunnies while his wife was pregnant," Brzezinski said.
MSNBC political analyst Elise Jordan said the president's son was punching above his weight.
"I don't think that Eric Trump wants to get into a battle of wits with George Conway or a debate about the law in any way," she said.
Jordan said it was "insulting" that Eric Trump thought Kellyanne Conway needed him to defend her honor against her own husband, and Scarborough said there was a sexist dynamic that underlined his comments.
"It's always suggested that women are subordinate to men, if you have two people in careers," Scarborough said. "That is exactly what Eric Trump is suggesting of George Conway, that he should basically be subordinate, that his beliefs, things that he's fought for his entire life, his status as a conservative thinker, a legal thinker should somehow be put on hold because of what's going on inside the White House."
"There are two independent adult people," he added, "and each should be able to pursue their careers in the way they want."
The co-hosts agreed Kellyanne Conway didn't need any help defending herself in public -- and Brzezinski turned the White House adviser's attack on sexual assault accuser Christine Blasey Ford back on her.
"She doesn't want to be treated like a Fabergé egg," Brzezinski said. "That would be important to her. She is a strong woman and does not need to be treated like a Fabergé egg."
