Hillary Clinton’s insight into Trump
There are few people more experienced in dealing with the twisted brain space of Donald Trump than Hillary Clinton. And when I asked her during an interview that will air Sunday whether we should believe him when he says that it would be very unlikely he would attempt to pardon himself, she offered an interesting insight into how he operates and a warning for what we should all watch out for.
“He engages in what psychologists call projection,” Clinton told me. “So whenever he accuses somebody else of doing something, it’s almost guaranteed he’s doing it himself or he’s already done it. Or whenever he denies — thinking about doing something or doing it, it’s almost guaranteed he is thinking about it or he’s already done it.”
It’s pretty clear Trump is a serial liar. Just recently, the former president also lied about his engagement with impeachment, saying he isn’t involved — when we know that he has been talking frequently to the House members who are orchestrating it.
Clinton’s insight is a reminder of how it is essential not to take Trump’s words at face value. Because it may all just be projection.
Stories you should be following
Next week is shaping up to be jampacked. From a looming government shutdown to the second Republican primary debate, here are the stories that I’ll be following closely. And we will be talking about all of it when the Monday edition of “Inside with Jen Psaki” premieres at 8 p.m. on Sept. 25.
Monday
Monday is the deadline for reaching the Republican National Committee’s polling and fundraising requirements for the second GOP debate. I’ll be keeping an eye on whether North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson meet the RNC’s threshold.
Wednesday
We have not heard the official list of qualifiers for the second GOP primary debate but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie appear to have qualified and have confirmed their attendance. Front-runner Trump will yet again not be in attendance.
Thursday
The House Oversight Committee will hold its first Biden impeachment inquiry hearing. It has made it clear that it will subpoena the president’s son Hunter Biden’s personal business and bank records.
Friday
House Republicans have until the end of the week to pass a government funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. The other option? A bipartisan deal with Democrats that frankly could result in a motion to vacate Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Ca., from his speakership.
People you should be watching: Stefanie Feldman, Greg Jackson, and Rob Wilcox
President Joe Biden announced Thursday the first federal Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a move that gun safety groups have advocated for since he was elected. With minimal progress on gun legislation in Congress and more than 500 mass shootings just this year in the United States, this new office comes at a critical time.
Stefanie Feldman, White House staff secretary and longtime policy adviser on gun violence, will lead the office as its director. Greg Jackson, executive director of the Community Justice Action Fund, and Rob Wilcox, senior director for federal government affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety, will serve as deputy directors. And the office will be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris.
I’ll be watching Stefanie, Greg and Rob closely as they work tirelessly to implement legislation combating the epidemic of gun violence and work to encourage Congress to do the same. There has been no shortage of headlines coming from Capitol Hill this week. NBC News Capitol Hill Correspondent Ali Vitali has been reporting around the clock on the impending government shutdown, the GOP’s push to impeach Biden and much more. I’ll be following her reporting closely, and you should too. You can follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @alivitali. What show are you bingeing right now? Isn’t everyone re-watching — or in my case watching — “Suits”? Biding my time before the next season of the “Bachelor” franchise kicks off. What’s the last book you read? If I’m being honest, I’m in the process of ticking through all the presidential candidates’ books. But I’m offsetting them with “Killers of the Flower Moon” — beautifully reported story and I can’t wait to see the movie. What time do you wake up on the weekends? In time for the Sunday shows. How do you take your coffee? A large (large, large, did I mention LARGE?) coffee or cold brew with oat or almond milk. I am pro-iced coffee all year round.
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden. Recommended
Ali Vitali’s weekend routine
