Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, was discussing the Senate’s failure to advance a border security bill when he addressed a CNN host’s blatant attempt to get him to criticize the former president.
Talking points among leftist circles indicate they are blaming former President Donald Trump for the failure to pass an immigration bill, claiming that he wants a continued southern border crisis to help his current presidential campaign. CNN’s Anderson Cooper brought this theory up to Crenshaw Wednesday evening, but the Republican wasn’t about to take the bait.
“The elephant in the room is the former president who doesn’t want, it seems, anythin- I mean he said it has to be a ‘perfect’ deal. No deal that can actually get through a democracy, a Senate, can be a perfect deal. Isn’t it clear that the former president doesn’t want any deal, and Republicans are not going to make any deal if the former president doesn’t want it?” Cooper said, teeing up Crenshaw to take a shot at Trump.
“Here’s what I say to people who think that they need to let illegal immigrants in just to hurt Biden in the polls,” Crenshaw answered. “My message to Trump is, I think you can beat Biden. I will help you beat Biden. That’s my message. And look, Biden is unpopular in so many ways. People do not trust him on border security or the economy, and various other issues. We need to actually solve the border crisis.”
He then claimed that “activist groups” on “both sides” have a vested interest in making sure the border crisis is never solved so they can advance their personal agendas, but Cooper attempted to bring Crenshaw back to blaming Trump.
“But you’re talking about Donald Trump. I mean, I understand you are saying it’s activist groups, but Donald Trump makes money–” Cooper began.
“I know you want me to say that,” Crenshaw interrupted.
“Well, no. I don’t want– I mean, you’re a very honest guy and a very– people on both sides of the aisle applaud you for that. He has put his thumb on the scale on this,” the host carried on. “And I understand the activist groups who have agendas and make money off this make money off this, but he’s making money off this and he’s running an election. I mean, this is a, perhaps a winning issue for him. And he does not want improvement despite all the talk of fentanyl, despite all the talk of national security issues. He doesn’t want a deal.”
“I mean, look, you’d have to ask him. You’d have to pull a quote from him that I can respond to–” Crenshaw said, pointing out that Cooper was trying to get him to address speculation.
“But lots of people in the House have said that. There’s a lot of Republicans in the House who supported H.R. 2 who are now saying, ‘We don’t need any border deal at all.’ And the only reason is because–” Cooper pressed.
“They’re wrong,” the Texas representative replied. “And I disagree with them. I disagree with them in conversations today on the floor. I said, ‘Look, if we didn’t need new border laws, why did we pass H.R. 2?’ You know, Trump needed new border laws when he was president. He needed laws changed. What he ended up doing, which was great, he made a deal with Mexico. He did the Remain in Mexico policy. He created the asylum cooperation agreements with Northern Triangle countries. That’s what he ended up having to do. So look, I know you wanted me to kind of like get into a fight with Trump. I’m not going to do it. I’m–”
“No, I’m not trying to get you to get into a fight!” Cooper defended himself.
“And what’s true is, we need a border deal,” Crenshaw concluded.