Morning Joe: Trump's inner circle reduced to 'white nationalists and people who pathetically cling to power'

Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough on Friday marveled at just how alone President Donald Trump finds himself, as more Republicans and conservatives have condemned his response to last week's white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

In particular, Scarborough noted that even James Murdoch, the CEO of 21st Century Fox and the son of right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch, distanced himself from the president and pointedly said that no one should ever equivocate when it comes to denouncing white nationalists.

"This president is finding himself more and more isolated," he said. "This very commendable letter by James Murdoch shows just how small this president's inner circle is becoming, where he's now surrounded by, perhaps, white nationalists and a few people who pathetically cling to power."

Guest Juan Zarte agreed with Scarborough's analysis, and he said that whatever political capital Trump still had was quickly being drained by controversy and scandal.

"He's hurting his capital, his ability to maneuver, whether it's domestically with legislation or internationally," he said. "He's diminishing his ability to operate."

Guest Rick Stengel, who served as under secretary of state during the Obama administration, found himself amazed that Trump missed such an easy layup in the wake of Charlottesville.

"The biggest gimme in politics is criticizing Nazis," he said. "That's a no-brainer, you can always do that successfully -- and President Trump could not."

Watch the video below.