Cable News Clips
Related: About this forumTrump appears to blurt out secret plan, not knowing it's already a bust - Rachel Maddow - MS NOW
Rachel Maddow shares reporting on bizarre behavior by former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who tampered with his ankle monitor while on house arrest and was sent to jail.
Donald Trump subsequently boasted of speaking with Bolsonaro and expecting to see him soon, apparently unaware of Bolsonaro's incarceration. Did Trump accidentally reveal too much about why Bolsonaro was tampering with his ankle monitor? - Aired on 11/24/2025.
NJCher
(42,079 posts)The coverage of this showed so muchlike how little thought trump gives to these matters. You can even see that on his face in this picture.
Defying another countrys system of justice? Not even a consideration. The world would have been in an uproar but what matters is he got his buddy out of a prison sentence.
NJCher
(42,079 posts)She also covers this protest.
LetMyPeopleVote
(173,179 posts)Did the president talk to Bolsonaro as the Brazilian plotted to escape? Trump said yes, but the White House isnt so sure.
An amazing new Trump controversy, Part I of II:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-11-25T18:35:57.718Z
- Friday night: Jair Bolsonaroâs son summons a crowd to their family home
- Later Friday night: Bolsonaro takes a soldering iron to his ankle bracelet days before starting a lengthy prison
- Saturday morning: Bolsonaro is re-arrested
An amazing new Trump controversy, Part II of II:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-11-25T18:36:44.390Z
- Saturday afternoon: Trump says he spoke to Bolsonaro the night before and planned to see him âin the very near futureâ
- Monday afternoon: The Trump White House isnât sure whether Trump actually had the conversation he referenced two days earlier
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/white-house-trump-bolsonaro-phone-call
Bolsonaros lawyers said he wasnt trying to flee (notwithstanding earlier efforts to find a country to escape to) but rather, the former Brazilian president felt unwell because of the medications he was on.
So according to his own defenders, this guy took a soldering iron to his ankle monitor because some drugs left him confused.
And it was around this time that the story got even weirder.
Trump says he spoke to Bolsonaro last night and plans to meet with him soon
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-11-22T17:27:27.585Z
......Of course, given the Brazilian was on house arrest and poised to begin a lengthy prison sentence, it was far from clear how, exactly, Trump intended to hang out with him. For all intents and purposes, it would suggest that Trump either was going to make a previously unannounced trip to Brazil, or the American president expected Bolsonaro to make his way to the U.S.
But wait, theres more.
Link to tweet
So lets recap:
Friday night: Bolsonaros son summons a crowd to their family home.
Later Friday night: Bolsonaro takes a soldering iron to his ankle monitor.
Saturday mornin[g/b]: Bolsonaro is re-arrested.
Saturday afternoon: Trump says he spoke to Bolsonaro the night before and planned to see the Brazilian leader in the very near future.
Monday afternoon: The White House isnt sure whether Trump actually had the conversation he publicly referenced two days earlier.
I can appreciate on a personal level how easy it is to grow inured to the madness surrounding our incumbent American president. But even by Trump standards, this ones a doozy.