President Donald Trump's policies are actively hurting his own base, according to MSNBC's Claire McCaskill, but he's oblivious to their suffering.
The president's trade wars and threats against oil-producing foreign nations, along with his sweeping budget cuts and the ongoing government shutdown, are putting pressure on red states that swept him back into office for a second term, the former Democratic senator told "Morning Joe."
But she said Trump is living in a gilded "alternate reality."
"When you surround yourselfwith people that only sayyou're wonderful and you're ina position of politicalleadership, it's a verydangerous situation," McCaskill said, "and he hasnobody around him that's doinganything except fawning overhim.
"So there's an alternatereality that's set in. He'sbuilding a ballroom, having 'Gatsby' parties while he'sstarting wars, threatening tostart wars with Venezuela and Nigeria. Meanwhile, red Americais gasping. They are gasping,his people are gasping withtariffs, health care costs, bythe way, per capita, morepeople in the smallest ruralcommunities in America get foodassistance through SNAP thanthey do in urban areas."
"He said they're Democrats getting foodassistance. No, a hugepercentage of his folks, hisvoters. I know these people, Iknow them. I've been in theirhomes, I've been in theircommunities. They are not happywith this guy right now, and heis not seeing it because he'ssurrounded by this fog of, 'aren't you wonderful,' and let'sgive you another gold crown."
Co-host Mika Brzezinski was stunned by the former Missouri senator's explanation.
"Wow," she said. "Incredible."