Ex-Trump aide thinks president is insane to rehash all his scandals

Former White House press secretary Alyssa Farah Griffin cannot figure out why President Donald Trump would want to spend the 2026 midterm elections rehashing some of the worst scandals of his career.

CNN reported Wednesday that the Justice Department is now targeting E. Jean Carroll, who won a civil suit against Trump for defamation when he attacked her multiple times publicly over her allegations of sexual assault. Two juries ultimately agreed that she was sexually abused and that Trump was held liable for defaming Carroll was awarded a combined total of $88 million. Now Trump's DOJ is accusing her of committing perjury when she was asked whether she got any outside funding for her legal fees. Later, her lawyer said that they had received funding. It's unclear if Carroll knew that at the time, however.

Griffin told CNN host John Berman she can't understand why the Trump administration would want to rehash some of the biggest scandals throughout his history six months before an election.

"I will never understand why this administration wants to put some of the worst associations of the president back in the headlines," Griffin said. "Most of us have kind of forgotten about the E. Jean Carroll suit, the allegations, what he was ultimately found liable for, and now he puts it front and center. It's very similar to the January 6th cases. DOJ wants to keep rehashing them."

Meanwhile, she added, Republicans attack Democrats, saying they keep talking about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

"No, this president keeps talking about the election lies [and] January 6th. So from purely a standpoint of wanting to focus on his domestic agenda and move forward, this makes zero sense," she said.

Berman said it was related to his follow-up question: What is Trump and the administration getting out of bringing all of these issues up again?

"Absolutely nothing," she said frankly. "It's not a headline that they want. And we've seen a number of these cases go forward. James Comey and others, where they overreach. DOJ was not able to get the outcome that they wanted. And I suspect this will be a similar case. I'm not from a legal perspective, but based on what we know, this should be the last thing Donald Trump wants to talk about in the twilight of his presidency. He should be focusing on the economy, gas prices, the war in Iran, not relitigating this."

Berman went on to ask her if those in Trump world are afraid that once Democrats take over, there will be investigations into the weaponization of government, and anyone who worked for Trump will become part of that. Griffin explained that it isn't fear; they've accepted it.

"I think folks knew to lawyer up and be ready, because this is a president who was very clear that he was going to be doing a bit of a revenge tour," Griffin said.

Trump should "focus on actually delivering for the American people," instead, she closed.

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