president trump, only motivation and the team and the white house is protect america and that's exactly what we are doing. [cheering] whether you voted for him are not is irrelevant. the patriot and wants you to prosper and that's the real donald trump. [cheering and applauding] so please keep the president in your prayers, his family but also, smile and be happy. [cheering and applauding] ♪♪

c-span coverage of spent conservative political action conference will continue with vibrant donald scott turner and others and online at c-span.org. >> a tv talkshow host and entrepreneur, welcome to the program. you've been supportive of trump action this first month, tell me why and why you think trump 2.0 is different than the first time. >> broadcast and media owner,

being supportive of the president, the media's responsibility and biden kamala harris or trump when you look at the border crossings and on the southernt border 11001 biden-harris you cannot ignore the progress for the american people and it was a promise he said he would deal with. when you talk about those, they made it clear that waste, fraud and government and make sure the taxpayers money works better for them and they shouldn't

terminated but in chaos is so much of their responsibility to do their job. much of their responsibility to the white house. this is why we have a check and balance system in place and the congress to balance out with the president does. because the president cannot shut down a federal agency that is funded by congress. that is congress' role. and i think congress has given over -- host: but usaid has been shut down and those programs have been stopped, even the site has been taken down. guest: this is true, the usaid is sort of unique in its own way, and we understand that. but there's a lot of waste, fraud and abuse in usaid as well

as other government agencies. the conversation that we should have, and we should criticize the president constructively, that is what a democracy is. but if you just look at the whistleblowers when you talk about the waste, the checks being written because they've been written this week or so long, you can't even question if it is a terrorist organization or going to people in need. that may not seem like a lot when you think about the budget for the u.s. government, but it is a start. i will take my own example. as someone in the media when companies community action agencies around the country, you have people that go to these agencies to make sure they are able to have their water turned on, they cannot pay rent on time. sometimes what agencies will do is pay this than three or four months in advance and people come back the same time because they don't use the money that they have to pay for the expenses. a lot of these things go on and

on and what is needed is better management. yes, we know these agencies do a lot of good. but sometimes they are in need because the systems that become so corrupt and so mismanaged that the people that really need it don't get it. so the fact that the president and elon musk are pursuing this government efficiency accountability and responsibility is a good thing. and as a ceo of a business, i understand. we can talk about working from home and the benefits that has, but there's nothing like being in person, coming up with ideas, having these exchanges, running back to the office, when you're talking face-to-face, there is nothing like human interaction. the government, when the federal government to shut down, it affects tourism, it affects the economy, it affects everything. yes, there maybe some people who do need to work from home. people being at work is like an

economy in and of itself. host: as you said, you are a businessman and you have questioned elon musk not to approach the federal government as he would in sizing one of his businesses. what you see is the fundamental difference there of how elon musk should approach the good objective of reducing fraud? guest: this is a piece that was in the baltimore sun on sunday, and while you may have these noble intentions, you cannot run a private business the way you run the federal government. you can go in and you can cut and slash, but in government, you've got to respect the processes. elon musk, as well intended as he may be, he has to work with congress. he has to work with people within these agencies that you have to trust the circuits that are billing.

there are people willing to tell you where the waste and fraud is you cannot just go and shutdown agencies and not realize the harm you could do in the long run because that becomes the narrative. you cannot become a dictator when it comes to the government because you will lose. as well intended as he may be, he will fail in the process and because what he's is doing is so important, he should respect the different processes that are in place that could better help him accomplish the goals he is trying to achieve. host: if you'd like to join a conversation with armstrong williams, start calling in now. (202) 748-8001 for republicans. (202) 748-8000 si for democrats. (202) 748-8002 for independents. you just mentioned the baltimore sun, this is on the front page of the paper for today. christian leaders grapple with new trump policies targeting of anti-christian bias, eradication of di programs reactions from maryland clergy. explain that article.

guest: castor al hathaway who a prominent pastor is quoted throughout the article. he talks about the bible endemically understanding. listen, when donald trump evaded death where the bullet grazed his ear and he could see the blood, even he has said that god saved him and it was an act of god. many christians will see that as not having a greater purpose for donald trump. and so therefore donald trump is a president of destiny and it was destiny that he won. but also you could look at his character and you can they that would donald trump does in his moral life and is personal life is not necessarily what christians adhere to. but then they also pointed david who is in adulterer and how he betrayed his wife but don was able to use and for the greater good. host: he also repented.

guest: i'm not saying the president has not repented, i don't know what he does in his private life. but when you think about his extraordinary journey, what he has gone through, the indictments, lawsuits, people have given up on him, the fact that he could come back after surviving an assassin's bullet and become president again for christians, that has a very spiritual and strong foundation for them and they think there is a greater good. and that is why they believe that there is a possibility that he could usher in a golden age. but i would say you have to be cautious with that because listen. the bottom line is trump's human and sometimes you don't want to become a sycophant for the, that everything he does you support and you turn a blind eye to the things that the caution to be a better person. you don't want to be an enabler. and while i would say that he is a much calmer president, not sending out the crazy tweets, not attacking people the way he has attacked them, you do see a

more laid-back anymore measured president, and i say that is progress. but still, i do think that trump from his experience as a businessman, you've got to have some compassion about his policies. because the bible tells you don't allow your good to be even spoken of. so trump needs to be very measured. i like the fact that he is getting on very well with elon musk, that is sort of a surprise. i like the fact that he is working well with congress, they all seem to be on the same page. the people who are upset seem to be the democratic members of the media but for the most part americans, 55%-60% are willing to give him a chance to see if his policy works in the long run for the american. how long are they willing to suffer the inconvenience and live in fear? that remains to be seen, but i do think that the american people believe that these are the promises made, the promises kept. with give him a chance.

i just don't know how one this honeymoon will last. host: let me ask you about di efforts. are you supportive of president trump's efforts to essentially take that out of the federal government completely? guest: i think that is what he promised to do. host: that is happening, they are all closing. guest: look, it's one thing to talk about equality. i think we all believe in equality. but equity is a different thing. i don't want anyone to give me an advantage because of what they perceive my race as. i want to go back to the dream of dr. king where a man is judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of the character. but let me also caution that races and figure street -- and bigotry is not dead. people still harbor that in their hearts and people are not always going to do what is in the best interest of people because sometimes they cannot let go of the baggage of their

ancestry, but still, the government needs to be accountable. i don't like filling out a form with someone asking me what my race is. i do want somebody to perceive just because some kid got to college on a scholarship they got there because of their race. i think it cheapens those who fight hard, work hard. not only in the classroom, but wherever they are. i do think that we live in a country today were we should be judged not by the color of our skin, not by our sexual preference, but by the content of our character in our work ethic and our sacrifice and edges of -- and air discipline. host: and you think that is going to happen during the next four years? guest: nothing happens overnight. justice, equality. host: are optimistic that it is moving in the right direction? guest: i am cautiously optimistic. i don't have an issue with with the president is doing because i find it shocking that some of

his campaigns made all these promises and are actually in them. the problem is the democrats and others do not taken seriously and for the speedy is working in his late 70's, his focus, his organization, the latest d has been in place putting this together, these executive orders, it did not happen overnight. donald trump is prepared. whether congress is prepared or not, that is a different western. host: i want to show you a clip of hakeem jeffries talking about the programs and then you can respond. >> diversity, equity and inclusion are american values. it is about economic opportunity for everyone. we support merit for everyone based on what you know, not who you know. the problem that seems to be

unfolding is that there are some in this country who want an america of the billionaires, by the billionaires, and for the billionaires. not for working-class americans, middle-class americans or everyday americans. a country of the billionaires, either billionaires, and for the billionaires. diversity, equity and inclusion are about economic opportunity for everyone, even if you are not wealthy, well or well-connected. these are values that everybody in this country should embrace. host: what do you think, armstrong williams? guest: listen, i was with him until he got to the billionaires. we can talk about these di programs, you ask how the average low income person

benefits from these programs. how much does government really change the lives for the biden and harris is in the white house, or trump-pence in the white house, how much does it really impact progress? unfortunately, the people who were poor red biden and harris were in the white house, they are poor now. what he is talking about our contracts that go to their friends and colleagues. you are talking about rules that we have to abide by that you cannot have a conflict of interest. with companies that come before the legislative body. and it wasn't until recently that the civil rights law that he applies -- alludes to applied to congress. i don't want to call him a hypocrite but this is political grandstanding. they are the minority, they lost. and until they learn the lessons of that election, to try to support donald from where he is, they try to improve di and bees program that he speaks of where

they work across the board and they don't figure some illogical thing like race or gender, where it works with people because they are qualified, they have got to realize this messaging that they have the last election was profoundly defeated. they need to face the reality they lost and they need to find a new message that resonates with the american people because until they do so, they will continue to lose and lose again. the democratic party has been decimated because they lost touch. they used to be the party of the working class of america and the middle class of america. that demographic voting for trump. blacks, hispanics, even people in michigan who consider themselves to be muslim and people said how in the world did you support donald trump at his policies? it seems to go against your best interests, but they are voting for family values. it's not just about the economy, it is about what is gender affirming. you're talking about drag queens

teaching children in the classroom. you're talking about parents cannot have a say so and their children talking about if they are going through some kind of sexual evolution. the bottom line, america still cares about traditional values until hakeem jeffries and the democratic already get a message that resonates with the majority of americans, they will continue to remain in the minority. host: homer is a republican in florence, massachusetts. good morning. caller: amen and hallelujah to everything you said. you are highly intelligent. i'm wondering why it's ok for joe biden fight federal workers for not getting a vaccine but now it's not ok for trump to fight people and i also noticed that bill clinton fired 400,000 federal employees, and trump is not even close to that. so i don't know why he's complaining. i'm just curious, 283 million people active on social security , there's only 340 million people in the country. 383 is a lot more.

that's ridiculous, we got to look into these things. i love the election deniers are called in for the democrats now and it's all ok because it was racism and misogyny and sexism. can you guys please tell me why that is ok, that you let those people go on and on same race x-men thank you for not -- guest: there is a larger point. this criticism of trump using executive orders, this criticism of his cabinet that he put forth before the senate and all of them are going to be confirmed, this criticism about trump embracing billionaires and the like like elon musk, and nobody talks about why men harris embracing george rose and bill gates and jeff bezos. host: since you bring it up, he's got a trifecta. why not go to congress and some of these things, why depend on the executive order that can be reversed by the next president?

guest: we agree. but we know trump. trump feels that congress does not move fast enough for him. it would be better for him to wait. his attitude is that the american people cannot afford to wait. and wife and something in place that three or four years later another administration come in &? i agree with you, but trump is not like any president that we seen in emory never seen such a frenetic way of so many executive orders because he wants to change it, and he also knows that a lot of these things that are pushing will probably go through and become effective, and once that happens, people will billy needed to believe it is having an impact on their lives in particular may come to the economy, it will remain lace. because remember it does not matter whether it is a president or congress, their boss is the american people, and the

american people, we have awakened a sleeping giant and they are not going back to sleep. they are more educated, more into them they have ever been before. host: james, democrat in chicago. caller: yeah, people to make them out say anything. all this fraud and waste, is anybody going to jail? has anyone been accused of this? and since he brought the lord, the man on the stage with him, that he had a purpose for that? thank you. guest: when it comes to what donald trump is doing, it takes time before you find out what the fraud is and who the culprits are. that doesn't mean that someone won't be held accountable down the road. and listen, i don't try to understand the ways of god. my heart goes out to that person

that died on that stage. you ask yourself why is it that the toronto plane that crashed in the snow, everyone survived, but those of the potomac a few weeks ago, everybody died? god has ways that many of us cannot understand. i don't get into trying to that because you know why? some things you cannot explain. host: i want to ask you about a posting on x that elon musk wrote in response to the 60 minutes interview. he says 60 minutes are the biggest liars in the the engaged in deliberate deception to interfere with the last election. they deserve a long prison sentence. i want to ask you since you are the owner of the baltimore sun now, if one of your journalists did an interview that elon musk disagreed with, how would you respond if you posted on x that they deserve a prison sentence? guest: i would vehemently push back.

you cannot judge cbs for immediate institution by a 60 minutes interview with kamala harris and obviously the media is biased, there is no question about that. obviously many people believe that it was in the tank with biden and harris and they feel as though their policies are more active of the agenda they want for america, but i would defend the state at every turn. i would defend that because many of these reporters, they do their jobs very well and they put a lot of aligned to do those jobs. host: should and what changes should we expect the baltimore sun? guest: we are fortunate because david smith, made business partner, we are working with a terrific group of people. people perceive the baltimore sun as being this liberal paper and us being conservative but is

-- it is generalist integrity. finding the voices that represent all voices in the community, and when you want to deal with commentary that reflect her people are and getting a lot of attention to local issues, the local dishes that people are about that affect their way of life immediately it's not only about what is going on on the national stage. we put together were collaboration with the baltimore sun. i've never worked with a greater group of people that i work with the baltimore sun. host: fairfax, virginia, and dependent line. caller: how are you doing, thank you for taking my call. first time caller, so i appreciate your time. wanted to do a quick plan highlight michael asian -- the department of education. there are warning schools that

take consideration according to scholarships. not ti necessarily, but culturally-based aspects. sororities or fraternities or something like that. i just want to know president trump, all politics generally have been ok with generalizing. like myself but when it gets to where you want to shut down higher education and this philosophy and it is part of society eliminate where the department of education might be going too far and they help out and higher education. >> this is the new york times,

education department is two weeks for race-based programs civil rights warned for schools that would consider race and scholarship and an array of other activities. >> i think the president is correct. one certain american over other americans you have a new leader in town that's donald trump and this is exactly what he would do and adhere to this new administration guideline. >> next in florida. >> good morning. thank you for taking my call. ... and i am in favor of what is going on with elon musk, president trump and doge.

and the biggest thin i question the government's process. when i say that you think they are like 9000 certified, the af 9100 certified visa certifications the federal government requires private business to be in order to conduct business with them but i don't think they have the same standard. i can speak to this because i was in the industry for almost 39 years i worked for the largest defense contractor in the world and there are good government employees. but there's a lot of oxygen, cruisers they will pound on their chest to tell you to take them out to congress to fire them. nobody in their job in the private sector thinks like that

that works that way. no matter how important you think you are as the general worker, this stock is not going down a penny because you die. that's a fact. the government needs to work at a more efficient rate that might mean/incomplete areas because it's redundancy. the private sector they make us look at ourselves as to how can we be more efficient. every single year how can we squeeze out more efficiency and get better at what we do. unless you are trying to practice continuous improvements then you are just doing the same thing over and over looking for different result of the government acts like grandma's hand they keep doing it the same way because that's all they've always done it. >>. >> he makes an excellent point. is why you have to create chaos in government because they've

created this preponderance of layers and protected and created a lot of incompetency. they know where the duplication is they know people are not doing their jobs what many of the government workers inshould be doing now is working with the president. saying this is what we can do better. nothing remains the same changes necessary nobody knows how to play out the donald trump has the e right attitude. we still face the trillion dollar deficit if we don't get our financial order and financial house in order. >> joanne in tulsa oklahoma.

>> there's only one god his name is definitely not trump. thank you for your time, have a nice day. >> i absolutely agree, trump is not god, never will be, he's just a man flogged like everybody else but he happens to anbe president of the united states. >> marie an enindependent in maryland, good morning. >> good morning. can you hear me? yes we can. >> this is what i don't understand i don't like anyone having my social security number because the nra was taking a little bit of money on account so i called because sometimes as you get older we don't look at the small things the nra was removing money from

my checking account without my permission. i can imagine for someone else who don't have my social security number this is what you do but my main thing that i don't understand is what happened to the values of the adults here in this country? period. the president of the united states is a record sex offender and all of you acting like this is something to apply. he should be a saint ããyou should be ashamed of yourselves. forget the felon, he is a registered sex offender. how do you feel about that? >> i don't think the president is a owregistered sex offender. we know the president is flawed we know the president has had moral challenges, like all of us, and but the american people understand this better than anyone else. i think it was because he was he thought the government targeted him, until they became

his protector during the last presidential election. that's why i think that's why he was atelected because they realize they rather have an imperfect man to do their bidding than someone who professes something very different. >>. >> good morning. mr. williams you are a very interesting man to listen to. i just want to ask you, do you support mr. trump 100%? >> as a broadcaster i support journalists, i am a referee i'm not a coach it is our responsibility to present both sides without manipulating the facts. and let you as the reader come to your own conclusion i'm not here to do bidding for donald trump for the democrats. my bidding is citizen

journalism for you to make own determination. >> the trumpet ministers department of justice has asked all the charges of corruption against him be dropped, what was your reaction to that. >> khaleesi a lot of prosecutors and lawyers resign over this. they are two schools, donald trump believe because of his own journey and prosecution by the courts he feels it was a witchhunt that this happened to mayor adams because 㦠>> do you believe that? >> that part yes. >> the prosecutor said they had been investigating the allegations of corruption before. >> i believe that also. but i don't believe that governor hochul should have the

power because she's trying to make a decision whether to remove mayor adams from office. what i think people realize there are so many prosecutors that step down. mayor adams is very defiant. >> i've been very upset with what's going on with what trump is doing.

i find that he put elon musk in place to do what he's doing because trump likes to get other people to do his dirty work. so he can have elon musk do the dirty work so he can say, i have nothing to do with that. with what's going on with russia and ukraine it's pretty disgusting because russia started it. and putin is not scared of trump. trump is scared of putin. if trump gives putin everything

he wants, this is wrong. god let trump live that day because -- he will get him in the end. >> let me respond i think she said some things that need to be addressed. the only people that pay the price for war are the innocent families who lose their sons in this war. jd vance give a speech in europe defiant and truthful europeans and germans didn't like it. you could be they could attack you beat you salty and you have no rights. if you punch back and hit them you're going to jail because of the fact that europe has not carried its weight if they don't like if a particular

leader is about to be elected they suspend the elections i think jd vance gave a reality check the bottom line is donald trump maintains a relationship with maputin, say whatever you say about that x covered relationship you keep your able to bring ukraine and russia to saudi arabia to talk about. >> 㦠>> i will take his word for it. but still, it's best to sit down cut out the bureaucracy and russia and ukraine and europe to bring a close so people stop dining the structures destroyed i heard the foreign minister of the eu say as early as this let's try to work with the united states instead of fighting against her to bring some kind of resolution to it the situation. so innocent people keep ãã would be upset if it was your son somebody else's son died in the war someone steps in like

donald trump said let's bring our clothes to this. this is where we should be instead of innocent continuing to die. >> market in clearwater florida independent line. >> good morning. i have a question for the gentleman here i was ywatching when y'all show if you back where it was about the insurance thing. you had two people one on the phone one of the table and she was going to make a statement on the subsidies the government gives to corporations, then i looked it up in the government gives the corporations $500 worth of insurance coverage for the company to put their coverage, 1200 for two people and x number for three or four in a family, my question the gentleman does he take subsidies for insurance coverages and why is the government going to look udinto those fraud and abuse that why the american people are paying company subsidies for their employees insurance.

>> what is not talked about enough, it's not just people who did not support people on the lower rung of the lateral or people in the federal government that y enticed by donald trump's policy, businesses and farmers who hire these workers they're not showing up for work because they feel i.c.e.'s, come along and pick them up. you've got these migrants who are saying were not longer going to extend the work basis which affects a lot of companies in this country. i will do work with the government. i worked on this thing called no child left behind early in my life e i'll start with pride about after that i would never have a business with the government and the private industry the private industry we cannot allow our operation to run like the government does we would not be in business you cannot allow your household to run a certain way. we provide healthcare coverage for our employees not because we have to because we choose to because it's the right thing to do. there's only so much government

can do but i think for private corporations that do well whether you should take care of your employees first. the government can only do so much with people that are struggling. corporations in these communities do a lot of the lives that are struggling, particularly in the economy we are in right now. i think everything is open in terms of government and what elon musk is trying to because they are looking for transparency. >> i want to ask you about criticism of president trump that says one of the biggest concerns of the american people during the campaign was the economy and inflation. president trump hasn't done enough or hasn't focused enough on bringing prices down at the grocery store. >> that's a slow process he's come back to admit and might've been a little over exaggerated to the campaign but when you cut out waste and abuse when you cut out the number of migrants crossing the borders, many people thfelt the weight o

related to housing and other things, those things will add relief but what you just mentioned is a slow process that must take place it's not can happen overnight. people have to be met patient. >> here is gary in dighton georgia, republican. >> good morning mr. williams. >> good morning gary. >> when i was young we always took vacation up to smoky mountains and we would all pile in the station wagon and go. back then they would allow you to feed the bears right on the side of the road. it got to be a big thing and went on for years and years. when they stopped that, all the bears just stood on the side of the road and starved because they didn't know how to feed themselves. if you have a man that's going to noteach you how to fish and you've got a man that's gonna give you the fish and you come back to him tomorrow for that

fish, which man do you want to be with? >> i want to say to him and i think his point is well taken. the best in the department of health education and welfare i had growing up was my mother and my father. much of what happened is why there is so much pain and society, men in the juvenile justice on the crime, these young boys have no idea what it means to be a man. they have no idea right and wrong and we must thstrengthen the family again. not only do we need men in the household but we need d them in the school systems. where you have men in the school systems teaching the kids especially the young boys they react differently they have less behavior problems less crime, less homicides less rape. have to get back to the g understanding of the family of the work ethic, discipline, sacrifice, work, that something that can be told in the family there so only so much government can do unless you

build yourself a stable foundation. every now and then you might struggle something might blindside you but at least you have a stable foundation the government is better prepared to help you. if you solely dependent on the government and don't bring any resources to the table that's not good help for you in the long run. >> you said there should be more men in the classroom how do you encourage more men to be teachers? especially if there is no department of education. >> i'm not to say there's not a primitive education, i believe states do a better job in the federal ããthen the federal government. >> how can state encourage rame to be in education. >> encourage them to mentor, you must make them realize the value of being in the classroom because this is a child that can take your child's life someday. this is the child that could marry her daughter someday. man i think men want to be in the classroom but i think to give them incentive i think

teachers should be the way paid the way of ceos i think they have more of an impact on the lives of ãlives of kids -- these schools are war zones. >> carolyn in baltimore, democrat, good morning carolyn. >> good ormorning, i'm glad i g through. thank you for this information. two comments on the question i will be really brief. , retired federal government worker i wish people would stop trying to demonize federal government workers we work hard and we have a lot of lo credentials to get positions that we had. i do see there were people who didn't work and i took issue with the indiscriminate firings that are being done. there are people who are working hard and they should be fired is because some random issue. second, the media has always been biased, with you being now with the sun, i hope you show

more black people doing well. they focus oon the ones that a not. there's more of us were doing well, christian values, family values, i anwish you would focu more on that because i'm tired of being demonized. my question is, 63 years old, when i was coming sup our community taught us we had to be twice as good as other populations to get a job. so as far as dei, adding to that i personally trained at least two white people that got promoted over r me. my question is regarding dei, do you actually think that the people who were hired under these programs are incompetent and got the position only because they are black? because i would say that is not the case. >> absolutely the majority not. i think most people get their on their own merit atthat's why you don't necessarily need dei

but i appreciate you calling from baltimore because over the last two weeks we've been focusing on very successful americans who happen to be black and entrepreneurs and how they contribute to a better way of life in baltimore. i hope you follow that if not go to the baltimore sun.com. i would encourage you also to subscribe to the baltimore sunday i had to get that in. >> armstrong williams, knowing tv talkshow host, entrepreneur, website is www.armstrongwilliams.com also the owner of the esbaltimore su. >> always a pleasure. i always enjoy watching you when i'm not here you do sucha terrific job. >> thank you . >> coming up, president trump speaks to governors who were in town for the national governors association conference, we expect this to get underway shortly, here on c-span2. >> welcome back we are joined by ellen to stall justice correspondent and columnist for the nation. welcome to the