Former Barack Obama Advisor Brett Bruen on US midterm aftermath

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The Hard Shoulder with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman. On Newstalk with Ciara.

Ciara Kelly (1:08)

And we are joined now in studio by Brett Bruen, White House advisor during the Obama administration. Brett, so much goes on with such alacrity in the US. It's hard to know where to begin, but you and I spoke last Tuesday while votes were still coming in during the midterms. Obviously, the results are in now. The blue tsunami took place. You did, I'll have to give it to you, pretty much predict it.

Brett Bruen (1:34)

Look, and it wasn't just the partisan blue lens through which I was looking. I think all of the telltale signs of voters' unhappiness with Trump were there. And I think this is also where, quite frankly, the White House obstinance, Trump's stubbornness just in the last week, ignoring the will of the voter, saying, I'm just going to plow ahead. I'm going to nominate or name Stephen Miller, one of the most extreme officials in the West Wing, as chief of staff. I think it flies in the face of political logic. It may have a logic in Trump's world, but quite frankly, he risks ruining the Republican Party for a generation.

Ciara Kelly (2:19)

Was he ever about the Republican Party per se, though? I mean, I think you and I, in fact, discussed this and said he could go one of two ways. If he lost the midterms, he could be chastened somewhat, but equally, he could think I have nothing less to lose. I don't care. I'll do exactly what I want.

Brett Bruen (2:35)

Well, and I think he will to the extent, and it's important to prioritize in Trump's mind what he focuses on. First, making money. There was in that CBS 60 Minutes interview yesterday, the reporter, a conservative one, I would point out, was highlighting the fact that he's earned $3 billion with a B since he came into office. So he is all about making both for himself, his family, and perhaps a few close friends a few billion dollars. But then also, I think he's going to focus on his legacy of re-imagining Washington in his own image, the Arc de Trump, the gold-plated oval office, which I have to say is so off-putting. One of the things, when I was giving tours to, including family from here in Ireland through the West Wing, I said, you have to understand your expectations should be lowered. This isn't a presidential palace. This is very much the people's house, and Trump has forgotten that.

I think what we will see from Trump are a flurry of executive orders. He will try to govern by social post, and yet at the same time, you have to understand the dynamics in Washington have shifted so much in the last week. Republicans are tired of him.

Ciara Kelly (3:53)

Republicans are even tired of him.

Would you say that this result is really a referendum on Trump? Because it was a very broad church of different types of Democrats, candidates that got across the line. There wasn't any one type of Democrat. There was a whole myriad of people in the center and on the left and right of the party won in the midterm election. So is that Trump may be saying, oh, I wasn't on the ballot, but nonetheless, this looks to me to some extent, and I don't mean to knock the Democrats particularly, but like a protest vote rather than a vote in favor of any one kind of Democratic policy.

Brett Bruen (4:29)

There is no question we have yet to identify a messenger.