Chris Murphy: Standard Qualification to Serve in the Trump Admin. Is ‘Affection for Racist and Misogynist Philosophy’

TAPPER: “You‘re on the Senate foreign relations committee. There are reports that a gentleman named Darren Beattie is going to be put forward to be acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs. That‘s a key post. And we should note, Beattie left the first Trump Administration after the tide of criticism because he attended a conference tied to white nationalists. Beatie has also posted on social media things like this: ‘Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work. Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men.’ What‘s your reaction? And is it true that he‘s up for this post?”
MURPHY: “My understanding is that he is up for this post. Listen, he sounds particularly dangerous, the brazen chauvinism and racism. He also has been a very frequent apologist for the Chinese genocide of Uighurs. He says the United States should have no interest in protecting Taiwan, and we should, in fact, hand Taiwan to the Chinese. He has really radical views, but I don‘t know, they don‘t seem super different than Elon Musk, who has amplified vicious anti-Semitic information on Twitter, who gave the Heil Hitler salute on inauguration day. It seems to be standard that the qualification to serve in the Trump Administration is affection for racist and misogynist philosophy. So, this guy is dangerous, but there seems to be people like him being peppered throughout Trump‘s government.”
TAPPER: “Just for whatever it‘s worth, the Trump team says that wasn‘t a Heil Hitler salute, but we have not — I don‘t think we‘ve heard from Elon Musk on what exactly it was. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, thanks for your time.”