"'Flagrantly Corrupt": Whitehouse and Lawrence Bash Trump's Golden Age of Chaos and Corruption

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrJJOJ7CKEU 

 

May 29, 2025

May 28 | Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joins MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell to discuss President Donald Trump's corrupt pardons and shady crypto deals. Sheldon Whitehouse represents Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate, where he champions policies to uphold American leadership in the world, protect our planet in a changing climate, and hold the powerful accountable. For more from Senator Whitehouse: Website: http://whitehouse.senate.gov/ Twitter: https://x.com/SenWhitehouse Instagram:   / senwhitehouse   Facebook: /   / senatorwhitehouse   TikTok: /   / senwhitehouse   Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whitehouse.s... Threads: https://www.threads.com/@senwhitehouse Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15QVZrP...

Transcript

 

0:00

>> WAS A CHALLENGE.

0:02

>> I THINK.

0:03

>> IT'S PROBABLY.

0:03

>> THE SINGLE.

0:04

>> BEST INTERVIEW. DAD EVER DID.

0:08

>> THE BREAKING NEWS OF THE

0:09

NIGHT IS THAT THE UNITED STATES

0:11

COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE HAS

0:13

STRUCK DOWN DONALD TRUMP'S

0:14

TARIFFS AS ILLEGAL AND

0:16

UNCONSTITUTIONAL. JOINING US NOW

0:17

IS DEMOCRATIC SENATOR SHELDON

0:19

WHITEHOUSE OF RHODE ISLAND. HE'S

0:20

A MEMBER OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY

0:21

COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE FINANCE

0:22

COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS

0:24

JURISDICTION OVER TARIFFS. AS

0:26

THE TRADE COURT POINTED OUT

0:27

TODAY. SENATOR WHITEHOUSE, I

0:29

WANT TO CONTINUE THE THEME OF

0:32

CORRUPTION THAT WE JUST WERE

0:34

DISCUSSING WITH KEN VOGEL IN THE

0:35

NEW YORK TIMES. BUT LET'S BEGIN

0:37

WITH TARIFFS AND THE OPPORTUNITY

0:40

THAT THE TRUMP TARIFFS PRESENTED

0:43

TO WASHINGTON FOR A LEVEL OF

0:44

CORRUPTION WE'VE NEVER SEEN

0:46

BEFORE, WITH ONE PERSON IN

0:48

CHARGE OF WHETHER YOUR COMPANY

0:50

HAS TO PAY A TARIFF OR NOT. WHAT

0:52

DID THAT MEAN TO THE CLIMATE OF

0:56

CORRUPTION IN WASHINGTON?

0:57

>> WELL, THIS WAS.

0:59

>> ACTUALLY WHAT.

1:00

>> WE SAW.

1:00

>> IN TRUMP.

1:01

>> WON.

1:01

>> WHICH WAS THAT.

1:02

>> TRUMP WOULD ANNOUNCE.

1:04

>> TARIFFS.

1:04

>> AND THEN. THE SHOP.

1:07

>> WOULD OPEN AT. THE BACK. FOR

1:09

PEOPLE TO COME INTO.

1:10

>> THE WHITE.

1:11

>> HOUSE AND. PLEAD FOR.

1:13

>> WAIVERS FROM THE TARIFFS.

1:15

COMPANY BY COMPANY.

1:16

>> AND OBVIOUSLY, IF THIS. IS A.

1:18

WHITE HOUSE THAT.

1:19

>> IS, YOU KNOW, ROUNDING UP.

1:21

>> CRYPTO MONEY IN THE BILLIONS.

1:23

>> FOR.

1:23

>> THE TRUMP FAMILY THAT HAVE NO

1:25

HESITATION.

1:26

>> IN SHAKING DOWN.

1:27

>> CORPORATIONS THAT WANTED.

1:28

>> A WAIVER.

1:30

>> SO VERY DIRECT AVENUE.

1:31

>> FOR.

1:32

>> CORRUPTION, AND.

1:34

>> YOU'D NEVER.

1:34

>> EVEN REALLY KNOW.

1:36

>> WHAT TOOK PLACE.

1:36

>> UNTIL LONG AFTER.

1:38

>> WHEN THE WAIVER ULTIMATELY.

1:39

>> CAME TO LIGHT.

1:41

>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR RHODE

1:42

ISLAND BUSINESSES TOMORROW TO

1:44

WAKE UP INTO A COUNTRY WHERE THE

1:47

PRESIDENT CANNOT CHANGE TARIFFS

1:49

EVERY DAY AND CHANGE THEIR

1:50

ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT EVERY DAY

1:52

WITH THAT KIND OF ILLEGAL AND

1:54

UNCONSTITUTIONAL POWER? WELL, I

1:56

WOULD SAY HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF.

1:59

>> FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

2:00

>> WHICH HAD NO WAY.

2:01

>> TO COPE.

2:02

>> OR WHEELER.

2:03

>> DEAL THEIR WAY.

2:04

>> OUT OF IT, JUST.

2:06

>> HAD TO.

2:06

>> LIVE IN THE TUMULT AND

2:08

TURBULENCE OF TRUMP'S.

2:08

>> TARIFF MANIA. BUT I'D ALSO

2:10

SAY THAT.

2:11

>> YOU KNOW.

2:11

>> WE'RE GOING TO BE IN.

2:13

>> A PERIOD WHEN.

2:15

>> KIDS ARE GOING TO BE GOING

2:16

BACK TO. SCHOOL SHOPPING. I

2:17

KNOW.

2:18

>> WE GOT A WHOLE SUMMER AHEAD

2:20

OF US, BUT BY THE.

2:20

>> TIME FAMILIES.

2:21

>> WERE GOING TO GO DO.

2:23

>> THEIR BACK TO SCHOOL

2:24

SHOPPING.

2:24

>> THIS FALL.

2:25

>> THE TARIFFS.

2:26

>> WERE GOING TO HAVE.

2:27

>> HIT AND THEY'RE GOING TO

2:28

DRAMATICALLY RAISE PRICES.

2:30

>> AND SO IN SOME RESPECTS, THIS

2:31

COURT OF INTERNATIONAL. TRADE

2:32

IS. ACTUALLY SPARED TRUMP.

2:33

>> FROM HIMSELF.

2:34

>> BECAUSE HE.

2:35

>> DIDN'T REALLY FIGURE.

2:36

>> OUT THAT.

2:37

>> THE FALLOUT.

2:38

>> IN VOTERS FAMILIES WOULD.

2:40

>> BE VERY.

2:40

>> REAL AND VERY.

2:42

>> BAD FROM HIS TARIFF STUFF.

2:44

>> SO HE SHOULD GO OVER AND GIVE

2:46

THEM A. NICE GILDED.

2:48

>> PLAQUE SAYING, THANK YOU FOR

2:50

SAVING MY BACON.

2:52

>> SENATOR. YOU ALSO AT THE

2:53

FINANCE COMMITTEE HAVE

2:55

JURISDICTION OVER SOCIAL

2:56

SECURITY. AND TO SEE DONALD

2:58

TRUMP PARDONING A CRIMINAL WHO

3:00

WAS CONVICTED OF STEALING SOCIAL

3:02

SECURITY MONEY OUT OF THE

3:04

PAYCHECKS OF HIS EMPLOYEES,

3:06

USING AT LEAST 2 MILLION OF THAT

3:09

TO BUY A YACHT AND WASTE, AND

3:10

USING MILLIONS MORE OF IT FOR

3:12

OTHER PURPOSES, DOESN'T PAY IT

3:14

ALL BACK. AND DONALD TRUMP GIVES

3:17

HIM A COMPLETE PARDON. WHAT DOES

3:20

THAT SAY TO THOSE AMERICAN

3:23

BUSINESSMEN OUT THERE, AND WOMEN

3:24

WHO MIGHT BE TEMPTED IN RUNNING

3:26

THEIR BUSINESS TO STEAL THEIR

3:28

EMPLOYEES SOCIAL SECURITY MONEY?

3:31

WELL, IT SAYS THAT THERE'S.

3:32

>> A.

3:33

>> WAY OUT, EVEN.

3:34

>> IF YOU'RE CAUGHT.

3:35

>> IT ALSO.

3:36

>> SAYS THAT THERE'S.

3:37

>> A 4 TO.

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>> 1 PAYOFF. IF YOU CAN GET

3:39

YOUR. MOM TO GO.

3:41

>> TO A DONALD TRUMP. FUNDRAISER

3:42

WITH.

3:43

>> $1 MILLION.

3:43

>> IN HER PURSE AND HAND IT

3:45

OVER, BECAUSE YOU.

3:46

>> MAKE $4 MILLION OUT OF THE

3:48

DEAL.

3:48

>> SO.

3:48

>> YOU KNOW.

3:49

>> IT'S KIND OF A. BIG WIN. FOR

3:51

EVERYBODY.

3:51

>> EXCEPT, OF.

3:52

>> COURSE.

3:53

>> THE. SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM,

3:54

WHICH IS WHAT WAS CHEATED.

3:55

>> IN THE FIRST PLACE.

3:56

>> BETWEEN THIS.

3:57

>> AND THE.

3:58

>> MUSKRATS TEARING AROUND.

4:00

>> IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND

4:01

THREATENING TO WRECK IT. WE'RE

4:03

LUCKY.

4:04

>> THAT SOCIAL SECURITY IS.

4:05

STANDING AS.

4:05

>> WELL AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. YOU

4:08

HAVE BEEN GUIDING US ON WHAT WE

4:10

ALL LEARNED TO BE THE CORRUPTION

4:13

OF THE SUPREME COURT, AND YOU'VE

4:15

GUIDED US IN A WAY THAT NO ONE

4:18

ELSE HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAP IT OUT

4:20

FOR US OVER YEARS. NOW YOU ARE

4:22

SEEING IN THESE FIRST MONTHS OF

4:25

THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY AN

4:28

EXPANSION OF CORRUPTION IN

4:30

WASHINGTON BEYOND DIMENSIONS

4:33

ANYONE HAD EVER IMAGINED BEFORE.

4:35

WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU WHEN

4:37

YOU LOOK OUT AT ALL OF THAT NOW?

4:40

>> WELL, THE POINT THAT I WOULD.

4:41

LEAVE YOU WITH.

4:42

>> TONIGHT, LAWRENCE, IS THAT

4:43

THE CRYPTO CORRUPTION.

4:45

>> THAT YOU REFERRED TO.

4:46

>> NOT ONLY IS A MEANS.

4:47

>> TO ENRICH.

4:48

>> THE MOST FLAGRANTLY CORRUPT

4:50

PRESIDENT. AMERICA HAS EVER

4:52

SEEN. IN PERSONAL CORRUPTION,

4:55

BUT IT'S ALSO.

4:57

>> A TOOL.

4:58

>> IT'S A. TOOL IN THE CONTEST

5:01

GLOBALLY.

5:01

>> BETWEEN RULE OF LAW AND

5:05

KLEPTOCRACY. AND IT'S.

5:06

>> A TOOL.

5:06

>> THAT ALLOWS MONEY LAUNDERING.

5:08

IT'S A TOOL THAT. SUPPORTS

5:10

BRIBERY.

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>> IT'S A TOOL THAT ENCOURAGES.

5:13

>> POLITICAL CORRUPTION.

5:14

>> IT'S A.

5:15

>> TOOL THAT.

5:15

>> ALLOWS THE CONCEALMENT OF

5:17

CRIMINAL PROCEEDS.

5:20

>> AS A TOOL LIKE THAT. IT

5:22

BENEFITS THE KLEPTOCRACY SIDE OF

5:24

THE BATTLE AND THE UNITED.

5:26

>> STATES, UNTIL.

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>> TRUMP WAS. ALWAYS ON THE RULE

5:28

OF. LAW SIDE OF THAT BATTLE. AND

5:30

IT'S IMMENSELY.

5:32

>> CONSEQUENTIAL THAT.

5:32

>> WE WIN THAT BATTLE.

5:34

>> AND HERE IS TRUMP.

5:36

>> OVER AND OVER IN.

5:37

>> HIS DECISIONS.

5:39

>> AIDING THE KLEPTOCRACY.

5:40

>> SIDE OF THAT BATTLE. AIDING

5:42

OUR ENEMIES.

5:43

>> GIVING AID AND.

5:45

>> COMFORT TO OUR.

5:46

>> ENEMIES.

5:46

>> AND ENORMOUS. AMOUNTS OF

5:48

UNREGULATED CRYPTO FLOATING

5:50

AROUND, IS A MASSIVELY.

5:51

>> VALUABLE TOOL TO THE. FORCES

5:53

OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINALITY.

5:55

>> AND KLEPTOCRACY.

5:57

>> YEAH, AND ON THE HIS CRYPTO

5:59

BUSINESS AND ON THIS CLUB THAT

6:01

HE'S CREATING IN WASHINGTON,

6:02

IT'S SURELY THE YOU LITERALLY

6:06

PUT THE MONEY IN DONALD TRUMP'S

6:08

POCKET. THERE'S NO THERE'S NO

6:10

MONEY GOING TO A CAMPAIGN ENTITY

6:12

HERE. IT GOES IN HIS POCKET.

6:15

WHAT USED TO BE CALLED BRIBES.

6:18

YEAH.

6:18

>> AND UNFORTUNATELY THE SUPREME

6:20

COURT HAS SPENT YEARS.

6:23

>> WHITTLING AWAY AT THE

6:24

ABILITY.

6:25

>> TO PROSECUTE ANYONE FOR.

6:28

>> BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION,

6:30

EXCEPT IN.

6:30

>> THE MOST. OBVIOUS AND OBTUSE.

6:33

>> DIRECT QUID PRO QUO.

6:35

>> THIS DOLLAR FOR THIS VOTE.

6:37

>> TYPE OF TRANSACTION, WHICH

6:38

IS. NOT THE WAY ANYBODY WITH

6:40

ANY. SUBTLETY IN POLITICAL

6:42

CORRUPTION PROCEEDS. AND YOU ADD

6:44

TO IT THAT THEY.

6:46

>> MADE HIM AS.

6:47

>> PRESIDENT TOTALLY IMMUNE. HE

6:48

COMMIT ALL THE CRIMES HE WANTS

6:50

RIGHT NOW. AND SO.

6:51

>> THE LICENSE.

6:52

>> THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS

6:54

GIVEN TO BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION

6:56

IN THE EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIAL

6:58

BRANCHES, AND.

6:58

>> PARTICULARLY IN THE.

7:00

>> OVAL OFFICE, IS ASTONISHING.

7:03

>> SENATOR SHELDON WHITEHOUSE,

7:04

THANK YOU VERY MUC