Jake Tapper on Fox Host Rumored to Be Trump Nominee: ‘Jeanine Pirro, with All Due Respect…’

TAPPER: “So, some news breaking as we came on air, sources are telling CNN and also telling you that President Trump is actually very seriously, strongly considering making Jeanine Pirro, the Fox host, who, we should point out, was a county district attorney, I think Westchester —“

HABERMAN: “Westchester.”

TAPPER: “— Westchester County years ago, was a county district attorney. So she does have experience. Making her the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. She is an ex-prosecutor. This also comes as Trump has nominated Dr. Casey Means to be Surgeon General, even though she dropped out of her residency and hasn’t had an active medical license since last year. Trump today saying he took the recommendation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Give us some background on all the machinations going on here.”

HABERMAN: “Sure. A couple of things. So, Casey Means’ name actually was initially in circulation for Surgeon General right after the election and a lot of people around RFK threw water on it and — cold water on it, suggested this wasn’t going to happen. Obviously, Casey Means was not chosen, but it’s not surprising that the HHS secretary ended up back there. He has a relationship with the Means siblings. Calley Means actually worked with the Trump campaign as well, even before RFK endorsed the president, so this is not a surprise. It does tell me that they are having some issues with certain staffing holes.”

TAPPER: “Why did they withdraw the other person who was, I think, Mike Waltz’s sister-in-law?”

HABERMAN: “I think you may have just answered your own question.”

TAPPER: “OK.”

HABERMAN: “You know, I think there were issues, questions about the education that that nominee had. But I think the connection to Mike Waltz was not seen as an asset, according to all of the people who I have spoken to. And I think that the Trump White House is feeling more comfortable relying on RFK for what he wants to put in place right now.”

TAPPER: “Jeanine Pirro, with all due respect to her, she hasn’t been a lawyer for quite some time, unless I’m mistaken. I mean, she was a prosecutor.”

HABERMAN: “She was.”

TAPPER: “An elected official, Westchester County, et cetera.”

HABERMAN: “Ran for — ran for Senate against Hillary Clinton, however briefly and however poorly that campaign went.”

TAPPER: “That was so long ago.”

HABERMAN: “It was almost 20 years ago. She is, however, a more than 30-year friend of President Trump. Her husband was — ex-husband was one of Trump’s lobbyists, corporate lobbyists, and her ex-husband was also Trump’s final pardon issued at the very last hours of his last term. So I’m not surprised she would turn to him — he would turn to her, rather. She is, as you said, someone who at least does have some experience. But this will be interesting to see how it goes.”