CNN’s Dana Bash Asks Ex-RNC Chair What’s Behind The ‘Common Thread’ Of Trump Appointees Being Accused of Sexual Assault

CNN anchor Dana Bash spoke with former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel on Thursday about Matt Gaetz dropping out as Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general. Bash asked McDaniel to weigh in on the “common thread” of sexual misconduct allegations plaguing so many of Trump’s nominees.

“What’s your reaction to just, first of all, just to the withdrawal?” Bash began.

“I think the numbers weren’t there. He came here. He met with senators. They started doing the math. It was becoming a distraction,” McDaniel replied, referring to the ongoing allegations Gaetz had sex with a minor and paid other women for sex. She added:

This was dominating the news. We were seeing the drip, drip, drip. And he did what I think is the right thing. He put his loyalty to the president first. He said, I don’t want to be a distraction to this administration and getting the work done that President Trump needs to get done. And I’m going to withdraw my name. And I think a lot of people agree with this decision.

“You were around and I’m sure you had encounters with Matt Gaetz as the chair of the party, just kind of taking a step back, the idea that he. Made some enemies in the house where he served and the United States Senate. How did that play into this?” Bash followed up.

“Yeah, I think it was hard for some of these senators and others. You know, he he trolled them. He went after them. He wasn’t going to win a congeniality contest. And then suddenly he’s in a position where he’s saying, I need your support and I need your vote. The one thing I can say about Matt Gaetz says he is unequivocally loyal to Donald Trump, and he always has been,” McDaniel replied, adding:

He’s been steadfast. And I think President Trump has said often the biggest mistake he felt he made in that first term was Jeff Sessions. I’ve heard him say it was my mistake one through ten. So this position is very important to him. And to have an attorney general who’s going to be loyal, who’s going to have his back, who’s going to understand what President Trump wants to get done is critical. Matt Gaetz fit that mold, but he found himself in a position where he couldn’t get the votes.

Bash then asked, “I want to broaden it out a little beyond Gaetz. Several of his picks have faced sexual assault or misconduct allegations. Pete Hegseth is dealing with this right now. RFK, Jr. One of his top allies, Elon Musk, was sued by former employees who claimed that they were fired for raising concerns about sexual harassment at his company, Space X. What do you make of that common thread?”

“You know, I think this is important to have a Senate. I mean, this is why they have to give advice and consent and let’s let the process play out. There’s all these stories coming out. They haven’t been convicted of any of these things. I think it’s important for the senators to take this job very seriously,” replied McDaniel, adding:

Also, to give good advice to the president and to say you need to go into these picks with eyes wide open and understand what damage they may do and what baggage they bring to this administration. I think they’re going to do it in a very considerate way. They’re going to do it privately. They’re going to talk to the president privately.

They don’t want this playing out. But then on the flip side, they understand Donald Trump just won huge. We probably wouldn’t have the Senate without Donald Trump right now. And they want to make sure that they give the president the team that he wants to lead this country. He’s not just trying to hit the ground running. He’s running before he hits the ground. He wants to start day one, getting the things done that he ran on. And he wants the people around him that he trusts that will get that done.

Watch the clip above via CNN.