CNN host Smerconish slams removal calls, says Trump ‘plays madman but is calculated’

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: CNN host Michael Smerconish is pushing back hard against growing calls to remove Donald Trump from office, arguing that the president’s controversial rhetoric should not be mistaken for instability.

Reacting to outrage over Trump’s recent Iran-related statements, Smerconish, in a detailed monologue on Saturday, April 11, said critics are misreading the situation, insisting the president is far more deliberate behind closed doors than his public persona suggests.

Michael Smerconish claims 'madness is Trump's method'

In the monologue, Smerconish dismissed claims that Trump’s behavior warrants drastic constitutional action, instead portraying his style as strategic.

“A crazy person doesn't live in the White House. A person who plays a crazy person a lot on TV lives there,” he said, referencing earlier remarks by Bill Maher.

Pointing to Trump’s inflammatory social media posts, including warnings like “a whole civilization will die tonight”, Smerconish acknowledged the backlash but urged viewers to look deeper.

“You'd expect the guy that posts about a whole civilization dying would be simultaneously busting up the White House furniture but there's never been any reporting of Trump like that behind closed doors,” he said.

He framed Trump’s approach as intentional rather than erratic saying, “In other words, it's not that there's a method to his madness, it's that the madness is his method.”

Backing his claim, Smerconish cited detailed reporting on internal White House deliberations, arguing it shows a structured decision-making process involving advisers, dissenting views, and legal consultation.

“Donald Trump is capable of exactly what his critics say he isn't: patience, process and genuine deliberation,” he said, adding that Trump “went around the table,” heard opposing opinions, and made decisions under pressure.

He also pointed to timing as evidence of calculated leadership: “90 minutes before his own deadline, a ceasefire materialized. That's not nothing.”

Smerconish concluded that such actions contradict claims that Trump is unfit for office.

“It's certainly not the behavior of someone who needs the 25th Amendment invoked or warrants impeaching,” he said.

Democrats renew calls for action against Trump

Smerconish’s comments come as several Democratic lawmakers escalate criticism of Trump following his recent statements on Iran.

The controversy intensified after Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die” prompting debate over whether his rhetoric crossed a line.

Representative Yassamin Ansari publicly urged the administration to consider invoking the 25th Amendment, stating, “The 25th Amendment exists for a reason; his Cabinet should use it.”

She was joined by Ilhan Omar and others, including Ro Khanna, Maxwell Frost, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley, who have all voiced concern over the potential consequences of escalation.