Steve Mnuchin Thinks Trump’s Bullying Is Funny

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the guy who recently was upset that university students had heckled him, thinks it’s hilarious that Donald Trump likes to bully journalists and women lawmakers.

On Saturday night, Trump delivered a rambling, dishonest, boastful, and offensive speech during a Pennsylvania rally, in which he attacked at least 10 journalists, politicians, presidents, and TV hosts by name. Among the racist and misogynist insults Trump hurled was the claim that Rep. Maxine Waters is a “very low–IQ individual” and the use of “Pocahontas” to refer to Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

In bragging about his past comments on North Korea, Trump called the host of NBC’s Meet the Press, Chuck Todd, a “sleepy son–of–a–bitch.” Todd didn’t take kindly to the insult and took the opportunity Sunday to ask Mnuchin if he endorses Trump’s bullying.

“Many people, including myself, raise their kids to respect the office of the presidency and the president of the United States,” Todd said. “When he uses vulgarity to talk about individuals, what are they supposed to tell their kids?”

“Again, I’ll be with my kids this morning and I’ll be focused on them, on what the president is doing to protect the United States, its citizens, and more important the economy,” Mnuchin said, before Todd interrupted him.

“So he’s not amoral, don’t worry about his values, don’t worry about him as a role model?” Todd asked.

“I never said that whatsoever, so I don’t know why you’re putting these words in what I’m trying to say, OK?” Mnuchin said. “So, again, I am very comfortable with what we’re doing, OK? And again, I think you’re trying to take this out of perspective in implying something I’m not saying.”

“Fair enough,” Todd continued. “What are you supposed to say, when he’s using these vulgarities, to kids?”

“Uh, again, I think you should be focused on what the policies are. He’s using these vulgarities in the context of a campaign rally, and, uh, obviously there were a lot of funny moments on that rally,” Mnuchin responded.

“Yeah, they were hilarious,” Todd said before ending the segment.

Todd’s line of questioning followed a tweet Saturday night by longtime NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, who sarcastically called Trump’s comments “Really classy.”

“Explain that to your children,” he added. OK?