MSNBC co-anchors Stephanie Ruhle and Ali Velshi were beside themselves after the surreal Oval Office meeting Thursday between President Donald Trump and rapper Kanye West.
West, sporting a red "Make America Great Again" hat, held forth with Trump in front of reporters and photographers for nearly 10 minutes Thursday afternoon, praising him and saying the cap made him feel like a superhero.
"Let’s stop worrying about the future all we have is today. … Trump is on his hero’s journey right now. He might not have thought he’d have a crazy motherf—er like (me)," West said.
After West rambled on over several different topics, including manufacturing, the 13th Amendment and Saturday Night Live, Trump called him a special person to close out the meeting. MSNBC then returned to the studio, where Velshi let out a drawn-out "Wow" and Ruhle shook her head in disgust.
"That was bonkers," Velshi said.
Ruhle said "that was an assault on our White House" and told viewers not to count on any political analysis of what was just said.
"That was crazy. That was bonkers," Velshi said.
Ruhle said she couldn't believe West saying he was drawn to the "MAGA" hat because he didn't have male role models.
"It's stunning, Ali, that that just took place," she said.
They also blasted West's remarks on addressing police brutality and race in general, with Velshi calling it "mostly nonsense." He said their guest, PBS Newshour reporter Yamiche Alcindor, had drawn the "short straw" in having to discuss with them what they just witnessed.
"What Kanye West did right there, there was no clear message," Ruhle said. "This is someone who actually sat there and said 'I have been diagnosed bipolar' ... Let's not exploit someone in a position like that."
Trump and West were scheduled to have lunch to discuss prison reform. West's wife Kim Kardashian West previously visited the White House to discuss the case of 63-year-old Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving a life sentence for a non-violent drug conviction. Trump ultimately granted her clemency, earning Kardashian West's gratitude.