MAGA strategist’s Trump defense backfires as CNN panel fact-checks claims to her face
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A MAGA strategist's attempts to claim President Donald Trump was "fighting for soybean farmers" were met with a "brutal smackdown" by a CNN panelist, reports The Daily Beast.
Kristin Davison's claims that "Trump-supporting farmers who have lost billions of dollars in sales due to his tariff policy just need to let the president 'cook,'" were thwarted by "a cold, hard reality check," the Beast reports.
“I don’t think anyone at this table or anyone else could say ‘I know how to do that without any tariff or cost rising,’ or anything like that," Davison told the CNN NewsNight panel.
Soybean farmers have expressed frustration over the volatility caused by the trade dispute with China. While Trump's alleged, recent agreement to boost Chinese purchases is seen as positive news, the long-term effects of repeated market disruptions and reliance on government aid remain a concern for many in the agricultural community.
In regards to Trump's meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, Davison added, “I can‘t think of anyone else who would rather be sitting there than Trump, Secretary Rubio, and Secretary Bessent. I mean, that‘s a really smart table."
Davison then said, “And that is why the soybean farmers, who, yes, have been going through a tough time right now, will run through a brick wall for the president. Because they see him, they‘re fighting for him, and I think you’ve just gotta let him cook.”
Panelist Max Boot, of the Council on Foreign Relations, shot her down, saying, “The soybean farmers are getting screwed by Trump’s trade war. That’s the reason they’re not selling soybeans.”
Host Host Abby Phillip agreed, saying, “They’re going out of business. What do you mean they’re going to run through a brick wall? They are literally saying we are not going to be able to sustain getting zero assurances from China.”
Davison said they just had to give Trump's tarrifs "time," to which Boot replied, “This is like the arsonist saying ‘I’m going to put out the fire that I started.'"