Chris Matthews and the Trump Epiphany

I only caught a snippet of this last night before news of the Manhattan horror drove everything else off-air, but it was really intriguing.

I mean, this was Chris Matthews’ red face snug up to the camera. That’s not unusual. 

But what was so out of the ordinary was his tone of voice – level and reasonable, even thoughtful.

And he wasn’t foaming at the mouth, the way I remember him best during the height of his MSNBC fame…

🚨Chris Matthews: Democrats are at record low approval ratings because Trump and Elon tell “lie after lie after lie” —

“And nobody checks the facts anymore.”

They are completely lost. pic.twitter.com/lovVGGPN7n

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) March 17, 2025

…and even on some former leading ‘journalistic’ lights’ second act podcasts now. All those agitated gestures and spittle-flecked delivery.

Chris Matthews is back and saying Trump’s deportations to El Salvador are just like Hitler. On Jim Acosta’s Substack show Friday: “What did Hitler do in the Holocaust? He took people from Germany to other countries where there was no German law. There was not even a pretense of… pic.twitter.com/v1FQn09GvG

— Brent Baker 🇺🇲🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@BrentHBaker) April 20, 2025

A madman ranting among his fellow fevered derangement syndrome sufferers.

What was even more astonishing is that Matthews maintained this entirely comfortable demeanor while he was talking about Donald Trump – mon dieu! Perhaps because Charlie Rose is himself a mostly mellow presence, whatever the over-the-top spew he’s mouthing?

That could be.

Demeanor alone was not the end of the podcast’s Matthews-induced surprises, however. Oh, no, no, no.

Matthews had complimentary and appreciative words to speak about that same former anathema of his. One headline even went as far as to say Matthews had ‘lauded’ Trump in the Charlie Rose interview.

Ex-MSNBC host Chris Matthews lauds Trump’s political skill

Just remarkable. I know there are pigs in the air as I write this, honest to God.

Matthews doesn’t believe the polls showing Trump losing support. He doesn’t ‘buy’ them.

…“To be honest with you, the country is moving towards Trump,” Matthews told journalist Charlie Rose on Saturday. “These polls, they come out and show him not doing well — I don’t buy that.

“His strength is still greater than the Democratic strength. He is a stronger public figure than the Democratic people,” Matthews said.

“[Former President Barack] Obama still has tremendous charisma — but Trump has strength. And I think that’s what all voters look for,” he said. “They want a president who is a strong figure. And he’s got it. It’s just there. And half the country buys it.”

TRUMP HAS STRENGTH

What an admission and honestly spoken. Not at all grudgingly.

Chris Matthews has a rare moment of clarity.

“To be honest with you, the country is moving towards Trump. These polls, they come out and show him not doing well — I don’t buy that.”

“He is a stronger public figure than the Democratic people.”

“Obama still has tremendous… pic.twitter.com/mHx5RRsbeg

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) July 27, 2025

Matthews gracefully concedes that Trump is always attuned to the mood of the country, often in the most surprising of ways. Nor is Trump one unwilling to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances he may not like. He acknowledges the reality of any situation ‘instantaneously.’

…”We have never had a president so instantly spontaneous that he knows this minute, if he had said at four o’clock this afternoon, he would say, ‘You know, that’s not really true anymore.’ He will know the mood of the country. I once had a talk with him about the ‘Zoolander’ movie, Ben Stiller movie, and he said, ‘Zoolander 1,’ good timing. ‘Zoolander 2,’ didn’t work. He’s instantaneous,” Matthews said. 

VIDEO – Chris Matthews Praises Trump’s Political Skill: ‘Biden Couldn’t Do That in a Million Years’ https://t.co/ql9af7UWf0

— Grabien (@GrabienMedia) July 27, 2025

Who is this guy, and where did he come from?

🚨NEW: Chris Matthews on TRUMP:

“I liked his bombing of the nuclear sites. There’s some things I like that he did. I think he closed the border without any opposition from the Hispanic groups.”@DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/p5cZ3ZmT6f

— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) July 26, 2025

Realist that I am, I know Matthews’ll soon be retriggered and revert to snarling form, but for this one, brief shining moment of clarity and comity…damn.

How nice.

Every single day, here at HotAir, Ed, David, John, and I do our level best to bring you the latest conservative reporting. We work hard to expose the radical left and the plans of progressives, while delivering news and views you won’t find anywhere else.

And we’re pretty darn proud of that. But we can’t do it without your support.

Help us continue to tell the truth about the Trump administration – its successes and its foes, not to mention those few and far between moments of pure, political Zen. We’d love to invite you to join HotAir’s VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.

Thank you ever so much again for choosing to be here at HotAir with us!