Ever since President Donald Trump's Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, released her budget outlining major cuts to services for the disabled, special education and completely defunding Special Olympics, people expressed outrage.
But in a bizarre series of events, Trump and DeVos appeared to be pointing fingers at each other over whose idea the cuts were.
On Thursday, Trump announced he was overriding his people—without specifying who—to fund Special Olympics. Shortly after DeVos stated:
"I am pleased and grateful the President and I see eye-to-eye on this issue and that he has decided to fund our Special Olympics grant. This is funding I have fought for behind the scenes over the last several years."
That response varied greatly from what DeVos said ever since her budget release during both congressional budget hearings and in interviews before the President's announcement.
But when CNN reporter Ryan Nobles asked DeVos to clarify, it just got awkward.
CNN host Anderson Cooper broke it down later that evening. Watch the segment here.
Cooper said, through laughter:
"Oh my god, that was so painful and awkward. I love the camera, after focusing on the back of her head — the camera person moves around. And then she’s looking at, I assume someone who works for her, for some sort of saving."
"But the other person was just like ‘Uh I’m not saying another word either'. That’s an epic non-response."
Cooper was far from alone in that assessment.
Others found the "not me" battle to absolve themselves of the Special Olympics funding cuts decision done by both Trump and DeVos telling. As were DeVos' responses highlighted in the segment.
People were also less than grateful for the Trump administration's reversal of their own budget proposal.
While one person floated a theory about the original decision.
Here is Cooper's full segment from Anderson Cooper 360.
@lpeterp/Bluesky
@FPWellman/X
@bobsbeatgmail.com5/Threads