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Inside Politics
RNC Chair Michael Whatley Enters NC Senate Race With Trump's Backing; GOP Senators Weigh "Nuclear" Option As Dems Deadlock Trump Nominees; One-On-One With Virginia GOP Candidate For Governor; GOP Candidate For VA Governor Previously Described Trump As "Liability"; White House Unveils Plan For Trump's $200 Million Ballroom. Aired 12:30-1p ET
Aired August 01, 2025 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[12:31:29]
MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR: Topping our political radar, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley officially jumps into the critical North Carolina Senate race with President Trump's backing. Crediting the RNC star, who is running for the first time himself, with helping Republicans win swing states nationwide and in North Carolina six times. It's clear the endorsement will not be the only Trump theme to the campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
MICHAEL WHATLEY, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: The president's doing exactly what he campaigned on. This is the direction that the American people want to go. A strong southern border, a strong economy, and a strong America. These are things that the American people support, and we need to make sure we see it through.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To save our economy, to bring jobs home, North Carolina needs a strong, fearless conservative in the Senate.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
RAJU: Whatley is expected to face off with Democratic candidate Roy Cooper in the general election.
Now, it's August 1st, so do you know where your senator is? Well, they're on Capitol Hill with no flight home in sight. President Trump repeating his demand to senators, telling them to, quote, "Stay in session, no recess. Do your job, confirm all nominees." All amid a partisan dispute in the chamber.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just silly, and I'm tired of it.
REP. TIM SHEEHY (R), MONTANA: If we have to stay here and do multiple votes every day for the month, it's very inefficient. It's a very dumb way to do things, but that's what we're being forced to do. SEN. BERNIE MORENO (R), OHIO: The Democrats have filibustered every single nominee. The chief of protocol at the Defense Department was filibustered.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: We need to be sure that whatever we do to change the rules, we're going to accept the fact that when the shoe's on the other foot, the next Democratic president's nominees are going to be confirmed on a timely basis.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
RAJU: Now, Democrats in the minority are exercising their power to slow walk Trump's nominees, but they are going to lengths rarely seen in the chamber. So, will Republicans stay in session, or will Democrats blink? It could be one long, hot August.
And if you're looking for the Smithsonian exhibit on President Trump's impeachments, well, you won't find it. The National Museum of American History removed the signage last month. You can see that exhibit here saying, quote, "Case under redesign, history happens", with an apparent reference to Trump's historic two impeachments.
Now, the museum tells CNN it was a short-term measure, and a full update will take significant time and funding, but a future exhibit eventually will include them. The White House's take? A spokesperson said updates to display, quote, "American greatness are fully supported," but added the administration is still working with the museum to remove divisive and improper ideology.
Coming up, all eyes on Virginia as the state prepares to choose its next governor candidate and the Republican candidate. Winsome Earle- Sears is my guest, joins me live next.
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[12:38:49]
RAJU: In three short months, voters in Virginia will head to the polls to choose their next governor. The race between current Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and former Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is seen by many as a potential bellwether for the 2026 midterms. So how are the candidates making their cases?
Well, the Virginia's current Lieutenant Governor, the Republican candidate for governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, joins me live now. Lieutenant Governor, thank you so much for joining me this afternoon. Really appreciate it.
WINSOME EARLE-SEARS (R), LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA: Thank you for having me, Manu. We get to talk about the common sense principles.
RAJU: OK. Well, I appreciate you coming on. And as you know, and I don't have to tell you, this is one of the marquee races in the country right now. Yet, President Trump so far has not endorsed you. And you are the Republican nominee. So why hasn't he endorsed you in this race?
EARLE-SEARS: Well, look at what we're facing. We're facing a lot of, well, issues that are economically based. And we have the ideas that are going to get us there. We have 250,000 job openings. We are creating jobs as we speak. And so we understand what this is about.
The president will make certain decisions. I've already met with him. And that's as far as I'm going to go.
[12:40:06]
RAJU: Yes, because in the other marquee races, for the New Jersey governor's race, the president was quick to endorse the Republican candidate there, Jack Ciattarelli. You said you've spoken to the president. What did he say to you when you asked him for his support?
EARLE-SEARS: Yes, I'm not going to talk to you about things that the president and I have spoken about. But I'm going to tell you, as an immigrant to this great country, for me to be in the Oval Office with the leader of the free world, is an amazing thing. As a six-year-old coming from Jamaica, this is never anything that I could have ever considered.
And that's why I always say, America, she may not be perfect, but she's the best we've got. And I'm going to keep her. And that's why, when I joined the Marine Corps, I was willing to defend her.
RAJU: Yes, and I wonder, you know, because you had been critical of the president in the past. In 2022, you said this --
EARLE-SEARS: So, Manu --
RAJU: -- as he was gearing up for a third run for the race. Just listen to this first. I want you to listen to this first and then you --
EARLE-SEARS: Is this what you're going to keep talking about?
RAJU: Well, I want you to --
EARLE-SEARS: Because I thought we were going to talk about the issues that are important to the voters. I'm talking about the --
RAJU: I want you to --
EARLE-SEARS: -- education choices that parents want.
RAJU: We can get into that. We can get to that in a second.
EARLE-SEARS: I thought you wanted to talk about the --
RAJU: Hold on --
EARLE-SEARS: Well, yes, but, you know, you keep talking about this.
RAJU: This is the president of the United States, the leader of your party. I want you to --
EARLE-SEARS: It's important to you. But the people want to know --
RAJU: Hold on, hold on. The viewers need to know what you said in the past.
EARLE-SEARS: Are we going to -- we''ve gone through that. I've told you that the president and I have been in the Oval Office, but you want to keep talking about issues that you think are important to you. But people want to talk about, are you going to care for my children? Are you going to make sure that you're going to have qualified immunity safe so that law enforcement will not be decimated?
Which is why I have over 70 (ph) sheriffs, both Republicans, Independents and Democrats, who are supporting me. Are you going to create jobs in Virginia, which we've created more than 250 high-paying jobs? Which we have 15,000 --
RAJU: So --
EARLE-SEARS: -- new business startups that have never existed? That's what people want to hear about.
RAJU: Yes, but I --
EARLE-SEARS: In the 71st anniversary of Brown v. Board of Ed, people want to know, are my children going to have options for education? We don't want to talk about the past, Manu. This is why --
RAJU: But why would -- I just want to know if you --
EARLE-SEARS: -- you know, people don't want to get into politics.
RAJU: I just want to know because -- I know --
EARLE-SEARS: This is why they don't want to get into politics.
RAJU: But you jumped in while I was trying to ask the question, so viewers should hear what you had said in the past. So let's just roll that tape.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
EARLE-SEARS: The voters have spoken, and they have said that they want a different leader. And a true leader understands when they have become a liability. A true leader understands that it's time to step off the stage.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
RAJU: So that was your past comment in 2022. You said that Trump had become a liability.
EARLE-SEARS: Yes.
RAJU: Do you stand by those comments? EARLE-SEARS: I voted for the president the first time around. I voted for him the second time around. And I voted for him the third time around. So here's the thing. Who was I going to vote for? I'm going to vote for somebody who understands how everything works.
I'm talking about who has brought us economic prosperity in the past. I'm talking about somebody who understands how business works, who understands that the rogue nations of the world have to be told that we're not going to let them fool around with America, that we will protect America. And that's what President Trump has done.
Now, because of your politics, I suppose, you wanted to keep talking about the past. When I've already told you, the president and I have been in the Oval Office, we have had discussions. And I'm not going to talk about things that should be held private.
RAJU: Yes, you know, this -- yes, Trump is not shy to endorse candidates. He endorses candidates all the time. And this is one of the biggest races in the country.
EARLE-SEARS: Oh here we go.
RAJU: We're two months from the campaign.
EARLE-SEARS: You want to talk about the past --
RAJU: But that's what --
EARLE-SEARS: -- and nobody wants to talk about the past. We want to talk about --
RAJU: But I do want to ask you --
EARLE-SEARS: -- what's happening going forward.
RAJU: Yes. Let's talk about what's happening going forward. Hold on, I want to ask you about something that's happening right now in Virginia.
EARLE-SEARS: Do you want to talk about my opponent supporting Joe Biden almost 100 percent of the time? Do you want to talk about my opponent supporting Beau (ph) Biden 100 percent of the time? Do you want to talk about the past where she is part of the Clinton machine? Do you want to talk about the past where the rogue nations of the world understood that Joe Biden was not altogether there and they were with him and saw --
RAJU: And I will say --
EARLE-SEARS: -- his actions where he was delayed?
RAJU: Yes, and --
EARLE-SEARS: Do you want to talk about where my opponent --
RAJU: Lieutenant Governor -- EARLE-SEARS: -- has said that --
RAJU: Lieutenant Governor?
EARLE-SEARS: -- she was always in the room with Joe Biden and so she knew that he was in cognitive decline and yet she did nothing? She said nothing?
RAJU: Yes.
EARLE-SEARS: That's not about somebody who can be governor of Virginia.
RAJU: And Lieutenant Governor, I would tell you --
EARLE-SEARS: She cannot be trusted.
RAJU: And Lieutenant Governor, I would tell you -- hold on. Let me just get in because we have actually tried -- we have tried to talk to Abigail Spanberger --
EARLE-SEARS: No, Manu, you are not doing the right thing.
RAJU: Lieutenant Governor?
EARLE-SEARS: You are not doing the right thing.
RAJU: Lieutenant Governor?
EARLE-SEARS: You are trying to trap me, and that is not why I'm here.
RAJU: No, we're not trying to trap you.
[12:45:02]
EARLE-SEARS: This is the politics of old. Yes, you are, and I'm from --
RAJU: OK.
EARLE-SEARS: -- a third world country where I've seen this happen. I did not think that here in America we would be talking like this. The people want to talk about the issues.
RAJU: And I want to ask you about the issue right now. There's an issue that I want to ask you about right now. And just to be clear, we have asked Abigail Spanberger to come on the show repeatedly. She has not yet, and I do appreciate you coming on and talking about it.
This is a big issue in Virginia. This has to do with the hundreds of thousands of federal workers, including many who have lost their jobs under DOGE and the Trump administration. I'm wondering, has the president's push to purge the federal workforce, has that been good for Virginia?
EARLE-SEARS: You know, I'm glad you asked this question because your side -- I'm assuming, your side of the aisle, they keep talking about this. And you know what we've done in Virginia? We've created the 250,000 jobs I'm trying to get to talk about that you want to talk about something else. And, in fact, three days ago --
RAJU: But what about the jobs that have been -- do you support --
EARLE-SEARS: Wait a minute.
RAJU: Do you support what they've done?
EARLE-SEARS: I'm trying to answer the question now. I'm trying to answer the question, Manu.
MATTINGLY: Please do. Thank you.
EARLE-SEARS: So -- yes, thank you. So just three days ago, well, we had to send a letter to the Fairfax County chairman to say there was a company that was going to create 800 high-paying jobs, averaging 150,000, that would have offset federal jobs that you're talking about being lost. And yet you know what the Democrats who are in authority there? They said no.
So it's -- which one do you want? Do you want to talk about jobs that are being lost when we can continue to create jobs?
RAJU: Well, yes, I mean, I was just curious if you supported the --
EARLE-SEARS: Or is this just a talking point for Democrats --
RAJU: I was just curious if you supported the president's -- the purge of the federal workforce, but I didn't hear an answer to that.
EARLE-SEARS: -- just wanting to have a talking point so that their candidate, Abigail Spanberger, can win.
RAJU: Now, I just want to know if you supported the -- I was curious if you supported the president's purge of the federal workforce. That's all. I didn't get a clear answer on that.
But I do want to turn to an issue that is also important to a lot of voters --
EARLE-SEARS: I'm giving you a clear answer, but you don't want to hear my clear answer because it's common sense.
RAJU: So do you support the president's purge of the federal workforce, yes or no?
EARLE-SEARS: Oh -- OK. If this is the way you want to go, then go ahead.
RAJU: But I --
EARLE-SEARS: But I'm just not going to participate --
RAJU: OK. Well -- EARLE-SEARS: -- because I want to talk about real issues. I've told
you we've tried to create -- we almost had 800 new jobs that would have come to the very northern Virginia area that would be affected. The average pay was $150,000, and yet the Democrats who maintain most of those county seats decided they weren't going to bring those jobs here.
RAJU: I want to just -- wait a minute.
EARLE-SEARS: So, you know, if they want to work together with me, we can get it done. Because we know how to help the people. We don't -- and yet, these are the Democrats that claim to love everybody more than anybody else.
RAJU: I do want to ask you one last --
EARLE-SEARS: You want to show me love? Help me get a job. That's what this is about. Thank you for having me on.
RAJU: I do want to ask you one last question before you go, and it's about an issue that is really important to a lot of voters in Virginia. It's the issue of abortion. Virginia, as you know, allows abortion until the end of the second trimester with certain exceptions beyond that. Can you guarantee that, if you're elected governor, you will not take steps to further restrict abortion access in Virginia?
EARLE-SEARS: You know what I'd like to know? Why is it that black women who make up 14 percent of the childbearing population have 40 percent of the abortions? Who doesn't want us to have our babies? And then my opponent, Abigail Spanberger, wants abortion up until the very hour that the baby could be born.
Why would that be? So what I would say is let's get together and figure out what the process going forward should be.
RAJU: OK. Well, I appreciate you coming on and appreciate you exchanging your ideas with me in this pretty lively interview. So thank you so much for joining me, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle- Sears. I really appreciate it.
And again, we'd love to talk to a Democratic candidate for Governor Abigail Spanberger to come on the show. We hope to be able to bring that interview to you soon. We've asked for her to come as well.
All right, coming up, the White House is getting a makeover, Mar-a- Lago style. You'll see for yourself next.
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[12:53:49]
RAJU: President Trump has always wanted to revamp 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And next week his dreams will come true. Construction begins on a $200 million, 90,000 square foot ballroom. Now the White House provided these renderings of the project that will occupy space in the East Wing. And if these images feel familiar, well it's because they're strikingly similar to the ballroom at the President's Mar-a- Lago Resort.
My panel is back. So what do we expect from this?
MICHELLE PRICE, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, AP: I mean I was in the White House yesterday when they showed these renderings and I did a double take because I was like, is that Mar-a-Lago? What I'm doing here.
You know, the president has made it a secret of the fact that he is revamping the White House. He put in some flagpoles. He's repaving over the Rose Garden, which is almost completely covered now in pavers. But this ballroom project is pretty huge. The Oval Office decked out in gold. We've got gold in this ballroom.
RAJU: Yes.
PRICE: He is putting Trumpian touches all over this.
RAJU: Even though it's done by private donors, $200 million, the optics at this time --
JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes.
RAJU: -- maybe not the best optics.
WRIGHT: And they haven't really answered a lot of questions about it. I've asked the White House, how much is President Trump contributing of that $200 million figure? I haven't gotten an answer.
RAJU: What do you think that answer is?
PRICE: Who are the other donors?
[12:55:00]
WRIGHT: No comment.
RAJU: Yes, who are the other donors? Who pay for this?
WRIGHT: Who are the other donors? Now, one White House official told me that that information does have to become public, required by law. The question is, when will that happen? But certainly the White House was excited about this. Donald Trump is excited about this.
They feel that it is needed, that it will add more space. And also, it is a legacy project that Donald Trump said it was.
RAJU: Yes.
WRIGHT: Something that will be there forever and have his mark on. And I think that that is not to be downplayed.
RAJU: You know, Trump has been talking about this since 2010. And in 2016, he brought this up on the campaign trail. And this was asked by the -- to the Obama Press Secretary, Josh Earnest at the time.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP) JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY, OBAMA ADMINISTRATION: Well I can tell you that this is not something that was at all seriously considered.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And why not?
EARNEST: Well, I'm not sure that it would be appropriate to have a shiny gold Trump sign on the -- on any part of the White House.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
RAJU: OK. I don't know if there will be a gold sign at the White House, but --
AARON BLAKE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yes, I mean, this reminds me of, like, the origin story for Trump running for president initially when he was kind of dissed at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
RAJU (?): Yes.
BLAKE: Maybe he really wanted to get back in the White House --
RAJU: Yes.
BLAKE: -- so he could build this ballroom that Obama wouldn't let him.
RAJU: All right, we'll see what ultimately happens.
Thanks for joining Inside Politics. I'm Manu Raju in for Dana Bash. Be sure to join me this Sunday for more Inside Politics. I'll be talking to Democratic Senator from New Jersey, Cory Booker. It's at 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
CNN News Central starts after a very quick break.
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