Ex-FBI official says Trump's 'flipping' talk is straight out of the Sopranos

During a Thursday panel discussion with MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace, former FBI assistant director for counter-intelligence Frank Figliuzzi called Donald Trump's interview like something out of the "Sopranos."

He explained that this scandal is much bigger than a simple campaign finance violation.

"Let's not forget that we've got money laundering, bank fraud. We still have Russian collusion. That's what this is all about and what it started with," Figliuzzi said. "And now today we have the president of the United States suggesting that maybe cooperating with prosecutors should be outlawed."

He joined the school of commentators calling it like something out of the mob.

"I'm struck continually by how much some of this conversation sounds like wiretaps in an organized crime case or an episode of the "Sopranos" where some Coppo is talking about whacking somebody who is flipping and cooperating. We're getting very close to that."

Wallace was so struck by his comments she said she wanted to cut them and replay it before the end of the show.

In an interview with Fox News that aired Thursday morning, Trump said he thought the practice of "flipping" should "almost" be illegal.

"I know all about flipping, 30, 40 years I have been watching flippers," Trump said. "Everything is wonderful and then they get 10 years in jail and they flip on whoever the next highest one is or as high as you can go."

Former U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg honed in on a specific part of the comments about watching these so-called "flippers."

"Prosecutors rely all the time on the information we receive from cooperators," Rosenberg said. "I don't call them flippers. I think that's a ridiculous word. I find it curious that the president knows so many. People who work in law enforcement tend to know folks who cooperate, but for the president to say he's been surrounded by that for 30 or 40 years, I think underscores Frank's point that it sounds a bit like a mob family."

Watch the full conversation below: