MS NOW host Nicolle Wallace on Tuesday dismissed the long-running notion that former President Donald Trump is executing a masterful “3D chess” political strategy, saying the public should stop ascribing sophisticated motives to what she argued is often impulsive behavior. “Every time the press tries to figure out what sophisticated secret version of 3D chess Trump is playing, he’s just doing some dumb **** on his phone,” Wallace said during an appearance on Deadline: White House.
Wallace made the remarks in a discussion with Dan Kanninen, who served as battleground director for Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, and Sam Stein, managing editor of The Bulwark, as the trio dissected newly released details about funding tied to Trump’s proposed White House ballroom. Fox and other outlets have reported that Senate Republicans are seeking about $1 billion for “security adjustments and upgrades” related to the project, a figure that has renewed scrutiny of the initiative’s purpose and cost.
Stein noted that the ballroom project has ballooned in scope and cost — he recounted earlier estimates that began at roughly $200 million and climbed through $300 million and $400 million figures — and pointed to a recent federal judge’s order halting construction on the ground that the build requires congressional approval. The judge’s ruling also highlighted that Trump had not been transparent about the potential for taxpayer exposure, Stein said, contradicting the former president’s pledge that the project would be privately funded or paid for out of pocket.
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Wallace framed the ballroom as a “gold-gilded” vanity project that Americans did not ask for, likening the unfolding revelations to slapstick scenes in which a thief hides stolen goods so clumsily the wrongdoing is obvious. She also criticized the timing and optics, saying voters concerned about high gas prices and other economic strains see such a project as an inappropriate presidential focus — footage played on the show featured Florida residents saying the money could be better spent and that people are “starving.”
The conversation also touched on Trump’s recent disclosures about a large military complex beneath the ballroom, which he conceded had been “supposed to be a secret” and was revealed because of a “stupid lawsuit.” Stein argued those comments fit into a pattern in which Trump is insulated from dissenting views, surrounded by aides who flatter rather than challenge him. “He probably watches only news media that affirms his priors,” Stein said, adding that when provoked or contradicted he often lashes out on Truth Social.
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Wallace pushed back against attempts to rationalize the project as part of a broader plan or legacy-building exercise, urging journalists and analysts to stop imputing elaborate strategy to what she portrayed as off-the-cuff decisions. The full segment from Deadline: White House, including the clips of Florida residents and the panel’s exchange, is available on the MS NOW YouTube channel.
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